Harrisonblog

People, Places, Events, and Issues in Harrisonburg
(with an emphasis on real estate)

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Entries from December 2009

Neighborhoods Near James Madison University (JMU)

December 29th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · No Comments




James Madison University (JMU) is a large — and positive — factor in the economy of Harrisonburg and the surrounding area. JMU currently offers 68 undergraduate degree programs, 30 master’s programs, approximately 18,000 students, and a land mass of 696 acres of campus with 108 buildings.
Many students live off campus, and there are hundreds of [...]

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Tags: Buyers · Places · Relocation

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New Website For Homeowners: HouseLogic

December 17th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · No Comments




If you are a homeowner, or are thinking about becoming one, you should definitely check out HouseLogic, a new website by The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Although the site is still in beta mode, it provides a wealth of information and how-to’s for homeowners. Currently, the navigation consists of these categories:

Improve
Maintain
Engage
Taxes and Incentives
Finances and [...]

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Tags: News

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November Sales Were Up. What About December?

December 16th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · No Comments




Last month, we posted about the increase in sales over the month of November 2009. Sales increased from October ‘09 by over 30%! So, how is our local market trending for December? Typically, December is a much slower month in real estate sales because folks are busy focusing on the holidays and spending time with [...]

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Tags: Market Trends

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5 Reasons to Use an Agent When Buying a Home

December 15th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · 1 Comment




Many home buyers — especially first time home buyers — don’t know or don’t understand how using a buyer’s agent works. Buying a home can be a confusing adventure, so it’s important to have an expert on your side, who works with buyers day in and day out, helping them navigate the purchasing process with [...]

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Tags: Buyers

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Should You Put Your Home on the Market Over the Holidays?

December 14th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · No Comments




It depends on your situation. If you absolutely must sell now (or start trying now) due to your financial situation, by all means, put your house on the market! Be sure to price it right and talk to a real estate agent you trust beforehand. There are some buyers searching for homes at this time [...]

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Tags: Sellers

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Find Inspiration for Christmas Decorating

December 10th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · 1 Comment




I’m finding that this year, about half of the population is all done decorating for Christmas, and the other half are just dreading pulling out all the tinsel, bows, lights, ornaments, and other doo-dads to get their home jolly for the holidays. Fear and dread no more! What you need is inspiration… something new and [...]

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Tags: Fun

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Changes to RESPA Will Allow Client to Make More Informed Decisions About Loans

December 9th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · 2 Comments




Effective January 1, 2010, changes will be made to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which will improve the client experience with regards to choosing a mortgage loan. Essentially, these changes will allow the client to make a better informed decision about which loan to go with. Less confusion, and more peace of mind! [...]

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Tags: News

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Harrisonburg Area Real Estate Market Report: November 2009

December 8th, 2009 by Lisa Oates · No Comments




The stats are in! November came to a close a week ago, so it is time for the monthly Harrisonburg Area Real Estate Market Report. This November has shown an upswing in sales compared to last year at this time, which is great news for the local economy. As you’ll see in the chart below, [...]

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Tags: Market Trends

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Another Sign of Recovery: Lots of Showings!

December 1st, 2009 by Lisa Oates · 1 Comment




At the beginning of November, we posted about the number of showings that occurred over the previous three months and how that is a sign of the recovery of the real estate market. As a quick update to that post, November 2009 proved again that we are climbing out of the recession!
During November of 2008, [...]

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Tags: Market Trends

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