Last fall we were honored to participate as lead sponsor for the Capital Classic tennis tournament. The tournament started 16 years ago and each year gives substantial amounts of money to a local charity. This fall $19,500 was given to Washington AIDS Partnership, a grant-making organization that leads a private sector response to HIV/AIDS in the area. Our sponsorship allowed Capital Classic to give the largest donation to date.

We firmly believe in giving back to our community and are proud to give money to organizations like Washington AIDS Partnership through fundraising efforts facilitated by Capital Classic. We will be sponsoring the tournament again in the fall of 2008. If you know of any local charities that could benefit from the donation this year, please email or call me.

Click here to read the article in Washington Business Journal.

And you can read about this worthy cause on its website.

This week I read an article in the Washington Business Journal. It caught my attention immediately when I saw the phrase “International Buyers.” The article is called “International Buyers Drive Sales of D.C. Luxury Homes.”

The article states how strong the luxury sales have been in our DC metro area thanks to international buyers. Just think about anybody you know that was born overseas. I am sure you know some people.

We are lucky to be in an international city. The strong Euro and Pound are helping the American market. The developers know that buyers looking for luxury homes are willing to buy the property for themselves and not as an investor. They know this type of buyer will pay top dollar for the luxury accommodations. Private elevators and 24-hour web concierge are some of the services that are offered in the new buildings.

What I have noticed in the DC metro area is that prices, in some particular areas and specific type of homes, have been very strong. I have seen how in certain areas (like AU Park, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Kalorama, Dupont, and Arlington) there are not many houses for sale and prices are still strong. The few homes that sell are selling for top dollar and very fast if they show well or/and if they are properly priced. People that are buying in these areas are probably going to be there for a while and they are not concern about the current market or the prices going down next year. They understand that eventually prices will go up.

It is still a very good time to buy and sell.

If you are thinking about selling your home or you are just curious about the value of your home, please call us at 202-318-1623 or click here for a comparable market analysis.

As seen in the Washington Business Journal: “Area Home Prices Down More Than 4%.”

There is no doubt that the market has declined and that we have returned to a much more normal market.

But what’s with the talk of doom and gloom? Are prices falling monthly? The answer depends on where you are—and by where I don’t just mean DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Trends vary by neighborhood, block, or even building.

Blanket statistics—the kind that appear in the media—rarely speak to how the real estate market affects the individual. Don’t get caught up in market stats (good or bad), but focus your motivation to buy or sell.

Most buyers are looking for homes to live in. It is always a good time to buy a roof over your head. If you’re buying only for appreciation gain, you need to be careful in this market.

Sellers selling today are doing so because they need to—not to be misinterpreted to say they are desperate. (If you want a big foreclosure market, you’re not going to find it in the DC area.) It is always the right time to sell if you need to do so. If you just took a job in Phoenix and want to buy a house there, but can’t afford the down payment unless you sell your townhouse in Georgetown, now is the perfect time to sell.

Remember, 80 percent of the marketing happens when you set the price. It is time to start talking about how normal the market is and how buyers and sellers every day enter into agreements that satisfy everyone’s goals.

A good deal, and a good market, is only a state of mind.