Whitney Minnich Real Estate and Community Updates

As someone who loves coffee and real estate this is a great story and great news! "Homes within a quarter-mile of a Starbucks increased in value by 96 percent, on average, compared with 65 percent for all U.S. homes." It gets even better, DC is ranked at the top - third to be exact - as one of the metro cities where Starbucks has had the biggest effect on home values. If you've been thinking about buying or selling, give me a call 571-970-7195, or email me, whitney@whitneyminnich.com, to start the conversation - we can even meet over Starbucks coffee. Markets Where Starbucks Boosts Home Values the Most  Starbucks caffeinates home values, too, and some cities see a bigger jolt than others. Here’s a hot home-buying tip that’s been percolating since “ Zillow Talk: The New Rules of Real Estate ” was released: Buying near a Starbucks has benefits beyond easy access to your double-tall, non-fat, bone-dry cappuccino. Between 1997 and 2014, homes within a quarter-mile o...

New ULI Forecast for Real Estate, Economy Sees Three Years of Continued Strength, with Industry Set for Sustainable Growth in 2015 Through 2017 WASHINGTON (April 8, 2015) – The real estate industry is expected to remain on a sustainable course of solid growth for 2015 through 2017, according to a  new three-year forecas t  from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Center for Capital Markets and Real Estate. The outlook – the latest installment of the semi-annual ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast — is based on a survey of 46 of the industry’s top economists and analysts representing 33 of the country’s leading real estate investment, advisory, and research firms and organizations. An  analysis  of the survey findings by ULI leader William Maher, director of North American strategy for LaSalle Investment Management in Baltimore, highlights areas of the industry and overall economy that are generating the most optimism for 2015 through 2017: Net job growth is expec...

Just ratified another contract for buyers I've been working with - what a great way to end the day! If you've been thinking about purchasing a home contact me at 571-970-7195 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com to start the conversation.

Closed on another listing today - always a great feeling! If you've been thinking about selling your house contact me at 571-970-7195 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com to start the process today and learn about the professional services I provide.  ‪

What makes this rainy day bright? Putting up a SOLD sign after only 6 days on the market! If you've been thinking about selling contact me at 571-970-7195 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com  to start the process today.

Just a reminder about today's CAC meeting at 7 pm. The Captain will be delivering his "State of the Highway" address. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) enhances communication between residents and local law enforcement. Members are kept informed about significant safety matters in their neighborhoods, and are encouraged to bring any issues or questions to the attention of local police commanders. The CAC meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Mount Vernon District Police Station located at 2511 Parkers Lane in Alexandria. These meetings are open to all residents. Also, on April 20th, there is a another opportunity to learn more about Fairfax County Police operations. It's from 2 pm to 5 pm.  Here's the event information . -Whitney Minnich  Co-Chair, Bucknell Manor Neighborhood Watch  571-970-7195  whitney@whitneyminnich.com

Just another reason to purchase a home now. Contact me, 571-970-7195 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com, to start the buying process today. Fed: Interest Rate Hikes Likely in June DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2015 The Federal Reserve is signaling that it will likely take action on increasing interest rates in two months, despite recent data that shows a weakened economy. This would be the first rate increase since 2006. "I could imagine circumstances where a June rate hike could still be in play," says William Dudley, New York Fed president, and a voting member on the Fed's policy committee. "If the economy's strong, the unemployment rate is dropping, wages are rising, and the outlook is good, you could conceivably get to that point. The bar is probably a little bit higher" for a June hike given recent data. Two central bank officials said Wednesday that disappointing job growth, manufacturing activity, and retail sales over the winter...

6921 Quander just added even more items: coffee maker, purses, vases, serving dishes, DVDs, baby items, and more! Bucknell Manor Community Yard Sale is TODAY from 8 am to 1 pm. Lots of great items - check out the flyer for more information.

The Federal Reserve is signaling that it will likely take action on increasing interest rates in two months - this would be the first rate increase since 2006. If you've been thinking about selling your home, you might want to consider putting it on the market now so buyers can lock in the lower rates. Contact me now at 571-970-7195 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com to start the selling process today. Fed: Interest Rate Hikes Likely in June DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | THURSDAY, APRIL 09, 2015 The Federal Reserve is signaling that it will likely take action on increasing interest rates in two months, despite recent data that shows a weakened economy. This would be the first rate increase since 2006. "I could imagine circumstances where a June rate hike could still be in play," says William Dudley, New York Fed president, and a voting member on the Fed's policy committee. "If the economy's strong, the unemployment rate is dropping, wages are rising, and th...

Bucknell Manor Community Yard Sale is this Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. Lots of great items - check out the flyer for more information.

Just a reminder about Tuesday's CAC meeting at 7 pm. The Captain will be delivering his "State of the Highway" address. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) enhances communication between residents and local law enforcement. Members are kept informed about significant safety matters in their neighborhoods, and are encouraged to bring any issues or questions to the attention of local police commanders. The CAC meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Mount Vernon District Police Station located at 2511 Parkers Lane in Alexandria.  Also, on April 20th, there is a another opportunity to learn more about Fairfax County Police operations. It's from 2 pm to 5 pm. Here's the event information . -Whitney Minnich  Co-Chair, Bucknell Manor Neighborhood Watch  571-970-7195  whitney@whitneyminnich.com

5 Maintenance Tasks to Ignore at Your Peril By:  Jeanne Huber Homeownership means regular  maintenance and repair  chores, but some are more important than others. Here are five that should top your priority list: 1. Make Sure Your Appliances Aren’t Being Recalled Why it matters:  The non-profit “Consumer Reports” magazine wrote an  eye-popping piece  about how often home appliances catch fire: more than 150,000 residential fires each year from 2006 to 2008, resulting in 3,670 injuries, 150 deaths, and $547 million in property damage. About half the fires appear to have been caused by faulty appliances. Some had been recalled for defects that could cause an  appliance fire , but the home owners weren’t aware. What you need to do:  Write down the model and serial number of each appliance, then check at  www.recalls.gov  for recalls and what action to take if something you own is involved. Keep your list so it’s easy to reche...

Bucknell Manor Community Yard Sale is this Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. Lots of great items - check out the flyer for more information.

The Contemporary Kitchen: 10 Top Trends for 2015 Posted in  Home Trends , by  Melissa Tracey  on April 6, 2015 Contemporary is the buzzword when it comes to kitchen designs this year, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Streamlined designs, eclectic touches, and multiples of appliances lead the trends, according to  NKBA’s 2015 forecast . Here are the top 10 overall kitchen design trends expected to be hot this year, according to NKBA’s report: 1. Clean with an overall contemporary feeling: A fusion of styles and multiple colors in one kitchen 2. European-styled cabinets 3. Multiples of appliances in one kitchen (most notably two dishwashers, like a dishwasher and a dishwasher drawer, or the addition of a refrigerator/freezer) 4. The rise of steam ovens 5. Furniture-like pieces (such as furniture-styled dry bars) 6. Outdoor kitchens 7. Fewer standard kitchen tables, replaced by counters or tall gathering tables 8. TVs and docking statio...

Prices are going up, interest rates are still low - it's a great time to purchase a home. If you've been thinking about buying a home, it's the perfect time to start the conversation! Contact me today at 571-970-7191 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com. House Prices Record Annual Gains, Expected to Rise in the Future BY  MICHAEL NEAL   on   APRIL 2, 2015 The recent  release  by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows that its measure of house prices, House Price Index – Purchase Only, rose by 5.1% on a 12-month seasonally adjusted basis in January 2015. This marks the 36 th  consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Over this nearly three-year period, house prices have risen by 20.1%. Similarly, the recent  release  from Standard and Poor’s (S&P) and Case-Shiller indicates that their measure of national house prices, the House Price Index – National, rose by 4.5% on a year-over-year seasonally adjusted basis. This is the 33 rd ...

If you've been thinking about buying a home, it's the perfect time to start the conversation! Contact me today at 571-970-7191 or whitney@whitneyminnich.com. Setting the Record Straight: Top Home Buying Myths by Courtney Soinski Whether you’re a real estate professional or first-time home buyer, the home buying process and real estate transactions can be stressful.  There tends to be some common misconceptions in this process, so it’s very important that you’re well informed of what is fact and what is fiction.  We’re here to set the record straight. Myth #1:  You don’t need a REALTOR®. Before you bravely take on one of the biggest purchases or sales of your life, remember this: it’s not as easy as it looks.  REALTORS® know all the ins and outs of the local area as well as the market in which you’re looking to buy or sell.  Picking up the phone and calling a REALTOR® may be one of the best decisions you’ll make. Myth #2:  The bigger the downpa...

The Hottest Home Design Trends for Spring by Courtney Soinski Now that we’re coming out of Winter and into Spring, get ready to celebrate warmer weather through hot new home designs with bright colors, beautiful bouquets, and a light, spacious style.  If you want to give your home a new look this Spring, here are some of the most buzzed-about home design trends to incorporate into your next home project. Embrace Spring Colors! A hot trend this Spring is the use of color in a light and airy design.  You can keep the room light and airy by combining blue and yellow along with some white.  Also, using spring-inspired hues like turquoise and red can also liven up a room in the most colorful way.  These bright accents will give your room all the energy it was missing in Winter. Wood is the New Neutral. This season’s trend toward wood textures pairs the warmth, richness, and texture of real wood.  Installing engineered wood ceilings and wainsc...