Jeff Nelson- Hampton Roads Real Estate

For those who have a strong desire to live on the water, bayfront homes for sale in Norfolk may be a great option. Because Hampton Roads is a coastal metropolitan area, we have tons of tributaries, lakes, ponds, and canals. However, if you want a much broader "view", there's the ocean and the bay. Yes, an ocean front home would be fantastic but they cost probably twice as much as those on the bay. Homes that are for sale on the bay are located in an area known as Ocean View, which is a very different place than it was 25 years ago. Once plagued with lots of crime and undesirable circumstances, the community came together and decided to give the area a major facelift. Over the last 2 decades, the city and developers have continued to tear down and build up the area making Ocean View a great place to live, especially if you want to live on the water.

Ocean View is more than a neighborhood. It's more like an understood landmark. There are thousands of homes here including apartments, condos, beach cottages, townhomes, mid-sized single family homes, and large upscale properties. Today, according to our MLS, there are 80 bayfront homes for sale in Norfolk. The least expensive home is a small apartment priced at $115,000. The most expensive home is a 6,000 square foot "monster" with a price tag of nearly $3 million. Rest assure, that all of these homes no matter the price have a fantastic view of the bay. The beaches are wide and the water is calm enough on most days to launch a wave runner right from your property.

As a realtor, I have the priviledge of showing many of these homes on the bay from time and time. There's just something about that view and the beach! Because homes come on and off the market everyday, you can either search bayfront homes for sale in Norfolk here at my main website or let me do the work for you. Give me a ring, send a text, or send me an email with your request. I'll be more than happy to send you all of the information you want.

Jeff Nelson
The Real Estate Group
757-749-1616
jeff@homesandfood.com
www.homesandfood.com

Eagle Creek is located in northeast North Carolina off of Route 168, just 5 minutes from the Virginia state line. The neighborhood is Moyock's largest and is home to several hundred residents, many of which commute to Virginia everyday. It's a straight shot from the entrance to the neighborhood to cities of Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, with commuting times as low as 20 minutes.

If you are considering a real estate purchase in the nearby future, there are many to choose from here. At last check there are 18 homes for sale in Eagle Creek, including several different models with open floor plans. Pricing is very affordable starting at $221,900 and up to $359,000. There's a good mix of styles with both ranches and 2 story homes. The smaller ranches have around 1500 square feet and some of the bigger properties are well over 3400 square feet.

Amenities include an 18 hole golf course that winds through the neighborhood and an RV lot that homeowners can rent at a reasonable price. Moyock Middle School is actually within walking distance for many of the kids here. The younger ones will attend Moyock Elementary, just a couple of miles away. Currituck High School is approximately 15 minutes down Route 168.

To see a complete a list of homes for sale in Eagle Creek give me a call or send me an email and I'll be glad to get you all of the information you need. Also, you can visit my main website that includes other North Carolina real estate information, as well as, homes for sale in all of Hampton Roads.

Jeff Nelson
The Real Estate Group
757-749-1616
www.homesandfood.com
Licensed in NC and Va.

For those of you who are familiar with this part of the counrty, you know that northeast North Carolina real estate is a great place to live, no matter if you work here or in Hampton Roads, Va. Hampton Roads is the name of the metropolitan area in southeast Virginia which comprises the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News. The entire metropolitan area has a population of around 1.5 million people.

As for my story, I was born in Norfolk and grew up in Virginia Beach. As I got married and the number of our children continued to grow (5 of them), we decided to build a home to accomodate our masses in northeast North Carolina, because it was such an easy commute to Hampton Roads. That was about 8 years ago. My wife and I really love it here. This is one of the few places in our region where you can enjoy the country but be very close to the city. Here are some of the additional advantages we see in living in northeast North Carolina:

• Real Estate taxes are .32 per hundred of assessed value vs. around 1.00 per hundred in Hampton Roads
• More land!!! You'll find that most of the properties here have much more land than just a few miles north in Virginia.
• Great schools. With our gaggle of rugrats, we've had an ample amount of exposure to the school system and have been very pleased.
• Easy commute to Virginia. I live 12 minutes from the state line and can be at my real estate office in the Greenbrier section of Chesapeake in no more than 35 minutes. Some people who live and work in Virginia Beach have a longer commute.
• If you're a government employee, no state income tax!!

There is a lot of land available here, many homes for sale, and many new subdivisions in the works. If you're looking to purchase a home, have kids, and prefer to be away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, you should consider purchasing a home in northeast North Carolina. I am licensed to sell homes in both Virginia and North Carolina and would love to talk with you about your particular situation. Please give me a ring at 757-749-1616 or you can search the entire MLS at our website.

Unsure about what to do when purchasing a home? Even seasoned home buyers are uncomfortable with the whole process. Here's a guide to help you out:

How much can you afford? Many people are actually qualified for more than they want to pay for a mortgage. Just make sure to not over leverage yourself. Be realistic and stick to your plan. In the Hampton Roads real estate market home prices have fallen about 25% and buyers have the ability to purchase a home today that they couldn't come close to afford 2 years ago.

Contact a lender. Most sellers want to see a pre-approval letter at the time you submit an offer, so it's a good idea to get this started. In my opinion, you should go with a strong, local bank and try to avoid mortgage brokers. Lending guidelines have affected the larger national banks for the most part, however, some smaller local banks do not have to follow these stricter rules. If you don't have a clue who to talk to, try asking your real estate agent for options.

Obtain a realtor. Okay, I know there's a lot of them but start doing some research and find one that you get along with the best. Talk to several agents and choose one who best matches your personality. Obviously I am an agent but I absolutely know that not everyone who is looking at homes for sale in Virginia Beach, for instance, will get along with me. As a buyer, you are the important factor and you should be catered to.

Search for a house. Nowadays this is easy. Most people look for their new home via the internet and Google but you can also find homes through the classifieds, real estate magazines, driving through neighborhoods, and by asking your realtor to send you a list. Have fun and explore!

Visit the properties you're interested in. Once you've done some searching, give your agent the MLS #'s of the homes you like the most and go see them. Your agent will line up all the appointments and you never have to speak with the seller.

Write an offer. This is probably the one area where buyers feel the most uncomfortable. Your agent will be able to walk you through every clause and contingency. Talk your time and ask lots of questions.

Negotiate. More than likely the seller will not accept the initial offer unless they are really motivated and have the ability to accept it. There's no hurt feelings here and it's all business. You and your agent should try to get everything you can as a buyer. Use your agents expertise here. This is one of the things we do best.

Acceptance. Once the buyer and the seller have come to an agreement on the contract, you are ratified. At this point you will start removing any contingencies that you have like full loan approval and home inspections.

Close on your new home. When all of the terms of the contract have been completed, it's time to go to closing. Prepare to spend up to an hour for this and make sure to bring your drivers license. They will want to know that you are who you say you are. At this point, the title searches have been done, your loan company has given the closing company all the pertinent information for your loan, and all terms have been met. Congratulations, you're a homeowner!

Feel free to contact me if you're in the market to purchase. I specialize in the Hampton Roads real estate market, including homes for sale in Chesapeake, Va. and homes for sale in Norfolk, Va.

Jeff Nelson
The Real Estate Group
757-749-1616
www.homesandfood.com

Princess Anne Plaza is a large neighborhood in Virginia Beach located between Holland Road and Virginia Beach Blvd. With quick access to Interstate 264, this area is easily accessible to both the oceanfront and the city of Norfolk. Shopping is plentiful and you are literally just a mile or 2 a way from everything you need. Retail outlets in close proximity include Harris Teeter, Super Kmart, Sam's club, Home Depot, Lowe's, and many strip malls with locally owned businesses. Travel just a couple more miles and you'll be in what locals call downtown Virginia Beach, which includes the brand new Va. Beach Town Center and Pembroke Mall.

Although most of the homes in Princess Anne Plaza are older (from 1960 -1977), many have been well-maintained and updated. As you walk down many of the wide tree-lined streets you'll see manicured lawns, kids riding their bikes and maybe an occasional yard sale. There's a good mix of residents containing retirees, families with kids, and singles. This neighborhood is huge containing mostly detached single family homes with lots of opportunities for families who are interested in owning a home in a good neighborhood with decent sized lots, especially compared to most of Va. Beach. Currently there are 54 homes for sale in Princess Anne Plaza and prices are very affordable ranging from $119k to $285K.

Schools for Princess Anne Plaza are Lynnhaven Elementary, Plaza Middle School, and Green Run High School.