I anticipate an influx of Falls Church real estate purchasers and Falls Church rentals to become even hotter than they already are.

I recently had renters looking for a rental in Falls Church and found quickly that finding a property with three true bedrooms and 2 full baths in a traditional format for less than $2500 per month was nearly impossible. Couple that with their need to house a pet and it slimmed the available properties down to almost nothing.

East Falls Church is located just off of 495, Route 50 and Route 66 and situated between two metros: Dunn Loring and East Falls Church. It’s 7 minutes door to door to the Tyson’s Galleria without traffic. With traffic there are multiple routes there, but I’ve found it doesn’t take me more than 15-20 minutes. A shoppers/diners/commuters dream! What’s not to like?!

If you’re interested in looking at Falls Church real estate or any other Northern Virginia communities please check my website or give me a call!

Experience? Well, as long as they have a good marketing plan in place, enthusiasm can (I didn’t say will, but can) make up for the lack of experience. That is, if they have knowledge. Knowledge or the ability to obtain the knowledge.

Marketing? They need to have a good foundation of ideas with a big focus on The Internet. According to The National Association of Realtors 90% of home buyers started their search on the web. when asked how they found their home 36% said on the web another 36% said with their agent while only 2% said a newspaper ad. Tech savvy is a must!  

I mentioned knowledge earlier. They need to know where to go to research the community they are marketing along with the home. The listing is more than just a house. It’s a home and most people buy into the community, not just the house. They also need to be creative in thinking about how to position this/sell it to prospective purchasers and not just a certain group of purchasers. Sure maybe the community is best suited for families, but it doesn’t mean a retired couple or a recent college grad isn’t interested. It’s important to highlight ALL of the communty’s amenities at your open house or in your brochure etc.

Communication is key. During the interview/listing presentation they need to communicate well and you need to feel comfortable with them! this initial meeting is a preview of what they will be like to work with – chances are you’ll be working with them a minimum of 30 days!

Passion. you can’t teach it. It comes naturally. Someone who loves the job, appreciates your business and is willing to go the extra mile. I feel enthusiastic about each and every appointment that I go on and it shows! Who wants to work with an agent that isn’t happy just to have the opportunity? Not me!

My last tidbit of advice is to avoid what my business partner and I nicknamed “3 P’s Realty” Put a sign in the ground. Put it in the MLS and Pray that it sells.

Good luck and if you want to get it sold in the DC Metro area give me a call!

For more detailed information on The National Association of Realtors study sited above click here: http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/11/survey_record

Traveler was a special dog in many ways, but one of the things I always admired most about him was his constant ability to enjoy life.

I learned a lot from Traveler.

I learned that you should try any and everything at lease once and that even if it smells bad or looks icky it might be down right tasty.

I learned that there is nothing more pleasing than a nap in the sun.

That peanut butter is absolutely delicious.

That dogs are an unbelieveable judge of character.

A good run or bark session can really make a person feel better.

But most of all I learned that true love is unconditional.

As I have grown older, my birthday has become less and less important. It’s become more about remembering where I came from and what brought me here rather than wondering if my husband will buy me cookware or a diamond bracelet or remember to make a reservation at my favorite restaurant.

Today I want to remember my Grandmother, Evelyn Tilton among others. She was a classy woman. You’d never believe where she came from or how she fought and scratched her way to the top – my dad with her all the while. She died just a few short weeks ago at the amazing age of 96. Nearly a century of life and legacy. Imagine what she’d seen, what she’d done and what she’d accomplished in her life. I don’t know if I want to live to be 96, but I wouldn’t mind having traveled the world as she did, raising my children, grandchildren and great children and having a husband that was dedicated to me right up until my very last breath. Now that’s what life is all about. It’s not always perfect, the journey can be challenging and sometimes downright cruel, but the pure joy we experience along the way makes every second of it worth living.

I’ve never been very private about my life. Most of you know my story. You know about my little boy and his fight for life, you know about my big mistakes and certainly some of the smaller ones. I believe if my closest friends, family, colleagues and clients were to describe me they’d say I wear my heart on my sleeve. I think it makes me a better sister, mother, daughter, friend and even business woman. I used to like to think that my personal life didn’t affect my business, but it turns out it does and it turns out that is does so in a wonderful way because I put my heart into everything I do. I try to live my life in that spirit, putting my heart into it. Even when I screw up my heart is “in the right place”.

So, thanks mom and dad for having me. I know it wasn’t easy. I know my kids will teach me some of the same lessons I and my sister Karie probably taught you. And if you should overhear me telling my husband I want to be a better parent than you were to me – it isn’t because I don’t think you raised me well or raised me right. It’s simply because I think you were such great parents that if I can top that Zach and baby girl will have the best parents ever!

Happy Birthday to me and thanks to all you for making it special.

On 9/11 two of my family’s dearest friends got on a plane. Final destination, Heaven.

I was tired. The night before I had packed my bags to take my trip to NY (something I did often) and the boss had called and told me told hold off. So, I got up that morning and headed into the office in Reston, logged on and grabbed a cup of coffee. When I got back to my desk there was an instant message from my friend Luka telling me I needed to get in front of a television something horrible was happening in NY.

I headed out to our lobby and put the monster plasma on expecting to hear that a commuter jet had an accident or a prop plane had gotten off course, no one really knew. While I watched the first tower burn I considered the possibilities and felt sad for those I knew had and were perishing and I said a prayer. Somewhere in the middle of that prayer another plane crashed into the other tower. I felt instantaneously panicked. I knew immediately this was no accident.

The morning progressed and the crowd grew in our lobby to watch the horror. Waiting, wondering and worrying and there wasn’t much work to be done. Who could focus? I took a walk with a friend. When I came back inside I was told of the Pentagon. My heart exploded in my chest and I ran to my phone and called my mom. She was relieved to tell me that my dad was ill and was home sick that day. Not a moment after I hung up the phone it rang again. It was Brian. He began to tell me that he suspected that the flight that had been crashed into the Pentagon was mom and George’s (his parents) and that he hadn’t confirmed it yet, but was certain. My world unraveled. I went into a state of shock. I can’t even describe to you what happened the next moments or even days. I shut down.

It still hurts. You see Diane and George taught me so much. They never let me give up on myself, on others, on the world. They cared for each and every person they met and touched nearly everyone they came into contact with in one way or another. Their motto was “Life is Good.” Their main focus was their family and friends and making the world a better place. I’ve tried so hard to live my life in their spirit, but I’ll admit and I know you’ve read my previous posts, it’s not always easy to do.

I get hung up in the day to day. I forget about the little things or I spend too much time worrying. We’re all guilty of it, well most of us! It takes reminders, like September 11 to give me the kick in the pants I need. So, do me a favor tomorrow…be just a little more patient, kind and loving…soak up the fall day. Feel the air in your lungs. Take your shoes off and feel the cool grass between your toes just because YOU CAN!

You know what I’m going to do? Order dessert. Mom and George always said life is too short not too. After all,LIFE IS GOOD.

“I guess this is where we’ll put the kid we don’t like”

After seeing an unfinished basement, man says to his new fiance:

“This would make a fantastic mother-in-law suite”

Finding a small, unfinished closet in a dark corner of an even darker basement:

“This must be where they keep the bodies”

When seeing a toilet in the middle of an abandoned home in a less than desirable neighborhood:

“I’d rather go outside”

Smile, life is good!

If your home doesn’t appraise for the sales price you have three options according to your sales contract. 1) Renegotiate the sales price with the seller.  2) Void the contract.  3) Pay the difference between the appraised value and the contracted sales price.

Another option not listed on the sales contract is to 1) review your appraisal with your agent and 2) if you believe the appraisal is inaccurate, dispute the appraised value.

Appraisers are human. They make mistakes. They are also subject to the mistakes of others as the must rely in part on tax records and sales records of the MLS in order to formulate their opinion. Lastly, they are under great scrutiny and pressure as new legislation and regulations are passed down following the fall of our real estate market.

Your agent uses most of the same data to assist you in deciding on your offer price. They may also have intimate knowledge of a property/community that may help them in pointing out important features of the property that would increase it’s value. With the lender and homeowners permission I usually contact the appraiser directly. I’ve often found that if there was something omitted or a mistake made they are very easy to work with us to correct it and move on.

There’s always a way to work it out!

I promise to be with you every step of the way!

Visit my site today to search the MLS! www.MovingToDC.com

It’s an interesting time. Sure, there is a lot of inventory, but the quality of the inventory is what is slowing down the recovery. The remaining short sales and foreclosures to be had must find buyers before the market can fully recover. 

How long will that take? Good question. There are so many unique factors contributing the market now. The surplus inventory that isn’t so great, the crazy low interest rates and the governments attempt to save some of us from foreclosure, bankruptcy or some other terrible, unknown fate. The good news is this. A fair amount of these short sellers will be able to buy a home again in 18-24 months as their credit will recover. Add them back into the mix of homebuyers and we’ve got a strong force out there ready to push the market back up.

Hang in there with me. It’s coming. By the way, if you haven’t considered buying a house or are afraid…now is the time to get over it. This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. Ultra low prices – ultra low rates. You can secure your home for 3% down. Don’t miss the boat.

I know, I know…who really has any profits right now? Buy in this market though and I can guarantee you in the next 5-10 years you will have profit and a nice a chunk of it to if you buy in an area with a knack to hold its value. 

Offering an additional tax credit probably won’t stimulate the real estate market. Sure we all want a nice tax refund, but we need money in our pockets now in order to pay for the down payment and closing costs that come along with the purchase of a home.

The stimulus bill will be finalized and we’ll have a better idea then of what we have to work with.

The best time to buy real estate is still today.