Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
A hot topic in every real estate sale is the home inspection process. In recent years, sometimes that inspection never happened, or it happened after a home was purchased. If you were lucky, you had the chance to do a pre-inspection before making an offer.
Many of my clients use the team at Enlighten Home Inspections — a team of 6 licensed inspectors. I had a conversation with owner Isaac Kieffer about a residential home inspection and some of his thoughts and advice. The company has been serving clients in the DC, MD and VA region for 10 years.
Here’s what came out of that:
Q: What are the top 3 concerns that come up during an inspection?
A: In my opinion, the three of the biggest concerns during a home inspection are water, water, water. Water is the enemy of the house, and knowing how to manage the water on your property can be the best way to protect the future of your property. Other major areas of concern that home inspectors can help discover are health and safety concerns as well as costly defects of various varieties.
Q: What is something you wish buyers knew about inspections?
A: Home inspectors are on your team. A good home inspector will be able to make a buyer more knowledgeable of the condition of the property that they are considering buying. Inspectors will go into areas of the homes that buyers may not think to explore or do not feel comfortable to go themselves (i.e. attics and crawl spaces). Inspectors give insight into budgeting timelines for future replacement of major appliances and systems, which equips a prospective buyer with a game plan on how to maintain their investment as well as give them peace of mind in understanding more fully what they are purchasing.
Q: What is the most common thing you see with new home inspections? Why should a buyer do a pre-drywall inspection in addition to the final?
A: I often feel that a home inspector is the final punch list. I have yet to perform an inspection, new or old, where I did not have a report with 50+ defects. It is much easier to ask the builder to fix the issues, while they have crews contracted for the work and still own the property, than when the owner takes possession of the property.
Inspections during the pre-drywall phase of construction are a good idea because this is the best chance for an inspector to see the structure. Many of the defects that we find during a pre-drywall inspection ultimately end up being covered by drywall or siding, so these defects can go unnoticed until there is a major issue and the house no longer has a builder warranty.
Q: What items do you see come up that make buyers most panicked?
A: Major structural issues tend to give buyers the most pause. Everything is fixable but the cost and time required to make structural repairs can make buyers think twice about purchasing a property. Roof leaks are another issue that can give purchasers pause especially when there is limited ability to negotiate. Buying a house is a huge investment, and major expenses out of the gates are often overwhelming so having a better understanding of these areas often can help to reduce some of the anxiety of purchasing a house.
Q: What is your best piece of advice for homeowners thinking of selling their home soon?
A: Take care of the little maintenance issues that you are aware of. If you know a good handy person, they can fix most issues. If these nuisances are not fixed ahead of time and you have to negotiate against a home inspection, typically a licensed professional is required for the repairs, and the cost can become much more exorbitant.
Declutter and present the house in a way that will set you up for success. Realtors are a great source of knowledge, so do not hesitate to ask them what other sellers on the market are doing to sell their house quickly.
Lastly, make sure you have nice clear paths for the home inspector to access all major appliances!
If you’re looking for an annual checklist of items to help tune up your home, please email me. I give clients a checklist to help them and I’m happy to share it!
You can follow the adventures of these home inspectors on Instagram at @enlightenhomeinspections.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Continuing my “ask the expert” series, I wanted to give you a real estate agent’s perspective when we look at houses on the market.
Sometimes I look at them for market insights, sometimes I have a particular client in mind for it, and sometimes I’m just checking out inventory to keep a pulse on things. I want to give you my 5 favorites houses on the market this week in Vienna and tell you WHY I picked them.
In order from cheapest to most expensive:
419 Cynthia Lane NE, Vienna, VA 22180
A charming colonial on a cul-de-sac walkable to Church St, Glyndon Park, W&OD, Foxstone Park and easy commuter access. The house has an assumable VA loan with a 2.5% interest rate — a HUGE savings for our VA eligible buyers. Happy to explain what that means if you don’t know — just email me. The house itself is nearly 2400 sq. ft. on 3 finished levels. A traditional floorplan offers lots of natural light, fully fenced yard, tons of storage, and a carport for 2 cars. At $950k, the house offers lots of updates that you don’t need to do like windows, major systems, roof, and appliances, leaving space for you to make it your own in other ways.
2791 Marywood Oaks Lane, Vienna, VA 22181
A 2008 built large townhouse with a 2 car garage, and 3400 sq. ft. Spacious everywhere — for a townhouse to feel spacious, that’s a big win. Not only is there a sitting area in the primary bedroom, you get a walk out basement, a deck and a patio fully fenced. A nice bonus is that it’s on a dead end street with direct access to the trail to Nottoway Park and also just a few blocks away from the Vienna metro for convenience. The kitchen is updated with tons of cabinet and counter space.
430 Malcolm Road NW, Vienna, VA 22180
A like new 3 year old build by Everegreene. Get the benefit of the owners paying for blinds. I love the floorplan on this house because it’s everything you need and nothing you don’t. At $1.75m, this house feels like a steal compared to similar homes that are brand new. With just over 4800 sq. ft., you get a screened in porch, main level office with bookshelves, and space everywhere the matters. The fact that it’s walkable to town or Louise Archer is a nice bonus.
617 Truman Circle SW, Vienna, VA 22180
A brand new build by a local custom guy, Barry Schwartz of Dunhill Builders. The house has 5,900 sq. ft. on 4 finished levels on a cul de sac. Dunhill is known for the quality of their build, so you’re getting a great value for the size and quality at the $2M price tag. You get a surprising amount of living space in places that matter, plus a moody dark kitchen that looks amazing. They just installed a fence and while there’s a Trex deck already, there’s still room for a screened in porch if you wanted to add one.
626 Hillcrest Drive SW, Vienna, VA 22180
A brand new build by Reel Homes on a rarely available half acre walking distance to town. It’s a massive home at 9,065 finished square feet, 3 car garage, 7 bedrooms, 7 full baths and 2 half baths.
At that price tag, they did multiple things right: vaulted ceiling in the primary bedroom to give you something unique, heated screened in porch with fireplace, plus a covered porch and the yard is prime space for a pool, sport court, or whatever else you can dream up since it’s flat and give you tons of room to roam. I think a $3M house in town should offer something different than the rest of the homes to set it apart. It’s not a mass appeal house, that’s a unique buyer need, so having something special about it besides the volume of space it something I’d be looking for.
I tell clients all the time — there is no perfect house. Every house has a weak point. You just need to decide what’s important to you and then decide which house checks most of your boxes and gives you that “we’re home” feeling.
When I’m looking at houses for clients, I’m looking for thing like quality of care of the home, general use of space compared to what they’ve said they need/want, and value.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Part of my job as a real estate agent requires heavy conversations.
Sometimes I get to be part of celebratory moments in life and sometimes I get to be part of a not so happy moment in life. I often remind people of their responsibilities of being an adult and am the nagging mom nobody invited along. One of the other people who gets to be part of these same moments is Sonja Aoun, an attorney with Tysons based law firm BrigliaHundley.
BrigliaHundley is a long time sponsor of Vienna Little League and was recently ranked as one of US News and World Reports Best Law Firms for 2022.
I had the chance to talk to Sonja about how homeownership changes your responsibilities as an adult. I’d like to introduce a new series I’m going to do called “Ask The Expert” and we’re kicking it off with everyone’s least favorite subject: death.
Q: If 2 or more people are buying a home together and they are not married, what should they consider doing before closing day?
A: I highly recommend discussing and executing an equity sharing agreement. It helps to protect everyone equally. It is a shared financial agreement that allows parties to split ownership. If the two parties plan to get married, they can follow up with a pre-marital agreement.
Q: What are the advantages of putting a home in a trust?
A: I’m going to caveat this answer by saying I’m not a CPA. However, if you don’t need a trust for tax purposes, a trust does avoid probate and makes it easier for the loved ones you leave behind. It also protects the asset from creditors.
Q: If you bought a home and didn’t have kids, but now you do, what should you consider?
A: Get a will! It’s the only legal protection to specifically name who gets guardianship of your children once you die. You can also decide what happens to your assets to be used to care for your children until they’re a certain age.
Q: If you’re getting divorced, what should you consider before selling a home?
A: I’d suggest you talk to a realtor, a financial planner, and a certified divorce mortgage lender so they can discuss the asset’s worth and whether it’s worth holding onto or not. They can also advise if you can afford to keep it. Also, do not compare the equity in the home to a retirement account when discussing division of assets. They are not equal.
Q: If you need to sell a home after a loved one has passed, what documents do you need? What should you consider?
A: You need to know if there’s a will or trust, as that will determine your next steps. You’ll need a copy of those documents plus a death certificate, and you’ll need to talk to someone to advise you of how to go through probate (if applicable) and fill out that paperwork.
I also asked Sonja for one piece of advice she wished more people knew. Her response was insightful:
“Just take care of it. It makes it so much easier for the ones you leave behind. Nobody likes to deal with these things, but just do it and then you’re done — you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you don’t need to worry about it anymore.”
If you’re interested in learning more about wills, trusts, Sonja’s services or estates, they have a great free resource you can download here.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
If you live within the Town of Vienna boundary, today is your day to begin registration for TOV summer camps.
If you live outside of the town, you can begin registering next Monday. The town camps historically have been awesome for my own kids, who tends to gravitate towards anything sport related. We did a great art camp one year that involved my youngest drawing more on his own arms than paper, so that was fun for him.
If you missed out or had issues registering with Fairfax County camps earlier this year, don’t worry — there are still other options to take note of!
I wanted to highlight some less advertised options to give kids fun opportunities:
- I9 Multi Sport Camp — outdoor all day, sports based, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.
- Nothing But Net Sports Camp — Coach Brian does run a camp through TOV, but he also has his own summer camps at other locations. Definitely get on his email list to find out when/where. Another outdoor, sports based option.
- Summer On The Hill — Flint Hill School summer camps
- VYS — soccer camp, half or full day options
Some none sports options:
- StemTree — science, computer programming and engineering, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with discounts for siblings
- iCode VIenna — lots of options like YouTube Creator, AI Machine Learning, Digital Design, Shark Tank, and Game Builder (so many more too)
- Culinaria Cooking School — lots of different hours and options on cooking styles
- Green Hedges Day Camp — arts and crafts, music, cooking, sports, general day camp activities
- Mad Science — (held at the Vine Church): lots of cool options for your budding scientist
- School of Rock — for your musician; we did this camp one year and it was fun to see the show at Jammin’ Java at the end of the week to see how far the kids have come in a week
- Flint Hill School Headfirst Camps — camps for pre-k through 5th grade, with lots of different themes and options
We are lucky to have a lot of options around the Vienna area for your kids to explore whatever they’re interested in. Or maybe throw them in something new and see if that sparks an interest.
The TOV also has a great playground/after camp care for anyone who needs more than 5 hours of childcare during the summer.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Vienna Inn has a fun history of celebrating their anniversary in February with local partnerships and events.
This month, Vienna Inn celebrates its 63rd Anniversary. The Inn is known for its local small town charm — chili dogs, breakfast, beer, watching games, sports team meals, returning grads reunions, Vienna halloween parade snacks, and kegs! Bring some quarters if you want to play pac man.
They started the month with a Dining for Dollars for Madison Football, followed by the Mayor working the hot dog stand for the Eric Monday Foundation to help #TakeDowntheStigma.
They’ve had Kid’s Nights on Mondays and now… they’re teaming up with moms from Vienna Little League (you guessed it, I’m one of them) to take over the hot dog stand TONIGHT from 5-8 p.m. with a portion of the sales raised to be donated to VLL. If you want to grab a dog and hit the road, go see the Madison Basketball teams (both girls and boys) in the Regional playoff game at Madison High School:
- Girls take on Wakefield at 5:45 p.m.
- Boys take on McLean at 7:30 p.m.
Bring cash to buy tickets to the game.
Follow Vienna Inn on Facebook to find out about more events!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Fall of 2022 was the height for interest rates, hitting 7% and slowing down our real estate market, as intended.
Houses sat, loan offers introduced the 2-1 rate buy down program (where you could get an interest rate 2% below market for the first year, 1% below market for the 2nd year, and then up to market for the 3rd year and beyond). We had buyers get below asking and credits from the sellers. We had inspections, appraisals, and other contingencies coming back into play.
Enter in 2023.
Rates have dropped. Gina Myers at Cross Country Mortgage quotes that rates are currently sitting at:
- 30 year fixed — 6.0%, no points — jumbo (any loan over $726,200 at 80% LTV)
- 10/6 ARM — 5.375%, no points — jumbo (any loan over $726,200 at 80% LTV)
- VA and FHA 30-year fixed — 6.125%
- 10/6 ARM — 5.375
- A 10/6 ARM is where you have a fixed rate for the first 10 months, and then the rate adjusts every 6 months after that.
Many buyers are choosing to go with ARM products knowing that rates are expected to continue to decline and buyers will likely refinance when rates drop. If you have specific questions related to financing, please reach out to Gina.
You may have heard the term that “real estate is local”, so let me show you what that means. As buyer demand heats up as the year begins -which is typical of every year as our spring market cycle takes off — there’s just not enough supply to keep up with the demand. In the fall, we had more sellers entering the market and more buyers exiting the market, so the supply grew and demand fell. Now we have more demand and not enough supply, which is causing another sellers market.
Examples:
- 8001 Merry Oaks Lane, Vienna: Listed for $799,000. Received 3 offers and will sell for over asking.
- 1915 Contralto Court, Vienna: Listed for $900,000. Sold in 4 days.
- 2416 Rocky Branch Road, Vienna: Listed for $1,199,000. Multiple offers received.
- 2419 Rocky Branch Road, Vienna: Listed for $1,449,000. Received 8 offers and will sell for well over asking.
- 328 Owaissa Road SE, Vienna: Listed for $1,599,999. Received multiple offers and will sell for well over asking.
- 1500 Highwood Drive, McLean: Listed for $1,299,000. Received multiple offers.
- 1637 Warner Avenue, McLean: Listed for $1,550,000. Received multiple offers.
- 6016 Copely Lane, McLean: Listed for $1,575,000. Received multiple offers.
See a trend? I picked homes at different price points to show you that many homes are getting multiple offers again.
Anecdotally, it’s not just Vienna and McLean. I recently listed this cute rambler in Annandale for $725,000. We received 8 offers and this will close soon for well over asking.
If you’re considering selling a home this year, you may want to consider speeding up your timing if you’re able. Take advantage of the low inventory before other spring sellers wait out the end of the school year to list their homes.
If you’re considering buying a home this year, you really should talk to a local lender to get the financing piece in place before you jump into the competition. That part needs to be rock solid or you won’t stand a chance. Also work with a local real estate agent who has their pulse on things. (For example — me), but if not, someone who knows how to navigate the chaos that multiple offers can bring. Strategy really does matter.
I’d like to add one thing. I’m going to say something to you that your realtor may not have the guts to say. If your home is listed and it’s not selling in this climate, you’re priced too high. It’s always price. Price is #1 and #2 of your listing strategy and presentation is a really close #3. If it’s not 100% HGTV ready, you need to price it to account for that. If you push on price, you won’t get it. The buyers in todays world are very educated. They do lots of research and they know when something seems off.
Follow me on Instagram for more home selling and home buying tips!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
GO BIRDS!
Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about your big game day party.
If you just want to eat good food, here’s a look at what you can order around town (both take out and sit down):
- Bear Branch Tavern: Fried chicken wing buckets with your choice of sauces (Buffalo, DC Mambo, Sweet BBQ or Honey Sriracha).
- Settle Down Easy (Oakton): All you can eat BBQ for $63, comes with a drink. If you want some take out ideas, check out their Charcuterie or Mac and Cheese.
- Foster’s Grille: Pre-order your wings and don’t sleep on their onion rings!
- Vienna Inn: Chili Dogs! You can always order these to go.
- ChiMc: The wings and onion rings. Need I say more?
If you’re not a wings kinda partier, you can get sliders catered from Big Buns.
Taco Bamba has a “Big Game Platter” that includes 18 bamba wings and bamba nachos.
Newcomer to town, Charlie’s Bowl is texmex street food. They’re having a big game day special for 10 Tacos and 3 Chiles Botaneros for $40.
Don’t forget, if you’re trying to get rid of junk or old papers before you have guests over, stop by my FREE Junk Haul and Shred Event this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at Yeonas Park (Vienna Little League).
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
The 2023 Wolftrap Schedule is out and some shows are already sold out, but otherwise some tickets are going on sale in February.
If you’ve never been, here are some of my tips:
- Parking is free, but if you take the Toll Road, you’ll pay a toll (see what I did there)
- You can get in up to 90 minutes before the show and lawn seats are first come, first serve. Bring a blanket to sit on! If it has rained in the days leading up to your concert, bring a tarp to set under the blanket so any mud/moisture doesn’t seep through.
- Covered seats open up 30 minutes before show time
- Bring your own food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are all OK, just no kegs). They also have concession stands to purchase food and beverages.
- Remember that the show goes on regardless of rain! So bring your poncho or smaller umbrellas (anything under 6 ft in diameter).
- No athletic equipment (think little kids throwing a ball or frisbee) or dogs are allowed (unless they’re service animals!)
- No wagons or carts to carry your stuff, coolers on wheels must not exceed 18″ x 16″ x 12″
- Each person can bring in up to 2 bags, but that doesn’t include blankets to sit on
- If you want back support, bring a little chair. This makes my old back happy!
Kidz Bop is coming in July! We took our kids to this a few years ago and it was a great first show for younger kids.
Have fun!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
Oh the dreaded 2-hour early release followed by 2 full days off. I’m here to share some ideas for you to make the most of your days with the kids at home.
First, if you’re looking to outsource child care for a few hours, try one of these camps:
Brian Lonardo, Nothing But Net Sports Camp at Sport and Health:
- Ages 8-14
- $50/day
- 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Sign up here
Hammerzone, Baseball Camp:
- Ages 8-14
- 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- $85/day
- Sign up here
Educational and Fun Trips:
- Watch National Treasure (the movie from 2004)
- Take a trip the National Archives in D.C. to see the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, but…
They also have the Super Bowl Trophy on loan from the Kansas City Chiefs, they have a whole exhibit on Title IX, learn why Presidents pitch Opening Day baseballs and other traditions, and more!
Pro Tip: while the museum is free, there can be long wait times to get through security to get in. You can reserve up to 6 tickets to timed-entry and use a different entrance to cut down on your wait time.
Do you have another ideas you’d like to share? Have a business who is offering camps at the (many) breaks coming up? Please email me!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
A couple of times a year I put together a client appreciation event to thank past and current clients, as well as friends that refer new clients to me. For the first time, I’m holding a Junk Haul and Shredding event. So please consider yourself invited!
When: Saturday, February 11 from 9-11 a.m.
Where: The Parking Lot at George Yeonas Park (otherwise known as Vienna Little League)
What: If it fits in your car, bring it!
The event is being co-sponsored by Jon Okun at Prosperity Mortgage.
Junk Haul and Shredding is provided by It’s Haul Good. Here are the guidelines for what’s accepted:
Junk & Donations
- Junk or donations accepted include any household items or very small furniture/appliances. Quantity accepted per individual can not exceed one car’s trunk space worth of items.
- Cannot accept large furniture items, household chemicals or paints, or building materials.
- Attendees of this event can schedule a crew to come pick up larger items or volume at a later date for 10% off our normal rates!
What about clothes?
Absolutely, we can take clothes since we will be heading to a donation center anyways!
Can you take electronics and old TV’s?
Yes, we can take old electronics, old televisions, and other electronics. However, we will not be offering data destruction for this event, so any hard drives or stored data (tablets, desktop cpu’s, cell phones) will not be wiped and therefore could be compromised. We recommend that folks drop these off at e-cycling centers like Potomac E-Cycle for larger items, or for smaller devices, the convenient locations of ecoATM.
Shredding Guidelines
- Secure Containers, Shredded Off-Site
- No hard drives or CD’s accepted
- No Certificate of Destruction provided on-site
- Additional list of items that are NOT accepted — Butane/Propane Tanks, Chemicals, Cleaning Products, Electronics, Fertilizers, Motor Oil, Pesticides, Pharmaceuticals, Roofing Material, Wet Paint
NOTE: If you have shelf stable food that is NOT expired, please bring it! We’ll collect it all and drop a donation to Food for Others after the event.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or by phone at 703-283-6120.
Also, please pray it doesn’t snow! If there is snow or ice, please check my Instagram or Facebook page for information on cancellation!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
