Great Price on Sterling Townhome!

This week: check out 12 Regis Circle in Sterling:

The seller has decided to relocate and not "fix up" for sale.  This is an excellent opportunity for a cost conscious buyer and/or investor to add their own touches to an affordable property in a great location.

Call me today if you, or someone you know, would like to see this property.

Carla Brooks

brkslong@aol.com

703-577-4960

What should you expect from your realtor?

KCM Blog had a great post this week on what to expect from your realtor.

Here is the link:    KCM

I'm off today to manage a rental property and get another property on the market.

If you'd like to buy or sell a home call me today,  I will treat your transaction as if it were my own...


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

Why should sellers sign up for a Home Warranty?

Signing up for a home warranty is a great idea for sellers for a couple very good reasons:

Preparing a home for market is a daunting task.  The showing standards in Northern Virginia are high.  After all, prices are high comparatively speaking and buyers generally don't want to do fix ups when they move in.  Plus, a property in need of repair will not command as high a price as one in mint condition. 

Even if the repairs are minimal and routine, the confidence level a buyer has in a property will be lowered if the home inspection reveals a long "to do" list.  This long list "to do" list will give the impression that the seller(s) has not kept the property well maintained.

While the seller(s) is preparing their home for sale with cleaning and decluttering tasks, a repair to the HVAC, major appliances, electrical system or plumbing systems can be taken care of by the Home Warranty company.  If the system is not repairable, the Warranty company will replace it with a system that is comparable in performance.

The Warranty is not paid for by the seller(s) until settlement of the property for sale.  This is a tremendous advantage to the seller.  Preparing a home for market can deplete the piggy bank in many respects so paying at settlement is a good deal for the seller.

The Warranty is transferred to the buyer at settlement.  This Warranty will provide peace of mind to the buyer(s) that a major expense in the first year of  home ownership will be covered by the Home Warranty company.

Long & Foster participates with two Home Warranty companies that sellers and buyers can purchase: HMS:   www.longandfosterwarranty.com

 and 2-10: 2-10.com/warranty

If you would like to sell or purchase real estate call me today, I will treat your transaction as if it were my own!

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

Virginia Tidbits

The mood in Virginia at the time of the breakout of the Civil War was anxious and unsettling. Consider the scene of a grandmother presenting her grandson with an umbrella as he marched off to Bull Run:

How surreal it was for for the women, mothers, grandmothers, sisters and beau's to stand by and watch their men march off to war. Of course, the soldiers were not using unbrellas. Carrying their supply kits, arms and gear were difficult as could be. Often soldiers left behind equipment and supplies, that they really could use, out of sheer fatigue and exhaustion.

Look at these young army men posing for pictures in their Confederate Uniforms:

Many recruits did not take the raw drill seriously , yet the raw drill was very arduous to master, as one raw recruit remembered:

Mothers, sisters, grandmothers and wives put together "kits" for their men. They consisted of:

a leather or cloth pouch containing needles, pins, thread, buttons and scissors. They also supplies the troops with many edible gifts-- pies, cakes, doughnuts and jellies.
The troops marched off in solemn determination with knapsacks containing--trousers, two pairs of drawers, thick boots, stockings (4 pair), flannel shirts (4), a blouse, mirror, razors, bibles, writing utensils, reading books, canned peaches, wool and rubber blankets (In addition to their bayonets, canteens, tin cups and cartidges),

Here are a group of women on the train tracks listening for the first guns at Manassas in 1861.

There are many re-enactments of the Civil War in Virginia and Maryland throughout the summer if you would like to attend one.

If you'd like to buy or sell a home, call me today to make the most of your real estate experience.

                                                           Carla Brooks

                                                          703-577-4960

                                                         brkslong@aol.com

What's your favorite 4th of July recipe?

Certain dishes just seem to taste better in the summer.  Potato salad is one of my all time favorites. So are some soups and pasta dishes.

One recipe full of healthy vitamins is Chilled Avocado Soup.  This is a great appetizer and can be served in small demitasse cups or miniature glasses. 

Ingredients:

3-4 Avocados

13/4 cups of water

1 cup of Greek Yogurt

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of fresh dill

1/2 cup of jumbo lump crab or lobster

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Directions:

Puree first four ingredients; adjust water and seasoning as needed; sprinkle with lump crab (and or lobster) and lemon to taste

Enjoy!

And if you want to buy or sell a property call me today, I will treat your transaction as if it were my own!

Carla Brooks

703-577-4960

brkslong@aol.com

Are you on the outside looking in?

According to the latest information on the housing market, the demand for housing is very strong.  Prices for real estate are rising despite rising mortgage rates.  In fact, the price of housing is expected to continue to rise as more household formations arise.

Why wait to buy if the road of time will only lead to higher prices?


Here is a link to the KCM Blog on housing: KCM

If you'd like to buy your dream home call me today.

 I will treat your transaction as if it were my own!


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

My New House

Today I purchased a new house.  A bat house that is.  It was hand made & I'm hoping it lasts a lifetime.

It was specifically designed for these little creatures:

You see, I have found out that bats are territorial.  If they are inhabiting your attic and the attic is sealed, they will stay on the property and infest another area.  The solution is to give them their own home.  The home should have no bottom and have shelving inside for the little critters to hand upside down and sleep during the day.  Bats are nocturnal.

There were two bat houses on our property when we purchased it years ago.  We didn't know what they were and we removed them.  Over time we noticed the bat guano falling from the venting to the attic on the outside.    It was time to take action.  

We are installing screens over the attic vents after dusk so we don't seal in the little critters.  And we hope they enjoy their new digs....

Have a great Friday!

If you'd like to buy or sell a home, call me today.  I will treat your transaction as if it were my own!

Carla Brooks

703-577-4960

brkslong@aol.com