On a personal note...

I've been overwhelmed and amazed at the number of blessings I have both experienced and been given in my life in just the past few months. For those of you that know me, to know me is to know nearly everything about me. I wear my heart on my sleeve for all to see.

I was blessed with a few new, special friends that have brought me so much joy. Thank you, Jason W, Jen M-K, Kyle and my wonderful new assistant (who I've since adopted as my little brother), Jeff S. You guys have improved my life in countless ways.

I've witnessed the success and motivation of my beautiful and talented sister as she takes her company, Shelter to the next level.

My little beauty, Madelyn took her first steps this year and my strong fighter, Zachary began preschool. Although Zachary's illness still affects him he has grown into a strong, healthy boy and our fears have subsided and been replaced with hopes for a bright future. One of my greatest joys is seeing My children play with my and Jason's parents. I see the happiness in their eyes and it brings me the deepest sense of family.

My husband completed his third triathlon this year and what brings me even more joy is that he ran his forth Cherry Blossom ten miler in honor of Zachary. The first time he ran it our son was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from an illness that nearly took his life. Jason is one of the top individual fundraisers for this event and I continue to give to the Children's Miracle Network through my work. I'm so proud to be his wife.

Today is my birthday. Can you guess how old I am? I've probably already told you ;-). I still think I'm 27. Though the face I see in the mirror reminds me otherwise. The wrinkles around my eyes and mouth were produced by countless smiles. I'll keep them. Medical concerns that plagued my thoughts have taken a backseat. I am cancer-free and my body is getting healthier daily and my mind and spirit are stronger than ever.

I've had a wonderfully successful year running my business which I love with all my heart and soul. I think a little client appreciation party is in order this spring. Shall we go to a ball game, drinks beers and juice boxes, eat dogs and and talk about how great life is? We're going to make that happen!

Life is good. It's only going to get better. The bad stuff, the tough stuff, it only makes you rejoice in the happy, good stuff. Our losses help us to see what we have. Our gains taste sweeter as a result. I have everything I've ever wanted in life. I am rich in life and love.

Thank you to each and every one of you for bringing so much happiness to my life. You never know how much a silly Facebook post, text message, voicemail, card, hug or just a friendly smile can help someone on any given day.

DC Metro Area's Home Prices Topped the Llist of National Gains!

Yes, you heard that right. We have the best performing housing market in the nation!

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2011/06/28/washington-area-home-prices-lead.html

Orange Cones. No Phones.

I realize this isn't neccessarily related to Northern Virginia Real Estate, but it certainly pertains to Northern Virginia. As all of you well know, the beltway construction for the hot lanes and new silver line metro is in full swing. It's disrupting our daily commute and some of us are dealing with noise and other frustration as it relates to the work being done.

One frustration that I personally deal with is the consistent changes in traffic patterns. This is coupled with an unbelievable number of distracted drivers. I've been one of them in the past, but have made a commitment to myself and my family not to allow my phone or other "things" to prohibit me from giving my full attention to the road.

Today I was nearly struck by another motorist when exiting the beltway. When I honked and got out of their way I glanced their direction and actually saw them looking at their phone. Ironically, this was in an "Orange Cones. No Phones" zone.

Orange Cones, No Phones was developed to reduce distracted driving and remind people to use caution, especially when in construction zones - in other words, put your phone down and drive. You are risking your life and the lives of others when you drive and text, surf the net etc, but that risk is escalated when you are in a construction zone with unpredictable road patterns. 

My company and I took the pledge "Orange Cones. No Phones". For your and my safety, won't you and your company take the pledge as well?

http://www.orangeconesnophones.com/employer/program.php

"Do I need to be pre-approved before I submit an offer?"

Please submit additional questions for my "blogumn" to melinda@myagentmelinda.com

First and foremost I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend and took a moment to celebrate and remember those who have fallen serving our Country protecting our rights and freedom. From the bottom of my heart I thank all of you who have served and are serving.

"Do I need to be pre-approved before I submit an offer?"


All agents and sellers will require a pre-approval or pre-qualification letter with an offer. That tells the agent and seller that you have, at a minimum had your credit reviewed by a loan officer and have answered some general questions about your income and appear to be qualified to buy the home.

When your lender pulls your credit he or she may discover something on the report you weren't aware of such as a collection item or even a mistake. It may prevent you from getting a loan or make it more difficult. Most loan officers can assist you in removing or correcting issues on your credit report. In some cases you still may not be able to qualify for a loan and as a result have to delay your home purchase. This would be important information to have before shopping for a home and potentially finding one you'd like to buy, right?

Take it one step further and provide your chosen loan officer with your most recent W-2 and/or 1099, last two paystubs, last two bank statements and asset statements and the lender can analyze your financial position, submit your file to underwriting and start informaing you about the loan products that suit you and your personal situation you best.

Going through this process puts you in a position of power when writing an offer. You're confident about your financial position, you maybe be able to close more quickly and you're removed the risk of a surprise with regard to your financing! 

I'm always happy to provide you a referral to a reputable loan officer! Just call or send us an email and we'll get back to you with a list of our preferred providers!

A Big Thank You to Our Veterans and Soldiers!

I eat, sleep, and breathe Northern Virginia real estate and the great soldiers of our country make that possible. They make the American Dream possible by protecting our freedom and fighting for our rights. This weekend we take time to honor and celebrate the great veterans of our country.

All too many times I've caught myself taking my comfortable life for granted when a solider has given his life so that I may continue to enjoy mine. This weekend my heart, thoughts and prayers will be with those of you that have served, are serving and the families of the fallen.

From my family to yours, God Bless and thank you!

"Do I need to leave my home when a prospective buyer comes by?"

"Do I need to leave my home when a prospective buyer comes by?"

When listing your home for sale in Northern Virginia we want to create the most welcoming environment for purchasers. One way in which we can do that is to excuse ourselves when an agent and their clients come by to see your home.

First and foremost we want the prospective purchaser to be able to envision themselves in your home living in it and loving it. When you are there they may feel as thought they are being intrusive. We also want them to be able to walk through the home and speak openly to one another about the things they love about the property (and maybe even some of their concerns as well). They want to open the pantry and closet doors without feeling like they are invading your privacy and that's just a litte easier to do when you're not home!

The goal is to allow the purchaser to take their time and feel comfortable. So comfortable that they never want to leave and as a result make a great offer to purchase your home!

I've been selling Northern Virginia Real Estate since 2003. You can trust my advice to sell your home!

"What's an Earnest Money Deposit?"

"What's an earnest money deposit?"

An earnest money deposit is the money that is placed in escrow to guarantee your contract. When we sit down to write an offer on a home we will also write an earnest money deposit check. The check will be written to your Realtor's brokerage in most cases. In some instances it may be written to an escrow agent (usually a title company) or in rare cases to the listing agents brokerage. The check will be held until your contract is accepted at which time it will be deposited.

The escrow agent/brokerage does not release the deposit unless one of the following things happen:

1) The buyer goes to settlement at which time the earnest money deposit is applied to down payment or closing costs
2) The buyer voids the contract utilizing one of their contingencies or the buyer and seller agree to terminate the contract and disburse the earnest money in whole or in part to the buyer
3) A court orders the money distributed

Earnest money deposits motivate the buyer to make a serious offer and then follow through with settlement. Without a financial stake the buyer may not feel motivated to perform to the terms of the contract as there is no recourse for the seller other than legal action. Contracts today provide the buyer with definitive contingencies that allow them to terminate the contract for specific reasons and entitles them to receive their earnest money back in full.

Earnest money deposits tend to range from 1-3% of the sales price in DC, MD & VA

Can I get a firm commitment for closing costs?

"When buying a new home, is it usual or possible to get a firm commitment for total closing costs, or at least a 'it will not be higher than ....'?" -Mark A

When applying for a loan most lenders will provide a breakdown of your estimated costs to purchase a home in your price range. As a result you get a general idea of the costs associated with the loan. Lenders cannot give you anything more formal than that until you have selected a property and committed to them due to the burden placed on the lending institution.

New laws are in place to protect the consumer. These laws require a lender to provide you, once you commit to giving them your business, a formal Good Faith Estimate of charges. The downside? These estimates are often higher than the estimated charges you received before. Why? Because the lender must cover themselves in the event the title services, taxes and other fees out of their control were to come in higher then anticipated. The law requires that certain fees not vary more than a certain percentage than what you were quoted.

The key here is to work with a lender you can trust and will guarantee their fees to you in writing. Your friends, family and Northern Virginia real estate agent can provide you with a recommendation. There is nothing better than being referred by someone who has had a great experience!

Speaking of referrals....do you know anyone looking to buy or sell? Your referrals are the lifeblood of my business! I live to serve you, your friends, family and coworkers real estate needs!

"Do you enjoy being a real estate agent?"

"Your job seems so stressful to me. Do you enjoy being a real estate agent?" -Mike

Every day I have the opportunity to meet and interact with all kinds of extraordinary people. They have chosen me to help them achieve a goal, a dream or both. Sometimes, the decision to purchase or sell a home is financial, sometime it's due to a change in job, needs or just the desire for something new different or bigger, but behind each of these transactions is a unique individual. It sounds cliche, but everyday I learn something new and it's usually from one of you!

Just like with any job I have my days - it's not perfect. Every now and then things don't go as planned, but I try to stay flexible and keep my heart in the right place! Sometimes I deal with cranky agents (yes, I get cranky too!), difficult negotiations, challenging home inspections, vendors that don't show up on time, you name it. After 8 years in business I've experienced a lot of things! But at the end of most days, I can see results and even on the days that I can't I think about you and what we're trying to accomplish and
I can easily get up and do it again the next day!

There is NOTHING like the feeling of sitting next to someone at the settlement table and seeing the look on their faces when the closing agent turns and says "Congratulations, your a homeowner!" But the fun doesn't stop there!

Often times, after they've moved in and are all settled they've invited me back. We've become friends, we stay in touch. We've gotten to know one another while we searched and I get the absolute pleasure of seeing you in your new home. You're proud and my heart is full!

The photo you see here was taken just a few days ago by my clients (and friends) Peter and Mary. Peter and Mary purchased a home from me just a few months ago! As you might have guessed by the above photo they we're looking for a new home because they were expecting a little bundle of joy. It was so exciting to be a part of their lives as their family was growing! Their little guy, Patrick came into our world just a month ago today and I got to meet him - oh, and see the new house too! :-) Isn't he precious? This is why I love being a real estate agent!

"Why do I need the help of a Realtor to buy a house?"

"Melinda, I am young and know my way around the internet. Why do I need the help of a Realtor to buy a house? Can't I see all the same listings on my own?" –Elizabeth

I'm so glad you asked! Although most consumers do start their search on the internet, finding homes to look at in Northern Virginia is just the start of the process! Realtors provide many services in addition to assisting you in locating homes.

Find Homes

There are so very many sites to look at. How do you know where to find the most accurate information? I cannot tell you how many times a customer has contacted me about an awesome property they saw on a website only to find out it is under contract or was sold months ago. Real estate agents are the only people (besides a select few affiliate members) that have access to the Multiple Listing System (MLS) where nearly all of Northern Virgina Real Estate properties are listed and updated real time. Plus we're well networked and have the opportunity to preview some homes before they ever hit the market. Finding you the right home is a team effort! 

See Homes

In addition to having access to real time information we can assist you by asking the right questions to help narrow down your search. Not to mention schedule multiple showings and design a tour of homes that makes the best use of your time.

Make an Offer

Once you locate a home you love we'll prepare the contract and give you our advice on how to be most competitive, what your offer price should be and what contingencies should be included. We'll negotiate the best deal possible for the market you're in and then we will continue to negotiate on your behalf as we work our way to settlement.

Buy It

We'll work with your lender to ensure your loan is processed and accompany you to the settlement table where you'll review all of the lenders documents and paperwork neccessary to seal the deal. You're a homeowner! Aren't you glad you had a Realtor by your side to educate, negotiate and guide you through the process?

Welcome to my new column - Your Northern Virginia Real Estate Questions, Answered!

Today's market is complex. The Northern Virginia real estate market, though recovering is not isolated from these complexities. Understanding and participating in it can be intimidating, confusing and overwhelming. Especially when you are a first time homebuyer or seller! My goal in starting this "blogumn" was to develop a forum in which I could answer your questions not only about real estate, but topics as they relate to the purchase, sale or lease of real estate.

I entered the real estate market for myself, 10 years ago. It was a very busy time in my life. I was engaged in a successful career as a Staffing Manager with Proxicom, Inc. I was negotiating contracts and managing hundreds of resources. I was renting a tiny 1 bedroom apartment and ended up owing Uncle Sam at the end of each year. A friend had bought a home and it didn't seem too difficult. It seemed like a logical next step in my life.

I contacted an agent. She was sweet, but provided me with no education and I had no idea what to expect. When I found a home I liked I wasn't clear on much that was to happen after that and I was terrified during the contract writing process. As much as I'd wanted to purchase a home I'd not spent much time researching the process. I relied heavily on my agent to guide me. I made it through the process and luckily bought a wonderful home that I kept for several years, but the experience planted a seed and my interest in Northern Virginia real estate went to the next level. Shortly after I pursued a real estate salesperson license and about a year later I hung that license with a local brokerage. 

Today, I make education my number one priority when counseling buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords. My goal is to take the mystery out of the transaction and in the meantime, help you keep your sense of humor! I put my heart in every home!

Please email me with questions you'd like answered or leave your questions in the comments section below!

Melinda@MyAgentMelinda.com