Welcome to Real Estate Live, an online discussion of the Washington area housing market with Post Real Estate editor Maryann Haggerty.

Maryann has been with The Post for 18 years and has served as real estate editor for the last five years. She's been a business and real estate editor and reporter for about 25 years. In all that time, she still hasn't figured out where you can find a lovely but inexpensive house in a charming neighborhood.

Haggerty is joined by Washington Post columnist Elizabeth Razzi. Razzi is the Local Address columnist for The Post's Sunday Real Estate section in Business. She's written about real estate and other personal finance topics for magazines and newspapers since the days of double-digit interest rates. She is also the author of two consumer-advice books, The Fearless Home Buyer (2006) and The Fearless Home Seller (2007).

Today, they'll discuss the local housing market -- from condos and investment properties to contracts and mortgages.

For more on local real estate, visit washingtonpost.com's Real Estate section.

The transcript follows.

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Maryann Haggerty: There's a mouse in my house!

The little gray furry dude was spotted yesterday. Now, if I rented, all I would have to do is call the landlord. Tho come to think of it, back in the day, I don't remember landlords responding all that quickly to such calls anyway...

But I'm here anyway. Elizabeth and I will try to answer your questions and respond to your thoughts on all things real estate-related.

Elizabeth Razzi: May I suggest a cat?

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Elizabeth Razzi: Hello, everyone. I'm glad to see not everyone has fled town for spring break. Let's dig in.

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Manassas, Va.: My basement recently suffered a leak. There is mold in the corners and some in the ceiling. It not climbing the walls or anything, but I digress. I'm going to have Mold Remediation done. I need to know to what extent?

If I ever sell my house MUST I have a certified letter or something regarding this mold and its remediation? Its a townhouse.

Do I have to get the remediation "tested and certified" afterwords? If so, I've got to clear out my entire house and replace carpet and flooring and this will get exhorbitantly expensive. If I have to do it I will.

Please advise and fast. The mold remediation starts next week!

Elizabeth Razzi: Well, I'm not an expert on the legalities of mold remediation requirements. But it certainly seems like clearing out the entire house, and ripping out all flooring and carpeting would be overkill for a leak that was confined to the basement. You definitely need to rip out the drywall, carpeting, and maybe the flooring in the area where there is mold. Once that's opened up, you ought to have a good idea of whether the problem has spread inside the walls and then you can decide if further ripping-out is necessary. Keep receipts and copies of the contract to document your expenditure. One other point. If you haven't told your homeowners insurance company about the leak and mold, I wouldn't bring them into the conversation now. They're likely to drop you. If you have alerted them, you'll need to follow their guidance on remediation.

Maryann Haggerty: I'm definitely not a lawyer, but I don't know of any Virginia law that lays out spcifics for mold remediation. I think you're bound by the basic laws on telling sellers about defects.

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Manassas Park, Va.: We are planning on putting our house up for sale in the next month or so, but we still have some minor repairs to do -- need to have a contractor fix a wall and replace a couple pieces of laminate, and need to finish decluttering the closets. How soon should we start talking to prospective agents?

And if our ability to put anything down on our next house is predicated on selling this one -- however long it takes and however much we can actually sell it for, both of which seem unknowable in this market- when do we engage a mortgage broker? Our salaries and credit are good, but considering the market we could be anywhere from putting five percent down to barely being able to pay the agent and the grantor's tax.

Thanks for your time.

Elizabeth Razzi: You should start interviewing prospective agents now. Interview at least three before you sign with one. You'd also benefit from attending some open houses in your area. That will allow you to meet some agents--and see them in action. It also will help you get a feel for prices. But don't call a mortgage broker. I'd hold off on buying another home for a while, until you build up more savings. Rent a while, let your finances settle down, and then you can buy at a more leisurely pace.

Maryann Haggerty: If you're uncertain about whether you have the money to move up, is this even the time to sell? I assume there are outside forces that mean you have to, but think it through. You're sitting inone of the weakest parts of the region.

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Laurel, Md.: May I vent? I'm used to getting stupid letters from mortgage lenders, but I've gotten three in the last week that actually burn me.

My 5/1 ARM has a year left in its introductory period; and based on current Treasury yields, my indexed rate would be under five percent IF it was resetting today, which it isn't.

One lender sent a letter labeled "Official Rate Adjustment Notification" that begins "As scheduled, your first mortgage payment is set to adjust 5/1/08." I.e., one year too early.

Another actually has the name of my lender in bold letters at the top (and fine print at the bottom pointing out that the sender is not affiliated with them) and says "Important Notice: Loan Adjusting on the following date 5/01/08."

The third claims my new rate will be over six percent (on 5/1/08) "and will likely increase every six months until you reach your maximum rate of (my lifetime cap)." At least this one says upfront that they're not affiliated with my lender.

If this is the sort of thing that made the subprime lenders go under, I'd like to open a nightspot at their cemetary.

Elizabeth Razzi: Vent away. I'm right there with you. These sales pitches -- along with those that try to imply that they're from the federal government--are the worst. They are nothing but pestilence and condition people to tossing mail allegedly from "their lender" in the trash.

Maryann Haggerty: And can I add another little vent here? Most of the ones I get refer to a loan I took out 15 years ago. Sure, it was at a high rate. (1992? Hello? Rates were high then!) Guys, I've refinanced like 4 times since then. I hope someone is charging these people through the nose for "hot leads" like this!

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Selling Point: No foreclosures in neighborhood?: A neighbor is currently getting their home ready for sale. Is a good selling point that the neighbors are here for the long haul and few if any homes are being foreclosed or offered for sale? They have put a lot of time and money to make their home sell by updating and freshening things up.

Thanks!!!

Maryann Haggerty: That strikes me as a real good selling point, BUT you of course do not know whether it is true. It wouldn't look so hot to phrase it as "no foreclosures" on marketing materials, either. So you're more likely to see phrases such as "stable neighborhood."

Elizabeth Razzi: "Stable" is a word that worries me a little bit. You could unintentionally run afoul of fair housing laws if someone mistakenly interpreted it as meaning the neighborhood is racially stable. But you have plenty of happy talk that can be applied to your advertising. "Rare opportunity" in XYZ neighborhood, for example. Don't even whisper the word "foreclosure." It's a downer.

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Fort Washington, Md.: Hi, Maryann and Elizabeth. My husband and I moved into my mom's home in the hopes of purchasing it. Unfortunately, the economy and housing market wont allow us to buy it right now. We are waiting until the market gets better for home loans. My mother suggested that perhaps she could add our names onto the title and the loan. I told her that we could be added to the title but the bank would not permit us to be added to the loan. I suggested to her that perhaps we add our names onto the title and just assume her regular mortgage payments for the next 12 years and at the end of that term, she gave the house to us. This would save us from a 30/15-year loan with an higher interest rate. We would not get the tax benefits directly, but we would be able to share in the refund with my mother at the end of year. We would create a contract showing the terms of our agreement, of course. My question is, is the assumption of the mortgage payments for 12 years at the lower interest rate a good idea?

Elizabeth Razzi: Complicated scenario you have, there. First, I would not recommend that your mother sign over the deed to you and your husband. I hate to even say it, inheritance taxes ought to be considered. (Any of us could be hit by a bus, right?) If a property is passed along as part of an estate, those who inherit it don't have to pay tax on years and years of capital gains. Next issue-- Her lender may not allow someone else to assume the loan. You need to dig up the loan documents to be sure. Third, I suggest you talk to a real estate lawyer who might be able to draw up a rent-to-own contract.

Maryann Haggerty: There can be serious long-term tax consequences to just putting your names on that deed. You really should talk to a lawyer or accountant with experience in this. And your mom may want to talk to her own advisors separately.

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McLean, Va.: Hello, Maryann and Elizabeth. Thanks for chatting with us. I am interested in getting some information about the D.C. area real estate market in general. Does The Post have an annual report on the market, or if not, are there any resources you can direct me to? Thanks.

Maryann Haggerty: Well, thanks for that softball question. Yes, we have an annual market report. Look for it next weekend, Saturday March 29 AND Sunday March 30. For both days, we'll be exploring the question, "What's It Worth?" from a number of different perspectives.

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Florida: I work in real estate and I see more and more foreclosure and/or short sale properties on the market. There are some great deals out there but be prepared to wait if you submit a bid. Gone are the days of closing in 30 to 45 days after contract submitted. Now between scaredy cat banks and incompetent loan servicing centers you can't get a straight answer about acceptability of the contract and often they will come back at a higher than listed price for the same. Just out to make more money if you ask me. I have lost more clients who didn't want the hassle or complexities of dealing with foreclosure or short sale properties. It is a nightmare and you not only must have, as a buyer, credit worthy of an 800 or higher score but at least 20 percent down to make anything happen. It is a buyers market sure but the buyer better be platinum rated with deep pockets in order to get in now.

Elizabeth Razzi: Thanks for a report from the heart of foreclosure country.

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Great Falls, Va.: My Fairfax County assessment is exactly the same as it was last year. But the way they arrive at that number is a little interesting. The value of the house is approximately half of what it was last year and the value of the land approximately doubled. Does this strike you as fishy? I don't dispute the bottom line, but I'm curious about how they got there.

Maryann Haggerty: The county recalculated those assessments and mailed out new ones this week. Check your mailbox.

Elizabeth Razzi: You're not the only Fairfax County resident who was up in arms about this year's assessments. Basically the county looked at the values of empty, build-able lots and used that to set values for the land component of everyone's property. They've backed away from that idea--at least for now.

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MPI: Maryann: With the foreclosures and subprime mess, I was wondering who is taking the big losses? With most of these "homeowners" having to pay their monthly MPI, wouldn't the banks be covered and thus paid out when folks foreclosed. So aren't the banks not really taking the losses as insurance is covering this debt?

Thanks.

Maryann Haggerty: I'm assuming you mean PMI, or private mortgage insurance. The pmi companies are indeed taking a hit, but many many of these loans did NOT have PMI. Rather, they were piggyback loans--80-20s, where a seond mortgage covers the gap instead of insurance.

And then there are the big big losses from the extremely complicated ripples in the securitization and debt markets, far far removed from any mortgages. (cf, Bear Stearn)Please don't ask me to explain those and keep your attention...

Elizabeth Razzi: Also, PMI does not pay off the entire amount of the mortgage. It covers only a portion of the outstanding debt.

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Not housing-related, but related to "refinancing": Those mortgage refinance letters make me laugh. I get refinance letters for my student loans all the time, even though I consolidated my federal loans back in 2004. I'd love to just call these guys up and ask them what their best rate was, and then shove it in their face that mine is at 1.65 percent.

Lest anyone think I'm bragging, my SLs are still close to $70,000.

Elizabeth Razzi: Ouch.

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Maryland: I own an older condo and would like to do some kitchen upgrades for my own enjoyment -- mainly new cabinets and install an over-the-range microwave. Is there something else I should consider doing, just in case I decide to sell in the next couple of years?

Elizabeth Razzi: Well, it's hard to guess without knowing what your current kitchen looks like. But in general, if someting (flooring, maybe?) is shabby, install something fresh. And the lighting in most older kitchens can be improved, which will make it much more comfortable for you as well.

Maryann Haggerty: May I vote for lighting? It makes a HUGE difference -- just a few undercounter lights, plus properly thought-out overhead lighting, can change your life.

Not for resale, but for your own convenience: When you look at those cabinets, think about adding a few pullout drawers for pots and pans.

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Washington, D.C.: I own a condo in Columbia Heights which is quickly becoming a great neighborhood. However, almost 1,000 planned condos to be built on 14th street have since been changed to "luxury" apartments and are in various stages of planning and construction. Does this hurt or help my own condo value. On the one hand, I think condos would be bring more homeowners into the area who are much more committed to the well being of the neighborhood. On the other hand, a glut of condos near me might bring my price down. So whats your opinion on what this does for existing condos?

Maryann Haggerty: Well, the reason the developers have flipped those from condo to rental is that they did not feel there was a sufficient condo market at this time. (Condos need to be sold pretty quickly for a developer to make the numbers work.)

Anyway: You may want to just enjoy your great neighborhood for a while.

Elizabeth Razzi: Some of those condo developments have attracted more investors (and renters actually living there) than might have been expected.

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You're sitting in one of the weakest parts of the region: I agree with you on this, but if they have to sell I must say they are going about things the right way. I just got under contract, and I must have looked at 40 properties before I found one I was willing to buy. I made an offer on it quickly, and only offered a bit lower than the asking price. After having seen the horrors people were showing, I did not want to let a nice place get away from me. I am talking places that were so messy I couldn't walk in them, horrendous odors, serious unrepaired damage, sloppy do it yourself renovations, badly stained carpets, broken appliances... (One woman even left her dirty panties on the bathroom floor, even though she knew we were on our way over. Yucky).

The owner of the place I bought took the time to declutter, put in new neutral paint and carpet, and cleaned. It was so easy to picture my stuff there, and so nice knowing that the color scheme in place would not clash with my stuff. A few things had some minor wear and tear, and the kitchen was outdated (but in good shape), but everything else was so great so I felt like I could deal with those things later. And when I say neutral paint it wasn't all beige. It was mostly beige, but there was a green that was "neutral" in that it wasn't really dark or a bright lime flourescent shade. I felt like she cared so much about making a good impression on the buyer, that she was probably also someone who kept up with maintenance.

If they make the repairs, repaint anything that's really dark or bright, and have floors in good shape, I say they're making it really easy for the buyer to want to purchase. Yes, there are a lot of properties on the market, but there are only a few that really shine.

Maryann Haggerty: Very good points.

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Bowie, Md.: The house/land question reminds me...

My insurance is up for renewal next month. Given all the home price fluctuations of the past five years, how should I estimate its insurance value?

Elizabeth Razzi: By completely disregarding its market value. For insurance, you need to look at replacement cost -- how much a contractor would charge to rebuild the place after a fire. Your insurance agent should help advise you. You might even ask for some advice from any neighbors who have built additions in your neighborhood recently.

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Wheaton, Md.: My brother-in-law would be a first-time home buyer. He's interested in a brand new townhouse in the Minneapolis area. He's been quoted an FHA 30-year fixed at 5.75 percent, but the downpayment of 2.25 percent and the closing costs will be picked up by gift funds from Nehemian. Never heard of such an organization. Is it for real?

I want to caution him from buying so hastily, since he is applying to transfer to Texas, which more than likely will happen within the next 18 months. He has a good job, and his company supposedly will help with moving costs (even cover mortgage payments), but I fear that the benefit money is capped and probably subject to taxation.

He's being told the usual song-and-dance about how he'll be gaining equity and that he can decrease his taxes with deductible mortgage interest. I plan on giving him some info about how much equity he'll really be "earning". Any other precautions? He's really gung-ho about doing this.

Love your chats by the way.

Maryann Haggerty: The organization is called Nehemiah. It is legit--and just won a pretty significant court case against HUD, saying that its payments are kosher.

The way it works is that the seller makes a contribution to the nonprofit (Nehemiah and others, including a local company called Ameridream) then the nonprofit makes a gift to the buyer.

Still, if he really plans to move in 18 months, he could end up losing money even with employer help, simply because of the cost of selling. Point that out to him.

Elizabeth Razzi: If I were thinking of moving within a year and a half, I'd rather be a renter -- in any part of the country. There's just too much hassle involved in buying and selling. Let him save his money and buy a big ol Texas home.

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Anonymous: Is a good selling point that the neighbors are here for the long haul and few if any homes are being foreclosed or offered for sale?

The buyers will be looking at what else is for sale in the neighborhood, and doing their own research about the number of foreclosures and short sales. I agree, I wouldn't mention it. Highlight at the good points about the property.

Elizabeth Razzi: Thanks for weighing in ...

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Annandale, Va.: I would love to sell my one-bedroom condo in Annandale and move up to something bigger. My real estate agent says the best I could probably do is to sell $10-15,000 below its assessed value. I was disappointed to hear that. I thought that having a home inside the Beltway is a bonus. Is it normal for homes to be selling below the assessed value?

Elizabeth Razzi: Well, it usually is. Annandale isn't close to any Metro train stations, though, which limits the inside-the-Beltway benefit. And one-bedroom condos in relatively affordable neighborhoods such as Annandale are facing competition from home sellers who have to offer their homes for rent. Get opinions from another real estate agent or two (but if one is way more optimistic than the others, be very skeptical of that top dollar estimate). Look around yourself, as if you were trying to buy in your neighborhood and price range to get a better feel for prices. Good luck.

Maryann Haggerty: Assessments for tax purposes have little to do with market values. They are a mass appraisal, NOT an individual measure of a proprty's value. Basically, they fit along a curve that estimates fair market value.

And of course, no one ever appeals a low assessment.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you have a guess about if or when we might see a decline in rental rates?

Elizabeth Razzi: I think it's more an if than a when. Especially in the District, there's a lot of demand for nice rentals.

Maryann Haggerty: There's been a slowdown in increases, and an increase in signing incentives, but no percepible decreases. (And to a degree, a slowdown in first-time home sales means more renters, not fewer, right?)

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Maryland: We have had our house on the market for nearly a year. It is a upper bracket home (over 1.7 mil.). There have been no serious offers, but our agent is not pushing to lower the price, under the theory that it is a very limited market for this price in our particular market. We did not live there at the moment and have no urgent need to sell, but we are nonetheless curious about the agents assessment. I've read much about a house being over-priced if it remains on the market for more than 6 months, but are there such houses where you must be patient to find the right buyer? If it helps, the house is located on over 30 acres with excellent access to major road arteries.

Maryann Haggerty: Well, I might ask another agent for a second opinion.

Very, very top end properties do often require long, long stays on the market because of their limited buyer pool. However, in most of the DC area, $1.7 million is not top of the market. It's nice, but it ain't the stratosphere.

Elizabeth Razzi: Hmm ... $1.7 mil for more than 30 acres with good road access. Doesn't sound like a luxury townhouse in Annapolis (which indeed can go well beyond $1.7 mil quickly)as much as it sounds like land that would attract a housing developer. They ain't buying much land now. I wouldn't be surprised if you have to sit on that investment of yours for a few more years. btw..I hear corn prices are high. Maybe you'd enjoy farming?

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Alexandria, Va.: Afternoon ladies ...

I am having a hard time being sympathetic to most (not all though) of the people losing homes to foreclosure due to adjustable rate mortgages that they can't afford. Government bailout may be the smartest solution for the larger economy and for these people, but I feel that many of them opted for these mortgages so they could get into a house when they really could not afford to, or so they could move up to a 5 br 3 ba colonial that they just had to have from the the 3 br 2ba ranch that was fine, and they could afford. Buying a home is major big deal, one if the biggest financial decisons you will make in a lifetime! You think about it long and hard before you do it, and consider all of the possibilities and ramifications.

Greed and stupidity is no reason to obtain something you can't afford.

Elizabeth Razzi: Well, of course. Greed and stupidity = bad. I personally have little sympathy for flippers, the folks who figured they'd zoom in, invest next to nothing, resell and walk away in a few months with $30k, $50k or more. But it's important to look back to the situation as it was at the peak of the boom. Interest rates had been declining for so long that many people younger than about 40 had never experienced a time when interest rates consistently rose. They genuinely thought they could ALWAYS refinance to a better deal -- and plenty of people making big money selling them mortgages encouraged that belief. And don't forget how brutal competiton was for practically all homes. Many buyers failed at buying homes -- repeatedly -- even though they made an offer for full price or more. Some of them finally caved in to what the competition was doing, and stretched their money with those scary negative-amortization ARMs. It wasn't wise. But that's not greed, either.

Maryann Haggerty: I recall the question I got time and time and time again in these chats just two year ago: "But what if I wait and prices go up more and I can never afford anyplace to live?" It was a real fear. And I always felt like Marie Antoinette (or my grandmother), telling people they would be better off saving and waiting.

I can understand if you don't have sympathy. But the people who gloat and namecall and fill the comment boards here with condemnation? I don't think they get it, either.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi, we are relocating to another state and plan to list our house by May 1. We also plan to buy the new house right away and presumably before the old one will sell. Of course, I'm worried our old house won't sell very quickly. So planning for a worst case scenario of the old house sitting on the market for months, can you advise on how and when to make the decision of whether to keep the house on the market (while making two mortgage payments), or, give up and rent it out? And since we'll be out of state, we would have to pay someone to take care of the property for us. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Elizabeth Razzi: Oh, you need to let the numbers make the decision for you. How long CAN you follow this strategy? And this plan suggests that you need to come out of the gate with a pretty low asking price on that Silver Spring house. So ... renting in the new location isn't an option, at least until the old home sells?

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Washington, D.C.: My wife and I have been looking to purchase our first home and noticed a few we are interested in, but they are short sales. Should we approach these situations any differently in terms of negotiations, due diligence, etc.? Are the asking prices usually already below market value, thus making any offer lower than that price futile? I know most short sales are for "as is," so does that mean we should get an inspection done even before making an offer? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Maryann Haggerty: Short sales can take longer and require more negotiating, because the bank has to sign on to any agreement, and some banks are slow and balky.

As far as bidding -- yes, there is negotiating room. But not unlimited room.

And as far as due diligence -- be EXTREMELY diligent. You don't have to get the inspection before you bid, but make sure the inspection contingency clause allows you to back out if it finds anything you don't like, anything at all. (There are two variants on contingency clauses in the standard metropolitan area contract. Have your agent explain carefully the differences.)

Elizabeth Razzi: You should definitely make a professional home inspection a contingency in your contract. You don't want to buy trouble. But don't expect lenders to pay for repairs. They just aren't going to do it.

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Chicago, Ill.: Here in Chicago the housing market is frozen. Prices have dropped 10 percent in the last year, and are expected to move down more this year.

My question: I am a first time buyer with a pre-approved mortgage loan amount, 10 percent down, and excellent credit. I would like to offer somewhere between 10-15 percent less than list price. Is this realistic?

Also, one of the houses I'm looking at is a gut rehab -- I've been told that sellers typically won't move the price down much for what in essence is "new construction" -- any truth to that?

Thanks!

Elizabeth Razzi: I don't know that I'd believe that sellers won't bargain on a property that needs gutting. If the seller hands you a crow bar with the keys, it is NOT new construction. Make a low offer, and be prepared to haggle. Just make sure you have a firm estimate from a contractor for how much you'll need to invest in the place to make it livable. And don't ignore the neighborhood. If neighboring properties are in similarly bad condition, that will put a lid on your value no matter how pretty you make your home. By the way, don't forget to take a little walk around the neighborhood after dark before you buy.

Maryann Haggerty: Try bargaining on anything. Just don't get huffy if a seller rejects your bid.

And deciding to offer 10 percent less on every poerty you see pobably is not the best strategy, either. Check the comps. On some houses, theprice is already very close to market. On others, you could bid 20 percent below asking and still be above market.

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Neighborhood Renaissance (Fredericksburg, Va.): How can I judge if a neighborhood is "up-and-coming"? My husband and I put an offer on a house in a neighborhood that has seen many positive developments in the past ten years but we want to make sure the neighborhood will continue to improve in the 10-15 years we plan to live there. The house is three blocks from the VRE station, two abandoned buildings (a Southern States warehouse and an old gas plant) have been converted into a church and office space. Luxury brick three-story townhomes with garages and sound wall from the train tracks have also been erected adjacent to our property. Our house is one of three new homes on a street with two older homes (one is a duplex). There are still some run-down, dilapidated houses on the block, but there is also a gigantic new build listed at $500,000 on the block next to us and several beautifully kept homes on the historical register. What else should we be looking for to see if this neighborhood will continue to improve?

Maryann Haggerty: Great question. Probably the best indication that the neighborhood will keep on going up is an involved citizenry. Find out if there's a civic association or a neighborhood crimewatch already active. Ask about garden clubs and block parties. (If they don't have them yet,reach out and start one when you move in.)

Being that close to VRE is a good sign, I think.

Elizabeth Razzi: VRE is an excellent sign. Enjoy your new home.

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Elizabeth Razzi: That's it for this time! My column will be taking a break on Easter Sunday but will be back the following week. Catch you then!

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Maryann Haggerty: OK, we're running out of time, folks. Thanks for all the great questions.

In Saturday's paper, the Real Estate section takes a look at the many things you should do to make the best of the technology opportunities presented to you when you move.

We're taking Easter Sunday off, so no Real Estate section inside the Business section then.

But the following weekend -- March 29 and 30 -- we'll be back in print with our big annual markt review sections, where we'll be thinking about all the ins and outs of home prices today. Look for it ... (and we'll also be here online, at a special day -- Mon., March 31 at 1 p.m. ET, I think -- to chat about those sections.

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