Joey Remondino Broker, GRI, E-Pro

The Mayfield Trace community is located in Prince William County near Manassas Virginia just off of Prince William Parkway/ Route 234 Bypass. Pulte Homes began construction of the first single family homes in 2005 and is currently offering new home construction starting near $369,000. The community will consist of over 200 homes when completed including a tot lot and walking trails winding through the neighborhood.

Mayfield Trace is conveniently located near all the necessities required for a fast paced life and for those times needed to just slow down. With the commuter in mind the community is close to the VRE commuter train for a stress free and traffic free commute to Washington DC or other places in Northern VA. Those who decide to brave the traffic the PW Parkway/ 234 Bypass allow easy access to Interstate 66 and 95.

Manassas City is just a few minutes away with dinning, entertainment, shopping and all the other necessary business to live a modern life. Old Town Manassas is a perfect place to dine and enjoy a stroll among the shops or take in an event at the Harris Pavilion. There are activities to fit anyone's lifestyle including the Old Dominion Speedway and Prince William fair grounds to just name a few. The outdoors activities close by include golf courses, Prince William Forest National Park, and Signal Hill Park all just a few minutes away.

Public Schools for Mayfield Trace

(Schools territory subject to change by the school board)

Bennett Elementary School

Parkside Middle School

Stonewall Jackson High School

For a list of Private Schools in the area please contact Me at 703-586-7226 or Joey@CallJoey.com

The homes in the community can satisfy the pickiest home buyer with diverse floor plans and affordable prices. The standard home style is Colonial with open floor plans from about 1,900 to over 4,000 Sq ft of finished space and all have basements that may or may not be finished. The standard lot size for most of the homes is ¼ acre with a few approaching ½ acre, just enough for some elbow space and not too much maintenance.

Pulte Homes can build a new home for you from any of their six floor plans or you can find a few resale's on the market. Which ever a buyer is looking for they should have REALTOR represent them through the transaction since Virginia is a buyer beware state. Those buyers looking for a new construction home should know that prices are negotiable and can find some tips in this article, Negotiating With New Home Builders. The home buyers for existing homes can find good deals in the Mayfield Trace neighborhood witch include REO's/ foreclosed homes and short sales. Those looking to buy or sell in Mayfield Trace can contact me for a free consultation.

For a New Home Search on the MLS Please Click Here.

For a free market report on listings and sales in any neighborhood and with no sales calls from an agent sign up here at MLS Market Snapshot.

Joey Remondino is a full time Realtor specializing in residential homes in Northern Virginia including Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier Counties. Trained and experienced expert in Relocation, Short Sales, REO's, investments, and any other residential real estate Joey can guide you through the home buying or selling process.

We have all done it, driving around Northern Va. on a weekend afternoon and spotted the flags waiving in the air distracting us from our destination. The loved one in the seat directly next to you points and says, "Let's go take a look inside." There it is just around the corner a spanking brand new home that is so nice it is obvious no one actually lives there. As you walk into the front door the fresh scent of cookies or the aroma therapy candle puts all your other senses at ease. The sales representative is on the phone and appears very busy but kindly acknowledges your presence. They point towards the stairs and tell you to go ahead and take a look inside.

The home is the most beautifully decorated home you have seen with all the upgrades and more. Every single light is on and the shades and curtains pulled back. The soft music in the background you barely notice but it puts some energy in your step. You admire the perfect décor as you take mental notes and begin to place your own furniture in each room. The bathrooms, kitchen, and closets are perfectly organized exactly they way you imagined your own. You stroll down to the basement and find candy for the eyes and soul, the most cozy entertainment room you have ever experienced. The wet bar, pool table, exercise room, and that big screen plasma or projection TV you always wanted in your own home.

With a bit of excitement in your voice you walk back to the main level as the Sales Rep greets you with the biggest smile. They begin to tell you how busy and crazy things have been lately. The sales rep explains the special prices and incentives they are currently having that weekend and begins to ask you non threatening questions. You politely answer all the questions they ask since they have been so nice to you. This is when most buyers give away important confidential information.

You have been had, bamboozled, just plain hoodwinked.

But at least you feel good about it.

I want to start by saying the sales representative is not on your team, their salary, commission and bonuses get paid by the builder. This is the number one reason why you should always visit a model home with a knowledgeable REALTOR by your side and who you have signed a buyer's agreement with. (Plug for my expert services) The new builder will not lower the price of the home because a buyer does not have an agent. If they say they will lower the price it is an amount they will lower whether a buyer has an agent or not.

If you do or have gone into a builders model and you have registered without an agent not all is lost. Contact an agent and give them the scoop and have that agent call the sales rep to see if you can now get representation.

Negotiating with New Home Builders in Northern Va. Part 2

For a free market report on listings and sales in Northern Virginia and with no sales calls from an agent sign up here at MLS Market Snapshot.

Joey Remondino is a full time Realtor specializing in residential homes in Northern Virginia including Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier Counties. Trained and experienced in Relocation, Short Sales, REO's, investments, and any other residential real estate Joey can guide you through the home buying or selling process.

Are New Builders Really That Busy?

The answer to this is yes and no, let me tell you why. There are some communities that do sell quickly for many reasons including price and/or location. The thing is the Sales Rep is trained to make prospective new home buyers feel a sense of urgency. The buyers who feel like they are going to loose a particular lot or price are more likely to sign the dotted line faster. The community may not be selling fast at all and the odds of this are good given the market in Manassas, Prince William County and most of Northern VA.

A Model Home

The model homes for most of the new builders in Prince William and all of Northern Va. have all the upgrades possible. Many of new models even have upgrades that a home buyer can not even purchase from the builder. We all have also seen the impeccable décor of these homes that are done by professional decorators. This is done to make the buyers subconsciously think the home they purchase will look like this one. These are also the reasons people are more willing to spend more on a new home.

Negotiating

There are few new home builders including Toll Brothers , Ryan Homes, Stanley Martin, Pulte, NV Homes, Richmond American, Beazer, Lennar, Drees, Centex, or Brookfield that will not negotiate. This is the case if they are selling slower then expected and is true for much of Northern Virginia. A buyer can only negotiate if they are willing to walk away from the deal and not be tied emotionally to the outcome. Here is an article that will help prospective buyers with this called The First Rule of Negotiating Home Sweet Home.

New home buyers in Manassas, Prince William County and Northern Va can negotiate on two different fronts. The first is the most obvious which is the base price of the new home. Most builders in today's market will negotiate; the sales rep just will not tell you that. The other is negotiating free upgrades that are not included in the base price. This will only work if the home has not yet been built. The home builders will sometimes have a home that is or almost complete and in this case the upgrades have been picked. The key is to make sure the sales rep knows you are willing to walk away because of other available new homes or resale's in the area.

The Builders Contract

The home builders contract is mostly in favor of the builder who wrote the contract. There are a lot of things in this contract a prospective purchaser should be aware of before signing. To give an example, most new builder contracts have a long window of time to have the home completed by. I have seen them as long as two years guaranteed to have the home built. Usually the settlement date that is in the contract to purchase is an ESTAMATED date. Of course it is in the best interest of the builder to make the date because that is when they get paid. This is why it is good to have an agent that represents you there to explain anything that you do not understand.

New homes are a pleasure to own because of the style and upgrades a buyer gets to pick and the fact that it has never been occupied. There are also drawbacks to living in a new community especially if it has not been completed. This is why it is good to do the necessary research before buying and have a REALTOR representing your interest.

Negotiating With Builders of New Homes in Northern Va. Part 1.

To search the MLS in Northern Virginia for new homes click here.

For a free market report on listings and sales in Northern Virginia and with no sales calls from an agent sign up here at MLS Market Snapshot.


Joey Remondino is a full time Realtor specializing in residential homes in Northern Virginia including Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier Counties. Trained and experienced in Relocation, Short Sales, REO's, investments, and any other residential real estate Joey can guide you through the home buying or selling process.

If you are relocating to Manassas or Manassas Park in Prince William County Va. Below are articles describing the area and many of the activities. You will find specific information about some of the larger neighborhoods and the benefits that come with living in those communities. I am constantly adding new neighborhoods and other useful information to this resource for those moving to the area, so please visit often.

I am Currently creating a resource for all of Prince William County and other areas in Northern Virginia and they will be available in the near future. Those buyers relocating soon please contact me and I can send you information on the area of your choice in Prince William County or other areas in Northern Virginia that are not yet available.

Please contact me for more information or my assistance and expertise to make your transition to the area as smooth as possible.

Manassas Virginia Relocation Package

Wellington Community in Manassas Va. Relocation Package

Sumner Lake Community in Manassas Va. Relocation Package

Manassas Park Virginia Relocation Package

Blooms Crossing Community in Manassas Park Va. Relocation Package

Manassas Park Station Community in Manassas Park Va. Relocation Package

For a free market report on listings and sales in the Manassas Park Community or anywhere in Northern Virginia and with no sales calls from an agent sign up here at MLS Market Snapshot.

Joey Remondino is a full time Realtor specializing in residential homes in Northern Virginia including Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier Counties. Trained and experienced in Relocation, Short Sales, REO's, investments, and any other residential real estate Joey can guide you through the home buying or selling process.

The Wellington Community is one of the larger neighborhoods in the City of Manassas Virginia. The subdivisions first home was built in 1988 and continued until 2001 when the last Townhouse was completed. There are a large number of builders who constructed homes in the area from large companies, most will recognize, to some small local builders. The majority of the single family homes where built by Pulte, Van Metre, Fairfield, NV Homes, Stanley Martin, Springbrook and the elusive Tipco Homes (Only 5 Built) to name most. The 565 townhouses and 257 condominiums were mainly built by Ryan Homes and Comstock.

The style of homes in Wellington are predominantly Colonial homes, pictured left top, with a few unique styles like the Tipco Homes mentioned previously. (Pictured left bottom) Most of the homes in the neighborhood have basements with many having finished living space. The sizes of the homes vary from 1400 sq feet to upwards of 5000sq ft for some of the detached single family homes.

The prices in the Wellington neighborhood can fit many budgets depending on the style and size of the home a buyer wants. With the current market conditions there are aggressively priced homes in the area that are an excellent value. The buyers who have patience and are open to a little risk there are some REO/foreclosed homes and short sales available that are negotiable. I would recommend for buyers to have a knowledgeable REALTOR who is an expert in Manassas and experienced with short sales and REO's. (This is a shameless plug for my services) Here are some tips to help in negotiating the price for that dream home, What Price Do I Offer?

There are many activities for the active home owners that are included in the Wellington community. There is a pool at the community center with activities all summer long including the annual July 4^th party. The neighborhood has beautiful walking trails meandering through the community which you can find a map here. There are also multiple basketball courts, playgrounds and tennis courts available for residents of the community.

The Wellington Neighborhood is perfectly located close to shopping, dinning, multiple businesses, parks, and museums. Wellington is also close to Old Town Manassas and all it has to offer since it is a true walkable community. Those that enjoy fairs the Prince William County fair grounds, the largest county fair in the state, are just around the corner. The out doors type there is the Battlefield National park and Prince William Forest a short distance away with miles of trails and nature.

Commuters

Since Manassas is a suburb of Washington DC there are plenty of government and corporate jobs in Northern Virginia. This makes the commute very important and is why Wellington is in a great location. The community has easy access to route 28, Prince William Parkway and rout 234 which makes a short drive to Interstate 66 or 95. Wellington is also close to the VRE commuter train stop located in Old Town Manassas for a more relaxing and environmentally friendly commute.

Public Schools Serving Wellington

Wellington is governed by the City of Manassas which also makes it fall into the city school system. The schools will vary depending on which specific home a buyer is purchasing. The school lines may be changed at any time by the City of Manassas. The following public schools serve the Wellington community. Please contact me for a list of surrounding private schools.

Jennie Dean Elementary

Round Elementary

Grace E Metz Middle

Osbourn High School

Wellington is a community that can fit almost any buyer's needs moving to the area. There are many more activities and sites to be enjoyed in the area, too many to list. Please contact me and I will be happy to answer any further question about buying a home in Manassas, Prince William County or anywhere in Northern Virginia.

Search the MLS here for homes in Wellington and all of Northern Virginia.

For a free market report on listings and sales in Northern Virginia and with no sales calls from an agent sign up here at MLS Market Snapshot.



Joey Remondino is a full time Realtor specializing in residential homes in Northern Virginia including Prince William, Fairfax, and Fauquier Counties. Trained and experienced in Relocation, Short Sales, REO's, investments, and any other residential real estate Joey can guide you through the home buying or selling process.