Dunbarton Duplex Report: May-June 2016

Dunbarton Duplex Report:  May-June 2016

We are in between thunder storms in Bristow, VA.  I bet it would feel great to step outside right now.  It was so humid earlier today that it felt like you were wading through soup just walking to the mailbox.  Days like these are great to stay inside and enjoy the fact that your A/C is working.

Right now, I am going to catch you up on the latest for Dunbarton duplexes in this Dunbarton Duplex Report.  This particular edition focuses on sales activity in May and June.

There were three sales of Dunbarton duplexes from the beginning of May to end of June.  The high sold price was $360,000.  The low sold price was $337,000.  The average of all three sales gives us our new average market value for Dunbarton duplexes of $346,333.  That is almost a 1% increast since last report.  More importantly, it is over a 13% increase since last year.

If you placed your Dunbarton duplex on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract in an average of ninety-seven days.  You could also expect that buyers looking for a Dunbarton duplex won’t need closing cost help.  None of the three sales this report gave any.

The next Dunbarton Duplex Report will be out in September and will focus on sales activity for July and August.  Until then, when you are ready to sell your Dunbarton duplex, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value.  We can also go over my unique marketing plan that allows me to sell millions in Bristow real estate year after year.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Single Family Home Report for May-June 2016 click the link.

 

Statistics compiled using MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

Dunbarton Single Family Home Report: May-June 2016

Dunbarton Single Family Home Report:  May-June 2016

The hot soupy atmosphere outside earlier today has given way to some serious thunderstorms in Bristow.  Nothing better to do on a stormy evening than catch up on things, like this Dunbarton Single Family Home Report.  This particular edition will focus on sales activity between May and June.

There were quite a few single family homes in Dunbarton that sold between the beginning of May and end of June.  The high sold price was $389,900 and the low sold price was $322,500.  Four of six of these sales were two bedroom homes, and the same number had no basements.  The average of all six sales gives us our new average market value for Dunbarton single family homes of $356,333.  That’s a decrease of 12% since last report and a decrease of over 7.5% since last year.

If you placed your Dunbarton detached single family home on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract in eighty days.  It is true that homes in age restricted communities like Dunbarton do take longer to sell.  You could also expect to pay more than 1/2 of 1% of the sales price in closing cost help to the buyer.

The next Dunbarton Single Family Home Report will be out in September.  Until then, when you are ready to list your Dunbarton home, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value and a discussion about what I will do to get your home sold.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Duplex Report for May-June 2016, click the link.

 

Statistics compiled using MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

Dunbarton Duplex Report: March-April 2016

Dunbarton Duplex Report:  March-April 2016

Welcome to another edition of the Dunbarton Duplex Report.  In this edition we will look back at the sales activity for duplexes (attached single family homes) between the months of March and April.  We will have only our last report to ping back to for comparison.  As this is only our second report of duplex sales in Dunbarton, year to year comparisons were run strictly for the purposes of this report.

Just like the first two months of the year, there was only one Dunbarton duplex that sold between the months of March and April.  It was an Ayres model with a fully finished basement with a window well exit.  It sold for $344,000.  That sold price becomes our point of comparison for duplex values for this current report.  Compared to last report, it shows nearly a 13% jump in value.   Compared to last year, over an 11% increase in value.  Does that mean your Dunbarton duplex is worth 11% more than it was last year, or 13% more than it was last month?  No.  The sales last report had no basement, neither did the one last year.  That doesn’t mean your Dunbarton duplex hasn’t increased in value, but a larger sample of comparable sales would have to be made to determine your home’s value.

If you placed your Dunbarton duplex on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract (according to this sale) in 150 days.  That may or may not actually be the case.  For instance, last fall I represented a buyer who was having a hard time finding a Dunbarton duplex to buy.  She snatched one up before it ever hit the market.  As for closing cost help, you might expect that you would give a little over 1/2% of the sales price in closing cost help.

The next Dunbarton Duplex Report will be out in July and will focus on sales activity for May and June.  Until then, when you are ready to sell your Dunbarton duplex, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value.  We can also go over my unique marketing plan that allows me to sell millions in Bristow real estate year after year.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Single Family Home Report for March-April 2016 click the link.

 

Statistics compiled using MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

Dunbarton Single Family Home Values: March-April 2016

Dunbarton Single Family Home Values:  March-April 2016

It is time for another Dunbarton Single Family Home Value Report.  In this edition, we will focus on sales of single family homes in Dunbarton between the months of March and April.  Since this is only my second report in the series, we’ll only have reference to our last report.  Data referenced for last year was run just for comparison’s sake, but does not exist in a stand alone report.

There were two single family homes that sold in Dunbarton between March and April.  One was a three bedroom, four bathroom Patuxent III with a finished basement that sold for $392,000.  The other was a four bedroom/three bathroom James Madison with a full, unfinished basement that sold for $420,000.  The average of both sales gives us our new average market value of $406,000 for a Dunbarton detached home.

Right off the bat, you have to realize that basements are not the norm for every Dunbarton single family home.  So when I tell that this new average market value is an 11% increase since last report, you have to bear in mind that many Dunbarton single family homes do not have a basement.  Our last report had five resales reported and two of them had no basement, two had unfinished basements.  So the comparison is not as broad a spectrum this report.  Compared to last year, however, values are up 6%.

If you placed your Dunbarton single family home on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract in an average of 13 days.  You could also expect to pay an average of a little over 1% of the sales price in closing cost help to the buyer.

The next Dunbarton Single Family Home Report will be out in July.  Until then, when you are ready to list your Dunbarton home, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value and a discussion about what I will do to get your home sold.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Duplex Report for March-April 2016, click the link.

 

Statistics compiled using MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

Dunbarton Duplex Values: January-February 2016

Dunbarton Duplex Values:  January-February 2016

When I began my real estate career in 2005, I also decided to start compiling bi-monthly property value reports for my neighborhood of Braemar.  Over the years, I have added more reports so home owners of the various home types have an idea of what current property values are doing.  For 2016, I am adding property value reports for Dunbarton.  This is the first Dunbarton Duplex Value Report and will focus on sales of attached single family homes in Braemar’s Dunbarton for the first two months of the year.

There was only one duplex that sold in Dunbarton during the months of January and February.  It was an Ayres model that listed for $300,000 and sold for $305,000.  It had been listed prior to its foreclosure and was hard to tour as there were items all over the floors.  Once it went to foreclosure, it didn’t last long.  The sold price of $305,000 represents a decrease from the average market value of 4.5% since November and December.  However, since there were no sales of Dunbarton duplexes in the first two months of 2015, we have no year to year comparison.

If you placed your Dunbarton duplex on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract in about a week and a half.  You may not even have to pay closing cost help to the buyer.  This sale didn’t.

The next Dunbarton Duplex Report will be out in May and will focus on sales activity for March and April.  Until then, when you are ready to sell your Dunbarton duplex, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value.  We can also go over my unique marketing plan that allows me to sell millions in Bristow real estate year after year.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Single Family Home Report for January-February 2016, click this link.

 

Statistics compiled using the MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

 

 

Dunbarton Single Family Home Values: January-February 2016

Dunbarton Single Family Home Values:  January-February 2016

Since 2005, I have been compiling property value reports for Braemar.  In recent years, I have have added more and more reports for the variety of homes the community offers.  This year, I have decided to add property value reports for Dunbarton.  This report will feature sales of detached single family homes sold in the first two months of 2016.

Between the months of January and February there were five single family homes sold in Dunbarton.  Their sold prices ranged from $335,000 to $449,900.  Represented in these sales were three two bedrom homes and two four bedroom homes.  The average of all five sold prices gives us the average market value for a Dunbarton single family detached home of $366,080.  Compared to the last two months of 2015, this is a 1% increase in average value.  Compared to one year ago, it is over a 6.5% increase in average value.

If you placed your Dunbarton single family detached home on the market, priced to current conditions, you could expect it to be under contract in an average of 100 days.  You could also expect a buyer to request an average of about 1% of the sales price in closing cost help.

The next Dunbarton Single Family Home Report will be out in May.  Until then, when you are ready to list your Dunbarton home, give me a call for a free market analysis of your specific home’s value and a discussion about what I will do to get your home sold.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

To see the Dunbarton Duplex Report for January-February 2016, click this link.

 

Statistics compiled using MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.)

Modern Day Two Bedroom Cottage in Dunbarton–Just Sold for $350,000

Modern Day Two Bedroom Cottage in Dunbarton–Just Sold for $350,000

On October 15th, I had the privilege of becoming the second Listing Agent to 13243 Ormond Drive in Dunbarton.  It is always an honor to be chosen as the second agent, when the sellers have had no success with a previous agent.  In this case, their listing had been active for 125 days before I listed it on October 15, 2015.

When I first spoke with the Sellers, it was obvious to me that part of the problem with their not having any traffic through the home was the list price.  They had been listed at $374,900, and lowered their price to $369,900.  Even at that lower price, I had to show them at larger homes were selling for less than they were asking.  And there was a home exactly like theirs in terms of location and floor plan that was listed for $349,900.  No buyer was likely to be willing to pay $20,000 more for their home.  Thankfully, the market conditions resonated with the Sellers as did my recommendations to price at a more reasonable $358,000.

Not letting the dissatisfaction of the previous agent carry over to me, I set myself apart with my service and abilities.  I made multiple trips to the property to make sure the east and west facing rooms were all photographed with an abundance of light.  And since the property was now vacant, I made sure to add some fluff in the form of light staging.  Towels, flowers, dishes, coffee mugs all helped warm up the vacant space.  Communicating with the Sellers on a regular basis, never letting them feel abandoned is another hallmark of how I do business.  .And when daylight savings time came to an end and natural light was gone at 5pm, I placed white holiday lights to brighten up the otherwise dark spaces.  The home welcomed anyone who couldn’t find a light switch in those dark winter evenings.

It worked!  Sixty-four days after listing with me, about the half the time they had invested with their previous agent, this Dunbarton home had an offer on December 16th.

While the home most like their that has listed for $349,900 had closed recently for $340,000, the appraisal did become a point of concern.  Showing what made me different than their previous agent, I met the appraiser at the property with comps and information about the property to make sure we weren’t immediately pigeon-holed as $340,000.  Again, it worked.

This Patuxent III model by US Homes sold for its contracted price of $350,000 on January 29th, 2016.  

If you want to avoid wasting valuable time with the wrong listing agent, give me a call for a free market analysis of your home’s specific value and make the right choice from the start.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

Santa Brought This Dunbarton Home a Contract!

Santa Brought This Dunbarton Home a Contract!

On October 15th (2015,) I listed this Patuxent model in Dunbarton at 13243 Ormond Drive.  As the second listing agent, the listing came to me with 125 accumulated days on the market.  Thankfully, the Sellers understood that their list price needed adjusting after our initial discussion.  While they had been listed at $369,900 with their previous listing agent, we landed on $358,000 as a reasonable asking price.

One thing I uncovered during our comparable market analysis was the average marketing time for a similiar sized home in Dunbarton, at the time, was 46 days.  That gave the Sellers and I a reasonable expectation of when we could expect an offer, if we were priced right.

The market did slow down a bit, as discussion of government shutdown came and went.  Meanwhile, always with a mind toward marketing, I did some preliminary staging and updated it as the listing lingered on the market.

On December 16th, after 62 days on the market, we got an offer!  It was a little longer than the average, but half the time of the previously unsuccessful attempt to sell.  Two days later, we were officially under contract.  You’ll have to stay tuned for the final details.

Buyers don’t stop house hunting over the holidays.  In fact, traffic has picked up in Bristow as the year end holidays get closer.  If you are talking to an agent who writes off anything but the spring and summer selling season, you might want to talk with an agent that KNOWS the market is active year round in Bristow.

When you are ready to sell your Braemar or Dunbarton home, give me a call.  No One Knows Braemar Better!

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

 

Just Sold in Dunbarton: Two Bedroom Duplex for $334,000

Just Sold in Dunbarton:  Two Bedroom Duplex for $334,000

When a buyer identifies a particular floor plan that they like in a specific neighborhood, it can be a blessing or a curse.  It depends on your outlook as their
agent.  For those agents that worry that the type of home their buyer wants is not on the market, it’s a curse.  For agents like me, it is a blessing.  If I know exactly what a buyer wants, I can get together a list of those homes in the neighborhood the buyer wants and a letter to send to the owners expressing my buyer’s interest in it.  Sometimes you uncover an owner that may have been considering selling, but hasn’t consulted an agent.  Those are homes for sale that no one knows about…except for you and your buyer.

This sale unfolded because my Buyer told me exactly what she wanted:   an Ayres model duplex in Dunbarton.  She chose to work with me because she found a lot of Bristow real estate information from me online.  We looked at the one that was available for sale, which was occupied by a hoarder.  No dice.  And we tried some other home styles on for size.  Nope.  It was an Ayres or bust.  So we waited, until I got tired of waiting and mailed out letters to owners of Ayres models.  We got to see two homes that no one else knew about, but neither quite fit the bill.  One was too big (it had a basement) and the other would have been fine had it not been on a corner lot.

Then, a past client in the neighborhood who knew about my letter writing campaign, searching for an Ayres, called and told me about a friend she had that was considering moving.  A few days later, my Buyer and I went to check it out.  It was stunning.  No detail was overlooked from the seamless shower and framed mirrors in the master bathroom, to the hickory cabinets with under cabinet lighting and tumbled marbled back splash in the kitchen.  The place was gorgeous.

My Buyer made an offer and I presented it to the Seller, who had decided to go For Sale By Owner in the transaction.  My Buyer gave the Seller the price she wanted.  The Seller, in turn, gave some closing help to my Buyer.  A little more than sixty days later, they had the friendliest settlement I can imagine on October 21st, 2015, when the duplex changed hands for $334,000.

When you know exactly what you want, hire an agent that isn’t afraid to go find it for you if it isn’t on the market.  And if want you want is in Braemar or Braemar’s Dunbarton, call me.  No One Knows Braemar Better!

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com

Just Listed in Braemar’s Dunbarton: Modern Day Cottage for $358,000

Just Listed in Braemar’s Dunbarton:  Modern Day Cottage for $358,000

Did you know that Braemar has an Active Adult section of the community named Dunbarton?  Well, this is a modern day two bedroom, three bathroom cottage in Dunbarton for $358,000.

Located at 13243 Ormond Drive, this Patuxent model by Patriot Homes is a crowd pleaser.  A long foyer entry brings in beside the second bedroom.  The bay window in this bedroom gets soaked in early morning light with its southeast exposure.  A full bathroom just outside its door, but separated from the rest of the home by the staircase to the loft, makes it a great guest suite.

The Master Suite is on the other side of the staircase to the loft and has a large walk-in closet and attached full bathroom with dual sinks/vanity and a seamless shower.  It’s just the right size.

Outside is the open floor plan with a soaring vaulted ceiling in the family room.  From here you can see the kitchen, breakfast nook and dining area.  All are open to each other.

The kitchen has more granite counter space than you will probably ever need.  And the cabinet space includes a pantry with pull out shelves from top to bottom.  Such a fantastic every day convenience.

One really unique feature of this home is the two sided gas fireplace.  You first notice it in the family room, but step back into the sun room with its three walls of windows drenched in late afternoon light, and you see the other side.  The sun room, is by far, my favorite nook of the house.

The loft overlooks the foyer on one side, and the family room on the other.  It’s a very modern space with its own full bathroom.  You could have a make shift guest suite up here.

Outside is a fully fenced backyard and paver patio.  It is private feeling lot with a large berm just beyond the fence.  The power line easement just beyond the berm means no one will ever built behind your home.

Active Adult communities have age restrictions, and Dunbarton is no exception.  At least one resident in each home must be 55 or older.  There are also no residents allowed below 18.  The community itself has an indoor pool, billard/game room, party room and an exercise room.  There’s even a putting green outside their clubhouse.  All that AND they have access to all the Braemar amenities.

If this home is something you want to take a closer look at, give me a call.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker-Licensed in VA

Long & Foster REALTORS®, Manassas VA

703-402-0037, ChrisAnn@LNF.com

www.SellingBraemar.com, www.UncompromisingValues.com