Reducing the price of your Bedford VA Home for sale

Logo of the National Association of Realtors.Deciding when to drop the listing price of your Bedford Home for sale is difficult because it depends on the many factors  and not just the Bedford market.  There’s no one formula that will work across the board.  However, there are guidelines that we use for most homes in Bedford.  Here are a few standards.

When the feedback says “It’s too high!”

If the Bedford agents and buyers are coming back with pricing suggestions or verbal offers, and those are in line with the comps your priced above, then you’re priced to high.  That’s the point you should drop the price.  Don’t wait for “the perfect buyer” to come along – it’ll never happen.  You’ll increase the chances of a sale by dropping it immediately.

When you haven’t had a showing in 30 days

With the exception of open houses, which don’t count, if you haven’t had a call to either preview with an agent or show a client. The National Association of Realtors says 10 days without a showing means to lower the price. Bedford is a little slower than the rest of the market.  But 30 days without a showing means something needs to change. Regardless of the price range, if you’re not getting at least one showing a month, the price is too high.  If it’s priced right, you should be getting a lot more showings.  How much to drop depends on the property but drop it enough to get showings.

When a similar property sells for less

If a property in the same market that is a good comp sells for less than your asking price, drop the list price to capture buyers who were looking at that other property. If you want a little negotiating room, fine, but come to within 2% of the other listing price as soon as that home goes to “pending sale” status.

When the last price drop was 90 or more days ago

If the last price reduction was 90 or more days ago and you don’t have a serious buyer on the hook, drop the price.  Even if a buyer is considering the property, drop the price.  Dropping the price will engage more buyers and existing potential buyers will be motivated to write an offer before someone else does.  I’ve seen sellers sit on properties for months while potential buyers make up their mind.  The result:  wasted time and opportunities.

Lets face it, the longer a  takes a home to sell the less money the owners will get. Meanwhile they have to maintain the house, make payments, do upkeep, keep it in show able condition. Further eating away equity. Price it right to begin with and the home will sell!

3 Bedford Homes Open This Weekend for National Open House Week!

The Witt Fogleman Team is proud to announce they will have three homes open this weekend in Bedford for National Open House Week.

1106 Ashland Ave Bedford home for sale1106 Ashland Ave. Bedford VA-Incredible opportunity for this sweet Bedford home where character abounds in a wonderful location. 1948 brick cape cod with dentil molding exterior trim, newer roof (5 years old, architectural shingles), original front shutters, well maintained brick patio and concrete terrace. Exceptionally built, the walls are built of cinderblock and brick with lath and plaster finish. Interior details include colonial doors, brass hardware, cornice and chair rails. Home has 1-2 (exact size?!) oak hardwoods throughout. Two beautiful wood burning fireplaces, one in the living room, one in the den/library. Library has beautiful built-ins on either side of the… fireplace. Many updates in October 2011: 3.5 bathrooms have all been updated, refinished floors, some newer windows, paint throughout. Clean, dry, full basement with new paint. Cable TV and internet run in most rooms. Beautiful natural light. Lots of closets. Paved driveway. Very quiet neighborhood, no through traffic. Conveniently located to great schools, hospital, walking loops, downtown, yet tucked away in a far corner lot, you can hide yourself in plain sight in this gem of a home that has been in only two families. You can be the third in 65 years!! Dont miss this opportunity

 

603 Westview, Bedford VA. Ideal Bedford Home.  The home is 1947. The updates are 2011 Ralph Lauren. If you are looking for distinguished bones and timeless updates, this is your find. Hardwoods and ceramic tile throughout. Handsome fixtures in the kitchen and baths. New paint inside and out. The side porch is perfect for a visit, the new deck out back is great for an outdoor meal. Wonderful storage! They foyer boasts 3 closets (one more around the corner in the den!) and the upstairs has added storage in the hall in addition to the two closets in the master. Working wood burning fireplace for creating that cold weather… warmth we all enjoy this time of year. The lower level has newly reupholstered benches in a wonderful entertainment room, great for spending time with good friends and family or escaping from it all. Is cooking your thing? Check out these cabinets double deep pantry and tons of cabinets to maintain your goodies; new appliances to work your magic. Enjoy your delectables in the nook, the dining room or in the fresh air. If cooking is not your thing, then walk on downtown to one of many great places to eat! Dont let this fine house in the best location get away from you. Make your stories for years to come!

 

203 Fox Creek Goode VA. Clean home on quiet cul-de-sac street very convenient to both 460 and 221 in Goode. 3/2.5 bath home with separate dining room with chair rails and lower level den and office. Nice 1.43 acre lot with fenced yard for small children or pets. Lot continues past fence into woods with treehouse. Main level has easy to clean laminate wood flooring. New range and dishwasher in kitchen. Oak cabinets. Wood burning fireplace in LR. Dual zone heat pump; unit upstairs is new. 30 year architectural roof is 2 years old. Well pump is new. Insulated tilt-in windows. Upstairs bedrooms have nice closets, baths are clean and updated. Rocking chair front porch… and nice deck overlooking fenced yard. Directv installed and Verizon DSL available. Storage in lower level and storage shed in back yard conveys. Nice patio on lower level. ADT alarm contacts 911 via entry and when smoke detectors activate; plan transferrable. This is priced to sell!!

 

 

 

 

The Realty Group Becomes Keller Williams

The Realty Group in Lynchburg is now Keller Williams Lynchburg!Keller Williams Logo

Teresa Polinek made the announcement during a sales meeting. Realty Group agents have been waiting for some time to hear the great news! We have so pleased to become KW and to use their systems in the Lynchburg area. Keller Williams provides unsurpassed technology and training for each agent. Last year, Keller Williams team up with Market Leader to develop eEdge as a website, CRM , and back office tool. Making transactions seamless for Lynchburg home buyers and sellers.

The Realty Group has been serving Lynchburg, Forest, and Bedford County home owners for many years. Teresa Polinek and Tina Friar have been two of the top performing Realtors in Lynchburg for the last 10 years. They started out with just the two of them and now have over 40 agents plus support staff.

The Witt Fogleman Team has been awarded a Mega Agent Office status by Keller Williams Realty International. As part of the mega agent office, Witt Fogleman team will become part of the Keller Williams Lynchburg office.

The Witt Fogleman Team are some of Bedford top producing agents. The help people wanting to sell homes in Bedford, Lynchburg, and Roanoke VA and also help people wanting to purchase a home in Bedford, or purchase a home in Lynchburg and in Roanoke.

Keller Williams Realty International helps agents have careers. Their goal to for each agent is to have a life by design. Keller Williams also understands buyers and sellers work with agents not a franchise. Therefore they allow each agent to brand themselves.

Each Keller Williams franchise is independently owned and operated. Keller Williams Lynchburg is all locally owned.

Wonderful affordable Bedford VA home for sale

Looking for the perfect serene Bedford Home for sale, then look no further. This Bedford County home is perfect! 1862 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bath rooms, situated near the end of a cul-de-sac. This home is close to the City of Bedford but is in a quite area. The neighborhood is clean and well kept homes.

Nice covered front porch, deck off kitchen and lower patio with huge fire pit, koi pond and garden area. Lawn is very well maintained, mature trees, privacy cypress and wooded back lot offer for lots of outdoor area to play with. Trails in woods lead to creek with bridge. Shaded, mulched area for playground and pens for animals. Lot near end of cul-de-sac for your quiet enjoyment! Interior has great room/open floor plan and three spacious bedrooms and oversized bath. Lower level has nicely finished family room that walks out to patio, full bath and nice workspace. Woodstove heats entire house. HP heat and air. Vinyl insulated windows. Automatic attic fan. Low avg electric bills – $120-150/avg. Directv in place; Verizon DSL and cable available. Home warranty offered. Great neighborhood. Road is easily cleared in weather. Don’t let this one pass by!

3.41 acres of lanf included with this home. Much of it landscaped. Rooms are painted for their children but will be painted a neutral color upon request of buyer.

 

 

 

Homeowner Associations in Bedford VA

witt fogleman realtors bedford lynchburg forest dmith mountain lake

What is a Homeowners’ Association? It is a corporation formed by real estate developers to market, manage and sell homes and lots within a development.

Does the Bedford real estate developer retain control of the HOA forever? When a predetermined number of homes or lots are sold, the control is turned over, first, to a handpicked group of homeowners.  Afterwards, elections are held once a year within the development to choose board members.

Can anyone be a board member? If you’re a property owner in the development governed by the HOA, you can campaign for the position.  Eh HOA is different but usually elections are held once a year and most board members volunteer their time.

What is the primary function of the HOA? The primary function of an HOA is to maintain the rules and restrictions that were put in place by the developers and to maintain the community’s common areas.  Common areas include parking lots, roads, parks or green areas, pools, sometimes lawns and buildings used by the owners like a clubhouse or fitness center.  If your Bedford real estate is an attached condo unit, this would include the exterior of your unit as well.

Can I elect not to join the HOA? HOA membership is written into the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) when the community is developed.  No matter how many times the property changes ownership, the HOA requirements remain with the property. You’re required to pay HOA fees.

 

What does my HOA fee cover? HOA fees are used to maintain the common areas (see above); some have additional benefits, based upon the various developments in Bedford. If you do not stay current on the fees, the HOA can and WILL apply an assessment lien on your Bedford real estate and can even foreclose on the property.

 

How much will a HOA cost me? Each HOA is different. It’s important to find out how much this fee is upfront, you don’t want to be surprised and a good REALTOR like Scott Fogleman or Wendy Witt can tell you how much this will cost.

Before buying into a community with an HOA, read and understand the CC&R’s. Also, take the time to talk with some of the other homeowners in the development to find out how they feel about their HOA.

If you’re interested in buying Bedford real estate, with or without an HOA, I can help. Please give me a call or email me with questions you may have about home buying in Bedford VA.

 

The REALTORS with Witt Fogleman can tell you everything about any HOA in Bedford VA. Give them a call today!

 

 

The place to be in Bedford VA

603 Westview Bedford VA 24523

On Bedford’s favorite street, this home is classic, a stately beauty, built to last & completely updated. Brand new kitchen with ceramic tile floor, stainless steel appliances, new countertops, fresh paint, new sink & disposal, cherry built-in shelving & paneling through breakfast area & cozy TV nook. Pantry and tons of cabinets. Two new bathrooms – full bath on m/l & full bath up. New paint throughout inside & entire exterior. Original windows painstakingly repainted & restored to full functionality. Electric has been updated, new GCFI in baths. New light fixtures throughout. Added closets in upstairs hallway for plenty of storage. Downstairs is a wonderful den/game/hobby room w/ a wet bar & newly reupholstered bench seats that convey. Outside, a new stamped concrete walkway & front stoop & new rear deck for exterior living. Pair all of this with the charm of original doors & hardware, hardwood floor, arched doorways, wood burning fireplace, front door with sidelights.

 

This exceptional home will not last long! Come see it while it lasts.

Want to know more about Bedford visit Discover Bedford

 

Elementary Schools in Bedford , VA

4 Elementary Schools found in the area.

School Type Grade Level Enrollment Students per Teacher
Bedford Elementary School
Phone: (540) 586-0275
806 Burks Hill Rd, Bedford, VA 24523
Public 3-6 409 16
Bedford Primary Elementary School
Phone: (540) 586-8339
807 College St, Bedford, VA 24523
Public PK-2 361 15
Body Camp Elementary School
Phone: (540) 297-7391
3420 Body Camp Rd, Bedford, VA 24523
Public PK-5 169 19
Precept Schools Of Virginia
Phone: (540) 587-5423
1987 Big Island Hwy, Bedford, VA 24523
Private 2-6 11 5

High Schools in Bedford , VA

2 High Schools found in the area.

School Type Grade Level Enrollment Students per Teacher
Liberty High School
Phone: (540) 586-2541
100 Liberty Minutemen Dr, Bedford, VA 24523
Public 9-12 940 18
Science and Technology Center
Phone: (540) 586-3933
600 Edmund St, Bedford, VA 24523
Voc/Tech 9-12 0 0

Middle Schools in Bedford , VA

2 Middle Schools found in the area.

School Type Grade Level Enrollment Students per Teacher
Bedford Middle School
Phone: (540) 586-7735
503 Longwood Ave, Bedford, VA 24523
Public 7-8 475 16
Precept Schools Of Virginia
Phone: (540) 587-5423
1987 Big Island Hwy, Bedford, VA 24523
Private 2-6 11 5

Why are photos important to selling your home?

2282 McDaniel RdThe National Association of Realtors has several surveys of home buyers proving 20+ quality photos make a home sell faster and for more money. Eighty-four percent of home buyers say that photos and detailed property descriptions are the most important feature when searching for homes online. Professional photos get 61% more views and sell for a higher price!

Quality photos make a difference

Point and shoot digital cameras have revolutionized the industry but they do not make professional grade photos.  If you want professional results, get professional equipment! A Digital SLR (DSLR) with interchangeable lenses is needed! Operating one of these cameras isn’t incredibly difficult, but it does take time and education. Not only do you have to think about the camera body but more importantly the lenses. The lens really determines the quality of the photo and how much of a room you can get into a frame. Smaller rooms can sometime be a challenge to get the room in one frame, point and shoot cameras will cut off part of the room or give lenses distortion making the celling look like its bending. A DSLR camera with a wide angle lens can get that photo! DSLR cameras also will accurately display colors. You spent the extra money for Brazilian Hardwood floors, you wanted the right color and look, and don’t you want it to be right in the photos?

Having an “eye” for images is something that can’t be taught! So even if two people have the same equipment the results will be dramatically different. Knowing the right angles or zoom level takes an “eye”.  Again, the goal is for your home to stand out in a positive way.

As a homeowner, you may want to really think about how much you have in a room. Clutter will distract a buyer and make your home appear small. See our post on clutter!

We have lots of great photos, now let’s get them online!

The Lynchburg and Roanoke Board of Realtors allows up to 30 photos of a property in their Multiple Listing Service (MLS). While this is a great place to shop for homes it is not user friendly such as sites like REALTOR.CO, homes.com, or Zillow.com.  Year after year more home shoppers use these three sites than anywhere else on the web with looking for a new home. REALTOR.COM only gives most agents 4 pictures per listing. So, only 4 photos of your home will appear unless the agent has subscribed to enhanced listings allowing up to 25 photos of each listing. Many area homes do not appear on Zillow.com and Homes.com because the agent doesn’t upload their listings to the service. That is right, two of the three places to best market your home many agents are not using! Therefore your home is only being shown to 1/3 of the market place.

Why Witt-Fogleman

Scott Fogleman is a published photo journalist. He work has appeared in many national, regional and local publications. Wendy Witt first started photography when she was in college, showing lots of promise she became an avid hobbyist. They use Canon DSLE cameras with a variety of Canon, Sigma, and Tamron lenses.

Wendy and Scott are a husband and wife Real Estate team who co-list everything (no additional charge). We serve Lynchburg, Bedford, and the surrounding area.

We subscribe to REALTORS.com enhanced listing service, giving each one of our listings up to 25 photos. We also use REALTOR.com featured homes, this places one of our listings at the bottom and the top of each page when a person searches inside our zip codes.

We offer showcase advertising on Zillow.com and homes.com, meaning your home will come up first in any search where your home means the criteria.

Current Listings

Does my home qualify as a short sale?

Does my home qualify as a short sale?

short sale
Image by TheTruthAbout via Flickr

What is a short sale? Simply put, A short sale is when you owe the bank more then what your home is worth. This can happen for a variety of reasons but the most common is the loss of value due to the economic downturn. Bedford, Lynchburg, and Roanoke has not been impacted like the rest of the country. Home values have dropped since 2006, but not like other areas. This area is great in that we don’t see major swings in real estate. We didn’t have the big real estate bubble therefore we don’t have bursting of the bubble (or the big drop in values).

Bedford VA, Lynchburg VA, and Roanoke VA are just like the rest of the country, you have to meet certain criteria in order to get approved for a short sale. Going into a short sale is serious.If not done correctly, it could impact your credit for many years. Even if done right, it does hurt your credit for two years.

Reduction of your homes value is not enough to qualify for a short sale. Do you have a life altering event- loss of job, severe reduction of income, death of income earning family member, or divorce. Its unfortunate but you need an event such as this to qualify.In other words, there has to be something major in order to qualify for a short sale.

But you also need to be behind on your payments. This is where it gets tricky. I wouldn’t suggest missing payments just to get approved for a short sale because your home could go into foreclosure before the short sale is approved.

Ok, you had a life altering event and your behind on your payments, now what?

Call a qualified REALTOR! Someone who is SFR certified. Scot and Wendy both have taken and passed the SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Designation) from the National Association of REALTORS. Many REALTORS have given up on short sales. While the rules have changed and banks are getting faster in processing, it still can take some time to get a bank to approve a short sale. Many REALTORS feel short sales take up far too much time and will refuse to work with him. The process is very frustrating to REALTORS. It often requires many calls to the bank, submitting the same paperwork over and over. A REALTOR has to stay on top of the transaction  to make this happen.

You have a REALTOR and a buyer, now what?

Hopefully you have already started but gather everything your bank will want. Basically you are building a case for the for the bank to approve your short sale. First, you need a “hardship” letter. You need to write a great letter explaining where you are and how you got there. You don’t need to write a novel, but just tell the bank the facts in a well organized fashion. Let them know how you feel and what happened was beyond your control. You will also need copies of your taxes, pay stubs, bank records, death certificates, divorce papers, utility bills,  anything you think will help your case with the bank.

In summary, you need to qualify for a short sale and a great REALTOR to help you along the way. Its a stressful and can take some time. But there is hope!

For more information Call Scott or Wendy

For more information about Bedford, Lynchburg and Roanoke. Visit Discover Bedford

 

If you stop making payments on your home, it will hurt your credit and the bank may take action such as but not limited to- foreclosure upon the home. We advise you discuss this with an attorney and a CPA.

Why should you list with Witt Fogleman

witt fogleman realtors bedford lynchburg forest dmith mountain lakeWhy should you list your home with Witt Fogleman

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 04:  A sold sign...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

During the real estate boom, all one had to do to sell a home was to put a sign in the yard, take out a newspaper ad, and wait.

Today’s market is very different. While the Lynchburg / Bedford VA hasn’t been hit hard by the economic downturn, marketing your property has changed. Due to high costs and little to no results, advertising in print is/has died. Placing a sign in the yard is great advertising if your on a major road, but if your home is in a neighborhood signs do little other then alert the neighbors you are selling.

Why Witt Fogleman

  • You get two agents working for you for the price of one, Wendy Witt and Scott Fogleman co-list everything. Talking to one of them is like talking to both of them.
  • We are local, full time Realtors. We live in the area we serve. We shop and support local businesses.
  • Web presence- We advertise your home on every major Real Estate website. Your home will be placed upon Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Keller Williams.com, our websites, and many others.
  • We are members of the Lynchburg Association of Realtors and the Roanoke Association of Realtors, giving your home exposure in both markets.
  • Enhanced listings on Realtor.com. Most homes are only allowed 4 pictures. Our listings have up to 25  pictures. The National Association of Realtors surveys show homes with 20 + images sell faster. Homes with more then 10 pictures have a 600% higher view rate then those with less pictures.
  • Our listings have virtual tours posted on Realtor.com, giving your home even more exposure.
  • We are Keller Williams agents. Keller Williams has been ranked by J D Power and Associates as their top Realtor Franchise. Listing with a Keller Williams agent means your home is viewed by KW agents around the world. KW uses the latest technologies to promote their listings.
  • Featured Listings on Realtor.com, we offer featured listings, meaning each time a person searches a one of our zip codes, one of our listings comes up.
  • Featured listings on Zillow.com. Each time someone searches your Zillow zip code or city, your home will be shown on the first page (some zip codes homes are rotated based how many listings we have).
  • Featured on Homes.com. Your home will appear on the first page of search results.
  • 2 agents, multiple website! Wendy and Scott have multiple websites to promote your home.
  • Open Houses- We do open houses! We will schedule an open house for your home.
  • We have an extensive list of buyers and investors. Many homes are sold without even hitting the market.
  • We volunteer and support area non-profits. We serve on boards, donate money and time to area charities.
  • We sold Millions of Dollars worth  real estate last year. And are off to a strong start this year.
  • NOBODY will work harder for you! If you want results, contact us!
  • Scott and Wendy are both SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resources) certified agents. We can help you even when you owe more than the house is worth.

If this isn’t enough, give us a call. We are always investigating new and different ways to aggressively market your home. Our goal is to get you the most money in the shortest time possible.

Image representing Realtor.com as depicted in ...
Image via CrunchBase

Scott Fogleman on Zillow