tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:43:04 +0000Commonsense advice and coaching about making money in real estate through investing and sales. <br><br><b>Email Anthony <a href="http://www.anthonycarronline.com/contact.html">by clicking here.</a></b>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)Blogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-5010154447795470712Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:33:00 +00002008-02-22T17:36:15.747-05:00By M. Anthony Carr<?xml:namespace prefix = o />Congress has spoken on the economic stimulus package and that means most of us are going to get a nice little check in the bank – complements of yourself (it’s your money anyway, right?) Included in the package is a section that will increase the loan limits for conforming home mortgages. Without getting all financialezey on you, it means that higherhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/l3Jpqr26wJw/mortgage-limits-increase-provide-buyers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/l3Jpqr26wJw" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/02/mortgage-limits-increase-provide-buyers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-2307263754018210590Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:04:00 +00002008-03-05T17:06:17.807-05:00By M. Anthony CarrProperty line issues have suddenly cropped up in the emails I've received in the past few weeks. It appears that homeowners are more aware of their property lines (specifically if a neighbor is violating it) during the spring and summer months than at other times. As we get out there and trim limbs (from the neighbor's big oak tree), mend the fence (which is actually the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/u3aaxvckRk0/whose-fence-is-it-anyway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/u3aaxvckRk0" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/03/whose-fence-is-it-anyway.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-445506726350092649Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:34:00 +00002008-03-07T14:32:08.886-05:00buyersBy Tim McLaughlin <?xml:namespace prefix = o /> According to a report released by CNN this past week, it may be the best time to buy a house in more than four years. Valuations on home prices (the difference between what a home should cost and its actual price) are the lowest they've been since 2004, according to the report. The Cleveland-based bank National City Corp, together http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/t0DIA2JBGTA/report-best-time-to-buy-in-4-years.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/t0DIA2JBGTA" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/03/report-best-time-to-buy-in-4-years.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-1516295254731561306Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:41:00 +00002008-03-31T13:46:48.470-04:00market trendbottom of marketcondosWe are ahead of last March at this time by about 10%. Foreclosures are the hot commodity right now, drawing multiple offers left and right. This week, we were involved with two foreclosures -- one had 10 offers; another 13.Prices are stabilizing and moving upward in some areas in the DC market. I'm seeing the same thing happening around the eastern seaboard. See my piece on http://http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/GoibMpCNaTw/whew-markets-turning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/GoibMpCNaTw" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/03/whew-markets-turning.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-7210874582694039827Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:50:00 +00002008-04-07T20:54:04.568-04:00real estate investingnotesforeclosuresPeriodically I hear from readers who want to make $1 million in real estate -- quickly and with no money down. Usually they want to know more about real estate foreclosures -- how to buy them and how to profit from such homes. I've participated in a couple of these deals, and I'm now working on my second million -- I gave up on the first.Foreclosure properties can be a good place to invest for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/i9FpnXfsCvU/should-you-invest-in-foreclosures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/i9FpnXfsCvU" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/04/should-you-invest-in-foreclosures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-4497292358413914957Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:33:00 +00002008-06-19T09:34:52.791-04:00Days on market have dropped. My team members and I are hitting up against multiple offers on listings. Listings in the office are selling. Traffic at open houses are up by 40% in some communities. And the number of contracts written in our market are outpacing last year’s levels. What’s more important to home owners, we are seeing pocket markets that are starting to appreciate.When looking at thehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/e_zxOxHk4No/its-real-spring-market-northern.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/e_zxOxHk4No" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/06/its-real-spring-market-northern.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-4322208833406654696Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:44:00 +00002008-06-27T13:56:10.743-04:00Wow! I’ve never seen this kind of turnaround happen so quickly. In just a few months, we have gone from negative numbers in every category to double and triple positives all around Northern Virginia (just outside Washington, D.C.). Here’s what’s happening:The foreclosure market has created a feeding frenzy for properties priced under $500,000. Nearly 36% of all homes on the market under $500K arehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/Yi9-WfY2Z98/northern-virginia-turn-around-full.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/Yi9-WfY2Z98" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/06/northern-virginia-turn-around-full.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-1293836320862057628Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:39:00 +00002008-08-14T23:40:58.091-04:00market trendNorthern Virginia real estateDonald Trump, internationally-acclaimed realty guru and multi-billionaire, said on Good Morning America radio August 13, “This is the time to go out and start looking and start buying. Over the course of the next year if you don’t do it you’re going to be very disappointed in the years to come. Now is the best time in years to purchase real estate…especially in the next 12 months to get the best http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/GaTaV_6yHQA/donald-trump-this-is-time-to-start.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/GaTaV_6yHQA" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/08/donald-trump-this-is-time-to-start.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-4867973420838052433Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:20:00 +00002008-10-27T09:32:02.612-04:00washington dcmarket trendsbottom of markethome salesNorthern Virginia real estateWhat makes the Washington, D.C. market different than the rest of the country? The job market within the market. While other cities brag about being the headquarters of Fortune 500 companies, we have something none of them will ever have – the Capital City of the United States. I like the way one colleague puts it when explaining to agents from other states: “When you can put the Pentagon, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/4V2lEcMA_34/dc-area-housing-market-booming-in-face.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/4V2lEcMA_34" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/10/dc-area-housing-market-booming-in-face.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-8170660207908976507Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:26:00 +00002008-11-27T18:42:41.002-05:00Hello Friends – If you or anyone you know needs assistance this winter with your heating fuel, please see the program below. My wife sent this to me and I wanted to pass this along. There is an online screening process for applicants to complete. Note the deadline – December 1.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />From: DFS PIO [mailto:DFSPIO@fairfaxcounty.gov]Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 12:05 PMTo: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/dh275E2vLgY/fw-fuel-assistance-program-extended.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/dh275E2vLgY" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/11/fw-fuel-assistance-program-extended.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-2210925875620147889Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:14:00 +00002008-12-12T10:57:28.925-05:00mortgagerecoveryNorthern Virginia real estateI met up with a potential buyer last night at a well-priced listing that is seller owned and completely fixed up inside. She was worried the price was too high, we hadn’t hit bottom yet, things could get worse, etc., etc.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />She was not unlike many buyers out there in markets across the country that have already started to show signs of recovery. In Northern Virginia – http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/DzUJr-5n2F4/that-bounce-sound-was-bottom-of-market.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/DzUJr-5n2F4" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/12/that-bounce-sound-was-bottom-of-market.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-6917724618208871144Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:33:00 +00002008-12-12T10:54:41.693-05:00Hey Folks – I don’t normally send emails out to my whole database, but today’s news is unprecedented from the mortgage field. You can refinance your mortgage on a FIXED RATE 30- or 15-year mortgage at 4.75%. For most mortgage holders, this could save you thousands of dollars per year.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />I just wanted to pass this on to you and for you to do whatever you want with the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/9V5bWG-zabM/news-alert-fixed-rate-mortgage-475.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/9V5bWG-zabM" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/12/news-alert-fixed-rate-mortgage-475.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-3297265541043687261Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:24:00 +00002008-12-23T13:36:55.349-05:00real estate investingbottom of marketNorthern Virginia real estateI get this question all the time: have we hit the bottom yet? Market by market, that's what's happening across the country. I've been tracking "hot" markets for RealtyTimes.com (http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/manthonycarr.htm) for the last year and I'm seeing very healthy markets across the country in state after state.The strongest market in the country is nearly any county in Texas. As far as http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/usIGPnUT_Ds/what-consitutes-turnaround.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/usIGPnUT_Ds" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2008/12/what-consitutes-turnaround.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-2775566209786088189Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:06:00 +00002009-01-15T23:09:02.661-05:00washington dcreal estate recoveryNorthern Virginia real estate2008 was the Year of Recovery in Northern Virginia and it will continue in 2009, but this time, with a vengeance! Northern Virginia continues to outperform the region, the state and the nation. Buyers face low inventory, competing with multiple buyers and even paying at or higher than asking price. If the market is divided by price ranges, there’s the Hot Market and the Not Market, thus, propertyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/eP_6p-dmeVU/market-is-ups-inventory-way-down-s.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/eP_6p-dmeVU" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/01/market-is-ups-inventory-way-down-s.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-5140459937881489879Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +00002009-02-23T19:13:11.037-05:00real estate investingreal estate recoveryObamaStimulus PlanI thought you would like to know this information about how the Stimulus Package will affect housing in our area. Frankly, it will tighten up an already tightening market in Northern Virginia. We have been experiencing low inventory and rising prices for the last 6 months west of the Potomac and see no end in sight. Sales are up more than 25% in Fairfax County (and nearly 100% in Prince William http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/5oU75Or3vk0/obama-housing-plan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/5oU75Or3vk0" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/02/obama-housing-plan.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-6618797852159497388Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:50:00 +00002009-03-01T22:28:50.453-05:00market trendrecoverybottom of marketYes, I understand we're in the worst foreclosure real estate market on record; and that a lot of people did a lot of bad things; and that we're probably only half way through getting through this real estate debacle. However -- I just ask that the feds be careful how much they need to push along the recovery in the marketplace -- it's already happening. On the street, we watch inventory, pending http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/ufB3tCsOEQ8/just-leave-well-enough-alone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/ufB3tCsOEQ8" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/03/just-leave-well-enough-alone.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-5580866484297589652Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:23:00 +00002009-03-03T12:25:25.585-05:00real estate investingwashington dcreal estate recoveryrecoverybottom of markethome salesforecastFinally -- it's not just me. Forbes magazine is letting its readers know that the DC market is on the upswing. Take a look at the link above for the Top 10 as rated by Forbes.comhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/ybhD-w99uTg/dc-market-rated-1-by-forbes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/ybhD-w99uTg" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/03/dc-market-rated-1-by-forbes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-5354087418436479148Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:38:00 +00002009-03-11T14:06:42.228-04:00I wanted to take a moment and encourage you to Punch Through what’s happening in your business right now. Operate on what you KNOW instead of what you FEAR!<?xml:namespace prefix = o /><?xml:namespace prefix = v />Fear paralyzes.Fear creates hesitation.Fear transforms your confidence into doubt. Knowledge is power!Knowledge strengthens your resolve!Knowledge beats down fear every time!Our clientshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/jfy9GkcQ50Y/punch-through.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/jfy9GkcQ50Y" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/03/punch-through.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-2532826902648292007Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:42:00 +00002009-03-16T18:32:09.871-04:00market trendsbottom of marketNorthern Virginia real estateToday, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors sold market is up 10.26% year-to-date.Today, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors pending sales market is up 21.09% year-to-date.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />Today, the Fairfax County sold market is up 40% year-to-date.Today, the Fairfax County pending sales market is up 30.96% year-to-date.AGENTS - have you told anyone?BUYERS - have http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/GU5YXBj7fxM/northern-virginia-market-as-of-march-16.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/GU5YXBj7fxM" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/03/northern-virginia-market-as-of-march-16.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-4890378254744059260Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:19:00 +00002009-03-27T09:28:58.716-04:00real estate recoverysellers marketNorthern Virginia real estateIf you’ve been waiting for the Seller’s Market to return – wait no longer! In the first quarter of this year, several towns and counties in Northern Virginia have entered the Seller’s Market territory with less than a 3-month supply of homes available to home shoppers.Buyers have been leaping off the sidelines for months to snatch up houses that have had a 5-year backup in pricing. For instance, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/3htcnVWhXKM/home-sellers-market-retruns-in-dc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)16<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/3htcnVWhXKM" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/03/home-sellers-market-retruns-in-dc.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-4529773660161480530Thu, 21 May 2009 15:19:00 +00002009-05-21T11:26:02.613-04:00real estate recoverymarket trendssellers marketNorthern Virginia real estateThis post is going to be very local in nature - Northern Virginia readers -- we need houses to sell! The market has turned on a dime and sellers are now starting to get their asking price, (or 10s of thousands more -- see Steve's comment on last posting); entertain multiple offers and move up to their next house with very cheap loans.Are you ready to sell? Who do you know that's ready to sell? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/8AdPUB0stcI/help-we-need-listings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/8AdPUB0stcI" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/05/help-we-need-listings.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-9107495331088916435Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:58:00 +00002009-06-02T16:31:58.166-04:00I was looking over the supply of houses on the market this week in Fairfax County, Virginia and it’s really getting dangerously low. Compared to May of 2008, we have 55% fewer homes on the market – and 20% more contracts written on them.That leaves home buyers with only a 7-week supply of houses and it’s getting smaller. Officially – we’re in a sellers’ market. For pocket markets (townships, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/wlwAoHIjm-k/what-part-of-bottom-of-market-do-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/wlwAoHIjm-k" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-part-of-bottom-of-market-do-you.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-7308683790757642860Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:59:00 +00002009-07-22T22:08:20.412-04:00buying tipsreal estate recoveryrecoverysellers marketNorthern Virginia real estateAs I’ve been saying for months – the Northern Virginia market is totally in a seller’s market. The only price range not fully recovered is the over $1 million price range. Every other price range from the $100,000 condo to the $700,000 single family is selling like the proverbial hot cake. Fresh off the griddle, and ready for the butter and syrup. And therein lies the problem – or should I say, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/vsW6l1fyK1o/local-outlook-is-all-that-matters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/vsW6l1fyK1o" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/07/local-outlook-is-all-that-matters.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-3691280040944795902Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:08:00 +00002009-07-30T21:23:31.334-04:00real estate recoverysales coachingpredicting marketHousing markets are turning around all across the country. The way this is measured is first through pending sales and then the following closed sales. By the time the national numbers turned, the recovery had already been happening for months.Albuquerque is one such city. Prices are still down from last year, but they are now leveling out at around $180,000 (for about 8 months now). The pendingshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/7PYe0d68a9M/taking-advantage-of-advantage.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/7PYe0d68a9M" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/07/taking-advantage-of-advantage.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8617217.post-5970275971400405716Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:14:00 +00002009-09-10T17:15:24.864-04:00 Hello my friends and co-workers   I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is the 8th Anniversary of 9/11. It’s been a long and hard battle since then and the memories of that day linger on.   Please join me in remembering the families of those who lost their lives on that tragic day and thank God for the mercy and protection He has shown us these last several years.   God Bless America!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~3/pnSsNuCnLC0/remember-9-11.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (M. Anthony Carr)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CommonsenseRealEstate/~4/pnSsNuCnLC0" height="1" width="1"/>http://commonsenserealestate.blogspot.com/2009/09/remember-9-11.html