Q:
OWL55.com is a bit overwhelming. Where do I start?
Q: Can you really get me a better price from a
builder?
Q: What is the price range
for Virginia Active Adult homes?
Q:
With the depressed real estate market I am thinking
of waiting for a better market to sell my home. Is
this a good idea?
Q:
Where is the market going? Have prices stabilized?
Q:
Is there an active adult community near [wherever]
VA?
Q:
Could you send me a brochure?
Q: I live alone
and one of my big concerns is security. Which
communities offer the best security?
Q: The HOA fees
vary a lot across the communities. Why?
Q:
Many active adult communities say in their sales
literature that you must be accompanied by your
agent on your first visit. If I make a visit on my
own does that mean I can't
have an agent represent me in negotiations?
Q: I am looking
for a 4-step retirement community in
Virginia. Can you help me?
Q:
OWL55.com is a bit overwhelming. Where do I start?
A:
Whether you are interested in new construction
or resales, your best starting point is
Active
Adult Communities. This page presents a map
showing the locations of 34 active adult communities
in Virginia followed by a list summarizing their
home types and price range. From this page you have
links to community profile pages with links to
builder's Websites (with floor plans and prices) and
the OWL55.com MLS listings for each community
(when available).
If you scroll down
the Home Page, you will
find a Site Map of all the major pages of
OWL55.com and brief descriptions of each.
Q: Can you really get me a better price from a
builder?
A:
While I can't guarantee a better price, the chances
are very good. As an Active Adult Community
Specialist, I deal with the sales staffs all the
time and I know their inventories, their incentives
and the competitive context. The sales staffs know
me and they know I can and will show buyers resale homes in
their communities and new homes and resales in other
active adult communities. They tend to get to their
"best offer" quickly.
As a Realtor®, I can provide valuable services
beyond price negotiation. I will review and explain
to you every document you are expected to sign as
well as HOA and related agreements.
The sales people
you deal with represent the builder's interests. I
will be there to represent YOUR interests.
All of this is at
no additional cost to you; in Virginia, the seller
(builder) pays all commissions.
See
Why Use A Realtor® for more information.
Q: What is the price range for Virginia
Active Adult Community homes?
A: The
lowest cost homes are in communities in southern and
western Virginia. Some start in the low $200,000's.
Northern Virginia communities are more expensive,
starting in the high $200,000's but average starting
in the low to mid $300,000's.
Q:
With the depressed real estate market I am thinking
of waiting for a better market to sell my home. Is
this a good idea?
A:
It is seldom advantageous to wait. If you are
selling to buy and the market improves, you may get
a better price for your home but you will also pay a
higher price when you buy. There are very specific
circumstances where waiting might make sense but I
would have to know exactly what yours are to advise
you.
Q:
Where is the market going? Have prices stabilized?
A:
I am no expert at forecasting so I can only
summarize the "conventional wisdom" of the market
gurus. The consensus seems to be that
prices are beginning to stabilize but may drift a
little lower in 2007. There is always a lag in
resale prices because homeowners have a harder time
than builders coming to terms with lower values.
Actual activity is
already improving. There are more buyers out looking
and more contracts being signed.
Q:
Is there an active adult community near [wherever]
VA?
A:
The map on the
Active
Adult Communities page shows every active adult
community covered on OWL55.com. There is also
a list below the map that gives basic information
and links to more information.
Q:
Could you send me a brochure?
A:
I don't have a "general" brochure. OWL55.com
serves that purpose. Once you have selected specific
communities of interest, I can send you builder's
brochures.
Q: I live alone
and one of my big concerns is security. Which
communities offer the best security?
A: All the
communities featured on OWL55.com tend to be safer
than the community at large simply due to their
private streets and the tendency
of neighbors who know each other watching out for
each other.
That said, the highest security
communities in Virginia are those with 24 hour
staffed gates,
such as Heritage Hunt, Regency at Dominion Valley,
Shenandoah, Colonial Heritage
and Leisure World.
Q: The HOA fees
vary a lot across the communities. Why?
A:
Developer/builders sometimes subsidize HOA fees
during development as a marketing inducement.
Also, the amenities and services included in the HOA fees
can differ significantly. These issues must be
reviewed carefully community by community when making comparisons.
Q:
Many active adult communities say in their sales
literature that you must be accompanied by your
agent on your first visit. If I make a visit on my
own does that mean I can't
have an agent represent me in negotiations?
A:
First, understand that what the developer/builder
sales agents are trying to do is avoid a situation
where a potential customer begins substantive
negotiations and then - in the middle of the process
- brings in a Realtor® or other representation. That
would complicate and disrupt the sales process and
be unfair to the sales agent.
So if you do not
engage in any negotiations there is probably no
problem. Ensure your ability to have
representation by following these guidelines:
-
Make it very clear that you are "just
looking" and you are "not ready to talk."
-
State
that when and if you are ready to enter into serious
discussions, you will have your agent with you.
-
Do not
sign anything; not even a "Visitor's Log."
Most
developer/builder sales representatives are
realistically flexible on this issue. If you want to
visit a sales office without your Realtor® or other
representation but preserve your prerogatives, call
me and I will make the arrangements. If you decide
later not to have representation or to retain
someone else, no problem. Just speak kindly of
OWL55.com and what nice, helpful folks we are.
Q: I am looking
for a 4-step retirement community in
Virginia. Can you help me?
A: My
focus is specifically on Active Adult 55+
Communities, and I
do not monitor or maintain information on other types
of "senior
communities." Your best option is to do some Web
searches for the specific type of community you are
interested in.
I invite your questions about Active Adult
Communities and the lifestyle or about OWL55.com
and my services.
Your email address
will be used only to
respond to your question. You will not be added to
any mailing lists and your email address will not be
provided to any third parties.
To submit a
question,
just email me.
