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Throughout this month, we marked National Homeownership Month. At the same time, the National Association of Realtors published the results of a survey that asked if a high rate of homeownership strengthens a community. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said high homeownership rates do strengthen communities "a great deal."

I agree.

Owning a home instills pride, which can lead homeowners to feel more connected to their neighborhoods and to care more about the future of their communities. It's one of the reasons I love helping buyers find their next homes.

The Virginia Housing Development Authority's mission is to make homeownership more accessible through programs that help people achieve that big milestone. These are just some of the resources available:

Homebuyer education: A free online or in-person class offer...

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Just like any industry, real estate is full of terms to which many folks haven't been exposed. When searching for a new home, you might run across a property for sale that is described as a "short sale" or "foreclosure."

Sometimes you get lucky, but often these homes aren't in the best shape. These types of sales usually accompany some sort of financial hardship on the part of the seller, who hasn't necessarily had the money to spend on maintenance and upgrades.

Still, short sales and foreclosures can be excellent opportunities, particularly for investors who intend to rehab them and then sell or rent them, or buyers who want to take on fixer-uppers for themselves. Either way, it's important to understand the difference between the two before you buy.

Short sale

A shor...

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Even with home prices rising slightly in some areas around Roanoke, there remains a solid demand among buyers to purchase second properties. I'm a big fan of second homes if the purchase makes sense for you. Because no matter how you intend to use the property, the right second home can be an excellent investment in your financial future.

Before you jump in, let's talk about some of things you should do to ensure you have a clear idea of your options.

Determine the purpose of the property

Very often, I'm working with clients from out of the area who are looking for a retirement (or vacation-to-retirement) home. Perhaps they have family in the area and want to get back this way to be closer to children and grandchildren. In fact, it's sometimes the children who contact me first.

In these...

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If you're looking for a home — or even if you just like to keep your eye on homes for sale in your neighborhood — I've got a great new tool to share with you just in time for the busy spring market.

Just visit http://app.mkbrealtors.com/MKBRPAYNE/ to download our new home search app, and search properties from the entire Roanoke Valley MLS.

The app, which is available for iPhone or Android, has a ton of great search features that make home shopping a breeze:

• Location-based search: Tap "Closest Homes" or "Closest Rentals" to get a list of properties close to your GPS location. You can also enter an address to search for properties close to that location. This makes shopping by neighborhoods so easy, whether you're looking at prope...

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Selling a home for the first time can be every bit as overwhelming and intimidating as buying a home for the first time. There are the financial worries, of course, but there is also a lot of emotion attached to the sale of your first home.

After all, that first home represents a major milestone in your life, and you've made memories there. Now, you're trying to make it attractive to buyers, who might very well come in and criticize the home you love so much.

But first-time home sellers in Roanoke have an excellent opportunity right now. If you've been doing any research about real estate in the Roanoke Valley, you've likely heard that there is a shortage of homes on the market.

What you might not have heard is that there is an even greater shortage of starter-type properties, which are the very homes many first-time sellers...

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