Bristow, VA

At a home inspection yesterday on a brand-new house, my client was buying a home built by one of the companies that has installed Chinese drywall in the past.

They are having obvious problems because of that installation.

My client wanted assurance that there was no Chinese drywall in this house.

I was able to find a spot where the stamps were visible to show that this drywall, in fact, was American made!

While I cannot guarantee that there is no Chinese drywall in the house, it is a pretty good bet that there is none! This builder likely wouldn't open that can of worms again, a scant couple of years later. Especially since it's in the news.

Although Chinese drywall is showing up in more and more states and locations, it is apparently not in this neighborhood in Northern Virginia.

My recommendation: if you have concerns when selling a house built any time from 2004 on that there may be Chinese-made drywall, have your inspector try to find the stamps on the backside that demonstrate where it had been manufactured. Peace of mind is worth a million bucks... and a picture says a thousand words.

Braemar Proerty Values for September-October 2009 have just been tabulated for the Arista Series. The Arista Series consists of the large, single family homes built by Brookfield Homes and will be one of three models: Allister, Buckingham or Canterbury. If you have one of these models, this Braemar Property Value Report pertains to you.

Braemar Property Values were impacted by only one resale in the Arista Series this report, so there was no averaging necessary. One resale means the average market value is the sale price of the one sale. That resale was a loaded Allister, comparable in square footage to the average size Canterbury. Braemar's average property value for Arista homes is now $410,000, up 1.7% since last report (July-August 2009).

That puts us EXACTLY where we were one year ago. That is actually something to be happy about since we have been losing ground year after year since I started this report in July 2005. You can't gain any ground until you stop losing it.

If you needed to sell your Canterbury or Allister model homes, and priced it to current market conditions, you could expect to have your home under contract in less than one month's time. Whether a buyer would ask for closing cost assistance...well...with just one sale, it's hard to know.

The next Braemar Property Value Report will be out in mid January. Until then, if you would like to view average sale prices for Breamear homes dating back to 2005, you can visit my website: www.nvarealestate.net. Click the link for Braemar Property Value Report Online and the Arista Series numbers will be the first you see. It will look like this:

If you are thinking of selling your Braemar home, please give me a call. No one knows Braemar better!

Chris Ann Cleland, Realtor, Licensed in VA, Long & Foster

703-402-0037, chrisann@LNF.com

What do you think it is? The microwave? Toaster? Hot tub? Computer (for lots of reasons...)?

Actually, it is none of the above.

The most dangerous appliance in your house may be your dryer!

Think about it. Dryer fires cost Americans as much as $100 million annually! They result in almost 50,000 fires that require the fire department, and average 400 injuries and 15 fatalities - annually. They cause more fires than electrical problems. And 81% of them happen in residential homes. (1) That is dangerous!

Most dryer fires are reported in the laundry room. In the olden days, that meant the basement or the garage. But in modern society, the laundry room location has shifted to the bedroom, kitchen, family room, hallway or closet.

When to most fires happen? Incidences increase dramatically from November to March, with 10.6% happening in January. Why? Probably because that is when we wash our heaviest clothing. It takes more time to dry them, they heat up and poof!

And what is the most common cause of dryer fires? VENTILATION. And that for many reasons:

1. In modern houses dryer vents cover longer distances to reach an outside wall.

2. Clogs that occur because of sharp bends or turns.

3. Plastic or foil wrapped "slinky" venting. This venting has lots of pockets that can trap lint. Solid vents are highly recommended.

4. Incorrect venting which does not exhaust outdoors but into a crawl space, attic, or interior walls. This can also contribute to the increase of molds and air deterioration. Also, incorrect venting which allows animals to get inside where they nest or otherwise obstruct air flow.

What is the most important thing we can do to prevent dryer fires?

Keep our vents clean! That means disconnecting the vent tubing from the dryer every one to two years and either cleaning it all ourselves (including as much of the tubing as possible) or hiring a professional company to do it.

And by following proper installation guidelines when the dryer is first installed.

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Dryer Loss Control Recommendations -- Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

1. Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes – If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

2. Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically – Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping.

3. Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting materials with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct – The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks and crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.

4. Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals – Special care is required when drying clothes exposed to gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothes more than once and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle.

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My recommendation: When you buy a new dryer, have it installed professionally. Most retailers will deliver and install nowadays. And pay special attention to keeping your vent clean where the vent exits the dryer and enters the wall, and where it discharges on the outside of your house!

(1) “Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings”. Topical Fire Research Series. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Fire Administration. Volume 7, Issue 1. January 2007.

Braemar Townhouses continued to be in demand as we started the Fall selling season in September 2009. Overall, between the months of September and October, there were 5 Breamer townhouse resales, which I divided into two categories: Garage Townhouses and Townhouses with No Garage. When comparing sales prices, it is always best to compare like to like.

Braemar Townhouses without Garages gained some ground this report. After only two resales, the average sales price has gone up 10.6% since last report (July-August 2009) to $212,000 this report (September-October 2009). Average seller subsidy (closing assistance from seller to buyer) was up 65% to $2,998. And if you were thinking of selling your Braemar Townhouse without a Garage, you can expect to have it under contract (if priced to current market conditions) in just under two weeks. That's nearly identical to last report.

Braemar Garage Townhouses lost some value this report. After three resales, average sales price is down to $215,000 since last report...a 7.9% loss in two months. Average seller subsidy is up 14.7% since last report, to $5,698 this report. And if you are thinking of selling your Braemar Garage Townhouse, you can still expect to have it under contract (if priced to current market conditions) in a week's time.

I prepare the Braemar Townhouse Report every two months. The next one will be out in January. If you would like to receive a hard copy, send me an email and I'll add you to my mailing list. Otherwise, you can check my website to see average sales prices of Braemar Townhouses dating back to 2006. Go to www.nvarealestate.net and click the link on the left for Braemar Townhouse Report Online. The two categories will look like this:

In the meantime, if you are thinking of buying or selling a Braemar townhouse, don't hesitate to call.

No one knows Braemar better!

Chris Ann Cleland, Long & Foster, Realtor, Licensed in Virginia

703-402-0037, chrisann@LNF.com