Elegant end-unit townhome perfectly situated downtown. A walking path leads from the community to the VRE commuter lot, creating an easy walk from the home to the train station. Granite countertops, double wall oven, breakfast area w/ balcony, gas FP, chair rail moulding, jetted soaking tub,huge master w/ sitting area, two car garage and so much more! Fabulous downtown living! You. Must. See.

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The video below was created based on market statistics from last month (November 2013.) If you have questions about the market and what the information means for your situation, please call us at (540) 538-7222. We would be happy to provide you with an in-depth outlook of current market conditions.

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Recently I walked into a store and was on the fence about making a somewhat significantly priced purchase for my business.  As I walked in, I was thinking that if a salesperson approached me and offered the guidance I was looking for and if I trusted them, I would leave the store with the item in hand.

So, I walked into the store and found the item that I was pondering purchasing.  I stood in front of the item, read about it, read about the competing items, and made eye contact with the clerk on two different occasions.  But, the clerk never approached me, never asked if I needed help, and in fact she acted as if I wasn’t there.  Some time later I exited the store without the item.

As I walked back to my truck I was thinking about what had transpired, and of course related it back to my business of selling homes in the Fredericksburg real estate market.  I am in the market for the item I was looking at, I am very likely to purchase the item soon, BUT I won’t be purchasing it at that store or with that clerk.  All the salesperson would have had to do was ask me if I needed help and answer a few basic questions.  The sale would have happened.  But her complete lack of responsiveness turned me off and prevented the sale.

It’s no different with selling homes.  If someone calls a real estate agent from seeing the sign in front of a home, or from seeing a listing on the Internet there are some things that are likely true.

• They are in the market for a home
• They are likely to purchase home soon
• But, the big question is… will it be the home your agent has listed?

A far larger percentage of agents than you might think will act just like the salesperson I described above.  They will ignore the customer and act as if they never called or emailed them.  The call or email that they ignore may have been the best buyer for that home… but that buyer will move on to another home and another real estate agent.

Despite all the marketing technology and information solutions available today, real estate consumers still want two basic things.  They want someone to respond to their inquiries in a timely fashion and they want that someone to be honest and caring.  A simple returned phone call from a caring real estate agent is often the single most important thing that facilitates a home being sold.

Recently I was involved in a Fredericksburg real estate negotiation where the potential buyer became concerned that the previous owner may have died in the house.  The owner had not died in the house, but it seemed as if the buyer was so nervous about it that she just couldn’t go forward with the transaction.

I haven’t encountered this situation often over the years, but it appears there might be a resource for those who are concerned about whether someone has died in the home they wish to purchase or lease.  A new website called DiedInHouse.com.

The text below is directly from the DiedinHouse.com website.  For $11.99 a concerned buyer, renter or owner can do a search of a single address.  I am not making any endorsements as to the accuracy of the site, as I have not tried it myself.  But, if you are concerned, this might be just what you are looking for.  Check it out…

DiedinHouse.com was founded in 2013 by a software development company based in Chapin, SC. The Died in House ™ service is the first of its kind; it provides users with death records associated to a specific address. The system instantly searches over 118 million records and that number continues to grow daily. The company is not only focusing on increasing the amount of data, but also increasing the age of their data. The Died in House ™ system contains data for all 50 states. We are in the process of making the Died in House ™ service available in other countries.

It’s that time of year!  Starting in about 15 minutes, I will shut down most of my work and focus on exclusive family time for the next few days.  I don’t necessarily look at it truly as a day of thanksgiving.  I have reached a season in my life where I write down and focus upon my blessings everyday, not just on Thanksgiving.

BUT, I do cherish this holiday because it is all about family and fun.  I love the excitement that shows itself on my wife’s face and the extra pep in her step that is evident from mid November through Christmas.  I love the time I get to spend with her and both of my children.  This is a time that is uninterrupted by our normal schedules.  I love time spent decorating the Christmas tree, and watching Christmas and Thanksgiving television programs and movies. Christmas with the Kranks is playing at the Edmisten’s tonight!

So, before I turn off work, I wanted to wish everyone who might see this message, a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday.  I pray that your blessings are boundless.