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Welcome to my blog about all things Northern Virginia! Visit often to get my take on Northern Virginia real estate, information on buying and selling homes, local and national housing statistics, and life in Northern Virginia.I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I do!
Contact me at:
703.624.7848
MargieKMacDonald@gmail.com
Tag Archives: buying a house
You Ratified a Contract to Purchase a Home. Now What?
Once you have a ratified contract, here are the next steps to purchasing your new home. Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged buying a home, buying a house, loan process, northern virginia, ratified contract, settlement process
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Don’t Commit Mortgage Sabotage
Lending standards have gotten much tighter as a result of the mortgage crisis. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now require a credit “refresh” no more than three days prior to closing . Since most mortgages are sold to Fannie and … Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged applying for a mortgage, buying a home, buying a house, home buyer, home buyers, house buyer, mortgage, qualifying for a mortgage
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Buying a Home Now Protects You Against Inflation Later
Buying a home today will protect you against tomorrow’s inflation when prices and interest rates are higher. Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged buying a home, buying a house, inflation, northern va real estate, northern virginia real estate
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Watch Out For This Mortgage Scam
Scam artists are taking advantage of the common practice of originating lenders selling a borrower’s loan to a new servicer. Find out how to protect yourself. Continue reading →
Will New Loan Limits Cause Home Values to Drop?
Read why the new $625,500 loan limit should not have an adverse affect on home values in our area in the long run. Continue reading →
Don’t Commit Mortgage Sabotage
Fannie and Freddie have instituted new quality control guidelines that require a second review of a borrower’s credit report just before settlement. Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged applying for a mortgage, buying a home, buying a house, mortgage loan approval
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Consider a Home Warranty
What are a buyer’s options if a home has old appliances that are still in “normal working order?” Consider a home warranty. Continue reading →
Real Estate Is Local, not National, and Our Market is Hot!
While many of the nation’s largest cities continue to see huge declines in value, the DC Metro area actually saw a 4% annual improvement in the latest Case-Shiller Housing Index. Continue reading →
Northern Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2011
June housing statistics for Northern Virginia show low inventory, which has contributed to the stabilization of values, and record low sales for June. Continue reading →
Posted in Real Estate Statistics
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Tagged buying a home, buying a house, housing, Northern VA, northern virginia, selling a home, selling a house
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When will the housing market recover?
No one can predict the future of the housing market, but here are the factors that influence it and the direction these factors are going. Continue reading →
2 Upcoming Decisions That Might Affect Housing
The upcoming decision on the QRM requirement for a 20% down payment and the expiration of higher government backed loan limits will likely impact housing. Continue reading →
8 Questions to Ask Before You Put an Offer on a Short Sale
A short sale is when a homeowner lists their home for sale, contingent on receiving approval from their lender(s) to sell the home for a price that falls short of the amount owed on the mortgage(s). If you are considering putting an offer on a short sale, here are eight questions you should ask first. Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged buying a home, buying a house, buying a short sale, home buyer, home buyers, house buyer, Northern VA, northern virginia, short sale
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Waiting for the bottom to buy a home may not be the best strategy
When will we know we have hit the bottom of the housing market when prices are at their lowest? Probably not until we can look back and see this bottom. If you “wait for the bottom” to buy a home, the reality is that you will probably be purchasing once prices are already starting to inch up. This chart explains why waiting is probably not the best strategy. Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged bottom of market, buying a home, buying a house, lowest housing prices, Northern VA, northern virginia
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How does the home inspection contingency work?
You’re so excited! After all the time and effort to get your home ready to put on the market, all the anticipation as each potential buyer views your home, you now have a ratified contract. You’re done, right? Unfortunately, not … Continue reading →
You can buy a home with a 3.5% downpayment
One of the things that often surprises my buyers is that they only need a 3.5% downpayment. That’s right…you do not need to wait until you have saved a 20% downpayment. The idea of purchasing a home can be daunting … Continue reading →
Posted in Buying a Home
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Tagged buying a home, buying a home in Haymarket, buying a house, buying a house in Haymarket, Haymarket VA, Haymarket Virginia, home buyer, home buyers, home search, homes in Haymarket, house buyer, houses in Haymarket, looking at houses, Northern VA, northern virginia
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