Harrisonblog

The U.S. Government recently passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. It says that the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit “makes a qualifying individual or a couple, who is a first-time homebuyer of a principal residence in the United States from April 9, 2008 through April 1, 2009 eligible for a tax credit not [...]

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Part of purchasing a home is taking on the responsibility of paying property taxes. Even those who have owned their own home for many years may not understand how the city assesses property taxes. Here is a rundown of what that final dollar amount on your property tax bill is comprised of.
First, lets start with [...]

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For the past couple years, the housing market has gone through some tough times. Remember in 2005 when houses literally sat on the market for a day before going under contract? Well, after that boom, the market turned around, and the real estate market has now begun the road to recovery.
Here are some statistics to [...]

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The Virginia Association of REALTORS (VAR) has just published the 2008 Quarter 3 home sales statistics. See below for home sales versus 2007 3rd quarter sales in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
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Harrisonburg / Rockingham County 3rd Quarter 2008 Data
Q3 2008 Home Sales: 280
Q3 2007 Home Sales: 353
Percent Change: -20.7%
Q3 2008 Median Sales Price: $199,900
Q3 2007 Median [...]

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As a real estate professional and data geek, I know how important it is to be able to review the facts and track the trends about the local real estate market. So, starting in December, I will begin reporting monthly market statistics (and will likely express my opinion of said stats). These statistics will include [...]

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Thanksgiving is next week already! Are you ready to house your out-of-town guests? Perhaps you need/want a larger kitchen. Check out this slideshow of enormous homes across the U.S. with enormous kitchens (perfect for cooking up a feast for your guests!).

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When you are looking for a new home, curb appeal is a big part of deciding whether or not to actually look at a home. The curve of the roof lines, the silhouette of the home, the style of construction, the building materials, and the architecture are all things to consider when choosing your home [...]

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The Winter months are looming and the weather is getting colder. Fuel prices have gone up in the last several months, so building a fire in the fireplace to heat your home this Winter may be more cost effective for your family. Before you build that first fire in your fireplace or woodstove, make sure [...]

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One of my favorite perks of living in the Shenandoah Valley is the ability to follow the James Madison University sports programs. Okay, I may be biased being an alumni. However, as Chris Simmons, Sports Editor of the Daily News Record, wrote in a column earlier this fall, “JMU football is now Harrisonburg’s [...]

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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now owned by the federal government. They came up with a broad plan to reduce the burden of loans on many homeowners in the U.S. This plan could help as many as 300,000 families who are behind on their mortgage payments. Of course, there are many “qualifiers” for this [...]

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