Real Estate Information

I'm pleased to announce my latest listing for rent at 3517 Lacebark Elm Court in Woodbridge, VA!  This incredible, one-of-a-kind Rambler is situated on a 1/3 acre homesite on a quiet cul de sac!  From the appealing brick front and front porch, to the 3 car garage and park-like setting of this home, you’ll enjoy arriving home here!  You’ll feel far away, yet this home is convenient to everything that you could want!

As you enter this amazing 3 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath home, you’ll be warmly greeted by the hardwood Foyer and columned Living and Dining Rooms.  You’ll marvel at the open, light and airy feel of this home.  The front of this home is perfect for formal entertaining, while the Family Room features bright skylights, a gas fireplace and vaulted ceilings!  The inviting sunroom is perfect no matter what time of year it is, and the amazing deck with screened gazebo and patio is located just off here.  The gourmet Kitchen features cherry cabinets, a cooktop, double wall ovens and a built-in microwave!  There is ample counter space for all of your gourmet cooking! 

The Master Suite features an elegant tray ceiling and recessed lights, his and hers walk-in closets, and a truly luxurious Master Bath with whirlpool jets, ceramic tile flooring, separate shower and his and hers vanities!  The 2 other main floor bedrooms are situated on the opposite side of the home and offer ample space for all of your needs.  They share a convenient bathroom.  The laundry is also located on this floor in a convenient mud room. 

When you are ready to have some fun, the finished lower level is perfect for you!  Featuring a rec room, dinette, bar, several game areas, office, surround sound, and another luxury bath with whirlpool jets, you will definitely have the home everyone wants to come to!  And you’ll be able to easily walk outside onto your patio to enjoy quiet summer evenings. 

Located close to I-95, the Prince William County Parkway, Rt. 1, Rt. 123, commuter lots and the VRE, commuting options abound.  Historic Occoquan and Manassas, the Potomac Mills Mall, plenty of other shopping and all major restaurants are also just minutes away!  With all this home offers, you’d better hurry because this home won’t last long!!!!  MLS# PW7842775.  Click here for more information!  Offered at $3,100/month.

Tom Conner is an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Gateway, licensed in Virginia, and President of Kartobon Property Management, LLC.  He has been in the real estate business for over 19 years as a top performer in any role he has been in.  He began his career in New Home Sales, becoming Sales Representative of the Year for his division selling new homes.  He advanced his way into management until he became Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  In 2001, he began his career in the resale market, quickly becoming a top producer again.  He was offered a position as Executive Vice President of a real estate firm in 2006, and he assumed a management role again.  Tom realized he loves working for himself and working one on one with clients, and has again returned to sales.  He helps his clients with all of their real estate needs in the Northern Virginia area, from buying, selling, and renting homes to professional property management.  His office is RE/MAX Gateway at 7521 Virginia Oaks Drive, Suite 100  Gainesville, VA  20155.  Tom can be reached at 703-599-7127 or by email at Tom@tomconner.com, or visit him on the web at www.tomconner.com.

Welcome to 8688 Night Watch Court in Lanier Farms in Bristow!  This is a first time rental and is absolutely beautiful!  This 4 bedroom, 2 ½ bath home features a bright, open floorplan!  You’ll love the gourmet Kitchen with cherry cabinets and granite counters, as well as a cooktop, double wall oven and built-in microwave!  The Family Room is just off the Kitchen, perfect for casual living.  The access to the deck, overlooking woods, is through the Breakfast Nook.  The Living and Dining Rooms are great for formal entertaining, and a casual Den also rounds out the first floor.

The second floor features a luxurious Master Suite and beautiful Master Bath with double bowl vanities, huge soaking tub and a separate shower!  A hall bath and 3 more spacious bedrooms round out the upper level.

The finished basement has a Rec Room that is great for the big game and an area for a workout room, media room or whatever your needs are!  Plenty of storage is also available.

This home is convenient to I-66, Rt. 234, Prince William County Parkway and Rt. 29, as well as the VRE.  It is located near numerous shopping centers, but you will feel as if you are away from it all with the great setting this home offers!  Plenty of entertainment options are nearby as well, from restaurants,  Jiffy Lube Live, Freedom Center, and numerous parks.  You will love living here!

For more information, click here and for virtual tour, click here.   MLS# PW7838717.  Offered at $2,800/month.

Tom Conner is an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Gateway, licensed in Virginia, and President of Kartobon Property Management, LLC.  He has been in the real estate business for over 19 years as a top performer in any role he has been in.  He began his career in New Home Sales, becoming Sales Representative of the Year for his division selling new homes.  He advanced his way into management until he became Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  In 2001, he began his career in the resale market, quickly becoming a top producer again.  He was offered a position as Executive Vice President of a real estate firm in 2006, and he assumed a management role again.  Tom realized he loves working for himself and working one on one with clients, and has again returned to sales.  He helps his clients with all of their real estate needs in the Northern Virginia area, from buying, selling, and renting homes to professional property management.  His office is RE/MAX Gateway at 7521 Virginia Oaks Drive, Suite 100  Gainesville, VA  20155.  Tom can be reached at 703-599-7127 or by email at Tom@tomconner.com, or visit him on the web at www.tomconner.com.   

I often hear people refer to their real estate agent as their “broker”, and I also am also often asked what  a “broker” is?  In real estate in Virginia (as in most states), there are two very different licenses that real estate agents obtain.  One is a “salesperson” license, and the other is a “broker” license.  So what is the difference?  Is one better than the other?  Let’s look at the differences and you can decide for yourself.

In order to obtain a real estate “salesperson” license in Virginia, you must be at least 18 years old, have a good reputation for honesty, truthfulness and fair dealing and have a high school diploma or equivalent.  You then take a 60 hour course and pass the state real estate exam.  After passing the exam, the salesperson must affiliate with a “broker” in order to sell real estate.  The salesperson then must take an additional 30 hours of post-licensing education within their first year to keep their license.  After their first year, they must take 16 hours of continuing education every two years.  That is the extent of the education and training requirements to sell real estate in Virginia.

A “broker’s” license, on the other hand, requires significantly more work to get.  If you noticed in the previous paragraph that a salesperson has to work for a broker, you caught one of the main differences between licenses.  A salesperson can only sell real estate under the direct supervision of someone with a broker’s license.  So a broker’s license entitles someone to manage a company or own a company.  The state deems that to be a big responsibility.

The requirements for a broker’s license are:

• The candidate be “actively engaged in real estate for 36 of the previous 48 months”.  That means they are supposed to be full time salespeople.
• The candidate must take 180 hours of additional real estate courses.
• They must pass the state broker exam.
• They must take 24 hours of continuing education every two years.

Once you receive your broker’s license, you are one of three things:  a Principle Broker, a Managing or Supervising Broker, or an Associate Broker.  Simply put, each company has one Principle Broker responsible for running the entire company.  They then delegate offices, divisions or agents to a Managing Broker, who has management authority over the designated agents.  An Associate Broker is someone who has a broker’s license and can own or manage a company, but chooses to sell instead and report to one of the other brokers.

So, how likely are you to get a broker or a salesperson when you call an agent to represent you in your transaction?  According to the Virginia Department of Occupational Regulation, on May 1, 2012, there are 44,034 real estate licenses issued in Virginia.  Of those, 11,615 are some type of broker’s license.  You have a less than 27% chance of getting someone with a broker’s license.

But does that mean a broker is better?  According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2008, the median income for someone with a broker’s license was $49,300.  A salesperson in 2008 had a median income of $28,400.  (Kind of dispels the myth that real estate agents are rich, doesn’t it??)  So, simply put in this business, more money means more sales, which means more experience.

So when you go to sell your largest investment, which licensed agent would you prefer?  When you are interviewing your prospective agent, be sure to ask if they have a broker’s license.  If not, ask them why!

On a related topic, on May 1, 2012, there were 490 licensed Virginia real estate instructors (Most also are real estate brokers).  Maybe that should be another question to ask: Do you know real estate well enough to teach it with a state license?

Tom Conner is an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Gateway, licensed in Virginia, and President of Kartobon Property Management, LLC.  He has been in the real estate business for over 19 years as a top performer in any role he has been in.  He began his career in New Home Sales, becoming Sales Representative of the Year for his division selling new homes.  He advanced his way into management until he became Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  In 2001, he began his career in the resale market, quickly becoming a top producer again.  He was offered a position as Executive Vice President of a real estate firm in 2006, and he assumed a management role again.  Tom realized he loves working for himself and working one on one with clients, and has again returned to sales.  He helps his clients with all of their real estate needs in the Northern Virginia area, from buying, selling, and renting homes to professional property management.  His office is RE/MAX Gateway at 7521 Virginia Oaks Drive, Suite 100  Gainesville, VA  20155.  Tom can be reached at 703-599-7127 or by email at Tom@tomconner.com, or visit him on the web at www.tomconner.com.

Note:  This is one community featured in a series of fine Northern Virginia neighborhoods.

Cedar Run, located in Woodbridge, VA off of Minnieville Road, is a tight-knit community of 92 medium sized single family homes on 1/2 acre homesites.  While most people know the neighborhood as Cedar Run, the actual legal name in the public records is the "Meadows of Minnieville".  I remember Cedar Run well from my first days in real estate, when I sold new homes.  I was a sales agent for a builder and selling homes off of Cardinal Drive.  I was always impressed with the neighborhood and homes, although they were not my direct competition as they were more expensive, larger homes on larger homesites than I was selling.

Fast forward a couple years, and it turned out that I was working for the builder of Cedar Run, Van Metre Homes, at the time.  They transferred me to the neighborhood, and I virtually finished selling the community.  In fact, against my general rules against living in a neighborhood I sold in, I liked the neighborhood and the people so much that I also built a home there and lived in Cedar Run for awhile.

The community actually was built on an old farm dating back to the Civil War.  A variety of homesites are available, depending on what your preferences are.  Want a large, level back yard for your kids?  It's there!  You would prefer a wooded back yard for privacy?  It's there!  For homebuyers that are seeking a home with a larger lot, this is one of the great opportunities to have one, as opposed to the very tiny lots that are customarily built on today.  A popular feature of Cedar Run is that there is only one entrance into the neighborhood, and all of the streets end in Cul de Sacs, which creates a nice atmosphere for the neighborhood and reduces vehicular traffic.

The homes featured in Cedar Run range from just under 2,400 square feet to over 3,600 square feet on the top two floors.  The neighborhood began around 1993 and was sold out around 1997.  It is built in two sections.  Section one is the front half of the neighborhood, and features homes that Van Metre had been building for years, with the Cambridge model being one of the most popular.  These are the predominant home styles built in section 1.  Shortly after section 2 opened, Van Metre Homes created a whole new series of homes called the Classic Collection.  This series is the predominant series featured in the second section, and the Eliot model was the most popular design of that series.  With the large variety of homes offered in such a small neighborhood, you definitely do not feel like you are in a "cookie cutter" neighborhood.  There are a variety of elevations offered with each floorplan, and between the two series, there were over 12 floorplans to choose from.

Cedar Run is governed by a Homeowner's Association.  Because there are no community amenities, dues are inexpensive, and do include trash service.  The primary purpose of the Cedar Run HOA is to ensure that the architectural standards for the homes are maintained and followed, keeping up the values in the neighborhood.  They have done a good job to date with maintaining the quality and look of the community.

Homes in Cedar Run at the peak of the market would go into the $600's, some almost to $700,000.  However, the community was impacted by the real estate market just as everyone else was.  Cedar Run is recovering well due to it's unique features, and the values should be running in the 400's and 500's in today's market, depending on the home and homesite.   

Cedar Run is conveniently located for commuting!  It is near I-95, Rt. 234, Rt. 1, Rt. 123, Prince William County Parkway and it has great access to Virginia Railway Express (VRE), commuter parking, county bus service and commuter bus service.  It is minutes from many different restaurants, the Potomac Mills Mall, and numerous grocery stores.  Cedar Run has everything you could want!

If you have questions about Cedar Run, I can be reached at 703-599-7127 or by email at tom@tomconner.com.  Please visit my website at www.tomconner.com.

Tom Conner is an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Gateway and President of Kartobon Property Management, LLC.  He has been in the real estate business for over 19 years as a top performer in any role he has been in.  He began his career in New Home Sales, becoming Sales Representative of the Year for his division selling new homes.  He advanced his way into management until he became Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  In 2001, he began his career in the resale market, quickly becoming a top producer again.  He was offered a position as Executive Vice President of a real estate firm in 2006, and he assumed a management role again.  Tom realized he loves working for himself and working one on one with clients, and has again returned to sales.  He helps his clients with all of their real estate needs in the Northern Virginia area, from buying, selling, and renting homes to professional property management. 

I'm often asked if this is a good time to buy a home. Some clients are concerned that home prices may fall further than they have already. They are assuming that the best course of action is to wait for the bottom in the market and then buy. The problem with this approach is that you don't know where the bottom is until you see it in the rear view mirror, meaning until you've missed it!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.