Richmond Home Shopper

Selling Your Home? Add Appeal with a Few Simple Touches!

A few simple touches can make a powerful impact in the eyes of potential buyers. But not to worry — these quick projects are easy — and affordable — to tackle before putting your home on the market.

#1 You Only Get One Chance to Make a First Impression

As soon as a potential buyer turns into your driveway, the selling process begins. Make sure your lawn is well-manicured and the entry to your home is clean and clutter-free. If paint is beginning to chip from shutters and siding, add a quick coat of paint — you’ll be surprised at what a difference it can make. Always check your gutters and also wash your windows — inside and out. To add a nice touch to your entryway, add a seasonal pot of flowers or plants near the front door — it will welcome guests right from the start. Read the rest of this entry »

Skye Bruce Properties chosen to represent Scandia USA Homes at Rocketts Landing

Skye Bruce Properties has been chosen to represent Scandia USA builders for their new Rocketts Landing town-homes. These luxury, energy efficient, green built town-homes offer incredible custom features such as granite counter tops, four piece crown molding, Kountry Kraft handmade cabinets, advance security systems, plus much more! Read the rest of this entry »

September New Home Sales Up

Nationwide sales of newly constructed homes rose in September, but the median selling price dropped.The September report from the US Census Bureau finds new home sales were up 2.7 percent from Aug. to an annualized rate of 464,000. Sales are down 33 percent from September 2007, and far below the pace during the boom years. Read the rest of this entry »

New Homes at New Kent Vinyards!

Exciting news in New Kent County!  Ryan Homes, the largest builder of new homes in Virginia has begun construction in The Arbors at New Kent Vineyards. Homes are slated to start around $270,000, be between 2000 and 5000 square feet and have up to six bedrooms. Read the rest of this entry »

Home Sales Up in Richmond!

A welcome headline this morning in the Richmond Times Dispatch! “RICHMOND-AREA HOME SALES RISE”. They reported that Richmond Area homes sales rose in the third quarter by 1.6% compared to the same quarter in 2007. Hanover and Henrico counties saw positive growth of about 2%.  The average price for a home remained flat in the Richmond area at around 239,000.

The Richmond area continues to out perform the rest of the country, most other metro areas and the state as a whole. Read the rest of this entry »

Richmond Foreclosures on the Rise!

Foreclosures in the Richmond Metro area are on the rise again.  Over 1100 homes received foreclosure filings almost triple year over year. Bank repo’s, auction sales and defaults are included in this total. In Virginia as a whole, foreclosure notices are up 185% year over year. Notices did fall in September versus August, one bright spot, but nothing you could call trend. The Richmond area ranked 88th among metro areas in the country for foreclosures.

Nationwide there was a 71 percent increase in the number of homes which received at least one foreclosure-related notice in the third quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. Read the rest of this entry »

Agent Spotlight: Catena Armstrong

Catena Armstrong obtained her real estate license in 2002 and has since established herself as a leader in the industry by obtaining her Graduate Realtor Institute and Accredited Buyer Representative designations from the National Association of Realtors. Catena has successfully worked with buyers and sellers in the Greater Richmond area, supporting investors, first time home buyers, luxury and trade up buyers and many individuals relocating to the Richmond area. A recent client remarked:

Catena’s style is friendly and low pressure. She employs a proven Home Buying System which is low stress for her clients, information driven and organized.  She ensures you will be in the best position possible to purchase a home at the best price and terms, with the best loan and the best real estate representation available.

Introducing New Kent Vineyards and Viniterra Golf and Country Club

The roads are in, wine is being made at the Vineyard, the golf course is scheduled to open in 2009 and new homes are on the way at New Kent Vineyards. This unique community just off Interstate 64, about 20 minutes east of downtown Richmond will include a winery, an Inn, an equestrian center and polo field, an 18-hole golf course, 1900 homesites including 300 Estate Homes, 100 Resort Cottages and a Village Center, all surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. Read the rest of this entry »

First Time Homebuyers, Don’t Miss Out!

Don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime! A new Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit provides $7500 to help qualified first time home buyers get into the house of their dreams. For potential first time home owners this newly enacted legislation can provide a bridge to that some times elusive dream of owning a home.Homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009 are eligible.

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit at a glance:

• The tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only.
• The maximum credit amount is $7,500.
• The credit is available for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before
  July 1, 2009.
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
• The tax credit works like an interest-free loan and must be repaid over a 15-year period.

For more information please email us!

Great Article found about Green Homes!

I recently came across the below article (highlighted in green) written by William Burr for Ideal Living Magazine. Fantastic article! He gives some great specifics on important aspects and merits of building a green home and highlights 2 examples of green homes built in North Carolina and South Carolina. As the article states in the first paragraph, “Green” is a hot topic for sure and something buyers are looking when buying an array of products.  Now more than ever consumers are looking for energy efficient homes and homes built with respect for the enviroment

“Green” is a hot topic and a major sales incentive in everything from organic food to hydrogen-powered automobiles to recycling product waste. One of the areas in which going green has made the biggest splash is the construction of new homes. Read the rest of this entry »