Category Archives: Luray

New Listing in Lake of the Woods, VA 22508! 309 Liberty Blvd Now SOLD!!!

You’ll love the incredible amount of space provided in this stunning home boasting a cozy electric fireplace, new flooring, paint, and appliances! If you feel like venturing out, Lake of the Woods will not disappoint! A private, gated, secured community, Lake of the Woods offers anything and everything you could possibly want. Home to two lakes (the 550 acre main lake and a 35 acre “fishing lake”), a golf course, an equestrian center, a fire and rescue department, and a church all within the gates, Lake of the Woods simply has it all. Whether your passion is boating, waterskiing, kayaking, golfing, horseback riding, or simply taking in the breathtaking views from the clubhouse while enjoying a fabulous meal, from your own deck or yard, or from one of the beaches, you won’t be disappointed! Perhaps you’d like a game of bridge or volunteering your time and talents…Lake of the Woods offers more than 60 clubs and/or organizations from which you may choose to become involved. Located in Orange County, we are fortunate to enjoy low real estate taxes. Coupled with home prices ranging from the low $100,000s to over $2,000,000, Lake of the Woods is the perfect community for both full-time residents, as well as weekenders. But don’t take my word for it, please come see for yourself! I will gladly give you a tour of Lake of the Woods by boat and by car so that you may experience why I love Lake of the Woods! For more info about the property, be sure to Click Here!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Spectacular Home For Sale in Lake of the Woods, Va! 308 Wilderness Dr, SOLD!!

Enjoy coffee on the screened porch of this fabulously renovated home conveniently situated by the front gate and Clubhouse/beach/fitness cente. The new hardwood floors, granite counter tops, appliances, and fresh paint will wow you! You’ll appreciate the expansive first floor master bedroom with a large walk-in closet. Feel like venturing out, Lake of the Woods will not disappoint! A private, gated, secured community, Lake of the Woods offers anything and everything you could possibly want. Home to two lakes (the 550 acre main lake and a 35 acre “fishing lake”), a golf course, an equestrian center, a fire and rescue department, and a church all within the gates, Lake of the Woods simply has it all. Whether your passion is boating, waterskiing, kayaking, golfing, horseback riding, or simply taking in the breathtaking views from the clubhouse while enjoying a fabulous meal, from your own deck or yard, or from one of the beaches, you won’t be disappointed! Perhaps you’d like a game of bridge or volunteering your time and talents…Lake of the Woods offers more than 60 clubs and/or organizations from which you may choose to become involved. Located in Orange County, we are fortunate to enjoy low real estate taxes. Coupled with home prices ranging from $100,000 to over $2,000,000, Lake of the Woods is the perfect community for both full-time residents, as well as weekenders. But don’t take my word for it, please come see for yourself! I will gladly give you a tour of Lake of the Woods by boat and by car so that you may experience why I love Lake of the Woods! For more info, be sure to Click Here!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Just Listed in Lake of the Woods,VA! 506 Birdie Road Now UNDER CONTRACT!

Entertain in grand style in this amazing home! All wood floors on main level, with an entry level family room. Cathedral ceilings in living room with an all brick gas fireplace. The master bedroom has french doors leading to deck. Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning looking out to the golf course. A private, gated, secured community, Lake of the Woods offers anything and everything you could possibly want. Home to two lakes (the 550 acre main lake and a 35 acre “fishing lake”), a golf course, an equestrian center, a fire and rescue department, and a church all within the gates, Lake of the Woods simply has it all. Whether your passion is boating, waterskiing, kayaking, golfing, horseback riding, or simply taking in the breathtaking views from the clubhouse while enjoying a fabulous meal, from your own deck or yard, or from one of the beaches, you won’t be disappointed! Perhaps you’d like a game of bridge or volunteering your time and talents…Lake of the Woods offers more than 60 clubs and/or organizations from which you may choose to become involved. Located in Orange County, we are fortunate to enjoy low real estate taxes. Coupled with home prices ranging from the mid-$100,000 to over $2,000,000, Lake of the Woods is the perfect community for both full-time residents, as well as weekenders. But don’t take my word for it, please come see for yourself! I will gladly give you a tour of Lake of the Woods by boat and by car so that you may experience why I love Lake of the Woods! For more info, be sure to click here!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Should You Hire a Real Estate Agent or Lawyer When Buying a Property

When you’re thinking about buying property, one of the first questions that pop to mind is, “Should I do this on my own or hire some assistance?” In a huge majority of cases, the answer is that doing everything on your own will make the process much, much harder, and we’d also be very surprised if you got a good deal without some assistance. In most cases, the only real question is: “Should I hire a real estate agent or a lawyer?” Both can be of invaluable assistance when it’s time to buy a property, but the ways they can help differ. 

Why You Should Hire a Lawyer

What makes a real estate agent different from a lawyer when it comes to buying a property? First of all, by law, real estate agents cannot give legal advice. While you are not obligated by law to hire a lawyer when buying a property here (unlike in some other states), you may have some legal questions that only a lawyer can answer. For example, you may want to rent a property for some time (let’s say for a year) before making the decision on whether you should buy the property or not. If the seller agrees to that, an attorney can draft this unusual contract and provide legal advice on the matter that a real estate agent could not.

A good lawyer will help you by answering all the legal questions that a real estate agent cannot lawfully answer.

As lawyers charge an hourly fee, before buying a property and moving in with the help of experienced professionals from dumbomoving.com, it’s a good idea to make a list of all the legal questions you may have and arrange a meeting with an attorney. Then, you can ask everything you need, as well as make arrangements on all the additional services you may need that a real estate agent can’t help you with (drafting the contract from the previous paragraph, for example).

Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Agent

While a lawyer will help you with some specific parts of the home buying procedure, you’ll still need to hire a real estate agent as well. A real estate professional will be with you every step of the way, acting as a sort of a guide to your home buying process. And if you’re buying a property, you’ll be pleased to learn that sellers are the ones who will pay the agents of both parties. The commission is usually 10 percent of the arranged home price, divided equally between the two agents. The logic behind this rule is that sellers will be receiving a lot of money, and so they should be the ones to pay all agents who will take care of the buying-selling process.

So, if you hire a real estate agent, your wallet won’t have a problem with that; you will basically get an invaluable service for free. And what exactly does that service entail? Buying a property is a complex procedure – lots of paperwork will need to be done, inspectors will need to be hired, a comparative home prices analysis will need to be prepared, etc. While some lawyers will try to convince you that they can do everything on their own, that is most often not the case. Real estate professionals will be better at all of these tasks, simply because they have dedicated their lives to buying and selling real estate; they have much more experience and they know how to use it.

Apart from many other ways that a real estate agent can help you, he or she will be able to find a perfect house for you in the specified neighborhood.

This gives them an edge in all sorts of home-buying tasks. Apart from the ones we have already mentioned, they are also much better at negotiating. Let’s say that, for example, some parts of the home will need to be fixed. You’ll need to determine whether you or the seller will be the one who has to make these repairs. In this case, a good real estate agent will help you negotiate an arrangement that is better for you financially. What’s more, an experienced real estate agent who is a good fit for you will be acquainted with the neighborhood where you’re looking for your dream home. He or she will know just what to look for based on your description.

Additional Things to Have in Mind

So, should you hire a real estate agent or a lawyer? The answer is – why not both? Combining the individual strengths of these two professions will get you the best deal. Rely on attorneys for legal advice that a real estate agent cannot offer, and hire a real estate agent for everything else.

Before you hire a real estate agent and a lawyer who will seal the deal, you’ll need to have some things in mind. Alt text: A man signing a contract.

Still, simply hiring any real estate agent and lawyer is not enough; you will need to find a dependable and competent real estate agent, and the same goes for your lawyer. Here is what to look out for:

  • Sometimes, it may so happen that an opportunity to share a real estate agent with the seller emerges. In our opinion, that would be wrong to do. As real estate agents make a living off of commissions, they might be looking for the sellers’ best interest in this situation and not yours. Ethical agents who won’t do this certainly exist, but it’s best to be on the safe side anyway.
  • Real estate agents may press you to offer a higher price because of similarly unethical reasons. The more you pay, the larger their commission, after all. What’s more, some of them will be afraid to negotiate because doing so might mean that they won’t get to close the deal. If it seems that your agent doesn’t respect your opinion and is only looking to close the deal as soon as possible, it is best to find a different agent. Doing research on your own regarding home prices in the given neighborhood will help you avoid such unpleasant situations.
  • Most lawyers prefer to be hired and paid only after the home buying process is complete. However, it may suit you more to only pay for one consulting session or one or two specific tasks. That can be arranged, just have the arrangement in writing (better safe than sorry).

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Orange, Locust Grove, Norther Virginia or even Maryland or DC, we are your Real Estate team committed to finding the perfect home for you! Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar, and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, one of our area expert advisors will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available properties, please visit our website lakeofthewoodsvirginia.com

Student Housing Real Estate Guide

One of the most crucial traits that any successful real estate investor must possess is the ability to spot a good opportunity. And in a market as volatile as real estate is these days; that’s not always easy. Keeping your hand on the pulse of the latest real estate development trends is a complicated thing. But there is one strategy that is always consistent in its success: becoming a student landlord.

Obviously, most landlords don’t feel comfortable renting to people who have probably never lived by themselvesin their lives; which is certainly correct. But despite such legitimate concerns, if you invest in a university-adjacent property, you could actually net quite a tidy profit. On average, a house that’s near a college campus can give you profits almost 40% higher than the same house in a different neighborhood. That’s precisely why we’ve prepared a guide for you right here!

The Benefits of Investing in Student Housing

Let’s face it – millions of brand-new students enroll in universities each year, all over the country. That’s why college towns are actually one of the most certain real estate investments when it comes to residential rental properties. You’ll never lack demand, as campuses will provide a source of new tenantswhenever you need them. And all of that competition will drive rents higher, which is great for property owners. 

So, if you’re looking to shore up your retirement strategy and expand your portfolio as a real estate investor, this is a great opportunity for all that and some neat passive income that doesn’t require much input past the initial investment. Andif you’re an investor who can’t boast with a huge marketing budget, all the better! Being a student landlord means your tenants will basically find you. 

This is a good idea for people who want to sell their home in a college area and move somewhere else as well – a great way to enter the real estate game! Just calculate your moving expenses in advance, and use the remainder of your disposable income to spruce up the place. You’ll soon have college tenants knocking on your door. And then, instead of selling your home, you’ll have a constant influx of steady profit. 

Rental Demand

So, just how good is the demand when it comes to rentals in college towns? The official statistics show that you definitely won’t be wrong in renting out student housing, from that perspective. Two years ago, The College Board published a study dealing with the average life of an undergraduate student. And one of the interesting pieces of information is the fact that almost 45% of students don’t live on campus. Obviously, these numbers slightly differ between private and public universities, with more people living on campus in private universities.

So, before you decide to sell your propertyfor a tidy profit, consider renting it out long-term to college students, gaining a respectable source of steady income in the process. And if you’re scared that this trend of high demand in college areas will change over time, you can rest easy! Earlier studies show that this is a trend that has been one of the most consistent ones in the entire real estate industry, even throughout the mortgage crisis of 2008!

Sure, rental demand in college towns sees tiny fluctuations throughout the academic year, but college towns still produce a consistent stream of housing demand; not just from students, but from the accompanying staff and professors.This makes such areas extremely attractive for mid-range investors. 

High Rental Yield

There are quite a few reasons why real estate investors are attracted to such a rental niche, but the main one is simply that it pays consistently. With the constant high demand in mind, it’s no wonder that college rental properties don’t have problems generating quite a steady cash flow for their owners, at least compared to traditional rental properties. A lot of students simply choose to search for housing off-campus, as living on campus can prove to be even more costly than renting a home. 

You can predict a sizable return on investment compared to traditional rental investments! /alt: A graph representing rental finances. 

As a study from relevant industry sources shows, real estate owners who decide to invest their resourcesin a student housing property can actually hope for a return on investment that’s bigger than 10%. To give you some perspective on that – many real estate owners and investors believe that a return on investment that’s higher than 5% is a pretty sweet deal. 

Tenant Expectations

One of the toughest things with residential rental properties is managing tenant expectations. But when your tenants are students, that isn’t too big of an issue. Remember – most of these people haven’t lived by themselves anywhere before, or they have just lived in a dorm room. So, especially since these are mostly young people, they don’t expect the condition of the property to be as pristine as a suburban family that’s renting out the place might. You can save quite a bit of money on the property investment alone. Trust us, the quality of the flooring and the perfection of the paint job isn’t something you’ll have to think about when you’re renting out to students. 

Tenant expectations are much lower when they are students! /alt: A student reading a book in a library. 

Conclusion

As you can conclude, renting to students is not such a daunting proposition as it first seems. Sure, you need to be prepared to deal with younger tenants, but the constantly top-tier demand and solid return on investment you can achieve is definitely a tantalizing idea. 

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Tips For Selling Your Home Faster

Selling your home can turn into a genuinely lengthy process if you have no information on how to do it properly. Making a detailed plan and having an experienced professional agent by your side can significantly decrease the time your home spends on the market. If you are willing to make an effort, invest your time and some financial means, it will be easier to gain competitive advantage and make your property more appealing than others. Thus, here are some tips on how to interest your prospective buyers and succeed in selling your home faster.

Improving curb appeal is the starting point

The first impression matters greatly when buying a property. Interestingly, sellers very often tend to forget this fact, so they focus intently on the inside of their homes. However, if you aim at selling your home faster, improving curb appeal is the most reasonable starting point. Firstly, pay attention to your lawn. Keep it neatly mown at all times since you never know when the potential buyers can come by. Also, it is necessary to trim trees and bushes regularly and to maintain your garden well enough.

Figure 2 Improving curb appeal is the most reasonable starting point when aiming at selling your home faster. Alt.tag: A beautifully decorated home entrance that can help when aiming at selling your home faster.

Pay special attention to the entrance. If it is necessary to add a fresh coat of paint, do not hesitate to do it. A new house number and a matching mailbox can easily catch everybody’s eye. Ideally, repainting your front door will maximize the positive effect on whoever comes to tour your home. Remember, what you want to achieve is making prospective buyers believe your home is the right choice for them.

Decluttering is critical for selling your home faster

Clutter at your home threatens to prolong the whole process or even reduce the price considerably. Getting informed on some key decluttering tips can help you create an intimate and yet neutral and cozy atmosphere that will enable your prospective buyers to envision their life and family in this place. Furthermore, do not forget depersonalization.  If a neutral territory is what you want to achieve it is inevitable to remove all your family photos, children’s artwork, souvenirs from various travels and so on.

 Since it is essential for potential buyers to move freely around your home, getting rid of bulky furniture pieces is a must. Ideally, you can look for an affordable unit to store your belongings and these furniture items safely. Then, you can rearrange the rest of your furniture and maximize the space. This will be highly appreciated and valued.

Make your home shine

You need to raise your cleanliness standards to the highest level until selling your home comes to its end. Paying special attention to all hidden areas is of utmost importance because your home needs to bear the scrutiny of various potential buyers. While it may be exhausting and quite challenging to keep your home in pristine shape for long, it is needed given the circumstances. Otherwise, you risk making one of the biggest mistakes when selling a home.

Figure 3 Make your home shine and prospective buyers will love it. Alt.tag: Cleaning brushes in various colors.

Natural light is a great benefit

Natural light is everybody’s favorite. It brings freshness, calmness, and warmth to your space, so it has to be ample in order to attract attention. Try your best to make your home as naturally lit as possible. Should you find any problems with meeting this requirement, placing decorative lamps around your home might help.

Selling your home faster requires making it available to prospective buyers

It is vital to make your home available to potential buyers. Unfortunately, this most often means allowing them to tour your home whenever it fits their schedule, even at weekends. This is a slight inconvenience you will have to bear if you expect to succeed in selling your home faster. Buyers themselves also feel nervous about finding the property that meets their criteria once they realize that buying real estate is a good investment.

Be realistic about the price

Making a decision about the price when selling your home is a crucial task in the process. With the help of the internet, both sellers and buyers can obtain information on the subject quite easily. Hence, it is essential to be utterly realistic when setting the price. Defining the price either too high or too low is very risky. Should you have any doubts, consulting professionals is advisable.

If you, however, decide to set the price yourself, there is another step you need to define. Having a timetable for lowering the price can prevent your home from being on the market for too long. Instead, a reduced price after some time may incentivize those buyers who were having second thoughts. Eventually, selling your home faster becomes achievable.

Figure 4 Be realistic when setting the price for your home. Alt.tag: Three different piles of coins and a small wooden model house.

Taking some photos can help in selling your home faster

A great majority of prospective buyers start their search for a perfect home online. Most of them prefer seeing photos of the houses listed in order to take them into consideration. Thus, making high-quality photos of your home can be very beneficial. If they emphasize all the appealing and distinctive features, they will easily attract buyers in a short period of time. Make sure you photograph both the inside and outside of your property. If you are willing to invest in hiring a professional photographer, you can expect favorable results very soon.

Feel free to spread the word

Although collaboration with your real estate agent is compulsory, you can also contribute to selling your home faster. Feel free to spread the word. Talk to your neighbors, colleagues, and friends. Use the advantages of social networks and share your listing on various social media. Understandably, the more people you inform the bigger the chance to find the buyer soon.

Time matters

Among other factors, the time you list your home for sale determines how long it will stay on the market as well. When aiming at selling your home faster, it is, generally, advisable to list it in spring or fall. Reasons underlying this suggestion are understandable. The weather in spring is pleasant and people are willing to tour houses more often. The school is coming to its end, so moving will not cause any problems to families with children either. On the other hand, in the fall, the weather is still warm. People have come from their vacations and now they are ready to search for the property that meets their strict criteria. The school is about to begin, so prospective buyers have time to make the final choice and conduct their relocation. Use your chance and make selling your home faster possible.

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

1st Annual Sunflower Festival

Ever wanted to be spend a day surrounded by Sunflowers? If so, then we have the perfect event for you! fulfill your dreams by being at the Ralph H. Dean Recreation Park for the Town of Luray’s 1st Annual Sunflower Festival! It all begins on September 14th at 10:30 AM with a 1k fun run down the fitness trail, and the fun will continue until 6:00 PM. All donations benefit PACA, a non-profit organization. Kids are sure to be entertained with music, food, pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting and much more! The fun doesn’t stop there, as you can head to Downtown Luray for dining specials, shopping and sales! Don’t forget to stop by the Warehouse Art Gallery to see live performances all day! For more information, be sure to click here. With a community as bright as these flowers, this is one festival that is sure to put a smile on your face!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

2019 Virginia State Fair

It’s that time of the year again! The 2019 Virginia State Fair is right around the corner, so get ready for some rides, games and of course, a giant turkey leg! Virginians have been coming since 1854 in celebration of food, fun, family and community. This year is no exception and looks to be a fair to remember! Held at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, this 10-day event is set to begin on September 27 at 10:00 AM. Tickets are on sale until August 31, and full price ticket will start on September 1. For more information, be sure to click here. Virginia is for lovers, and we all love a good fair!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.