Northern Virginia Real Estate Podcast with The Gillies Team

Today I want to talk about the difference hiring a team of agents can make for your transaction.

Obviously, you want the process of selling your home to go as smoothly as possible. For this to be achieved, you’ll need to have good, strong communication with whoever you’re working with.

When you work with a team, you’ve got the benefit of having a number of people taking care of the many steps of the real estate process, instead of just one agent trying to take on all the work him or herself. Having multiple people dividing up the work of completing pricing analysis, staging, taking photos, marketing your home, negotiating contracts, hosting showings, scheduling inspections, processing hundreds of pages of paperwork and more, will really help things move more smoothly.

A single person only has a finite amount of energy they can expend and direct into the important tasks of the real estate process. One person dividing their time and energy is much less effective than having a team of individuals all focusing on different parts of the process.

When you work with a team, you are working with people who are specialized in different areas. On my team, for example, we separate out our listing specialists and buying specialists.

The job of a listing specialist and that of a buying specialist are very different. A listing specialist needs to spend their time working on pricing, marketing, and creating exposure for sellers. A buyer’s agent needs to have time available to spend on the road with their clients, making sure they have the right perspective to make a good decision.

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Teams like ours also have staff working on the process to make things go more smoothly for clients. On our team, we have a marketing coordinator whose only job is to make sure that all of the marketing details are taken care of in a timely, efficient manner.

Real estate transactions are all about timing. For this reason, our team uses a transaction coordinator to help finalize all of the details of the sale.

Utilizing a team of staff members and agents is hugely beneficial in helping the transaction to move forward smoothly. When it comes to a real estate transaction, you get one shot to do it right. Would you rather have one person working on your behalf, or would you rather work with a team of specialists?

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Our annual client appreciation party is coming up quickly and we’re making thorough preparations to make it our best one yet! These parties are important to us because they give us the opportunity to see you and your families, catch up, and have a great time doing so. They also give us a chance to say thanks for trusting us with your homes and with your friends and family we’re fortunate to hear from so often when real estate needs arise.

We'd love to have you join us on September 30th from 1pm to 5pm. If you haven't already received your invitation in the mail, just give us a call or send us an email to RSVP and we will send you all the details.

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As always, we’ll have live music, plenty of food and drinks, and a whole range of fun activities for the kids to enjoy. We couldn’t be more excited about it, and we can’t wait to see you there! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to speak with you.

Radon gas is something that’s around us all the time and could impact the real estate process. This is because it can become concentrated in places like basements, where it is typically tested for. So what does this mean for you?

Radon gas exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. This is a topic that comes up a lot in the real estate process because it’s a standard contingency in our area. Thankfully, there are a few ways to identify and deal with it.

Whether you’re on the buyer or seller side of a real estate transaction, you are likely to go through the radon testing process. 

In most cases, this involves having an inspector come to the house to place a test that will read radon levels for 48 hours. After that time, it will give you an average reading from which you can determine whether or not there is a problem that needs to be dealt with. 

Specifically, you will look whether the test is above or below the 4.0 EPA action level. If the test comes in above this level, however, it doesn’t mean that you will be unable to buy or sell the house. 

The radon level can be reduced through a very standard process which will leave the home safe.

The radon level can be reduced through a very standard process which will leave the home safe. Usually at this point a contractor who consistently, if not exclusively, does radon work will come out to the property and install a system that pulls air from below the house in order to prevent radon from concentrating. 

Thankfully the process is neither complex nor is it cost prohibitive—usually costing in the $850 to $1,000 price range.  

If you are a buyer and this device is installed by the seller in the property you’re purchasing, the process will be as simple as periodically checking the device’s u-shaped dial to make sure it is working properly and that your house is protected.

If you want any more information or have any other questions on this topic, feel free to contact by giving us a call or sending us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Staging your home for the market involves depersonalizing, decluttering, neutralizing, and three other key points to remember.

If you need to stage your home to prepare it for the market while you’re still living in it, there are four main points you need to remember to maximize its value.

First, you need to depersonalize, declutter, and neutralize. These three things are at the core of what it means to stage and get your house ready. The reason why you depersonalize and take down family portraits, kids’ trophies and other personal items is that we want the person who walks into your home to envision themselves living there. Your home is a place where you have created memories, but when the time comes to sell we need the buyer to be able to make that same connection and feel like it is a place where they will make their own family memories. When you declutter and neutralize, you’re making sure you’re not distracting buyers with bold colors or too many things in your house so they can focus on the things that make your house great.

Second, work to make sure each room has a purpose. Oftentimes there are rooms in a house that are sparsely used or used for a purpose the average buyer is unlikely to copy. For example, many homeowners use their formal living room as a kids’ play room. Think about repurposing this room as a 2nd living area or an office – these are uses buyers are likely to see value in and can envision using it in a similar way. If you can show value in each room and present it as a place buyers can see themselves using we are likely to get a higher return on the square footage.

Depersonalizing, decluttering, and neutralizing are at the core of what it means to stage your house.

Third, remember throughout this process that the objective is to move. This means you’ll have to pack up and move your things. If you have too much furniture or other items that have collected over the years, box them up and take them away before marketing your home. It can be a good idea to rent a storage unit during the marketing period so you can hang on to your belongings while allowing your home to show its best.

Fourth, enlist some professional help. I’m preparing homes to go on the market every day but when it’s time to sell my home I will hire one of our professional stagers to walk through to give me an objective opinion and advice on how to present it best. Because we live in our homes we can become blind to some things that need attention. Stagers are experts in design. We know how we want our listings to look when everything's said and done, but they know how to get us there. A stager can give you a task list of things to do and give you practical advice on things like furniture placement and color choices. Appealing to the largest number of buyers is critical to getting your home sold for top dollar.  Professional staging is the first step toward making sure you’re ready to present your home to potential buyers.

If you have any questions about how to get your home ready for sale, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’d love to hear from you.

Today I’m joined by an insurance expert to parse some of the important details of your homeowners insurance. Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation Today, Jens Green of J.Green Insurance joins me to discuss some things you need to know about your insurance. When looking at your options, you need to be mindful of your home’s sewage system because it can have a big impact on your insurance needs. For example, you need to know if your house has a septic system or if you’re connected to city utilities.  Especially if you are on city water and sewer it’s important that you have a sewer backup endorsement to your policy. Why? If there’s digging across the street in your neighbor’s yard and they hit the sewage pipe causing damage to your home, it might not be covered if you don’t have the right protection because the claim occurred off your premises. If there is a sewer back up into your basement, you need to make sure that damages, cleanup and repair costs are covered.  This can be an expensive claim. Another important question to ask your insurance provider has to do with a concept called replacement cost. If you have a catastrophic loss in your home, you need to have coverage that will provide you with the ability to purchase new items at today’s cost. If your policy doesn’t cover replacement cost you could instead receive actual cash value (ACV).  This could leave you far short of the costs to replace your lost items. For example - your 10 year-old TV isn’t worth much in 2017. Getting the actual cash value from your insurance provider wouldn’t allow you to replace it without coming out of pocket significantly.  When you apply this to an entire home full of personal property the numbers add up quickly.   A flood isn’t covered by your regular homeowners insurance policy, so you’ll need a separate flood insurance policy.Always have replacement costs on your personal property. If you’re preparing to move in the near future, you should ask your insurance provider if all of your belongings will be covered during the move. Whether they're in transit or in storage, you want your possessions to be covered in case of an accident. If you’re going from being a homeowner to a landlord, you need to remember to make a change your policy. As a homeowner, the policy you have is not a rented-to-others insurance policy—it’s a homeowners policy. Talk to your agent and tell them you’re moving. There is no need to cover the contents of the home when your personal property will no longer be there.  Also, in order to ensure a future claim is covered you need to let your provider know that tenants are occupying the home rather than the homeowner.  A claim could be denied if you don’t have the right policy. Make sure your tenants have their own insurance policy to cover their belongings. Another thing Jens recommends if you’re becoming a landlord is upping your medical payments coverage. If your renter has an accident on your property, you can take cash, pay the hospital bill, and the insurance company will reimburse you. This can help avoid litigation. This is inexpensive coverage and may only cost a few dollars per year. One last thing to know is that insurance rates may  go up by 20% in 2017 according to recent reports. This is due in part to the higher number of distracted drivers on the road. The only way to lower those rates when they go up is combining your home and auto insurance. J. Green Insurance offers a 30% credit for this combination. If you need to reach Jens for more insurance information, you can call his office at (703) 884-3850 or send him an email at [email protected]. If you have any other questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to speak with you!

The annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser is March 4th & 5th supporting the Rappahannock Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Here’s what you need to know about the event. Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation I want to switch things up a bit today and talk about something other than real estate. I want to take a few moments to talk about an organization that is near and dear to my heart. I have the honor of serving on the Board of Directors for the Rappahannock Big Brothers Big Sisters nonprofit organization. I’m so excited to be able to serve such an incredible organization. As many of you know, my wife is a teacher and our family is passionate about affecting the lives of children in our community in a positive way. The mission of this organization is to help at-risk children by pairing them with professionally matched and supported mentors and role models. Recent studies show that one of the most significant indicators of a child’s success in life is whether they have a positive role model to look up to. This organization gives them exactly that. Our hallmark annual fundraiser, Bowl for Kids' Sake, is right around the corner. It will be on March 4th & 5th, and our office has put together two bowling teams to support the event. We don’t expect to win any awards for our bowling prowess but would love to claim the honor of worst bowlers with the most generous friends and family at the event. If you would consider making a donation of any size to help support the wonderful work RBBBS is doing we would be honored. Please click here to donate! All the money stays locally in our community to help support kids in need. We only have a week to make this happen so I need your help ASAP! We’d love for you to join us at the fundraiser. To learn more click here to see coverage of last year's event by Nova Now and Cox Communications. If you’re looking for something fun to do on the 4th or 5th of March you can also create your own team and start fundraising! Click here to register! It’s going to be a fun time and we would love to see you there. If you have any question for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love your support and we look forward to seeing you soon.

There are some key tips you need to know to organize your move properly and ensure nothing gets misplaced. Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation Today we’re joined by Adam Stempin from Allied Van Lines to talk a little bit about how to prepare for your move. According to Adam, one of the biggest things people overlook is to how to organize their move. A great tip for this is to have an “off limits” area for the movers so certain personal items (purses, wallets, car keys, etc.) don’t get accidentally packed up. Unfortunately, this happens quite often. If you’re buying a home on the other end, do not pack up any financial documents. If you do this, your lender might call you requesting an important document and you won’t be able to provide that document because it’s buried inside an 18-wheeler somewhere.Organize your move correctly so nothing gets lost in the shuffle. In Adam’s experience, most customers don’t realize how mover’s insurance works. They think that just because the movers are taking care of their possessions, they’re covered 100% for every item. In reality, there are two different kinds of insurance: the basic package moving companies need to do business and the full value replacement package. If you pack everything yourself, your possessions can be excluded from these insurance packages. This is why it’s imperative that you decide whether you have the confidence and ability to pack your own items up or whether you need Adam’s team to do it. One of the best packing tips Adam gives to his customers is to color-code each room. That way, when his movers are coming and going, they know which boxes go where and nobody’s constantly in your face about where everything goes. Furthermore, you won’t have to rearrange any boxes after the moving is done. If you’re more budget-conscious about your move and are unsure of how much packing you should handle yourself, Adam can come to your house, review your situation, and give you a list of different services available. Adam’s team is one of Allied’s largest agents in their network, and they have about 425 agents across the country, so they can help customers anywhere in the nation. This comes in handy especially in our area, where we have many residents moving across the country. If you need to move soon and are interested in doing business with Adam, you can email him at [email protected] or call 540-272-5927. If you have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to email me or give me a call. I’d be happy to help!

Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search  Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation In part 2 of our relocation series, I want to talk about how to get your home sold quickly in Stafford in the timeline that works for you. Make sure that you're well prepared. We've put together a 75-point comprehensive marketing and photo checklist. If you're in good shape with these items, then you're going to be ready to show your house and get outstanding photos. If we're better prepared than our competition, buyers will notice the difference when they come through your house. Have a team. Sometimes a home doesn't sell and you've got to move, and your timeline can be shorter than you wanted. It can be nerve racking. That's why it's important to have a team, not just an agent. A team can handle everything from showings to marketing, even in your absence. A great marketing plan goes a long way. A solid marketing plan. If your home isn't getting the exposure that it needs, you're missing out on potential buyers. You have to get good exposure, especially to sell fast and for a good price. The prep makes a good difference, as does professional photography and a video walkthrough. We wanted to feature them on multiple YouTube channels and some of the biggest websites to make sure we're advertising everywhere that our clients should be. A great marketing plan goes a long way. Stay tuned for more information in our series. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have.

Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation Today marks our fourth video in our relocation series, and this one’s going to be a little bit different. What I want to focus on today is relocating with kids. We’ve talked about the stresses involved with relocating in general, and a lot of that is housing related. Today let’s talk about some things that can help your kids specifically with the relocation process. The first thing to do is have them involved. Get them excited about it. Have them prepped for the timeline and when things are going to happen. Give them expectations, just like we talked about with nailing down expectations for your move timeline. If you’ve got older kids, especially if they’re involved in sports and activities at school, a really great thing you can do is to set up an appointment with school administrators and coaches. This can help avoid a huge stressor for your kids. If they’re in 9th or 10th grade and on a sports team, what’s it going to be like? Set that up, and involve them in the process, because it’s a huge part of their life. Meeting with school administrators can help give them a feel for the school and the culture. Get them excited about it. Another thing you can do is drive through communities. If you have younger kids - drive through when the buses are coming through to show them how many new friends they will make. Make sure it’s a place that you feel is like home when you’re driving through at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. when kids are getting home and people are getting home from work. It’s a great way to start feeling connected with the neighborhood. One other thing is to use a really outstanding agent as a resource. A great agent is going to know the communities and, in a lot of cases, they’re going to know the schools, the administrators, where the best wrestling program is in the county, and so on. All those things are so important to kids, and you can take a lot of that workload off yourself and let us help you with that. If you have any more questions or comments regarding relocation, please feel free to contact me. I’d love to continue this conversation with you.

We are here to provide valuable information whether you’re buying or selling. Looking to buy in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Perform a full home search Looking to sell in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area? Get a free Home Price Evaluation Housing inventory is a measurement of the number of homes that are on the market at a given time. We can look at inventory broadly in a market or in different price ranges to find out which section of the market is hottest and which presents more buyer opportunity. In this video I explain how inventory is measured and how the level of inventory affects buyers and sellers.  A balanced level of inventory is typically defined as three to four months of available homes based on the rate at which homes are being sold. At this level, neither buyers nor sellers have a defined advantage and the market is generally stable. If inventory dips to one or two months’, buyers are forced to compete for the relative lack of homes and sellers have stronger pricing and negotiation leverage. When buyers experience an inventory shortage they tend to make offers more quickly with less negotiation - this puts upward pressure on prices and helps homes sell more quickly.  A buyer’s market, on the other hand, occurs when there is a surplus of inventory - say five to seven months or more. The tables turn and a buyer gains the leverage in this situation. Instead of buyers competing for the very best listings, sellers have to compete for the best qualified purchasers. If there is only one qualified buyer for every 5 or 7 homes on the market, he or she is a hot commodity and sellers will do what they can to secure that buyer. WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION WHETHER YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING. Whether you’re buying or selling, we are here to provide valuable information like this to help you make the best decisions for your unique situation. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.