My thoughts on the Today show's real estate segment.

This morning, the Today show aired a segment on real estate with Barbara Corcoran, their real estate expert. She discussed the critical questions to ask when buying a new home. Most of her points are valid and I highly recommend you watch the video. For buyers, there are some great tips although as the segment continued, the questions became less important. For example, one of the questions was to "ask what's under the carpet". Ms. Corcoran is referring to homes built before 1945. Here in Loudoun County, the homes built in the late 1980's and later far outnumber those built in the 1940's so this does not apply. She also talks about checking out parking at the train station. Train station??? We won't have those worries for quite a while here in western Fairfax or Eastern Loudoun.

Sellers should check out this piece also. The 1st two questions help you figure out what not to do. Ms. Corcoran recommends buyers ask why the owner is moving to determine the anxiety level. She concludes that an axious seller is more likely to take a lower price. I recommend to my seller clients not to discuss anything with a buyer or their agent for this very reason.

Her second question in the segment is to ask how long the home has been on the market. It's another way to gauge the anxiety level of the seller. She theorizes that if a house has been on the market for six months with several price reductions, the buyer can put it a low bid and just possibly get it. Wouldn't you like to avoid that?? Pricing your home correctly by looking at what's for sale and what's under contract will enable you to do that.

Finally, Matt Lauer asked if it was a good time to buy and Ms. Corcoran said yes although "you might be lonely out there shopping by yourself". I think you'll be surprised to see just how many people are out there buying homes. With lower prices and great interest rates,there are lots of opportunities to buy a home in Northern virginia. What are you waiting for??

A Dog's Day in the life of a REALTOR

Recently, I was in Herndon, Virginia visiting a homeowner at Worldgate. When I leaving the building, I saw a cute, little, black dog running around. I looked for his owner but the only people out and about were some maintenance people. I tried to get close to check his tags but he kept avoiding me. I managed to corner him inside a building which in retrospect was probably not a good idea! He let me pet him and before I knew it, that adorable dog was putty in my hands...or was it the other way around??

Fortunately for both of us, his owner had a put his phone number on his dog tag. After a few tries, I was able to connect with the owner and arrange to have the dog picked up although he couldn't get there for 20 minutes. What to do? What to do? No leash and time to kill....I picked the little guy up and put him in my car and off we went to the local Starbucks. Once I got my cup of caffeine, I headed back to Worldgate to wait for the owner who showed up just a few minutes later. I reluctantly handed the little ball of fluff to his owner and went on my merry way, happy to have done my good deed for the day.

NO NEWS OUTLETS FOR A MONTH!!

I was having a conversation with a mentor today and the question popped out "What would we do if there were no news outlets for a week, a month?"

It got me to thinking...how would the world look? Would the sky still be blue...of course! What would the stock market do if we weren't worried about it every day? I know for some of us the threat of losing our jobs is very real but how about for you? Would you have a job in a month? Would you think that banks aren't making loans...they are you know. Would you do your normal holiday spending if you weren't constantly being told that the world as we know it is crashing down around you?

With all of the negative information we're being fed, it's no wonder!!

Here's a great idea, forget water torture...make those prisoners watch the news 24/7!!

Thinking about a Short Sale?

Short Sales...that's been a phrase that's been bantered about the past few years. Most people have no idea what it means. To the buyer of a home, it means a long wait and lots of frustration. Check out this article and the accompanying video I saw this evening on WUSA TV. Let me know if you have any questions.

Take Stock

Take stock of your belongings...jewelry, antiques, valuables. We all know we're supposed to do that, right? Okay, here's the real question....have you?

If you wonder why, think about this...what would you do if your house burned down? Would you be able to list all of your possessions and give an estimate of just how much they're worth? If you're like me, probably not!

There's hope for us though. The Insurance Information Institute has software you can download. Don't forget though, once you've done the work, you'll need to store it someplace safe, like a safety deposit box.

I bet you're thinking it's just way too much work, right? There's help! White House Home Inventory can get the job done for you.

I hope you'll spend some time this fall inventorying your stuff....just in case.

End Unit Townhome that Lives Like a Single Family Home!

Nancy Pav | Long & Foster | 703-726-3421 20940 Glenburn Terrace, Ashburn, VA Single Family Living in a Townhome 4 Bdrm Townhouse offered at $425,000 Year Built 2001 Sq Footage 2,900 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 full, 1 partial Floors 3 Parking 1 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $90 per month DESCRIPTION This beautiful brick front, end unit townhome lives like a detached home with nearly 3000 square feet of living space on 3 finished levels. You'll feel it the moment you walk in the door! On the main level you'll be wowed by the separate living room and dining room, the huge family room with gas fireplace and the spacious kitchen with maple cabinets, island and breakfast room. Upstairs, you'll be amazed by the huge master suite that includes a sitting room, a walk-in closet and a master bath with double sinks, separate shower and large soaking tub. The THREE secondary bedrooms are roomy as well. On the lower level, you'll find a great, big rec room, a den, full bath and lots of storage space which could be converted into an additional room. Hate the thought of lugging the groceries up the stairs?? Not to worry! Access to the home from the garage is through the mud room on the main level. Like to barbeque? Then you'll love the brick patio, the awning and the backyard made for entertaining. Give me a call for your personal tour~Nancy see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Fireplace High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Hardwood floor Family room Living room Bonus/Rec room Office/Den Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Basement Laundry area - inside Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard COMMUNITY FEATURES Fitness center Swimming pool(s) Sauna/Spa Tennis court(s) Lake Playground ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Nancy Pav Long & Foster 703-726-3421 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Jan 31, 2008, 8:15am PST

Best Priced Detached Home in Ashburn Village

Nancy Pav | Long & Foster | 703-726-3421 43859 Glenhazel Dr., Ashburn, VA Best Priced detached home in Ashburn Village 5 Bdrm Single Family House offered at $475,000 Year Built 1993 Sq Footage Unspecified Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 3 full, 1 partial Floors 3 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $90 per month DESCRIPTION This home needs some TLC and the price reflects it! It does have a newer furnace, water heater and compressor that were replaced in 2007. When you walk in, you'll notice the separate living room and dining room. In the back of the home, you'll step down into the huge family room off of the spacious kitchen. In the warmer months, you'll just love the screened in porch. Upstairs you'll find the master suite with it's huge closet and vaulted ceiling. You'll like the size of the 3 secondary bedrooms as well. On the walkout lower level, you love the size of the rec room and the 5th bedroom. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Fireplace High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Hardwood floor Family room Living room Bonus/Rec room Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Basement Washer Dryer Laundry area - inside Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard COMMUNITY FEATURES Fitness center Swimming pool(s) Sauna/Spa Tennis court(s) Lake Playground ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Nancy Pav Long & Foster 703-726-3421 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Jan 31, 2008, 8:28am PST