This Month In Real Estate (March 2011)

This month in real estate.....

For more information on loans, the real estate market, and how to prepare your home for sale, stay tuned to The Real Estate Whisperer!

The Real Estate Whisperer

A Dulles area real estate sales consultant shares truths about the industry and the market.

A resource not to be missed!

Real Estate News This Week

The week started out with "National Open House Weekend", the first ever initiated by the National Association of REALTORS.  High actively levels were reported by every agent I talked to!  I held one listing open on Saturday and one on Sunday, and am pleased to tell you that as a direct result of the Open House Activities, I am currently negotiating a contract on one of the listings!

The week was somewhat slow as news bites go... or maybe I was just distracted... too busy doing work, not enough time to talk or read about it....  But there were a few headlines I saw that I wanted to share:

Mortgage Deduction Appreciation Day:  April 15th, otherwise known as tax day, is known in the Real Estate World as
Mortgage Deduction Appreciation Day.  Along those lines, here's a story from the National Association of REALTORS about the threat of changing laws regarding that deduction: http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/mortgage_interest_deduction/

Thanks to all who took action to ensure Congress renewed the Flood Insurance program!  Can you imagine having a home in a flood plain and suddenly being unable to obtain insurance?  Read the story Here: http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/

A friend of mine is doing a blog series on "Living Small" which is the newest architectural trend... (although is examples are of the extreme).  It's fun and quirky... check out his latest post: http://livingsmallus.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-tiny-houses-taliesin-shelters.html

That's just about it.... Below you can find a link to Open Houses in Loudoun.  Check them out!

http://matrix.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?ID=36347835998

Thinking of buying?  Search online for homes for sale at http://www.vickychrisner.com/

Thinking of selling?  Order an automated Market Snapshot for the Loudoun area by clicking here.

Don't for get - to lock in your option to claim the first time home buyer tax credit, you must be under contract by 4/30... and buyers, if you're currently looking and losing in negotiations, consider being a "back up".  Later, you might be glad you did.

Have other real estate questions?

Vicky Chrisner

http://www.vickychrisner.com/

7036693142

This Weeks Headlines

Thanks for tuning in this Saturday morning, as I post the "real estate headline highlights" for the week.  To get this information in daily doses, fan "The Real Estate Whisperer" on Facebook!

REAL ESTATE AND FINANCE

BRING ON THE HIGH INTEREST RATES: The Fed Plans to cease purchasing of mortgage backed securities. These purchases have been creating artificially low interest rates; but the fed says they’re going to stop. We’re expecting interest rates to begin to tick up. READ MORE HERE

THE NEW LOAN MOD/REFI PROGRAMS: Last week, new loan modification and refinance programs were announced to help aid underwater homeowners. After reading the fine print, here’s the scoop – CLICK HERE

FLOOD INSURANCE, RURAL HOUSING LOANS: The REALTOR Action Center wants YOU to know about pending legislation and how you can affect change! There are 2 pending pieces of legislation that MUST be completed. * One is regarding the availability of flood insurance. Currently NO NEW OR RENEWED flood insurance policies can be issued!  * The second is the lack of availability for insurance for Rural Housing Loans. In many areas of our state, including parts of Loudoun, Prince William and other nearby areas, Rural Housing Loans are affecting the affordability of housing for potential homebuyers. Without them, it’s yet another loss to our real estate market.  READ MORE AND TAKE ACTION – It’s Easy.... Just CLICK HERE

LOCAL ECONOMIC NEWS

GOVERNOR SIGNS NEW MEASURES TO CREATE 30k NEW JOBS AND $311M IN REVENUE: Governor Bob McDonnell signed 5 measures into law which are expected to create 30,000 new jobs and $311 million in revenue for Virginia! With new tax breaks, businesses can easily relocate to Virginia temporarily.  One of these measures offers as much as $22 million for the Center for Innovative Technology in Herndon. This can only be good for the housing market: Read more: McDonnell rolls out economic development package

AROUND THE STATE:  Signs of New Job Growth in Virginia....Check out the newsfeed on the Virginia Homeowner Alliance Facebook Fanpage.

HYPER LOCAL NEWS:

LOUDOUN STILL HAS AAA CREDIT RATINGS: Fitch Ratings announced yesterday its award of AAA rating to Loudoun County for $102.1 million in general obligation refunding bonds that are expected to be sold April 8. The rating agency also gave the AAA rating on approximately $880 million outstanding general obligation bonds. "Loudoun County exhibits strong economic and social characteristics, including a wealthy tax base, above-average income levels, a low rate of unemployment, and a highly educated labor pool," Fitch noted in its analysis..READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE.

LOCO RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=3106

FFX CONSIDERS DUMPING COMMUTER BUS ROUTES: http://www.gopetition.com/online/34495.html%22%3EOnline

LOCO OFFERS POST PURCHASE SEMINAR FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=3117

AND THE HUNT BEGINS: IF YOU HAVEN'T COMPLETED YOUR CENSUS FORM AND MAILED IT IN, THEY'LL BE COMING FOR YOU SOON: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.loudoun.gov%2Fcensus&h=07fc667235890df5374c7113de6257d5

LEESBURG LAUNCHES KEEP LEESBURG BEAUTIFUL MONTH: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Virginia-Homeowners-Alliance/65281145212?ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=112036268813344&ref=mf

LOCO MOTION: Check out this month's edition of LoCo Motion... find out where the local movers and shakers are moving and shaking! Take a sneak peak of Loudoun's economic indicators. READ MORE.


OTHER REAL ESTATE RELATED NEWS:

HOMELESSPETS: The economic crisis has so many victims, not the least of which are our cats, dogs, horses and other pets. What happens to them when the family literally loses the farm? There’s a non profit that’s working to help ease this crisis. Find out more: http://www.foreclosurepets.org/

ARE YOU LIVING LARGE? GOING GREEN? ALL THIS IS THE MOVEMENT OF YESTERYEAR: Are you on the forefront of trendy trends in housing?  If so, you're apartment just got a lot smaller...READ MORE: LIVING SMALL

NEW AUTOMATED NEIGHBORHOOD SALES REPORTS:  The Real Estate Whisperer asks for you to try out this new web site, and provide feedback on the automated neighborhood sales report you receive. Available for 20175 zip code and surround areas:  http://www.20175homesales.com/