This September, Kara and Wayne kept busy preparing listings for the market and, of course, representing buyers!
Our approach is full-service and hands-on. We customize our services according to your needs. We will coordinate everything from replacing lightbulbs and re-caulking to kitchen and bath updates. Since we also work with buyers, we are experts in what today’s buyers are looking for.
When you work with us you get agents who have:
More than 15 years of experience
Sold over 190 homes
An Average List Price-to-Sold Price Ratio: 102.74%
Median Days on Market: 6
Exceptional customer service throughout the entire process
What does that mean for you?
We use our years of experience, hyper-local market knowledge and expertise to get you top dollar in the shortest amount of time possible.
A little about our process, we will:
Guide you throughout every stage of the sale of your home
Tour your home with a buyer’s eye and develop a personalized plan and coordinate any and all repairs and updates needed to make your property shine
Oversee the professional staging so your home will make the best first impression
Advise you on pricing strategically for the current market
Market your home through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), social media, email blasts, the expansive Keller Williams International network, and hundreds of consumer sites
Negotiate fiercely on your behalf to get you the best value for your investment
Check out some of our Before and After photos from recent listings:
BEFORE: Kitchen with a red cork backsplash as an accent
AFTER: New gray subway tile backsplash brightens up the kitchen
BEFORE: The custom built-in bench was functional but did not show off the beautiful bay window and spaciousness of the room
AFTER: The window seat was removed to create a dining area. This, paired with professional staging, lets buyers feel like this could be their home!
BEFORE: Accent walls are fun and add a pop of color, but they are a very personal choice.
AFTER: A neutral paint brightens the room and opens up the space allowing buyers to envision their furniture in the room.
BEFORE: A drab but spacious private deck
AFTER: A little work, some plants, and vibrant patio furniture create a space where buyers can picture themselves dining al fresco!
BEFORE: In this living room, custom shelves were masked under personal items and the dark furniture made the space feel smaller.
AFTER: A new light fixture and a more neutral palette of furniture brighten the room and open up the space.
BEFORE: The dark cabinets made this galley kitchen feel closed in and dated.
AFTER: Painting the cabinets white and adding modern brass knobs created a brand-new light-filled kitchen!
BEFORE: This master bedroom goes from so-so
AFTER: To stunning with professional staging to highlight the amazing pieces the seller already owned
BEFORE: Small beds prevented and a dark color palette prevented the room from reaching its full potential.
AFTER: A lighter color palette and adding a fresh coat of paint brightened the room. The addition of the bed and the desk give the room a clear purpose and make the most of the space.
Last week mortgage rates remained at a 3-year low of 3.6 percent. One year ago in August 2018, the mortgage interest rate was 4.53 percent. What does that difference mean for your wallet? Our friends at UrbanTurf calculated the impact of this lower interest rate on monthly payments for a home with an $800,000 purchase price and a 20% down payment. The lower interest rate led to a savings of $345 a month, $4,140 per year, or $124,010 over the life of the loan! If these low rates have you considering a purchase, here are a few steps to get started:
Schedule a meeting with Kara and Wayne. At the consultation Kara and Wayne will walk you through the buying process and assess your needs and wants.
Know your budget and get pre-approved. Kara and Wayne can provide names of local reputable lenders who can meet the financing timelines needed in the competitive DC market.
Refine your wish list. Once you’ve identified and discussed your desired locations and criteria with Kara and Wayne, start to narrow down what is a “Must Have” vs. “Would be Nice”.
Don’t do this alone. Why do you need an agent? With Kara and Wayne, you get real estate professionals on your side with extensive knowledge of the DC market, dedicated allies in negotiations, and even access to listings before they come on the market. Kara and Wayne can help you create the most competitive offer possible and win your dream home.
If you would like more information or to start a conversation, reach out to Kara and Wayne, today!
During the Blizzard of 2016 while no one else was out looking at properties, Kara was the first and only agent to view a little house in Shaw that had just been listed. Quietly and quickly she submitted an offer which became ratified while everyone else was home shoveling snow and before anyone else knew about it. To say that this house is small is an understatement. Just 13′ wide on the inside this house is perfectly livable for most people but Kara has a vision and an already well-organized plan. As soon as she went to closing and the previous owner moved out, Kara had a construction crew go in and do some demolition work.
Built in 1880 and located on a quiet and charming block, this 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath home has a gated front yard (well, the gate is missing actually) and a deep fenced-in back yard. The kitchen is tiny but that will soon all be gone and a new addition built onto the back. On the first day she took possession, Kara had the place professionally photographed as “before” pictures. The next day, however, an old plaster wall in the living room was chipped away and the original brick exposed. All the trim around the windows and doors from a prior but rather poor attempt at a renovation 15 years ago is now gone. Old carpet has been torn up and new white oak flooring will soon be installed. An architect was hired, white lacquered kitchen cabinets have been selected, and now the somewhat long process of waiting for the city to issue construction permits begins. We hope to share photos of this adventure in our future newsletters so be sure to keep a lookout. Hard hat tours graciously offered.
I closed on my new (tiny) rowhouse in Shaw on February 29, 2016 — in a leap year! I guess my property will age more slowly than the neighbors’. So as not to waste any time, while I was under contract I put together a budget, made product and finish selections, and drafted my own vision for the addition in a software program. This made it easy for my architect and contractor to get started. The day after I took possession, I had the contractor and architect on site to get plans underway for my renovation and addition. The very next day, my crew got started on the interior demolition and even exposed a brick wall!
Did you know that about 20% of sales in DC last year were all cash? Multiple offers and bidding wars are common in our market. Check out this link for an interesting article about cash sales and market statistics in Georgetown.