Peggy James- "Your Neighborhood Realtor" Serving Lake Ridge VA and Woodbridge VA

Here's some news First Time Buyers Can Use!

Getting Married Soon? Did you know that you can open a SunTrust Bridal Registry Account at your local SunTrust Branch.

These accounts are for FHA Loans only and only friends and family members can contribute to your bridal registry. Imagine being able to tell friends and family you have registered with SunTrust and all the money they contribute to that fund can be used by you to buy your home!

Add that to the Home Buyer Tax Credit and well, it appears you will be off to a fantastic start! If this sounds exciting....then trust me you are going to have so much fun looking for your new home!

• Step #1: Get started right now visit anyone of these local SunTrust Bank locations in Lake Ridge, Montclair, Dale City, Woodbridge, Dumfries and Montclair Virginia!
• Step #2. Next it's time to start planning. Get pre-approved for a home loan. That way you know what your buying power is. Tom Halfpap is a well known loan office in the area and he can help you get pre-approved for a home loan. Get it in writing and your ready for step three.
• Step #3. "Let's sit down and figure out what your options are. I've helped many newly weds figure out where to begin their lives. The fun part of looking for home starts after you have done Steps #1 and #2."

Give me a call when your ready!

703-851-3085

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's

Lots of things have changed over the years, and the last thing we want consumers to be, is in the dark about Real Estate. From today forward, you can now have full control of what you want to see, what you are looking for and learning "what's happening in your neighborhood." With the power of a new system for consumers called "Listing Book" you are no longer in the dark about real estate!

Check out this new system

If you are thinking of Buying or Selling or Relocaing to the area, gives us a call we can help.

We're a family real estate team. "Relax you'll be treated like family!"

Call 702-590-2252

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's

Whenever people call and say they are relocating to the area, and they first begin the conversation with "I've heard commuting and getting around can be a real bear. So,I don't want a long commute. "

That's a great starting point. If you were here in my office we would sit down in front of a map and discuss the length of commute you can expect as we get further away from your respective base or workplace. Once you have determined the search peramiters( distance, features and ammenities), we begin looking at what homes are in your price range. Just know that Realtors have the ability with the Realtors MRIS Database system to be able to focus your search on the exact type of home you are looking for.

However since you are most likely sitting in your home far away right now, let me help you out.

So let's assume just for today, you told me you wanted to buy a single family home with at least three bedrooms, two and half baths and if it had hardwood floors that would be awesome.

Well,I learned a long time ago that a photo is worth a thousand words. So how about two today!

The above photo is of an Active Home For Sale by a Bank, listed by Exit 1st Choice Realty in Alexandria Virginia. The asking price is $314,900. It has four bedrooms, hardwood floors and plenty of room. It looks better inside here, take a look. However keep in mind that REO Properties, Bank Foreclosures and Auction Homes are always sold "AS IS".This home will give you a close commute, however is it the lifestyle you had in mind? Only you know for sure if you have what it takes to transform this sleeper into a home with great street appeal. If that is you, let't talk, it's available!

Now let's look at what a you can buy twenty miles down the road in Prince William County Virginia. Granted your commute will be longer, however this home affords you many other luxuries such as cul-de-sac tree lined streets, a community elementary school and charming street appeal.Located fourteen miles south of Ft. Belvior and about seven miles north of Quantico Marine Base.

This home is located in a quiet sub-divsion in Montclair. It is larger than it appears Read More Here

Do you need help? I've been a Realtor for over 17 years. I know the area well and can save you not only a lot of time, I can help alivate your stressers. Curious about what other homes are currently on the market?

Check out others

If you are thinking about buying or selling in Prince William County Virginia.

Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to work with an experienced Realtor who will go the extra mile to help you and coach you on all your options.

Have a great day.

We Can Help. Call 702-590-2252

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's

Just in time for Christmas! That's right, it's that time of year when we all begin to ponder "what would I like for Christmas?" Well, take a look at this little charmer. Darling homes like this do not come on the market here in Prince William County Virginia very often, however when they do we get lots of calls on them.

Question?

Did your heart just skip a beat when you saw this photo? Great! Then wait until you see the inside, this darling home offers a great lifesytle in a great community.

The home is located in Montclair Virginia, just outside of Woodbridge Virginia limits. To give you a more landmarks it is a few miles from Potomac Mills Mall and located between Quanitco Marine Base and Ft. Belvior in Lorton. This home was built by Fairfield Homes and it's a Williamsburg Series Design. The home has three bedrooms, two and half baths, hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace,formal living spaces, a lovely screened in porch and within walkind distance to the community elementary school. Montclair Virginia is a golf course community and has it's own private Lake. Pontoon Boats, Swimming and Fishing are allowed. Montclair is a sought after established communtiy with plenty of Commuter Options to DC. Van Pool, Car Pool, Park and Ride or Slugging to DC.

Best of all it is only $249,900! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

VA No Money Down OK. FHA Financing Ok.

There is no reason in this price range that you have to compromise with a Condo or a Townhouse!

Not with today's rates and home prices. This is just one of the cute homes available in the under $300,000 price range in Woodbridge, Lake Ridge and Montclair area's.

Check out others

Contact Peggy James Today for more information on how you can own this home by Christmas!

If you are thinking about buying or selling your home in Prince William County Virginia.

Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to work with an experienced Realtor who will go the extra mile to help you and coach you on all your options.

Have a great day.

We Can Help. Call 702-590-2252

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's

This is a question that was asked of me yesterday.

Peggy, we are looking to buy a home around $400,000 and we've heard that we might be able to make a low-ball offer, since this price point in the marketplace has been slower. "My question is are Banks and Sellers accepting low ball offers in Prince William County VA?"

My answer: "I have been working in that price range all year and tracking the sales. The answer to that question is, it depends."

I wish I had a better answer. As a Realtor, it is my job to help you the buyer (or seller if the case may be) to coach you on all your options. When someone calls me or hires me as their agent to help them, I research the data, share with you the recent sales and comparable homes and from there help you determine what your next move should be.

Both Buyers and Sellers are facing challenges. If you are thinking of buying a home you need to have a experienced Realtor who will take you behind the scene to help you structure an offer that is in line with market conditions. What I mean is they sit down with you at the MRIS computer and show you ( no smoke and mirrors) they show you, exactly what has happened with that property address, what neighborhood homes have recently sold for and what terms the buyers got! For those of you getting ready to Sell we do the same thing. It's vital that you the seller know what the competition is, what you neighbors sold for and what the condition of the home was like. This save everyone time, energy and a lot of stress.

Please understand, Realtors do not make the market.We interpret market conditions and help you make informed decisions based on what is available, what is under contract and what has sold and settled in the past 90 days. That's how an offer price is determined. It's heavy weighted on supply and demand. Remember, unless you present an all cash offer your lender will order an appraisal.

The appraiser is who ultimately determines what the Fair Market Value of a home is.

The chart below is a snapshot of homes that have SOLD and SETTLED in Woodbridge Virginia since January 2009 between $350,000 to $500,000 price range.Early this year things were slow in this price range and homes settled lower than list price.

As you can see from this chart below, those days have come and gone and for the most part homes are selling for ask price or just a tad lower. You must keep in mind that if a home enters the market as a Foreclosed Property, the Bank has a solid idea of what the house is worth. The home has been through a series of steps before it made it to the open market. In many cases we are seeing Foreclosed Homes go for ask price, however I speak from experience.In order to win in a bidding war, you may have to be qualified for more than list price to actually make a solid winning offer. Be willing to pay the higher price if the home appraisers. If it does not chances are good the Bank will roll the sales price back to the fair market appraised value.

If you have questions, just pick up the phone and call Erick Blackwelder or myself at 703-590-2252.

We're here to help you.

This Chart Represents Homes Sold and Settled In And Around Woodbridge Virginia Since January 2009.

Note:date taken directly from MRIS

If you are thinking about buying or selling your home in Prince William County Virginia.

Remember it doesn't cost you a penny more to work with an experienced Realtor who will go the extra mile to help you and coach you on all your options.

Have a great day.

We Can Help. Call 702-590-2252

or contact me by email

Peggy James or Erick Blackwelder of Erick and Company of Exit 1st Choice Realty, Woodbridge VA. Realtors®, call 703-851-3085 (Peggy) or 703-590-2252 (Office) to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Lake Ridge, Westridge, Old Bridge Estates, River Falls, Middle County, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Occoquan, Dale City, Gainesville area's