Blog Articles for Buyers

If you've found my blog while searching around the internet, you may have come to a particular article that I wrote about some aspect of real estate. Perhaps you read a market report about sales in Northern Virginia or information about available inventory in a particular Alexandria neighborhood. You may have read an article about the home buying process.

Looking to purchase a home? Getting started with your home search?

You need all the information you can get your hands on. In over a year of blogging about real estate in the Northern Virginia and D.C. area, I've written many articles that form a useful guide for homebuyers who are just getting started.

Rather than having you sift through my entire blog looking for the ones that may pertain to your questions and desire for real estate knowledge, I've compiled many of them right here below.

If you are deciding upon your REALTOR for your Northern Virginia real estate purchase, or you have already starting working with me, I may have sent you a link to this blog post which serves as a clearinghouse for my homebuyer pertinent articles.

BLOG ARTICLES FOR BUYERS (CLICK ON EACH LINK TO READ THE FULL POST):

• GETTING STARTED

Buying a Home in Northern Virginia & D.C.: Step by Step Flowchart -- You can't get where you are going if you don't have a map. Here's a map through the minefields of the homebuying process.

Six Myths About Northern Virginia Real Estate -- Cut through the crap. What's the truth?

Who Are the Players? The Team of Professionals Involved in Your Real Estate Deal -- You need to know who is on your side when it comes to buying a home.

How Much is the Monthly Payment?: A Simple Formula -- Before you start your home search, you need to know how much you can afford. Use this simple formula for a rough estimate of your mortgage payment.

From a Pad to a Nest -- Guys, I'm Talking to You -- Lots of people buy homes because they are getting married. This one is for the grooms to be and the newlyweds out there.

Let Me Search for Homes While You Drink Your Morning Coffee -- You've got better things to do all day then surf the web for homes... it's called work! Let me do the searching for you.

• CHOOSING YOUR REALTOR

My Friend is in Real Estate: Might Not be the Best Choice -- Some people want to work with their friends. This may be the biggest financial decision of your life. Do you trust your friend enough? Can you contain your emotions and maintain the friendship?

Choosing a Good Negotiator for Your Real Estate Deal -- Price & terms. Getting a good deal. You need a strong negotiator on your side of the table.

• ON THE ROAD AND IN THE HOUSE

Real Estate is a Process of Elimination -- Eliminate the houses you don't like and you'll quickly find the ones that you do.

Bring Your Checkbook With You on Your Househunt -- What? Were you going to charge it on your Visa?

Swing Open the Closet Door -- This is your chance to be the voyeur you always wanted to be. Look in the closets, the cabinets, the pantry... You are thinking about making it your home, after all.

• IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Will the Sellers Come Down on the Price? -- Every buyer wants to know this. The answer is always maybe. Here's the factors to consider.

How Long Has That House Been on the Market? -- Closely tied to the first question. This is important information to weigh in the offer price.

Can a Homebuyer Get Sellers to Pay Closing Costs in Today's Northern Virginia Market? Answer: It Depends -- First time buyers often don't have a lot of cash to bring to the table. Will sellers help out?

• THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING A HOME

Mighty Paragaph 7 of the Sales Contract -- The Regional Sales Contract has some important protections for buyers. Paragraph 7 is so crucial that I always read it aloud to my clients.

Take Your Home for a Test Drive: The Importance of Home Inspections -- Get a Home Inspection!

Get Me Out of Here!: When Can You Get Out of a Home Sales Contract? -- What if you change your mind? What if the appraisal comes in low? What if there's a leak in the roof? Find out how to get out of a contract.

What to Look for in Condominium Resale Disclosure Documents -- If you are buying a condo, you'll want to read this.

• THE HOME STRETCH

A Closer Look at Title Insurance -- They'll want you to buy title insurance at closing. Find out what it is and what it covers.

Purchaser's Closing Costs in Virginia -- How much are closing costs? What are the components of closing costs?

What to Expect at the Closing Table in Northern Virginia -- Are you picturing an all day affair with a menagerie of folks and bickering back and forth over stacks of paper? Here's the reality of real estate settlements. (Hint: They usually last about an hour.)

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