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Just in from CNNMoney; Trial Loan Modifications DO Hurt Borrowers' Credit

Only weeks ago, I published a post with updated information from an advanced education class I was taking though the CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) program for Realtors, that was discussing different types of distressed sales and loan modifications to your mortgage, and how they would impact your credit score. In that class, we learned that borrowers were being told that taking advantage of... [Read more]

Give Where You Live: December: Charlottesville SPCA Blanket Drive

The December “Give Where You Live” focuses on the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). They are currently partnered up with the City of Charlottesville for their 4th Annual Blanket Drive.    There is no better time than now to support this drive, as I’m sure we are all mindful of the bitter temperatures Charlottesville has been... [Read more]

Does all this snow hurt my lawn?

I have had several clients ask about the damage that our recent snowfall is doing to their land. I am definitely not the expert on this, but found a really helpful answer on Turf King-Hamilton- Lawn Care. Some plants will benefit from a little extra snow during the winter. Snow around the rose bushes will provide some insulation from the sap-chilling deep freeze of this past week. Bitterly cold... [Read more]

January is National Radon Month!

For those of you who aren’t yet familiar with radon, it is an odorless gas that is undetectable by humans. As described on the EPA website; Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading... [Read more]

Downloadable Résumé

Click the image for a copy of my current résumé. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Downloadable Résumé", url: "http://www.sashafarmer.com/articles/2009/12/27/resume/" });

Charlottesville is extremely lucky to have been the home of Dave Matthews!

$222,000 lucky, in fact! Dave Matthews has again given out another set of grants to Charlottesville non-profits, totaling $222,000 in grants, and benefitting 39 grateful (and deserving!) non-profit organizations here in town. Evidently BAMA Works holds a competitive grant application process and selects the groups most in need of their funds every year (side note- this is very similar to the United... [Read more]

Celebrate the Holidays in Charlottesville Safely

The Chandler Law Group is again offering its Charlottesville Safe Ride Home Program, for the 20th consecutive year! This is a great option over driving home unsafely. You must be going within a 10 mile radius of the city you are in, and you MUST be going home- Chandler Law Group isn’t paying for you to party-hop! Please note the local phone numbers and keep them handy during your holiday celebrations!... [Read more]

Charlottesville Christmas Tree Recycling Program Begins Saturday!

The Charlottesville Christmas Tree Recycling Program begins on December 26, 2009! As seen on the Newsplex website here are some details; The sites are as follows: * Chris Greene Lake in Earlysville * Crozet Park * Darden Towe Park * Greenwood Community Center * *Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center on McIntire Road (*note: Sunday hours are 12noon – 5pm) * Scottsville Community... [Read more]

Before beginning a new home improvement project- Check this list!

Before choosing which home improvement project you will take on next, check out this list for a national survey on which improvements are the most valuable and will produce the highest return on investment. The survey is broken down region-by-region and then parsed into large metropolitan areas; the closest to us in terms of size, location, and economy being Richmond. Take a look, you may be surprised... [Read more]

Stocking Stuffers for Real Estate Aficionados

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, A fun list of reading for those of you on the market for a home in 2010; Nolo’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, Ilona Bray, Alayna Schroeder, and Marcia Stewart, Nolo publishing, $24.99 This Sold House: Staging Your Home To Sell in Today’s Market,Diane Keyes, Third Child Press, $14.95 If I Had A Hammer: More Than 100 Easy Fixes and Weekend Projects,... [Read more]

According to NAR, 4 out of 10 Recent Buyers Used FHA Loans

As you probably already know, FHA loans are becoming an extremely popular loan device for purchasers in this marketplace. FHA loans used to evoke lots of negative connotations, a few of which were; lots of extra requirements, much longer time to process, and stringent and difficult home inspection standards. However, these hassles have been eliminated, and FHA loans seem to rarely differ in difficulty... [Read more]

What is a strategic default?

As defined by Wikipedia… A strategic default is the decision by a borrower to stop making payments on a home mortgage despite having the financial ability to make the payments. Usually this occurs after a substantial drop in the house’s price such that the debt owed is considerably greater than the value of the property, and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. Such borrowers... [Read more]

Answer these questions to determine if purchasing a bank owned home/foreclosure is right for you…

Please read carefully through the following items when trying to determine whether or not you are interested in looking at REO (Real Estate Owned) and Foreclosure properties. Would you be okay with a delayed closing? Purchasers of foreclosures may have to wait for a significant amount of time before closing can occur. Are you on a tight deadline to get out of your lease? Are you attempting to take... [Read more]

An interesting thing about interest rates and value…

I have spoken to many of my clients about this previously, when saying that often a 1/4 point increase in interest rate can result in a higher monthly mortgage payment than would a 5% increase in sales price. What this means, is that the buyers out there who are waiting for the market to “hit bottom” may end up finding that their dream home becomes more expensive, even as the price drops.... [Read more]

How Much Will A Short Sale/Foreclosure Hurt My Credit?

I have had a couple of people over the past few months mention that they may consider a short sale, so that they can just get out from under their homes and move on. While the ramifications of a short sale or foreclosure seem to be getting slightly more lenient in light of all of the predatory lending that has occurred in the past several years, they are still significant. Here are some general credit... [Read more]

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