Virginia Real Estate Blog

Ready for the snap, crackle and pop of a roaring fire? Fireplaces are one of the most sought-after home features, but using one can be intimidating, and you’ve probably got questions. Here’s a quick guide to get you and your fire started this fall.

How do I use a wood-burning fireplace?

1. Get your chimney inspected

Safety is your first priority! Have your fireplace and chimney inspected by a licensed professional. This is something you should do every year, before the first fire of the season.

2. Prepare the fireplace

Clean out any old ashes with a broom (make sure they’re cool, of course). Check that the damper is open and working properly.

3. Gather and prep your wood

Use seasoned hardwood that has been split and dried for at least six months — preferably for a year. Seasoned hardwood logs should be dark and cracked at the ends, and they should make a hollow sound when knocked together. To construct a long-lasting fire, place a rolled-up ball of newspaper or fire started beneath the grates. Then lay pieces of narrow, finely split wood in a crisscross pattern on the grates, called kindling. Finish the stack by securely resting one to three dry logs over the kindling.

4. Prime the flue

This step heats the cold air inside the flue so you don’t get a backup of smoke. Before you light the fire, light a tightly rolled-up sheet of newspaper, and hold it toward the open damper. Keep it there for a minute or two until you see the smoke going up the chimney.

5. Light it up!

Now you’re ready to light your fire and enjoy. If the fire starts to go out, gently fan the flames with folded newspaper or use a poker to get the air flowing again. Add logs to the fire with tongs to provide more fuel. When the fire has gone out for the night, close the metal or glass doors before you go to bed.

Are fireplaces efficient?

It depends....

Hosting a holiday gathering can be a lot of fun, but perhaps a bit intimidating, too. You want your house to look its best, but now isn’t the time to undertake any major updates.

Chances are, you’re busy enough get ready for the event. So, focus on just the areas of your house where your guests will spend time.

Whether you’re a first-time party host with a few jitters or an old pro looking for some new ideas, these tips will help you ensure that your home is ready for any gathering.

Light the way

The sun sets early this time of year, so it’s important to make sure the entrance to your home is clean and well-lit.

If you have a large front yard, focus on the entryway and the path leading up to it. Install porch lights or replace the bulbs if needed. Cut back any shrubbery that is obstructing the walkway.

On the day of your party, open the blinds on the front windows so your guests can see into your warm, festive-looking home as they approach. It’s a great way to create a sense of welcoming anticipation.

Pro tip: The easiest way to create instant lighting for walkways and paths is with the solar lights that you just stick into the ground. The sun does the rest of the work!

Take care of the bottom line

Our mothers used to say this, and it’s true: If your floors are spotless, they make your whole house look cleaner.

Even if you’re unable to do an in-depth house cleaning before your gathering, make sure your floors have been cleaned before that first guest steps over the threshold.

Pro tip: If you have carpeting, clean the carpets a minimum of three days ahead of your affair so they have time to dry fully.

Brighten up your bathroom

If you’re bothered by grimy-looking grout in your bathroom, try this...

Who doesn’t love a snow day? Cuddling on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa while watching holiday movies can make anyone not want to venture out into the cold. Next time you find yourself in this spot, it will be a good idea to head out for half an hour to protect your home, especially if you want to sell in the future. Once your driveways and sidewalks are shoveled, check out these tips on protecting your home that you may not have considered.

Clear Your Vents: Make sure your furnace vents are clear of snow. Carbon monoxide could build up if your furnace vent is blocked.  A blocked vent may also cause a hot water heater to quit functioning. Use a broom to remove any snow.

Uncover Fire Hydrants: If you live near a fire hydrant, you should take a few minutes to dig it out if you notice it is covered - this can help a firefighter if there is an emergency!

Unblock Ice Dams: Be sure to check your gutters for ice dams. When ice dams are present and water backs up, it slows the water melting off the roof behind it and that water then seeps under the shingles and into the house.

Sweep Off Hot Tubs: Always broom off your hot tub if you happen to own one. The weight of heavy snow can cause the cover to buckle in the middle.

Shovel Decks:  If there is more than half a foot of snow, you may want to consider clearing it from your deck. Using plastic shovels can help prevent unwanted scratching on your deck material. Avoid using ice melter or salt as it could damage wood decks.

What better time to turn your home into a warm and welcoming den than during the chilly winter months? With just a little investment and some ingenuity, you can bring a distinctive winter-friendly look into your home. Here are three concepts to inspire you and some tips to get you started.

Look 1: The British study

The vibe: This look is a perfect fit for a snowy winter day. Filled with shelves of leather-bound tomes, tufted chesterfield sofas and focused lighting from brass sconces, the study is the perfect spot to curl up with a favorite novel, enjoy a cup of tea or nap away the afternoon.

Get the look

Built-in bookcases can get expensive, but two or three flat-pack units arranged tightly in a row can nearly fill a wall without breaking the budget. Fill the shelves with as many books as you can find — the fuller the better. Check out garage sales, thrift shops, and library clearance sales for additional hardback books if you’re short.

While you may not have a tufted leather sofa on hand, any love seat positioned in front of the bookcases will look dramatic. Instead of square throw pillows, try round bolsters in the corners for a more formal style. A vintage-style rug is perfect underneath.

For the coziest of lighting in the evenings, add sconces to your bookcases. Inexpensive clip-on downlights work perfectly in a pinch. Floor reading lamps placed behind the sofa are another great option to pull this room together. 

Look 2: The Scandinavian chalet

The vibe: Crisp white paint, whitewashed wood, and neutral furnishings make even the gloomiest of days feel bright.

This aesthetic is definitely modern, yet it’s touched with woodsy rusticity and directly connected to nature. Winter-friendly accessories bring in a bit more comfort and prevent the space from feeling cold.

Get the look

Compatible with the popular all-white...

Pre-approved? Know what you can afford? That means it is time to start house hunting! The hunt for your dream home can stall quickly if you aren’t sure what your “dream” looks like.

It’s easy to talk in generalities about wanting a “big” house or an “older” home, but in order to have a more specific real estate search, you must think specifically about the features you want or need. Will your “big” house be 2,400 square feet or 5,000? When you say “older” home, do you mean one built pre-1950, or pre-2000?

Before continuing on the search, sit down and make a list of your needs and wants — and yes, those are two different things. Think about the things that are needed (amount of bedrooms, yard space, garage, etc.) and the rest of the things that would be nice, but you probably could live without it (pool, etc.)

It is important to note that your lists will most likely change as you learn more about your housing options. Location, such as proximity to the beach, may start as a priority, but once you see the size of ocean-front homes in your price range, the drive to the beach may be more reasonable. Unless you have an unlimited or extremely flexible budget, there will probably need to be compromises along the way.

Below are tips and questions to help you figure out what you do and don’t like about your current home, so that you can find more comfort and pleasure in your dream home. Take the time to rank specific home features in lists such as “Must Have,” “Like to Have,” and “Don’t Care.”

Know your finances

Having your finances in order before house-hunting can make all the difference in a competitive market. Determining your budget and how much financial wiggle room you have can help clarify your must-haves.Ask yourself: 

• Are you pre-approved for a mortgage?...

Current trends in real estate include a mix of positive and negative developments. The market has been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic that has created a new housing environment which is expected to alter the way we approach real estate for the next few years, and maybe beyond.

Here are the 10 key emerging real estate trends:

1. Increased Homeownership – Homeownership rates have increased in 2020 and are expected to rise by 5% by the end of 2021.

2. Lower Interest Rates – Lower consumer spending during stay-at-home orders have resulted in lower interest rates, helping affordability ratios.

3. Steep Increase in Housing Prices – Real estate has entered a seller’s market that may increase inventory, slowing the pace.

4. Millennial Home Buying Strong – Millennials comprise 38% of the home buyers and seek mid-to-upper-middle class homes.

5. Affordable Homes Popular – 87% of the homes purchased were resale as millennials opted for homes needing TLC and updating over turnkey properties.

6. Shift to Second-Tier Cities – Real estate investors and buyers moved out of high-cost markets to second-tier cities and suburbs.

7. Technology Impact – Real estate professionals are using online home selling platforms, apps, social media, and smart home technology to enhance effectiveness.

8. Mortgage Interest Rates Expected to Settle – As the economy continues to grow, experts expect interest rates to rise and then settle.

9. More Demand for Luxury Homes – In the 3rd quarter of 2020, high-end home sales increased 60.7% year-over-year and this trend is expected to continue as more buyers prioritize an at-home lifestyle.

...

Our military veterans have given so much to this country. To make it easier for these special families to qualify for and purchase a home, Veteran Affairs has a unique loan offer reserved only for retired and active military.

The VA loan offers mortgage options unavailable to the general public.

• No Down Payment – While zero down loans disappeared in the real estate bubble of the last decade, VA loans allow our military to buy a house without the stress of trying to save the down payment.

• Easier to Qualify – Most loans require a credit score of 650 or higher. Qualifying for a VA loan only requires a FICO score of 620.

• No PMI – PMI (private mortgage insurance) is required for any loan where the loan-to-value falls below 80%.

• Limits on Fees – VA borrowers are protected by strict limits to fees and closing costs. Lenders financing a VA loan cannot charge more than 1% for loan costs whereas typical financing can run as high as 2.4–3%.

• Appraisal Assistance – At times homebuyers run into problems when the appraisal does come back high enough to purchase the home at the agreed-upon price. When this happens, the VA can help by diligently reviewing the report and comparable properties and then asking the lender to adjust the appraisal if it determines that the value is not accurate.

The VA loan is a special loan program offered only to our active and retired military. These families have sacrificed so much for their country, the VA loan might be the only way these families can buy a home of their own.

So many businesses have been affected by the events of 2020, causing permanent and temporary closures of many of our favorite spots—including the corner bar. The local watering hole has always been a great place to meet friends, watch sports, and unwind after work. Many homeowners have used this time at home to work on home improvement projects. Why not consider adding or improving a home bar to the list? Making simple changes can have a large impact.

1. Moody Paint – Carve out an unused nook and paint it a dark, masculine color. Think of the old speakeasy with dark wood and soft lighting.

2. Sophisticated Seating – If your space allows, create a lounge-style atmosphere with barstools or a bistro set. A black or wood finish will emphasize the feel of a bar.

3. Stock Up – The key to a great bar is having the right tools and ingredients. Retailers offer a variety of styles for such items as shakers, muddlers, corkscrews, among others. Don’t forget the alcohol and mixers.

4. Open Up – Open glass shelving will showcase your style. Save money by displaying the liquor bottles themselves instead of decanters.

5. Make It Mobile – If you don’t have extra space for your bar, there are a multitude of bar carts to not only suit your style but allow you to go where the party is.

If you’ve exhausted your weekend honey-do list, consider spending a little time to create a home bar. With a little thought and attention, you can entertain in style, even if you’re alone.

If you have your home on the market, it’s natural to want to create the perfect environment for potential homebuyers. This includes not only professional staging services but also time-honored tips like freshly baked treats and seasonal décor. As we transition from summer to the holiday season, however, it’s interesting to note that fall decorating is the least appreciated by home visitors.

The cinnamon scents and pumpkin-everything that greets the senses in stores and coffee shops can be overwhelming in a home environment. You may enjoy a nice cookie-dough candle, but many people don’t agree. A tasteful, welcoming fall wreath on the front door is fine, but in general, fall is a time best ignored by home sellers.

The holiday season can bring family challenges as well. When your house is on the market, this is not the time to continue the tradition of the neighborhood Haunted House with cobwebs hanging from every gutter. Far better to place a strategic jack-o-lantern or tasteful pumpkin pile. Talk about these kinds of changes in advance with younger children who may not understand the need to keep the house fully accessible and de-personalized.

Having your home listed for sale is a special time and requires some sacrifice. The holiday season can bring more emotional challenges as well. A sense of nostalgia is only accentuated by the lack of family traditional décor. Consider carefully what to include and exclude. Scale back the unnecessary decorating extras and concentrate on the special few items. In this way, you can still celebrate your family traditions while appealing to homebuyers looking for their own place to call home.

Tight labor markets are affecting industries across the country. Skilled and unskilled jobs remain unfilled as employers struggle to find prospective employees. For anyone ready to hire a contractor or handyman to perform home improvement projects, this shortage is causing frustration. As more people embrace the “staycation” and seek ways to upgrade their homes, many are finding few tradesmen to even come to provide estimates, much less schedule the work. If you are trying to find good people to help with home improvement projects, there are still a few ways to achieve your goals. Here are a few tips to help you find a professional to help with your project.

• Social Media – One great way to find reputable laborers is to ask for help from local social media groups. Apps like Facebook and Next Door have local groups where you can ask for help. Make sure to mention where you got the referral; the tradesmen will want to live up to the referral and are more likely to provide good, timely service.

• Big Box Stores – Home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot offer a wide variety of in-home services. They also have referral services for projects outside their scope and these contractors keep the stores happy by providing good service to homeowners.

• Online Service – There are sites like Angie’s List and Home Advisor where professionals pay for leads. Because they have paid for the contact, they tend to be more likely to follow through on the project.

The labor shortage is affecting all aspects of life right now. If you have a home improvement or upgrade project, there is no reason to put off the work. Try these tips for finding qualified and vetted help.

Technology advances are constantly happening all around us and it can be hard to keep up. While you may be eyeing that new iPhone set to release, keep in mind that there is plenty of tech out there that can help make your day-to-day life so much easier. When it comes to kitchen tech, it seems like something new is being announced everywhere you turn. Here are some great new tech items that can make life in the kitchen just a little bit easier.

The Range Thermometer

Always checking temperatures when trying to make a big meal can become overwhelming. Avoid the headache and pick up a Range Thermometer. You can insert the thermometer portion into the deepest part of whatever you’re cooking, and from an app, you can set up an alert for whenever your meal reaches that temperature. Remove the guessing and find comfort in being able to leave the oven and actually enjoy the time while you have guests in the house.

Smarter Kettle

Are you an avid tea drinker? If you feel like you’re wasting time waiting for your water to boil, the Smarter Kettle would be a great addition to your kitchen. With wi-fi capabilities, you can pick a temperature and turn your kettle on right from your phone, so you’ve got boiling water for tea whenever you need it!

Quirky Egg Minder

If eggs are a big part of your daily meals, this may be a great tool for you. This egg minder sends you notifications when you need to buy eggs, and it has LED lights to alert you when your eggs are going bag.

Taylor Digital Measuring Cup

Is baking one of your favorite activities? If so, precision is probably a big deal to you. This measuring cup will weigh your items while also indicating the volume and it can convert from ounces to grams for you!

DaysAgo...

After a few months of having your kids at home throughout the day, sometimes organization and order go out the window. On top of the other stresses that come with a new school year, a messy house adds just another kink in the transition from summer break to school time. Instead of trying to manage the chaos while school shopping and preparing for the new year, tackle these home organization steps now so that you can stress a little less when you drop them off on their first day back!

1. Clean out the fridge, clear it off, and restock!

Get your fridge ready for the new year. Instead of scrambling that first week back, clear out any expired foods now and get lunch supplies. Clear off all of the summer projects and invitations for events that have passed, and put any helpful information for the school year up on the fridge.

2. Inventory the kids’ closets.

Back-to-school shopping is often the best part of the process for your children. But before you head out, take an inventory of what they already have. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit and see what they may need instead of guessing while you are out shopping. Once you’ve made room for new items, organize what is left so adding new clothes and finding that first day outfit will be a breeze.

3. Create your own mission control center.

Take advantage of that wall you’ve been struggling to decorate and create a mission control center for your family. Add a calendar, a folder for each child, notepads, writing tools, and anything else that will help keep your entire family on the same page.

4. Work on making a menu.

Even when lunches are handled, dinners can be overwhelming during the school year. Between sports, activities, and everything in between, sometimes making...