Mortgage rates

Today’s Mortgage Rate – 5.75% and Stable, but the prime cuts doesn’t necessarily mean mortgage rates follow since they’re tied to forward looking T-bills, etc. Of course the Fed’s action will definitely help our credit card & other short term loans… so I’m told.

In our area the inventory of home [Active listing] is increasing from the low just at Christmas below 8,000. Only time and the crystal ball will tell whether this is normal seasonal changes or not. I’m seeing a lot more buyers in the market looking, so I think it’s a good thing with Mortgage rates near an all time low.

For my tennis buds, the Atrium at Midlothian Tennis is nearing completion and I’m looking forward to working out there soon. The indoor courts are great.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Mortgage Rates

Today’s Mortgage Rate – 5.75% and Stable.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Men's Tennis Final at AO

Did get to catch the rebroadcast of the AO men’s final and it was some great tennis as expected!

Suggestion: Get to know a professional real estate agent before you need one. It’s much better than doing business with a complete stranger.

My Personal brochure – click here.
Buyer’s beware – click here.
Download my presentation – click here.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

AO Tennis now history

Well the AO is now in the history books and the Serbs rose to the top this go around. I fixed my breakfast and caught the trophy presentation – I know that part of the world appreciated the live broadcast though. My wife joked that I should set my alarm for the 3:30 am broadcast… Ha! Sharapova - Ana

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Novak stops Fed express

Novak stops Fed express – Federer’s lose is hyped by the color commentators as a change in his rein, but I thinks that’s just hot air. Sure the competition is tough, but it’s not like he’s never lost before and the courts in AO are slower which doesn’t favor his game. Looking forward to the women’s final tonight – should be interesting.

The men’s final will be great too with the upcoming Novak and the new face of the Frenchman, Tsonga.

Realty Times – Six Signs It's Time For Home Buyers To Buy.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Tennis

AO – Well Federer held up well against James Blake and the young Frenchman made it to the finals. Jankovic couldn’t overcome her aches and pains against Maria’s superb play, and Ana made her first AO final. Novak Djokovic and Federer should be an exciting semi-final match and will set the stage for the final. Great play...

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Mortgage rates drop - Tennis

AO - Sorry I missed the Henin/Sharapova match – real shocker. The women semi’s are all Eastern Europeans… nice article here. On the men’s side, it’s mostly on track except for the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who seems to be riding a boost of confidence… Some think it might be Novak Djokovic’s year.

Mortgage rates drop again… Interest Rates Update.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

New to Richmond?

Browse here for lots of great info on Richmond from shopping to restaurants to Richmond homes.

Hmmm. Campfire Stew tonight… a favorite!

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Football - Tennis

Well, senior moment – fell asleep before the overtime and missed the NYG field goal. Good game! (What I saw, anyway.)

The Australian Open continues with too many of the US players falling by the wayside , but some great tennis anyway. Fedder was taken to five sets and “Djokovic humbles Hewitt” – with his flair for showmanship and natural talent he’s definitely one to watch. Some great tennis all around – too much to even relate here…

My friend Darryl Ellyson at National City has some good points for Tax Deduction if you refi'd last year and also investor opportunities... click here.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

AO Tennis

Marty Fish went out and Andy Roddick is in a heated battle as I write – great tennis. Update... Well, Kohlschreiber was playing at a very high level and Andy almost held up to the end - lost in 5 sets, 8-6 in the final - WOW, what drama!



Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Housing Market Facts…

Home prices double every 10 years. Check out the facts rather than letting the naysayers jerk you around with their negative news reports. NAR’s new web site has some good info for you to plan your investment in your home – check it out here.

Baghdatis and Safin had a great match going 5 sets. Blake is playing well and Jankovic is rolling on strong. The AO is entertaining to watch and gets me anxious to be back on the court. Serena’s match is starting, so I’m out of here.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Australian Open Tennis

The AO continues pretty much on track – I got to see some of Andy Roddick’s match – amazing how much power AND spin they hit with. Lindsey Davenport kept her interview positive despite her loss, but she is coming back from a bigger priority – starting her family – and hopes to make the top 10 by year end. Good tennis all around – my friend TK, in Japan, said they were “anchored to the TV” enjoying the AO.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Australian Open Tennis; Go Green

The AO seems to be pretty much on track for most of the seeds. Sadly I haven't been able to watch much with the live broadcast time difference... just have to schedule myself better - Ha!

Hmmm… my son decided to holiday in Iceland, population 302,000. My daughter has a friend working in Japan, population 127,716,000, and decided to visit her. This generation is much more traveled than I was at that age. I'm excited for them.

Another follow-up for Going Green by our friends at HWA home warranty is here. It talks about office mostly, but can be applied elsewhere.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Tennis; Mortgage Rates

No big surprises so far in the AO… view highlights here.

Interest rates continue to drop… call Mina Snead at Mortgage Power for a Good Faith estimate and current rates.

RealtyTimes has a lot of good current information for the consumer… keep in mind that they generally present an overview or indexes and to get the local market info be sure to click on Local Market Conditions – Richmond is never the nations average and the national News prefers to focus on the negative and downturns rather that objective information. As always your local realtor can advise you on what is going on in the local market.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

AO is starting...

The first major tennis tournament of the year begins tomorrow… a little over 7 hrs from now Down Under. Check it out here.

I think this will be one of the best AO in years, assuming all the top players are healthy. On the men’s side, Federer is still the man to beat, but he does seem to be fallible, or perhaps the competition is finally catching up. No one seems to have his fluidity and smooth, quick responses. The ladies had a great warm up with #1 and #2 playing for the final. The heat always seem to play a part in this tourney, so conditioning is always critical.

I also hear that one of our past favs, Jelena Dokic is on the come back trail after several years off tour. Hope she qualifies for a major soon and helps spice up the action on the ladies side.

I'll be watching when I can...

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Weather

Still can't believe this warm weather in January... The last time I remember this was at VA Tech back in '66 when we played tennis on Jan 2nd in shorts and T-shirts. Later that month they closed the school for the first time in over a hundred years because of a snow storm! Guess we're about to get back to norms.


...and we're still de-decorating from Christmas.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

REBAC

Buddy, I ordered a new tennis racquet so you'd have one less thing to badger me about on the court, but that won't slow you up I'm sure - Ha!

Our friends at REBAC – Real Estate Buyers’ Agent Council [who accredits we agents who are ABR® accredited] – have compiled some good news for the market, and your home value…

STABLE EXISTING-HOME SALES EXPECTED IN EARLY 2008, THEN GRADUAL RISE
Over the next few months, existing-home sales are expected to hold fairly steady as indicated by pending sales activity, then rise later in the year and continue to improve in 2009, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of REALTORS®. (Source: NAR) More Information . . .

MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS UP LAST WEEK
Mortgage application volume skyrocketed 32.2% during the holiday-shortened week ending Jan. 4, ending three consecutive weeks of sharp declines. (Source: CNNMoney.com) More Information . . .

In other words, don’t wait any longer for that bubble to burst and take advantage of the current great interest rates to move forward with that new purchase!

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Getting ready to sell…

What’s with this weather… springtime in January – Ha!

For the buyer, it makes sense to plan on a whole house inspection from a reputable firm like US Inspect or Pillar to Post.

For the seller, there’s a lot more to getting your home ready to sell than just hanging the sign out front. In the market we’re currently in, homes that are fresh, have good curb appeal and are in “move-in” condition sell in a reasonably timeframe. P-L-C-R… Paint, Landscaping, Carpet and Repairs need attention to get the house ready as well as the notorious D word – De-clutter. One way to be prepared also is to have your own home inspection, so when the buyers have their inspections, there won’t be any surprises and if you’ve taken care of the majority of the issues ahead of time, then you’ll net more for your house. Two companied my clients have used for home inspections are US Inspect and Pillar to Post. Both of these companies' web sites have a ton of information for you to use as a resource.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Three R's

Tips for going GREEN – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Our friends at HWA Home Warranty have the following tips on the Three R’s… click here.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Sad Statistic

I heard a sad statistic this morning on the radio from Bill Bevins… Yesterday was the peak day of the year for legal filings. Evidently a large number of divorces are filed for after the holidays because people are together more during the holidays, and with new years resolutions, some decide it’s time to move on [out.] Sad.

On a more positive note, I see that home listings are up in our area after a dip during the holidays below 8,000 – for the central Virginia area. Of course this is partially seasonal, but may also speak to the positive trend in the market in general according to some. I also am hearing that more buyers are back shopping than before the holidays.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Home Warranty

AHS and Old Republic are two home warranty programs that my past clients have used and are satisfied with. It gives the new homeowner a lot of satisfaction, knowing if something goes wrong with their new purchase, it can be resolved with a phone call. Whether it’s a plumbing leak or replacement of a heating system… You can also obtain coverage for your existing home as well, so check them out.

You might also be interested in Old Republic’s newsletter with some tax advice and more – click here.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

80% home searchers begin on the Internet, but...

NAR survey states that 80% of home seekers start their search on the internet, but where to start is a good question. Check out the pluses and minuses of some of the common sites you hear about in the news media by clicking HERE. For the Richmond, VA and surrounding area check out our Web Site for home searches or you can visit my web site for the same link..

Of course, I always suggest people find a realtor beforehand and let them assist with their search. We can set up custom Personal Web sites for our clients with exact search criteria - by neighborhood, school, First Floor Master, price, number of bedrooms, waterfront, or any combination of YOUR needs! …and you see 100% of the homes in CVRMLS and don’t miss the small percentage of brokers' listings that don’t participate in the exchange of data. Find a realtor to work with, establish a rapport and trust relationship before you are rushed to buy that perfect home from a stranger. BTW, I would be happy to assist you when you’re ready.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Next Season...

VA Tech

Well, I’m still coming to grips with our loss in the Orange Bowl, but we’re moving forward with the New Year.

My wife was Mrs. Claus in a previous life, I’m sure. She really gets a lot of enjoyment out of the holidays. So we’re starting the process of de-decorating from Christmas today. I brought up 25 plastic tubs for her decorations she does each year [and is growing still…] That doesn’t include the lights, tree or outside decorations – Ha! Well, I do enjoy it and it’s well worth the effort. See her Christmas Décor at my VisualTour site…

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Boohoo Hokies…

Well, my Orange Bowl Hokies dropped the ball… enough said.

Per NAR... Existing-Home Sales Rise in November, Market Likely Stabilizing and… Interest Rates near historic lows… Read more here. For comparative Mortgage rates and to Pre-Qualify, contact Mina Snead for a quote that meets your needs.

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Two Great Homes...

Looking to buy a nice home in Powhatan or Chesterfield? Here are two lovely and exciting opportunities… Click Here!

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”

Start the new year...

FYI… 2007 was still a good year as you can see from the historical data for our regional area, CVRMLS [Richmond, VA].

It’s always a good time to buy or sell…

Visit my web site to learn more about me and my company – put the “Power of the Rock®” to work for you and let me be Your Family’s Real Estate Consultant “…for your family’s next move, and the next…!”