David Bruce

January 11th, 2011

Virginia Legislators Propose Foreclosure Changes (NBC12)

NBC12 reported yesterday about proposed foreclosure changes which are being introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.  Is it needed or will it make the process more complicated?



ARTICLE FROM NBC12.com……

By Heather Sullivan

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – The mortgage mess revealed that thousands of homeowners nationwide may have lost their homes through improper foreclosures. Now some state leaders are proposing bills to change the foreclosure process in Virginia. Read the rest of this entry »

January 9th, 2011

Sunday Open House in Wellesley

This charming home is in the wonderful Wellesley community near Short Pump Town Centerand is just a short walk from the Wellesley Swim & Racquet Club. First floor living spaces include a spacious Family Room with gas fireplace, warm & inviting Sun Room or Study, formal Dining Room (currently used as a Den) and Kitchen with vaulted Eat In Area. Upstairs you’ll find three bedrooms and two full bathrooms with tile floors. Oustide you’ll find a rear deck, detached storage shed and fenced & private backyard. OPEN SUNDAY JANUARY 9TH, 2011 FROM 2PM-4PM

More detailed information including photos and virtual tour are available at SkyeBruce.com

Directions: From Broad Street turn onto Lauderdale Road. Turn right onto Park Terrace then turn onto Danewood Drive.

December 15th, 2010

Twice-a-year real estate bills for Richmond (Times-Dispatch)

Below is an article from the published this morning by the Richmond Times Dispatch.  A fiscal move for sure by the City of Richmond at the expense of its residents.

Twice-a-year real estate bills for Richmond By Will Jones, Times Dispatch  Published: December 15, 2010

In a money-saving move to improve its cash flow, the city of Richmond may have created a post-holiday pinch for some of its homeowners.

The city is mailing the first bills as part of its switch to twice-per-year collection of real estate taxes. Bills covering a half year of taxes were sent out this week and are due Jan. 14. A second round of bills will be due June 14.

Bill Pittman, a retiree who lives in Ginter Park, objects to a payment due in January — just after Christmas — and said he is concerned that many property owners are unaware that tax bills are imminent. “People are not going to have the money to pay this upfront,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

December 13th, 2010

Winter Wonderland Real Estate in Richmond

Well we got our first snow of the year and more is in the forecast for the Richmond area.  Christmas is less than 2 weeks away, so why would anyone think about buying a home? The winter can be a great time for home buying. The Richmond area market tends to slow down over the holidays, but that can be all the better for home buyers. Read the rest of this entry »

December 7th, 2010

Selling your Richmond area home over the holidays!

We are asked by clients all the time: Should we leave our Richmond area home on the market over the holidays? Yes, the holidays can present challenges with guests, decorations, parties, etc; however there are some some real positives to having your home on the market over the holidays.  Here are a few reasons to list or keep your home on the market over the holidays…. Read the rest of this entry »

November 18th, 2010

Ideas For Winter Curb Appeal in Richmond

The weather is getting colder here in Richmond.  Days are shorter, leaves are falling and browns are starting to get that dormant brown color of winter.  So if you are trying to sell your home in the colder months of the year, how do you keep the curb appeal up to attract potential buyers?  Came across this great article on the member site for REALTORS (REALTOR.org).  Good advice as we head into the 3 coldest months of the year!

CRAFTY IDEAS FOR WINTER CURB APPEAL

Yes, it’s still possible to create great curb appeal when it’s cold and gray outside.

During summer months when gardens are in bloom and the sun is shining bright, curb appeal comes naturally to many homes. But when the autumn chill turns to winter cold and the sun sets earlier in the day, it becomes more difficult to create that inviting exterior look that grabs buyers from the curb.

Fortunately, it is possible to create striking winter curb appeal without expensive or complicated exterior changes, says Charlene Storozuk, a home stager and designer with Dezigner Digz in Burlington, Ontario—a city that averages 51 inches of snow per year. It just requires a little creativity.

She and other home-design experts offer these eight tips: Read the rest of this entry »

November 8th, 2010

Basic Tips for the First Time Homebuyer

Purchasing your first Richmond area home is a rite of passage that most non-homeowners dream of. Besides intangible benefits, homeownership lets you build wealth and provides the largest tax break available to most consumers.   Here are a couple basic tips to buying your first Richmond area home!

Pay Off Your Debt It’s a common mistake for first time homebuyers!  They focus on saving as much money as possible for a down payment instead of paying off other debts. A better approach is to use extra cash to eliminate credit-card and other high-interest consumer debt — even if that means you can put down less on your future home. Read the rest of this entry »

November 5th, 2010

Richmond Area Home Prices Up Quarter over Quarter!

The Central Virginia Regional Multiple Listing Service has released third quarter statistics for the Richmond Area/Central Virginia Housing Market. Results are mixed with a bright spot being a rise for the first time in nearly 2 years in average and median home prices. Signs are pointing to an improving Richmond area real estate market. Below is the Central VA MLS 3rd quarter report… Read the rest of this entry »

November 3rd, 2010

What will the election results mean for Real Estate?

The votes have been counted.  The Republicans have taken the House and made gains in the Senate.  There is somewhat a balance of power in Washington now.  What will all this mean for real estate?  Historically it’s tough to correlate election results and the real estate market.  One thing we believe is this election should give consumer and business confidence a boost so as we head into 2011.  There are still plenty of foreclosure and other housing issues nationwide so there won’t be clear sailing yet, but there is hope for optimism.  The Richmond area real estate market has continued to outperform the nation so we are feeling positive about the next 6 to 12 months with the possible boost this confidence could provide.

Below are a few other outstanding real estate issues effected by the election highlighted by the Wall Street Journal today… Read the rest of this entry »

October 4th, 2010

Economy: More Jobs Needed to Spur Home Sales

Good article by Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of REALTORS.  While the Richmond area continues to out perform the nation, our local real estate recovery will also hinge on jobs.

Businesses must ramp up hiring before the lag in home sales will subside!

By Lawrence Yun | October 2010

We’re in the midst of a post–tax credit pause in home sales, but the length and depth of the pause don’t depend heavily on consumer spending. This time, businesses are in the driver’s seat.

Consumers are largely tapped out. For the past 18 months or so, low interest rates and the home buyer tax credit drew consumers into the housing market, giving enough of a boost to the economy to help pull it out of the recent recession. Read the rest of this entry »