Stunning Great Falls Home For Sale

Stunning Great Falls Home with 4 bedrooms and a Pool For Sale

This beautiful Great Falls home is located at 938 Holly Creek Drive in a quiet cul-de-sac on a private pipe stem with a spectacular pool. Its one of a kind lot overlooks mature trees & backs to an easement. Boasting 3 full baths, 1 half bath, 2 car side load garage & two wood burning fireplaces. 4,312 square feet of elegant living space with an abundance of natural light.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Main Level
Grand two story & gleaming hardwood floors throughout the main level. Formal living room & dining room with crown molding, bay window & two-sided brick fireplace with slate hearth. Perfect for formal entertaining! Bright sunroom that shares the two-sided fireplace. Private office/library with bright French door. Upgraded plantation shutters throughout.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Gourmet custom kitchen featuring 42” distressed cabinets, dark hardwood floors, double oven wall, granite, upgraded iron cabinet pulls, knobs, & matching light fixtures, under cabinet & recessed lighting. Breakfast nook with table space & bright bay window.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Sunken two story family room with soaring 16’ cathedral ceiling, skylights, built-in shelves/cabinets & new carpet. Stunning two story brick wood burning fireplace with raised hearth & wood box.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Upper Level
Magnificent master bedroom boasts a sitting room with built-in shelves & two large walk-in closets.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Luxurious master bath en suite features cathedral ceiling, skylights, modern light fixtures, separate vanities, Jacuzzi tub & large glass shower.

Stunning Great Falls Home

The upper level has three additional bright bedrooms boasting new carpet, plantation shutters, new neutral paint, ceiling fans & large double door closets.

Stunning Great Falls Home

Lower Level
Finished walk out lower level with ample natural light. The large recreation room has recessed lighting, a wet bar with cabinets, beverage refrigerator, ceramic tile floors & new carpet. The lower level also includes a full bathroom, two additional finished rooms with closets, recessed lighting & new carpet. Perfect for guests & entertaining!

Stunnging Great Falls Home

The backyard features a breathtaking pool & picturesque landscape. The home backs to mature trees & private easement. The pool includes a hot tub & mosaic tile surround. Two large wood decks, flagstone patio, stone retaining walls, sprinkler system, fully fenced yard, landscaping & two storage sheds complete the ideal backyard oasis!

Stunning Great Falls Home

Check out our video of this stunning home in Great Falls, VA.
If you’re ready for a private tour of this spectacular home, give us a call at 703-475-1003!

FREE Money for a Down Payment!

No Money Down Home Loans are Back!

The VHDA just announced that they plan to roll out a program that offers down payment grants for qualified first time buyers on Monday, March 14. That’s basically free money!Virginia Dollar Sign JS Realty

These non-repayable grants are for 3% (Conventional) or 3.5% (FHA) of the purchase price. When combined with a mortgage credit certificate (tax credit) this is a great way to purchase a home with no money down.

This program is designed to help first time home buyers (or buyers that have not owned a home in the past 3 years) realize the American dream of home ownership. Now, there are income and sales price limits, so this is not for everyone. However, this will enable home buyers who need help with the down payment to purchase a home.JS Realty New Home Buyer RulesHere are some of the parameters of this grant that buyers must follow:
-Intend to live in the home
-May not use home for trade or business
-Lot size limited to 2 acres (unless a waiver is obtained, which will allow up to 5 acres)
-Demonstrate creditworthiness
-Demonstrate stable income
-Take and complete VHDA’s Homeownership Education class

You can view the specific income and sales price limits to qualify for this grant here.  The income and sales price limits also vary depending on where in Virginia you live. This creates an opportunity for home ownership where it may not have been possible otherwise.

We want to help you make your dream of home ownership come true!

Take advantage of this amazing program! Contact Scott Koval and Sarah Taylor at the JS Realty Team for a personalized consultation.

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


 

HOME FOR SALE IN VIENNA

This week we are excited to feature a beautiful town home for sale in the highly sought after Dunn Loring Village – 8577 Dellway Lane in Vienna, Virginia.JS Realty Home ViennaThis wonderfully updated town home features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2 half-bathrooms. There is fresh paint throughout the entire home and hardwood floors on main level. The kitchen was recently remodeled and updated kitchen has new granite countertops, new cabinets, a built-in microwave, and tile floor.

JS Realty House Backyard Fence DellwayA great rec room leads out to a beautiful and spacious fenced in backyard with a deck.  This home is in a great location near major roadways and within a mile of the Dunn Loring Metro Station and the Mosaic District. This home is a must see!

Download the Dellway Lane Brochure.

Call us today at 703-625-3446 to see this home in person!

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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

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.

THE FINAL WALK THROUGH PROCESS

Congratulations! You are ready to settle on your new home. JS Realty has guided you through the entire home buying process and now it is time to complete the final steps. The last step in the process is to perform a final walk-through of the home you are buying – a very important step indeed!

JS Realty will coordinate with you – our Buyer – and the listing Agent a time to perform the final walk-through that works for both you and the Seller.

JS Realty Pencil Calendar Walk ScheduleNEW LENDING RULES that go into effect on August 1 state that no changes can be made to the settlement statement within 3-4 days before settlement. This is going to require us to perform 2 walk-throughs. The first walk-through will be performed one week before your settlement day to ensure all home inspection items have been remedied and all components of the home are in working order. On the day of settlement, or the night before, your JS Realty Agent will do another walk through the home to make sure nothing has changed with the condition of the home.

The following will be addressed during the initial walk through:

Condition – we will making sure the home is turned over in the same condition as it was when we decided to write an offer.

JS Realty Washing Machine HE Eco WalkHome Inspection – this is the time we ensure all home inspection items have been resolved satisfactorily.

Appliances – we will enter the home with our Buyer and physically run all of the components of the home, from running the dishwasher and washer/dryer through a full cycle, to testing all the sinks, toilets and faucets. We are looking for any new leaks or any issues that may need addressing before settlement.

JS Realty Checklist Walk through Inspection ReportWhile we are performing the walk-through, your JS Realty Agent will be checking off all items on the home inspection list that the Seller agreed to remedy. One by one we make sure those issues are taken care of, and when applicable, have a written and paid receipt from the contractor that performed the work.

Also at this time, your JS Realty Agent will review with you the regular maintenance items – such as where your furnace filters go, and where your outside water spigot shut off valves are located. The main water valve that shuts off water to the entire home is another component that all Buyers need to be aware of in case of a leak in the home.

JS Realty document  walk sign pen womanIf there are unresolved issues stemming from the walk-through, your JS Realty Agent will contact the listing Agent and work to resolve the issues. Once we are satisfied that the home is in the proper condition, we will have you sign off on the walk-through.

The next time you walk into the home, it will be YOURS! And we don’t want any surprises for that joyous occasion.

If you have any questions concerning the home buying and selling process, or you would like a no obligation consultation, contact us today!

JS Realty Free home analysis

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

WHY MORTGAGE RATES CHANGE

What causes changes in mortgage rates? There are any number of reasons for mortgage interest rates to fluctuate and we’ve broken down some of the more common reasons to help you gain a better understanding of this ever-evolving market.

Mortgage Bond Prices:
JS Realty Opposite directionsInterest rates and mortgage bond prices are inversely related. If mortgage bond prices go up, interest rates go down.

Economic Conditions:
Generally speaking, when economic reports/conditions are positive, interest rates will rise. Just this week, the report on retail sales was flat versus the expected .2% increase. This helped keep interest rates down. Last week the jobs report was positive, unemployment was lower than expected and more jobs were added to the economy, which caused interest rates to spike. These are subtle changes that can greatly affect the mortgage industry.

Federal Reserve Building JS RealtyFederal Reserve System:
Janet Yellen
, Chair of the Federal Reserve System, plays a large role in the interest rates for the mortgage industry. For a number of years the Federal Government was purchasing large amounts of mortgage backed securities in an effort to keep interest rates low. The Fed monitors the economy and will influence the interest rates to control the economic growth of the US. By decreasing interest rates, the Fed is attempting to spark growth in the economy and encourage borrowing. If the economy is growing, they will use rising rates to control the growth.

Inflation:
Inflation is a prominent economic factor and a key concern for the industry. Inflation increases prices and decreases the spending power in the economy. As inflation rises, interest rates will also rise.

JS Realty Lock Interest RateIn summary, there are many factors that influence mortgage interest rates. All of these factors are outside of our personal control. When it comes time that you need a loan to purchase or refinance a home, you will be faced with making a decision to lock in your interest rate or let the rate “float” in hopes that the market improves and you can get a lower rate. Here is my advice in regards to that decision:  It is much better to be locked in with rates falling than floating with rates rising.

JS Realty KHarris Lender
Keith Harris     NMLS # 838973

Every borrower has a unique need, as far as their loan is concerned. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact our preferred Lender, Keith Harris at Intercoastal Mortgage Company.

 

 

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

WHAT DOES “RATIFIED” MEAN?

What does my Realtor mean when they tell me we are “ratified”?JS Realty Confused Phone Conversation

When your Realtor says, “Congratulations, you’re ratified!”, do you scratch your head and wonder “What does that even mean?” while politely saying “Great, thanks so much!”? We are here to help you understand the word ratification and what it actually means. The short and simple of it: Ratification or Ratified = to confirm or agree.

In our Northern Virginia market, our Residential Sales Contract defines the date of ratification in the definitions section of the contract, and it states, “Date of Ratification” means the date of delivery of the final acceptance in writing by the Purchaser and Seller of all the terms of this Contract to Purchaser and Seller (not the date of the expiration or removal of any contingencies).

JS Realty Stamp AcceptedSo what does that mean in plain English? If you are purchasing a home, ratification of the contract begins the moment the contract has been delivered to all parties with ALL of the terms agreed to in writing. This is the moment when you all are committed to each other and the terms of which you have agreed to work under. This is the moment when the timelines that you set in the contract begin (unless otherwise stated that they begin based on other terms). So your Realtor is congratulating you on the fact that all parties have reached an agreement and will be moving forward.

“Why should I care?”
Basically, if you are the Purchaser, anyone else can negotiate and reach terms with the Seller up to the JS Realty calendar close uppoint of being ratified, so getting your contract ratified means they are committing to your terms and no one else’s. Also, as the Purchaser, you will want to know when the home inspection deadlines, appraisal deadlines, financing contingencies and other contingencies actually start. You will want to ensure that you meet the terms of your agreement and stay within the timelines to protect certain rights of yours within the contract.

JS Realty Champagne Glasses CelebrationSo, the next time your Realtor congratulates you on officially being “ratified”, you will know that this is in fact a great moment and worth a little celebration!

 

If you are looking to buy or sell a home and would love to hear us congratulate you on being ratified, contact us today – we would love to celebrate being ratified with you!

JS Realty Free home analysis

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

MULTIPLE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

Great job! You presented your home in great fashion and priced it correctly, so now you have multiple offers on your home. But how do you decide which contract to ratify? Obviously, price is a major factor, but it’s not the only factor you should consider. Financing, contingencies, rent backs, settlement dates and conveyances are other items you need to consider before deciding on which offer to work with.JS Realty working on computer contract

Your Real Estate Agent will guide you through negotiating the best terms and conditions possible. At JS Realty we use a spreadsheet that lists all the important, negotiable components of the offers side-by-side to make it easier to compare offers. Start with your highest offer and work your way through the other elements of the contract. This is the time you have the most leverage in your negotiations, so use it wisely!

Following is a list of the other components of the contract that you should review closely with your Real Estate Agent:

Buyer’s Financing – is the offer a conventional loan or is it a government backed JS Realty Calculating Money Finance contractloan such as an FHA or VA? Conventional loans tend to have less stringent home inspection and appraisal requirements.

Home Inspection Contingency – if an offer has no home inspection or if the home inspection is for informational purposes only, that could save you (the Seller) money on repair costs.

Settlement Date – if you would benefit from a rent-back now is the time to put JS Realty calendar close upthat in place. Sometimes we are able to negotiate a free rent back in multiple offer scenarios, which gives you the freedom to make your move easier and less stressful.

Appraisal Contingency – this can be the hardest contingency to get waived, but in some multiple contract situations we have been successful in getting the appraisal contingency waived.

Contingency Timelines – you will want to shorten the timelines for home JS Realty Checkboxinspections and any other inspections to as short as possible. The job of your Real Estate Agent is to get all of the contingencies in the contract released as soon as possible. Appraisal & financing contingencies are difficult to shorten too much, because you are relying on 3rd parties to do their job, so therefore you have less control.

Down Payment – how much a buyer is putting down for down payment and JS Realty Close up on a pen writing a checkearnest money deposit also plays a part in your decision for which contract to choose. The more money a buyer has invested in the transaction, the more committed they are.

Remember: this is when you hold the most leverage of any time during your transaction, so make it work for you!

Feel free to reach out to the JS Realty Team with any questions about multiple contracts or any other Real Estate related questions!

JS Realty Free home analysis

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