You can borrow up to 110% of the sales price from $5,000 up to $35,000 extra to rehab your home. Need 1 bid for work to be completed from a licensed contractor.We do one appraisal with 2 values - as is and subject to completion.  Completed value must be supported.Two draws - 1. at closing for materials - cannot exceed 50% of the estimated cost                 2.  Labor when done6 months to complete the workBorrower needs 3% of sales price - can use Nehemiah grant program.Rate is about .25% higher when doing 203KWork to be performed must not cause the mortgagor to be displaced from the property for more than 30 days during the time of the rehabilitation work is being conducted.Cannot increase living space like finishing basement or putting on an addition.The following repairs can be fina... 01/01/2008

If you are looking to sell you homes in Haymarket, Virginia, you've come to the right place...  My name is Konnie McKee I a real estate agent specializing in Prince William County, and I can help.  I'll create a CMA (competitive market analysis) which basically shows you what's on the market ( your competition) and what has sold.  Buyers are looking and rates are great!  Give me a call 703 407 7088 or visit me on the web www.KonnieMac.com 12/28/2007

The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) held local hearings at four locations in Northern Virginia this past to take testimony on the applications submitted by Dominion Power and TrAILCo for a new transmission line that would run through Northern Virginia.  Almost 300 local residents spoke at the hearings, 90% in opposition.Opponents offered a variety of arguments against the proposal.  They questioned the data and analyses on the need for power presented by the line's proponents and raised questions about electricity reliability problems cited in the applications.  Many opponents requested that an independent review be performed.  Others focused on reducing electrical loads as an alternative.  Some concentrated on the need for an environmental assessment.  While many spoke abou... 12/28/2007

 In 2007, Dominion Valley made its mark in the Commonwealth as a community willing to do its part to assist the electric grid.  Dominion Valley continues to rank at the top of Prince William County's load management profile.  For about three years, all new homes were enrolled in a program that installed switches on outside air conditioning units.  During the summer, these switches are activated during peak demand periods to cycle units off for about 7-8 minutes every half-hour.  Activation does not cause any noticeable change in the comfort level.  This year, the number of households enrolled in load management nearly doubled.  Now approximately 50% of the households in the Dominion Valley community are enrolled. This is the highest participation level for load management of any large c... 12/27/2007

If you are looking to purchase a home in Haymarket, Virginia....Look no further...you are in luck!  As a Haymarket resident I am familiar with the various communities and  schools.  Haymarket has a variety of options for home seekers.  There are organized communities, with amenities, then there are the communities located on acerage, if you are looking for something unique, there are the homes located in Bull Run Mountain, many of them have amazing views....No matter what you are looking for you can cal me...Konnie McKee 703 407 7088, I can help!  or visit me on the web www.KonnieMac.com 12/21/2007

As we enjoy this holiday season, I ask everyone to reflect on the many blessings of living in a country based on freedom.  And as you sit with your love ones, please remember to say a pray for the service and sacrifices of Soldiers and civilians around the world. We remain a Nation at war in extraordinary and dangerous times. Our Soldiers continue to stand in harm's way protecting our freedom. While there are many links available, I hope that you take the time to send our brothers and sister a quick hello and let them know that they are never forgotten.AMERICA SUPPORTS YOUMay each of you, wherever you are, have a safe and joyful holiday season. God bless each of you and your families, our Military, and the United States of America.You can also find this post and others at http://www.ask... 12/21/2007

BULL RUN MOUNTAIN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES There are 12 "ACTIVE" Single Family Homes for sale in the Bull Run Mountain subdivision of Haymarket. These homes are priced from $275,000 up to $599,000. The Average Days on Market for these properties is 144 days. Currently, there is 1 Single Family Home in the Bull Run Mountain subdivision "UNDER CONTRACT". In addition, there is 1 Single Family Home available for rent priced at $1,200 per month. For Sold statistics please contact me directly. Are you interested in finding out how the real estate market has affected your area? Now you can get the latest market reports for your community just by clicking on the appropriate link. Bristow, Catharpin, Dumfries, Gainesville, Haymarket, Manassas, Nokesville, Occoquan, Triangle, Woodbridge, and neighbori... 12/15/2007

 This is a market update for Dominion Valley Country Club, located in Haymarket, Viriginia.  Dominion Valley is a gorgeous gated golf community.  It is extremely well manicured, with many amenities, such as, fitness center, indoor basketball court, swimming pools, walking trails.  There are currently 63 single family homes on the market in Dominion Valley in the price range of $369000 t0 $1,195,000There are currently 8 single family homes under contract in Dominion Valley, in the price range of $450,000 to $835,000In the Last 30 days, five homes have sold with listing prices from $575,000 to $999,000 If you are looking to buy or sell a home in the Haymarket area or Northern Virginia, Call me.....Konnie McKee 703 407 7088 or stop by and visit me on the web www.KonnieMac.com 12/14/2007

If you are...how do you decide which agent to use?  To be honest, fundamentally, we all are capable of doing, pretty much the same thing...right?? I mean, we all use the MLS to list our homes, put up signs, lock boxes etc.  But what makes a good agent...?  When you are interviewing agents, are credentials important to you??  If so, go with the agent who has the most credentials.  If it is important to you, how long they have been an agent, and how many homes they have sold...go with the agent who has racked up the years and the sales....OR, you could ask questions as Basic as this  "What are you going to do for me?"  It's a pretty simple question, but that's the point.  Real Estate isn't complicated, it is, however hard work, so interview agents, find out how they will treat you, as a c... 12/14/2007

As a resident of Dominion Valley and Navy Reserve Officer, I was proud to learn the history behind the name of the new elementary school being constructed in our community.  Vice Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr. (June 4, 1922 - October 22, 2004) is a perfect role model for our young children.  "Success in life is the result of several factors. My formula is simply education plus motivation plus perseverance. Education is paramount. Motivation: one must decide what he wants to do in life, how best to get there and to proceed relentlessly towards that goal. Perseverance: The ability to steadfastly proceed to your goal despite all obstacles. It is the ability to overcome." - Admiral GravelyThe first African American commissioned as an officer from the Navy Reserve Officer Training Course (N... 12/14/2007

Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Elementary School is on track to open next September.  However, there is still much to be done.  If you are living in the Dominion Valley, your child could be affected by the new school boundaries.  The Prince William County School Board is scheduled to receive the Boundary Planning Committee's recommendations on January 2, 2008 and approve the plan on January 16, 2008.  If you would like to provide input of the boundaries, you should contact Dave Beavers (Supervisor of Planning) by email at beaversd@pwcs.edu or phone at 703-791-7312. 12/13/2007

According to Money magazine, the outlook for 2008 is looking bleak.  Although home prices are down 4.2% from last year, a chief economist predicts that "the worse is yet to come." Some are saying that home prices could fall another 5-6%. Now I still believe that the strong economy and job opportunities present in the Northern Virginia area will mitigate the local situation.  However, local home prices in 2008 are most likely to decrease (even if it's slightly).It's simple economics: too much supply and too little demand.  As of today, there are 756 properties listed in the Gainesville/Haymarket areas (320 - Haymarket; 436 - Gainesville).  To put this perspective, so far in 2007, 774 properties have sold in the Gainesville/Haymarket areas (305 - Haymarket; 469 - Gainesville).  So going i... 12/13/2007

Just how interested are you in selling your home?  I know that we would love to get the prices seen back in 2005 but at some point reality must set in. Forget what the ugly house next door sold for last year or even what comparable homes are lists for today.  Instead, use the going price of houses that have recently sold as a guide (ask your Realtor for help); then price your home even lower so it looks like a great deal. Best case: Your aggressive pricing attracts more than one bid, pitting buyers against one another and ultimately lifting the final price.You can also find this post and others at http://www.ask2agents.com/ 12/12/2007

I know many of you may be yearning to add new upgrades to your home, but will it help the resale value?  Before you hire a contractor to help increase the value of your home, find out which renovations are most likely to pay you back.  For the short-term (less than 5 years), I recommend that you be budget conscious about what you're doing.  But if you're going to stay for awhile, look for what you will enjoy.For this series, let's take a look at KITCHENS.Typically, kitchens are the most expensive of all rooms to remodel, but you'll also enjoy a big gain in sales price - as most as 80% of what you spent (according to Remodeling magazine Cost vs. Value Report 2007).If resale is your top priority, go for broad appeal.When replacing or adding cabinets, use lighter woods and nothing too cont... 12/12/2007

Many people believe that the government shouldn't get too involved in bailing out the mortgage loan industry. After all, they sort of brought it on themselves. Some want promises of further rate cuts or infusions of cash from the Fed.  Increasing, more experts are pointing to alternative options to the way that we Americans generally view mortgage lending.  One item of interest is shared-appreciation mortgages.  According to Boston.com:These mortgages, which are relatively rare in the United States but more common in the United Kingdom, offer lower interest rates in exchange for some of the upside potential on the house. For example, a lender might offer a 6 percent interest rate instead of an 8 percent rate, in exchange for 50 percent of the increase in the value of the house at the ti... 12/11/2007

Good news, the FED cut the rate by one-quarter point to 4.25%. Bad news, the market responded by saying "Not Enough" and dropped by almost 300 points.  While investors are a little moody about wanting more, consumers will see lower rates on auto loans, and even on credit cards.  And it's a great time to have gold.  But how will this affect the housing market?One area that will benefit fairly soon, though, is the area of jumbo loans. These rates should come down, making them more affordable for still-expensive real estate markets in major cities. And, some homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages may benefit.  As loans reset over the next year, they will do so to interest rates that are lower than originally expected.  For some, that means that the higher mortgage payments will be manag... 12/11/2007

Last week the Mortgage Reform and Anti Predatory Lending Act of 2007 passed out of the House Financial Services Committee with the support of nine Republicans. It's far from perfect, but it represents a small step in the right direction. The mortgage industry is fighting it tooth and nail.The bill, H.R. 3915, will reform mortgage practices in three areas.  The bill will establish a federal duty of care, prohibit steering, and call for licensing and registration of mortgage originators, including brokers and bank loan officers. The new legislation will set a minimum standard for all mortgages which states that borrowers must have a reasonable ability to repay.  The legislation attaches limited liability to secondary market securitizers who package and sell interest in home mortgage loans... 12/07/2007

"The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management." --Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval, 1816.I believe that the single greatest gift that this wonderful country offers is the fundamental right to own land.  It was arguably the basis of our Constitution.  But it still makes me scratch my head when I see so many folks still renting.  You can read a good article on Renting vs. Owning here. But let's look at some quick numbers on the home front.  In general, a nice 3 bedroom apartment in Northern Virginia will run you $1500 - $2000 depending on the location.  Let's split the difference and say $1750. The average sales price in Prince William County for 3rd quarter 2007 was $395,000. The current 30-yr mort... 12/04/2007

I love America!  It is filled with opportunity and "can-do" pride.  Add this spirit with the knowledge available through man's greatest invention, the internet, and there is nothing that one can't accomplish. Never before in history has so much information been available to so many.  With such empowerment, it leaves a lot of folks to become "experts."With the internet, I can create my own legal documents.  I can manage my own stock trades.  I can even figure out my own medical problems.  All without talking to a lawyer, trader, or doctor.  The same is true for home buying.  With the internet it is possible to research homes in another town, compare prices, size, features, etc. without ever speaking to a real estate professional.Realtor.com has a great article on the various reasons why ... 12/03/2007

What a wonderful place to call home!  This two bedroom, two bathroom 3rd floor condo offers all the perks of the 55+ community.  It is a 1 year old Foxfield Model by Toll Brothers.Located in Regency you can enjoy the Arnold Palmer designed golf course, putting greens, fitness trails, and a clubhouse that houses many amenities of its own.....exercise room, sauna and party room.  And there are groups that get together for just about any interest you have...chess, sewing, books, poker...you name it.  When you live here, it's almost as if you are on permanent cruise...do as much or as little as you like...but there is always something going on.  See yourself bustling through the holiday season in your kitchen with granite counters, upgraded appliances and hardwood floors!Sit down and enjoy ... 12/02/2007