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I am a better DC Metro Realtor because of Phil Collins!!

What in the world are you talking about Justin? Some of you may even wonder who Phil Collins is!!

I was listening to some music while working yesterday and Phil Collins was playing Colours

The song has alway resonated with me. Yeah, that’s right! I am one of those annoying people who actually listen to the lyrics and find a point sometimes.
One line hit me right between the eyes.

You expect me to believe you?
How can you really think?
You can take you horse down to the water,
put a gun to his head and make him drink?

This was hitting home on so many levels. I was well aware of my own skepticism, but became even more aware of others. Why don’t people understand that this will really help?

I was getting very frustrated and thought is was my delivery. Maybe I didn’t  answer enough questions. Is there a better way to present this? I had all these concerns and thoughts. I in some ways felt like a Doctor telling someone about how they should change their ways or die an early death. How frustrating that must be for the Doctor.

HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT

It all started as a mission, a crusade of sorts to be better and do better by my clients. To raise the bar overall and show how valuable and rewarding it can be to use a skilled and Passionate Realtor. It is as everything easier said than done. Real Estate is not a easy as some might think. There are tons of moving parts and emotions thrown into the mix. Several peoples goals and needs have to come together in a smooth and practical way.

I have been doing this for a while. Learning and improving along the way. The heart was always there and the will to get the best for my clients. I can though honestly say that while being very successful most of the time. Sometimes it didn’t quite work out as we had expected. Nothing bad, but just not exactly as I wanted it to go. I will say that I have put pretty high standards for my business.

SYSTEMS RULE

DC Real Estate is different from Virginia and Maryland.  After spending a ton of time practicing in the 3 markets, I discovered something else. SYSTEMS rule!!

So I went on a quest to find or create the very best systems. I do believe – I know now that I have found the very best!

Check out a few of these  testimonials. They are from all over the country and have all benefited greatly from using the Maximum Value Home Selling System or The Maximum Choice Home Buying System.

YOU CAN’T FORCE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND

I have also discovered that I can get very excited about something and lose them along the way. So, there you have it. A little self discovery. I am working very hard to be the best I can be and serve my clients in the best way possible. There will however always be skeptics and people I cannot help. That is ok. I have learned to live with that. There are plenty more who see the benefits and understand how they can make or save thousands of $ by using these systems.

IT’S ALL GOOD.

I am very lucky to be working with great people who have gone through the process and seen the rewards. They make my day. Thank you for letting me serve you!

HAPPENS IN THE VERY BEST OF NEIGHBORHOODS!

Going places on a Sunday afternoon with small kids can cause a few challenges.  The first one is usually that you get into some great conversations and the time goes by all too fast.

Sunday we went to a house party at my client’s house in McLean, VA.  I knew at the time that this would be the perfect neighborhood for them,but I had no idea how truly great a fit it was.

From the get go it seemed like EVERYONE had kids.  Young ones, preteens, babies, toddlers all over the place. They were having fun!  Playing outside!  Who does this anymore? Fantastic neighborhood.  This is among the top ten for anyone who would like great schools and playmates for their kids.

Staying way too long with all these nice people, we also needed to get home and get our kids to bed.  We faced a huge challenge.  The food at the party was great, but the kids played and we talked. So we were HUNGRY!!!  Where to go?

Going to Arlington with a slight hope of meeting up with other friends, we came across LIBERTY TAVERN. Chic and cozy with a classic style and a fantastic menu.  This was going to be interesting.

Upstairs in the restaurant, they were set up for us, kids and all.  Highchairs, Etch-a-sketch, and a kids’ menu with real food. Yes, REAL FOOD FOR KIDS!  They had the usual burger and fries, pizza, etc.  We like to have our kids eat as close to our food as possible.  And they could. The kids’ menu also had yummy orecchiette with butter and cheese, Icelandic Char, veggies, fruit salad and dessert.  It was all very well prepared and came out quickly.

My wife and I had:
Tagliatelle with Rabbit Confit.
Seared Diver Scallops with Lentils
Roasted Duck breast with “Cassoulet”

It was all REALLY good.  My only thought was with true classics come
some real challenges.  Confits are preserved with salt.  Therefore, you need to be VERY careful on how much more you put in the dish.  It was only slightly too salty.

Service was impeccable.  Our server was knowledgeable and prompt.  We talked about food and he recommended many items on the menu.

Great place to bring kids, a date, friends or just watch a game.

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it ! Actually, just expand it!

It’s almost here, Congress is so very close to extending the tax credit for another 6 months.

Highlights so far are on an next credit that is given to existing homeowners up to $6500 if they have

lived in their home 5 years out of the past 8. This is to prevent investors from jumping on this great

opportunity. The bill should hit the floor tomorrow! We’ll see!

1000’s of DC Condos for sale, but YOU can’t buy them!

After following the news and looking at every single TV show about buying a home, you are READY!!!
Well, sit back and read this little story about how things have managed to go horribly wrong for the DC condominium market.
Condos became all the rage in a city that seemed to have a constant influx of new blood with capital to spend.  We have all the makings of a very successful professional town. Georgetown University, Howard University, George Washington University and American University. Congress and a ton of government and local agencies.  Let’s not forget all the embassies and other international organizations. Quite a funny mix considering…
DC is a truly unique place. Transition does not even begin to describe what this tiny southern plot of land is all about.  I have been here for about 14 years and I only know 5 others that have been here longer than me!!  Just kidding, of course!  Seriously though, when you think of it, it barely makes sense for a great deal of the population to buy something and settle down in DC.  At some point, many of these condo owners decided to become investors. The thought was to keep the condos and rent them out while they steadily appreciated. In essence not a bad idea and many a Realtor must have been pushing the initial investors with this notion.
Here we are years later.  The market has turned.  There are plenty of great condos for sale, but no one can buy them!!! Why?  Current FHA and Fannie/Freddie home loan guidelines require at least 51% owner occupancy. Many buildings just don’t fit the bill.  There are just too many renters in most condo buildings in DC. Some are officially rented out as investment properties, but many are not. Many condo associations are not aware or turn a blind eye to the situation.  Your Realtor needs to be aware of this situation because it makes it virtually impossible to get financing.

Well gee, Justin, what do we do about this?

Condo owners, you need to go to your condo/coop boards with the message that they need to start limiting rentals. Otherwise you will be hanging on to your condo for a LONG time. The condo my client wanted so dearly to buy was actually an estate sale, and we had negotiated the price all the way down. Then, through the management company and condo documents, it came out that there was only 13% (I REPEAT! 13%) owner occupancy!! That my friends makes it IMPOSSIBLE to buy unless you are paying COLD HARD CASH!!

Hmmmm, what would my Realtor do?

Reading the Washington Post is always a mixed blessing for me. I find the information late, lacking and limited. I had for a time actually decided to stop subscribing. I prefer to get my real estate news from the source: real estate professionals. Imagine getting the news and understanding it. The trick here is naturally to convey it in a way that is meaningful and pertinent to my clients’ needs and wants. The news is used for assisting and advising. I see myself as a consultant and trusted advisor. This is not about me; however, this is about you. Where do you get your news and should you be acting upon it?

Last week’s Washington Post Real Estate Section was about FHA loans and how you should be looking into them before deciding on a home loan. Terri Rupar wrote this very good and informative article. I liked it because it went right to the point. It made me think about how easy this information could be given if there was the kind of relationship where you could just reach out and call your trusted advisor. Guess what, you can!! Yes, right now you can, and I would even say – SHOULD!, call your trusted advisor, your personal Realtor.  It is mind boggling to me that most people only call a Realtor when they want to buy or sell. So with that in mind I have started this blog to talk about the things that you should be calling your trusted real estate advisor about. Stay tuned for more…

Justin Nielsen is a Real Estate Consultant doing business in The District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Is the water nice and should I jump in?

Is it safe with this giant sea snake?

I get many really great questions during a typical week. Real estate is still a hot topic and a frequent party topic even in non-Realtor circles. It is clear that many people are thinking about the same issues. Real estate is not an exact science and the current market has everyone a little scared.  The media thrives on negative stories with dramatic headlines. I think it can easily be said that if the market turned sharply for the better they would write:

REAL ESTATE MARKET TURNED, SALES ARE WAY UP!!! BUT FOR HOW LONG? Seeing the next bubble coming    by Joe Thunderclouds

Prices are in some areas down by 15-25%.

Regardless of what the real estate market does the questions are truly way more intimate than they are being written about.  Your situation plays a much bigger role in any decision to buy or sell. Gary Keller, the founder of Keller Williams Realty International, says “it is always a good time to buy good real estate.” The current lending climate might make it a little bit harder, but there are certainly great deals and golden opportunities to be found.

Recently there have been many questions about when to buy, “should I wait a little bit longer?” Great questions, but  Why wait? Anything specific? What are you considering buying? How long are you holding it for?
Is this for investment or do you just need to get out of the rain?

I could and do ask a ton of questions right back at my clients. But the short answer is that the time is now!!

Prices are in some areas down by 15-25%.

Inventory is up from last year; however, it is going down for the 5th consecutive month.

Loan rates are the lowest they have been in years with still very good terms and conditions.The drop dead rock bottom may not have been reached, but we are so incredibly close. When that shoe drops we are going to see a big change in the market. Buyers will come out in droves, if there are reasonable loans on the market.If this is even something you have considered in the past year or two, pick up that phone and call your trusted real estate consultant – get the answers to the really important questions, not just the ones on the front page…

Justin Nielsen is a real estate professional doing business in the District of  Columbia, Virginia and Maryland.