Hi, I'm an agent right down the street from your home. We are the top selling team (my son and I) for our company and it comes from working with folks just like you. Let us come and talk to you or at least give us a call. All the information is athttp:// www.TheBridgesTeam.com. We drive those crazy blue Jeep Commanders that you see all over Northern Virginia. Call us at 703/494-3000 and ask for Jennifer or Richard or just call either of us at 703/901-0112 or 571-643-9946. Thanks. We look forward to helping you.

Tue Mar 4 2008, 14:35

There are many bank owned properties in Woodbridge. See link below or google REO

Tue Mar 4 2008, 10:46

Jill,
Here are some steps that I would recommend to do to help with your desission.

1. Sit down with a REALTOR to determine how much you can get for your home. (A home that shows well is priced well and has a good agent will sell)
2. Talk to a loan officer to get pre approved to determine how much of a mortgage you can afford monthly. ( I can recommend some if you would like)
3. With the agents help see what is on the market and if you like it.
4. If everything looks good then put your home on the market.

If you are staying in Woodbridge then if prices go up or down on your home it will also go up and down on the homes you may buy. Whether you do it now or a year from now it will not matter. The big thing is be careful there are some neighborhoods in Woodbridge and Prince William County that are over priced. Make sure the agent does the research for you. Below is an article on Curb Appeal what I believe to be one of the most important aspects of selling. If you need help with the process I will be happy to interview with you for the job. Good Luck.

Thu Feb 21 2008, 05:59

Thanks for the extra details, Jill... one other thing... is it possible to add onto to your home to get the extra space you need? Sounds like everything else is good.... good luck! Paul

Wed Feb 20 2008, 17:52

I should have put more details...thanks for the responses. We would actually be staying in the Woodbridge area as my husband works at Ft. belvoir, and actually the commute from here is perfect right where we are, so he doesn't want to go too many more miles away. But we just want a house with more space, that's really the main reason. We have a toddler and dogs and just feel cramped into our little ranch house, it's about 1800 sq ft. Everything about our location is pretty great, large corner lot next to a park, big yard, etc. We just want more room in the house. So we're really not sure what we want to do or if we can realistically afford what we want. We'll figure it out! Thank you all for your thoughts...
Jill

Wed Feb 20 2008, 17:49

Hi, Jill.... I guess my first question for you is why do you want to move? Do you need more room for the family, not enough bathrooms, need a bigger yard, etc. Or do you want to cut down on a commute? Whatever the reason, I think it has a bearing on your decision to move vs. staying where you are. It's been my experience that very often if homes are not selling it's because of condition or price or both. If you feel your home is in better condition, and you are in a position to sell it for less than your competition, I would say you might want to sell now. No one can tell with any certainty what the market will do in the future, but you know for certain what the prices are now, and if you can buy more home for the money it may make sense to act on the market you know. Not sure if this helped, but I hope so. Let me know if you have other questions. Have a GREAT day! Paul

Wed Feb 20 2008, 17:38

Jill, If you are thinking of moving to an area that has the same economic conditions as where you live now than anything you do to get your home sold you will be able to recoup on the purchase as long as you use a good agent. The most important part is the agent. A good agent will price you correctly, get your home sold and negotiate a good deal on your new home. If you research the agent and find a good one, let them do their work. Once you get your home sold than you will have all the leverage when you buy.

Wed Feb 20 2008, 17:12

I think most will agree that Woodbridge is currently not the most stable areas for pricing nor is it the easiest place to sell.
When in a Buyers Market (Just like in a Sellers Market); it is difficult to get a great "deal" on both the purchase and the sale.
If you are looking in the same area - I would not be ovrly worried about prices going up in the near future. What I would suggest is meet with a Realtor. Ask them some very specific pricing questions and ask them to show you trends. You may find by waiting; your homes value may decrease more (then again the next home you buy may also decrease). The same could hold true if the values in your neighborhood is increasing.

Wed Feb 20 2008, 17:09