I spend a lot of time on my blog sharing helpful tips for buyers and sellers. As a Realtor® in Locust Grove, VA, I enjoy sharing my expertise with others and help them make decisions that are best for them and their families. Here are some of the most popular FAQ, I get when I first meet buyers and sellers.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 1: Do you drive out all the way to __?

The answer is yes! While I am mostly based in northern Orange County in the Locust Grove area, I have traveled into Reston in Northern Virginia, south to Hanover, and even west into Winchester. As a buyer searching for a home in central Virginia, you should not be limited by where your agent is willing to travel.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 2: Can we look at this house today?

The answer to this question is usually yes. The biggest factor in whether you can tour a home for sale the day you see it is the home’s availability. In the current fast paced market, it is important to schedule a showing for a home you are interested in immediately. However, this also means that showing times get booked quickly. Sometimes this means having to see the home the following day.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 3: What type of loans can I get?

I can tell you about some of the loan programs that are out there-conventional, FHA, VA, ect. But, the only person who can tell you the ones you are qualified for is a mortgage lender. Having a pre-approval letter when you start your home search is an important step in the process. It lets us know the type of loan you are using and our home buying budget.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 4: Would the seller give me closing costs or take XXX for the home?

Every home buying situation is different. I will always give you my honest opinion for what a home you are considering writing an offer for is worth. I will also share the current market conditions with you. Sometimes, you can ask for closing costs and receive them, but sometimes, in a more competitive market, your offer may not be accepted if you offer less than the sales price or ask for closing costs. While you ultimately get to make the decisions of what is included in your offer, I will help guide you in writing a competitive offer that has the best opportunity of being accepted.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 5: How long will my home be on the market?

I would love to be able to give an exact answer to this question. However, my daughter just knocked my crystal ball off the table, and I no longer can answer it or predict the winning Powerball lottery numbers. All joking aside, the pricing of your home has the biggest effect on how long it will be on the market. Homes that are priced far above market value tend to be on the market for much longer than homes priced at market value. Using a CMA and identifying the value adding features of your home both help me to accurately price and market the home. We will also consider the average days on the market for homes like yours in the area; this will help us to have a realistic timeline in our minds for how long selling your home should take.

Buyer and Seller FAQ 6: Do I have to fix anything?

This is a complex answer that is dependent on a lot of different factors like the condition of the home, your budget, and type of loans potential buyers may use. It depends on how you want to sell the home. If you market and sell a home “as-is” this means that while a buyer may do a home inspection for informational purposes only, they understand that the seller is not going to repair any issues found in the home. If you do not sell the home as-is, the buyer may present you with a list of requested repairs. Your Realtor® can help negotiate the repairs you are willing to do with the other agent.

Have any further home buying or selling questions? Take a look at my free buyer and seller guides to find the answers. Ready to start your home buying or selling process? I am happy to help! Send me an email [email protected] or text 540-360-5166 to let me know how I can help!