Well it looks by the numbers, sales are up and the Spring market has started earlier than the usual March 1st. We have 29 active single family homes on the market this week - so no net increase in the inventory - still a very low number. Buyers are having a very hard time finding homes to purchase. It is a great time for sellers to be putting their home on the market. The prices have risen in the past 8 months. The smallest model homes in Oak Hill were selling at $325,000 to $350,000 in the beginning of this year and are now selling at $400,000. Eventhough there are some sellers that think I can control the price of homes in the real estate market, it is basic economics - supply and demand. If there are too many homes out there and the seller is competing with a larger inventory - that gives the buyer more choices, the seller's price of their home becomes softer and there is a downward pressure on the price. My influence in the market is getting a home in the best condition so it to shows well, marketing the home, and then get the best price out there. There are tricks to getting the home to show well. This week we had, 7 new homes - which is more than we have has so far in one week. To see those, click http://mrislistings.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?k=524916XJRPL&p=DE-100579154-293. None of the new listings seem to be foreclosures or short sales. We had 7 homes sell - which is getting close to the 8 to 12 - when the market is doing great. One was a foreclosure and one was a short sale. The foreclosure on New Concorde was on the market for 43 days with no offers. It is over 2300 sq ft on the upper 2 levels and was priced at $394,900. It needed some work; but for a foreclosure, it was in pretty good condition. It was not selling and the bank dropped it $50,000 this week and it got 10 contracts. To see the sold homes this week, click http://mrislistings.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?k=524916XJRPL&p=DE-100579248-896. If you are thinking of selling and/or are planning to sell in the next 12 months, you may want to weigh the risk of losing value with the possible loss of the government incentive and the interest rates going up in the 3 months. Hindsight is wonderful in real estate. If a seller knew what they know today about the prices of real estate in the last 5 years in Northern Virginia, they would have sold in 2004/2005. If the buyers knew what they know now, they would not have bought in 2004/2005. Interesting paradox.