Freddy Solis Bristow, Braemar Realtor

Limited Marketing
There are two obvious marketing tools that nearly every seller uses: open houses and classified ads. Unfortunately, these two tools are rather ineffective. Less than 1% of homes are sold at open houses, and less than 3% are sold because of classified ads. In fact, Realtors® often use open houses solely to attract future prospects, not to sell that particular house. Does your Realtor® have a website? There are very few successful real estate professionals who don’t, and for good reason.

A Realtor® should employ a wide variety of marketing techniques and should be committed to selling your property; he or she should be available for every phone call from a prospective buyer. Most calls are received, and open houses are scheduled, during business hours, so make sure that your Realtor® is working on selling your home during these hours (many Realtors® work part-time).

Project Lifeline:

Help for homeowners who are behind with their mortgage payments?

Homeowners who had counted on being able to refinance their risky adjustable-rate mortgages before they reset to sharply higher rates have been caught in the sharp downturn of the real estate market as home sales and prices have plunged in many parts of the country.

Maybe help is coming soon.

The Bush administration announced Tuesday that Project Lifeline a coalition of the largest mortgage companies (lenders) will offer relief to homeowners currently behind with their payments for 90 days or more.

Project Lifeline intends to give the homeowners and lenders a thirty day pause so they can work out a new payment plan or some way to modify the loan, being able to modify a high risk loan will help thousands of homeowners now, and many more in the future. Will this project help minimize foreclosures in the near future? That is the million dollar question, but for sure the higher loan limits will allow more home-buyers access to conventional loans now at $730,000 max.

Read this paper by the Boston Federal reserve that provides the first rigorous assessment of the homeownership experiences of sub-prime borrowers.

Critics are already attacking this plan by saying it falls short of what is needed to solve the current problem that so many families face in this very turbulent financial market.

Freddy Solis

703-943-7844 Direct
703-955-3528 Fax

Email Me

Braemar Homes for Sale Listings

Prices

At the Braemar community in Bristow Virginia there is currently 86 properties for sale of those 10 are located in Dunbarton an Active Adult Community. The prices range from the lowest $234500 to the highest $735350 for an average listing price of $398749.

The Home

The average days on the market is 142, the average home has 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 1 half bath, 3 levels, 1 fire place, and, 2 car garage and average of 0.15 acres.

Most homes currently listed are a Colonial style; there are some homes at excellent locations just waiting for a new homeowner to claim it.

Freddy Solis

703-943-7844 Direct
703-955-3528 Fax

www.freddysolis.com

Sellers can significantly influence the selling price of your property by preparing before putting it on the market. Here are some suggestions to improve a buyer's first impression of your home. Print this out and use it as a reference.

General

• Remove clutter
• Remove cobwebs from ceilings and corners
• Remove paint splash on floor and cabinets
• Clean and polish door hardware and handrails
• Clean wall switches and outlet covers
• Clean and tidy basement and attic storage
• Add plants and flowers throughout the house

House Exterior

• Sealed driveway
• Weed-free driveway and walkways
• Healthy, weed-free, and trimmed lawn
• Trees and shrubs trimmed
• Wash front steps and porch
• Check front doorbell and bell light
• Clean or replace welcome mat
• Repair and repaint fences and gates
• Clean gutters and downspouts
• Clean or repaint siding
• Wash windows and screens
• Clean shutters

Living, Family, Dining Rooms

• Repaint or touch up walls, ceiling and trim
• Repair or replace damaged moulding
• Clean and wax hardwood and vinyl floors
• Shampoo carpet

Bedrooms

• Repaint or touch up walls, ceiling and trim
• Clean drapes and bedspread
• Shampoo carpet
• Clean out all closets
• Clear all bedroom furniture
• Put away all clothing

Bathrooms

• Paint or wallpaper using light colors
• Scrub tile, bleach, and repair grout
• Check to see that drawers/doors open easily
• Clean floor
• Clean out medicine cabinet
• Seal around tubs and showers
• Replace old toilet seats
• Replace shower window curtains
• Put out a set of color coordinated bath linens

Kitchen

• Paint or wallpaper walls and ceiling with light color
• Clean floor
• Clean cabinets and appliances
• Clean out refrigerator and wash interior
• Empty dishwasher and clean around controls
• Check operation of all appliances
• Arrange and clean food storage areas
• Clean out cabinets and drawers
• Neatly display dishes in cabinets
• Clear clutter from counter tops
• Check to see that drawers/doors open easily
• Wash or replace curtains

Laundry

• Check operation of appliances
• Clean all appliances
• Clean and organize laundry area
• Provide adequate light to area

Garage

• Check operation of wall sockets
• Remove oil and grease from floor
• Clean and organize storage
• Maintain noisy garage door opener