Bristow, VA

One very important thing to look for on new construction, pre-drywall inspections are hurricane straps. Also called "hurricane ties" or "twist straps," let's keep it simple for the post and call them hurricane straps.

A simple piece of engineering, a hurricane strap is a single piece of metal with a half twist.

There are pre-drilled holes for nails to anchor the straps to roof rafter ends.

In modern construction, every roof truss rafter that rests on an exterior wall is to be strapped. The only exception is the truss rafter at the very edge of a townhouse, which is itself anchored to the house beside.

My house was built in 1998, and these straps were not required by code. Some builders used them, but mine did not. I begged my builder to install the straps, or allow me to nail them on. They refused me saying that others would see them and want them on their houses! Their use is code now.

Certainly this rafter is missing one!

There was another too.

And this house already has had the County inspection allowing for the installation of drywall.

They must have missed this.

This photo shows something else I had a problem with. The framing over the window is such that it contributes to the sagging of the top frame of the window.

Done differently, there would be no sagging.

But that should be in another post!

It's a simple matter to put on another strap and get things right.

My recommendation: don't skip the pre-drywall inspection. Even things that are small and simple can get overlooked. Unless, that is, you have a home inspector on the job.

Victory Lakes Single Family Home Report: January 2012

Cold winter winds are whipping through Victory Lakes. Just when you thought we were going to get a mild winter, think again! Luckily downed trees from the 50 mph gusts of Saturday night/Sunday morning are at a minimum.

With the first month of the year behind us, let's take a look at how the Victory Lakes single family home market started in 2012. We'll make comparisons to last report (December 2011) and last year (January 2011.)

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR SALE IN VICTORY LAKES

There were no active listings at the end of January 2012.

Since there were no active listings to end the month of January, there is no need to show you a table with no information in it. I can tell you that last month there were two active listings and last year we had four on the market. Clearly, spring buyer demand is here early! If you have been thinking of selling your Victory Lakes home, get it on the market ASAP, before every one else. It's your best shot at getting the season's highest price.

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES UNDER CONTRACT IN VICTORY LAKES

5 Listings were Under Contract: All Short Sales

The fact that Short Sales continue to dominate the homes under contract in Victory Lakes is not a surprise. Last report there were seven Short Sales under contract, last year there were eight. And just like those two reporting periods, all the homes under contract in January were Short Sales. The high list price at time of contract has remained unchanged since last report, but high marketing time improved by 82%. Low list price at time of contract went down, but hardly enough to register a 1/10th of a percentage change since last report. Meanwhile, low marketing time compared to last report remains unchanged. The average list price at time of contract decreased 37% since last report and only 3% compared to last year. The average marketing time improved 65% since last report and 64% since last year. It still blows my mind that one of these Short Sales under contract in Victory Lakes has been under contract since October 2010. If you don't want that to be you, hire an experienced Bristow Short Sale Agent.

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES SOLD IN VICTORY LAKES

4 Listings Sold: 3 Short Sales, 1 Regular Sale

The sold column was dominated by Short Sales in January, and it's no surprise since the under contract column is always dominated by them. Somehow, we've not seen this domination compared to last report and last year. The high sold price was 4% lower and high marketing time was 300% longer compared to last report. The low sold price was 5% lower and low marketing time 975% longer compared to last report. Average sold price was only 1% down compared to last report and down 7% compared to last year. Average marketing time was 318% longer than it was in December and 138% longer than it was a year ago. It is generally not my experience that Short Sales take longer to go under contract than regular sales, but this data would reflect that liklihood. Another reason why hiring an experienced Bristow Short Sale Agent is critical to your Short Sale success.

The next Victory Lakes Single Family Home Report will be out in March and detail sales from February. Until then, if you are contemplating the sale of your Victory Lakes home, give me a call for your free market analysis of your home's worth. I've been a full-time Bristow real estate agent and Bristow home owner since 2005. I've been a Bristow Short Sale Agent since 2007. No matter what your equity position, I know how to get your home sold for the highest dollar amount in the shortest amount of time.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in Virginia, Long & Foster REALTORS®

703-402-0037,ChrisAnn@LNF.com, www.NVARealEstate.net

Statistics compiled by Chris Ann Cleland using information in the MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

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Kingsbrooke Townhouse Report: January 2012

Maybe Punxsutawney Phil was right when he predicted six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day this year. The wind is sounding evil tonight as it blows through Kingsbrooke. Seems Old Man Winter is back to blow around some snow and settle below freezing temps over Bristow. Brrrrrrrrr. Who knew it would be this cold in February given the mild temperatures to date?

With January behind us, let's take a look back to Kingsbrooke townhouse sales for the first month of 2012. We'll make our comparisons to last report (December 2011) and last year (January 2011.)

KINGSBROOKE TOWNHOUSES FOR SALE

2 Listings were Active: 1 Foreclosure, 1 Short Sale

There was double the amount of available inventory on the market in Kingsbrooke townhouses as January came to a close, compared to December. Still, the Kingsbrooke townhouse market is dominated by distressed sales. Since there was only one home available for sale last report, we'll stick to comparing averages. The average list price was 8% in January than it had been last report. And since there were no active listings in January 2011, we have no year to year comparison.

KINGSBROOKE TOWNHOUSES UNDER CONTRACT

4 Listings were Under Contract: 2 Regular Sales, 1 Foreclosure, 1 Short Sale

The Kingsbrooke townhouses under contract rose in January by one compared to December. This is a category evenly split between regular sales and distressed sales. The high list price at time of contract was 15% higher and high marketing time was 94% faster than it had been last report. The low list price at time of contract was 41% higher and low marketing time 700% slower than last report...though the increase to 8 days on the market is certainly nothing to worry over. The average list price at time of contract was 23% higher than last report and 18% than last year. Average marketing time was 85% faster than last report and 300% faster than last year.

TOWNHOUSES SOLD IN KINGBROOKE

2 Listings Sold: 1 Foreclosure, 1 Short Sale

Only distressed sales of Kingsbrooke townhouses made it to settlement in January. The high sold price was 12% lower, and high marketing time 239% longer than it had been last report. The low sold price was 20% lower and low marketing time 63% longer than it had been last report. The average sold price was 16% lower than last report and down only 6% compared to last year. The average marketing time was 200% longer than last report and 221% longer than it had been last year.

Overall, the demand is still high for Kingsbrooke townhouses, so if you have one to sell, my advice is to get it on the market before everyone else does when the weather warms and flowers start blooming. The laws of supply and demand are on your side right now if you want the best possible shot at getting the highest sales price for your Kingsbrooke townhouse.

The next Kingsbrooke Townhouse Report will be out in March and will detail sales from February. Until then, if you want a free market analysis of your specific home's value, I'm more than happy to provide it. I've been a Bristow home owner and full-time Bristow real estate agent since 2005. And being a Short Sale Agent since 2007 means I can help you sell no matter what your equity position happens to be.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker--Licensed in VA, Long & Foster REALTORS®

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com, www.NVARealEstate.net

Statistics compiled by Chris Ann Cleland using information in the MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

_________________________________________________________

To see the Kingsbrooke Single Family Home Report for January 2012, click the link provided.

Where oh where could the dryer vent be?

Sometimes you know a change has been made, but you don't know where.

This dryer vent has blown directly onto the AC compressor since the house was built. That would be 1979.

A dryer vent should not be within 12' or so of a compressor. Too close, as in this case here, and the compressor will draw in air while the dryer is venting its lint-laden exhaust. That can load up the fins with lint, clogging them, and robbing the compressor and AC system of efficiency. I have seen compressors look like they had grown a gray beard!

Over time, enough clogging can kill the compressor.

This compressor is less than two years old.

I have to wonder how many compressors have had to be installed over the years as this dryer vented right onto them!

But wait! This dryer vent is intentionally plugged with a K-Mart bag!

The dryer no longer vents here.

Not seeing another vent anywhere on the outside of the house, or the roof, I was interested in where it was venting!

When these things happen, they become fun detective scenes.

I like to sing the title of this post to myself!

Sooner or later the vent will show up.

Usually the evidence is, um, visible!

Pulling down the folding ladder to the space over the garage, and looking over, I found it!

Wonderful!

Going further, and I had not been upstairs yet, that white vent cover could be completely removed from the wall there.

Looking into the hole, I could see what looked like the back side of a dryer!

Mentioning that to my clients, they said, "Oh, yeah, the sellers made a laundry room upstairs."

Hmmm. This should be interesting.

And it was! The linen closet had been turned into a "laundry room." A wall had been knocked out and the "laundry room" was a part of the master bathroom! And it was cute!

Oh, there was lint everywhere. And County permits were nailed all over the wall!

I may be exaggerating a bit on the County permits. There was nothing smart or safe about this installation. Or the kitchen remodeling. Or the newly finished basement. Or the new window in the dining room. Or the front stoop.

My recommendation: when you see one wrong thing, it usually leads to another, sometimes connected to the first! Even if the dryer vent had not been plugged, it still would have been a problem. And the "fix" for it was no fix at all! And don't forget to be a preposition!