Referrals are the lifeblood of any business, and real estate is no exception. When someone you trust refers you to a service provider, you're more likely to do business with them because you know that they've been vetted by someone you know and trust.

That's why I am so grateful for the referrals I've received from my past clients. It's a wonderful feeling to know that the work I've done has  been so appreciated.  If you know anyone who's thinking of buying or selling a home, please don't hesitate to refer them to me. I'd be honored to help them.

As an experienced real estate agent who is passionate about helping people find their dream homes, I have a proven track record of success, and I'm dedicated to providing my clients with the best possible service. I'm known for my excellent customer service and willingness to go the extra mile to help my clients achieve their goals.

Thank you for your referrals! They mean the world to us.

A Seller's equity in their home is the difference between what the home is worth and what they owe.  At any point in time, it is an estimation because value is a very subjective term.  If the seller thinks the home is worth more than an actual buyer will pay for it, the estimated equity is too high.  If a buyer is willing to pay more than the seller believes the home is worth, the estimated equity is too low.

A true determination of equity becomes more objective when the home is sold, and the value is solidified by the sales price.  This value is determined by negotiations between a seller and buyer and eliminate speculation and conjecture because money and title are being exchanged.

The equity being defined above is more accurately referred to as Gross Equity.  After the ordinary and necessary expenses connected with the sale of a property are deducted from the sales price, along with any mortgage balance and/or liens, the proceeds are referred to as Net Equity. Like in business, the goal is to maximize revenue and minimize expenses, the same is true in selling a home.  The goal is to achieve the highest possible sales price while keeping the expenses as low as possible.

 Setting the price of a home is ultimately, the seller's decision .  It is critical because not only will it impact the amount of proceeds the seller realizes, but it can also affect the length of time it takes to sell, how much activity it will generate from buyers, and eventually, whether it sells at all. The cost of a home is what the seller paid for it and the improvements made.  Cost has no relationship to value.  Market value is the most probable price willing and informed buyers and sellers can agree upon in a competitive market in a reasonable period.

Price the home too low and the seller has unrealized proceeds.  Price it too high and it eliminates interested buyers.

Preparing the home to go on the market has expenses involved.  Things like painting the front door or adding landscaping to increase the initial appeal is an investment to attract the buyer's attention. While it may not add value to the home, it is an important element.

Decluttering the home takes time and may even involve temporarily renting a storage facility for things that may make your home feel smaller or detract from making your home as visually appealing as possible.
There are obviously selling expenses involved in the sale of a home which can vary based on the price of the home, what is customary in your area and negotiations in the sales contract.  Your agent can advise you on these so that you don't pay anything out of the ordinary and can provide you an estimate of what is to be expected.
Your real estate professional can provide you the information necessary to decide on price.  However, do not confuse your decision on whom to market your home by the price indicated by the market and reported by the agent. 
The market determines the value, and the seller sets the price.  Your decision in selecting an agent should be based on trust, reputation, integrity, and the ability to execute a successful marketing plan.

In today's market, on average, homes, are selling in 17 days and sellers are seeing an average of five offers.  It is not uncommon for homes to sell for more than the list price, assuming they are not priced dramatically over the market initially. Discuss with your real estate professional pricing your home slightly below market value and using a "coming soon" promotion to encourage increased buyer interest and possibly, encourage multiple offers.

An evacuation plan is a necessity for every home, especially if you live in an area where fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and other disasters are a possibility. Many homeowners create evacuation plans for their homes and practice them with their kids, but far fewer have considered one for their pets. Take these steps to add your pets to your evacuation plan.

• ​Assign pet evacuation to an adult. Everyone should know how to act during an evacuation, and that includes assigning one parent or adult to the pets. This allows the other parent and the children to focus on their part of the evacuation plan, so there’s no confusion during a high-stress moment when time is of the essence.
• Keep evacuation maps and pet carriers readily accessible. If you need to evacuate, you should know exactly where every important item is. If you pets require carriers, keep them in a place that you can access easily.
• Practice your plan. Include your pets in your home evacuation drills. It’ll help you see how they will respond and make changes to your plan if necessary. Getting your dog out of a window may not be as simple as you think!
• Be prepared in case you get separated from your pets. No matter how much you drill your evacuation plan, it’s possible that a dog or cat will run off while you’re focusing on keeping your family safe. A microchip or a GPS-compatible tag can help you find your pets once it’s safe to return to the area.

​Homeownership is a privilege and a responsibility. Even after decades of owning a home, you may still need some help to handle some of its challenges by focusing on the three "M"s of homeownership: maintenance, minimizing expenses and managing debt and risk.
While many people recognize the benefits of annual wellness, financial, vehicle and equipment maintenance visits, an important checkup that you may not have considered is an annual homeowner advisory or real estate review. Why would you treat the investment in your home with less care than you treat your car or your HVAC system?
Consider exploring the following:

• Do you know the current value of your home? (You can, by obtaining a list of comparable sales in your immediate area, as well as what is currently on the market for sale.)
• Have you compared your assessed value for tax purposes to the fair market value in order to possibly reduce your property taxes?
• Even if you've refinanced in the last two years, can you save money and recapture the cost of refinancing in the length of time you plan to remain in your home?
• Have you considered reducing your mortgage debt with low-earning cash reserves that will not be needed soon?
• Do you have a record of the improvements you've made to your home since you purchased it? Do you know what items can be included?
• Have you considered investing in rental homes in good neighborhoods to increase your yields and avoid the volatility of the stock market?
• When was the last time you updated your home inventory of personal belongings? Do you have pictures as well as written documentation?
• Do you need recommendations of repairmen and other service providers?

This service is part of my point of difference as a real estate professional to provide information to help homeowners not only when they buy and sell but all the years in between too.  My goal is to create lifelong relationships with our customers as their "go to" person whenever they have a real estate question.
My strategy is to provide reliable, consumer-based information about homeownership on a regular basis through email and social networking.  If it benefits you by helping you be a better homeowner, maybe you'll consider us your real estate professional.
When you don't know the answers to real estate questions, you know where to get them.
We're always here to serve your real estate needs. By helping you with the three "M"s of homeownership, we can earn your confidence and trust for the next time you move or a friend of yours needs a recommendation.
If you'd like to have a list of the market activity in your area or any of the other information mentioned, please contact me at (703) 952-7427 or [email protected].  We're happy to provide it along with informative guides regarding the subjects mentioned.

​Real estate has consistently been one of the highest rated investments available to individuals.  TV shows certainly make rentals look easy and you may even know someone who has made a lot of money with them.  Possibly, the thought has crossed your mind that if they can do it, you can too.

Before you contract for your first investment, ask yourself some questions that could save you time and energy.  Not all people have the time, the inclination or even the skill to manage property.  Landlords need to be good business people who can maximize revenue and minimize expenses.  If investors don't have the skills and talent to handle some of the repairs, they at least need to know reputable and reasonable service professionals.

Another important element is to be familiar with the state and local landlord tenant laws.  You'll need to know what are allowable security deposits and where the money can be held.  Knowing how long you have to return it to a tenant is important and what to do if you plan to keep all or part of it for damages done.  It is important to know about the eviction process and how fair housing applies.

If you decide that you may not be cut out for being a landlord, it won't eliminate investing in rentals.  It does mean that you will need to engage a property management company who is capable of dealing with all aspects of the process.  The peace of mind and convenience will cost you a fee, usually a percentage of the rent collected.  They can handle finding a tenant, doing the background check and writing the lease but there will be an additional fee for that service.

Even though your expenses will be higher with a property manager, with their experience, they should be able to help you lease the property for more money than you can get and will probably have service providers to do the work needed for less.

Occasionally, rental property requires out of pocket expenses for repairs and improvements which is like making another capital contribution.  As equity builds in a rental property due to appreciation and principal reduction, the owner does have the option to take cash out of the investment either to pay additional expenses or to use any way the owner wants.  Pulling equity out of a rental doesn't even trigger a taxable event.
Single-family homes and up to four-unit buildings offer an investor the opportunity to get a high loan-to-value mortgage at a fixed interest rate for 30 years on appreciating assets with tax advantages and reasonable control compared to other alternative investments.

Many investors like the fact that you can borrow to purchase a rental investment where many other investments require cash.  The use of borrowed funds can create an advantage called leverage.  Assume you paid cash for a $100,000 home that generated $7,000 income after the rent was collected and expenses were paid.  Divide the value of the home into the income and it would earn 7%.

If you decided to put an $80,000 mortgage on it at 5% interest, the interest expense would be $4,000 leaving only $3,000 income.  However, at that point, you'd only have $20,000 invested in the property.  Divide the cash invested into the income and the rate of return would increase to 15%.
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This is a simple example of leverage showing that borrowed funds can increase an investor's yield on a property.
Rental property can be an excellent investment when it is treated like the business that it is.  Knowledge of the investment will reduce the risk and enhance the opportunity to make a profit.  Some investors consider their rental income as "mailbox money" because each month, they go to their mailbox and they have money being sent to them by their tenants.  The benefits of rental property can easily outweigh risk involved.
Contact me for more information on rental properties and the option to be the landlord or to delegate it to a property manager.