Author Archives: Chris Rooker

About Chris Rooker

Chris is an associate broker at Kline May Realty. He began his real estate career in 2003 with the vision of creating a residential sales team that works together to offer home buyers and sellers extraordinary customer service. He manages the activities of the team, and works directly with buyers and sellers. He loves where he works and lives – which is exemplified by his service on the boards of the local Salvation Army chapter and the Belmont Civic Association. When he is not tending the business, he enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with his wife, two boys, and his family’s beloved schnoodle (miniature schnauzer + poodle), Sadie.

Harrisonburg Crossing in Foreclosure

Today’s edition of the Daily News Record included a notice that a large portion of the Harrisonburg Crossing Shopping Center is in foreclosure proceedings.  With more than 500,000 square feet, the popular retail site is home to Barnes & Noble, Staples, Wal-Mart, and many other stores and restaurants.  (In June...

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Details on Obama’s $75 Billion Loan Modification Plan

There is a lot of confusing information floating around about the President’s plan to modify home mortgages — especially regarding who qualifies, when and how the assistance will be available, and its duration. The Treasury Department has launched a website, FinancialStability.gov, that spells out everything. Click on the link for...

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New and Improved Tax Credit for Buying a Home

In 2008, Congress passed a law that offered a tax credit of $7,500 to anyone who purchases a home for the first time, up until June 30, 2009. Tax credits are better than deductions. Generally speaking, if you are entitled to a tax credit, you get the full amount, even...

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How to Find Info on Foreclosures Online

The Harrisonburg area has blessedly few foreclosures. (Check out this previous post with a cool map showing foreclosure rates in every city and county in the U.S.) However, if you are interested in hunting for a deal on a property in foreclosure, here is a great post on one of...

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January Real Estate Market Report

Home sales were down significantly in January compared to the previous year. Here are the numbers: January 2008: 52 January 2009: 36 That’s a plunge of 30.7% in the Harrisonburg area. Is the sky falling? I don’t think so. January’s sales reflect contracts written in November and December — which...

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Harrisonburg Area Unemployment at 4.3%

News broke this morning that national unemployment hit 7.6%, as the economy lost nearly 600,000 jobs in January. The situation is significantly better in the Harrisonburg area, where the unemployment rate is 4.3%. According to this table provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, our area is ranked #33 out...

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