It seems the spin-doctors, pundits and gurus of real estate news are suddenly trying to upstage each other with shocking articles about how the market is suddenly in recovery mode.  Well... at least this is what you might think by reading just the headlines like "HOUSING MARKET REBOUND SEEN IN 2012".

At least for our local market, I can attest that there are some very definite signs that we may have finally found the bottom of value freefall that property owners have suffered for the last several years.  The inventory of homes for sale has shrunken significantly, and actual sale prices appear to be holding rather than falling more.

However, several relevant factors need to be considered:

The very tight credit lending criteria buyers must meet to qualify today has prevented many from purchasing, so the very attractive interest rates has not helped many.  Thus the number of qualified buyers remains static, meaning an increase in sales shouldn't be expected until something changes in lending policies, or the gradual improvent of consumer credit worthiness.

Additionally, there are still a tremendous number of households still 'underwater', those who have already defaulted and those that will, whether by lack of alternatives or by a planned 'strategic default'.  The backlog of foreclosed homes that bank have yet to unleash onto the market is daunting, and will negatively impact price increases for some time to come.

So, the good news is OUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE MARKET IS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF RECOVERY.  The bad news is, IT WILL BE A LONG, SLOW ROAD TO A 'NORMAL MARKET', and many more before Sellers can expect boom values again.

Life is short, move on with your real estate needs.  Don't wait for boom prices to return to make your real estate moves...you may not need to by then!

EXIT Realty Expertise represents Buyers, Sellers, Landlords and Tenants in the Fredericksburg, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Westmoreland, Caroline, Dahlgren, Colonial Beach, Montross, Northern Neck Virginia Region and La Plata, Waldorf and Southern Maryland. 540-775-6555

As 2011 has drawn to a close, many of us will find ourselves reflecting on last year's achievement and failures, victories and dissappointments.  The challenges of a nation in the throes of economic challenges has created stresses in nearly all households.  As real estate professionals, we are front line observers, sometimes participants in the turmoil of a real estate market at the the extreme end of a cycle.

Many of our neighbors have lost their homes by short sales or foreclosure.  Others have simply seen the equity in their homes dissappear, or fallen on hard times with fewer employment opportunities.  It can often be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's there.  It amazes me to see how resilient some people are.  Even under the direst of circumstancesonces, once they have assessed their circumstances and worked out the various outcomes and solutions, they always seem to land on their feet.  What's their secret? 

If you are asked what your "resolutions" are for the New Year, most of us have a list we can rattle off easily enough.  Some of us have the same list we carry from year to year, but really- are these "resolutions"?  This word is derived from RESOLVED (defined here as a determination made to follow some course of action).  Are you RESOLVED?

Almost everyone if asked what their goals are can deliver a short list such as "make more money, pay off the bills, spend more time with my kids, paint the house, take a vacation to Hawaii, buy a vacation home...etc.".  We all have these lists, but few ever get checked off in a years time.  Perhaps we should call it our list of idle intentions.

I once heard it said that the difference between a Goal and a Wish is action.  A goal without action is just a wish.   Succesful people map out their path to accomplish their goals.  Call it a business plan, life plan, or New Year's Resolutions - it's most likely to happen if it's been planned to happen, not occur by freak accident!

GOALS SHOULD BE ATTAINABLE - don't lower your standards, but make your goals easily achievable. Map out the road for how you will accomplish each goal, with all of the individual tasks required in between .  Then, when you have achieved your goal, celebrate, but don't stop there, OVER SHOOT YOUR GOAL!  Over-achieving can do wonders for your esteem.  You'll be more likely to set your future goals and expectations a little higher and have the confidence that you can achieve what you can envision.  Mapping your route to success in 2012 will do miracles for helping you achieve your goals.   Create your Happy New Year  through deliberate intention.

EXIT Realty Expertise represents Buyers, Sellers, Landlords and Tenants in the Fredericksburg, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Westmoreland, Caroline, Dahlgren, Colonial Beach, Montross, Northen Neck Virginia Region and La Plata, Waldorf and Southern Maryland. 540-775-6555

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOP PRODUCERS!

Ralph Peregory	Joan Neal	Teresa Mims

Even in the most challenging of markets, true professionals  flourish through commitment and effort.  EXIT celebrates and honors their success in an annual awards ceremony held at the EXIT Annual Convention in October each year.

CONGRATULATIONS to EXIT Realty Expertise's TOP PRODUCERS- Ralph Peregory, Teresa Mims and Joan Neal.  Each recieved EXIT's coveted Bronze Award for production exceeding 25+ closed transactions in the previous awards cycle.  The awards period is for production begininng July 1st and ending June 30th each year.  Trophies were awarded this fall during the awards ceremony held at the Gaylord Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Success in real estate at this level is no accident.  Successful Realtors excel by their hard work, emphasis on educations, dedication and commitment to being best! 

EXIT Realty Expertise represents Buyers, Sellers, Landlords and Tenants in the Fredericksburg, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Westmoreland, Caroline, Dahlgren, Colonial Beach, Montross, Northen Neck Virginia Region and La Plata, Waldorf and Southern Maryland. 540-775-6555

(this article reposted, courtesy of Blackwater Consulting Group)

Are you considering renting out your home?  Many would be sellers make the rational decision to hold off on selling, as it is evident that we are likely at the bottom of the cycle for  residential real estate values.  And yet, many home owners want or need to move on, literally and figuratively, with their lives.  Whether it's a job change, retirement, a move up or down in house size, or any of a myriad of reasons that compel an owner to vacate their current home, it becomes time to move.

Leaving the home vacant and waiting for values to move up can be a costly endeavor, especially if the owner doesn't have much equity and is heavily leveraged.  Most owners are not candidates for a short sale.  And, vacant homes need to be watched over or  risk freezing pipes leaking roofs, flooded basements and any of the unknown disasters that can quietly happen when noone is there to prevent them, and vandalism.

Although many would be Sellers don't want to rent out their HOME ("home" is defined as where their heart is), once they are able to see it as a HOUSE (that's a commodity), it often makes very good sense (and dollars) to put a tenant in the house and wait it out until prices are better.

Many would be Sellers are now by default newbie Landlords.  Fear of the process is often inflamed by horrors stories of terrible tenants, and lack of knowledge on how to safely and legally protect oneself, and stay within the law.  A very practical and affordable solution for these Landlords, and even experienced Investors is professional Property Management.  A Property Manager will make the process of screening tenants with background checks, writing leases, collecting rents and security deposits, and evictions when necessary, as turnkey as possible.  When the pipes leak at 11PM, the call goes to the property manager.  In fact, in most circumstances, a Property Manager will insulate you from all the hassles other than the final decision making of approving tenants, or allowing pets and painting, etc.

Before Selling your home at a loss in this market, consider PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

EXIT Realty Expertise represents Buyers, Sellers, Landlords and Tenants in the Fredericksburg, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Westomoreland, Caroline, Dahlgren, Colonial Beach, Montross, Northen Neck Virginia Region and La Plata, Waldorf and Southern Maryland. 540-775-6555