Central VA Home's Blog

Perfect Time to Buy!

centralvahome — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:19:12 +0000

"The Perfect Storm"

If you saw the movie “The Perfect Storm” or you’ve heard your weatherman talk about fronts, pressure differences, temperatures etc coming together just right, they may produce a very rare weather event. I think we’re seeing this happen in “home sales.” If you’re a Buyer, it’s the “Perfect Time” to buy. With interest rates approaching 4%, a large inventory of homes for sale, sellers starting to negotiate in favor of buyers, a rental market that is seeing increased rent prices and smaller inventory, and banks that are learning how to handle foreclosure and short sales, it is truly a BUYERS MARKET! Not convinced?? Let’s try simple math. In the late 1970’s, I bought a house for $200,000 with an interest rate of 12.5% fixed for 30 years. Not counting taxes and insurance, that’s a house payment of $2,134.54 per month. Today, if I mortgaged $200,000 at 4.5% for 30 years, my monthly payment, before taxes and insurance is $1,013.37, A DIFFERENCE OF $1,121.17 per month.
Yes, there are some “buts”:
1.Home prices may still go down a little in the future so if you’re only going to live in the house for 2 years or less, renting may be a better option, talk with a good lender and Real Estate Agent.
2.Banks and lenders are more cautious about lending money for mortgages. You need a reasonable credit score, a good source of income and a house price acceptable to the lender. Gee, if we had stuck to this criteria in the early 2000’s, maybe we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in now. If you’re not sure about your qualifications for a mortgage, don’t give up, talk with a good qualified lender today!
3.The inventory of homes for sale is huge and negotiating your best price is a real challenge.

So what’s the bottom line? If you’re sitting on the “fence,” waiting for the perfect time to buy, It’s NOW! And don’t do it by yourself! Find a good, full time realtor (like Me) to suggest good local lenders that will give you the best terms possible, sift through all the inventory to help find the “perfect home”, negotiate the best terms for the sale and make sure the closing process (getting the Keys) goes as smooth as possible. Believe it or not, you don’t pay any real estate agent fees, they’re all paid by the seller! Don’t wait. Call me today to talk about your next home purchase. DON”T MISS YOU’RE PERFECT STORM!

Fannie Mae National Survey

centralvahome — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:44:52 +0000

With everyone’s concern with the housing market, Fannie Mae put together a pretty complete survey of national concerns about owning vs renting and demographics of owning vs renting. Check it out at tinyurl.com/434aaeg

Credit Score vs Mortgage??

centralvahome — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:27:13 +0000

Esay Ways to Mess Up Your Credit Scores

3 Easy Ways to Lower Your Credit Scores
With credit scores becoming more and more important when obtaining mortgages, several misconceptions could wreck your credit scores.
1. Paying late but later catching up. – Even though you were only a little late paying the credit card and you’re now caught up, it doesn’t change the fact that you were late and your score will suffer.
2. Being late on a payment, but it was only a small amount. Being late on a payment has the same effect on your credit score whether the amount late is $1.00 or $1,000.00. The fewer late payments on your credit score, regardless of the dollar amount, the better your score.
3. Closing credit cards to hopefully boost your score. Actually when you close your credit card, you’ve lost the chance to continue to boost your long term positive account history and could actually lower your score.
For more information, visit www.CreditSecurityGroup.com

Will Your Grass Help or Hurt the Sale of Your Home?

centralvahome — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:07:56 +0000

It's That Time of Year Again!

Well it’s that time of year again, Spring rain and growing grass! Don’t get caught with tall weedy grass. A little bit of planning can make a real difference. Think about the following to maintain a green yard:
1. Prevent weeds before they come in. You can prevent weeds from gaining a foothold in your yard by using a pre-emergent herbicide which controls the dreaded crabgrass and other hard-to-eliminate weeds by stopping their seeds from sprouting.
2. Get rid of the broadleaf weeds once they’ve sprouted. Some can be removed by hand or apply granular weed control products.
3. I don’t like using a lot of weed killer on the yard so I find mowing high and more frequently can give you a healthier yard and not damage the grass as much. Short, damaged grass is a good place for weeds to start growing.
4. If you have to water your yard in the hot, dry part of the summer, water in the mornings. Watering in the evening will leave moisture on the leaves for a longer period of time and open the door for some diseases. It’s also better to water less often but for longer periods of time. Soaking the lawn allows the moisture to go deeper which means deeper grass roots and more drought tolerance.
5. Don’t forget to feed your yard. In the north, with cool weather grasses like fescue, feed in the fall. If you’re in the South and have warm weather grasses, feed in the Spring.
6. Finally if your yard is a little thin in areas, it may be time to do some reseeding. Again, seed cool weather grasses in the Fall and warm weather grasses in the late Spring.
A little planning can mean a lot in keeping a beautiful green lawn for outdoor enjoyment.

Cold Winter Day at the Bird Feeder

centralvahome — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:04:16 +0000

Guarding the Bird feeder

It’s nice and warm inside by the fire but it’s a different story outside. A gentle snow has covered the ground and the birds are busy exploring the new bird feeder. One male Cardinal has spent most of the day making sure he has his share of the bird seed. Titmouses, chickadees and sparrows have also been feasting in the snow.

Scottsville Crab Feast

centralvahome — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Join the Lion’s Club Crab Feast in Scottsville from 4:00 – 6:30 PM on August 28th at the Farmer’s Market Shelter in Scottsville, Virginia. Enjoy a menu full of crabs, shrimp, baked beans, hush puppies, coleslaw and french fries. If you purchase your tickets from any Scottsville Lion’s Club member in advance, they are $10 for children under 12 and $25 for adults. Tickets are $15 for children and $30 for adults, if purchased at the event. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy some great seafood!

Fluvanna’s Education History

centralvahome — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:09:23 +0000

I wrote earlier in the month about visiting the Old Stone Jail in Palmyra. It’s time for a return visit. The Fluvanna Historical Society is featuring all the educational institutions in Fluvanna County as far back as 1810. The new exhibit is located on the second floor of the jail and is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays through September from 1-4 PM and Sundays 2-5 PM. Don’t miss this taste of Fluvanna’s past. For more information, including information on the walking tour of Historic Palmyra go to www.fluvannahistory.org

Butterflies in the Garden

centralvahome — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:07:24 +0000

The Butterfly bushes are in full bloom and attracting large numbers of butterflies. I decided to take a few pictures of the willing flyers. The results can be viewed below. Hope you enjoy.

: Posing for a picture.

Exploring Central Virginia

centralvahome — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:21:47 +0000

For taste of Fluvanna history, visit the Old Stone Jail in Palmyra. The jail is open on Wednesday 1-4 PM and Sundays 2-5 PM through the end of September.

Also try the Scottsville Museum which is open Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from 1 to 5 PM. Admission is free. The museum is on Main Street in the town of Scottsville.

Saturday Que and Cruz Fun

centralvahome — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:56:08 +0000

A Championship Barbeque Contest, Antique Car & Truck Show and live music are waiting for you this Saturday, July 17th at the Que and Cruz Fundraiser at Small Country Campgrounds in Louisa. Gates open at 10:00. There’s a $5 donation collected at the gate and all proceeds go to the Zion Crossroads Fire and Rescue and a variety of Children’s funds. Don’t miss this fun filled day. Follow this link for additional information.

http://billthegrillguy.tripod.com/queandcruz/