Find Your Dream Home – Right Here!

When people come to me wanting to buy a new place, it’s really important for me to get them. They may not have a fully formed vision of what they want and where they want to live, and it’s my job to sort of crawl into their heads and help them figure it all out.

There are a lot of really important skills a good buyer broker has to have:

• A highly nuanced knowledge of the local market
• An understanding of where the best homes in each price range are located
• Strong negotiating skills, not only the offer on the house, but all of the little things that come up.
• The ability to read minds

The DC market has some interesting challenges. For the last few years, we’ve been short on inventory and long on buyers. Lately the market seems to be calming down. It’s not a real buyers’ market yet, but it’s not as scary as it has been.

Whatever the market may be doing, it’s crucial to start out with your ducks in a row. You need to be totally prepared for the day we walk into that dream house you just have to have!

Ready to Get Started?

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When I work with buyers, I represent them in the transaction. That means I will give you guidance and help you avoid a lot of common pitfalls. Here is what that looks like:

• Set up an automatic search that will email you updates as new listings come on or old ones have price changes.
• Go through the inventory and preview listings that might meet your criteria
• When you find the perfect place, help you craft an offer, giving you the recent sales information for the immediate neighborhood.
• Creating a strategy that matches whatever the situation might be with the Dream House and its sellers.
• Negotiate inspection repairs and handle the details that come up on the road to settlement.
• Stay on top of the details leading to loan approval and the settlement.

But before any of this can happen, let’s set up a consultation to talk about what your vision and goals and make a plan to get you moved into your new home.

Getting Off to the Best Start

At almost any time of the year, there are people starting the home search process.. A lot of new buyers visit  weekend Open Houses, and many of them are starting to figure out their house hunting strategies. If you’re one of them, my best advice is to focus first on the most important step of all – getting your finances in order.

Home and condo prices in the Washington, DC Metro area are among the highest in the country. Before diving into the market, understanding your buying power is key.

To buy a home, you need money—it’s that simple. What you can afford depends on how much cash you have for a down payment and closing costs, as well as how much you’re comfortable paying each month for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.  If you’re like most buyers and plan to get a mortgage, your first big step is meeting with one or more loan officers to determine your “magic number.”

Actually, there are two magic numbers: the amount a lender will approve you for, and the amount you feel comfortable borrowing. In my experience, buyers tend to be more conservative than lenders, and I always recommend sticking with a number that feels right for you.

You will need to be ready with a letter from the lender you plan to use stating that they have put you through their underwriting process and are willing to lend up to whatever number you decide fits your comfort level and falls within the amount the lender is will in provide for your purchase.

Once you’ve established your price range, it’s time to team up with a great agent who can translate that number into real options. That’s when the serious house hunt begins.

If you already have a relationship with a mortgage professional, that might be a good place to begin.  I suggest talking to a few loan officers who often offer unique products that could save you money or maximize your buying power. If you need help finding a lender, I can provide you with a lot of reputable, reliable people who are a good place to begin you journey.

Finding the perfect home in a neighborhood you love requires both strategic planning and an open mind. The right buyer’s agent—one who truly understands your needs and knows the market—can make all the difference in turning your vision into reality.

Step 2: Where to Live?

Once you’ve met with your lender and settled on a comfortable price range, the next step is figuring out where you can afford to buy—and which of those locations best suit your lifestyle.

You might already have a dream neighborhood in mind, but many buyers start out feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Your daily routine, work commute, schools, shopping, and neighborhood amenities all play a role in finding the right spot. That’s where a great agent can make all the difference. Here are some of the tools I recommend:

• Metro’s trip planner helps estimate commute times using public transportation, while Google Maps can give you drive-time estimates to and from work.
• GreatSchools.org offers ratings and details on schools throughout the D.C. Metro area.
• Many neighborhoods and condo communities have their own websites, showcasing amenities, events, and the local vibe.
• Online listings provide photos of available homes—just keep in mind that they’re often Photoshopped to look bigger and brighter than they actually are!

Once you’ve narrowed down some areas, hop in the car and explore! Many buyers start by checking out weekend open houses—it’s a great way to get a feel for what your budget really buys.

And while you’re out and about, don’t be surprised if you meet a Realtor who can help guide you through the market.

Finding the Right Real Estate Agent 

So, you’ve set your budget and browsed the online listings—what’s next? Finding the right agent to guide you through your home search. But how do you choose the right one? There are a few ways to go about it.

• First, be cautious when entering your contact information on real estate websites. Many of these sites “harvest” your details and sell them to agents (sometimes hundreds of agents), which can lead to an onslaught of calls, emails, and text messages—often from people you’ve never even heard of. To avoid getting overwhelmed, consider setting up a separate email address just for your home search. That way, your primary inbox stays clutter-free.
• A great way to find a trusted agent is through word-of-mouth. Ask friends, family, or colleagues who have recently bought a home if they had a great experience with their agent. If someone you trust had a smooth, successful transaction, chances are their agent could be a good fit for you, too.
• Another option? Attend Open Houses. It’s a great opportunity to meet agents in person and get a sense of their style and expertise. If someone impresses you, add them to your shortlist and consider interviewing them to see if they’re the right match for your needs.

The most important thing is finding an agent who truly understands you. You likely have a vision for your next home, and your agent should be able to take that vision and turn it into a solid plan—whether that means finding your dream home or helping you refine your expectations.

Buying a home is a big deal, both financially and emotionally. Your agent will not only help you navigate the process but will also get to know your finances, personal situation, and long-term goals. Beyond being skilled at their job, they should be someone you genuinely trust and feel comfortable with.

Those Multiple Listing Descriptions: What They Really Mean

So, you hop on your computer and head for your favorite search site, which is probably one that imports information for the Realtors’ own data base. Today’s Multiple Listing Service allows up a lot of verbiage to describe a listing, and some of us really go overboard when it comes to luring people to the houses and condos. As you go through the list, you’ll find a lot of fairly commonly used descriptions. Here is my little guide to translating the online listing information:

• Start by enlarging the map that comes with each listing. You will never find something that says “Backs to the Beltway!” Each listing has a map.  Look at it! Blow it up. If you see any kind of major traffic artery, expect traffic noise and hope your dog never escapes from the fenced back yard. Are there commercial or industrial properties very close by?  Are they noisy? Do they smell bad? Close to the local high school might be great, but what if it’ across the street from the football field where the marching band practices early every morning? Or you’ll have your own Friday Night Lights with lots of people and cars and cheering the home team. That might or might not appeal to you.
• Remember that the photos are often (um, almost always?) heavily edited. The yard gets a virtual manicure along with the feature that greens up a shaggy lawn with dead grass. Weeds are zapped out. The neighbor’s yard gnomes are erased. Trim is “virtually” painted, and the angle of the shot is likely to exclude evidence of anything that might make a neighbor look quirky or undesirable. And that’s just the outside of the place!
• Most of the photographers use wide angle lenses to capture interior shots. depending on the type of lens, the rooms will probably look larger, sometime a whole lot larger, than they really are. It’s becoming common to include floor plans in listings. Look at them, and check the room measurements if they are included.
• If you are looking at condos, the view is a big deal. Don’t assume that the expansive views that include the Washington Monument or the National Cathedral were taken from inside the unit that’s for sale. They might be taken from a roof deck, or just included in the pictures because the property is someplace in the DC Metro area and so are the national monuments that are shown. If you see sheer curtains on the windows or if the Venetian blinds are closed, you might find it’s overlooking the brick wall of the building next door.
• Mentally kill all of the adjectives in any real estate advertising. I’ve seen “huge” used to describe a wee, tiny garden in Georgetown. All floors, even those ruined by decades of dog claws, are “gleaming hardwoods” – and sometimes the wood like flooring isn’t wood at all! “Move in ready” is another one that means different things to different buyers.
• “Bring your contractor” or “Your architect will lie this one!” Well, it’s probably a hoarder house that is being sold as-is. I’ve seen some listings with “virtually renovated” kitchens and baths included in the online photos.

Bottom line, you really need to see the property in person to fall in love with it. And you really need to hire an agent who will not just send you a lot of listings, but also curate the list to find the best matches for your needs. Otherwise, you’ll have to slog through a lot of inappropriate or really ugly houses before you find the one you want to buy.

That Elusive Buyers’ Market – Are We There Yet?

What’s going on with our local real estate market these days? It’s usually described as either a sellers’ market or, maybe back in the day, a buyers’ market. This one? Well, it’s just a weird market.

Real estate sales and prices still follow the basic laws of supply and demand. If there are more buyers than available homes, the market tips in favor of sellers. Buyers get the edge when there are plenty of listings and not a lot of competition. Right now, we’re running a little low on both buyers and inventory, which makes things pretty interesting.

A true buyers’ market happens when there’s a large inventory and not enough buyers to absorb it all. So how does that stack up with what we’re seeing today? Here are some of the factors that might give buyers an edge:

Uncertainty and chaos on Wall Street: If the market plunges, some would-be buyers might see their down payment shrink and decide to hit pause on their homebuying plans.

Chaos and uncertainty in Washington: This tends to impact our local market more than it might elsewhere. Whatever the cause, uncertainty can make the housing market feel a little dicey until things settle down.

High interest rates: As rates rise and fall, so do the monthly costs of owning a home. Low rates pull buyers out of the woodwork; high rates send them back in.

Low consumer confidence: If people think the sky is falling, or if it actually is falling, and they believe prices will drop well below current levels, they may wait it out. But many of these buyers wait too long, staying on the sidelines until prices climb again.

Jobs: If you’re worried about job security or the ability to find new work, now might not feel like the right time to buy. That said, job loss can sometimes prompt people to downsize or move to a part of the country with stronger employment prospects than we’re seeing here in Washington and might create a little more inventory.

All of these issues seem to be affecting the DC market. Not long ago, homes and condos were flying off the shelf within days of being listed. Bidding wars were common, and offers often came in way above asking price. Buyers were even waiving many of the protections built into our standard contracts just to compete.

This market may, at least for now, give buyers the opportunity to find a place they love, negotiate on price and terms, and experience less stress. But that’s largely because so many people who might want to move simply aren’t in a financial position to do so. It’s a buyer’s market in theory, but not one everyone can take advantage of.

If your job feels secure, or if you’ve got money in the stock market that might be safer in real estate, this could be your chance to find an amazing new home (or investment property) without the chaos of bidding wars. And as you weigh the pros and cons, I’d say that if you’re ready and able to buy, don’t overthink the willing part too much.

Let’s Make a Deal?

This spring market is a little unusual. For a long time, April through June brought bidding wars for almost anything we could list. Inventory was low, demand was high, and the only way to get a deal was to present sellers with an offer even better than the dozens of other offers that were already too good to turn down.

This year? Well, it’s a little more complicated.

Throughout much of the DC area, we’re still seeing a seller’s market – especially for single-family detached homes. But when they say real estate is local, here it’s really, really local, changing from one neighborhood to the next. Right now, there are opportunities to negotiate with sellers and get true value for your home-buying dollars.

If you find yourself considering a house that’s been sitting on the market for a while – and you seem like the only serious buyer – here are a few tips for presenting an offer that might be lower than the seller’s hopes:

• Being the only offer on the table is a huge advantage if you plan to negotiate. Once another buyer shows up, all bets are off. You won’t know the price or terms your competition is offering. Are they offering more money? Fewer contingencies? Exotic financing that might not actually work out? You won’t know. If you snooze, you may still get the house, but you might have to pay more or waive protections like a home inspection or financing contingencies. In other words: a very expensive nap.
• Try not to offend the sellers. You’re not offering less because their house is a dump that smells like cats (even if it is). And you certainly don’t tell them that. If the home is overpriced, I’ll include a market analysis with the offer, suggesting – politely – that I may be wrong and inviting them to provide comps that justify their price. Or maybe it’s simply a financial stretch for you. Either way, the goal is to let them believe their old house is your dream house.
• Keep the “asks” that negatively impact the sellers to a minimum. If you want a home inspection, keep the contingency short—two or three business days at most. If you’re pre-approved and financially strong, consider waiving the financing contingency altogether.
• Find ways to make your offer more appealing. Is there a feral cat hanging around the backyard? Let them know you’re happy to keep an eye on the little guy and even feed him. Will they need a little extra time after settlement to move? Offer them a short rent-back – for free.

While it’s great to get an immediate response, if the sellers aren’t thrilled with your offer, I’ll often suggest they take time to think about it rather than saying “no” outright. Deadlines for responses can be useful in some situations, but when you’re presenting a low offer, pushing a hard deadline usually backfires.

You have to walk a fine line if you are going to get the best deal you can without insulting the sellers! You don’t have to love one another, but keeping as much good will as possible throughout the process is something to aim for.

And there’s more to come!

Every week I send a post to to clients, friends and family. It’s usually about buying or selling a home, but sometimes it’s about my dog. If you aren’t on my list and would like to be, please call or text me at 202-549-5167.

And if you’d like to set up an appointment, you can fill out the form below, or email or text me. Or you can pick up the phone and give me a call.