Welcome to 10201 N Hampton Lane! You will be wow’d from the moment you pull up! So much curb appeal and beautiful gardens and hardscapes. Once inside, you are welcomed by beautiful flooring, soaring ceilings and pride of ownership. That’s only the beginning…your gourmet kitchen has everything you could want, upgrades include gorgeous cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and will make cooking and entertaining a breeze. The family room will delight with soaring ceilings, skylights, and a gas fireplace for those cold winter nights. Elegant and spacious describe the owner’s suite with fine finishes, cathedral ceilings and an en-suite bathroom with an oversized beautifully tiled shower, refined vanity, and full of natural light. Three more bedrooms and another full bath complete the upper level. As incredible as the inside is, the trend continues to the private, landscaped backyard oasis. Enjoy entertaining family and friends on your gorgeous maintenance-free deck overlooking trees, lush yard, and flower gardens!
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 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, 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.
This year’s 46th Orange County’s Street Festival will be in honor and remembrance of September 11, 2011, with the theme of HONOR OUR HEROES hosted by the Orange County Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s annual beloved community event will take place from 9AM to 4PM on Saturday, September 11th, and typically features over 200 artisans, craft and commercial vendors, a variety of food and beverage options, live music, a kid’s zone, and a beer and wine garden for the adults. Check out a list of all the vendors already scheduled to be at the event here.
This family-friendly festival attracts an average of 5,000+ people from all over Central Virginia each year and is a great opportunity for community awareness and promotion. This event is completely free to attend, grab the kids and friends as this will be fun for all!
If you’re interested in participating as a vendor, please apply 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 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, 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.
With home prices continuing to deliver double-digit increases, some are concerned we’re in a housing bubble like the one in 2006. However, a closer look at the market data indicates this is nothing like 2006 for three major reasons.
1. The housing market isn’t driven by risky mortgage loans.
Back in 2006, nearly everyone could qualify for a loan. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI) from the Mortgage Bankers’ Association is an indicator of the availability of mortgage money. The higher the index, the easier it is to obtain a mortgage. The MCAI more than doubled from 2004 (378) to 2006 (869). Today, the index stands at 130. As an example of the difference between today and 2006, let’s look at the volume of mortgages that originated when a buyer had less than a 620 credit score.
Dr. Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist for CoreLogic, reiterates this point:
“There are marked differences in today’s run up in prices compared to 2005, which was a bubble fueled by risky loans and lenient underwriting. Today, loans with high-risk features are absent and mortgage underwriting is prudent.”
2. Homeowners aren’t using their homes as ATMs this time.
During the housing bubble, as prices skyrocketed, people were refinancing their homes and pulling out large sums of cash. As prices began to fall, that caused many to spiral into a negative equity situation (where their mortgage was higher than the value of the house).
Today, homeowners are letting their equity build. Tappable equity is the amount available for homeowners to access before hitting a maximum 80% combined loan-to-value ratio (thus still leaving them with at least 20% equity). In 2006, that number was $4.6 billion. Today, that number stands at over $8 billion.
Yet, the percentage of cash-out refinances (where the homeowner takes out at least 5% more than their original mortgage amount) is half of what it was in 2006.
3. This time, it’s simply a matter of supply and demand.
FOMO (the Fear Of Missing Out) dominated the housing market leading up to the 2006 housing bubble and drove up buyer demand. Back then, housing supply more than kept up as many homeowners put their houses on the market, as evidenced by the over seven months’ supply of existing housing inventory available for sale in 2006. Today, that number is barely two months.
Builders also overbuilt during the bubble but pulled back significantly over the next decade. Sam Khater, VP and Chief Economist, Economic & Housing Research at Freddie Mac, explains that pullback is the major factor in the lack of available inventory today:
“The main driver of the housing shortfall has been the long-term decline in the construction of single-family homes.”
Here’s a chart that quantifies Khater’s remarks:
Today, there are simply not enough homes to keep up with current demand.
Bottom Line
This market is nothing like the run-up to 2006. Bill McBride, the author of the prestigious Calculated Risk blog, predicted the last housing bubble and crash. This is what he has to say about today’s housing market:
“It’s not clear at all to me that things are going to slow down significantly in the near future. In 2005, I had a strong sense that the hot market would turn and that, when it turned, things would get very ugly. Today, I don’t have that sense at all, because all of the fundamentals are there. Demand will be high for a while because Millennials need houses. Prices will keep rising for a while because inventory is so low.”
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 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, 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.
July 23 through July 25th, Liberty Mills Farm is hosting a Blooms and Butterflies event! Friday, July 23rd & Saturday, July 24th from 10AM – 3PM. Sunday, July 25th from 11AM – 3PM.
The featured butterflies species showcased are Painted Ladies. They are ordered and delivered to the farm from a small butterfly farm in Massachusetts called Butterflies and Blueberries. Did you know, they are the most widely distributed butterfly in the world? Painted Lady adult butterflies can cover up to 100 miles per day and reach speeds of nearly 30 miles per hour! Butterflies will be available to purchase to release yourself for $10 per butterfly.
Additional activities will include you-pick flowers (the pre-sale price of $25 each), giant zinnias, cosmos, music, a hayride, a farm market, and so much more!
Don’t fear going hungry on Saturday and Sunday, the Firefly on the Fly food truck will be at the farm to support all hungry bellies.
Tickets for this event will be $8 per adult and $6 per child. No tickets are needed for children ages 4 and under. Tickets and additional information about this event can be found 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 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, 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.
The Lake of the Woods Adaptive Watersports Foundation is back and ready to host the SmileS Adaptive Carnival!
This Carnival brings water sports to people with disabilities of all ages and walks of life, as well as their families. The Carnival is held in honor of 2 highly honored women who left this world too young. What sports will be featured? There will be adaptive waterskiing, tubing, pontoon rides, kayaking, paddleboarding, and additional fun outdoor games! This year, LOW is partnering with Therapeutic Adventures – IndependencePlus Adaptive Sports to bring adaptive paddling!
This event is to take place on Sunday, August 1st at 9AM at the Lake of the Woods Clubhouse Point (102 Lake of the Woods Way, Locust Grove, VA 22508).
What a great day in the community to bring your friends and family to participate or cheer on! All attendees MUST pre-register, and they will NOT allow registration/sign-up at the door. All activities are FREE. Pre-register here.
Note: all activities are open to participants and their friends and families, however, participates will have priority for adaptive water skiing. For more information, visit 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 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, 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.
Check out the beautiful Sunflower Festival by Liberty Mills Farm and Firefly on the Fly Food Truck. There will be multiple opportunities to attend the festival starting August 28th, August 29th, Sept 4th, 5th, and 6th during various times.
There will be 30 different varieties of sunflowers available for your viewing pleasure. Over 5 acres of flowers showing off an array of colors, sizes, and even shapes, making this the perfect place to create your own beautiful bouquet to take home. This festival will also feature local vendors, food trucks, homemade ice cream (yum!) fresh-made fudge, and music. Bring all the kids, family, and friends for a fun time, relaxing in the country!
The current music lineup consists of Austin Boggs & Billy Caldwell.
Address for Liberty Mills Farm is 9166 Liberty Mills Rd, Somerset, Virginia 22972
Tickets are only $10 (ages 11+) and $6 (ages 5-10) per person/child. Presale tickets begin on August 14th! Buy your tickets before August 20th online and save $2 per ticket! There is a *Special Golden Hour* from 6pm – 8pm where tickets are available for $15 each but MUST be purchased in advance! Tickets are limited per day, so be sure to buy yours sooner rather than later, and can be purchased online here or at the farm on the day of the event (if available!).
Please note: no pets, smoking, or alcohol are allowed on the farm!
For the most up-to-date information, please 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 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, 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.
Have you been thinking of working out, but not sure of where to start? Even if you do work out regularly, but want to change up your routine, consider giving this new class a try! Alison Macpherson, the wife of David Macpherson, REALTOR® at Licata Group real estate, will be hosting the free fitness class on Tuesday, July 20th at 12:30PM. Alison has 30 years of experience and will guide you through seated stretching, weights for strength training, bands for resistance to tone the whole body, and ab & core for back strengthening, just to name a few! There will be music, and you are encouraged to bring a friend (or two!) with you! This will be a fun-filled class for ALL ages. See you Tuesday!
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 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, 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.
Learn more about 421 Harrison, here and learn more about 107 Fairway Drive, here!
See you Saturday!
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 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, 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.
Welcome to 31342 Paynes Farm Dr. This beautiful custom-built home is nestled in the trees and perfectly situated on 4+ acres. You are welcomed by an expansive front porch with ceiling fans and room for a porch swing. Once inside, you will notice the hardwood floors, and huge foyer leading to the great room. The great room has a gas fireplace, built-ins and access to the deck. You will love how open the kitchen is, featuring a huge island, pantry and dining area. The formal dining room is just to the right and creates an incredible open area for entertaining family and friends. There are two spacious owners’ suites with en-suite baths. Imagine the main level office that could also be a playroom, craft room or classroom. The laundry/mudroom will amaze you with wall-to-wall cabinets, countertop and sink. And that’s not all…the three-car garage will provide amazing storage, while the shed outside will accommodate all your lawn equipment. With the acreage, you could create a backyard oasis. Plant a garden, add a swimming pool, play area or whatever you desire. You will enjoy the sounds of nature and watching the deer graze from your deck. Conveniently located close to the Town of Orange, Culpeper and Fredericksburg.
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 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, 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.
New construction homes can have hidden costs, which is why you have to pay attention to the details when deciding on a new build.
When touring model homes, always ask the builder about what’s standard and what’s considered an upgraded feature with additional costs.
Buy on your terms and work with our team to navigate the ins and outs of purchasing the new construction home of your dreams!
Don’t Mistake “New Construction” with “All-Inclusive”
There are many advantages of buying a new construction home—low-maintenance living, brand-new appliances, and minimal repair costs are just a few. Plus, a new build provides a blank slate for buyers to begin making sweet new memories!
While buyers should be excited about all these benefits, they should also be aware of the potential hidden costs associated with purchasing a new build. We’re here to ensure you know exactly what is included in the overall cost of your new construction home.
Protect yourself before there’s a problem
Just like an existing home, a brand-new home can have hidden issues that could require repairs. Something as simple as inadequate plumbing or roofing could result in sizable amounts of damage—this is why you have to protect yourself by being proactive in the home-buying process. All builders have their own nuances, which is why you should take the time to research different options before deciding on the right one. If you want some tried and true recommendations, your agent can provide valuable insight. Every home, including new builds, should be checked by an independent home inspector who isn’t affiliated with the builder.
Before you commit to purchasing a new build, make sure to read the fine print of the home warranty. You may have to rely on your warranty if any issues arise that aren’t covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. And remember, not every warranty is the same, so it’s important to determine exactly what your warranty covers and the length of the coverage.
Stay true to your non-negotiables
Newly-built homes aren’t guaranteed to include all the necessities, so you need to know what to expect from a standard model. It’s quite common for new builds to come without certain interior items, such as appliances and window treatments, plus exterior fencing and landscaping.
Before you make an offer, talk to your builder with your agent present and ask about the features included in your future home. Everything from drawer handles to light fixtures could cost extra, so be sure to compile a list of non-negotiables to budget for things you can’t live without.
Don’t be duped by the mesmerizing model home
The model homes you’ll tour often have all the available upgrades the builder offers—we’re talking gourmet kitchens with granite countertops and open-concept floor plans with beautiful hardwood flooring. However, these top-level features could cost you thousands of dollars more than the builder’s grade basics.
You can work with your agent to figure out which features are included in the standard model’s base price. Be sure to focus on what originally made you fall in love with the property, not all the bells and whistles you see in the showy model. When contemplating which upgrades are worth the cost, think about the home’s future resale value—will the upgrades increase your return on investment and appeal to a variety of buyers? This is a prime opportunity to lean on your agent’s expertise to determine which upgrades will add the most value to your home.
Ready to Buy a New Build?
When you buy a new construction home, you always want to have a trusted real estate agent by your side. Remember, the builder’s sales agent has the builder’s best interest in mind—not yours. We have the new construction experience needed to guide you through the negotiation process and make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Contact us to learn more about new construction properties in the area, and we’ll get the ball rolling on buying your new home today!
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 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, 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.
