Monday, August 25, 2014

Sewer Line Insurance with Dominion Power

Previously, I wrote a post regarding water line replacement with Dominion Power.   I purchased the insurance based on the age of my home and the materials used by the builder of my home.  My original water line was not copper.   My new water line is copper and has a 10 year warranty supplied by the Plumbing Company that replaced the line.  You can find that post here

Another insurance homeowners can invest in is the sewer line repair insurance with Dominion Power.  From the information I am reading on the website for Dominion Power, this insurance is for repair , not replacement of the sewer line.  This is important to know since some sewer lines actually collapse and need replacement.

For this reason, an inspection by a qualified plumber, at the time of your home inspection is a very good idea if your sewer line is old and made of a material known to collapse.  There are several local plumbing companies  that will send a camera down the sewer lines and verify that the line is not becoming detached for any reason and that there is no sign of collapse or cracking.  This usually runs around $300-350.   This inspection is typically not part of a regular home inspection, it is in addition to a home inspection.  Most home inspectors are not plumbers and do not have the equipment to examine the sewer lines.



  Replacement of sewer lines is expensive.  The expense increases exponentially if your sewer line goes into the street street (or a neighbor's yard).  If your sewer line goes into the street, VDOT then becomes involved in the line replacement.  The website for more information on this insurance is here.



Buying  a home is a great investment.  Making the right decisions along the way is important.  If you would like to buy or sell a home, call me today.  I will treat your transaction as if it were my own.

                                                               Thank you,


                                                             Carla Brooks
                                                         brkslong@aol.com
                                                            703-577-4960
P.S. All photos are a courtesy of Free digital photos



Friday, August 22, 2014

How is Real Estate doing across the country?

Northern Virginia is known for a brisk paced lifestyle, a great job market and pricey real estate.  As wonderful as all this sounds, the pricing of real estate remains a tricky topic for many homeowners and buyers.

Taking a look at the recent comparables can bring the most optimistic seller back to reality in a heartbeat.  Comparables matter.  Its that simple.  Buyers are savy and informed.

Most buyers have learned from the financial meltdown and the bursting of the real estate bubble.  They want to be sure they are not paying too much and they want to be sure they can afford their monthly payment.  This is a good thing.







.

To put Northern Virginia in proper perspective, let's take a look at the country as a whole.  The KCM blog has a great map of the country with the corresponding current day pricing compared to the pricing at the top of the market in 2005-2006.  The map references specific cities in each state.









Recoveries take time.  The housing shortage in Northern Virginia is fueling the real estate recovery.  Take your time in purchasing your real estate investment.  It will pay off in the years to follow.





If you are ready to buy and/or sell a home,call me today.  I am a Northern Virginia expert and am ready to assist you with your real estate transactions.

                                                       Thank you,


                                                     Carla Brooks
                                                    703-577-4960
                                                   brkslong@aol.com


Thursday, August 21, 2014

The Silver Line is Open and business is Flourishing!






From the inception of Silver Line Planning, Marcia McAllister, of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, has kept us updated on the progress, setbacks and recent opening of the Silver Line Metro.




The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is part of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.  Their website is here.  From there one can read the updates or go straight to the Dulles Metro website : Silver Line.




Recent news reports suggest that retails sales at Tysons Corner Mall have increased by double digits since the opening of the Silver Line Metro.  How exciting for Tysons Corner!

All the photos above are from the Dulles Metro website.

Have you had a chance to ride the new Silver Line Metro?
Thank you for visiting,

Carla Brooks
703-577-4960
brkslong@aol.com