The Stephens City, VA real estate market continues to impress.The Stephens City, VA real estate market continues to impress as 2016 marches on. The August sales volume was 33 sales with only one short sale. Distressed property sales have nearly fallen off of the Stephens City, VA real estate market.July sales also saw a decrease in distressed property sales. The overall Winchester - Frederick County, VA real estate market has maintained a 9.3% average with 12 distressed sales, but that is a pretty consistent number in an average market. The Stephens City, VA real estate market only contributed 1 short sale to that overall number.How did the August market breakdown?The number of new listings added to the Stephens City, VA real estate market was 32. The combined total listings for August ... 09/17/2016

There Are Do's and Don't Do's While You're in EscrowThere are do's and don't do's while you're in escrow. But, before we get to the do's and don't do's, let me give a simple explanation of what escrow is. Escrow comes from an old word that basically means a piece or scrap of paper. In real estate, when two or more parties enter into a contractual agreement which involves money, it is said that the agreed upon contract is in escrow. The agreement is typically followed by the exchange of money which is held by third-party who will hold money until the contract parameters are complete.In real estate, the listing or selling broker is more likely to hold the escrow monies in a separate escrow account. During the escrow period, the buyer will be working through the lending process and the sel... 09/07/2016

Nearly six months ago, I became curious about the level of protection available to our local law enforcement K9s. When I called the county Sheriff's office, I found that they didn't have any tactical vests at this time. Why? K9 tactical vests retire with the dog. Each dog is measured for a custom fit vest. When the dog retires, his vest retires with him. Often, budgetary restrictions make tactical vests a luxury item for K9 officers. Lt. Barry Kittoe told me that the dogs have been without vests for 15 years. That was all I needed to hear. Lt. Kittoe put me in touch with a company who would measure each dog for a custom vest, and the vests arrived Friday and each dog was awarded his life-saving protection.One of the things I love about having my own company, is that my level of income i... 08/19/2016

6 Ways to NOT Sell Your HomeThere are many ways to make sure you sell your home, but here are my 6 ways to NOT sell your home. That's right. If you want to make sure your home never sells, there are easy ways to do that. Here are the most common 6 ways to NOT sell your home that I see regularly.Never listen to your Realtor. Talk to all of your friends, family members and co-workers who have sold homes in the past, think back on the home you sold 10 years ago, read blogs from people who have sold homes and completely ignore the advice of a seasoned real estate professional who sells homes everyday, who knows the market inside-out, and who keeps up with the latest market trends.Don't worry about cleaning your house. Give it that lived in look and feel. Leave the counters covered with stuf... 08/11/2016

Stephens City, VA Real Estate Market Update - July 2016The Stephens City, VA real estate market made up 27% of all Winchester-Frederick County, VA real estate sales in the month of July 2016. That's substantial. The entire local market had 157 sales. The Stephens City, VA real estate market had 42 sales.The Stephens City, VA real estate market is more evidence that the local market has turned the corner from the dog days of the recession. Since 2008, the Winchester-Frederick County, VA markets have had years that were more like a slug-fest than a buyer or seller's market. The local markets dropped 33% on average during the early days of the recession, but July's statistics prove the markets have returned to a healthy profitability.Stephens City, VA real estate sales have moved away from... 08/10/2016

The Ravens, Winchester, VA Mid-Year Real Estate Report - 2016The Ravens, in Winchester, VA is having a good real estate year. The Ravens is made up of two communities, Raven Wing, and the newer, Raven Pointe. Both areas are highly desirable neighborhoods in the Winchester real estate market. They are sandwiched between Senseny Road, which runs east/west on the eastern side of Winchester, and Rt 50 East. The neighborhood provides commuter friendly homes in a wonderfully manicured and tranquil setting. The neighborhood is just minutes from the Winchester City limits, and offer quick access to shopping, schools and multiple major highways.Sales in first six months in the RavensIn the first six months of 2016, The Ravens only had 3 sales. That's not many, but that tells you how much the res... 07/18/2016

Make your home inviting when you list to sell.Make your home inviting when you list to sell. That makes sense, right? But, how do you do that? If you are still living in your home, there are many ways to make your home inviting, but let me give you my favorite simple inexpensive ways to do it. Make sure you have the lights on when a potential buyer shows up. Light is always your friend. You want to set the mode for a buyer to feel like he/she is coming in from the day. Have paddle fans on low to move air and keep the rooms comfortable. Make sure it's clean and smells fresh. No incense. No burning scented candles. No air fresheners unless they are extremely faint. A clean smell is better than a perfumed smell. You don't want it to smell like bleach, but you want it to smell fresh and cle... 07/07/2016

Success Keys for Every Real Estate BuyerThere are success keys for every real estate buyer. It doesn't matter if you're an investor, first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner. Getting the best deal possible starts with knowledge.Knowledge is power for every real estate buyerKnow the numbers. What did the seller pay for the property? How long ago did he buy the property? Has the seller refinanced during his ownership? Did he take cash out if he refinanced? What do neighborhood or area comps tell you about the list price? How many days has it been on the market? Neighborhood trends every real estate buyer needs to knowWhat is the neighborhood trend? I recently sold two properties in neighborhoods where I saw new trends forming. I listed my properties 10-15% above the most recent sales, and... 07/05/2016

5 Ways to sell your home fastWhat are the 5 ways to sell your home faster? That's easy, the hard part is trying to unlearn many of things you've learned about real estate in your lifetime. You see, real estate is cyclical, and that cycle changes both up and down.Real estate is cyclicalIt has been a broad belief that real estate will continually go up in value, but that belief was challenged in 2008. In my market, property lost 33% of its value across the market. It didn't matter if you bought a million dollar home or a $100,000 home. They all lost 33%. That brings me to the first point.1. Sell your home fast by realizing what you paid for you home doesn't matter to a buyer and your home may no longer be worth what you paid.With the losses experienced in our market in 2008 - 2010, a home... 07/04/2016

Winchester, VA Mid-year Real Estate Market Update – 2016The Winchester, VA mid-year real estate market update for 2016 reveals that the local market has reached a level of equilibrium and good health. With few exceptions, the first six months of 2016 have mimicked the real estate market of 2015. June 2016 is the only month with considerably lower sales as compared to June 2015.Distressed property sales have stayed consistent in the 9% range for most of the first six months. That’s a 4% decline from the 2015 first six month report. The volume of homes sold during the first six months was 791, a 4% drop from the same period in 2015.Frederick County Continues to dominate the volume of salesThe Winchester, VA real estate market is made of Winchester City and Frederick County. Frederick Coun... 07/03/2016

Sell your home fast in Winchester, VA Sell your home fast in Winchester, VA. Yes, sell it fast. But, if it sells fast does that mean that I sold it too low? Maybe, but just as likely, it means that your agent priced it right, marketed it well and buyers were drawn to it. You can sell your home fast in Winchester, VA with the right strategy. What kind of strategy? Sell your home fast in Winchester, VA by putting yourself in the buyer's shoes When you walk into a home for sale, what do you want to see? How about if I add a little more to the question? What do you want to smell? What do you want to sense? What do you want to imagine? I showed a house a few years ago that left the buyers and me thinking that the owners were probably serial killers butchering people in the basement. That so... 06/30/2016

The Winchester VA 22601 zip code market made gains this week as sales rose 13.8% to hit 33 homes sold over the last 30 days. In comparison, the nearby 22602 zip code had 53 sales in the same time frame, the most of all neighboring zip codes. The median sales price has been increasing as it hit $215,000, extending a four-week long spike. With only three months of inventory and rising sales prices, the 22601 zip code is a seller's market. Beth Paisley Realtor Long and Foster Realtor #WinchesterVA Homes For Sale In Winchester VA 06/01/2016

Location, Location, Location Overview Maps Photos $185,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms1 Bathroom1 Half Bathroom1 UnitInterior: 1,163 sqftLot: 0.10 acre(s)Year Built: 1920MLS #: WI9600995 Location 1321 S Loudoun StWinchester, VA 22601USA Mike Cooper Cornerstone Business Group, Inc.(540) 722-6029[email protected]// http://www.cbginc.net        Listed by: Cornerstone Business Group, Inc. Our recent listings A Country Oasis for Metro DC Commuters20 Acres Raw Land - Mostly Wooded Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 05/28/2016

If you're renting because you don't want a mortgage, I have bad news for you. You're already paying a mortgage. It's just the landlord's mortgage. I was reviewing a few rental applications over the past few weeks and I noticed a pattern. A lot of tenant candidates don't want to buy because they don't want the burden of a mortgage. Again, if you are paying rent, you are paying a mortgage. You are paying the landlord's mortgage, but you're not getting the benefit of equity build-up and a increase in your net worth, tax deductions on real estate taxes, insurance and interest. Plus, you have limited use of the property. It is the home you're allowed to live in, but you likely can't paint, landscape, build on, upgrade, change light fixtures and appliances or have a dog or cat.Most of the app... 05/17/2016

The Winchester - Frederick County, VA pending home sales at the beginning of April 2016 was 265. Of those pending sales, only 6 properties had a built in kick-out that would allow the properties to return to the "for sale" market. In one case, the kick-out was the need for a third-party approval, or a short sale where the seller's bank must also approve the sale. Four kick-outs related to the buyer's need to sell her home, and one kick-out was contingent on an appraisal of the purchased property. An appraisal must meet the offer price. If it doesn't, the lender will only lend based on the lower value of the offer price or the appraisal.Kick-outs are allowed in contracts to protect both buyer and seller. If a buyer cannot acquire financing, he can't buy. If a home doesn't appraise for th... 05/06/2016

The Winchester Virginia market will run Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., May 14 through September. The market is located at the Taylor Pavilion at 119 N. Loudoun Street, just steps from the Loudoun Street Mall and the Braddock Autopark.The inaugural Farmers Market (2015) hosted over 14 vendors and had an average of over 1,000 people visit every summer Saturday.The goal of the Old Town Farmers Market is to provide fresh, local food and agriculture products directly from farmers and producers to residents, while creating an enjoyable atmosphere that contributes to a prosperous downtown and promotes a sense of community in Old Town Winchester.The are  14 local vendors at the market most attending on a weekly basis and several vendors who will attend on a rotating basis. The vendors will of... 05/06/2016

The Winchester VA 22601 zip code market saw sales decline 8.3% this week but it is currently in the midst of a budding upward sales trend, including 22 homes sold over the last 30 days. All indications show that the trend may be coming to an end, meaning less sales over the next few weeks. The median sales price rose to $185,950, up from last week's $180,200. If you are curious about the top homes in Winchester Virginia in the 22601 zip code, check out these gorgeous listings:     05/04/2016

Calling all beer lovers! Winchester-Frederick County proudly hosts Virginia's longest running beer festival, Of Ale and History Beer Fest at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Virginia. This popular festival includes a day of great beer, quality entertainment, delicious food, and awesome vendors. Enjoy the historic grounds, gardens, and amazing mountain views!Beth Paisley Realtor Long and Foster Realtor #WinchesterVA  Click here to see Homes For Sale In Winchester VA 05/02/2016

These townhomes for sale in #WinchesterVA range in size from 1000 sq. ft. to 1900+ sq. ft.Click here to see townhomes Beth Paisley Realtor Long and Foster  #WinchesterVA Homes For Sale In Winchester VA 05/02/2016

Winchester, VA Real Estate Market Update - 1st Quarter 2016 The Winchester, VA real estate market continued to post positive results in the first quarter of 2016. The sales volume in nearly unchanged from 2015, but the volume of distressed properties (short sales and foreclosures) have dropped significantly. The sales volume for the Winchester, VA real estate market in the first quarter of 2016 was 313. The sales in the same period of 2015 was 314. The number of distressed properties in 2016 was 34, or 11%. During that same period in 2015, the distressed sales were 53, or 17%. Stephens City, VA had 24% of total Winchester / Frederick County, VA sales for the first quarter of 2016. The number of sales in Frederick County, VA were 249 with the City of Winchester adding 64 to the area tota... 05/01/2016