What do you think of when you hear the phrase “first-time homebuyer?” Chances are you think of a couple fresh out of college and starting new jobs. Did you know that a first-time homebuyer means anyone who has not bought a home in three years? Yes, you heard that right. This can apply to anyone, whether […]
What is a Kick-out clause
You may have seen the phrase “kick-out clause” and wondered what it meant. As used in a real estate contract, it allows a Seller to accept a Purchaser’s contingent offer to purchase his/her property, while allowing the Seller to continue to market the property. The length of time can be for 24-, 48- or 72 […]
Should you call the listing agent?
Here at Solutions we get a lot of questions from potential buyers about the proper protocol for seeing a listing – should they go to see it with a buyer’s agent or simply call the listing agent? Buyers might wonder if only the listing agent should show a home. Yes, an agent is obligated to […]
Buying New Construction? An Experienced Real Estate Agent is a Must on Your Side
When a Charlottesville area buyer wants to go the new construction route there are several factors to consider. While an existing house can be inspected and everything is already in view, it can be difficult to picture exactly what you think you’re going to get with a brand new home. Sometimes, what you see in […]
Always Check out the Neighborhood Before You Decide to Buy
Imagine shopping for your dream home in the Charlottesville area market in the springtime. It’s easy to get in an expectant frame of mind when all of the flowering dogwoods and azaleas are in full bloom and it appears that Open House signs are dotting every street on the weekends. You know that inventory is […]
Things to Avoid Before You Close on Your New Home
Now that the contract has been ratified, the home inspection period has passed and everything agreed to, buyers may think that everything is smooth sailing until they close on their new home. Right? Not quite. There are a number of other things buyers must NOT do before the final settlement date. If they’ve been approved […]
What is an “Escalation Clause” and when would a Buyer want to use it?
Here at Solutions, we recommend that our Buyers get pre-qualified with a local Charlottesville lender so they can be ready to move quickly as soon as that “just right” house hits the market. What is an Escalation Clause? This leads us to the question of the escalation clause, which is defined as “a real estate contract, […]
James Friend Dickerson joins Charlottesville Solutions
Good news travels fast and having James Friend Dickerson join us at Charlottesville Solutions is certainly good news! Jim is a wonderful addition to Solutions as he brings years of experience and exceptional customer service. A native of Central Virginia, James lived in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and Louisa Counties before heading to Virginia Tech to study Forestry […]
Charlottesville Solutions is a Green Business
What do I mean by this? When we opened the doors at Solutions, two years ago, I had a few simple rules for myself and our agents. One of the most important rules was “never hand me a piece of paper“. The story actually started several years ago. I wrote a blog post in […]
Charlottesville Solutions welcomes Sybil Mahanes
Well the word is out and we are very excited to announce that Sybil Mahanes has joined Charlottesville Real Estate Solutions. Sybil was born and raised in Charlottesville Virginia. Her love of the area and its people is infectious. Prior to real estate, Sybil was the owner of the Ivy Store, a landmark in Western […]
Explaining Virginia’s new Buyer Brokerage Agreement law
New Virginia Buyer Brokerage Agreement law What you need to know as of July 1, 2012 If you’re thinking of purchasing a home in Virginia, you’ll want to know that there’s a new Agency law that will take effect on July 1 that will change the way you can see houses no matter where you […]
First meeting with Charles in Charlottesville
As my clients know I love the Charlottesville area and I love showing Charlottesville Real Estate and Homes to my clients. A lot of factors go into the decision to relocate to a new area and one thing I have learned is that no two clients are alike in this regard. If time permits, we will […]
Use a local Charlottesville Buyers Agent
When looking to buy a home in Charlottesville, or any area for that matter, logic dictates that you use a highly skilled local Charlottesville buyers agent. However, I see so many people go against this logic. So let’s look at why. A Local Charlottesville Buyers Agent Knows The Market This just makes good sense. Most Buyers […]
Where is Charles?
You may have noticed an uncharacteristic lack of blogging on my part over the last week … there is a good reason for that. I am dictating this post for my wife to type from my hospital bed at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville Virginia, where I am recovering from an unexpected surgery. Last Monday […]
Can an Agent sell anywhere in Virginia?
Can an AGENT sell anywhere in the State? The answer is YES, But should they is the real question. To me the correct answer is that an agent should sell where they are the expert. I am licensed to Sell Real Estate in the Commonwealth of Virginia but that does not mean, I will sell homes […]
DUAL AGENCY-STOP IT
Ok, this, I know is a touchy subject but here it goes… I do not believe that we should allow Dual Agency. Here is how Dual Agency is decribed in Virginia: Dual Agency Occasionally a buyer will wish to make an offer on a property listed by the buyer agent’s firm, or even by the […]