As some of you may already know, on October 11th, I broke my ankle skydiving.  Trust me, I’ve heard the “Now why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?” comment more than enough.  The truth? It is fun.  You can check out my videos at www.youtube.com/dcrealtorgirl and see for yourself.  Anyhow..I’m halfway through the student program, have jumped 11 times, and was back flipping through the air during free fall before I had a slightly cross-wind landing and rolled the ankle.  Either way, I had surgery to insert a plate and several screws (Chris Cooley, I know how you feel!) and finally got my cast off on Monday, October 26th.  I now have a boot and am starting physical therapy this week, but am not allowed to put pressure on it and am forced to use crutches for another four weeks while it heals (and my crutches are Dallas Cowboys blue by the way!) Despite the drama, I’m getting around quite while.  I’ve already started showing property again, although I’m a little slower than usual, and I’ve managed to jump right back into work full force.  If you know me, you know I’m a tough cookie…

So Tuesday, October 27th, I had the pleasure of attending my very first REBar Camp at the NVAR headquarters in Herndon, Virginia.  If you were there and I didn’t get to meet you?  I was the broken girl on blue crutches.  If you follow me on Twitter at @dcrealtorgirl, I’m SURE you were wondering what the heck all of that tweeting was about!  Allow me to explain….REBar Camp is a free one-day “non-conference” organized by a bunch of real estate celebs in the world of social media. It is a great learning environment for Realtors and affiliates to share ideas and tips in an open forum.  Agents gather and participate in various break-out sessions on topics such as blogging, Twitter, Facebook, video virtual tours and more.  It is a fantastic way to help Realtors connect even better with their clients in today’s tech world.  If you’ve read my blog before you know that I consider myself a pretty connected person..now, I’d say even more so.

First session of the day was with Daniel Odio, who taught us how to never have to listen to voice mail again!  You know those people who you call and leave messages for, but always see your number on the caller ID and call back asking, “What did you want?” This is a great tool for those people who really do not enjoy listening to messages (I admit, I have to make myself do it because sometimes those messages are important)!  We had an option of setting this up through Google Voice, which is a free service, but one you must be “invited” to, or using Phone Tag, a subscription service.  The whole setup only took a few minutes and before you know it, my messages were getting delivered to the inbox on my Palm Pre.  This is a great function to use when you might be in a meeting and can’t answer a call or listen to voicemail, but have a moment to read an email and can respond quickly to a client or colleague.  This was probably my favorite session of the day because a tangible change was made immediately to the way I do business!

The rest of the day was filled with informative and fun sessions led by some real superstars in the online real estate world..I can only hope to be as “geeky” as these guys and girls one day!  Some highlights:

*Brian Block’s sexy whistle app on his phone – trying to calm down these crazy ReBAR campers is no easy feat!

*Sarah Stelmok’s “Red Light District” presentation on your online reputation.  This is one session that was particularly interesting to me because I often wonder if I let the public see too much of the real me.  I hope that the transparency actually lets people really see how I do business.  I’m a straight shooter and always professional, but I try to make the experience fun for my clients.  It should be.

*The mid-day Starbucks run – proof that social media works to get things done…someone tweeted that they were going to Starbucks, I tweeted back asking them to please pick up a caramel latte for the broken girl..success!  Afternoon coffee to fight the food coma.  Thanks Maya, Judy & Bill.

*Lynchburg Squares game – I’m definitely now scared of Bill Lubin (I have a guy).  The panel cracked me up with their answers.

*Beer for Bloggers happy hour – what a great way to wrap up the day (despite the rain!)  Nice to hang out with like-minded people in your career field and not talk about work for a change.

All in all it was a great REBar Camp.  I am really looking forward to implementing some of these new ideas and becoming a “geek” myself.  I will see many of you Realtors at future ReBar Camps…although I’m really hoping the only hopping I’m doing is figuratively, between all of the exciting sessions!

One of the great things about being a Realtor is getting to see all of the cool places to live in the DC Metro area.  Since I’m not quite financially able to have a slew of homes, I get to live vicariously through all of my clients.  One of my favorite places I’ve sold is a 2/2 condo in The Odyssey in Courthouse in Arlington, Virginia.  Just over the bridge from DC, Courthouse is convenient to the city, but also a cool little neighborhood of its own.  Located on the orange line and near the Arlington Courthouse, this area is a great place to live and visit.

The condo I sold here is a fabulous corner unit with an L-shaped balcony – one side with the view of the Washington Monument and the Capitol, the other with the view of the National Cathedral.  And of course, all around are sweeping views of the city of Arlington and the Potomac River.  Most units feature stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite countertops and floor to ceiling windows in the living areas.  Some are upgraded to include fireplaces and hardwood floors.

The best part about this building though?  The amenities…The Odyssey is one of the few condo buildings in Arlington with a rooftop pool.  It also has a fitness center, men’s and women’s spas/saunas, and a huge party room.  Chilling on the rooftop on a sunny afternoon is peaceful and relaxing..The views can not be beat.  And just imagine the fireworks show on the 4th from up here!  Residents and guests have their own private viewing deck, with no tourist traffic.

Active units for sale in the Odyssey range from one-bedrooms priced at $309K to a three-bedroom penthouse unit priced just under $3 million.  There are also several units currently available for rent (ask me if you are interested..I have a sweetheart deal on one that’s not listed).  The building offers secured underground parking and concierge service.  For more information, shoot me an email at jdf.nhs@gmail.com or give me a call on my cell at 571-244-1827.

Views from the Rooftop Pool of The Odyssey - Courthouse - Arlington, VA

Those of you who have had an opportunity to work with me, or know me personally, know that I consider myself truly “wired.”  It’s been a family complaint (more than once) that I spend WAY too much time in front of my computer or on my Treo smart phone.  I constantly have multiple windows open on my computer, I text and email non-stop, and people know how I’m feeling on a daily basis just by checking my Facebook status.  Some may say it’s impersonal..I like to argue otherwise.  I feel more connected to my clients and friends this way…I know they can reach me at a moment’s notice, one way or another.

One of my favorite technology tools is a new online MLS search at FranklyMLS.  This lightening-fast text-based search engine is SO easy to use!!  While I think I have a great map search on my web site that allows you to make comments on your listings and save your favorites, this search is a quick way to find details about a home, even from your iPhone.  I often use it when I’m out with buyers and we run across a property for sale that we hadn’t put on our list to see.  It is easy for me to find out quick details like price, just by a quick entry of the property’s address.

Another great feature is the ability for real estate agents to add information and additional photos to listings, especially those that are vacant and have limited remarks.  With many short sales and foreclosures on the market, there are a lot of listings out there that don’t even feature a current exterior photo, much less interior pictures.  As a matter of fact, I showed a short sale listing in Sterling the other day that didn’t look anything like the photo in the MLS – it turns out the listing agent had pulled the default photo from the MLS history (taken in 2006) and the sellers had replaced the vinyl siding on the home with stone – it was a completely different looking home!  This feature can really help you narrow your search.  Click here to visit FranklyMLS and see the homes I’ve reviewed so far.

I am very excited to have recently partnered with Darius Jenkins, a loan officer with Flagstar Bank, to provide a fantastic new service for my clients – Home Buyers Scouting Report.  The coolest, most informative site on the internet is ready for you to use at your leisure.  Stay up to date on what is going on in your neighborhood and areas of interest.  Stop fooliing around with 3 or 4 sites to gather information -  It’s all here!!

This real estate web based system is high-tech and user friendly. It’s called Home Buyer’s Scouting Report (HBSR) and it provides you up-to-date access to the entire MLS Listing Service.  If a property is listed on the MLS,  it is listed here.  See pictures, prices, and full descriptions for ALL listings and for ALL real estate companies.  You will be provided with a username and protected password that allows you to search without any pressure from other real estate companies. In addition to searching for and viewing the home you are interested in, you can see a map of the surrounding area with local schools, hospitals, shopping, and recently sold properties.  Other options include neighborhood demographic information, satellite images and aerial photographs of the property by neighborhood, zip code, or school district.

Another great feature is the property notebook.  Here you can save their favorite properties, or even those you would like to keep an eye on.  When there is a change to the property information (for example, a price reduction!), you will receive an email update.  In addition, if you are actively looking for properties, there is no longer a need to email me a list of your favorites – I can access your notebook and create a plan for viewing those properties you have saved!

For those of you that already own a home or are just not ready to start the home buying process, there is a great service that sends a Homes Sold Report once a month to keep you informed on properties being sold (when and for how much) in your neighborhood.   This is a fabulous way to keep a pulse on your local market.

Best of all — all of this is FREE!  Simply contact me to enroll or click the link below.

As many of you know, the mortgage market has been going through some recent craziness and the availability of low-money down programs has shrunk tremendously.  While FHA is still a very viable option for many, I recently learned of a new conventional product that is worth considering. Flagstar Bank is offering a loan where buyers need only put down 5% for a Conventional Fannie Mae 30 year fix loan in the DC Area.  There are some restrictions.

*Must be First time Homebuyer
*Homebuyer education is required
*Two months reserves required
*Max Seller Contribution of 3% regardless of program description
*Min FICO of 680
*One Unit property only
*Interest Only will not be allowed
*No Condos

If you would like more information about this loan program or other first-time buyer programs, please contact me at jdf.nhs@gmail.com or via phone at 571-244-1827. Now is a great time for first-time buyers to purchase!  With the increasing number of short sales and bank-owned properties, there are a lot of properties out there to consider.  Let’s get started on your search for a new home today!

Sorry it’s been awhile since I blogged!  Things have been a little crazy for me work-wise lately and on the weekends, I’ve gotten sucked into football again.  Those of you who know me know that I LOVE all things football – especially the Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys.  What can I say?  I am a Texas girl at heart.  Even living in the heart of Redskin Country, I am still a big fan for my favorite teams!

But this post actually is not about my favorite teams…ironically, it’s about a great experience I had with a Redskins player yesterday.  I happened to be at Tysons mall last night doing a little shopping when I notice that they have opened a PS Game Gear shop on the upper level near Restoration Hardware.  I had been to the PS Game Gear shop in Dulles Town Center, so I knew they had a lot of great memorabilia, autographed merchandise and photos.  It looked like they were having a big party with all of the balloons out, so I decided to stop in and see what was going on.  They were having an autograph signing with Chris Cooley!  He was raising money for his foundation – a project where he works with various charitable organizations, most recently bringing 25 kids from the Children’s Hospital out to Redskins Park for a practice and giving them duffle bags filled with PSPs, games, hats and autographs.

I had him sign a football as a gift and one for myself.  First, let me say that I’ve never seen anyone so prepared for an autograph signing – I mean, this guy has 10 various pens/markers ready to go – gold, silver and black.  As the line inched up I noticed, not only did he seem happy to be there, he was taking his time signing – asking each person what they wanted their autograph to say and even placement of the autograph.  Being a Cowboys fan, my only experience with Cooley was hearing him on the DC101 morning show.  I didn’t have anything particular for him to write, so I jokingly said he could sign my football “To My Favorite Cowboys Fan.”  He laughed and asked if I was the Cowboys fan..of course, I told him – born and raised!!  He replied, “Yeah, I’ll write that for you!”  We chatted for a minute about the Cowboys and the season and I got a picture with him and went on my way.  I am SO happy about my football!!

Totally great experience.  It is SO refreshing to see a guy who at least acts like he really enjoys the whole NFL experience – the fans, the fame, the charity work.  I think he genuinely does.  Even if you are not a Redskins fan, I would recommend checking out his blog at http://chriscooley47.blogspot.com/.  It’s funny… and unique…and he updates it regularly (more than I do)!  And buy some Chris Cooley gear – he uses that money for charitable works too!

I often wonder what Realtors did before the invention of computers, cell phones and the like.  I work with a lot of clients who are very “connected” and often communicate with them primarily by email.  It works out great for them because they are able to jot me a note at midnight when they’re online searching my website for new homes, or when they can’t talk because they are in a meeting (shhh! Don’t tell the boss!).

It also works out great for me because it allows me to have a life on the weekends occasionally

Spring and summer are the busiest times of year and I spend most weekends looking at homes, writing contracts and doing home inspections. However, this past weekend, I was afforded the luxury of an entire weekend “off.”  Well, not really not working, but at least I got to spend some time with friends at the Virgin Music Festival in Baltimore.  In the car on the way to the concert I submitted an offer; during Wilco on Saturday I received a counter; I presented it to my clients right before the Foo Fighters show via email and text, and then talked to my clients after the show to discuss our options. On Sunday in the hotel before we left, I called them again and we submitted a counter.  Right before Stone Temple Pilots went on, I got an email saying the offer had been accepted!  Immediately, I sent a text message to my clients and got this back ”Yay! we r so excited!!”  Nice to get good news to the sound of “Plush” live (great show by the way…Scott Weiland managed to be sober enough to really rock out and totally brought back some memories from high school!)

It’s great to know that I can be available to my clients when they need me, but that it doesn’t mean I always have to sacrifice my entire life.  I have dealt with many agents on the other side of the table who go on vacation and are totally out of touch with their clients.  Sure, you can hope you don’t have any current offers in before you go, or that your clients can wait to buy a home until you get back…many agents also employ the help of someone in their office or an assistant, but isn’t it great to know that you can work directly with the person you have built a trusting relationship with during this process?  Thanks to technology, I am able to be there every step of the way for my clients.

With all of the foreclosures and short sales on the market now in the DC Metro area, I am finding that the definition of an “Active” listing is no longer a black/white thing.  It seems that most listing agents are now considering it a certain shade of grey.  It used to be that “Active” meant that a home was available…there may have been an offer submitted, but the sellers had not agreed to terms, and the home was fully available for buyers to see and submit an offer on!  However, now, many times I am seeing remarks in the listing comments - stating things such things as “No More Showings! Bank has accepted offer!”  Really?  Then why have you not changed the status to “Under Contract?”  I can almost understand if you are just hoping for a better pending contract if there are contingencies, (there’s also a category for that by the way!  It’s called CKO – contingent with a kick-out clause), but if you’re not allowing a home to even be shown, why keep it listed as active? 

This is especially frustrating when you have clients who have been searching via an IDX link that doesn’t provide the full listing information.  All they see is “ACTIVE,” not the extra notes from the listing agent.  In addition, many of the agents put the information only in the Agent Comments, so that they are not visible to the public at any point.

Perhaps the most interesting facet to this whole dilemma is that the economists and media track pending sales as an indicator to the strength of the real estate market.  Knowing what I know about “Active” listings, I think the pending sales numbers would look a whole lot better and give a truer picture of the market as a whole if listing agents would accurately update the MLS!

Now that MLS search sites are providing more and more information, consumers are really trying to use the “days on market” to their advantage when searching for homes and determining an offer price.  Old wisdom was that if a home had been on the market a long time, there must be something wrong with it!  Of course, if no one else wanted to buy it, why should you?  Now that there are more and more bank owned homes on the market, buyers are actually searching for those homes that have been on the market a long time, hoping that they will be able to get the best deal on something that’s been for sale forever – searching for desperate sellers.

The important thing to keep in mind when searching for homes, is that often the number of days on the market does not tell the whole story.  Just because a home has been listed for 200+ days, does not mean that a buyer should be able to go in with a low ball offer and purchase the home from a “desperate” seller.  In every case, it is necessary for your agent to dig a little deeper!  One of the things I absolutely love about my job is the research aspect…what can I find out if I do a little poking around?  Most of the helpful information is actually public information – when was the home last sold? what was the sale price? can we determine anything about the loan the previous borrowers had? has there been a death? a divorce?  All of these things can help determine the financial position of the seller.

Another great tool in the MLS is actually the property history feature…has the home been listed before? when did they have price drops? have there been any previous contracts? changes in the remarks?  Many times what I am seeing with bank-owned homes is that they have recently dropped the price (to where it should have been in the first place!) and therefore generated a lot of new interest on a property.  These are all cases where it is important to know the history before submitting an offer.  And if the listing agent is telling you there are multiple offers, there is a good chance it is true.  A huge price drop can bring a lot of buyers off the fence!

Another area where days on the market can be misleading is with new construction.  I served as the listing broker for several new construction homes last year, many that were listed just as construction started.  Once the home was complete, we dropped the price to reflect current builder incentives that were being offered, and voila!  148 days after listing we received 5 offers over a weekend.  The house actually sold for over asking price.

Welcome to the new home of my real estate blog!  Of course, you can find out more about me in the profile section, but just as an intro..this blog is going to be a chronicle of the adventures and experiences of a DC Metro area real estate broker/owner.  In this market, you can never guess what will happen next!  You can find my blog through my home page at www.searchdcmetrohomes.com or by clicking here directly.  I also blog occasionally over at Active Rain, a great networking site for Realtors and others interested in the real estate industry & news.

Please subscribe and check in every now and again to let me know what you think via comments.