Tips for a Smooth House Closing When it comes to finding your dream home, there are many steps along the way to a smooth closing. After you’ve identified your perfect house – negotiated the contract, applied and approved for a loan, inspected and agreed to repairs and/or credits – the last step is the most […]
Considering Moving abroad
If you think moving across town or a few states over is hard, consider what’s involved with moving to another country. As exciting as a move abroad can be, it’s also complicated — with a seemingly endless number of issues thrown at you as you make your way from Point A to Point B across […]
How to Get Ready to Move
You’ve gotten your house contact signed and are on your way to the settlement date, but there might be one hiccup left along the way – how are you going to move everything? While you’re excited about all the possibilities a new home can bring, this might also be the perfect time to get rid […]
Tips For Keeping Your Home Safe
Protecting your home and family go hand in hand. With the help of a little research, finding the right home security tools will prepare a homeowner, whether they’re just moving in, are already living in or are in the process of selling a house, for whatever may happen. Most burglaries occur on weekdays between 10 […]
If You Can Rent in Charlottesville You Can Own in Charlottesville
Newly elected CAAR president Anthony McGhee recently said that he believed, “If you can rent in Charlottesville you can own in Charlottesville.” Here at Solutions, we thought this was worth investigating. Should you buy or rent? This is a question most of us will likely face in our lives, whether buying a house makes more […]
Questions your Realtor may not legally be able to answer
As REALTORS®, we get asked many questions by Buyers. We’re happy to help answer as many as we can, ones like: how old is the roof on a house, or does it use gas or electrical heat? Your Solutions agent can tell you pretty much anything you need to know about a home you’re hoping […]
Moving Checklist
Moving Checklist It’s that time of year again – college students are heading back to school and anxious parents are trying not to forget anything along the way. Moving to your dorm room or apartment is the same as moving into a new house – just on a slightly smaller scale. We have some great […]
What to do with a Low Home Appraisal
What to do with a Low Home Appraisal In the home-buying process, there are several crucial steps along the way that Sellers and Buyers alike will have to navigate: the home inspection, radon test, title issues, getting a survey and negotiating when an appraisal comes in significantly lower than the accepted offer. When this […]
Pros and Cons of a HOA
We’re often asked by prospective Buyers first, what’s an HOA and what does it cover, and second, what are the pros and cons of living in a neighborhood with an HOA? The first is relatively simple to answer. You’re required to join an HOA – or Home Owners Association – when you purchase a condominium, […]
Interview with a Professional Home Inspector
Interview with a Professional Home Inspector Having an inspection done is the only way for Sellers and Buyers to know the state of a house, at a given point in time, and have a general understanding of what to look out for in the way of potential upcoming repairs. Your home inspector wants the process […]
Ways to Prepare for Your Home Inspection
Ways to Prepare for Your Home Inspection After you’ve fallen in love with your dream home, ratified the contract and contacted your lender, the next vital step in the buying process – for both Sellers and Buyers – is the home inspection. Having an inspection done is the only way for Sellers and Buyers to […]
Will Bookcases Become Obsolete?
Will Bookcases Become Obsolete? With all the talk of technology, e-readers and cell phones, it appears likely for people to assume books will also go the way of the dodo – with bookcases not far behind, because, if you don’t need them for books, what use are they? To many, a house without books is […]
House Hunting – Dos and Don’ts
House Hunting – Dos and Don’ts Searching for a house can be challenging and time-consuming, and most won’t be “the one.” It’s tempting to dive right in and start looking at every open house listed in the paper or online. But before you dedicate your weekends, you need to know what you’re looking for. In […]
Pros & Cons of Removing Shoes Before Showing a House
Pros & Cons of Removing Shoes Before Showing a House Sellers want their houses shown in the best light, and many think that asking potential Buyers and their agents to remove their shoes is the perfect solution – thereby keeping their houses clean and dirt-free. Some Sellers, for example, may have severe asthma – so […]
Downsizing in Charlottesville
Whether you’re an empty nester moving from a house into a condo, or a renter trading in a two-bedroom for a studio, downsizing is hard— a smaller place means you don’t have room for all of your current belongings. But downsizing is also an opportunity to refresh and start anew. If you get rid of […]
Charlottesville Doctor’s Loan
Doctor Mortgage Loan Here in Charlottesville, we are home to the University of Virginia Hospital, one of the premier teaching hospitals in the state and on the East Coast. Every year in the United States,16,000 new doctors graduate from medical school and about the same number graduate from residency. Every year here in March, know […]
To Move or Not to Move Before the Baby Comes
To Move or Not to Move Before the Baby Comes Moving can be one of the most stressful things you can do under normal circumstances. But when you add in the factor of moving while pregnant – whether you’re three, five or even nine months along – this can take the stress to a whole […]
Hidden Costs of Buying a Home
Many first time homebuyers have in mind that they need at least a 20% down payment and a monthly check for the mortgage. But that’s not the entire story when it comes to buying a home. There are a mountain of “hidden” costs — from closing fees to taxes — that can add up to […]
What is PMI?
Here at Solutions, we often get asked lots of questions by first time homebuyers about all the acronyms that get thrown around by lenders when preparing an offer. For one example, what is PMI? Basically, it’s a protection for a lender. When your down payment is less than 20%, you usually have to pay for […]
Do I need a Home Humidifier?
Many people know that using humidifiers is a great idea when the weather outside starts turning colder, although it’s hard to imagine that in the summer here in the Charlottesville area when the last thing on your mind is to add moisture inside a home when it’s so hot and sweaty outside. During the colder […]
