real estate: How To Succeed In a Crazy Real Estate Market - 03/29/13 12:01 AM
The craziness has returned to the Northern Virginia market!   If you are new to this (translation--you weren't in the business in 2005-2007), you might feel like it is hard to keep up. Representing the best interests of your client can be a challenge when the market is this competitive. Being prepared, and thinking 5 steps ahead, is a good start! But what can you expect to see in this competitive market place and how should you prepare?   1) Multiple offers. Be sure to talk to your clients (buyers and sellers) about how they want to handle multiple offers.  During the slow times, … (6 comments)

real estate: I Could Be a Great Referral Partner--But I Won't Be - 03/28/13 12:24 AM
In my years in the Real Estate Business I have had the pleasure to work with many talented folks in the trades around Buying and Selling a home. I have found great lenders through both my buyers and sellers, I have found great home inspectors, I have found great landscapers and cleaning folks. Every transaction is a great opportunity to interact with a set of new people--and possibly find some good referrals for my clients.
  So it is always very surprising to me when a lender, settlement company, or other party to a transaction ignores me. I usually will send out emails, … (67 comments)

real estate: If You Want it, Put It In Writing! - 03/23/13 01:09 AM
The Northern Virginia real estate market is hot. Buyers are competing for homes and finding that they need to be efficient and organized in their approach to making offers to purchase.
  Last month, I listed a home for approximately $450,000. We had over 50 groups through the open house the first Sunday it was listed. We had at least 15 agent-led groups through on the first weekend. By Monday, the calls started coming in.   'My client loves the house. Would your client consider their offer of $425,000?' 'That house is perfect for my client, would your client sell for … (23 comments)

real estate: Great Home in Fantastic Northern Virginia Location! - 03/01/13 06:50 AM
7722 Kalorama Road, Annandale, VA 22003 is on the market! Located inside the Beltway, off of Braddock Road, this is a great house in a great location.
Open House: Sunday, March 3 from 1-4 p.m.

Bright and spacious! This beautiful 4-level Split features 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a half bath. With all newly remodeled bathrooms, brand new carpet, freshly refinished hardwoods and new paint throughout, this home is move-in ready!
There is a large rec room and plenty of storage for all your odds and ends...there is even space in the storage area to finish an additional room, … (0 comments)

real estate: Post Super Bowl Commentary: Understanding Virginia vs. Maryland - 02/03/13 08:59 PM
And the Ravens win Super Bowl 2013...   While I was rooting for the Ravens, having a team from nearby Maryland did not guarantee that the locals were all cheering for Baltimore. In fact, there is a strange unwillingness for the two states to have the same fans--even though the Redskins and the Ravens rarely play one another (although, D.C. is over the river for Virginians, that seems not to be an issue when fans choose to root for the Redskins--and their stadium is in Maryland!).    If you are not from the D.C. Metro area, you may be unaware of the Virginia vs. … (3 comments)

real estate: Out Come the Haters! - 01/14/13 07:56 PM
This weekend I received some hate mail.  I occasionally write for a local paper about real estate issues (who doesn't love free publicity?). Last week, I had an article published about how Realtors®, in addition to helping people buy and sell homes, work to protect property rights through our association memberships in local, state and the  National Association of Realtors®.   I received a hate-filled diatribe, via email, explaining to me why Realtors® are such awful people.  The author had taken time to think out his/her (non-sensical) arguments and present them to me in what, I suppose, was a case designed to get me … (80 comments)

real estate: How to Make Your Clients Happy--And It is Easy! - 12/07/12 06:59 AM
Any Real Estate professional who wants to remain in business will be interested in keeping their clients happy; happy clients are repeat and referral clients! There is a really, really easy way to make your clients happy. Here is the secret--wait for it, it is coming, here it is...give them what they want!   It is human nature that we are happiest when we feel like we have gotten what we want. I saw a story on the news last night that said people are happiest with their gifts when they receive the gifts they ask for. That is not a surprise. This … (7 comments)

real estate: It is never to early to think SPRING! - 12/06/12 07:34 AM
At this time of year, most of us are running around preparing for the holidays and trying to make sure the year ends up successfully. Most of us can't think about new chapters and next steps.
But this is a great time of year to start thinking about buying or selling a home.
If you are a buyer, right now is the time to contact lenders and start getting your financials in order. Remember not to go overboard with gift buying; racking up debt is counter productive to your goal of purchasing a new home.  Remind yourself that it is the … (1 comments)

real estate: The Fiscal Cliff and the D.C. Metro Housing Market - 12/02/12 08:54 PM
I have watched people say, for the past several years, that the trend is for smaller, more functional homes. I believe this is true; I just don't believe this is true in every market. With the infamous 'Fiscal Cliff,' talks on-going, there is a possibility that this trend will take hold whether it is by preference or not.
  Frankly, much of my work with buyers has to do with folks who are 'moving up.' That can be defined in a number of ways. Sometimes 'moving up,' means getting more space to accommodate a growing household. It can sometimes mean purchasing a new home … (66 comments)

real estate: What One Requirement do Many Buyers Have? - 11/27/12 03:54 AM
Yesterday, I wrote a post, Aging In Place? A New Option.  In it, I discussed a new product, the 'Granny Pod,' which is a mobile unit that can be set up in the yard of a single family home. This product addresses the idea that additional space is needed to care for ones self or a loved one.  In many cases, however, the issue is that many homes are just not suitable for aging in place.   In today's MarketWatch,  AMY HOAK'S HOME ECONOMICS column featured the article, Why 1950s-style ranch homes are all the rage again,  More home buyers are considering one-story … (1 comments)

real estate: Thinking of Vacation Property? - 11/24/12 09:29 PM
Owning a vactaion home can be a great way to invest in real estate and, at the same time, have a great place to get away.
If you have considered buying a vacation property, your timing can make a difference in your purchase price.
A beach house can sell for slightly less in the off season (when it is not generating income) than it will in the summer when it is probably paying for itself. The same goes for a ski chalet; if you buy during ski season, you will probably pay a premium.
Being willing to carry the costs of … (2 comments)

real estate: How Not to Sell Your Home! - 10/28/12 11:23 PM
We went through a period in the Northern Virginia real estate market where, especially in certain price ranges, there were a lot of short sales and foreclosures (I know we are not alone!). What makes showing these homes different is that not every owner is willingly listing their home. This is even more true if the home is a rental property. In this situation you have a home listed and a tenant who is likely to lose their residence. It is no wonder that they are not always 'welcoming' to the local Realtors who show up with Buyers. I was working … (5 comments)

real estate: My Own Brokerage? What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger! - 09/26/12 07:07 AM
Sometimes adversity sneaks up on us. We think that we have a plan and, suddenly, the world shifts and we are left scratching our head and wondering, 'what next?'   Over 10 years ago, I was coming off of 8 years of being a stay-at-home mom. Prior to making that choice, I had been in the high pressure world of software, first in development and later sales. When I decided to go back to work, I knew I would not go back into software. I had had my real estate license, although it was inactive, for a number of years. It seemed like … (12 comments)

real estate: All the Marketing in the World Can't Sell an Overpriced Listing - 08/06/12 06:59 AM
If your house is languishing on the market, you must examine your pricing. A well-priced home will go under contract in a reasonable amount of time. 
All the Marketing in the World Can't Sell an Overpriced Listing
In the world of real estate today, marketing starts and stops with the Internet.  If you are there, you are EVERYWHERE.  The vast majority of buyers search for their home online.  Yeah you can insist on open houses every weekend, newspaper ads, or even insist that your Listing Agent walk up and down the busiest road in your market wearing a sandwich board with your … (3 comments)

real estate: Ciao, Google +, it is time to say goodbye! - 07/16/12 01:32 AM
The truth is there are only so many hours in the day.  Social networking has created a new burden opportunity to network and reach out, but it has also added a level of obligation to stay 'relevant.'
With Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, text messaging voice mail and, of course, email, our time is is spoken for before we even log on to the computer or pick up our smart phone.   So with that in mind, I have decided it is time to let one go...Ciao, Google +; it is time for us to break-up. Public break-ups are everywhere (Tom and Katie?), and this … (5 comments)

real estate: Italy Travel, perfect for a Realtor! - 07/09/12 04:56 AM
Many people get in the real estate business for the financial opportunity. The truth is that it can be a grind, with long hours, emotional clients and little downtime. Those of us that stay in Real Estate tend to have a passion for, not only the business, but for the homes themselves.   When we decided to take our family to Italy for 12 days and 3 cities, we thought a lot about the logistics. With 3 children (young adults, really, at 22, 19 and 16), the thought of hotel stays was not particularly appealing.      I was discussing this … (3 comments)

real estate: Not Once, But Twice in One Day! - 06/14/12 11:39 PM
I have been really busy lately. My days are varied and I have been working with buyers, sellers and renters (one of my sellers). Working with different buyers in a competitive market, it is not uncommon to have multiple client showings in one day. This week, was one of those days. It was so funny, two times, two different clients,  I had people turn to me and say, 'I feel like we are on House Hunters!' It is isn't that weird for them to say that. After all, my job is to make sure they understand the pros and cons of each property … (4 comments)

real estate: Are All Clients Created Equal? - 05/28/12 09:29 PM
Do you treat all your clients equally? I am not talking about discriminating along the legal and 'politically incorrect' lines, here, but rather along price-point lines. No one would expect that you spend as much marketing a 1 Bedroom condo as you would a 6 Bedroom Single family, but does your approach reflect an equivalent consideration for each seller's goals? I have noticed in a number of lower priced homes, agents do not even print out listings to leave at the house. Personally, I do a brochure--no matter how low the price. There certainly isn't as much to showcase in a 2 bedroom condo, so … (60 comments)

real estate: Death of a Short Sale - 05/09/12 09:31 PM
RIP, Short Sale from Hell. It was inevitable that this Short Sale would die a long and painful death. The indicators have been there all along; multiple banks, a second that has been sold multiple times, deadlines that came and went, a real estate market that has continued to improve since last fall. And finally, today, the public announcement of the Trustee Sale on the steps of the courthouse. Could we have done anything differently? The very, very frustrating thing is that, no, we could not have done anything differently. We provided a solid contract with few contingencies. My client was … (4 comments)

real estate: What the Seller Should Expect From a Home Inspection - 04/18/12 01:21 AM
This week I spent some time educating one of my clients about the way that   home inspections are handled in Northern Virginia. They are handled differently than her past experience in other states, so I thought it might be worth explaining what a seller should expect, so that others know when they go to sell their Northern Virginia home.
Most Northern Virginia contracts include a Home Inspection Contingency. This contingency allows the buyer to hire an inspector to provide them with an objective, 3rd person opinion of the condition of the home. It is customary for the inspection to take place without … (5 comments)

 


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