Home Buying Tips for Smooth Sale-ing

Thinking about buying a home in Hampton Roads? Congratulations! You’ve chosen very well. To make that transition as smooth as possible, we’ve got some helpful hints and tips.

1. Buy the house you love when you love it. If you’re waiting for the “best time” to buy, you’ll miss out on a great house in Norfolk, a great neighborhood in Virginia Beach, a great school district in Chesapeake. The real estate market is cyclical, but not in any way that makes buying a house in August any better than buying one in December. If you see a house, you like, make it your home before someone else does.
2. Get Pre-approved for your home loan. The biggest mistake new home buyers make is confusing pre-qualified with pre-approved. Being pre-approved means you’ve shared your financial information with your bank or lending institution and you’re clear on what you can afford. This also means that if you can afford to live near the Oceanfront, your Realtor can seek out homes that fit all of your sand-between-the-toes needs.
3. Don’t play with credit cards. If you’re getting ready to buy a house, the worst thing you can do is start opening credit cards and filling rooms you don’t own yet. As a home buyer, you’re going to have people evaluating your financial stability so keep your money in your pocket until after the sale.
4. Work with a professional realtor. You may think you’re saving money by going it alone, and if you have a ton of free time on your hands you may be correct. But consider this: a professional realtor does more than facilitate the sale once you’ve found your dream home. The biggest value they offer is unearthing any hidden issues with your home before you’re committed to it. A professional realtor knows everything about your home, your neighborhood, your school district, your tax assessments, any fees, any liens, property disputes and more. By working with a professional you get your own personal advocate.

Follow these tips and you’ll set yourself up for smooth sale-ing!

Project Homeless Connect 2008

Nancy Chandler Associates took part in the 2008 Project Homeless Connect (PHC).  PHC is a yearly event where the Norfolk’s Scope is turned  into a one-day, mega service site to help homeless adults, especially those staying on the streets, connect to resources and services.  NCA volunteers and donors feed close to 2,000 clients and community volunteers thought out the course of the day and had a great time.

Below are some statistics on how the clients were served and an indication of how effective and needed this project is:

• 981 homeless or low-income individuals served (more than 1,000 sought help)
• 950 community volunteers
• 97 approved for permanent housing, 2 have already moved in and many more are scheduled for this weekend, 5 veterans were housed (emergency or transitional) on the spot.
• 308 received medical screenings
• 55 people received dental services
• 145 were scheduled for job interviews (wow!), 178 registered with the VEC
• 231 received vision screens and 204 received eyeglasses
• 154 applied for Food Stamps, 54 have already been approved
• 186 ID’s issued
• 33 cases processed with legal aid
• 72 people seen by Social Security
• 80 HIV/AIDS testings

Learn more about the PHC at http://www.norfolk.gov/homelessness/events.asp.