Hi there! - It's been a busy/confusing/slightly crazy couple of weeks in the world of real estate. If you don't know, or haven't watched the news, all of our forms (and many of our “way of doing things” has changed, and it's definitely keeping things interesting. Curious about the changes and how they'll affect you? Click HERE to check out my last newsletter, that breaks all of the changes down. For everything else, scroll down! Do you have market questions or find yourself wondering what's going on with sales in your neighborhood? Reach out- I'd love to help! Stay cool out there! Today we're talking about: ✔️🍜 What I've Been Loving Lately - How do YOU hot pot? ✔️📈  Market Update ✔️ 🗓️ What's Going On in RVA? 🍜 What I've Been Loving Lately - Hot Pot in RVA! Have you gotten on the HotPot/Korean Barbecue train? It's one of our faves (and great for a group) since it's fun and interactive, and everyone can do their own thing. Now, there's a new one in town! QPot is located right in the heart of Short Pump, by the mall, and you can really customize your meal here. Instead of bringing things to your table, you get to peruse loads of buffet style options for meats, fish, vegetables, noodles, and more for your broth or barbecue. Check out my recent visit HERE. 📈 What's the Market Doing? There's definitely some good news on the horizon if you're thinking of buying a home! Interest rates last week hit their lowest point in the past year, with 30 year conventional fixed mortgages dipping below 6.5%. In more good news, the Fed has given indications that they're likely to cut rates when they meet again in September. Finally! But what does that mean if you're selling? Well, while a lot of the frenetic multiple offer situations have cooled, homes are still selling at a good clip. If you're familiar with the concept of “absorption rate” or months' supply, that states that we are “balanced” in our market with 6 months of inventory. We are still at between 1.5 and 2 months of inventory (which means our inventory is still low- in other words, it's still a good time to sell. The important thing is pricing reasonably for the market, rather than trying to “shoot the moon” for the price. Obviously every market, area, neighborhood, and yes, house, is different. If you have questions, I have answers. Just reach out! 🗓️ What's Happening Around RVA? If you're getting a little tired of the heat and humidity of the Richmond summer, you're not alone! There are still lots of things to do, thought, and plenty of ways to take advantage of the last few weeks of no school, late sunsets, and warm weather. Check out the next few weeks of August RVA “must do's” HERE. Which ones are getting on your calendar??                           Do you have home questions, need contractor referrals, or are you (or someone you know)                                   thinking of buying or selling a home in the Richmond area? Reach out! I'd love to help. In the meantime, follow me on social! Instagram | Facebook | TikTok ............. Did you miss last month's newsletter? Click HERE to see what you missed!

Things to Do in RVA this September September 6-8: Richmond Brunch Weekend 2024 Friday: Kickoff Block Party Final Gravity | 5:30 - 9 p.m. Saturday & Sunday: Have brunch at one (or more) of the 30+ partner restaurants September 14: Richmond Makers Market Where: Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen When: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. September 15: End-of-Summer Market Where: Agecroft Hall When: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. September 20-21: Fall Plant Sale Where: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden When: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. September 21: Run Richmond 16.19 Where: Brown's Island When: 8 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. September 21-22: Bier Garden Where: Maymont Gardens When: Friday: 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. September 27-29: Richmond Folk Festival Where: Brown's Island When: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.

This is a super easy weeknight meal that really can be great on its own, with crusty bread, rice, or of course, pasta. This was a staple in the busy week repertoire when my son was young. Always popular with everyone, and still a favorite! This is bit of a variation on a Giada recipe from years ago. Adding the zucchini in to the turkey keeps it from being dry, so don't skip that step. This one is easy to make ahead and just put in the oven when you're ready!   Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, grated 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 2 tsp dried oregano 1 large egg 3 tablespoons ketchup 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (use good parm!) 1/4 cup dried plain bread crumbs 1 pound ground turkey 2 zucchini, ends removed, halved lengthwise 1 short orange bell pepper, halved and seeded 1 short red bell pepper, halved and seeded 1 short yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I use Rao's or Carbone) Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly drizzle the olive oil into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Using a melon baller or spoon, carefully scrape out the seeds and inner flesh from the zucchini, leaving 1/8-inch-thick shells. Be careful not to pierce through the skin. Finely chop the inner flesh of the zucchini. Whisk the onion, zucchini, parsley, oregano, egg, ketchup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the turkey. Cover and refrigerate this mixture. Fill the zucchini and pepper halves with the turkey mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Arrange the stuffed vegetables in the baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the stuffed vegetables. Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown and a thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the stuffed vegetables to a platter and serve.

Should You Freeze Your Credit?? Whether or not you're thinking of buying a home, we all know that having a strong credit score is an important component in your financial picture. Perhaps even more important is knowing that the credit score you worked for is secure, and no one is opening credit in your name without you knowing. There are hundreds (thousands?) of services out there that will charge you to monitor your credit, and lots of free ones as well, but the best way to make sure you don't become a victim of identity theft is to freeze your credit, effectively locking the door to anyone trying to do a hard pull on your credit. In light of the recent social security number breach (read more HERE), it's more important than ever, and it only takes a few minutes. All you need to do is go to all three credit bureaus, enter a bit of info, and you're all set. Equifax TransUnion Experian Just remember that if you want to apply for a loan, get a mortgage, a credit card (or even those "buy this for five easy payment" type things), you'll need to unfreeze it first. Yes, even if you're at a store and get a discount if you open a card, you're not going to be able to do that either. (Most insurance, too.) But if you want to do anything that will pull your credit, just hop online and unfreeze, then refreeze it when that's been done. Another little tip that a lot of people don't know about is Opt Out Prescreen. You know how you'll get "prequalified" for offers of credit, whether for a car loan, a credit card, etc? This happens even more when you apply for a mortgage. That info flags other lenders to know that you're getting a mortgage, and you just may get calls, etc. (Yes, the credit bureaus sell your info if you don't opt out.)  You don't even need to go to all three bureaus. Just visit OptOutPrescreen and you can opt out for 5 years online, or opt out permanently by mailing in your request. A bonus of this? I get SO much less junk mail, too!

Your September Homeowners Maintenance Checklist: Change the oil in your lawn mower Service your HVAC system Inspect fire extinguishers Clean garage and garage door tracks Inspect the chimney flashing and mortar Have the chimney clean and inspected Make sure windows are sealed tight Schedule furnace maintenance Clean leather furniture Stock up on your favorite fall candle scents For a printable checklist, click HERE.

Everyone wants your home. At least that's what Google would have you believe. If you're thinking about selling your house, and you go on the good old Google and type in "home selling" or anything that sounds remotely like that, you're going to get a whole page of different companies. In most cases, it's not going to be great agents that could help you sell your home or a "how-to" guide. For the most part, you will get a page or two of companies that want to purchase your home for "market value" and so easy with no realtor. So a lot of these companies will tell you to just enter your address and they will make it so easy for you. You don't even have to clean. We'll come in and buy your house for market value. We'll close quickly, and then you know, you can move on with your life. For a lot of people, in a lot of financial situations, that can sound so appealing, but there are, with a lot of these companies, so many hidden fees. So if you're looking at doing that, make sure that you ask your questions. I would also encourage you to call a realtor that you trust that can look at all of that documentation and tell you if it is truly market value, or if you could, with just a little bit of effort, make a good amount of money more than those people will pay you, because in most cases, they're going to pay you less than market value. They're going to do very minimal repairs or painting, things like that and then they're going to put it back on the market for considerably more than they're going to pay you for your house. So while I don't have any problem with people making money, and sometimes, you know, you just need to get out and move on, I get it, but make sure that you understand the market and understand exactly what their fees are, because a lot of these companies do charge a good amount of fees, and in many cases, they're gonna get a home inspection and ask you to pay for repairs before you close. These things often show up when you are too far into the transaction to back out. So proceed with caution, when you're looking at a lot of these companies that come up when you're thinking about selling your home because nobody is giving you a free lunch, and if they're going to come in and make the deal super easy, they're going to get something from you in return. The next thing you'll see on Google are going to be lots of companies telling you that they can connect you to a great agent in your area. Keep in mind that in most of those cases, they are then going to get your information and sell it to an agent. In many cases, that agent will have to pay them 30%/40%/50% of the commission that they earn. I will also say in those cases, the vetting process is not always great. Sometimes it is not the best agent in your area. It's the agent who answered the text message saying we've got buyer leads or seller leads in your area."Do you want them? You just have to pay us a referral fee." Sometimes great agents respond to those, and often not great agents respond to them. So make sure that you're doing your due diligence, and don't just click on the first link that comes up on Google, because I can guarantee you it is not going to be the best thing for you. Do your homework. Give me a call. I'm always happy to read through information. Give you a little bit of advice if you're trying to figure out the best route to go. And I'll be honest, if somebody is going to give you a great deal on your house and you don't have to do anything for it, I'm going to tell you to take it. But in most cases, there's something else lurking behind there. So just, not only buyer beware, seller beware.

The recent NAR settlement over commission has brought about some changes to the real estate industry. This has caused a lot of confusion over buyer's agency. Let's talk about the changes you may notice here in Central Virginia and nationwide. Have questions? Ready to talk real estate? Send me a message via Instagram at CindyBennettRealEstate or via my website www.cindybennett.net.

How much does it cost to sell a home anyway? The easiest answer to that, as in real estate often, is it depends. It depends on the house, the market, and a whole bunch of things. Below are some of the most common expenses (and their general associated cost) that you will see when you go to sell a home. Commission: This will be whatever has been negotiated in your listing agreement and/or purchase agreement. This is usually going to be your biggest chunk (aside from your mortgage payoff if you have one). Pre-Listing Expenses: Your Realtor® (hopefully me) will likely recommend you do a few things to get your home ready for market. This can be as simple as a new doormat or paint, but depending on your ability and willingness could be redoing floors or larger maintenance fixes. On average, you can usually expect to pay between $2k-5k. Attorney/Title Fees: Whether you are using a title company or attorney to handle your closing you will of course have to pay them. This is usually between $600-800. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. Property Taxes: These are going to be prorated, so if you have just paid, you're going to get some of that back for the time after you've closed. If you haven't paid, you can rest assured that they're going to be on that settlement statement to be paid at closing. Grantors Tax: In Virginia, you will also have to pay this tax at closing. It is generally about 1% of the sales price of the home. That will get split between the city, county, state, etc. as essentially a "transaction fee" to the different government municipalities. Mortgage Payoff (if applicable): Most people will have a mortgage payoff at closing. This will also include any additional mortgages, home equity loans, etc. that you may have taken out over the years. Additional Fees: Your last fees are going to be those courier fees and wire transfer fees for those payoffs. Your lender and closing company are going to make sure that that payoff is up to the minute and to do that, they're going to put a rush fee on there. Generally, that will be between $200-300. All in all, when you go to sell your home, the largest chunk of money that you're going to spend is usually going to be in commissions and/or repair costs. Everything else is going to be, in most cases, between $1k-2k tops. So if you're thinking about selling and you want to know what your numbers shake out like, give me a call or send me a message. I'd love to talk to you and help you see if selling now or selling later makes more financial sense to you and to see where the numbers fall, so you have a good, accurate depiction of what the end of the day is going to look like and what you'll walk away with.

What do you mean I have to sign something just to see a house? I just want to see a house. If you're thinking of buying a house and you've been wanting to look at homes, or you have friends or family who are, this is probably something you've said or heard or have a little confusion about. I'm here to break it all down for you. This is a time of shifting and adapting in our industry, so a few things have changed. They're going to be taking effect this summer. So first things first, yes, you are going to have to sign a buyer brokerage agreement. No, it does not have to be for the rest of your life. You can sign a shorter-term agreement, but before you sign anything, make sure that you're working with an agent who is going to sit down and go through the document with you. Go through how they work and what they do. I never show a house without going through a whole buyer's consultation. Now, even if you've bought multiple homes over the years, you probably have not bought multiple homes this year. The forms, market, and even area are probably different. The home itself might be different. So having that buyer consultation is really going to help streamline the whole process for you and make it easier to understand. So yes, you will have to sign that, but please don't sign it without doing that buyer's consultation with the agent that you have chosen to represent you. And yeah, you can interview more than one. So if you have questions about signing the agreement, just know it is now the law. Nobody's trying to get one over on you, but make sure that you understand what you're signing and be kind. We are all trying to navigate this too. So if you call an agent and say, "Hey, I want to see 123, Main Street", and they say, "Hey, I need to sit down and talk to you first", understand that it's probably awkward for them too. We're all trying to figure it out, but as an industry and certainly, as individuals, our goal is to get you into the home that you love, whether it is your first house, your step-down house, your move-up house, or investment property. If you're working with an agent that has good integrity, they want you to understand what you're signing, so make sure they're taking the time to explain it. If you have any questions about it, reach out to me. Send me a message or give me a call, and let's talk through it. I'd love to help you find your next home.

Things to Do in August If you are looking for things to do with friends, family, or even solo as the summer wanes, check out some of the events happening around Richmond this month below. August 17th: Richmond Water Lantern Festival Head over to Dorey Park with the family and participate in the Water Lantern Festival. Each adult ticket comes with a lantern kit, candle, and more. Click the link above to get your tickets today. August 17th: Richmond R&B Festival From 3-10 pm, head over to the Kanawha Plaza on East Canal Street to enjoy the Richmond R&B Festival. There will be delicious food, drinks, and live performances all day. Click the link above for more information and tickets. August 24th: Ashland Half Marathon & 5k Good news for those marathoners, runners, or people who just want to get moving. Ashland is having a half marathon and 5k on August 24th. The half marathon starts at 6:30 am with the 5k following at 7:05 am. Click the link above to register or get more information. August 24th: 5th Annual Crabs, Beer, & Spirits by the James Head on down to Kanawha Plaza between 12 and 8 pm for all-you-can-eat crabs, live music, specialty vendors, and so much more! Tickets are on sale now, so don't wait too long or you might miss out. Click the link above for more information.