Patrick Duffy's Real Estate Blog

If you’re looking at one of the many Woodbridge homes for sale (and especially when reading about buying a home), you’ve probably already read articles that ask, “How much house can you afford?” and “Can you really afford the mortgage for a new home?” From beginning to end, to get a good estimate, you’ll need to figure monthly payments, loan qualification guidelines, closing costs and much more. Frankly, all those calculations can set your head to reeling.

To cut down on some of the frustration, save a few trees from the paper you’d use up and help give you a better guestimate, I’ve decided to go looking for the best real estate calculators I could find on the Net. Here are my top 3 picks I’ve come across:

#3. Real Estate Calculator Suite – This product seems to be an excellent choice for anyone, whether you’re a homebuyer, seller or even, yes, a real estate agent like me. Sixteen different real estate and mortgage calculators can help you figure out refinancing costs, amortization schedules – even whether it’s better to rent or buy one the Woodbridge homes for sale. Although it’s $40.00, which might seem rather expensive to many, it could more than make up for the time you’d spend staring at a sheet of paper and numbers. To top it all off, it even includes a home inspection form and to do list for movers, tying your buying or selling experience up nicely.

#2. Yahoo! Real Estate Calculators – You can’t beat a search engine for information, and the Yahoo! Real Estate really does a thorough job in collecting a fantastic amount of calculators. Budgeting and finance, mortgage refinancing, deciding fixed or adjustable rate mortgages and more are all available on this one page. The major upside as compared to the Real Estate Calculator Suite is that it’s free.

#1. CNNMoney.com – CNN isn’t a worldwide news network for nothing, and they’ve taken their complete coverage to calculators. On one page, you have over thirty calculators to figure out everything. Compare costs of living for any area, figure out how much house you can afford, calculate the gain or loss on your home and more. As a bonus, it’s all free, too.

I ranked CNNMoney.com as the top due to the amazing amount of information you can gain in one place. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t try one of the others, or even all three. If you want one of the Woodbridge homes for sale, get to calculating, get informed and see what you can accomplish.

Or, you can contact me, and I’ll do the figuring for you.  Call me at 703-403-0536 or email me at patrick@patrickduffyrealtor.com for more information.

Links:  (if you have a calculator on your website, add it to this list and link to it)

Real Estate Calculator Suite – http://www.realestatecalculatorsuite.com/index.htm

Yahoo! Real Estate Calculators – http://realestate.yahoo.com/calculators

CNNMoney.com – http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/

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Halloween is just around the corner, but if you’re looking at the homes for sale in Woodbridge, it’s probably the first-time buyer fears that have your knees shaking. Hey, buying a house seems like such a final thing, so that’s understandable. It could be the biggest change in your life – EVER!

Now that I’ve thrown some scary thoughts your way, let’s take a turn at facing those first-time buyer fears.

Am I crazy? No, you’re a first-time buyer. You may alternate between periods of paranoia, confidence, nervousness and calm, but you aren’t crazy to want to buy one of the homes for sale in Woodbridge.

Is this really the right time to buy a house? The best way to answer this question is with a few questions. Do you have good credit? Do you have a decent job? If the answers to these questions are “yes,” then there’s never a bad time to buy the right house. Especially now, with tons of inventory, record low interest rates and the $8000 tax credit.

What if I don’t pick the right neighborhood? What if I buy, move in, hate it, and then can’t turn around and sell the house? An understandable fear; one of the most common horror stories is moving into the perfect house, right next to the neighbor from the Black Lagoon. This is why it’s imperative to do your research (or, at the very least, tell your real estate agent exactly what kind of neighborhood you want). With the Internet, you can find out everything from the crime rate of an area to the quality of the schools.

What if I lose my job? I won’t say that’s not a possibility. However, keep in mind that you have the same question when you’re renting. The difference is that if you can’t pay the rent, you can be evicted within days, depending on where you currently live. While some lenders may do the same, most lenders don’t want to foreclose and are willing to work with you to keep you in the home and making your payments. In addition, many are willing to wait for at least two months of nonpayment before starting the foreclosure process.

If you’ve been a renter all your life and are looking at the homes for sale in Woodbridge, take a deep breath. Yes, it’s scary and yes, the worries can give you worse nightmares than the freakiest Halloween you’ve ever experienced. However, remember what made you decide to start looking in the first place. If those reasons still exist, go for it!

If you’re looking for that perfect, affordable home, I can make the whole process less scary and fear free. Call me at 703-403-0536 or email me at patrick@patrickduffyrealtor.com for more information.

Links:

Record low interest rates – http://www.cnbc.com/id/32350362

Crime rate of an area – http://www.bestplaces.net/Default.aspx

Lenders don’t want to foreclose – http:/howto-you.com/family/episode-36-why-lenders-dont-want-to-foreclose

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14412 Brandon Court
Woodbridge, VA 22193

List Price: $185,000
3BR/3BA
MLS: PW7097430

Our Freedom Select Homes Program delivers another beautifully renovated home!  As you would expect with a FSH this brick front (and back) home features NEW:

Stainless steel appliances
Hardwood floors
Ceramic tile floors
Ceramic tile backsplash in kitchen
Cabinets
Countertops
Fresh paint
Recessed lighting
and so much more!

To receive more information about this or any other Freedom Select Home in our inventorty, please call me at 703-403-0536 or email me at patrick@patrickduffyrealtor.com.

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These are just a few of the pictures I took of this just completed renovation in Woodbridge, VA.  This home starred in the video I posted yesterday.  How about that kitchen! (the blue on the refrigerator and range is a protective plastic)

For more information about this home or any other home in our Freedom Select Homes Inventory, please contact me at 703-403-0536 / patrick@usrlty.com.  Additional updates are available by following me at http://twitter.com/patduffyrealtor.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgAsqzZ5WJ8]

3BR/2.5BA Townhome

What a stunner!

We start with a wonderful front porch perfect for relaxing on with your friends and loved ones and then move inside to an eye-popping main level with shiny hardwoods and ceramic tile in the powder room and kitchen.  As you would come to expect with a home sold as part of our Freedom Select Homes Program, the kitchen really packs a punch with a beautiful stainless steel appliance package, new cabinets and countertops, and a ceramic tile backsplash!

The upstairs features new carpet and two full baths with new ceramic tile floors and matching tile to the ceiling in the showers.  The lower level features a HUGE rec room with new carpet.

Other features in this renovation are fresh paint, new fixtures and vanities in the bathrooms, and new windows.

The Freedom Select Homes Program (FSH) is offered exclusively by U.S. Realty Partners, Inc.  The goal of the FSH is to provide an affordable and safe atmosphere, coupled with a quality living environment. By turning once unoccuppied and often unfinancable homes into beatifully renovated homes, the program also seeks to strengthen the area’s housing market.

For more information this or any other homes currently in the FSH inventory, please contact me at 703-403-0536 / patrick@usrlty.com.

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12806 Frontier Lane, Woodbridge VA

WOW!  This home has wonderful curb appeal as you can see.  Stepping inside this 3BR townhouse you are immediately greeted by the wonderful upgrades it received.  Hardwood floors throughout the main level and fresh paint with the trim to make it pop really make the main level a sight to behold.  A well appointed kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a ceramic tile backsplash is here for the new owner to whip up a quick mid week meal or host aThanksgiving feast!

The upper level features new carpet and updated bathrooms with ceramic tile and new fixtures.

This home, located in highly sought after Old Bridge Estates, was sold as part of our Freedom Select Homes Program.

The Freedom Select Homes Program (FSH) is offered exclusively by U.S. Realty Partners, Inc.  The goal of the FSH is to provide an affordable and safe atmosphere, coupled with a quality living environment. By turning once unoccuppied and often unfinancable homes into beatifully renovated homes, the program also seeks to strengthen the area’s housing market.

For more information on homes currently in the FSH inventory, please contact me at 703-403-0536 / patrick@usrlty.com.

Sold: August 5, 2009 for $173,200

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTO3Rf3TW9M]

This 3BR townhouse in Woodbridge became quite spectacular.  The video just doesn’t do it justice!  Beautiful hardwood floors throughout the main level and a kitchen that packs a ton of sizzle made this home very popular when it was listed.  Sold as part of our Freedom Select Homes Program, this home also features new: ceramic tile in all bathrooms, ceramic tile backsplash in the kitchen, cabinets, countertops, carpet, paint, fixtures, vanities, and so much more.

The Freedom Select Homes Program (FSH) is offered exclusively by U.S. Realty Partners, Inc.  The goal of the FSH is to provide an affordable and safe atmosphere, coupled with a quality living environment. By turning once unoccuppied and often unfinancable homes into beatifully renovated homes, the program also seeks to strengthen the area’s housing market.

For more information on homes currently in the FSH inventory, please contact me at 703-403-0536 / patrick@usrlty.com.

Sold: August 3, 2009 for $175,000

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R4lKlgot7I]

This single family home in Woodbridge is currently under renovation. When complete, this home will shine with new hardwood floors, ceramic tile, carpet, stainless steel appliances, fixtures, paint and much more.

Stay tuned for future updates, including a video of the amazing finished product.

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