NEW LISTING IN MANASSAS VIRGINIA

Manassas townhouse for saleOur new listing is located at 7819 Brookview Court in Manassas, Virginia! This recently updated 3-level townhouse features 3 bedrooms and 2 full plus 2 half bathrooms. Easy access to Routes 28, 29, 234 and I-66 make this a great location for commuters!

The living & dining rooms are an open floor plan with a spacious kitchen with plenty of counter tops and cabinet space. The main level also features a breakfast room with a pantry and has access to a deck overlooking a beautiful wooded area.

Brookview Ct ManassasUpstairs the Master bedroom boasts vaulted ceilings, his & her closets, and a
great view of a wooded common area. The Master bathroom has a designer vanity and tiled, walk-in shower. Bedrooms 2 & 3 feature generous sized closets and there is an additional full bathroom. A linen closet and access to the attic are located in the hallway.

Large recreation room showcases designer and recessed lighting and the spacious laundry room with full size washer & dryer has plenty of built-in shelving and cabinet space. A sliding glass
door leads to the fully fenced backyard, which is perfect for entertaining and relaxing on the patio!

Just 2 miles from the Manassas Northern Virginia Community College campus, this home is also a short distance to Manassas National Battlefield Park. For a private showing of this beautiful home, call Sarah today at 703-475-1003!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

DO I NEED A DOWN PAYMENT?

Being a homeowner has lots of perks – you get a nice tax deduction, you are building equity in your home, and hey – you can paint the walls whatever color suits your taste!

There’s quite a lot of data to be found about loans, interest rates, and insurance costs. And it’s pretty easy to find out what a home will cost in the area you’d like to purchase in. But there’s not a lot of information on how much money you will need to pay “out of pocket” in order to actually buy a house. Everyone’s circumstances are different and you may have thousands of dollars saved up – or maybe just a few hundred.JS Realty No down payment Blackboard with 3d house

Typically, a borrower (that’s mortgage lingo for “person who applied for a loan”), will have to make a payment at closing which consists of a down payment and closing costs. There are instances where this amount can be zero – or very close to it! Let’s look at some cases where this would be true.

JS Realty House, Veteran, Military.The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) guarantees VA loans and are available for eligible veterans, service members and surviving spouses (provided they do not remarry). VA loans can provide 100% financing and will even allow the VA funding fee to be added to the loan amount. This takes care of the need for a down payment. Closing costs can be covered by seller credits, lender credits or realtor credits which can result in a closing where no money is needed on the buyer’s part. VA loans don’t have the need to pay mortgage insurance.

JS Realty Mortgage application form with a calculator and house.Another scenario where a buyer can escape the need for a down payment is a loan from the Federal Housing Administration, known as an FHA Plus loan. Most FHA loans require a down payment of 3.5%. With the FHA Plus loan, there is a first mortgage based on 96.5% of the sales price and a second mortgage of 3.5% to 5% of the sales price. Again, if third party credits are available to pay the closing costs, no money is needed at closing. Unlike the VA loans, FHA loan have both upfront mortgage insurance premiums as well as monthly mortgage insurance payments.

JS Realty Farmhouse in a pastoral environmentA third loan option that has no down payment is a USDA loan. USDA loans are designed for lower-income borrowers and there are geographical restrictions regarding the purchased properties. The home purchased must be a primary residence and in a rural area that with a general population limit of 20,000 or less.

JS Realty Refinance Monney Calculator BillsConventional, conforming loans of $417,000 or less can be obtained for as little as a 3% down payment. Keep in mind that with a loan that has a loan-to-value of 97%, the cost of mortgage insurance will be higher on both single premium mortgage insurance as well as with monthly mortgage insurance when compared to loans with a down payment of 5% or more.

With conventional loans, mortgage insurance will be needed with any single mortgage loans with less than a 20% down payment.

Every borrower has unique loan scenarios based on credit scores, cash available for down payments and closing costs, eligibility for various loan types, etc. As a loan officer, I take great pride in fully understanding the specific needs of borrowers to allow me to offer the best possible mortgage loan solution. Please contact me for further information or assistance!

JS Realty Keith Harris
Keith Harris
NMLS # 838973

Keith Harris
Senior Loan Officer
Intercoastal Mortgage Company
Direct: (703) 259-0788
NMLS ID # 838973


 

THE HOME BUYING EXPERIENCE

You’ve decided to buy a home… a smart decision, considering rental rates are constantly on the rise and interest rates are continuing to hold at near-record lows. The JS Realty Team @ Samson Properties has the knowledge and experience to guide you through the entire process. From your initial consultation through settlement day, we will tailor the buying process to meet your specific needs through the following steps.

1. GATHER INFORMATION
At your initial consultation, we need to gather lots of information from you to aid us in the progression of finding the RIGHT home for YOU. So be prepared for a barrage of questions! You can expect this conversation to include:JS Realty Check List Blank

-Style of home you prefer
-Features of a home that are most attractive to you
-Lot size
-Desired location(s)
Contacting a Lender to get you pre-qualified for a loan
-School districts
-Neighborhood feel

Once we’ve compiled your wish-list, the next step is to set up a personalized search specific to your requests.

2. FIELD TRIP!JS Realty Showing Home
Here’s where the real fun begins. Tours can be set up based on the properties you’ve chosen. While touring, we will ask additional questions in order to continue refining your search. You may choose to add to your current list as well as rule out many already on the list.

3. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONJS Realty House contract
After you’ve successfully chosen the home that’s right for you, your Realtor’s value and importance will really shine through at this stage of the game. We will negotiate the terms of the contract in order to achieve the best results attainable. Once the terms of the contract are in place, the next most important step is the inspection.

4. HOME INSPECTIONJS Realty Home Inspection
We will now hire a licensed home Inspector who will thoroughly examine the property and provide a detailed report with potential items which need to be addressed. The Inspector will also provide tips for preventative maintenance that can potentially save you money in the future.

5. PLANNING YOUR MOVEJS Realty Calendar Red Moving Day
While waiting for your loan to be finalized and settlement day to arrive, you’ll want to begin planning your move. Once the transaction is settled, you will receive keys to your new home!

Although the buying process is now complete, remember that the JS Realty Team is always available to you for additional questions and any further Real Estate needs. Feel free to contact us at any time!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

NEW LISTING IN LEESBURG

Just listed for sale in Leesburg, VA – 19253 Evergreen Mills Road.

This charming 2 level rambler has 4 bedroom, 2 full bathrooms and is a short drive to shopping, dining, and entertainment – including the popular Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets! Perfect location for commuters, as it’s just a short drive to Rt. 7, Rt. 15, and the Dulles Greenway.  This home is close to so many amenities, but also offers privacy, with its 1.35 acres.

MAIN LEVEL
The main level of the home features an open layout with a designer front door that leads into a spacious living room. Hardwood floors and crown molding can be found throughout the living and dining rooms. In the gourmet kitchen a beautiful custom tile back-splash is set against oak cabinets. There is plenty of granite counter top space, stainless steel appliances, tile flooring, and access to a spacious screened in porch – perfect for enjoying the morning coffee!JS Realty Leesburg Living Room Home

In the sunroom, enjoy custom tile flooring while tons of natural light filter through all of the windows. And on cold, wintry nights, just get the wood stove going for some additional warmth.JS Realty Leesburg Sunroom Woodstove

The spacious Master Bedroom features hardwood floors, ceiling fan, and tons of natural light. The additional 3 large bedrooms contain closets and plenty of windows. Full bath has tile flooring, vanity, and shower/tub combo.

LOWER LEVEL
In the large Recreation Room that leads to the beautiful backyard, find recessed lights, a nice bedroom with a closet, storage area with a utility area and laundry room, and a full, tile floor Bathroom with a vanity and Jacuzzi tub!

EXTERIOR
The home sits on 1.35 beautifully landscaped acres and backs to trees. The back yard boasts a greenhouse and a large garage with workshop area and extra storage. A spacious screened in porch with a fan is perfect for entertaining, and a deck that is great for grilling. The driveway is paved and has a turnaround area.JS Realty Leesburg Greenhouse

Call us today at 703-475-1003 to schedule a tour of this beautiful home in Leesburg, VA!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

GETTING READY TO MOVE

Getting ready to move can be overwhelming to say the least! Earlier this week, we gave you a few tips on making Moving Day a little less stressful. Now we’ve got a checklist for you to help you stay on track! From cleaning, to packing, and everything in between, here’s what you need to remember when you’re getting ready to move:

CLEAN THE NEW HOME
JS Realty Cleaning CleanserOur #1 recommendation is to clean the home you are about to move in to. It is the only time that the home is vacant and ready for a full cleaning. Clean things like cabinets, drawers, corners of closets, window, lights, etc. Most homes are cleaned before you move in – but if not, make sure you take a couple hours to put the elbow grease in before you pile all of your things in the home.

PACK SOME ESSENTIALS
JS Realty Essentials MovingPack a box or bag of essentials that you will need the next few days after the move. Things to include: a few changes of clothes, kitchen utensils, towels, sheets, a can opener, electronic and phone chargers… anything you might need for a few days while everything else you own in still in a box! The last thing you want to do is dig through a dozen boxes to find these little essentials. Also, keep a folder handy that has your most important papers in it, so it is easily accessible in the event you needed to get to them quickly (this helps keeps them safe, too).

SORT AND SELL ITEMS
About 6 weeks before you  move, start sorting and selling items. This will allow you enough time to coordinate, de-clutter, and organize. Moving is a perfect time to get organized!JS Realty Donate Sell Trash Bins

START PACKING
Pack one box at a time. Remember to designate an area or box/bag for trash, donations, any additional things you will be selling and things you are giving to JS Realty Box Label Movefamily or friends. Remember to label your boxes clearly. Packing and labeling them by room is a great start, and label boxes on their sides, as you will most likely be stacking them. It also helps to make a list of what is in each box if you are considering storing your boxes after moving.

TAKE PHOTOS
If you are disassembling electronics or furniture, do yourself a big favor and take a picture of it BEFORE you take it apart. This will really help when you go to put things back together! This time saving trick will save you lots of frustration, too.JS Realty Cable Box Cords Plugs

CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS
Change your address with everyone! There is nothing worse than ordering something great on Amazon and it getting sent to your old address. Think of all of your online ordering sites, banks, PayPal, credit cards and of course your family and friends – you don’t want to miss out on the yearly birthday card from Grandma!

JS Realty Move Boxes Change Address
Great way to use those left over boxes!

Moving is an exciting time, full of anticipation of what the future holds in your new home. Take it one step at a time, prepare to be successful, and you will find that moving is not as hard as you think!

For additional tips, tricks, and moving hacks, check out The JS Realty Team Pinterest Page!


Don’t forget to Contact Us today for a FREE, no-obligation consultation!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia

MOVING DAY

JS Realty Calendar Red Moving DayThe day has finally arrived – it’s moving day! You have accomplished your goal of buying a home and now reality is setting in.  Packing up and moving your belongings can be a stressful event. Good preparation and planning will help minimize the stress.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

DONATE UNUSED/UNWANTED ITEMS
JS Realty Donation Moving Clothes CharityOne fabulous benefit of moving is that it’s a great time to purge your home.  The more you purge the less you have to pack! So it saves you time and money in moving expenses. If you haven’t worn or used an item in the last 6 months, donate it!  There are many great charities that will take unwanted clothes, books, furniture and anything else you don’t need or use. The JS Realty Team uses Salvation Army because they help a lot of people in our community.  Find a charity you connect with and help people in need, while at the same time reducing the clutter around your new home.

ORGANIZE
JS Realty Moving Closet Drawing
Now that you have reduced the amount of unneeded items in your possession, it is time to organize your new home!  If everything has a place then it is easier to keep your new home organized.  There are many resources out there to help you organize every corner of your home.  From the garage to the Master Bedroom closet you will be amazed at how a little planning and a few organizational tools can help you make the best use of the space you have.  Alejandra Costello is a wonderful local resource to help you with ideas.

Purging unwanted items and organization will not only ease the moving process, but it will help keep your new home in order.

The JS Realty Team @ Samson Properties prides ourselves on helping our clients through the entire buying and selling process, from the first search for a home, to closing and beyond! Contact us today to see how we can help you on Moving Day!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

MARKET UPDATE – LOUDOUN COUNTY

JS Realty Flag LoCoEarlier this month the JS Realty Team at Samson Properties provided a market analysis of Brambleton in Ashburn, Virginia. Today we are going to expand the market update to include all of Loudoun County, and compare the trends of the whole county to what we saw in the Brambleton subdivision.

Q1 2015 Loudoun County Market Update – Full Report

The Loudoun County housing market has also had a strong first quarter. The sold dollar volume is up + 19.56% from JS Realty Where Market Going Newspaperthe previous year and units sold are also up +16.88%. The percentages are obviously not as large when compared to Brambleton, but keep in mind we are looking at Loudoun County as a whole, not just one of its most popular subdivisions. When you compare average days on the market in Loudoun County to the previous year you will see a modest increase from 58 in 2014 to 81 in 2015. This can be mostly attributed to the increase in inventory from the year before – classic “supply and demand”. Overall, similar to Brambleton, the whole county is experiencing a market that is on the move in a positive way.

The JS Realty Team also mentioned previously that the “buzz” in the lending world was that interest rates were going to rise slightly over the summer. We have seen that come to fruition over the last couple weeks. They have crept up a little, but are still close to historical lows.

JS Realty Buyer Seller Road SignWe expect this positive market to continue for the foreseeable future. The JS Realty Team has stayed busy helping our clients achieve their goals through the buying and selling of homes. It has been a great year so far and we look forward to helping even more of our clients in the remainder of 2015.

Have a great summer! Don’t hesitate to contact a JS Realty Team member with any questions or to get a FREE no obligation home/market analysis on your home.

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

FEATURED HOME – HAYMARKET, VA

This gorgeous 4-level home was just listed for sale yesterday!

1971 Mountain Road in Haymarket, VA is on 10 acres and has a creek! With 4 bedrooms, 4 full bath and 2 half bath, there is lots of space in this beautiful, custom built brick & siding home!

JS Realty Mountain Road Home Family StoneTons of natural light floods in through wood case windows, and solid wood doors are found throughout the home.  A two-car extended garage and spacious, paved circular driveway has lots of room for parking, and this home is perfect for those who want privacy but still need to commute – it’s only a short drive to Route 15 & Route 50.

JS Realty Mountain Road Back YardThe beautifully maintained yard with custom landscaping, mature trees, and stone walkway lead you to a spacious wrap-around porch. A 2-story deck with a screened in Gazebo is perfect for grilling & throwing parties or just enjoying your morning coffee & taking in the quite scenery around this lovely home.

The 10-acre lot features plenty of storage outside with both a shed and a pole barn, while a fun playground set is sure to keep the kids entertained.


If you’d like to schedule a showing of this amazing home and large property, call us today at 703-475-1003!

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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

MORTGAGE LOAN FEES

What Fees are Associated with a Mortgage Loan?

There are a number of fees that a borrower may encounter when finalizing a mortgage loan for a real estate purchase or a refinance. We’ve compiled a list of fees that are part of the settlement for a JS Realty Mortgage application form with a calculator and house.mortgage loan. The fees can be separated into several categories: lender fees, escrow deposits, prepaid items, title fees, government recording and transfer fees, and additional settlement fees.

LENDER FEES

-Origination Charges – these are comprised of fees charge by the lender to process and underwrite the loan
-Discount Points – these are charges to the borrower for a particular loan interest rate or certain loan program
-Credit Report – fees charged to run a credit report for the borrower
Appraisal fee – cost to have a licensed professional provide a market value of the property
-Flood Certification Fee – this is needed to determine if your property is located in a flood zone and if flood insurance is needed on the property

PREPAID ITEMS

Daily Interest Charges – interest is paid from date of settlement through the end of the same calendar month
Homeowner’s Insurance – initial premium is paid upfront
Mortgage Insurance (if necessary)

INITIAL ESCROW DEPOSITS

Property Tax Fee JS RealtyMost loans require the borrower to pay for property taxes and homeowner’s insurance on a monthly basis as part of the mortgage loan payment. When property taxes are due (typically twice a year), and homeowner’s insurance (annually) the lender will pay the bills out of the escrow funds.

TITLE FEES

-Settlement fee – Charged by the settlement company for preparation of closing documents and conducting the closing.
-Lender’s title insurance – cost of insurance covering the amount of the loan. This is required by the lender and covers title issues for the life of the loan.
-Owner’s title insurance – OPTIONAL coverage for the owner’s to protect against any tile claims on the property. This policy will protect the owner’s forever.

GOVERNMENT RECORDING AND TRANSFER FEES

JS Realty Calculating Money Finance FeeGovernment Recording Fee – fee charged by government to record the deed of trust
Transfer Taxes – basically a sales tax that is paid to the local government as well as the state government

ADDITIONAL SETTLEMENT CHARGES

There can be several “additional” fees associated with a loan. Here are a few:

-Pest Inspection
-Survey
-HOA/Condo Transfer fees
-HOA/Condo dues

JS Realty Keith Harris
Keith Harris
NMLS # 838973

If you have any questions about a loan, or would like clarification on any of these charges or fees associated with mortgage loans, please contact our preferred Lender, Keith Harris at Intercoastal Mortgage Company.

 

 


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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

WHAT IS A SHORT SALE

JS Realty empty pocket shortWhat does “Short Sale” really mean?

In Real Estate terms it means that the Borrower owes the Lender more money for a property than they are able to get by selling it to the open market. Hence the term, “short sale”.

Let’s break it down. Say you owe $300,000.00 for your property, but the market says the property is only worth $250,000.00. This means you would be “short” the $50,000.00 that you owe.

If you need to sell your property, there are two options available to you:

Option 1 – Pay the Lender. If you happen to have the amount you are short and are willing to do so, you can just pay the bank what you owe.

JS Realty short sale debt eraseOption 2 – Sell Short. This option requires you to ask the Lender if they would be willing to allow you to sell your property as a short sale and forgive you the amount you owe, plus closing cost.

We have helped our clients both Sell and Buy Short Sales. If you need help buying or selling, contact us today and we can get started!

JS Realty Free home analysisThe JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.