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How to Find the Right HomeChoosing a home for you and your family means finding a home that fits your lifestyle at a price that makes sense to you. We’re passionate about making sure your home is the best fit for you. Our job is to take all of the marketplace information and help you put it into perspective. We’ve assembled the following guidelines to help you avoid common and costly mistakes. Use this guide to enhance your decision-making process. 1. LocationThe “best” location depends on your needs with respect to commuting, schools, size and age of the home you want and your budget. It’s accurate to say that the price asked for any given home reflects a unique combination of the foregoing and additional factors. Certain locations may produce higher resale values than others, as well as offer certain amenities that may be important to you. Access to key routes, shopping and major work “hubs” also contribute to a desirable location. We can review with you in detail the benefits of various locations within the Arlington, Falls Church and McLean areas. 2. Price RangeEvery family has a budget. Here are a few critical considerations: many of our clients are moving up to larger, more luxurious residences. How many people in your household are working? Will this change in the near future? When buying a home with a 30-year mortgage, a “safe” increase in expected family income factors in. “Underbuying” may lead to having to sell, move and repurchase. You should consider your future earning potential - and how this may affect your home choice. Will the home grow with you? If not, it may be better to stretch to purchase a home that you will stay in longer. Will there be any remodeling costs to consider? If so, how can you quantify them? Investment-potential real estate has been an excellent investment over the long term, and it has significant tax benefits. It may be worth discussing with a financial expert the benefits of investing in your own home in lieu of other options. 3. The Sale of Your Current HomeCoordinating the sale of your current home and the purchase of your new home can be a vexing problem. You don’t want to be carrying two mortgages and you don’t want to have sold your home without having anywhere to go. We can help you devise a winning strategy to address this situation. 4. NeighborhoodYour neighborhood and neighbors will affect your decision and should be an important consideration when choosing your home. Neighborhoods as a whole will tend to share appreciation patterns, especially in well-planned neighborhoods. Drive through your prospective neighborhood and get a feel for it. 5. New Construction Versus ResaleDo you have your sights set on a new home, or will an existing home make you just as happy? Often the question is one of price, as new homes tend to be more expensive. In either case, the 15 years during which my company built homes gives me a unique perspective to help you separate good construction quality from that which is less desirable. 6. ArchitectureChoosing an architectural style that you and your family enjoy should be a major factor in choosing your home. Whether wrapped porches or traditional colonial styles catch your fancy, make sure your new home meets your expectations. Additionally, check with us about the resale value of various styles, as some tend to yield higher resale values and are more “in demand.” 7. ConditionWill the home you are looking at need improvements? How much will they cost? Can you make the improvements over time, or will they have to be done before you more in? Do you have the time and energy to endure a renovation while living in the home? My construction experience can help you work through those questions. 8. SchoolsIf you have or are planning to have children, schools are an obvious and important consideration. Fortunately, Northern Virginia is blessed with some of the best public schools in the nation. We have many articles we can share with you about area schools, and the Arlington County, Falls Church City and Fairfax County Web sites also offer a wealth of school information. 9. Shopping and RestaurantsEveryone wants the convenience of nearby grocery stores and other shopping destinations. Fortunately, given the population density and affluence of Arlington, Falls Church and McLean, convenient shopping opportunities abound, from Tysons Corner to the Shops at Pentagon City, Clarendon Market and Tysons Galleria to neighborhood shops and restaurants. Arlington, with its high population density and Metro access, has a wealth of dining options. 10. Appreciation PotentialWhen choosing the right home, you should evaluate your home’s potential appreciation and resale value. This starts with the price the market is bearing, the asking price, the purchase price, and other factors such as your architectural style, builder, neighborhood, HOA, nearby amenities, etc. Find out more about our unique buyer representation skills:
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