4 reasons 2016 is the year to buy a home

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WHAT ARE THE BEST KITCHEN COOKING LAYOUTS?

What are The Best Kitchen Cooking Layouts?

The single-guy-who-nukes-his-dinner-every-night crowd probably does not care about a great kitchen. To the rest of all of us, the kitchen can make or break a real estate offer. To a lot of people a kitchen is not just a space in which to prepare dishes. It is a homework area, a place to sit with a neighbor over a cup of coffee, and, in the case of the country kitchen, an area where the family gathers to share the day's experiences. If you're not that single guy with a microwave oven, evaluating kitchens will be an important aspect of your house hunt.

Classic Kitchen Design: The Work Triangle

One aspect of classic kitchen style continues to be constant throughout the years: the work triangle. The triangle's three points are the fridge, the oven and the sink, and its purpose is to ensure effectiveness and great traffic flow. To visualize the triangle, think about how you work in the kitchen. When preparing a meal you move between the fridge, the stove and the sink. Good kitchen style places these elements in a triangle. Which element is at the apex of the triangle depends on the kitchen's layout. Generally there are four distinct kitchen styles, and within each of them the work triangle remains a constant: the galley, the "L" shape, the "U" shape and the "G" shape or peninsula. Within the kitchen triangle there must be a area for food preparation, such as a chopping block, counter top or isle. While the work triangle is a popular component of kitchen layout, many kitchen layouts either ignore it or have a significantly flawed triangle. When you're looking at a kitchen area, keep the work triangle in mind. Even small kitchen layouts can be functional and useful if the work triangle is perfectly integrated.                                                                                              

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets play a dual role in the kitchen area. They are both functional and, ideally, decorative. Deep cabinets are perfect for storage of seldom-used and oversize items, while shallow cabinets work best for small, frequently used items, such as spices. When looking at a house you're interested in purchasing, take a look inside each kitchen cabinet with an eye toward whether it will accommodate your kitchen equipment. The site of kitchen shelves is also important. You must be able to reach the pantry and cooking materials without having to deviate from the kitchen work triangle.

Kitchen Design Accessories

A number of features are wonderful surprises when house hunting, even if they are not essential to kitchen area layouts: Morning meal nooks Fridges and dishwashers concealed by cabinetry Garbage disposal units Kitchen isles Deep-set lighting Large pantries

Lighting can Enhance Kitchen Layouts

Avid cooks understand the importance of great lighting in the kitchen. Home buyers, on the other hand, appear to give it a casual glance. If you cook, even if it is just family meals, good lighting is important. Turn on the lights – all of them. Try to picture the space as it will be at night, while you're cooking dinner. If the light is insufficient, is there a means to add more light? Some of the big-box department and import stores carry low-cost under-counter lighting that you can easily install with just a screwdriver.

Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Realtor license, Realtor 

fees, Buy, Sell, Warrenton, Haymarket, Bristow, Manassas, 

Lessburg, Ashburn, Loudoun, Brambleton, Dulles, Sterling, 

Herndon,Reston,Centreville, Chantilly, Bull Run, Virginia, 

Northern Virginia, Northern VA, NOVA, Virginia Fauquier 

county real estate, Prince William County, Fauquier County, 

Loudoun County, Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors

If you bought your home during these years you’re really hurting

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Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Realtor license, Realtor 

fees, Buy, Sell, Warrenton, Haymarket, Bristow, Manassas, 

Lessburg, Ashburn, Loudoun, Brambleton, Dulles, Sterling, 

Herndon,Reston,Centreville, Chantilly, Bull Run, Virginia, 

Northern Virginia, Northern VA, NOVA, Virginia Fauquier 

county real estate, Prince William County, Fauquier County, 

Loudoun County, Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors

HOW RATES MOVE & UNDERSTANDING RATE LOCK

Typically, when bond rates (also known as the bond yield) go up, interest rates go up as well. And vice versa. Don’t confuse this with bond prices, which have an inverse relationship with interest rates.

Investors turn to bonds as a safe investment when the economic outlook is poor. When purchases of bonds increase, the associated yield falls, and so do mortgage rates. But when the economy is expected to do well, investors jump into stocks, forcing bond prices lower and pushing the yield (and mortgage rates) higher.

So a good way to predict which way mortgage rates are headed is to look at the 10-year bond yield. You can find it on finance websites alongside other stock tickers, or in the newspaper.  If it’s moving higher, mortgage rates probably are too.  If it’s dropping, mortgage rates may be improving as well.

Conventional (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and Non-Agency investors) and Government (FHA and VA) lenders set their rates based on the pricing of Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) which are traded in real time, all day in the bond market. This means rates or loan fees (mortgage pricing) moves throughout the day, being affected by a variety of economic or political events. When MBS pricing goes up, mortgage rates or pricing generally goes down. When they fall, mortgage pricing goes up. Tracking these securities real-time is critical. For more information about the rate market, contact us directly. We are among few mortgage companies who have access to live trading screens during market hours, in addition to pricing software that compares the top wholesale lenders in the market for pricing competition and comparison.

Q&A REGARDING RATE LOCKS

What is a rate lock?

A rate lock is a guarantee from a mortgage lender that they will give a mortgage loan applicant a certain interest rate, at a certain price, for a specific time period. The price for a mortgage loan is typically expressed as “points” paid to obtain a specific interest rate.  Your VMG Loan Consultant will show you several rates equating to optional buy-down or buy-up (lender credits) to determine what pricing is most favorable for your situation.

When do I lock an interest rate?

You’re in a position to lock in an interest rate when your application is received, loan approved, and purchase contract executed (or if a refinance immediately following application).

How much does a rate lock cost and what if my lock expires?

VMG does not charge any application or initial rate lock fees.  If the rate lock is going to expire, your Loan Consultant will discuss the extension or re-lock options with you which may impact lender credits (if applicable) or net costs vs. original lock terms.  Each investor holds a specific lock policy and calculation for any costs associated with lock extensions or re-locks.

What is a mortgage rate lock float down/renegotiation?

A mortgage rate lock with the option to reduce the locked interest rate if market interest rates fall during the lock period. A rate lock with a float-down option can provide the borrower with security against an increase during the rate lock period, while the float-down option allows the borrower to take advantage of a fall in interest rates during the lock period.  Due to the large number of investors VMG works with, each carry a unique rate lock renegotiation policy.  The option will only be exercised by the mortgagor after an internal adjustment to price and if available as a benefit to the borrower.  VMG always monitors pipeline for any opportunities.

Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Realtor license, Realtor 

fees, Buy, Sell, Warrenton, Haymarket, Bristow, Manassas, 

Lessburg, Ashburn, Loudoun, Brambleton, Dulles, Sterling, 

Herndon,Reston,Centreville, Chantilly, Bull Run, Virginia, 

Northern Virginia, Northern VA, NOVA, Virginia Fauquier 

county real estate, Prince William County, Fauquier County, 

Loudoun County, Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Forsale, For sale

TIPS FOR GREATER COMFORT IN YOUR HOME

The comfort of your home depends on your personal taste, but also on the entire design. There are many simple ways in which you can combine designer elements with your personality so your home can have a special atmosphere. Start by looking around and finding the things in your home that you don’t like.

Change the furniture in your ambiance, or accent some zones that seem cold or separated from the rest of the home. Then think about how you can improve things, and you can do that easily by following the next few tips.

Make your furniture comfy with a few comfortable cushions

Nothing gives as much warmth as a soft and comfortable set of cushions on your favorite armchair. Simple and soft cushions can turn a relatively naked couch into a comfortable salon sofa. Pay attention to their design, because golden velvet cushions work for a completely different aesthetic than, let’s say, black and white striped cushions. Use cushions that are complementary with the colors and mood of the space, but try not to be too strict, be playful, and give your interior some fun.

Make the patterns of the textures and colors work for you

Make sure you balance the patterns, because too much of them in one spot can create a sensation of disharmony. Think about more gentle, soothing patterns for your curtains, walls, and carpets. Pick textures that create softness, or ones that are much more robust. Use colors sensibly and know that lighters colors give a special warmth, while colder color are calming.

Make the space personal and intimate

Add objects that wake pleasant feelings, inspiration, imagination, character. Whether it’s a beautiful sculpture that you bought at some fair, or old Chinese porcelain, personal objects hold meaning that will bring a smile onto your face when you see it. 

Set the light and temperature

Lighting and temperature are equally important for visual and tactile comfort as any other element. They set the mood and create the relaxing feeling you need in your home. Light that is too powerful or too rough will make you feel anxious, while rooms that are not warm enough will be completely devoid of a sense of welcoming, no matter how comfortable they look.

Your choice of lighting should work well with the style of your room and complete it. It should work with its size and purpose. For example, a table lamp will give a completely different impression than hanging lighting. A naked window will give a completely different atmosphere than a window that has blinds on it.

Use these tried and tested comfort tips and mix them with your own creativity and vision. Greater comfort in your home is just a few steps away. All you have to do is follow some of these tips we gave you, and as we said, mix them with your personal touch, and you’ll have something lovely. Your home will be a place of true bliss.

Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Realtor license, Realtor 

fees, Buy, Sell, Warrenton, Haymarket, Bristow, Manassas, 

Lessburg, Ashburn, Loudoun, Brambleton, Dulles, Sterling, 

Herndon,Reston,Centreville, Chantilly, Bull Run, Virginia, 

Northern Virginia, Northern VA, NOVA, Virginia Fauquier 

county real estate, Prince William County, Fauquier County, 

Loudoun County, Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Forsale, For sale

The fall real estate market in Northern Virginia

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Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Realtor license, Realtor 

fees, Buy, Sell, Warrenton, Haymarket, Bristow, Manassas, 

Lessburg, Ashburn, Loudoun, Brambleton, Dulles, Sterling, 

Herndon,Reston,Centreville, Chantilly, Bull Run, Virginia, 

Northern Virginia, Northern VA, NOVA, Virginia Fauquier 

county real estate, Prince William County, Fauquier County, 

Loudoun County, Real Estate, Realtor, Realtors, Forsale, For sale