DROdio "Q&A Blog"
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A few things to consider before selling your home short
So you’ve read about short sales, and you’re pretty sure it’s the best way to avoid foreclosure on your home. Still, before you decide to go forward with a short sale, here are a few things to keep in mind:
You’re not necessarily eligible. Even if you’ve discovered that you now owe more on your mortgage [...]
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What is the HUD-1? And how do I read it?
The HUD-1 is the document used at settlement to account for all the monies in a transaction. It's a federally mandated form, and it also happens to be a very hard document to read, so we're going to help you learn to read it.
The HUD-1 is usually a two-page form (often front & back). [...] -
What does “DOMM” and “DOMP” mean on the MLS listing?
In a listing, you may sometimes see the acronyms "DOMM" and "DOMP".� Here's what they mean:DOMM means "Days on Market, Multiple-List" and it's the number of days on the market for that current listing.DOMP means "Days on Market, Property" and it refers to the entire time the property has been active.So, for example, let's [...]
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Are most listing agents *really* that bad?
After seeing some absolutely abysmal listings (no photos, etc) we decided to do an in-depth analysis of how good/bad listing agents are when selling homes.
After all, they're supposed to be representing their client's best interests, right? And a listing agent stands to make $21,000 to $42,000 on a $700k house (surprised? visit our page on [...] -
Can some listing agents really be *that bad*????
The answer is YES!
For example, here's an email exchange between us and a listing agent asking for feedback on a property she was listing. But she only put ONE picture up! It only costs $12 to put 20 photos up, and photos sell houses. Why would she only put ONE photo up on her listing? [...] -
How we sell your home online and traditionally
When we list your home for sale, we'll do "Just Listed" postcards, put your home on the MLS & Realtor.com with 20 photos, and hold open houses, just like a traditional Realtor would. But there's an additional component to our marketing - the online piece - which is just as (or even more) powerful.
If the [...]
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What if the sellers want to do some of the home inspection work themselves?
When we do a home & walkthrough inspection, 99% of the time, the buyer & sellers agree to have a professional fix the agreed-upon items. But once in a while, a seller will want to fix items on his own. While we don't recommend this, below is language we put into one agreement when the [...]
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Alexandria city zoning map
Here is a zoning map of Alexandria city we recently came across: DROdio - Alexandria City Zoning Map
And also a picture here:Share This
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Why is your company policy not to do “Dual Agency”? What is it anyway?
Virginia, DC & MD state laws surprisingly let Realtors act as "dual agents" when disclosed to all parties (also known as "dual representation").
We feel that dual agency isn't a good idea. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that it's a disservice to our clients, so we don't do it. [...] -
Can I have two kitchens in my home in Fairfax County? Is it a zoning violation?
A buyer of ours asked:
Can I have two kitchens in my home in Fairfax County? Is it a zoning violation?
The short answer: maybe.
The long answer: You can have two kitchens as long as there is only one burner in the home. Burners can be defined as stoves or cook tops. So if you have an [...] -
I’m an investor. Can you help me?
Absolutely. We are investors too, and we believe in the integrity & strength of the D.C. Metro real estate environment. We'll be happy to help you through this process.
Here are a few tools, tips & tricks we think you'll like:Watch our video tutorials on:
How to buy foreclosure homes (and we also have an FAQ on [...]
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What happens in a listing presentation?
A listing presentation is an opportunity for us to better understand your home and your goals in selling, and for you to get to know us and our expertise, and how we can help you.
As a firm, we are very selective in which homes we list. There are many properties on the market that will [...] -
Our special CMA (comparative market analysis) for sellers
Many real estate firms may tell you they can do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) of your home. They just go to the MLS and print out some listings that have sold in your area. There is even a "CMA" button in the MLS system which makes the task very easy... and, we believe, incomplete.
We've [...] -
How can I find out how much a property is worth?
There are several ways to find out how much a property is worth.
The "in-depth" way to do it is to do an analisys of comparable sales. We have a special, proprietary spreadsheet model that allows us to evaluate the last 100+ sales in an area based on the price per square foot (PSF), tax [...] -
When is the best time of the month to close?
The answer to that is a little more involved than on might think. The short answer is close towards the end of the month but not during the very last couple of days and avoid Monday and Friday settlements. The long answer is as follows:
As you might already know, mortgage is paid in arrears, meaning [...]
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Buying A Home
All About Home Financing & Loans (51 Q&A blogs)
Wondering how the lending process works? Wondering if you should pay any 'points'? Jump in for the answers.
All the questions you were afraid to ask (108 Q&A blogs)
If you're a first-time home buyer, indulge yourself with answers to all the questions you were afraid to ask!
Client Testimonials (18 Q&A blogs)
Read some glowing Testimonials from clients who have used our services to buy a home!
Contract Questions (21 Q&A blogs)
Contracts can be scary things! But after you read through this section, you should be much more comfortable with the process, and we're always just a phone call away!
Learn About the Area (31 Q&A blogs)
Curious to know about certain areas? Find your answers here. This is especially useful if you are buying from out of town.
Negotiation Techniques (13 Q&A blogs)
One of the things that makes DROdio agents so special is our strong emphasis on negotiation. Many Realtors (especially the "weekend warriors") aren't too good at negotiating you a stellar deal. We'll reveal some of our secrets here. If you're a Realtor from competing company and you're reading this section, you should be ashamed of yourself! Then again, maybe you really need the help, so read on...
REO Foreclosure Listing Q&A (4 Q&A blogs)
Our firm sells REO foreclosure properties from multiple banks. This section is dedicated to common questions & answers from both buyers and REALTORS representing buyers in these transactions.
Tax Questions (14 Q&A blogs)
Aaaaahhhhh, taxes. Our favorite. Here are tips & tricks to minimize your tax burden. Note: we are not CPA's, so these are just general observations from our experience. But *please* speak to your CPA to discuss your specific tax situation.
The Buying Process (66 Q&A blogs)
How exactly does the buying process work? What should you expect? Whether you're a first time home buyer or you've done it several times, you'll find plenty of gems of information squirreled away in this section.
Selling A Home
All the questions you were afraid to ask (23 Q&A blogs)
If this is the first time you've considered selling your home, you probably have lots of questions that you're afraid to ask. Fear not, your answers are here!
Client Testimonials (1 Q&A blogs)
Read some glowing Testimonials from clients who have used our services to sell a home!
Contract Questions (3 Q&A blogs)
This time we'll address contract questions from the seller's point of view. What makes a contract strong vs. weak? How do contingencies work, and which ones are dangerous? These questions and many more are answered in here, so come take a look!
The Selling Process (18 Q&A blogs)
When should you list your home? How do you price it right? How do you get maximum exposure? Find answers to life's questions here... well, at least when it comes to selling your home!
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