New Homes in Loudoun County, Virginia, Buyer REBATE

AS THE REAL ESTATE MARKET CHANGES, SO TOO DOES HOME MORTGAGE FINANCING IN LOUDOUN COUNTY.

LOUDOUN COUNTY IS A LARGELY RURAL COUNTY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.  However, over the past 10 years or so, significant growth in high tech, information management, Internet services and other businesses have located in Northern Virginia and changed the nature of residential real estate and real estate financing.  Higher density development made homes affordable for the new high tech employment sector.  Popular Loudoun County public schoolsencouraged many families to relocate from Fairfax County to the more bucolic atmosphere in Loudoun County, where the horse population likely exceeds human residents.  Loudoun County real estate offers lovely communities without the traffic congestion of more urban areas. 

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COMEwas the theme for areas in the Dulles Corridor, Ashburn, Sterling, Leesburg and South Riding in Loudoun County.  Rezoning communities for 1/4 acre development permitted home pricing in a price range where the average local employees in the high tech sector could qualify for wonderful new homes.  New home development has been vigorous and even in our slower market, has thrived for over 10 years. 

FHA FINANCING GAINING in POPULARITY over CONVENTIONAL LOANS in Loudoun County.  With the collapse of the mortgage market, conventional loan underwriting and funding practices have presented significant barriers to many home buyers.  However, an increase in the loan limit for FHA insured loans have offered opportunities for home buyers to buy and obtain financing with very low down payments. 

The FHA loan limit for Loudoun County Single Family residential home is $729,750.  The down payment for FHA financing is 3.5%.  Also, the seller can pay up to 6% of the contract price of the home towards the buyers closing costs.  See:  FHA Loan Limit.

Loan Type	Jun-09	Jun-06
Conventional	238	484
FHA	184	2
VA	33	1
Assumption	18	17
Cash	41	10
Other	9	1

 

The average price for a Single Family Colonial Home in Loudoun County constructed 2000 or later with 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 1 half bath, 2 car garage on a lot of about 1/4 acre, is about $530,000, well within the FHA financing limit 

COME TO LOUDOUN COUNTY VA.  YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE!

Loudoun County VA Real Estate and Homes,  Experienced agents for Loudoun County Virginia Home Buyers.  Loudoun County has the largest horse population in Virginia and the third highest in the country.

     

                                                                        LOUDOUN COUNTY MAP

              

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail.

ELIZABETH WARREN, CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT PANEL.

Professor Warren has been a voice of sanity among the purveyors of a preponderance of prepared, befuddled, concealing, deceiving, whitewashing and self serving statements from Congress and the Executive offices charged with representing the American home owners.  Or, do they really represent us?

This morning I heard a statement from the mouth of a government spokesperson that resonated as so simple, so pithy, so true, it bears repeating.

"The American economy will not recover until the American home owners can recover."

IT WAS A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS!

Professor Warren clearly understands that the key to the recovery of the economy rests on the American consumer.  No doubt she also understands that no economy can reach the productivity goals and expectations of the prognosticators when about 20% of the American consumer has been literally taken out of the economy in order to pay for a home that is draining the life blood from their budget, by loss of credit due to loss of home, loss of income due to loss of job and so much more injury to the American consumer. 

Wall Streetis not the American economy.

The banks are not the American economy.

The consumer is the American economy.

                                

                                      "Honey, are we going to be able to recover from our financial mess?"

                                        "Perhaps Dear, if the folks in charge ever begin to think about us."

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

With the New Town Center coming along, a new builder on the scene building lovely new homes in Lovettsville, it's time for a new Post Office.  It's on the way.

The old Post Office is staffed with wonderfully friendly folks who will also help us from the new location.

 

Welcome to Lovettsville. A quiet place with a comfortable small town atmosphere AND the excitement of new construction, new shops, new employment centers nearby, highly ranked public schools and convenient commuting routes. Lovettsville real estate is growing, but not losing it's small town charm. 

Three years ago when I moved to my new home in Lovettsville, the population was about 900 folks.  It's now estimated to be about 1150.  We're growing. 

Lovettsville VA Map.

With the New Town Center coming along, a new builder on the scene building lovely new homes in Lovettsville, it's time for a new Post Office.  It's on the way.

                    

 NEW HOMES IN LOVETTSVILLE, COMING ALONG.  I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY NEW NEIGHBORS.

                    

CHECK OUT THESE PRICES.  THEY CAN'T BE MATCHED in NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 

City	ListPrice		Type	Style	BR	BathsAll	# Gar
Lovettsville	$287,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$307,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2
Lovettsville	$277,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2

Don't forget to ask about the Homefinders.com New Home Buyer's REBATE.  The REBATE for these homes in $3,500.  The builder is paying $5,000 for closing help for our buyers.  These homes qualify for USDA financing with ZERO down payment. 

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988. 

OWNING A HOME IN LOVETTSVILLE, VIRGINIA gives me a unique insight into the local service providers in this area of Loudoun County. 

Today was the date for servicing my Heat Pump system.  My home is 3 1/5 years old and, understanding the critical importance of maintenance for all systems in a home, I called a local service company for the annual service.  My heat pump received a complete cleaning and servicing and I'm good for another year.

Meet the Dodson Heating and Air Conditioning, Co., Inc.

Located in Hillsboro, a community in Purcellville, Virginia, this is a family owned business and they have been providing services since 1971, Al Dodson, Michael Dodson and Kelly Dodson.

I love working with family owned businesses.  These folks were recommended to me by my plumber, who was recommended to me by my septic system maintenance company. . . . . . .  That's the way it goes.

ALL LOCAL, ALL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND ALL PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICES AT GOOD PRICES.

• Air Conditioning and Heating
• Dodson Heating & Air Conditioning, Co., Inc.
• 13945 Mountain Road
• Purcellville, VA 20832

 

• Landscaping
  SHORES LANDSCAPING
  Grounds Maintenance, Treework,
  Bobcat work, Snow Removal
  Jeremy Shores
  703-727-2178

Hardware
Nichols Hardware, Inc.
540-338-7131
131 N. 21st Street, Purcellville
If you can't find it here, it hasn't
been invented yet. Friendly
personal service. Furniture too.

• Banking Services
  Cardinal Bank
  440 East Main Street
  Purcellville, VA 20132
  540.338.3325
  Friendly personal service. 

Lovettsville Real Estate Services
Homefinders.com
39355 Tollhouse Road
Lovettsville, VA 21080
800-71107988
Helping Lovettsville home buyers
find a wonderful new or resale home.

• WELL DRILLING SERVICES
  Runyon Well Drilling & Pump Corporation
  Leesburg, Virginia 20177
  703-777-2270
  Well drilling company with a personal touch.
  For a personal recommendation, contact Lenn Harley,
  800-711-7988

Septic Field Installers and Services
McKim Construction
Residential Excavation Specialists
Loudoun County
540-822-4600

• Plumbing 
  Bernie Blum
  Lovettsville, VA 20180
  540-822-5538
  Recommended highly.
  Many years experience and knows his business.

 

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988,

Serving home buyers in Loudoun County, Virginia.

RICHARD WEISSER's tribute to our forefathers is worthy of repeating. 

Just as the American flags in the photo brighten my spirit, so do his words make me choke just a bit. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MR. SELLER, WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US IN TO SEE YOUR HOME LISTED FOR SALE?

A thoughtful post by Paddy apologizing to home owners who have listed their for sale inspired me to post about the same subject, from a different perspective. 

Well, of course we buyers agents try to accommodate the seller's wishes about access to their homes listed for sale.   We have no choice.  The seller determines access.  However, the key words there are "homes listed for sale".  

What does "FOR SALE" mean?   

It means that the home is listed FOR SALE by the owner with the understanding that interested home buyers will be visiting the home to walk through it to help them, the home buyers, determine whether or not the property will be considered as a future home.  Often, after trying to get access to a home listed for sale, I come to believe that the seller wishes to sell but doesn't want anyone visiting.  Fact is, many home buyers need to visit a home for sale more than once before making an offer.  This is particularly true of first time home buyers, which is a huge percentage of our market today. 

WALK THROUGH QUICKLY THEN BUY.  Probably no asset offered for sale in the world is purchased with less investigation than real estate.  Yet, this asset is gong to be, not only a possession of great value, usually encumbered by a costly lien secured by a note with a pay-off of many, many years.  Of course, there will be certain limited investigations and verifications following a Contract of Sale.  However, the fact is, most home buyers will make the largest consumer purchase of their lifetime following one or two visits to the property for sale.  Contingencies to the contract protect the home buyer to the extent that the buyer is able to verify the value and condition of the property, but not until they have entered into a contract and deposited earnest money, usually $Thousands, as a sign of good faith on the part of the purchaser to protect the seller. 

All of the above sounds routine and it usually is.  However, what is so often missed is the difficulty that serious, qualified and motivated home buyers have just getting access to see the home listed for sale.

WARNING!  HOME FOR SALE. 

• SHOWING BY APPT. ONLY! 
• LISTER MUST ACCOMPANY! 
• LIMITED SHOWING HOURS! 
• 24 HOURS NOTICE REQUIRED!
• CALL LISTER!
• CALL OWNER!
• NO LOCK BOX
• PRINCIPALS ONLY
• APPT. MUST BE VERIFIED
• CALL LISTER FOR COMBO

IS THE SELLER A BARRIER TO SALE?  When scheduling tours of resale homes for buyers, I often have to ask, "Do these folks really want to sell this property?"  How do they expect to sell it if they won't let folks in to see it?  Far to often, in my experience, prospective home buyers are treated as intruders. 

"WHY DO THEY NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN?"  That was the comment from a listing agent when I called for an appointment for a follow up visit to a home for sale.  The list price was $1,200,990.  Yet, the sellers, through their agent, made showing almost impossible.  Fact is, I was touring with the husband for two weeks to select homes to show his wife who had to travel from San Diego so they could make the final decision together.  The husband and I toured every afternoon for 2 weeks and narrowed the selections to five homes for sale.  Time for the wife to arrive to help with the final selection. 

IT'S NOT CONVENIENT THIS WEEK.  That comment came from a listing agent when I tried to make an appointment for one of the five homes.  My buyers had set aside two days to tour 5 homes.  Yet, it "was not convenient" for the listing agent to show it that particular week.  With no lock box, we had no access without the listing agent.  The listing agent was the broker, so, no higher authority to appeal.  Sadly, that home was elimitated from consideration.  The home my buyers purchased was vacant and they spent a good hour touring, measuring, discussing, placing furniture, planning carpeting, etc.  When buying a home, sometimes buyers just need time to help themselves "feel at home" in the house.  When scheduling a tour of homes for buyer clients, I begin to make appointments fully two days prior to the tour.  It often takes that long to reach the "agent must show", "no lock box", "limited hours", etc. listings and get the showing confirmed.  I'm relentless and unless someone says that we cannot see the property, I keep trying until I get all properties selected scheduled.  It's exhausting and time consuming, but just part of the job.  However, it doesn't really have to be as difficult as it is.  It often appears that sellers or their agents believe that theirs is the only home on the market. 

WE WERE 22 MINUTES LATE!  I have been denied entry to homes for sale when we were early or late for the appointment.  When we tour homes listed for sale, we are often scheduling 3-6 or more homes at a time. It is virtually impossible to arrive at a specific time for each appointment.  I allow reasonable drive time between properties and 15-30 minutes to tour each home on the first visit.  Yet, we've entered some homes whereby the sellers complain that we are early or late with a scowl and a very unwelcoming attitude.  What are their priorities, to sell the home or to adhere to a strict showing schedule?? 

HOW TO SELL A HOME FOR THE BEST PRICE, IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME WITH THE BEST TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SELLER!

                               

 

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail. 

 

I've been reading the NEW CLEAN ENERGY LEGISLATION.  New home builders and consumers will see dramatic changes in new home construction and/or new home prices. 

Energy Efficiency Provisions

Building Standards.

ACES establishes new standards for building efficiency, requiring new buildings to be 30% more efficient in 2012 and 50% more efficient in 2016. States are offered allowances that they can sell to support adoption and enforcement of the new standards. The Department of Energy must enforce the standards in states that do not incorporate the building standards into their state building codes.

This mandate includes new residential construction. 

Builders who have been incorporating energy efficient building techniques will be far ahead of the market.  Reducing energy use standards by 30% by 2012 is quite a feat and I suspect that it will increase the cost of new construction a good bit.  That may help the sale of resale homes until the improved energy efficience standards are extended to existing homes.  The standards will be established to cover existing homes.

Section 202, Building Retrofit Program:

Establishes a program under which the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of EPA support development of standards and processes for retrofitting existing commercial and residential buildings. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to provide funding to states for cost-effective building retrofits, with funding increasing in proportion to efficiency achievement. Also supports improved water efficiency and other environmental goals and provides special levels of support for retrofits of historic buildings.

IT'S COMING FOLKS.  I PLAN TO BECOME A GREEN CERTIFIED REALTOR IN SEPTEMBER. 

                        

              MANY BUILDERS HAVE ALREADY INCORPORATED "GREEN" MATERIALS AND FEATURES.

Waterford Virginia in the Loudoun Valley is the perfect place to celebrate the 4thof July in 2009 with the Red White & Blue of the American Flag.  Settled in the 1730s, Waterford is a small oasis of history in Western Loudoun County where residents and visitors can imagine themselves living in the 18th Century just by looking around at homes, estates and farms that date back to the beginnings of our great country.

     

          Homes and Barns in Waterford Virginia date back to the 18th Century.   

CELEBRATING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE - Hanging out the flag!

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail.

      Waterford Virginia

THE NEW HOMES IN LOVETTSVILLE ARE NEW SELLING.  THIS IS WHAT RESIDENTS OF LOVETTSVILLE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.  We've been waiting for construction to begin again on these wonderful lots in the New Town Center.  What's next?  Commercial development?  Let's hope so.

HOMES ARE SELLING FAST AND CONSTRUCTION IS VIGOROUS. 

Construction underway on another lot.  About 3 months to delivery.

Home is almost complete.  About 45 days from delivery.

 

Ready for a new family.  About 2 weeks from delivery.

CHECK OUT THESE PRICES.  THEY CAN'T BE MATCHED in NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 

City	ListPrice		Type	Style	BR	BathsAll	# Gar
Lovettsville	$287,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$307,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2
Lovettsville	$277,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	3	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2
Lovettsville	$297,990		Detached	Colonial	4	3	2

THESE HOMES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR 100% FINANCING FOR QUALIFIED HOME BUYERS. 

With Seller Closing help and the Homefinders.com New Home Buyer REBATE,

your acquisition cost for these homes may be  $ZERO.

LOVETTSVILLE NEW TOWN CENTER MAP

LOUDOUN COUNTY VA MAP

Lovettsville Virginia is in the rural area of Western Loudoun County, Virginia.

Demographics for Lovettsville
-Population Approx. 1200 (recent new home sales)
-Land Area .91 Square Miles
-Growth Rate (last 5 years) 5.9%%   (Loudoun County)
-Average Income Families W/Children  $80,000
-Average Age 34 years
-High School Graduates 87%
-Average Age Homes 27 years
-Owner Occupied 80%

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-mail.

 

"NEVER A FEE TO BUYERS"

Lovettsville Virginia Homes in Rural Loudoun County
Homes for Sale in Lovettsville
Facts about Real Estate in Lovettsville

William Johnson of San Diego writes passionately about the crisis in the water supply of his beloved area in California.  William just returned from a trip east and commented about the "green" that he observed here.   There's more to the  "green" in the east than what we enjoy in 2009.

WILLIAM:  The green here this year and for the past couple of years is all part of a cycle.  We go in cycles of about 7-8 years.  I've watched it for quite a few 7-8 year cycle repeats. 

When this cycle is completed, which, if I can predict accurately from memory, will be about 2 years.  Then we in the east should enter into a dry cycle and our grass will be brown, the corn will grow to only about 2 feet, the folks in Frederick County MD will have water trucked in to many areas because the wells will be dry and the city water drastically low, etc. 

In areas that are overbuilt for the existing infrastructure of the towns, mandatory water restrictions are in place even in this year of water abundance.  In Purcellville, a builder wanted to add another 240 town homes to the water supply.  Thank goodness the town council rejected the application.  It would have meant that the existing already low supply would have been reduced to every resident that depended on the local water supply.

Typical Farm in Northern Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. 

Our farms are not massive agribusinesses that we see in California, but farmers with truck farms who have no product to sell in our dry cycles.  California relies on full fruited trees and plants because they sell to huge suppliers and have to have "super market ready product".  In dry cycles, our truck farmers sell fruits and vegetables that are small and not attractive.  I still buy them because I know they are local and our farmer families hard working neighbors.  We don't have the vast water dependant development that they have in California.  Here, when it doesn't rain, the fields are dry. 

So, we can enjoy the green forests this year, but for how long???  Perhaps the agricultural enterprises in California can be deemed to be "too big to fail" and qualify for some massive federal aid from tax payers across the country.  Makes sense to me.  I'd rather subsidize food for our nation than the Wall Street Gangs.  Of course, there might be some spill over.

Frederick County Parcipitation averages Jan.-Dec. **

Avg. Precip.

2.8 in

2.7 in

3.3 in

3.3 in

4.3 in

3.9 in

3.7 in

3.5 in

3.6 in

3.1 in

3.3 in

2.9 in

That's about 40 inches of rain fall annually.  Enough to grow significant crops.  Yet, in dry years, the fields produce little to nothing to market because the farms don't have artificial water supplies that we see in California.  In the east, if the rain falls, the crops flourish.  If the rain doesn't fall, there are no crops. 

Rainfall in San Diego appears to be quite low based on historical data.  Yet, California is where the massive agribusinesses are located and the massive water supplies needed.  Nature is opportunistic and plants only grow naturally where the conditions are friendly.  When mankind moves the plants to an unfriendly location, producing an engineered environment, it could eventually fail simply because the need to maintain the engineered environment far exceeds the profit from the plants growing there.  Unless, the massive businesses that provide these artificial environments are deemed "To Big To Fail".  It is clear to many that California cannot subsidize these massive engineered environments for crops.  California has deficits/debt the likes of which we can only imagine, yet they are real.  The country, all of the country to some extent has become dependant on the produce from California.  Does that make the California agribusinesses "To Big To Fail"?  Could be. 

Normal Percipitation for Leesburg, VA.

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnua

Inch	3.29	2.47	3.64	3.48	4.45	4.21	3.68	3.82	4.16	3.38	3.52	3.11	43.21

The message here is not the water supply.  It's the water usage. 

**  I've used Frederick County, MD as the example of our area simply because it's an area that suffers crisis in water supply in our dry cycles.