Need a place to get away only a few minutes from Woodbridge VA? Then consider slipping away to the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail off of Old Yates Ford Road just across the Fairfax County line.
You can access the trail at multiple points but today we started just across the street from Bull Run Marina. This portion of the trail is just over 6 miles to reach Fountainhead Park. If you don't want to go that far just head out along the Occoquan Reservoir for 30 minutes and then turn around and come back.
Most of the way along the trail you will be walking next to the water and can catch a glimpse of local waterfowl, a deer or two and if you are lucky an eagle may be fishing in the reservoir as well. The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and is part of an 18 mile section of blazed trail that runs between Fountainhead Park and Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville VA.
For historians the trail passes the site of the original trestle of the Southern Railroad a critical site during the first major civil war battle and the ruins of electric generating plant for Clifton Virginia the first town in Fairfax County to have electricity.
The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail is just another reason why residents of Northern Virginia love living here. Get out and enjoy it soon.
Hope Hill Crossing is a new detached home community rising rapidly in Woodbridge Virginia just off of Spriggs and Minnieville Road. Offering a total of 200 home home sites when finished the community will feature a clubhouse with pool and exercise room as well as connection to local Prince William County Park Authority Trails.
A variety of builders are offering homes in the community. Stanley Martin, Ryland and Richmond American. Each builder offers a variety of models to choice from. If you want to build your home from the ground up, you can select your lot and expect a 4-5 month building time-frame. Want to move in sooner? There are also immediate delivery homes in Hope Hill Crossing and the Meadows of Hope Hill you can get into within 30-45 days.
All of the builders are offering incentives which vary depending on the home and site. In addition CJ Realty Group offers an incentive to our new home buyers which can save you more money on a new home in the Hope Hill Crossing neighborhood.
For more information you can read my e-book New Home Construction Buying Guide. Builders don't charge you any more for having your own representation and it could save you thousands by having an agent representing your interests.
Hope Hill Crossing and Meadows of Hope Hill are just one of the many new home communities you will find in Prince William County Virginia. Give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call 703-346-2213 to help you buy a new home in Woodbridge Virginia.
Recently my clients sent me a listing in Northern Virginia they were interesting in seeing. The description indicated the owners were not willing to negotiate on price or provide any closing cost assistance to the buyers. It made me wonder, is this the reason the house has been on the market for over a year?
There aren't any sellers I know who are happy to get a "low ball" offer on their home. However an offer is an opportunity to negotiate. By saying you won't go any lower are you keeping potential buyer's at bay? Your home may be competitively priced and if so then standing firm on what you are willing to accept is perfectly reasonable. However announcing you aren't even willing to negotiate may not be the best idea.
My buyers are mulling over whether to view your house or not. They might have been more eager to see the house if you didn't tell them before they walked in the door that their offer might be met with a REJECT stamp.
Relocation is always stressful. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve made a move the minute you get the word to pack your bags you need to learn the “language” of a new area.
In Northern Virginia part of that new language is deciphering the difference between our cities and our counties. Northern Virginia has a mixture that often leads to confusion. For example we have:
Fairfax County and Fairfax City
Alexandria City and Alexandria (postal address) in Fairfax County
Falls Church City and Falls Church (postal address) in Fairfax County
Once you have figured that out then you need to realize that the schools may be different depending on whether you live in a city of county. Falls Church City runs its own school district. But if your mailing address is Falls Church it doesn’t mean your children will attend a Falls Church City school. Using the school boundary locator provided by the various counties and cities will help you sort it all out as you look for a place to live.
Alexandria City Schools Schools
Fairfax County Schools
Falls Church City Schools
As you search through the MLS for potential places to live you will notice a code in front of all of the letters. Each of those codes can also help you decipher where a home is located. FA is Falls Church City, FX is Fairfax County, AX is Alexandria City and FC is Fairfax City.
Each locale may also offer a different set of services for their residents and have different tax requirements as well. In Fairfax City for example the city offers curbside leaf pickup for residents but in Fairfax County you will need to bag and dispose of your leaves through your own trash service. Fairfax City has it’s own CUE bus service that takes residents to the metro, George Mason University and various points in the Fairfax City area. Fairfax County offers the Connector bus which has different bus routes that run throughout the county and Alexandria has the Dash bus which runs through Alexandria City.
When you get ready to plan your house hunting trip to Northern Virginia remember that the area has some of its own language when it comes to understanding where you might be living. Oh and don’t forget we also have slugs which have nothing to do with slimy garden pests.
If you are relocating to Northern Virginia in 2010 give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call 703-346-2213. As a native of the area and a survivor of many relocation moves, I can help you understand our language and help you find the best home to meet your needs while living in the area.
If you're wondering what to do with all your Active Rain posts, especially those that could make up a series then look at creating an e-book. I have my buyer's guide, a seller's guide, a relocation guide, listing brochures and of course this guide published. At the moment the New Home Construction Buying Guide is the only one that is public. The rest are being updated this spring and then I'll share them with the search engines as well.
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Helping buyers & sellers throughout Northern Virginia. Specializing in support for military relocation including Fort Belvoir, Quantico, Pentagon & the Military District of Washington.
Whether you are buying or selling property in Fairfax County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria or the surrounding Northern Virginia area, it is important to have confidence in your real estate professional. As the Broker/Owner of CJ Realty Group I've learned that one size does not fit all despite what the late night infomercials might say. My goal as your Realtor® is to provide you with the personalized real estate services you deserve.
Providing information on the Northern Virginia area that is up-to-date, reliable and applicable to the local market enables you to make the best possible decision about one of your largest financial assets. In a market where change is around every corner it is important to have an agent who has expertise in marketing, negotiation and understanding the complexities of the real estate transaction.
As a area native of the area and with extensive knowledge of local communities I have a unique perspective on the changes in Northern Virginia over the years. I have seen the real estate market in the area go through numerous cycles and can help you gain a perspective on what that means to you over time.
If you are considering buying or selling a home in Northern Virginia or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your neighborhood, please don't hesitate to call, e-mail me or visit my webiste CJ Realty Group. Let me show you how I use the power of the internet and my innovative marketing strategies to work for you.
Wonder what you might find when you move to Northern Virginia?
As a surviving spouse of a military officer I do all I can to support our troops with either incoming or outgoing PCS orders to Northern Virginia.
I proudly work with military families relocating to the various bases in the Northern Virginia area. Whether your orders bring you to the Military District of Washington, Pentagon, Quantico, Navy Yard, Ft. Belvoir, Ft Myer, Andrews AFB or any other installation in the area I look forward to helping you find the neighborhood and home that works for you. It is my honor to serve those who serve our country every day. If you find yourself with orders to the DC area give me a call. I look forward to helping you with your relocation needs.
Want to know a bit more about Northern Virginia neighborhoods? You can check out a few highlighted Northern Virginia Neighborhoods on my website.
With the upcoming relocation of thousands of military and civilian employees due to BRAC 2005 keeping abreast of what is happening with the changes to Fort Belvoir and other local military installations has been high on the list of priorities for CJ Realty Group. One of the most visible and highly anticipated changes is the opening of the new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and Wounded Warrior Unit.
If you are a military family eligible for the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program and are looking for an agent experienced with handling HAP sales then you've stopped at the right place. Since the program was fully funded in November of 2009 I've settled 30 HAP transactions for military families. Many of those families hired me from a distance and with my use of electronic documents and signatures never had to make a trip to Northern Virginia during any part of the transactions. Though the deadline for PCS orders was September 2010 there are still families who rented their homes when they left the area that may still qualify for benefits.
Unfortunately not all military families who are upside down on their mortgage qualify for DoD HAP benefits. If you find yourself in that position our team has also helped military members complete short sales and VA Compromise Sales as well.
I'm a proud supporter of the Fisher House, Blue Star Families & Susan B Komen for Breast Cancer Research
What is the single most basic element of my job? Helping people. More specifically, I help people realize their home ownership dreams. I love what I do. I have the privilege and fun of helping people find a home that’s just right–one in which they can live, love and laugh. I also consider it an exhilarating challenge to help people sell a home-getting the property ready, highlighting its features and bringing the right buyers to see it.
I believe strongly in the REALTOR® code of ethics. I am committed to serving my clients with professionalism and honesty.
Education is a major part of keeping abreast of the real estate industry and local market. I have earned my Virginia Brokers license (180 hours of real estate education plus national and state exams) and I am Certified Residential Specialist, something only 4% of Realtors® nationwide have earned.. In addtion as an Accredited Consultant in Real Estate my goal is to offer you choices that work for YOU when it comes to buying or selling a home. I never stop at just getting the required hours needed for license renewal I exceed them so that I can stay abreast of what is happening in the industry.
Prior to becoming a full-time Realtor® I worked in both the higher education and educational technology fields helping to build new programs and integrate technology on universities campuses world-wide. With an MBA and professional coursework in Conflict Negotiation and Resolution I know what it takes to write winning contracts, work through the details and end up with a win/win situation for both buyers and sellers.
I believe this background, combined with my real estate experience gives me an edge to help me get the best deal for my clients. You will never hear me say I am #1 because if I don’t get the job done for YOU, the most important person in the real estate transaction, then it doesn’t matter what else I might have accomplished.
Ready to search for your new home? Check out this quick list of homes available in the Springfield and Lorton Virginia area and then create your own customized Northern Virginia Home Search.
What You Can Expect From Me
Memberships
I hope you will also check out my VaRealEstateTalk blog as well. It is packed with more information on the Northern Virginiareal estate market.
Testimonals
"I attended the Home Buyer's Seminar, and as a prospective first time buyer, I thought the seminar was extremely informative, personable, and comprehensive. We were able to get thorough information from everything on what to look for in obtaining a mortgage, red flags in home inspections, as well as the contract signing process. I would highly recommend this seminar to anyone who is a first time buyer, or someone who would like the latest information out there."
Ted Fenn-Senior Consultant Deloitte Touche
"Thanks Cindy for your approach to getting my unique hold some. The sign rider with the address (6705 Fox Den) of our home was great and made it easy for anyone to find the listing on the internet. We were wowed with all you did and how fast you got our home SOLD! We will recommonded you to anyone who needs an agent in the future." Sherri
Cindy thanks again for helping us find a place to rent while I am stationed at the Pentagon. A number of other agents blew me off but you took the time to listen to what my family needed and found us just the right neighborhood to call home during my tour here. You can be assured I'll tell everyone else in my command about how you went the extra mile to help a military family. Col Jim Sheradan USA
We can say thank-you enough times for all the hardwork you did for us to sell our home while we were overseas. You worked with our tenants to make sure they felt comfortable with having the home listed for sale, you handled all of the paperwork and kept us up to date throughout the process. All of this and we have never meet you face to face. Amazing. Tom & Kathy Kincade.
From the first time we met until we closed on our home there was no doubt in our minds that you had our backs. We had been reading your blog for almost 6 months before we picked up the phone to call you. By then we felt as if we knew you and sure enough you were just as real in person as you are on-line. We are thrilled with our new home and we consider you part of the family now. Jim and Janet Russell
If you are considering buying new construction then pick up the phone and call Cindy Jones. One of our friends bought new construction and their "agent" took them in once and never showed up again. Not Cindy. She went to every meeting, helped us find an independent home inspector, compare financing rates and sat with us at the closing table. And the cost? Not a dime since the builder pays the commission whether you have an agent or not. Carol and Mark Taylor
Thanks Cindy. Even though we were only renters you took the time and effort to find us a place to live while we are stationed at Fort Belvoir. A number of other agents blew us off so we are grateful for the time you took to help. Tom and Kathy White
Cindy's posts on the local neighborhood gave us a leg up when we made our house hunting trip to Northern Virginia from San Antonio TX. We had a whirlwind weekend of housing hunting and found the right house on the second day. Cindy handled the process for us while we went home to back our bags. With electronic documents, house videos & more all we had to do was show up for settlement. We would recommend Cindy without hesitation to anyone relocating to Northern Virginia. Frank and Marie Bowers
Trust took on a new meaning for our family when we recieved PCS orders to the DC area with 30 days to get packed up and moved. We were fortunate to find Cindy on the internet when searching for Fort Belvoir Relocation. She helped us find the links to the school information we needed and then went out to our top choices and took videos & photos for us. We rolled into the driveway of our new home having never set foot in the area. She found us the right house and we will ecommend Cindy & CJ Realty Group to all of our friends in the area. Bob & Jackie Loes
We just finished our third transaction with Cindy. She has helped both sell, buy and then sell again. We have retired outside of DC but have recommended Cindy to our friends without hesitation. John and Amanda Clarke
Even though we were only renters Cindy took our needs seriously and helped us find a place that would accept our two big dogs. She didn't just blow us off as a few other agents had. We know the financial reward for a rental is small so having her take the time to help meant even more. Louise and Frank Waters
Copyright 2007-2012 All rights reserved. Cindy Jones/Broker CJ Realty Group. Serving Northern Virginia including the areas of Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County, Prince William County and Northern Stafford County. Specializing in relocation to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, Quantico and the Military District of Washington.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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