Leigh Anne Monk

For the 4th quarter of 2011, Centre Ridge continued to show strong sales with 15 townhomes going to settlement between October 1, 2011 and the end of the year. Of these 15 units half were regular sales and the other half were made up of a combination of short sales (5) and foreclosures (2).

With variances in number of bathrooms and whether the townhome had a garage the price range was from $260,000 to a high of $349,900. Across all 16 units the average days on market was 42 days due to the high number of short sales. In the homes that were not in a distressed situation (foreclosure or short sale) days on market was closer to 12 days.

The proximity to major commuting routes of Rte 28, Rte 29 and I-66 along with easy access to shopping, restaurants, movie theatre and other amenities continues to make Centre Ridge a popular place to live.

The Equity Rise Real Estate team sold an end unit townhouse in 11 days at the top end of the price range this year using our 15 Second Solution marketing plan.

Contact us today for a free in home consultation on how we can help you get your CentreRidge home sold.

The low price of a house that needs some serious TLC (tender loving care) can be quite tempting, especially if you have the skills to do some of the work on your own. In a strong market like we have in Northern Virginia and with the inspiration from national TV shows that have made the letters DIY into a new word, you might think you want to try your hand at a fixer upper. Before you do check out the tips below.

Attn: Virginia Condo Owners! Selling in 2012? You Must Know This Key Fact

Are you a owner of a condo in Virginia and are planning to sell in 2012? Before you put your condominium on the market make sure you know whether your condominium complex was recertified this year by the Federal Housing Administration.

When a condo is certified by the FHA that means that the agency will loan money to qualified buyers of units in that condo complex. Many buyers, especially first time buyers will use a FHA backed loan due to the low level of down payment required, 3.5% as opposed to a conventional loan requiring a minimum of 5% and more.

Earlier this year the FHA removed its certification for all condos and required condo management to submit an application for recertification. Several condo associations reapplied and received the new certification ensuring that buyers with FHA loans could purchase units from sellers in their development. However, not all associations have done so and if you are in one of those projects then you will have a reduced number of eligible buyers that can buy your home.

I did a quick search in a local Centreville Virginia zip code of 20121 and of the 6 condominiums in that zip code, four had been recertified and two had not. To find out whether your condo has received their recertification, click here, enter your zip code and look in the last column on the right. If the status is expired then the FHA will not back a loan on unit in your complex.

If you condo is not FHA certified, you can still sell your home but we would strongly recommend you hire a real estate team that is aware of this ruling and can market your home successfully around it! For more information on how we would market your Northern Virginia condo, townhouse or single family home, contact the Equity Rise team today for a free in home consultation.

Steps to Chosing a Realtor: Quality Photography

Your Northern Virginia home for sale has to make a great first impression. The first impression is online when buyers are comparing homes for sale.

Yes, buyers search on their main buying criteria first like required number of bedrooms and bathroom, proximity to schools, job and amenities and of course within their price range. However, buyers then eliminate houses that meet their criteria based on the pictures your agent has taken of your home. We have had buyers tell us that they won’t even bother looking at a home when there are poor quality pictures or a limited number of pictures.

Here are some key questions to ask your potential agent:

· Ask to see copies of their brochures of previous homes they sold. Are the pictures clear, showing off the best features of the home?

· How many pictures do you post online? Is it the maximum number the local Multiple Listing Service will allow? Even with a smaller condo, pictures can be taken of local amenities if there truly aren’t enough indoor and outdoor shots to come with the maximum photos allowed online.

· Do they have any professional real estate photography training?

· Ask what type of camera they use. Is it a point and shoot or do they use a DSLR camera (if they don’t know what a DSLR camera is that will give you a clue!

In case you don’t think the camera type makes a difference check out these photos. The BEFORE picture on the left is taken with a point and shoot camera and the AFTER picture is taken with a wide angle lens using a DSLR camera. The shot was taken from the exact same location. Which picture would you want to represent your home?

When you work with the Equity Rise Real Estate Group of northern Virginia you can be assured of our attention to photography. We will take high quality photographs, post the maximum number of photos allowed in the MLS (currently 30), have been certified in real estate photography and will be happy to show you sample brochures from our previous listings. Call us today for a free in home consultation!

In Centreville, Virginia home sales are moving right along and it doesn't show signs of stopping. Do I hear a holiday tune in there referencing snow not stopping?

There is myth that says you can't sell a house between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. Don't tell that to the 14 homeowners who settled on their Centreville home since Thanksgiving, only 7 business days ago. Twenty new homes have come on the market in Centreville in the last three weeks and there 23 non short sale homes under contract.

One of those 23 under contract homes is our own Centreville townhouse listing that went under contract in 11 days and will close at the end of the month.

The Equity Rise Real Estate Group of Keller Williams Realty has helped buyers and sellers find and sell homes in the Centreville subdivisions of Centre Ridge, Sully Station and London Towne just to name a few.

Living a commuter's distance from Washington DC and close to major corporate headquarters such as AOL, Verizon, Northrup Grumman, and the National Reconnisance Center, Centreville continues to attract buyers no matter what time of year.