find – Tech DC

Recently a Falls Church, Virginia customer called me to help them get into their computer after they forgot their Windows login. They were locked out of their own computer. Luckily for them (and unluckily for most people), the passwords can be found using brute force and dictionary cracking tools.

There are many programs to recover the Windows XP and Windows Vista passwords. My favorite is Ophcrack. Download the Live CD, burn the iso to disk (not as a file but as a disk image), and boot the computer off the disk.

Ophcrack will start automatically and typically take 5-30 minutes to determine all the passwords that it can. The shorter the password, the faster Ophcrack can find it. Unless there is a very long password (over 14 characters), Opencrack will be able to tell you what it is.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just want to know what’s going on, it’s easier than ever to follow real estate online.

Finding Comparables

Zillow provides a property value estimate based on neighboring comparables and their sale prices. It was started in 2005 by the people who started Expedia.com because they were frustrated that these tools were only available to real estate agents.

Real Estate Listings

Google recently added Real Estate to their Maps option. Google Base also recently began listing Real Estate with full search capabilities.

Long and Foster has been one of the most popular sites to search MLS listed properties.

Credit Report

Before buying a house, you need to know your credit score. You should also check it occasionally just to be sure that there are no errors. It is not uncommon to find that someone has impersonated you or that the credit agency just got something wrong.

AnnualCreditReport.com allows you to request your credit report for free once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Mortages

Bankrate.com provides a good starting point for finding mortgage rates.

If you are in the Military or part of a Military family, consider Pentagon Federal Credit Union or the Navy Federal Credit Union. There are local offices in Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

Realtors

If you understand the comparables and have done the search yourself, you should consider a low-cost realtor.

Both ZipRealty and PenFed Realty (for Military personnel) both offer low fees or cash back.

Real Estate News

The Washington Post – Real Estate section provides real estate news and stories in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

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Online Real Estate Tools in Washington D.C. Area