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We Know What It Means To Serve
The greater Fredericksburg region is a hotspot for military families and defense contractors! Just a short trip away from the Nation’s Capital and only minutes from Quantico MCB, Fort AP Hill and NSF Dahlgren, we are in the perfect spot for those looking to live close to work, shopping and entertainment yet still have a low cost-of-living! This Veterans Day, we’d like to thank all those who’ve served for protecting our great country! At Coldwell Banker Elite, we know what it means to serve because we’ve been there: 26 of our agents are veterans! We have agents that have served in every branch of the military and are intimately familiar with the unique challenges and needs of military families.
Our agents are prepared to assist you in any way: PCSing from all the way across the country? We can help you find, inspect and close on your house remotely. Need help getting your family settled in to the area? We’ve got plenty of recommendations for on and off-base activities! Moving away from the Fredericksburg region, or even overseas? We’ll miss you but we can still help–our relocation department will make sure you are working with an amazing agent wherever you’re going and keep an eye on the whole transaction as your advocate!
Many of our agents have also completed their Military Relocation Professional Certification, meaning they have taken specialized training to become familiar with military housing, culture and unique needs. Whether it’s figuring out your BAH or buying an investment property, we’ve got an agent that knows how to help!
Finding Homes for Man’s Best Friend
Nothing turns a house into a home quite like man’s best friend greeting you at the front door or catching a frisbee in the yard! This Fall, we wanted to broaden the impact of our annual Homes for Dogs Project by donating Adoption Starter Kits to FOUR local shelters, promoting their adoptable pets and having a volunteer day at the Fredericksburg Regional SPCA!
What is the Homes for Dogs Project?
Coldwell Banker’s been helping people find homes for over 100 years–now they’re extending their mission to man’s best friend with the “Homes for Dogs” Project! Coldwell Banker’s partnered with Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website to find more than 20,000 dogs their forever homes. Coldwell Banker offices across the country are hosting adoption events, promoting shelters and doing their part to help dogs find their new homes!
Our 2018 Project
We partnered with four local animal shelters: Fredericksburg Regional SPCA, Orange County Animal Shelter, Prince William SPCA and Stafford SPCA to promote pet adoption on National Pet Adoption Weekend (Oct 13 & 14) on social media and by donating 100 free “Adoption Starter Kits,” gift bags for new pet parents complete with toys, treats, a slip leash and other goodies! We had a wonderful time visiting with the animals at each shelter and learning their stories! On Saturday morning, 17 of our agents volunteered at the Fredericksburg Regional SPCA: cleaning kennels, scooping cat litter, washing food bowls and doing laundry!
How’d We Do?
In total, nineteen dogs were able to find their forever families last weekend! We are so excited for these new pet parents and our local canines that have a new home! We want to give a massive thank you to all of our shelter partners: Fredericksburg Regional SPCA, Orange County Animal Shelter, Prince William SPCA and Stafford SPCA! These organizations work tirelessly all year to take care of our local pets in need! We also want to thank all of our wonderful agents who volunteered or helped spread the word about the event, we are so lucky to work with such generous and compassionate people who love giving back to the community.
For more information about the Homes for Dogs Project nationally, click here!
Home Buying 101: The Appraisal
You’ve spent months looking and finally settled on the house of your dreams. The seller even accepted your offer! Congrats! It’s not *quite* time to break out the bubbly yet, though! So many home buyers and sellers have questions about the appraisal process, we wanted to make sure we addressed it on our blog! For more tips on how to buy your first home, click here!
What’s an Appraisal?
The appraisal is basically your lender making sure that the home is worth what you’re offering (in case they need to get their money back!) The lender uses an unbiased third-party to examine the home and any improvements the seller has made, as well as how it compares with similar properties that have sold in your area within the past six months.
What Does It Involve?
Appraisers take quite a few details into account when determining their valuation of your dream home! They’ll be looking very closely at the square footage, condition of the home, any improvements the seller has made and any factors that might negatively affect the home’s value. They’re not home inspectors so they won’t be looking over every little detail—they’re just getting a general idea of what the home’s worth.
What Happens Next?
Once the appraiser is finished, you’ll get a copy of the report. The fee for the appraisal is typically included in your closing costs—around $300 to $400. If the appraised value is higher than your sales price, you’re in the clear! You’ll have instant equity in the home and your lender will feel confident in loaning you the money needed to purchase it. It’s when the appraised value comes in lower than the sales price that you’ll run into trouble. The lender won’t pony up more than the home is worth so the seller either has to lower the sales price or the buyer needs to come up with the remainder out of pocket.
If lowering the price or coughing up the difference won’t work, it’s not the end of the world! You can choose to walk away from the contract and have your earnest money deposit returned or even pay for another appraisal. Keep in mind: not being able to buy your “dream house” because of a low appraisal is actually a good thing—you won’t be overpaying for a house that’s not worth it!
How To Sell Your House Fast
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1. Clean It Up
There’s no beating around the bush, the house needs to be clean. If you’re not sure if your house is passably clean, get a friend to give you an honest opinion or just hire a cleaning service. Ideally, decluttering and deep cleaning should happen BEFORE listing photos are taken. Don’t make potential buyers have to imagine what the house might look like tidied up–get rid of clutter both inside and outside the house and put some elbow grease into making the place sparkle! Cabinets and drawers should be wiped down, any scuffs removed from the walls and kitchen appliances polished. Shampooing your carpets or mopping the floors can make a big difference!
2. Consider Staging
3. Professional Listing Photos
4. Make It Available
5. Price It Right
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3 Energy Upgrades That Appeal to Buyers
9 Overlooked Items to Prep Your Home For Sale
Home of the Brave: 2018 Veterans & Active Military Home Buyers Profile
We’re lucky to be located near several military bases and government contractors so serving veterans and active duty military members is one of our top priorities. We’ve taken a closer look at the 2018 Veterans & Active Military Home Buyers Profile report to analyze the differences between recent active-duty and veteran homebuyers and sellers versus those who have never served.
One of our main takeaways was that differences in household composition and financing options incentivized home buying demand for veteran and active military buyers and sellers. Over half of active-duty and 41% of veterans purchased a home with no money down (100% financed) as opposed to just 7% of civilian home buyers. The majority (77%) of active-duty military used a VA loan and 15% used a conventional loan. If you’re one of those service members that might be interested in no-money-down financing, we’d be happy to connect you with loan officers that can find the right loan product for you.
Interestingly, active-duty military buyers were most likely to buy a multi-generational home with an average of 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. The report found that active-duty military buyers were most likely to have children under the age of 18 in the home. Active-duty buyers’ main reasons for moving in the future were either for a job change or to flip their current home. If “flipping” or remodeling a home as an investment before your next PCS might be something you’re interested in, we have plenty of experience finding suitable “fixer-upper” homes with enough room for the whole family!
On the other hand, veteran buyers were the largest group purchasing a home as a married couple and had the oldest median age. They were also the most likely group to purchase a home as a single male. Veterans and non-military buyers tended to buy smaller, less-expensive homes–around 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Whether you’re looking to stay in the Northern Virginia area or relocate to the shores of Lake Anna or the peace of the countryside, we have offices and knowledgable agents all over the region to help you with your next move.
Civilian or non-military buyers typically listed a better neighborhood as their biggest reason to move in the future, and bought the smallest homes of all three groups. Non-military buyers were also the least likely to purchase a multi-generational home and moved the shortest distances of all groups.
We are so honored to assist our active-duty and veteran military members find their new “Home of the Brave” in the greater Northern Virginia region! Whether you’re looking to accommodate your growing family, downsize after retirement or just find a project home to work on before your next PCS, Coldwell Banker Elite would be proud to help.
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Celebrate the Fourth of July in Fredericksburg!
*UPDATED JULY 2019*
It’s almost Independence Day! Even though it falls on a weekday this year, there’s plenty of celebrations going on around the greater Fredericksburg area! We’ve compiled all the firework shows and festivals happening near Fredericksburg and a couple that are just a short drive away so you can start planning how you’ll celebrate our country’s 243rd birthday!
Fredericksburg-Area Festivities
Heritage Festival & Parade
July 4th, 7:45am-10pm
A good old-fashioned small-town parade and festival! Watch the early-morning race and kids’ parade or browse the craft show and classic cars while you wait for the fireworks to start! The parade, hosted by the Blue Star Mothers of Fredericksburg, will feature children in costume with decorated bicycles. The parade will start at 9:30 a.m. at the Lafayette VRE lot and go first to Caroline Street and on to George Street, along Princess Anne Street and back to Lafayette Boulevard. Awards will be presented for the best costume and most decorated bicycle.
The Festival of the Streets with around 150 craft show merchants and artists will be set up along Sophia Street, and will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Other activities, centered around Old Mill Park, will include a moon bounce, face painting and a photo booth. There will also be a gyroscope ride. The Misfit Acres Petting Zoo will be at the Festival of the Streets. Live music will be playing throughout the day, specifically Patsy and the Country Classic Band and Mike Gill! Don’t miss the Presentation of the Colors at noon by the American Legion with a special welcome by Mayor Greenlaw!
Ferry Farm 4th of July
July 4th, 10am-5pm
Peek inside the newly-completed, interpretive 18th-century replica of the Washington house where the Washington family lived from the beginning of 1738. Kids can learn to churn butter, watch archaeology presentations and even visit with “Gen. George Washington,” members of the Patawomeck tribe and Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactors. Only $1 admission and you can catch the bus or trolley from Downtown!
Fredericksburg Fireworks
July 4th, 4:30pm-10pm
Head on down to John Lee Pratt Memorial Park for the July 4th Spectacular! There’ll be live music by E3 at Celebration Stage as well as plenty of games, food trucks and face painting to keep the kids busy until the fireworks start! The show starts at 9:30pm and the fireworks should be visible from John Lee Pratt Memorial Park and Old Mill Park! Bring a lawn chair if you’d like, but no grills, sparklers, tents or alcohol is allowed and dogs must be on leashes!
A Short Drive from Fredericksburg
July 4, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Every year Stratford Hall, the home of four generations of the Lees of Virginia, hosts its free Family Fun Festival to celebrate Independence Day. Colonial games, a scavenger hunt for children and self-guided tours of the Great House, at 483 Great House Road in Stratford, will be among the activities offered during this year’s July 4 festival!
National Independence Day Parade
July 4, 11:45 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Constitution Avenue NW from 7th Street NW to 17th Street NW: Marching bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams and more celebrate Independence Day in this patriotic, flag-waving, red, white and blue celebration of America’s birthday.
A Capitol Fourth
July 4, 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Co-sponsored by the National Park Service and the National Symphony Orchestra, join Jimmy Buffett and the Broadway cast of Escape to Margaritaville, pop superstars the Temptations and the Beach Boys, country music star Luke Combs, host John Stamos, and many more as they honor our country’s 242nd birthday. Gates will open at 3 p.m on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
DC Fireworks Display
July 4, 9:09 p.m. – 9:27 p.m.
Independence Day culminates with a spectacular fireworks display over the National Mall. The fireworks will be launched from the area of the Reflecting Pool, and will be visible from many locations throughout D.C. and Northern Virginia. The fireworks will be cancelled in case of heavy rain, thunderstorms or high winds.
Marketing Your Listings with CBx
Marketing your listings doesn’t have to feel like a shot in the dark—what if you could pinpoint exactly who was most likely to buy your listing, where they’re likely to move from and speak directly to them? Coldwell Banker has done exactly that and given our agents a huge leg-up on the competition with the CBx technology suite.
Only available to Coldwell Banker agents, CBx transforms “big data” into critical market intelligence. Using machine learning, proprietary algorithms and easy to understand displays, the CBx Technology Suite analyzes consumer, demographic and economic information from various sources to provide agents with insights they can’t get anywhere else. With CBx, Coldwell Banker agents can target the most likely buyers to get results fast.
Agents can set price adjustments to allow for improvements and desirable features and show how your listing compares to other homes in the area. Once the price is set, the app identifies likely markets where potential buyers currently live. On top of that, Coldwell Banker is pumping even more horsepower into the app with the brand new “Propensity to Move” data point. This takes the Buyer Profile Map to the next level by not only telling you how a target area compares to your listing with the percentage match, but also telling you the percentage of people that are likely to move in that target area.
CBx allows you to tell unique “stories” about neighborhoods and specific homes which inform your approach to a sales strategy. With the data from CBx, Coldwell Banker agents can better target their online ads to reach exactly who’s most likely to buy their listing. This approach saves valuable DOM and marketing dollars when you’re trying to sell a particular listing, but it also allows you see what kind of audience you should be targeting through your own personal marketing.
Want access to CBx? Find out more about how to take advantage of Coldwell Banker Elite’s technology and tools here!
CBx: Your Agent’s Secret Weapon
Selling your home can feel like a shot in the dark sometimes—who should my agent be advertising my home to? What type of person is most likely to want to live in my area? How does my home stack up against the other homes in the neighborhood? What if you could pinpoint exactly who was most likely to buy your home and speak directly to them? Coldwell Banker has done exactly that and given their agents a huge leg-up on the competition with the CBx technology suite.
Only available to Coldwell Banker agents, CBx transforms “big data” into critical market intelligence. Using machine learning, proprietary algorithms and easy to understand displays, the CBx Technology Suite analyzes consumer, demographic and economic information from various sources to provide agents with insights they can’t get anywhere else.
Agents can set price adjustments to allow for improvements and desirable features and show how your home compares to other homes in the area. Once the price is set, the app identifies likely markets where potential buyers currently live. With CBx, Coldwell Banker agents can target the most likely buyers to get results fast. On top of that, Coldwell Banker is pumping even more horsepower into the app with the brand new “Propensity to Move” data point. This takes the Buyer Profile Map to the next level by not only telling you how a target area compares to your home with the percentage match, but also telling you the percentage of people that are likely to move in that target area.
CBx allows your agent to tell unique “stories” about neighborhoods and specific homes and inform their approach to a sales strategy. With the data from CBx, your Coldwell Banker agent can better target their online ads to reach exactly who’s most likely to buy your home. This approach saves you valuable time and money when you’re looking to move!
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