Bad marketing = Lower property values. Agents and sellers, wake up! - 06/30/11 11:08 AM
The real estate market here in Northern Virginia is doing pretty well.  Median Home sales prices in Northern Virginia are up over last year 7%.  However, there are still isolated incidents of specific sellers being sabotaged by a neighbor/seller who is not clever enough to see that if you just stage your house and make minor improvements, then market it well, you can sell your home for market value and don't need to slash the price 10% in less than one month.
This is happening to some of my listings right now.   There are comparable properties that are slashing their prices … (7 comments)

When a contractor steps over the line - 06/28/11 08:22 AM
To protect the guilty, I will name no names and keep details light.
 But I have to blog about something that happened yesterday.  A contractor I love, use loyally and always highly recommend stepped over the line in doing some repairs for a listing of mine last week. I will admit my role in this play was not perfect, and in hindsight see what I should have done differently.  
Here's what happened:  I hired the contractor to do one job from a list of home inspection items.  I called and emailed this company about the one thing to be done. … (22 comments)

Does the bath tub overflow leak? There's only one way to find out. - 06/28/11 07:36 AM
This is a great post from Reuban Saltzman, a very thorough home inspector.  I've never had anyone check this and can see how it could be a big problem with kids taking a bath.   Worth the water to fill up the tub and be sure to prevent drywall damage.  Home inspections usually take 3 hours for single family homes.  It seems there are always more things that can be checked though!   You have to remember when buying a house that things do happen and inspectors can't possibly catch everything though.
Via Maple Grove Home Inspections - Reuben Saltzman (Structure Tech … (9 comments)

New Fairlington Villages listing in Arlington, Virginia - 06/27/11 02:41 PM
… (6 comments)

New listing in Fairlington Villages - Open Sunday 2-4 - 06/25/11 08:33 AM
4717 31st St S, C2, Arlington, Virginia 22206
Just in time for summer - hang out at the pool and enjoy the charm and comfortable space of this gorgeous Sherwood model loft in Fairlington Villages! Quality recent updates throughout - new cabinets, Silestone Counters, beautiful tile backsplash, new carpet, updated bathroom and new windows. Stylish and neutral paint colors. Striking vaulted ceiling living room with wooden beams and spiral staircase to spacious loft - awesome multi use space could be office, playroom, yoga studio, or more.   And you won’t believe the storage - another incredible space. Top floor too with treetop … (4 comments)

Quit stalking me already! - 06/24/11 07:09 PM
I know the subject of feedback from showings has been discussed and debated ad nauseum, but I have to get a few more examples off my chest.
Please take me off your auto email showing request service if we have had a phone conversation about your listing!  
Please don't write me a personal email asking for feedback when we had a phone conversation a few days ago in which I gave you candid, helpful feedback.
Please don't call me for feedback when I've already filled out your auto email feedback request.
In short, if I gave you feedback, quit stalking me … (13 comments)

Are You Updating Your Showing Instructions? YOU SHOULD! - 06/21/11 12:23 PM
 
This seems to be happening all over the place.   I experienced some bad showing instructions this weekend too.  Said to call Alt Agent.  Called Alt Agent and it sounded like a home answering machine for a teenager.  Called 4 hours in advance. She never called me back.  Finally called lead agent right before showing.  Sure enough, sellers said "no."  This is not the way to sell a house.  Please leave your comments with Greg Nino, thanks!
 
Via Greg Nino Houston Texas (RE/MAX West Houston Professionals):
I just got off the phone attempting to schedule the showing of 8 properties. … (0 comments)

Delusional seller? Or maybe doesn't really want to sell? - 06/21/11 10:22 AM
I am currently prepping an awesome new listing to come on the market this weekend.  The clients have been absolute A + gold star sellers.  They did everything I asked them to do for staging, turned down my offers to run around and do it for them, agreed with me on pricing and showing instructions.   Did not complain and got it done fast.  Showing instructions could have been a big deal with them as they have a toddler who goes to bed early.  We talked about how to handle this and I said you really never should turn down a … (13 comments)

Final Walkthroughs are YOUR obligation - 06/19/11 06:20 PM
This is a terrifying tale of what can happen between contract and closing.  Always do a final walk through to make sure the house is in the same condition it was in when you last saw it.   Disasters do happen!  Thank you Cindy for a great reminder of why this last minute chore is so important.
Via Cindy "in Indy" Marchant Realtor® Fishers Real Estate (Keller Williams Indy NE 317-290-7775 www.marchantteam.com):
It’s another story from our life as a REALTOR.  Do you do final walkthroughs?  Do you do them every single time?  Do you do them when the house your buyer bought … (2 comments)

Things to do if your home has not sold - 06/19/11 05:51 PM
Sellers, if your house is on the market and you have not gotten any offers for a few months, there are things you need to do to keep it current, fresh and continue to encourage an offer.   
1)   Update the photos.  Sometimes listings pass between seasons.  If you listed in February and are still on the market and there's snow in your pictures, ask your agent to take new ones.  Everything looks better in bloom.  Even a condo surely has some outdoor shots that will add some green and life to your house and broaden its appeal.
2) Lower the … (9 comments)

You Want Us To Do WHAT To Our Sellers?? - 06/17/11 10:10 AM
I would say this is one of the toughest questions to answer as a listing agent.  It is frankly one of the buyer's business why the seller is selling, but it is rude and dismissive to just say "none ya bizness" - I save that for my inside voice.    So I say things like "relocating" or "moving into their other home" or "they are ready for their next stage in life."    I once had a listing agent tell me, without even asking, that the sellers were getting a divorce - yikes, but thanks.  These details will become apparent once … (4 comments)

Top (UN) staging moves to ensure your house will (NEVER) sell - 06/17/11 08:24 AM
Keep all the lights off.
Stay home for the showing, making the buyers feel like they can't enter the room you are in working and talking on the phone.
Pack the house up with BIG furniture.  For example, put a embassy sized dining set for 14 in a standard 80's colonial with a 12x14 dining room.
Block off the entrance to some rooms - make sure buyers do not see the great flow.
Dump out the contents of your purse and leave it on the dining room table.  Make sure to collect at least 5 months worth of receipts and papers … (8 comments)

QR Code Hype - Jon Stewart Says it so well. - 06/15/11 11:22 PM
I shun QR codes.  I admit it.  I think they are silly.  I think they are over used and over hyped on Active Rain and other Real Estate forums.  I've talked to many friends/clients/prospective buyers and sellers about them and most just get a blank stare when I bring them up.  Once I explain what they are I don't hear passion or excitement, just more of like a 'eh, okay?  Can we be over teched and gadgeted up?  I think so.  Jon Stewart had a fantastic rant last night on how CNN was encouraging the use of them during the Republican … (10 comments)

Arlington, VA home buyers and sellers - please don't listen to national sales data! - 06/12/11 09:53 AM
You will hear "bad news" regarding real estate every where you turn these days, because the national news media focuses on national sales figures.  National sales figures for real estate are pretty much an oxymoron - all real estate is local.  Yes, you've heard it a thousand times, but it does not stop reporters from glomming on to misleading indices like Case-Schiller and convincing us that real estate nationwide is bad.  MRIS just wrote a great blog article on why.
Why is this a problem?  Many reasons, one big one that MRIS did not mention is that psychology is important.  Emotions … (4 comments)

How your friendly neighborhood real estate agent gets paid - 06/08/11 10:04 AM
If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, you might wonder how all these real estate agents you see get paid.  You see them every Sunday at open houses and names on shopping carts and on signs around town.  You might think that they are paid by the big company they "work for" because you hear ads from places like ReMax and Coldwell Banker on the radio.  You see these brokerage names everywhere, surely they are paying those agents to spend their Sundays at these houses, right?
Actually, agents are paid by the sellers and buyers, by commission only … (15 comments)

McEnearney is one of the "Best Places to Work" - It's official! - 06/04/11 10:23 PM
McEnearney Associates just won 2nd place in the large company category in the Washington Business Journal's 2011 "Best Places to Work" contest.  McEnearney is like no other real estate company, in that it is a family owned and managed "large boutique" with both international reach and an impeccable local reputation.  McEnearney has incredibly high standards of quality for their marketing materials and client service and work tirelessly to keep their agents educated, trained and in touch with the latest marketing tools and technology to succeed at doing well for our clients.
I experienced an example of how great this place is … (1 comments)

Just Sold! 3611 Larchmont Drive, Annandale VA 22003 - 06/03/11 07:16 AM
This lovely rambler on 1/4 acre just closed this week. Listed at $425,000 we sold for $420,000 after a week on the market.  This home went under extensive remodeling and staging to get it sold for this price, this quickly.   The sellers had tried to sell in 2008 with another broker, but they had not made the updates or done staging necesssary to do so.  And the market was declining then and they did not make the price adjustments fast enough.
Here's a breakdown of what we did:
Pulled up wall to wall carpeting to expose beautiful hardwood floors, then … (7 comments)

Open Sunday 1-4. Gorgeous Contemporary Arlington Retreat! - 06/02/11 03:01 PM
… (1 comments)

Stubbornly Marooned on the Island of UnSold. - 06/01/11 10:47 AM
 
Okay, this is just too funny not to share. I could never be as funny as Alan May no matter how hard I tried.  But I am grateful to get to laugh to tears reading his blogs.   Says so well why some homes don't sell and really puts the sellers perspective, um,  into perspective!  I am lucky enough to have not had sellers quite like this....yet!
 
Via Alan May, Coldwell Banker Evanston, Illinois Realtor® (Chicago's Northern Suburbs):
"Why, oh Why" you ask "is my house still unsold?"
Well, Mr. & Mrs. Seller, there are many reasons. 
REASON #1You're overpriced.  … (1 comments)

 
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Coral Gundlach

Arlington, VA

More about me…

McEnearney Associates, Arlington Virginia

Address: 4720 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA, 22207

Office Phone: (703) 200-3631

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Looking to buy or sell real estate in Arlington, Virginia and surrounding areas? This blog is a great place to get advice, tips and market information on Arlington, Alexandria, Annandale, Falls Church, McLean, Fairfax, Vienna, Oakton, Chantilly, Reston, Herndon, Springfield and Loudoun County Virginia Real Estate. I am a Top Producing Realtor servicing both buyers and sellers in all of these areas. If you are looking for a different kind real estate experience, then give me a call or email. Buyers: My goal is to give my clients the tools and information they need to find their best home. I will give you honest, sound advice, based in reality of the market, and never pressure you. I also will guide you through the complicated process of contracts, mortgages, inspections and negotiations. Sellers: I do extensive comparable research, and will know the best features of our home to market, blanketing the internet and surrounding area with news of your listing. I will blog about your listing, tell my colleagues about it, and make sure its best features reach the appropriate target audience.
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