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January 7th & 8th Open Houses in McLean (22101 & 22102)

Open Houses (22101) -Saturday, January 7th 2012

6053 Ramshorn Pl 1-4pm

1603 Kirby Rd 2-4pm

Open Houses (22101) -Sunday, January 8th 2012

1820 Youngblood St 12-3pm

2023 Rockingham St 12-4pm

1300 Calder Rd 1-4pm

1519 Pathfinder Ln 1-4pm

734 Lawton St 1-4pm

6302 Kensington St 1-4pm

6429 Georgetown Pike 1-4pm

1126 Buchanan St 1-4pm

1603 Kirby Rd 1-4pm

406 Chain Bridge Rd 1-4pm

6053 Ramshorn Pl 1-4pm

6893 Chelsea Rd 1-4pm

6601 Old Chesterbrook Rd 1-4pm

1023 Shipman Ln 1-4pm

1107 Pine Hill Rd 1-4pm

6509 Bellamine Ct 1-4pm

1808 Solitaire Ln 1-4pm

1497 Teague Dr 1-4pm

6132 Ramshorn Dr 1-4pm

6683 McLean Dr 1-4pm

6643 Madison McLean Dr 1-4pm

6901 Benjamin St 1-4pm

6817 Baron Rd 1-4pm

1460 Waggaman Cir2-4pm

624 Live Oak Dr 2-4pm

904 Countryside Ct 2-4pm

6330 Old Chesterbrook Rd 2-4pm

6951 Duncraig Ct 2-4pm

Open Houses (22102) -Sunday January 8th 2012

7509 Royal Oak Dr 1-4pm

1201 Old Stable Rd 1-4pm

8350 Greensboro Dr #712 1-4pm

8112 Touchstone Ter 1-4pm

8602 Dixie Pl 1-4pm

1120 Brook Valley Ln 2-4pm

8019 Greenwich Woods Dr 2-4pm

Quick Look at the Neighborhood Sales Report for Fountains at McLean. Several Active & Under Contract as well as Quite a Few Sold within the Last Three Months!

Jeff Wu, your Tysons Corner Specialist! Helping people Buy, Sell & Invest in Real Estate – Have a great Day!

Saturday, November 12th

12-4pm:

8100 Spring Hill Farm Dr

Sunday, November 13th

12-4pm:

8100 Spring Hill Farm Dr

1-4pm:

7509 Royal Oak Dr

871 Centrillion Dr

1201 Old Stable Rd

8891 Olson Ct

1256 Spring Hill Rd

8612 Old Dominion Dr

848 Saigon Rd

2-4pm:

1120 Brook Valley Ln

8752 Old Dominion Dr

Open Houses in Tysons Corner (22102)

Follow this link for the most accurate market information regarding Tysons Corner, Virginia provided by Zillow.   http://www.zillow.com/local-info/VA-Tysons-Corner/r_248061/

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millennium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

 Banks are getting very cautious about home mortgage loans these days — right up to the closing date. Even consumers with good credit and plenty of cash may find themselves out on the sidewalk if any of these last-minute mortgage loan application snafus pop up.

To make sure you’re on the right end of a mortgage closing, follow these pieces of advice:

Prepare for a last-minute credit check. This is related to point #1, but with a twist. With new rules initiated by Fannie Mae’s (Stock Quote: FNM) loan quality initiative, which went into effect June 1, banks and lenders will likely make a second credit check right before closing. So, if you miss any credit card payments or are late on a mortgage payment between the time you were approved for a mortgage and the actual closing date, you may be putting your new home purchase in jeopardy. Even applying for a new credit card can trigger a credit score inquiry, which could reduce your credit score and threaten your home loan.

Don’t make any big career changes. Lenders also weigh your salary and job stability when evaluating home loans. So any career move you make could potentially jeopardize your home mortgage loan. At worst, the bank could pull the loan. At best, they could delay the process until you demonstrate your new job is a stable one that guarantees you’ll have the financial resources to pay off your mortgage debt. That’s especially true if you change industries.

Watch out for closing cost surprises. Some homeowners put every last penny into their home mortgage down payment, and don’t leave enough to pay for closing costs. That could be a big mistake. Closing costs can be as much as 3% on the cost of a new home — that’s $6,000 for a $200,000 property. Worse, closing costs are dynamic and can change all the time. If you don’t have cash set aside to pay more for mortgage rate points or on closing fees than you were anticipating, you could lose the home.

Avoid any major purchases before closing your mortgage loan. Some homebuyers think (mistakenly so) that just because they have a mortgage deal all lined up, that the deal is done. Not so. Banks have been known to pull mortgages when the homebuyer buys a new car or makes another major purchase. To banks, such purchases suggest more debt for the homebuyer, and more risk for the banks. Avoid any big-ticket items until after you’ve signed on the dotted line. That goes even for cash deals. Banks also check out your cash reserves when they approve a loan.

For help on better understanding home mortgage costs, check out this guide from the Federal Reserve

Or contact:

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

 The biggest difference between a condo and a house is that a condo usually has less square footage. Therefore, when you decorate a condo, think about how to make the space seem bigger. Most condos have one “great room” rather than a separate living room and family room. This room is often rather small, even though the name of the room indicates otherwise. To make the room seem bigger, try installing some mirrors on the walls. If you can install a mirror opposite a window, the mirror will reflect the window and bring more light into the room, making it feel larger and brighter. A mirror over a fireplace also has the same effect. In any small room, not just the great room, limit window treatments to very light, sheer curtains or even nothing at all. Instead, hang a blind that can be pulled up, and install molding around the window to frame it. Painting the walls in a light, neutral color and the ceiling one shade lighter also will open up any small room.

Make it Unique use some unusual decorating techniques to make your condo stand out from the others in your building. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use ceiling molding, wainscoting and chair rails on the walls. Install wainscoting a third of the way up the wall, top it off with a chair rail and then paint the area above it. Then, install molding around the edges where the walls meet the ceiling. Alternately, choose one wall and wallpaper it with a light-colored but sophisticated print. If you know a carpenter or are handy with wood, build yourself some built-in bookshelves around a fireplace or doorway, then paint them to match the wall.

Victorian style is a very popular style used in a lot of homes but isn’t commonly used in condos. Decorating your condo in a Victorian style would make your condos stand out from the rest. To create a Victorian style condo try adding dark reds and grays similar to the Victorian time. You also need to consider the home décor aspect of it and the furniture. For your decoration you can use paintings and pictures from the Victorian times as well as antique vases. Before attempting this design make sure you have a large room because all the darker colors and big furniture can make a room seem a lot smaller than it is.

Fung Shui is another great decorating idea for your condo. If you choose to decorate your condo Fung Shui style make sure that you concentrate on blending light and dark colors. Make sure all your furniture faces east because this is supposed to bring you good karma. Things like a bonsai tree or a waterfall will make your condo a hit with all your guests. This design plan should make your condo feel a lot more open and subsequently larger. Make sure that your condo isn’t really big or else this design will make your condo seem vast and empty.

 For more creative ways to decorate your condo, contact

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

The time has never been better to buy a bank-owned home. They’re available, they’re cheap and banks are more likely to assist with financing. Your job? To do your homework and make sure the deal is worth the effort.

Where to get started? How about right here, with these tips!

Lay the groundwork. Don’t go into a bank-owned home purchase scenario with blinders on. Sure, banks want to get such homes off of their books, but they are, after all, banks, and won’t just give them away. Banks have been known to trigger bidding wars for bank-owned homes, which they can do now because of an increased demand for cheaper homes.

Know what the deal will be. Buying a bank-owned home isn’t the same animal as buying a home from a private seller. That’s primarily because banks have better lawyers than private sellers. Consequently, expect your new home contract to include untraditional home-buying stipulations, like buying the home “as is” or making you pay for the seller’s costs. Your plan of action? Hire your own lawyer who can navigate – and negotiate – the fine print.

Watch out for a “contingency” trap. With bank-owned purchases, buyers may have to agree to accept an appraisal contingency. In plain English, that means you better have a good handle on your bid for the home. The appraisal contingency is usually standard for bank-owned home contracts. If, for example, you commit to a bid of $240,000 for the home, but the appraisal comes in at $200,000, guess which price you’ll pay? And the only way out is to give up your original deposit and walk away from the deal.

Bring your contractor. One way around the contingency trap is to bring your own seasoned home contractor along with you to inspect the home. Obvious damage may be disclosed by the bank before a sale. But under-the-surface issues that could negatively impact the value of the home – like the absence of a French trench drain to thwart chronic flooding – may not grab your attention.

Bid low – but not too low. The prices for bank-owned homes are low enough that you likely won’t be the only bidder for a home. As a result, you want to bid low, but not so low that other parties will easily trump your bid. Your best bet? Find out the market value of homes in the neighborhood (using real estate value Web sites like Zillow.com or RealtyTrac.com), and then target your bid at 20% below the market value figure.

Other key tips include making sure you’re pre-approved (bank-owned homes tend to move fast) for a loan, working with a realtor experienced in bank-owned homes and planning for a quick inspection turnaround (it could be seven days instead of the usual two-to-three weeks).

Make no mistake. There are plenty of good bank-owned home deals on the market right now. But know that the rules are different with banks so prepare to expect the unexpected.

Above all, play to win. Because that’s exactly what the bank will do.

For additional information please contact:

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

In this current economic climate, homeowners may not be able to completely renovate their abode all at once. They still, however, need to make sure that their house remains in good condition and get the most they can out of their home improvement budget. This means that a practical homeowner has to do some prioritizing.

Once you decide to take the remodeling plunge there are several steps you must take in order to prepare an appropriate budget for the project. Your main objective is to determine an amount that does not strain your current and future financial resources but also provides enough funds to accomplish the primary alterations you need to make to your house.

Here are a few tips that make a little dough go along way!

□ You can give your kitchen a fresh new look by painting the cabinets or adding new cabinet door knobs is one idea. Add a chair guard rail to the wall, or a line of border across a wall. Simply replacing hand towels and oven mitts, adding a table runner or center piece to the dining table also makes a difference in the appearance of the kitchen.

□ Modernize Bathroom Accessories – the bathroom is one of the most important rooms to keep up to date. Making sure your bathroom is easily accessible and comfortable for your family is a great way to improve your home. Some practical changes might include installing an easy-to-hold door handle and cabinet hardware, a grab bar in the bathtub, or shower accessories that come with a hand-held shower head.

□ Painting – fresh paint in any room is a relatively inexpensive way to give your home a new look. Don’t shy away from some of the bolder colors; these will add a lot of life to whatever area you’re painting.

□ Adding house numbers, planting a few flowers or shrubs, and painting trim around doors and windows are inexpensive changes that will make a difference. Check for and replace rotted wood on railings, steps, and window and door trims. Replace the porch light with an updated fixture. Repair damaged walkways. Remove or replace missing or damaged shutters.

□ Your Home’s Energy Efficiency – if you want to make improvements that will give you some significant returns, improving your home’s energy efficiency with an updated water heater, new energy-efficient furnace, or new windows for better insulation is your best bet.

□ Curb Appeal – to improve the look of your home, think “outside the box” – the box being your home! Think about adding trees, shrubs, and flowers to the front of your home when spring rolls around, which it surely will soon! This will give your friends and neighbors a great first impression and be a great lift after the long winter.

For additional information on how to remodel on a budget, contact

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millennium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

1. Security – Comes hand in hand with Privacy, Is there a security system in the building complex and in the unit, is it properly lit at night Is the unit or building secure and have ample security to deter criminals?

2. Design and Layout – check the design of the unit and the layout of the floor plan such as rooms, doors, windows. Is the unit in the direct path of the sun? If that’s the case you should consider that in summertime you may spend a bit more energy and money for airconditioning.

3. Amenities – Every building has amenities that are widely available to residents, such as a pool, a hot tub and community room. And always check and ask the building management if there are fees for usage and maintenance of these said amenities.

4. Parking – Which is near an elevator, stairs, or close to your unit. And is properly lit.

5. Noise – from both inside and outside sources visit the unit you want to buy at different times because there are times when it so peaceful but check it at weekends or during rush-hour period to see if the noise is bearable or not.

6. Privacy – We all want our privacy and we must find the perfect unit to help maintain our privacy, check the unit decks and patios to make sure your safe from prying eyes and such.

For additional information on the mistakes to avoid when inspecting your condo, contact

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com