Virginia Beach Real Estate Magazine - November/December 2016

6 TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID CHOOSING THE WRONG CONDO 

$0 .00 5 Steps To 

ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 

VirginiaBeach 

Condo Maintenance 

5 FAQ About the 

Right Home & 

Neighborhood 

A 2-Part Guide To Building 

Wealth By Owning A Home 

4 Golden Rules For Keeping 

Your Tenants Happy 

3 Things 

To Know Before 

Your Home’s 

Showing Day 

Nov/Dec2016 

3 REASONS WHY SOME BUYERS DON’T WANT A POOL 1

2 

Nov/Dec2016


3

WHAT’S INSIDE 8 

6 editor’s note 

3 Things To Know 

Before Your Home’s 

Showing Day 

4 Tips For 

Formulating 

A Real Estate 

Investment 

Plan 

11 

15 

3 Factors Of 

Preventing Real 

Estate Closing Delays 

A 4-Part Introduction 

To Square Footage 

20

A 3-Part Guide To Why 

You Should Consider 

Hiring A Real Estate 

Agent 

23 

27 

6 Tips On How To 

Avoid Choosing The 

Wrong Condo 

4 Tips For Choosing 

A One Or Two-Story 

Home 

4 Golden Rules 

For Keeping Your 

Tenants Happy In 

Virginia Beach 

35 

31 

3 Reasons Why Some Buyers Don’t Want A Pool 

5 Frequently Asked Questions About The Right 

Home And Neighborhood 

5 Steps To Virginia Beach Condo Maintenance 

A 2-Part Guide To Building Wealth By Owning A 

Virginia Beach Home 

PAGE 39 

PAGE 42 

PAGE 46 

PAGE 52

November-December 2016 

Editor 

Benjamin A. Whiteley 

Writer 

Irene D. Brown 

Head of Creatives 

Nyvia Ross 

Graphic Designer 

Michael Juanson 

Digital Property Managers 

Maharlika Matutinao 

Layla Anaya 

Digital Property Assistants 

Krystine Sitjar 

Warren Nietes 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Online Presence: 

Facebook 

Google+ 

Twitter 

Tumblr 

Pinterest 

For advertising concerns 

please contact Hilton Earle at 

hiltopenterprises@gmail.com 

Welcome to the second issue of Virginia Beach Real Estate Magazine! My name is 

Benjamin Whiteley, and it’s my pleasure to take you through what’s special about this 

release. If you’ve been looking to buy or sell in the Virginia Beach area, you’ve certainly 

landed in the right place. 

Virginia Beach is an interesting location when it comes to property. From choosing 

the right condo, making a decision to hire a real estate agent, or deciding between a 

two-story or bungalow, our team is here to provide you with the tips you need to make 

informed decisions. The last thing you want is to find out after the fact that you’ve made 

a poor choice! 

Virginia Beach Real Estate Magazine is dedicated to more than just guides for buyers 

and sellers: we tackle real estate investing, landlordship, and more. Whether you 

prefer step-by-step guides or wide overviews, our mission 

is to put you in the best position to win in Virginia Beach. 

Virginia Beach Real Estate Magazine 

content cannot be copied or reproduced 

in any form without the written 

permission of the publishers. Virginia 

Beach Real Estate Magazine editors and 

publishers shall not be held liable for 

any unsolicited materials. All prices and 

specifications published in this magazine 

are subject to change by manufacturers, 

agency and retailers. 

Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out our next 

release! 

Regards, 

Benjamin Whiteley 

BENJAMIN A. WHITELEY 

Editor 


6 



7

3 THINGS TO KNOW 

BEFORE YOUR HOME’S 

SHOWING DAY 

by 

Irene Brown 

Follow Us: 

The smartest thing to 

do on showing day 

is to be away from 

your home. The only 

person qualified to 

show your home to prospective 

buyers is your Virginia Beach real 

estate agent. Part of your agent’s 

job is to get to know your house as 

best as he can. If your agent calls 

you to arrange for a buyer viewing 

of your home, you should take a 

break and get out of the house. 

Try going for a leisurely drive, 

shopping or go to a friend’s place 

for that few hours your agent 

needs to show your Virginia Beach 

house to a potential buyer. 

1 

If you prepare well for your showing day, you will bolster your chances 

of someone buying your Virginia Beach home faster. 

MAKE NECESSARY 

PREPARATIONS 

You should make necessary 

preparations a day before showing. 

You should meet with your real 

estate agent in Virginia Beach and 

share needed information that can 

sell your house faster. The agent 

will then classify the advantages 

8 


Keeping your tenants happy and satisfied with their living conditions is easy if you follow a few basic rules. 

CLICK HERE TO READ ON PAGE 35 

and disadvantages of your home. Let 

him know about any defects around the 

house. When your Virginia Beach agent 

has this information at his fingertips, he 

can downplay the disadvantages while 

marketing the best qualities of your home. 

Many Virginia Beach real estate agents will 

have a way to offer ingenious solutions for 

any flaws seen in your home, and at the 

same time are able to segregate prospective 

buyers according to their needs. 

2 

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS 

PRESENTABLE 

Then there is the cleaning job you need 

to do. Ensuring that your Virginia Beach 

house is spic-and-span before showing to 

a potential buyer is crucial and can help to 

enhance the purchase decision. Do not let 

a dirty floor or stained carpets become a 

turn-off for someone keen on buying your 

house. Spruce your rooms up with flowers 

if possible to enhance the appearance and 

boost the chances of a deal taking place. 

3 

DON’T TAKE SHORTCUTS WHILE 

CLEANING! 

Banish clutter! Take a look around your 

home. If you have stuff you have collected 

over the years and have not used, consider 

throwing or giving it away. Do not simply 

chuck everything away in your storage room. 

That is one of the places some buyers look 

at when walking through a house. If you 

have to store them away, ensure that they 

are packed neatly and arranged nicely. At 

the same time, you can also start packing 

a few of your belongings, since you will 

be moving as well once the house is sold. 

Remember, if you prepare well for your 

showing day, you will bolster your chances 

of someone buying your Virginia Beach 

home faster. 


9

10 


4 TIPS FOR FORMULATING A 

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PLAN 

by 


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A business plan for real estate investments is the key to making sure that your 

business does well and stays afloat. 

In order to be successful in any 

business, you need to make 

sure that you have a business 

plan put together and the same 

is true when you are building 

a Virginia Beach real estate business 

company. A business plan for real estate 

investments is the key to making sure that 

your business does well and stays afloat. 

If you don’t have the right plan, you could 

very well find yourself struggling. But how 

do you go about putting together a great 

strategy or investment plan for your real 

estate business? 

1 

CALCULATE COSTS 

The first thing you need to do is 

calculate the following costs: utilities 

and rent, advertising and marketing, 

fees for licenses, employee benefits and 

salary, and miscellaneous expenses. 

It will be hard to come up with a final amount 

when you’re first starting out, and a lot of 

your costs will have to be estimated. The 

idea is to get a rough amount formulated 

so that you at least have an idea of what 

you are working with. 


11

What do you do if you do find the right house but you don’t like the neighborhood? This can be a 

dilemma, for sure, but don’t lose hope! 


2 

MARK YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE 

You want your business to be a 

success, and at the same time, you want 

to build a reputation for yourself and your 

company name. To accomplish this, you 

will need to map out your short-term and 

long-term goals. Where do you expect to 

be in one, two, and five years from now? 

3 

MAKE A DETAILED PLAN 

After marking your goals for the 

future, the next thing you will need to do 

is write out the steps that need to be taken 

for the plan to be realized. Add as much 

detail to this plan as you can and make 

your Virginia Beach real estate business 

company thrive and prosper. 

12 


4 

HIRE AN EXPERIENCED INVESTOR 

Your Virginia Beach real estate 

investment business plan is something that 

you can work on by yourself, but you will need 

to call in an outsider to get a professional 

perspective if you are just starting out. 

It is a good idea to hire an experienced investor 

to work with you when you’re first starting 

out so that you can get a feel for investing. 

An experienced investor will be able to show 

you the ropes so that you can experience 

the thrill of the game without having to go 

through all the painful mistakes of learning. 

While you may be planning five years into the 

future, you can make adjustments to your plan 

anytime you see fit. As your Virginia Beach 

real estate investment business grows and 

changes, you can adapt your plan to fit your 

current needs and to meet the requirements 

of future trends. 


13

14 


3 FACTORS OF 

PREVENTING REAL ESTATE 

CLOSING DELAYS 

by 

Irene Brown 

Follow Us: 

To prevent closing delays, you must be well prepared. Make sure that all the 

paperwork is in place, and all other factors are in place. 

When buying Virginia 

Beach real estate, it is 

very frustrating to face 

delays at the close of a 

purchase. You may be 

forced to change your moving date 

and make other arrangements at 

the last minute. There are some 

things that you can do, however, 

to avoid this situation from 

happening at your close. 

1 

THE MORTGAGE 

Ensure that your mortgage 

is in place well ahead of time 

to avoid last-minute delays. 

Avoid making bulk purchases 

and borrowing large sums of 

money before your mortgage is 

finalized. Banks don’t like to see 

credit being applied for when you 

are applying for a home loan. It 

raises a big red flag about your 

ability to make your repayments. 

Plan your Virginia Beach real estate 

purchase at a time when your life 

is stable. If you are about to have 


15

a baby, in the middle of a job change or other life-changing event, you may encounter 

problems with the financial institution. 

If you think that you may want to put your house up for sale within the next five years or so, you may want to 

rethink any plans of installing a new pool, and we can tell you why. 


2 

YOUR LEGAL ADVISEMENT 

You need to engage the services of 

a qualified and experienced Virginia Beach 

real estate lawyer right from the word go. 

Most delays are caused by problems with 

the property title. These can be claims 

against the property, ownership disputes, 

lawsuits, liens on the property and so 

on. A thorough search and investigation 

of the property should be done by a 

lawyer before a purchase is considered. 

The lawyer should also go through all of the 

final paperwork and advice you accordingly. 

There may be hidden charges that you may 

not have noticed due to the legal jargon 

in the paperwork. All of your real estate 

transactions should be carried out formally 

with supporting documentation, a great 

lawyer and real estate agent by your side 

and a good paper trail left behind. 

3 

YOUR INSPECTIONS 

Make sure that you carry out a thorough 

inspection of the property before making an 

offer. Use the services of a home inspector 

and have a clear agreement with the seller 

16 


about repairs and who will 

be responsible for handling 

them. Remember, some repairs 

can work to your advantage 

and help you negotiate a 

better price for the property. 

To prevent closing delays, you 

must be well prepared. Make 

sure that all the paperwork is 

in place, and all other factors 

are in place to make the buying 

process as smooth as possible 

without any unnecessary delays. 

Your Virginia Beach real estate 

agent can help you with this. Let 

him know if closing delays are 

a concern for you, and he will 

do everything possible to keep 

them out of the picture. 


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19

A 4-PART INTRODUCTION TO 

SQUARE FOOTAGE 

by 


Follow Us: 

You may have been wondering why your figures on square footage did not match up 

to the figures you see in your Virginia Beach real estate listing. We can help! 

If you are purchasing Virginia Beach real estate, or are putting your property 

up for sale, you may not understand how square footage is calculated in the 

home. A real estate agent will be calculating the square footage for you if 

you’re selling your home, and there are some parts of the house that may 

not be included in the calculations. 

1 

MEASURING THE EXTERIOR 

The first thing that gets done 

when calculating Virginia Beach real 

estate square footage is an exterior 

measurement. The exterior walls are 

measured, and then sketches are made 

showing the home’s perimeter. 

2 

UNFINISHED AREAS 

Unfinished areas such as a garage or 

unfinished utility area will not count as part 

of the overall square footage. They are not 

considered as part of the living space, so 

this square footage is deducted from the 

overall total. 

20 


If you need your house sold fast and don’t want to worry about the hassles of ineffective marketing 

strategies, an agent is worth every penny he is paid. 


3 

CLOSETS AND HALLWAYS 

These areas will be included in the 

final square footage total if they are part 

of a room that is finished and heated. If 

they are not in a finished area, the footage 

will not be added. 

4 

SLOPED CEILINGS AND BAY 

WINDOWS 

If you have a bay window in your Virginia 

Beach home in a finished room and 

the height of the ceiling is 7 feet or 

more, this area may be included. The 

area for sloped ceilings will only count 

if the ceiling is 5 feet high or more. 

The square footage of the house reflects 

the living space that is finished and ready to 

be occupied by a person. Heating must be 

done by a permanent conventional system, 

and you must be able to access this room 

directly from another part of the living space. 

You may have been wondering why your 

figures on square footage did not match 

up to the figures you see in your Virginia 

Beach real estate listing. An area of your 

house will not be added as living space if it 

is not considered as a proper living space. 


21

22 


A 3-PART GUIDE TO WHY YOU 

SHOULD CONSIDER HIRING A 

REAL ESTATE AGENT 

by 

Irene Brown 

Follow Us: 

If you need your house sold fast and don’t want to worry about the hassles of ineffective 

marketing strategies, an agent is worth every penny he is paid. 

There is a lot of marketing that 

goes into selling your home, 

and the best thing you can do 

is head into this adventure 

with a Virginia Beach real 

estate agent by your side. There are 

strategies for successfully selling a 

home, and your agent will know how to 

implement them to get your house sold 

ASAP. 

1 

THE MLS(R) IS INCREDIBLY 

USEFUL 

The MLS(R) was designed to match 

home sellers with buyers. It is one of 

the most important tools that your 

Virginia Beach real estate agent will use 

to help sell your house more effectively. 

It is a database of homes that can be 

searched according to certain criteria. If 

you are looking for a house of a certain 

size, location, and budget, the MLS search 

function will retrieve the homes that 

match your search the best. This narrows 

down the list so that house hunting can 

be done effectively. It also shows when 

new homes have been added to the 


23

You may have been wondering why your figures on square footage did not match up to the figures you see in 

your Virginia Beach real estate listing. We can help! 


listings. 

2 

SELLING YOUR HOUSE ON YOUR 

OWN IS RISKY 

If you are thinking about selling your 

house without a Virginia Beach real 

estate agent, you should first understand 

that your house will not be listed on the 

MLS(R). This means that you will be limited 

in your marketing efforts significantly. 

One of the basic aspects of any successful 

marketing has to do with getting your offer 

in front of as many eyeballs as you can. 

If you limit the people seeing your home, 

you can expect a slower sale, and in many 

cases, it can take months before the house 

is finally sold. 

24 


3 

AN AGENT CAN MAKE GREAT USE 

OF THE INTERNET 

The real estate industry has seen 

exponential growth on the Internet 

recently. People are turning to the web 

to look through housing options since 

listings are presented with pictures and 

even videos in some cases. This gives you 

a chance to really see what the house 

provides before scheduling a viewing. 

If your house is being sold without a 

Virginia Beach real estate agent, it will not 

appear on any of the websites listing the 

houses in the database. You are skipping 

one of the most important marketing 

concepts by not showing your house to the 

people that are really looking to buy one. 

This is only one of the basic marketing 

strategies that your Virginia Beach real 

estate agent will use, but one of the most 

important. If you need your house sold fast 

and don’t want to worry about the hassles 

of ineffective marketing strategies, keep in 

mind that an agent is worth every penny he 

is paid. You won’t find a better way to sell 

your house than by listing it on the MLS(R) 

to be seen by house buyers. 


25

26 


6 TIPS ON HOW TO 

AVOID CHOOSING THE 

WRONG CONDO 

by 

Irene Brown 

Follow Us: 

There are many things to consider when you are deciding whether or not to buy a 

condo. Here is some information to make the decision-making process easier. 

If you are considering 

whether a move to a 

condo may be the right 

move for you at this 

point in your life, there 

are many things that you should 

consider. There are some red flags 

to look out for like extremely high 

prices and repair costs. The more 

you know up front, the better 

you will be able to decide exactly 

what comprises a good deal. The 

following information will help 

you to make the right decision 

regarding any condo you are 

considering purchasing. 

1 

RESEARCHING POTENTIAL 

CONDOS FOR YOU 

Before you decide on the 

condominium that’s right for you, 

it’s likely that you will end up with 

a few different developments 

that you’ll need to compare. To 

do that, you’ll need to compare 

and contrast four different 

things: the operating costs of 

each association, the amount 

of money each group reserves, 

the regulatory documents for 


27

Owning a home is a good way to increase your wealth and assets, and if you have yet to buy your own, this is 

the time to start searching for one. 


each development, and the fine print in 

everything you will have to sign. These four 

things will allow you to catch any red flags, 

like unexpected pricing hikes. Should you 

discover something that doesn’t seem right 

to you, don’t be afraid to ask questions. 

2 

WATCH OUT FOR EXTREME PRICES 

Be on the lookout for extraordinary 

costs in areas for repairs, such as electrical, 

plumbing, water damage, roof repairs, 

etc. If last year a development allocated 

$5,000 for minor plumbing repairs within 

the building, but actually ended up 

spending $25,000, that is indicative of a 

huge problem. While it could have been 

a one-time thing, it could be a sign that 

there is something wrong with the entire 

development, particularly if the building is 

aged. 

3 

THE PROBLEM WITH LOW BUDGETS 

When you discover records of 

an association making a projection for 

a certain amount of money to go to a 

specific cause (for example, roof repair), 

but spending several times that amount, 

a red flag should definitely go up. This 

could mean that the board is actually 

creating their budget under unrealistic 

terms, or that something within the 

building is failing, regardless of how it 

looks to be functioning. A good example 

of this is paint that appears to be fine but 

is no longer preventing water damage. 

You should also consider whether the 

association is made up of people who 

are adequate for their positions, as many 

members might simply be volunteers 

with no experience working with building 

system, which could spell disaster for 

condo owners within the development. 

4 

EXAMINE THE FUNDING 

Once you have examined the operating 

costs of an association, you should then 

check out the current level of funding. All 

of the condo owners in the development 

will be splitting the costs of maintenance, 

repairs, and any replacements that need to 

be made. The board is required to report 

on these funds. Most states have specific 

requirements regarding these reserves, 

and some governing documents can be 

28 


very particular. Roof repair, siding, and 

paint jobs are common tasks that need 

to be performed in condos, but it’s not 

uncommon for termites, dry rot, or any 

other issues to be discovered. If these 

issues, which are not visible to the naked 

eye, are not taken into consideration, 

reserves within the association could end 

up falling short. 

5 

READ THE FINE PRINT 

You may receive paperwork that 

announces that repair work will be needed 

on the building soon. Since all owners split 

the cost of maintenance, this more than 

likely means that a special assessment is on 

the way, meaning that the next assessment 

(or several) will be at a higher rate than 

normal. If the information isn’t clear, don’t 

be afraid to ask questions. It’s important 

that you read the fine print, as there are 

often hidden key phrases stashed away 

in the “comments” section of 

the document. Read these 

documents closely. If there is 

no mention of a reserve, or 

one is mentioned but there is 

no money in it, be wary. 

6 

COMPARE THE 

DOCUMENTS 

You should compare the 

governing documents to 

determine what is fixed 

by whom. If you have any 

questions, or the information 

is unclear, seek out an 

association member. Different 

associations vary in how they 

perform their business: in 

some developments, the cost 

of water might be split, while 

in others, all owners might 

have their own meter. Some 

associations might designate 

specific owners as responsible 

for maintaining and/or 

replacing doors, winters, 

heaters, air conditioners, 

and so on. There should be 

sections in the governing documents 

pertaining to maintenance, assessments, 

and uses. Not being able to find them 

doesn’t bode well; it means the information 

is probably slipped in somewhere 

else, leaving you with the possibility of 

having to hire a lawyer just to find them. 

As you can see, there truly are many 

considerations that you should take into 

account if you are attempting to determine 

whether a particular condominium 

is the right place for you. Be sure to 

examine rates, read all of the fine print, 

take a good long look at any relevant 

condominium association and to compare 

the governments to see exactly who is 

responsible for what. That is the best way 

to ensure that you make the best decision 

regarding the potential purchase of a 

condo. 


29

30 


4 TIPS FOR CHOOSING A ONE 

OR TWO-STORY HOME 

by 


Follow Us: 

When it comes to choosing between a Virginia Beach bungalow or a two-story, 

both obviously have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. 

The debate is on over the best type of house - a Virginia Beach bungalow 

or a two-story. Both obviously have their own set of advantages and 

disadvantages, and sometimes it is just a matter of price that determines 

the final decision. 

1 

FOR THE ELDERLY 

If you are in your forties or older, 

consider a Virginia Beach bungalow. As 

retirement approaches, you need to think 

about your health in the coming years. Do 

you plan on staying in this house until you 

reach the ripe old age of 95 and are still 

able to maintain a residence? If so, there 

is no guarantee on how you will be able to 

handle stairs at an older age. Stairs can be 

a big burden for the elderly. 

2 

FOR THE YOUNG 

If you’re young and healthy and this 

is a starter home for you, stairs give you a 

great chance to get exercise without even 


31

Keep the look of your Virginia Beach condo clean and neat, and you will have a much better chance of 

selling it fast when the time comes. 

thinking about it. Think about all the people that have to go to a gym to make use of 

a stair-master piece of equipment. You’ll have it in your own home for free. Going up 

and down stairs will become such a habit that you’ll stay in better shape without even 

realizing that you’re exercising. 

3 

CLICK HERE TO READ ON PAGE46 

VARIABLE PREFERENCE 

Some people also like the idea of different floors for a house. There may be more 

of a sense of privacy and noise isolation in a Virginia Beach two-story home. Many people 

have just been raised in a two-story home as a child and prefer it to any other kind of house. 

32 


Once you have lived in one type of house for a number of years, you can get very 

comfortable with it. Take a look at the kind of house you have been living in and whether 

you are willing to consider something different, or whether you are not willing simply 

because you have grown accustomed to one type of home. If you think about it, you may 

actually prefer another style of home to the one you’re currently living in. 

4 

PRICING FOR TWO-STORIES AND BUNGALOWS 

The price for a Virginia Beach bungalow will vary according to the area of 

town it is in. It will also depend on how large the home is and what features it 

offers. The same holds true for a two-story house in Virginia Beach. One is not 

necessarily cheaper than another since there are so many variables involved. 

If you’d like to talk about the different types of houses available in Virginia Beach and 

whether a Virginia Beach bungalow or a two-story would be best, call a real estate agent. 

They can let you know some thoughts that other clients have voiced about two-stories 

and bungalows that you may never have considered. 


33

34 


4 GOLDEN RULES FOR KEEPING 

YOUR TENANTS HAPPY 

by 


Follow Us: 

Keeping your tenants happy and satisfied with their living conditions is easy if 

you follow a few basic rules. 

As a property owner in Virginia 

Beach, there is always the 

chance of losing tenants, which 

results in a loss of income. 

Keeping your tenants happy 

and satisfied with their living conditions is 

easy if you follow a few basic rules. 

1 

BE THERE FOR YOUR TENANTS 

Responsibility is key when it comes 

to building maintenance and upgrades. If 

your tenants are unhappy with a certain 

area of your property, getting it repaired 

as quickly and efficiently as possible will 

help build trust in you as their landlord. 

Maintaining a clean and tidy building will 

build a strong and trusting relationship 

between you and your tenants. As a result, 

they will stay tenants for a longer period 

of time. 

2 

LET THEM KNOW THE RULES 

A list of specific expectations and 

rules the tenants need to follow should be 

presented to them prior to the signing of 

the lease. Hand over a list of certain rules 

of conduct you expect them to follow as 

tenants, along with the responsibilities 

you plan to follow as the property owner in 

Virginia Beach. This will make things clear 


35

To prevent closing delays, you must be well prepared. Make sure that all the paperwork is in place, and 

all other factors are in place. 

from the start, with respect and honesty being put in place before the tenants even move 

in. This will help prevent issues from occurring later on. You will find people happier and 

more comfortable living in your building once they know what exactly is expected of 

them and of you. 

3 


RESPECT YOUR TENANTS 

Respect is key as a property owner in Virginia Beach. Respect your tenants and 

they will respect you in return. Stay in communication with your tenants, even if you do 

not live in the same building. Offering a phone call once or twice a month to see if they 

have any problems will develop a good communication between you and your tenants. A 

healthy and honest relationship can be established right from the start. 

36 


4 

START WITH GOOD TENANTS 

Finding good tenants is also key since you do not want to have to deal with rent 

being paid late or not at all. Do not bring in people you do not trust or are uncertain 

about. You may have to trust your gut instinct on this one and turn down a few prospects 

that give you a bad feeling. There are a lot of great people in the world, and once you are 

satisfied with a tenant, do anything within your power to keep them happy. 

Maintaining the repairs and cleanliness of your property will satisfy your tenants and 

create an honest relationship with good communication. Respect them for paying their 

bills on time and following your code of conduct, and they will offer you respect in return, 

by staying in your building longer and increasing your overall revenue as a property 

owner in Virginia Beach. 


37

38 


3 REASONS WHY 

SOME BUYERS DON’T 

WANT A POOL 

by 

Irene Brown 

Follow Us: 

If you want to put your house up for sale within the next five years or so, you 

may want to rethink any plans of installing a new pool. 

Some real estate 

agents believe 

that selling a 

Virginia Beach 

house with a pool 

acts as a deterrent to at least 

50% of the home buyers. While 

some agents may not agree 

with this percentage, almost 

all will agree that selling a 

home with a pool is harder 

to sell than one without. 

Here are the main reasons 

why many people are not 

interested in owning a Virginia 

Beach house with a pool. 

1 

CHILDREN’S SAFETY 

Drowning is a major 

concern for parents of 

toddlers, and many choose to 

avoid having a Virginia Beach 

house with a pool for just this 

reason. Even having a fence 

and a safety system in place 

cannot guarantee 100% that a 

mistake won’t happen. 


39

2 MAINTENANCE 

It takes a lot of work to maintain a pool. If you hire a company or an individual to 

keep your pool clean, you’ll still have to vacuum it between cleanings. If the pool company 

only comes once a week, you’ll have to vacuum it at least once between visits. If you 

decide to clean the pool yourself, it involves a time commitment that cannot be broken. 

The cost of maintaining a pool is very expensive. Every ten years the pool will need to be 

resurfaced, and this will cost $5000 and up, depending on how large the pool is. Hiring 

a company to clean your pool will average about $500 monthly, and this may or may not 

include the pool supplies. Chemicals can run over $1000 for one summer, and the costs 

will run higher if any repairs need to be made. 

To prevent closing delays, you must be well prepared. Make sure that all the paperwork is in place, and all other 

factors are in place. 


3 

COST OF DAMAGE 

If the pool is not maintained, it will 

become stained due to an overgrowth 

of algae. If it is totally neglected, it will 

begin cracking due to lack of calcium. 

It would cost more than $10,000 to 

get the pool repaired at this point. 

If you think that you may want to put your 

house up for sale within the next five years 

or so, you may want to rethink any plans 

you have of installing a new pool. It may 

slow down the sale of your home in the 

future because many buyers stay away 

from a Virginia Beach house with a pool. 

40 



41

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT 

THE RIGHT HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD 

by 


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What do you do if you do find the right house but you don’t like the neighborhood? 

This can be a dilemma, for sure. 

Sometimes it can happen that you find the perfect house in a Virginia Beach 

neighborhood that just doesn’t fit your lifestyle. The other thing that can 

occur is you find the right neighborhood but simply can’t find a house you 

like in it. What do you do if you do find the right house but you don’t like the 

neighborhood? 

1 

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RIGHT HOUSE? 

You’re probably going to be living in this house for many years to come so you 

want it to be everything you’d expect. You may have walked into the home and fallen 

head over heels in love with it, only to find out that the Virginia Beach neighborhood is 

less than desirable. This can be a dilemma, for sure. 

42 


2 

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD? 

You may have an idea of exactly what you’re looking for in a neighborhood and 

have found one that suits all your needs. Perhaps it has the right shopping amenities, a 

church you frequent, is close to your work, would be a safe haven for your children, etc. 

If you can’t find the right house, do you compromise and pick a house that isn’t just right? 

A business plan for real estate investments is the key to making sure that your business does well and 

stays afloat. 

3 


HOW DO I MAKE THE DECISION? 

Whenever you have one of these problems, the first thing you should do is get 

loaded with information. Find out everything you can about the neighborhood so that 

you can make a more informed decision. You should check the crime rates and find out 

exactly what makes this Virginia Beach neighborhood less desirable than others. 


43

4 

HOW DO I LAY OUT ALL OF THE 

FACTORS? 

Once you have done this, you will need to 

make notes on paper so that you can see 

the exact situation as it is. In many cases, 

simply by writing down the facts you’ll be 

able to make a decision. There are both 

good points and bad points to settling for 

a house or settling for a neighborhood, 

and you are going to have to decide what 

the most important factors are to you. 

5 

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE 

STATISTICS? 

If you have children and are looking at 

the neighborhood with a perfect house 

but with a high crime rate, you should 

look at not only the effect it will have on 

your children now but also the effects in 

the future. Are the crime rates going up or 

down? Is there a program in place to reduce 

crime that is seeing steady results? 

These are the types of things you should 

be looking at when you are caught in such 

a dilemma. Of course, this only applies if 

you need to get a house right away and 

can’t wait to find the perfect house in 

the perfect Virginia Beach neighborhood. 

Your real estate agent will also have a solid 

viewpoint based on what other clients 

have faced and how they were able to deal 

with it. 

44 



45

5 STEPS 

TO CONDO 

MAINTENANCE 

by 


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Keep the look of your Virginia Beach condo clean and neat, and you will 

have a much better chance of selling it fast when the time comes. 

Owning a condo can be 

a big responsibility. 

Having the latest 

trends and styles in 

the condo can make 

all the difference when it comes 

to selling a Virginia Beach 

condo or even just enjoying 

the time spent in it. Things like 

decorating and furnishing are 

key when it comes to creating a 

beautiful living space. 

1 DECOR 

When it comes to the 

decoration of your Virginia 

Beach condo, it is important to 

remember that everything must 

flow together and the proper 

contrasts must be present. 

Decor should always be set up 

in a way that is fairly general 

across the board when it comes 

to what people are looking for. 

When it comes time to sell, 

having the right decor can boost 

property value significantly. 

46 


When it comes to choosing between a Virginia Beach bungalow or a two-story, both obviously have their own 

set of advantages and disadvantages. 

2 

FINE WOOD FINISHES 

Wood finishes can be very impressive 

to look at when done properly. Always make 

sure to either hire a professional to do the 

work or to at least consult one. Do not 

venture out and try it alone. This can end 

in disaster. In a lot of cases, paint is used 

to brighten things up. When it comes to 

smaller sized living spaces such as condos, 

however, a nice dark wood stain, different 

styles of finished woods and a unique 

cherry wood can boost the look and value. 

As well, wood finishes can be used for many 

different things around the house besides 

the floor. Decorating cupboards can be 

very visually rewarding. Stairs, railings, 

and banisters can be made to look above 

ordinary with a simple wood finish. 

3 

LIVING CLEAN 

For condo dwellers in Virginia Beach, 

it is pretty well accepted that they must 


limit their items and clutter. Due to the 

small amount of storage space generally 

found in condos there is not really any 

choice. Storage lockers can be rented out 

to relieve condo owners from having the 

problem of dealing with too much and 

too little space. With a clean living space, 

it is possible to actually see what kind of 

potential a space has. 

4 

EFFECTIVE COLOR CHOICE 

Choosing the right colors, when 

not going with a wood finish, makes all 

the difference when it comes to having 

a flowing decor. Choosing colors like 

brown, purple, lime green and orange 

can be very harmful to the value and 

appeal of the condo when it comes 

time to sell your Virginia Beach condo. 

While there may be a specific color that 

stands out amongst the others, it is 

important not to pick it if there is little 


47

chance of others liking it. Always 

consider that colors should be chosen 

based on the overall concept and feel 

that is being created by the condo’s 

furnishings and decor. 

5 

APPROPRIATE FURNITURE 

You’ll have to make the right 

choice when it comes to comfort or 

practicality. Comfortable couches are 

often big and in a condo this may not 

be the right choice. Big couches and 

other large furniture can turn a fairly 

large open space into a crowded, 

stuffy room. Also, it is not necessary 

to overspend on furnishings. Always 

look for the best deal that is available. 

Don’t overflow the living space with 

furniture that would be basically the 

same in a smaller size. Keep the look 

of your Virginia Beach condo clean and 

neat, and you will have a much better 

chance of selling it fast when the time 

comes. 

48 



49

A 2-PART GUIDE TO BUILDING 

WEALTH BY OWNING A HOME 

by 


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Owning a home is a good way to increase your wealth and assets, and if you 

have yet to buy your own, this is the time to start searching for one. 

The subject of wealth building will surround you as you get older. Wealth 

building basically means growing the net value of your combined assets as 

a whole. You can certainly derive excellent wealth building benefits, which 

grow over time through Virginia Beach home and property ownership. 

1 

BUILD EQUITY AND GAIN WEALTH 

There are two ways you can gain 

wealth through home ownership. When 

you pay down your mortgage, that is 

when you first start building equity. This 

is due to the fact that a fraction of your 

payments towards your mortgage each 

month helps lessen your total debt. 

Initially, you will be mostly paying interest 

on your mortgage loan, especially in the 

first couple of years. After that, more of your 

mortgage payments will go towards paying 

off the primary loan. Without realizing it, 

a $350,000 loan you took out many years 

ago will have only $60,000 left to pay off. 

52 


Secondly, the value of your Virginia Beach property will appreciate over time. Depending 

on the current market trends, your property will rise in value with each passing year. 

Though it may decrease in value at times, real estate values almost always increase if you 

wait through the down times. You can find homes in certain parts of the country seeing 

their values skyrocket by up to 15 percent or more in the present market condition. Real 

estate investment and profit is a hot topic amongst Virginia Beach property owners. 

There are many things to consider when you are deciding whether or not to buy a condo. Here is some 

information to make the decision-making process easier. 

2 


AN ILLUSTRATION OF WEALTH BUILDING 

To illustrate how owning a home can be beneficial, let’s examine the 

following example. Suppose you purchased a Virginia Beach property five years 

ago without a down payment at a price of $500,000. Ten years later, you find that 

after consistently paying your mortgage you have an outstanding loan amount of 

$150,000, and at the same time, the value of your home has risen to $700,000. 


53

When you deduct the 

current value of your 

property with the 

amount you have paid so 

far for the house, which 

is $350,000, you will see 

that you have gained a net 

asset of $350,000. You 

would not have gained 

this wealth of $350,000 

if you had rented a 

home during this time 

frame. Owning a home 

in Virginia Beach can 

indeed be advantageous. 

Owning a home is a good 

way to increase your 

wealth and assets, and 

if you have yet to buy 

your own Virginia Beach 

home, this is the time to 

start searching for one. 

54 


City Of Virginia Beach, Virginia 

Event Calendar November 2016 

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 

1 2 3 4 5 

RACE FOR BREATH 

11:00am 

CRAFT BAZAAR 

9:00am to 

November 6, 

4:00pm 

ULTIMATE SHOW 

FOR WOMEN 

10:00 am - 4:30 pm 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 

1ST ANNUAL 

GRILLED CHEESE 

FEST 


12:00pm to 


6:00pm 

ZERO PROSTATE 

CANCER RUN/WALK 

7:00am to 10:30am 

HAMPTON ROADS 

VEGFEST 

12:00pm to 5:00pm 

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 

BLEND 

6:00pm to 9:00pm 

MCDONALD’S 

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT 

THE BEACH 

5:30pm to January 

1 st , 5:30pm 

2 nd ANNUAL AUTO 

SHOW 

All Day 

2 nd CRAFT BAZAAR 

9:00am to 

November 20th 

4:00pm 

SANTA CLAUS IS 

COMING TO TOWN 

12:00pm to 5:00pm 

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

THE 35TH ANNUAL 

VIRGINIA BEACH 

CHRISTMAS 

MARKET 

All Day 


VIRGINIA BEACH 

CHRISTMAS 

MARKET 

All Day 

27 28 29 30 


VIRGINIvA BEACH 

CHRISTMAS 

MARKET 

All Day 

SANTA’S SEASIDE 

VILLAGE 

All Day 


VILLAGE 

All Day 


VILLAGE 

All Day 


VILLAGE 

All Day

City Of Virginia Beach, Virginia 

Event Calendar December 2016 

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 

1 2 3 


VILLAGE 

Open All Month! 

All Day to Saturday, 

December 31 st 

HOLISTIC & 

SPIRITUAL ART 

EXPO 

10:00am to 7:00pm 

FAIR TRADE 

FESTIVAL 

12:00pm to 8:00pm 

HOLIDAY PARADE 

AT THE BEACH 

5:30pm 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

HOLISTIC & 

SPIRITUAL ART 

EXPO 

10:30am to 6:00pm 

FAIR TRADE 

FESTIVAL 

12:00pm to 5:00pm 

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 

GRAND HOLIDAY 

MARKET PLACE 

12:00pm to 4:00pm 

THE NUTCRACKER 

7:30 pm 

SURF-N-SANTA 

5 MILER 

All Day 


All Day 

SURF-N-SANTA 

5 MILER 

All Day 

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 


All Day 

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 

LAST NIGHT ON 

THE TOWN 

2:00pm to 12:00am

TUNE IN 

FOR OUR 

NEXT 

ISSUE! 

The January / February edition of 


will be available instantly this winter 

for FREE! 

• 3 GUIDELINES FOR REAL ESTATE 

CONTINGENCIES 

• 3 PLACES TO GET MOVING BOXES FOR 

FREE 

• 4 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN RETIRING 

USING REAL ESTATE 

• 4 TIPS FOR FINDING THE RIGHT 

AGENT 

• 6 RULES FOR DOGS AND CONDOS 

• A HELPFUL GUIDE TO SELLING HOMES 

EFFICIENTLY 

• AN INTRODUCTION TO HOME LOAN 

TYPES 

Follow Us: 


57

Virginia Beach Real Estate Magazine - November/December 2016

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