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301-463-7800

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June 2017 News

Jun
14
|

Dear Friends and Neighbors –

School’s out! Between camps and internships, kids these days stay just as busy as during the academic year. But if you’re looking for a family night out in D.C., check this list of free things to do around the nation’s capital this summer.

But remember, it’s always a good time to be thinking about real estate. “Frank”ly speaking, you’ll want to check out Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria and Frank Underwood’s Victorian townhouse of House of Cards fame (if you haven’t caught up on season 5, summer is the perfect opportunity).

Market Overview

We often give a negative connotation to the term “millennial.” And yes, while they might spend a small fortune on avocado toast, they have been unfairly accused of slowing down the housing market. Even though it is overall cheaper to buy than rent in our market, the initial down payment needed has presented first-time homebuyers with a hurdle worthy of the Olympics. The oldest millennials are just now feeling established with their careers and their relationships. Naturally, single people are less likely to seek a “permanent” home; now that millennials are getting married and can take advantage of multiple incomes, they are finally looking to commit to a spot in the real estate market.

Don’t expect a huge uptake just yet though – right as this generation is gearing up for the big purchase, interest rates and home prices are on the rise, creating more roadblocks. And this is not anyone’s fault. Your home may actually be worth the $2 million price tag (although don’t rely on Zillow when determining a list price), but income levels are not keeping up with increasing home values. Because of this, in some pockets of the market, it may take longer than expected to find the perfect buyer. In the meantime, sellers should maintain curb appeal to maximize showings (but be careful out there!).

Wydler Brothers Is Growing: We proudly welcome the newest member of our brokerage!

Kesh Tayal

Kesh Tayal
A Realtor since 2001, Kesh consistently ranks among the top producers in the local real estate market. Born and raised in the area, Kesh has the experience and local know-how to help clients make the best possible decision. Kesh holds degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, allowing him to approach commercial and residential properties with a thoughtful and analytical view. He excels in navigating the complicated terrain of lot acquisition, reverse engineering, structural design, and bridges the gap between matching client needs with the right builder. Kesh has the unique ability to take a strategic, yet personal approach to the home building process.

In The News

Where to flip homes in Greater Washington and get the most bang for your buckWhere to flip homes in Greater Washington and get the most bang for your buck

If you want to flip homes in Greater Washington, Prince George’s County is the most popular — and the most profitable.
Read more here.

Buying second home before selling current one, while tricky, can be possible with the right contingency planBuying second home before selling current one, while tricky, can be possible with the right contingency plan

That’s a loaded question given the lack of information you’ve shared with us, but we’ll try to give you some guidance.
Read more here.

May 2017 News

May
16
|

Dear Friends and Neighbors –

May is full of celebration – from margaritas and mothers to veterans, there’s a holiday for everyone as we transition from April showers to May flowers. And it seems that the housing market follows the excitement, as competition continues to heat up.

Trying to spruce up your place to go on the market? Whether you’re putting up an addition or just swapping out the countertops, be sure to consult a professional! The Washington Post has some suggestions for finding an architect for renovations, and you can always trust the reliable businesses in our preferred-vendor directory.

Market Overview

The Gloves Are Off
You’ll have to take a good look in the mirror and say “how bad do I want it?” Your first offer could be competing against someone else’s third counteroffer; it doesn’t just have to be strong as a standalone offer, but strong comparatively. Luckily for you, realtors can do some digging and networking to help you put in a stronger offer on a dream home.

Life in the Fast Lane
The inclination is to get the buying and selling process over with as quickly as possible. For purchasing, consider a shorter timeframe for contingencies or settlement altogether. For selling, be prepared to pack up your possessions. While you may want to carpe the diem when a good offer comes along, a realtor can explain “rent-back” and “pre/post-settlement occupancy” options. No one wants to get stuck paying two mortgages, but if you close sooner than anticipated, you might find yourself temporarily living in the storage unit you’ve rented.

Makin’ it Rain
Expect to see a lot of all-cash offers. We heard a story of one client in L.A. who worked with his family to put in a cash offer well above list price; he won against 31 other offers (yes, you read that correctly). Always inspect the other terms – generally those who go all-cash also waive contingencies to boost their position further. This gives purchasers fewer chances to get out of the contract should something come up. Contracts include tricky legal language and a realtor can really help make sure the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed so you stay protected.

It’s always important to keep things in perspective amidst what appears to be a lot of speedy and positive activity. Comparing the Metropolitan area’s market today to last year, there has actually been a decline in median sales price and percentage of inventory sold (more details here). What is selling is going quickly, but there is still an assortment of homes sitting on the market. Such is life in real estate!

Wydler Brothers Is Growing: We proudly welcome the newest members of our brokerage!

The Schantz Group

Steven & Brandy Schantz are former U.S. Army Intelligence Officers who specialize in the D.C. metro area real estate market. After giving a significant portion of their lives to the service of this nation, they decided to help people directly! They provide their clients with the same level of dedication and service that they provided to this great nation for a combined 40+ years. When selling a home with Schantz Group, they work as a partnership. They understand your tight timelines and help to relieve the stress associated with selling a home.

Hope Page

Hope has been a DC area Realtor since January 2001 and brings more than 27 years of sales and marketing experience to her clients. Her disciplined and informed approach to working with and educating her clients has led to wonderful, long lasting relationships. Listening to her clients’ needs, analyzing in-depth market knowledge, using technological savvy, and employing strong negotiation skills are the strengths Hope utilizes to her clients’ advantage. In turn, Hope’s clients have returned to her repeatedly and referred her to others with trust and confidence.

In The News

D.C.’s fastest growing neighborhoods, mapped

This new map, created by ESRI, shows which parts of Washington, D.C. have grown the fastest in the last five years.
15 Things To Do On Memorial Day Weekend In Washington DC

Pay tribute to America’s heroes in the nation’s capital during this start-of-summer holiday.

2nd Annual Free Community Paper Shred

Apr
19
|

Cleanse your file cabinets & get rid of boxes of unwanted documents in a safe & secure way. This event is free, however cash donations to benefit the Glebe Elementary School PTA are welcome, but not required.

• When: Saturday, April 29th, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

• Where: Glebe Elementary parking lot: 1770 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22207

• Why: Doesn’t everyone have unwanted documents to shred?

• Hosted by: Evan Lacopo & Holly Tennant Billy from 3877 Group of Wydler Brothers Real Estate. Please contact them at 703.655.7955 / 703.928.3764 or evan@wydlerbrothers.com / holly@wydlerbrothers.com for any additional information.

Shredding your items can help you…

Save timeProtect your familySave our land fills
Save moneyResponsibly recycleProtect the environment
Prevent ID theftPrevent data breachesKeep your information private
Peace of mindProtect your brandComply with privacy legislation

This is a paper shredding service. Because the paper we shred is recycled, there are certain items we avoid shredding with paper.

1. We avoid shredding plastic such as plastic bags, zip-lock bags, plastic sleeves, plastic sheet protectors, plastic file folders, corrugated plastic, garbage pails, plastic file boxes.

2. We avoid shredding items that collect and hold paper, such as 3 ring binders, zipper binders, specialty binders, very large and medium sized binder clips that grip large amounts of paper together. Paper needs to be removed from these type items before shredding. Regular size paper clips and staples are acceptable.

3. We do not shred heavy duty cardboard such as corrugated cardboard boxes. If paper is brought to us in boxes or bags, we dump the paper into our shredding bins and return the box or bag to the patron or will leave the boxes for the event organizer as we have no capacity in the shred truck to transport boxes away at the end of the event. Paper grocery bags are acceptable for shredding.

April 2017 News

Apr
18
|

Dear Friends and Neighbors –

We hope you and your families have enjoyed, or are enjoying, a little “spring break.” Warmer temps bring greener lawns, blossoming trees & flowers, and people outside everywhere! Spring has sprung!

And if being outside makes you want to paint the house or get a jump start on landscaping, see the article below that discusses where you will get the most bang for your buck with home renovations. And if you need help finding a handyman, painter or electrician, check out our preferred vendor directory.

Market Overview

Those of us in the DMV think of I-495 traffic when we hear the word “gridlock.” But a recent report from Trulia has used the word to describe the housing market both at a national scale, and in hot markets like Washington DC. After the market crash in 2008, home values dropped severely; owners either stayed put because they weren’t going to break even, or had to foreclose their home. More often than not, foreclosures were bought up by investors who converted them to rental properties, thus decreasing inventory.

Home values in the DC Metropolitan area are recovering nicely, but primarily impacting premium homes. This has caused a large price spread: first-time homebuyers can get an affordable starter home, but find the price gap to jump to a long-term residence nearly impossible to bridge. Meanwhile, potential sellers are still feeling nervous (despite regaining their equity) and are not in a hurry to “trade-up.” This means there is little inventory, and buyers are getting priced out of the few available options. However, the good news is that builders have begun to see strong profit margins again, which allows for expanded new construction at all price levels, heating up the frozen market. Sellers are starting to get wind of that so if you’re thinking about moving, it’s a great time to contribute to the inventory!

Some good news for buyers though. Mortgage rates are dropping for the third week in a row. At the start of the year, rates went up about 1/2 a point. Since then, they’ve been going up and down, around the 4.1-4.3% mark. This is one of those low points, so take advantage of it! And there couldn’t be a better time for it than the beginning of the spring season – when there are 25-55% more listings in the area than last month, and those sales happen in fewer days on market. Spring has sprung!

Wydler Brothers Is Growing: We proudly welcome the newest member of our brokerage!

Kyle-ShortKyle Short

Kyle comes to Wydler Brothers from Arizona, where he has held his real estate license for 6 years. During his time in real estate he has focused on developing lead systems, CRM and recruiting strategies to not only help the brokerage grow but also help agents grow as well. Kyle graduated from Fairfield University, where he double majored in Economics and Management, and was captain of the Mens Cross Country Team.

In The News

4 home improvements that add major resale value4 home improvements that add major resale value

Which improvements will add the most value to your specific home will depend on a variety of factors including the value of your home, the value of the houses in your neighborhood, the performance of the housing market in your general area and the quality of the work you commission.
Quiz: Which D.C. neighborhood should you live in? Quiz: Which D.C. neighborhood should you live in?

Have you been searching for your true neighborhood love? Let Curbed help you find your match made in D.C. heaven. Below, you will be able to find a tailor-made quiz with totally scientific questions that – if you answer as truthfully as you can – will help you discover the neighborhood that most closely aligns to your personality.

March 2017 News

Mar
16
|

Dear Friends and Neighbors –
May the luck of the Irish be with you today! As we celebrate all things green – green lawns, green trees, and yes, maybe even green beer – we also celebrate that Spring is within reach!
And for those who enjoyed what we hope is the last of the winter weather, we’ve got some great pics here of DC’s magical snow day! You’re welcome!

Market Overview

The market is showing some positive signs that should encourage both buyers and sellers. If you’re thinking about listing your home, you will be happy to know that sellers are getting what they ask for (and in some cases, even more!). Homeowners received an average of 97.4% of the original list price – this is up from January. But if you’re a buyer, don’t fret! You actually have more options now, with over 1000 new homes to see (22.4% of the current inventory). Sellers are saying “carpe diem” and listing while inventory is low, and buyers are competing for homes in the No. 4 “Best Place to Live” according to the 2017 U.S. New & World Report.

But don’t think we’ve found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow just yet. The DC Metropolitan area, as you know, is comprised of a variety of unique communities that are all responding differently to the current economy. Every jurisdiction in our area saw a decrease in the “Median Days on Market” from last month and from this time last year (averaging 28 days on market, while listings last year took a median of 44 days to sell). However, some locales saw a dramatic change in sale price that may account for this quicker turnaround: in Alexandria, it dropped 10.8%. The area on the whole saw an increase in sales price, but it’s about as predictable as the weather forecast of that “blizzard” this week!

Wydler Brothers Is Growing: We proudly welcome the newest members of our brokerage!

Elizabeth Bucello

Elizabeth Bucello

Elizabeth Bucello

After 10 years of working in private and international banking in Manhattan, NY, Elizabeth moved to Bethesda, MD and instantly fell in love with the Washington DC area. She decided to combine her love for Real Estate and the beautiful D.C. area with her desire to help Buyers and Sellers achieve their dreams.

Having moved from South America to North America and also within the U.S. a few times, Elizabeth has a lot of empathy for anyone relocating, upsizing or downsizing. Elizabeth’s goal is to make her clients’ experiences as easy and enjoyable as possible. She realized early on that all of us (regardless of background, culture or country of origin, etc.) want what is best for our families. Elizabeth is fluent in English and Portuguese and in her spare time she loves to travel with her family, exploring new countries and cultures.

Lindsay Clark

Lindsay Clark

Lindsay Clark

Lindsay has lived and worked in Washington, DC for more than 15 years and and loves exploring the diverse neighborhoods of the DC metro area. Lindsay brings an analytical mind, sharp negotiation skills, and in-depth market knowledge to every transaction. She is a true partner and advocate for every client. Additionally, her professional and collaborative approach with colleagues keeps the process moving forward for her clients. Currently, she lives in the Shepherd Park neighborhood of DC with her husband, four daughters, and their dog Stella. She loves running, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You

Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You

Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You

If you’re in the mood to do some Spring cleaning, be on the lookout for our newly printed Vendor Directory. Inside, we have a comprehensive list of our favorite service providers who can help with painting, landscaping, lighting, cleaning the gutters – you name it and it’s in there. If you do not receive one, please reach out to us and we will drop one in the mail to you right away.

In The News

D.C. makes list of top 10 happiest places to live

D.C. makes list of top 10 happiest places to live

D.C. makes list of top 10 happiest places to live

You know how your mom would always tell you “money can’t buy happiness?” Well, as much as we hate to contradict mom, the findings of a recent Wallethub study say she’s wrong. Financial well-being does contribute to an individual’s happiness, but only up to an income level of $75,000 annually– any higher, and money ceases to influence a person’s contentment with life. Read more here.

Winter Storm Stella’s effects on D.C.’s cherry blossoms

Winter Storm Stella’s effects on D.C.’s cherry blossoms

Winter Storm Stella’s effects on D.C.’s cherry blossoms

For the first time in nearly a century, the cherry blossoms may not hit peak bloom

Read more here.