Even if you have a real estate agent, you still need a real estate attorney. This may seem like overkill, but it really isn’t. Some states, such as New York, even require you to use a real estate attorney during the closing process. However, even if you live in a state without this requirement, the reasons for hiring an attorney are sound. A real estate attorney can interpret the legal ramifications of any mortgage or closing documents you may receive and let you know how these documents may affect you. If the attorney sees anything that is not in your best interests, he or she will tell you, giving you a chance to act accordingly. Remember, your attorney is there to protect YOUR interests in any real estate deal. The interests of others involved in the process are not his concern.

While most real estate closings go off without a hitch, there are always a few here and there that have important last-minute problems to be resolved. You never know if a problem is going to come up until it’s right there, in front of your face. You definitely do NOT want to be without an attorney at your side if this were to happen at your closing. An attorney can take care of unforeseen problems immediately, which usually allow the closing to go on as scheduled. If you run into problems without an attorney present, the closing may not happen at all!

Your attorney is essentially your insurance policy at the closing. If a problem comes up, then the fee you paid him will be worth it. If no problem arises, then the fee you paid will simply be like any other insurance premium you pay for a policy that rarely, if ever, gets used. You may not have t o ever use the insurance, but it’s in your interest to have it there in place, just in case something goes wrong. If that happens and you don’t have an attorney, you’ll wish you did. Having a real estate attorney could mean the difference between closing on the house of your dreams and losing it entirely. Which would you prefer?

	Fairfax County Real Estate and homes for sale
	Alexandria | Annandale | Burke | Centreville | Chantilly | Clifton | Dunn Loring | Fairfax Real Estate | Fairfax Station | Falls Church | Fort Belvoir | Great Falls | Herndon | Lorton | Mclean | Oakton | Reston | Springfield | Vienna |

These days, selling a house is not easy. In the down real estate market, people are reluctant to make an investment that has backfired on so many of their friends and neighbors. It’s also much harder to get a mortgage now, so even those who WANT to buy a home may find it to be more difficult than they thought. This is bad news for people who need to sell their houses quickly. Whether you’re selling because you need to get a cheaper place, a bigger place, are facing foreclosure, are getting married, or are getting a job transfer, when you need to sell right away, dealing with a rough real estate market is tough!

Don’t despair, though, because selling a house quickly CAN be done, even with the market in the bad shape it’s in. The first and most obvious thing you can do is lower the price of your house so much that it becomes a virtual steal. This is great for people who already have a lot of equity in their homes and can afford to do so. However, this isn’t the best option for most.

The next best thing you can do is to make your house as charming and inviting as possible. Make it look cozy and almost storybook-like. You want potential buyers to see your house, both inside and out, and think that there’s no way they wouldn’t want to live there. They need to be able to picture a blissful, comfortable life there. Make them feel at home in your house, and they’ll move mountains to make a deal happen.

This means you have to clean things up. Put all clutter away. Make any necessary repairs. You don’t want anything to look ugly or out of place. Re-paint if you have to, and make sure the house smells good when people walk inside. Having a pie or cookies in the oven during visits from buyers is an excellent and proven tactic that gets people clamoring for your house.

If all else fails, you could offer owner financing. People who may want your house but can’t get a mortgage could be prime candidates for owner financing. If you can afford to do it and trust the people you’re selling to to be responsible, owner financing can get your house sold lickety-split.

Your credibility in the investing world is based upon your credit score. It does not matter if you have purchased one home or ten homes, if your credit score is lower than the threshold used to determine credit approval, you could be facing higher interest rates and even higher mortgage payments. The credit score you have today, does not have to be the one you have tomorrow. Building credit credibility requires a bit of time and a great home budget.

To start the process of rebuilding your credibility, you need to know what factors are lowering your credit score. A complete credit report with credit score is a great place to start. This report will tell you the negative reports that have been filed that are lowering your credit score and thus your loan credibility.

Once you know what factors are hurting you financially, you can make a list of the items you can change today and those that will take a bit more time to resolve. The most immediate changes that can be made include the repayment of current bills, loans and credit cards. Paying your bills on time has a huge effect on the credit score, so even if you pay off every negative past due payment on the credit report, it may not have the same impact as paying your current bills on time would have.

Next, pay off the smaller bills one at a time. If there are silly bills on your credit report that are considered negative and continue to lower your credit score, pay those off. If the bills are larger, contact the companies and try to work out a smaller final payment or a payment plan. Once these bills start being reported as Paid On Time or Paid in Full, the credit score and your credibility will improve.

Time is the key to building credit credibility. The lender does not believe in quick fixes and neither does your credit score. Over time, with patience and attention to paying ALL of your bills on time, the credit score reported by all bureaus will rise and that will mean your actions are paying off. It will take one to two years to rebuild the credibility needed to secure the lowest home interest rates on your loan.

The lower the home interest rate, the less money you will have to repay. This is a huge factor in being able to afford the home you are currently living in and maintaining that credit credibility you have worked so hard to secure.

	Fairfax County Real Estate and homes for sale
	Alexandria | Annandale | Burke | Centreville | Chantilly | Clifton | Dunn Loring | Fairfax Real Estate | Fairfax Station | Falls Church | Fort Belvoir | Great Falls | Herndon | Lorton | Mclean | Oakton | Reston | Springfield | Vienna |

Buying that first new home is a change that is filled with anxiety, excitement and energy. In the midst of these emotions, a homebuyer could make some very real mistakes that may haunt them for years to come. The process of buying that first home starts with a home search, but is it really a search if the potential buyer has chosen the perfect home without ever looking?

The Internet opens a huge portal in the real estate world. All a buyer needs to do is log onto the Internet and search for homes in a given area. Once the search is narrowed down by price, bedrooms or square footage, there will be a short list of homes that fall into the acceptable category. From here, buyers click on images and maps to find out where the home is located. With enough legwork, the buyer can also find the address and visit the home before even seeing a real estate agent.

This type of search is great for knowledge, but the real estate agent is trained to know about the pros and cons of every home. Just because the home looks great on paper, does not mean it is the perfect home for the buyer. The search should empower the buyer, not limit them to the results only THEY find.

Another huge pitfall is assuming income. Buyers may choose to enter into an adjustable mortgage or an interest only loan for the first few years of homeownership because they PLAN on making more money in the future. This is a huge mistake. Life change, things happen and if that income hike is not there, the mortgage (in full) will eventually come due and the owner will see the Foreclosure sign before they can write the check.

The key word when searching for that first home is LOGICAL. The buyer needs to be logical about the home they need, logical about what they can afford and logical about the amenities in the home. Just because you think you want a particular home does not mean that is really the home you need or the home you will love for the next 30 years.

Owning real estate is a huge step in life and one that should never be taken lightly. A real estate agent, or even a seasoned home owning friend, can help start the search process for that new home and help the virgin buyer steer away from the bad and the ugly choices they may make out of haste.

	Prince William County Real Estate and Homes for sale
	Bristow | Broad Run | Catharpin | Dale City | Dumfries | Gainesville | Haymarket | Manassas | Manassas Park | Nokesville | Occoquan | Quantico | Triangle | Woodbridge |

For some reason, renters have a tendency to skim over the pages of a rental contract and sign their name on the bottom line without really understanding what they have read. This can be a disaster for the renter when the fine print becomes a reality.

There are several key aspects of a rental agreement that need to be overviewed before the lease is signed. These include:

Pets - If you have a pet and the landlord swears you will be able to keep your pet in the rental unit, make sure that phrase is included in the lease. Word of mouth means nothing once you sign the lease and it clearly says, NO PETS.

Guests - Guests are often written into a lease with a time limit on how long they can stay. This time limit is not a legal inclusion, just the most common limit used for rental contracts. If you have a large family and many guests will be coming in and out, make sure that time limit is lifted. No one wants to look at their mom or dad and say, you have to leave because my guest time limit is up.

Lawn Care - If the rental unit has landscaping, will you be in charge of keeping the grass cut and cared for? Many landlords would rather a professional service take care of the landscaping and are willing to add a few extra dollars to the lease to hire an agency.

Sub Leasing - Need a roommate? You can’t have one according to your lease. Roommates and subleasing out an apartment are often forbidden by leasing contracts. Again, if this is an intention in the future, make sure you have the acceptance written into the lease.

	Prince William County Real Estate and Homes for sale
	Bristow | Broad Run | Catharpin | Dale City | Dumfries | Gainesville | Haymarket | Manassas | Manassas Park | Nokesville | Occoquan | Quantico | Triangle | Woodbridge |

	Other Northern Virginia Counties and Cities
	Arlington County | Alexandria City | Falls Church City | Manassas City | Stafford County |