Northern Virginia Association of Realtors Mar/Apr 2020 RE+VIEW magazine

MAR+APR 2020

REAL ESTATE NOW.®

> NVAR.COM

FAMILY MATTERS! Working with Buyers and Sellers with Children PAGE 20 ALSO IN THIS EDITION

Short-Term Rental Ordinances PAGE 10 Studying Up on Schools PAGE 18

YOUR CLIENTS

Education Anchors Falls Church Development 16

YOUR BUSINESS Visit the NVAR Realtor® Hub 40

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HOW HIGH IS YOUR ‘E.Q.’?

MAKE A PLAN TO EXCEL AT ETHICS

MAR+APR Volume 103, Issue 2 2020 Board of Directors President of the Board: Nicholas Lagos President-Elect: Derrick Swaak Immediate Past President: Christine Richardson, CDPE, CRS, CSP, GRI, PSA Secretary/Treasurer: Reggie Copeland, ABR, GRI DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Rob Allen Amina Basic Deborah Baxter Shirley Buford, CRS, GRI, SFR Heather Embrey, CRS, GRI Shelia Jackson, ABR Peter Nguyen, ASP, e-PRO Thai-Hung Nguyen, CRS, ABR, CIPS Sherry Rahnama Ken Tully, GRI Marriah Unruh, ASP, e-Pro Dallison Veach, ABR, CRS, GRI, CDPE Publisher: Ryan Conrad, CAE, CIPS, RCE, rconrad@nvar.com Editor-In-Chief: Ann Gutkin, agutkin@nvar.com Sr. Editor: Kate O’Toole, kotoole@nvar.com Advertising Sales: Travis Yaga, travis.yaga@theYGSgroup.com Graphic Designer: Wanda Ng Fontana Associate Creative Director: Ricky Webster Contributors: Terry Clower, Diana Costa, Frank Dillow, Daniel Harris, Michele Lerner, Christine Richardson, Steve Russell, Matthew Troiani, Josh Veverka and Keith Waters Photography: Jan Z Duga

Interested in advertising? Please contact travis.yaga@theYGSgroup.com for information.

The RE+VIEW (ISSN 10988475) is published bi-monthly by the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® as follows: combined issues for January/February, March/April, May/ June, July/August, September/October and November/ December. Periodicals postage paid at Fairfax, VA 22030 and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions account for $19 of each member’s annual dues. Annual subscriptions are available to non-members for $39. Subscription inquiries may be sent to the RE+VIEW c/o Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® at 8407 Pennell Street, Fairfax, VA 22031-4505. Copyright 2020 by the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®. All rights reserved.

Postmaster: Please send address changes to: RE+VIEW Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® 8407 Pennell Street, Fairfax, VA 22031-4505 Telephone: 703.207.3200 | FAX: 703.207.3268 Web: NVAR.com E-mail: re+view@nvar.com Advertising Info: Travis Yaga, travis.yaga@theYGSgroup.com Join us on...

By Nicholas Lagos

Those of you who know me, recognize that the highest of ethical standards govern the way I lead my life and run my business. These standards also influence how I serve this association as your president as well as the real estate transactions that I participate in on a daily basis.

To be a successful, respected real estate professional, there is so much that we need to know. Simply having a high I.Q. is not what it takes to rise to the top as a Realtor®, though. We also need to have a high “E.Q.”, or Ethics Quotient.

Our Realtor® Code of Ethics is what sets us apart as professionals in the real estate marketplace. And this is particularly significant when it comes to our commitment to the principles of Fair Housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has designated April as National Fair Housing Month, in recognition of the adoption by Congress of the Fair Housing Act in April, 1968. Each year, through our partnership with the Fairfax County Fair Housing Task Force, NVAR co-sponsors a Fair Housing training session and luncheon. This year’s program, featuring keynote speaker Bryan Greene, formerly with HUD and now the NAR director of fair housing policy, will take place on April 22. (See page 27 to learn more.)

As Realtors®, we all complete regular ethics training as part of our licensure and NAR membership requirements. As a result, many of us may think that we are well-versed in all aspects of ethics – including Fair Housing compliance. We know that ethics are important every day in the life of a Realtor®, but I encourage you to dedicate extra time during the month of April to boosting your “E.Q.” Here are a few suggestions to help you: • Earn your C2EX certification. Visit nar.realtor/C2EX to get started.

• Take the Fair Housing Declaration (see page 27 or NVAR.com/declaration) • Mark your calendar for April 22 to attend the Fair Housing Luncheon.

• Check out NAR’s online resources at nar.realtor/codeofethics.

Whether it’s reinforcing the work of our volunteer leaders and staff or supporting our partnership with the Fairfax County Fair Housing Task Force, my goal is to ensure that our Realtor® members understand the important role we play in providing equal access to housing opportunities for all. That’s my Fair Housing Month pledge. Take time to plan yours today, because That’s Who We R.

facebook.com/nvar.realestate twitter.com@nvar LinkedIn Logo for Adobe Illustrator

NVAR @NVARFFX

Nicholas Lagos 2020 NVAR President president@nvar.com

Ads in RE+VIEW magazine do not necessarily carry the endorsement of NVAR.

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FAMILY MATTERS

Working with Buyers and Sellers with Children Page 20

Shop Realtor®: Delivering Value Through Eight Core Competencies PRE-APPOINTMENT CLIENT PRESENTATION

ON THE MARKET OFFER TO CLOSING

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

PERSONAL SUCCESS

BUSINESS MARKETING

REALTOR® PROFESSIONALISM

YOUR CLIENTS

YOUR BUSINESS

12 Market Metrics: Residential Leases in the NVAR Region 14 Market Stats: NVAR Region January 5-Year Look-Back 16 Commercial Real Estate: Education Anchors Falls Church Commitment to Economic Development 17 Attend Tech Trends in New Home Construction: Mar. 20 18 Be an A+ Agent: Helping Families Study-up on Schools 26 NAR Data Analyzes Northern Virginia Buyer Preferences 36 NVAR Tech Team Reviews CES 2020 Products for Smart Homes 38 Take a SentriLock Quiz 39 Revised SentriLock Rules Effective March 1, 2020

4 Applications Open Now for 2019 Top Producer’s Club 6 Attend the 2020 Karaoke Challenge and Make Your NV/RPAC Investment: Mar. 18 7 Legislative Trip Delivers Realtor® Message in Richmond 8 Major Investor Event Raises a Glass for NV/RPAC 9 Network with Elected Officials at the 2020 NVAR Legislative Reception: Apr. 29 10 Comparison of Northern Virginia Local Short-Term Rental Ordinances 27 Fair Housing Declaration; Attend the Luncheon on Apr. 22 30 YPN Kicks Off the Year 32 Book Review: “Start With Why” 33 Apply for the Ambassador Program 34 You+M.E.: Your Unique Member Experience (M.E.) 35 NVAR Cares Award Applications Due May 1, 2020 40 Introducing the New NVAR Realtor® Hub in the Fairfax Headquarters 46 Ask NVAR: Fair Housing & Unauthorized Access

DEPARTMENTS 3 6 9 28

President of the Board CEO Column NV/RPAC Investors New Members

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42 Class Schedules 44 Affiliated Service Provider Directory

The views expressed in this publication may not reflect NVAR policy, and may be the opinions of the writer or interviewee. Reach us by email at re+view@nvar.com.

MAR+APR 2020

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ceo column

NVAR – YOUR GATEWAY TO REALTOR® SUCCESS VISION 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN DELIVERS UNIQUE MEMBER EXPERIENCE Does NVAR’s Vision 2020 have you seeing spots? We hope so! That’s because NVAR is much more than your one-spot stop (you read that right!) for business success.

In our January/February RE+View magazine, we introduced “Shop Realtor®,” a new way of curating and delivering benefits from all three levels of the association – local, state and national – to create an individualized member experience that aligns with the way you do business. More than just a store, Shop Realtor® categorizes every benefit that’s included with your membership – products, services, events, articles, referral partners, opportunities and more – in one of eight categories based on how you serve your clients and how you run

your business. Each category has an associated icon, which you can see printed below, on the Table of Contents and throughout this issue. See if you can “spot” them!

In the coming months, look for the colorful icons everywhere you interact with NVAR – in print, online, and in-person on the digital signage in our Fairfax and Herndon locations. You’ll see that your NVAR membership is a gateway to thousands of resources that will help you at every stage of a client transaction and in all aspects of your business.

Learn more about what the Shop Realtor® experience can do to help you achieve success at NVAR.com/ShopRealtor.

Ryan Conrad, CAE, CIPS, RCE, e-Pro NVAR Chief Executive Officer rconrad@nvar.com

Shop Realtor®: Delivering Value Through Eight Core Competencies PRE-APPOINTMENT CLIENT PRESENTATION

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ON THE MARKET OFFER TO CLOSING

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

PERSONAL SUCCESS

BUSINESS MARKETING

REALTOR® PROFESSIONALISM

MAR+APR 2020

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legislative trip

Realtor® Advocates Travel to the State Capitol

By Josh Veverka

EACH YEAR, NVAR’s Realtor® advocates travel to the Capitol to lobby for the Realtor® Legislative Agenda and other real estaterelated issues. This year, there is new leadership in both the House and Senate with the majority of those legislators being Northern Virginians, giving us an even greater voice in the Legislature. As NVAR members descended upon the Capitol on Jan. 29, legislative activity was heating up before the crossover deadline – when bills passed by each chamber are sent to the other for deliberation. That meant full committee dockets and long session days for the legislators.

A total of $5,200 was raised for NV/RPAC from attendees.

Their day on the Hill highlighted the number of issues that can affect their business and the importance of their voices in the process. There were 58 Realtors® on this year’s trip.

NVAR members and staff gather outside the floor of the House of Delegates. Pictured (l – r): NVAR President Nicholas Lagos, RPAC Development Strategist Paula Martino, Mary Ann Burstein, Angie Delboy, Sonia Iqbal, Ishrat Saba, and NVAR Sr. Vice President, Public & Government Affairs Mary Beth Coya.

NVAR members (l – r): Jim Stakem, Jorden Booth, and Grace In the Rotunda of the Capitol in Richmond, Jean-Antoine Houdon’s sculpture of President George Washington has stood Perez meet with staff in Delegate Dan Helmer’s (D) office to for more than 200 years. He is joined by NVAR members during advocate for the Realtors’® Legislative Agenda. a building tour as part of the annual trip to Richmond.

NVAR Realtor ® advocates meet in the Speaker’s Conference Room to close out the day and meet with legislators and staff from the House and Senate leadership.

2020 NV/RPAC Campaign Chair Michelle Doherty leads a group of enthusiastic Realtors® through the halls of the General Assembly offices on their way to meet with legislators.

Below: NVAR members prepare to board the bus and ride in style to Richmond, thanks to event sponsor Intersate Moving, for the Annual Realtor ® Lobby Day on Jan. 29.

More than 50 NVAR members made the 100-mile trip south to the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond to speak to elected officials about real estate issues and policy.

Josh Veverka is the NVAR Government Affairs Director.

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major investors

Raising a Glass and Funds for NV/RPAC

By Ann Gutkin

A WARM, INVITING INTERIOR welcomed NVAR members to Vienna Vintner on a rainy February 6 to celebrate 2019 NV/RPAC Major Investors and challenge others to take the next step in support of their profession. Thanks to more than 40 generous investors, the first Eat, Drink & Celebrate event was a smashing success, raising over $13,500 for NV/RPAC! Learn more about investing in the future of real estate, your career and community at NVAR.com/RPAC.

Below: NVAR 2020 President Nicholas Lagos thanked members for attending and for their commitment to the profession, demonstrated by their generous NV/RPAC investments.

A selection of wines was available for attendees to sample at the February 6 event at Vienna Vintners.

Major Investors Sita Kapur (left), Derrick Swaak (center) and Peter Bixby enjoy sampling wines, tasting Greek hors d’oeuvres and conversing with friends and colleagues at the NV/RPAC appreciation event.

Ann Gutkin is the NVAR vice president, communications.

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nv/rpac investors

Thank you to our 2020

NV/RPAC INVESTORS PLATINUM R ($10,000)

STERLING R ($1,000)

NVAR

Lorraine Arora* Deborah Baxter Phil Bolin* Mary Bowen *PC Nicole Canole* Rob Chamberlain

GOLDEN R ($5,000) Ryan Conrad PC Christine Richardson*PC

* Pledged investments |

HOF

Jacob Hamilton* Shelia Jackson Gary Lange* Scott MacDonald* Thomas Meyer Roger Nakazawa

Ava Nguyen Fetneh Schacht* Nancy Steorts* Will Wiard IV Colleen Wright

Thomas Stevens PC HOF

Paula Martino D. Peter Nguyen*PC James Stakem Derrick Swaak*

RPAC Hall of Fame |

PC

GOVERNOR’S CLUB

CAPITOL INSIDER

Ellen Heather Eun Lee

Peter Bixby Ritu Desai Jamie DeSimone

($500-$999)

CRYSTAL R ($2,500) Bob Adamson Mary Ann Burstein PC Mary Beth Coya Heather Embrey Randy Huntley

Reggie Copeland* Molly Craig Angie Delboy* Frank Doyle Clarry Ellis James Foster

*List as of Feb. 24, 2020

Presidents Circle

Mayra Pineda Karisue Wyson

($250)

Robert Johnson, Jr. Lieu Nguyen

$99 CLUB ($99) PJ Braun Sarah Jernigan

Harry Bowen III Tracy Pless

Stephen Raefelli, Jr. Irene Xenos

Michelle Sanoski

Visit NVAR.com/RPAC to invest in your profession.

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short-term rentals

Comparison of Northern Virginia Local Short-Term ALEXANDRIA effective January 1, 2018

ARLINGTON effective December 31, 2016

Definition

Short-Term Residential Rental is the provision of a room or space for dwelling, sleeping, or lodging purposes, for a period of fewer than 30 consecutive days, in exchange for a charge for the occupancy.

Accessory Homestay is a home occupation in which an owner of a dwelling unit who uses such dwelling unit as their primary residence, rents either the entire unit, or any portion thereof to a lodger for compensation, for not more than 30 days.

Residency Requirements

NONE. An operator may be the proprietor of any dwelling, lodging, or sleeping accommodations whether in the capacity of owner, in possession, licensee, or any other possessory capacity.

REQUIRES RESIDENCY. Accessory homestay is allowed only where the dwelling unit is used by the resident of the dwelling unit as their primary residence, which means that they reside there for at least 185 days during each year (includes owners and tenants).

Permit vs. Registry/Filing Fees

RENTAL REGISTRY. No fee associated with registration process.

ZONING PERMIT. $63 annual filing fee.

Limitation on Rental Nights

NONE.

NONE.

Limitation on # of Lodgers (zoning, permitting and building code provisions apply)

Not explicit in ordinance.

The greater of six lodgers, or two lodgers per number of bedrooms in the dwelling.

Allowed in Accessory Dwellings/ Structures?

YES.

YES. Occupancy in the accessory dwelling is limited to a maximum of two lodgers.

Parking Requirements

NONE.

NONE.

Exemptions from Registration/ Permit (zoning and land use regulations still apply)

Registry does not apply to real estate agents, properties represented by real estate agents, registered time-shares, or licensed lodging establishments such as hotels.

NONE.

Penalties and Enforcement

Penalty of $500 for failure to register property within 30 days of being offered for short-term rental. Upon repeated violation of registration requirement, the operator shall be prohibited from registering and renting the property.

Permit may be revoked for one year: (a) In the event of three or more violations within a one-year period; or (b) For failure to comply with the regulations; or (c) For refusal to cooperate with the County in a complaint investigation, including allowing the zoning administrator or designee to enter the dwelling unit upon reasonable notice.

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short-term rentals

Rental Ordinances FAIRFAX effective October 1, 2018

HERNDON effective February 1, 2020

Short-Term Lodging is the provision of a room or space for fewer than 30 consecutive nights in exchange for a charge for the lodging.

Short-Term Rental is the provision of a room or space suitable for occupancy for fewer than 30 consecutive nights in exchange for a charge for the lodging.

REQUIRES RESIDENCY. Operator must be a permanent resident, which means they occupy or intend to occupy the property for at least 185 days out of the calendar year. A person may have only one permanent residence (includes owners and tenants).

REQUIRES RESIDENCY. An operator must be the primary resident of the property, which means they have occupied the dwelling for seven of the previous 12 months.

ZONING PERMIT. $200 fee for a two-year permit.

ZONING PERMIT. $200 fee for a two-year permit.

A dwelling may be used for Short-Term Lodging for no more 60 nights per calendar year.

The operator is limited to a maximum of 90 rental nights per year where the unit may be rented without the operator present. There is no limit on nights when the operator is present.

Maximum number of lodgers per night may not exceed six adults.

The maximum occupancy during any rental period shall not exceed six adults, including all permanent residents.

NO.

NO.

Requires the designation of one parking space that the operator has the authority to reserve/designate to be available for lodgers.

Parking must be located on-site or in spaces reserved exclusively for the use of the operator of the short-term rental property. For any single-family detached residence, a minimum of two parking spaces are required. For any townhouse or condo, a minimum of one parking space is required.

NONE.

NONE.

Permit may be revoked for failure to comply with all applicable regulations in the zoning ordinance.

Violation may cause the zoning administrator to take action, including revoking the permit.

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market metrics

Residential Leases in the NVAR Region

By Dr. Terry Clower and Dr. Keith Waters

GIVEN THE CONTINUING DECLINE in properties available for sale across Northern Virginia, it’s likely that Realtors® are increasingly having to advise clients on the availability and costs of renting a home while trying to enter the homeownership market. The data examined in this article comes from Bright MLS and thus represents those homes sold or newly rented for a given time period. It does not reflect ongoing rentals covered by existing leases. It also only includes those properties that are listed through Bright MLS. Still, the snapshot of data offers insights into the regional housing market and provides data and information that can help prospective buyers make the best real estate investment decisions.

To put the data on residential leases into perspective, there were 1,549 residential units sold in December 2019 in the NVAR region (Table 1). The number of new residential leases in the NVAR area totaled 738 units, or about 32% of the total residential transactions (Table 1 and 2) in December 2019. The relative proportion of transactions that were residential leases was similar across most area jurisdictions (around

Table 1. Leased Residential Properties and Sold Residential Properties – Dec. 2019 PROPERTY TYPE

ALEXANDRIA

ARLINGTON

FAIRFAX COUNTY

FAIRFAX CITY

FALLS CHURCH

TOTAL

Residential Sales

181

206

1,118

34

10

1,549

Residential Lease

83

130

508

14

3

738

Total

264

336

1,626

48

13

2,287

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

30%) with Arlington being somewhat higher (38.7%) and Falls Church having relatively fewer (23.1%) leased properties transacted last December.

Falls Church, which is one of the smaller jurisdictions in the NVAR footprint, had only 13 property transactions (sales and new leases) in December. Fairfax County had 508 residences leased in the last month of 2019, accounting for 68.8% of total NVAR area residential leases.

Examining the composition of closed residential units over time reveals that leasing’s share of all closed residences increased year-over-year in the NVAR region (Table 2). The share of all closed residential units accounted for by leased residential units increased 3.9 percentage points from 28.4% in December 2018 to 32.3% in December 2019. Among the

Table 2. Residential Leases as Share of All Closed Residential Properties – Dec. 2018 and Dec. 2019 ALEXANDRIA

ARLINGTON

FAIRFAX COUNTY

FAIRFAX CITY

FALLS CHURCH

TOTAL

Dec-18

29.5%

29.6%

28.2%

20.0%

18.2%

28.4%

Dec-19

31.4%

38.7%

31.2%

29.2%

23.1%

32.3%

Year-over-Year Change

+ 1.9

+ 9.1

+ 3.1

+ 9.2

+ 4.9

+ 3.9

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

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jurisdictions in the NVAR region, the two largest year-over-year market share increases occurred in Fairfax City and Arlington County – likely the result of low inventories of residential units for sale. In Fairfax City for December 2019, the share of closed residential units that were leased increased 9.2 percentage points over the previous December.

In Arlington County, the share of closed residential units that were leased increased from 29.6% in December 2018 to 38.7% in December 2019, an increase of 9.1 percentage points. The share of closed leased residential units in Alexandria increased by the smallest amount year-over-year, increasing only 1.9 percentage points, which is interesting given the level of investor interest in Alexandria homes since the Amazon HQ2 announcement in 2018.

The remainder of this analysis focuses solely on leased residential units. Among property types, townhouses and apartments accounted for the majority of leased residential units (Table 3). In December 2019, there were 279 apartments leased in the NVAR region, accounting for 37.8% of leased residential units. There were 277 townhouses leased in the NVAR region

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market metrics

in December 2019, accounting for an additional 37.5% of leased residential units. In contrast, there were only 182 detached homes leased in the NVAR region, accounting for just 24.7% of leased residential units. The share of residential units leased by property type remained fairly consistent from December 2018 to December 2019; apartments and townhouses accounted for the majority of units, split roughly evenly between the two home types, with a notably smaller share of detached homes leased.

While the overall median rate of residences leased in the NVAR region increased from December 2018 to December 2019, the median rate of detached homes leased declined over the period (Table 4). However, just as when analyzing market data on units sold, a given decline or large increase in lease rates can be affected by the characteristics (size/age/location/ condition) of the particular units that transacted that month. The median rate of residences leased increased 3.4% from $2,200 in December 2018 to $2,275 in December 2019.

Among home types, the median rate of townhouses leased increased the most, gaining 3.3% from $2,300 in December 2018 to $2,375 in December 2019. The increase in the median rate of apartments leased was not far behind, increasing 2.9% from $1,700 in December 2018 to $1,750 in December 2019. In contrast, the median rate of detached homes leased declined 1.6% from $2,999 in December 2018 to $2,950 in December 2019.

As would be expected, the median rate for residential units leased in the NVAR region in December 2019 increased with the number of bedrooms (Table 5). There were only 10 studios leased in the NVAR region in December 2019 with a median rate

Table 3. Residential Leases by Property Type – Dec. 2018 and Dec. 2019 DEC-19

DEC-18

STRUCTURE DESIGN TYPE

UNITS

% OF TOTAL

UNITS

% OF TOTAL

Detached

182

24.7%

157

23.3%

Townhouse/Rowhouse

277

37.5%

261

38.8%

Apartment/Unit/Flat

279

37.8%

255

37.9%

Total

738

100.0%

673

100.0%

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

Table 4. Median Rate by Condo/House/Townhouse – Dec. 2018 and Dec. 2019 STRUCTURE DESIGN TYPE

DEC-19 MEDIAN RATE

DEC-18 MEDIAN RATE

YEAR-OVER-YEAR % CHANGE

Detached

$

2,950

$

2,999

-1.6%

Row/Townhouse

$

2,375

$

2,300

3.3%

Unit/Flat/Apartment

$

1,750

$

1,700

2.9%

Total

$

2,275

$

2,200

3.4%

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

Table 5. Median Rate by Number of Bedrooms (0,1,2, 3+) – Dec. 2018 and Dec. 2019 BEDROOMS

UNITS

2019 MEDIAN RATE

2018 MEDIAN RATE

YEAR-OVER-YEAR % CHANGE

0 (studios)

10

$ 1,473

$ 1,415

4.1%

1

130

$ 1,585

$ 1,550

2.3%

2

187

$ 1,950

$ 1,913

2.0%

3+

411

$ 2,650

$ 2,550

3.9%

Total

738

$ 2,275

$ 2,200

3.4%

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

of $1,473. Residential units with one and two bedrooms leased for a median rate of $1,585 and $1,950, respectively.

The median rate of leased residential units with three or more bedrooms was $2,650 in December 2019. The largest year-over-year increases in the median rate of residential units occurred at either end of the size spectrum with the smallest (studios) and largest units

(three plus bedrooms) recording the largest median rate increases at 4.1% and 3.9%, respectively, for the 12 months ending in December 2019. The median rate of leased residential units with one and two bedrooms increased year-over-year by 2.3% and 2%, respectively.

Finally, newer properties tend to command a higher median rate in the Market Metrics continued on page 14

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market metrics continued from page 13

NVAR region (Table 6). Residential properties built before 1990 had a median rate of between $2,200 and $2,295. It is interesting to note that the oldest properties leased in December 2019 in the NVAR region were built over two centuries ago – in 1790. The rate premium for newer residences begins with those built in the 1990s; residences built in the 1990s leased for a median rate of $2,398 in December 2019. While properties built in the 2000s did not command a notable rate premium, very new residences, those built since 2010 including pre-completion leases of brandnew units (2020), commanded a median rate of $3,550.

Overall, the NVAR region’s rental housing market is relatively expensive with few choices in the most desirable communities. For individuals and couples, renting a smaller unit may be a reasonable financial choice. There

simply is not enough for-sale inventory among smaller units (studios and onebedroom condos) available for this to be a viable option for most prospective buyers. Once a family needs two or more bedrooms, current rental market rates suggest that buying a home is the best financial option – assuming reasonably solid personal finances.

As Northern Virginia Realtors® navigate the search for limited inventory solutions, arming clients with information about the rental market can provide context for them to make the best decision in their home rental or purchase.

Dr. Terry Clower is the director of the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis.

Dr. Keith Waters is a research associate for the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis.

Table 6. Median Rate by Year Built – Dec. 2019 YEAR

UNITS

MEDIAN RATE

Before 1970

231

$

2,200

1970 to 1979

119

$

2,295

1980 to 1989

134

$

2,200

1990 to 1999

108

$

2,398

2000 to 2009

127

$

2,350

2010 to 2014

7

$

3,550

2015 to 2020

12

$

3,550

Total

738

$

2,275

Source: Bright MLS and GMU Center for Regional Analysis

Visit NVAR.com/stats for the NVAR/GMU Northern Virginia Outlook for 2020.

NVAR Region 5-Year Look-Back: January Data

Thank you to our partner:

©2019 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Data provided by Showing Time as of February 8, 2020.

Access current and historical market data at NVAR.com/stats and getsmartcharts.com 14

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commercial real estate

Education Anchors Falls Church Commitment to Economic Development

By Frank Dillow

FALLS CHURCH HAS BEGUN CONSTRUCTION of its West End Development, featuring a new stateof-the-art high school surrounded by commercial development. Included in the plans will be The Little City Commons – a pedestrian friendly promenade through the project that could become a major regional focal point and gathering place for community events.

Falls Church has long attracted residents and businesses by 16

prioritizing high value – not solely low costs – in its belief that money spent wisely on education and city services is a good investment.

“In our community, the schools and library are really important,” said Vice Mayor Marybeth Connelly, who also serves as the community outreach director for Falls Church City Public Schools. The new high school will anchor the project, which will become the “Western Gateway” to Falls Church.

The community took root more than 250 years ago when the still thriving Falls Church Episcopal Parish was established on the road from Alexandria to Potomac Falls. The church founded and gave its name to the semi-rural collection of farms, churches and commercial enterprises that grew up around it. By 1875, it had grown enough to achieve township status within Fairfax County.

Like old churches, old communities take on a personality of their own, and in 1948 local residents decided to incorporate Falls Church as their own city. Branding it “The Little City,” they provided their own city services including schools and a library to separate Falls Church from the suburban sprawl spreading westward from Washington, D.C. With some of the highest property tax rates in the state, Falls Church leaders determined that the city needed to attract an increased commercial tax base, Connelly explained. In the past few years, numerous downtown retail and MAR+APR 2020

multifamily projects have been completed to attract businesses and residents.

One of the largest projects to date, the West End Development is a $500 million project that will demolish and replace the outdated George Mason High School, while simultaneously developing the 10.3-acre site for commercial use. Planners predict the project will increase the city’s tax revenues to help pay for the high school, while adding commercial space that includes a new hotel, nearly 125,000 square feet of retail space and 330,000 square feet of offices.

The project will also add apartments and condominiums, including up to 225 senior housing units.

The longer-term outlook includes potentially integrating the project with planned renovations to the adjacent Virginia Tech Graduate Center and the West Falls Church Metro station. This would create a 40-acre development extending the Little City Commons by a half mile, from Leesburg Pike to the Metro station.

Quality schools are frequently on the minds of homebuyers, but Realtors® might be surprised to learn that businesses are also keenly aware of a community’s commitment to quality education. Businesses value the advantages of an educated workforce and also appreciate the role that schools and libraries play in equipping a community’s residents for success in an increasingly knowledgebased economy.

Education impacts the local business climate, but businesses can RE+VIEW http://nvar.com/2002

commercial real estate also positively affect local education by partnering with the schools and libraries, mentoring the students, and providing jobs.

In a separate undertaking, Falls Church is also renovating and expanding the nearby Mary Riley Styles Public Library, a project estimated to cost approximately $10 million.

The library renovation will increase popular community spaces in the facility by nearly 3,200 square feet, modernize mechanical and electrical systems, and bring the library into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Visiting a library is the most common cultural activity of Americans, according to the results of a 2019 Gallup poll. The survey of U.S. adults reported they made an average of 10.5 trips to the library during 2019,

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about twice the number of times they went to the movies.

In a 2019 letter to the editor of the Falls Church News Press, Chrystie F. Swiney, now a member of the library’s Board of Trustees, recalled how she insisted her family move to Falls Church when she and her oneyear-old son “stumbled upon the library” while running errands in the community. “My insistence that we uproot our home in Washington, D.C. and relocate to Falls Church was inspired by my instant connection to the library,” Swiney explained.

Falls Church is also completing a recent expansion and modernization of its city hall, which reopened last summer, making the city center complex a more inviting location for community activities.

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“The new school, renovated city hall and library are important not just as new buildings; they all contribute to the fabric of our community,” Connelly explained.

“The world is changing,” Connelly noted. “We want to create a partnership with local businesses so our schools and library are not operating in a vacuum, but are an important part of our overall plan for the future of Falls Church.”

“We’re really optimistic how all these developments are going to turn out to benefit everyone, because we’re all working together to make that happen,” Connelly concluded.

Frank Dillow is a past chair of NVAR’s Realtor ® Commercial Council, an NVAR instructor, and a senior commercial broker in Long & Foster‘s Commercial Division.

He can be reached at francis.dillow@ longandfoster.com.

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study-up on schools

Do Your Homework: Be an A+ Agent HELPING FAMILIES STUDY-UP ON SCHOOLS

By Kate O’Toole

What to Say

(and what NOT to say)

“How are the schools here?”

“I’m not allowed to talk about schools.”

WHEN IT COMES TO ADVISING CLIENTS in their search for the perfect home – and school – the process may not be as “easy as ABC.” Realtors® must be cognizant of fair housing laws and provide clients with unbiased information so they can make their own decisions. As community experts, Realtors® can be a valuable resource by offering objective facts and figures, connecting clients to schools and providing equal professional service to all.

BEYOND TEST SCORES While test scores can explain a lot about a school, they don’t paint a full picture. Daryl Johnson, a communications coordinator for Arlington Public Schools, recommends reaching out to the PTA president and school staff to learn about the school climate and enrichment programs.

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Realtors® can build relationships with schools and encourage clients to visit schools in-person.

“The only way you actually get to understand the culture of the school is really by visiting the school. It’s more than test scores and demographic data,” said Karen Corbett Sanders, chair of the Fairfax County School Board who represents Mount Vernon.

In addition to looking at usual metrics of test scores, annual spending per student and class size, Marybeth Connelly, director of community outreach for Falls Church City Public Schools, said she recommends reviewing student-teacher ratios; access to special education programs; availability of world language, fine arts, STEAM and extracurricular programs; community involvement; opportunities for parents to volunteer; MAR+APR 2020

“The Fair Housing act prohibits me from providing that kind of information.

I recommend visiting the VDOE School Quality Profiles and school district websites. I can also provide you with a list of contacts if you’d like to set up a specific school visit.”

“Is this a good school district?”

“Yes, I would send my kids here.”

“What makes a school good for you? I recommend doing research to learn which school might be the best fit for your family’s needs. Here’s a list of resources to consider.”

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study-up on schools and availability of before- and afterschool childcare.

Corbett Sanders explained that many valuable features of a school aren’t represented in online ranking systems such as greatschools.com. For example, with 13,500 students whose parents are active duty military in Fairfax County, the school system is focused on providing military support to its students and their families, she said.

Career and workforce development is another important piece for families to consider, according to Corbett Sanders. Internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing and academy programs, such as the Governor’s Health Science Academy in both Alexandria City and Falls Church, can help prepare students for college and future careers.

Alternatives to neighborhood schools can also offer students specialized learning programs and nontraditional learning environments.

For example, an option school in Arlington County, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program, focuses on student choice and gives students the freedom to decide how to use their time to meet their education responsibilities.

“The biggest advice I always give families, and to Realtors® as well, is not to apply to option schools because it is an alternative to a neighborhood school, but to make sure that the option school is a program that will actually benefit the student and help them grow in a specialized environment,” Johnson said.

SCHOOL BOUNDARIES As families are researching schools, Realtors® can remind them that school boundaries may change.

“We have a lot of organizations [coming to Northern Virginia] and obviously, Amazon – the other “A” here in Arlington – is moving in, so there’s a lot of interest. Consequently, school http://nvar.com/2002 RE+VIEW

boundaries will have to change more often, because we want to make sure students aren’t in schools that are over capacity,” Johnson said.

Johnson explained that issues stemming from overcrowding include additional lunch shifts to accommodate a growing number of students, so some students might be eating as early as 10 a.m. and others late in the afternoon.

“We understand for families that it [a boundary change] is hard, but all of our schools are great schools, and we are just doing this in the best interest of the students,” Johnson said.

Children are assigned to a neighborhood school based on their home address, and the boundary process varies from district to district.

Individual websites can be the best places to learn about any upcoming changes.

“The focus is always going to be on ensuring that our students have a great place to live and learn,” Corbett Sanders said. “There may be boundary adjustments in the future, but they are only done in a fair, transparent process that allows the community to be part of the process, make suggestions, and understand how decisions are made.”

Kate O’Toole is the digital content manager & senior editor.

Resources for Realtors® and Families Realtors ® can advise clients to review the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) School Quality Profiles, which offer unbiased data on topics such as student achievement, college and career readiness and teacher quality.

Families can also review the websites of each school district to learn about its programs. There are 19 districts in Northern Virginia, according to VDOE’s website, and the districts in NVAR’s geographic footprint are: • Arlington County Public Schools: apsva.us • Fairfax County Public Schools: fcps.edu • Falls Church City Public Schools: fccps.org • Alexandria City Public Schools: acps.k12.va.us School representatives often meet with Realtors ® to provide them with helpful information. Reach out and invite a school staff or school board member to present at your next office meeting.

What Matters Most to Your Clients?

Every family has different needs! Ask your clients what they’re looking for in a school, so you can provide them with helpful resources.

• AP/IB classes • Language immersion • Fine arts • Childcare • Scholarship programs • Military family support • Career development

• Nontraditional learning environment • Extracurricular activities • Access to special education programs • Parent engagement

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• School culture • STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education

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working with families

FAMILY MATTERS Working with Buyers and Sellers with Children

By Michele Lerner

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working with families

While plenty of home buyers and sellers are single, partnered or married without children, those who do have kids often have extra needs when moving. Thirty-five percent of all buyers in 2019 had children under age 18, according to the National Association of Realtor’s® 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, while 33% of sellers had children under age 18. But in many areas the percentage of clients who have children could be much higher.

Whether your family clients are buyers or sellers, NAR’s 2019 Moving with Kids report offers some insight into the preferences of this niche market.

Nearly 90 percent of buyers, whether they have children or not, worked with a real estate agent for their purchase. The NAR data also show that most sellers worked with an agent, with 82% with children and 81% of sellers without children choosing an agent to provide a broad range of services and manage most aspects of the sale.

EMOTIONAL FACTORS OF MOVING WITH A FAMILY Experienced agents know they function almost as a therapist when advising their clients through a real estate transaction. That emotional support can be even more important to families with children who are nervous or unhappy about moving to a new home.

“First, I look at who is having the most problems with the move,” says Adriene Pessel, a Realtor® with Century 21 New Millennium in Alexandria. “Typically, it’s the person who doesn’t immediately have something to look forward to in the move and views the move as a loss. For example, one spouse might be moving for a job promotion, while the other is trying to determine their new purpose in the move.”

Sometimes a child is upset by the prospect of leaving their friends, school or teammates.

Pessel advises her clients to use “I feel” statements as opposed to “you” when talking about an upcoming move.

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working with families continued from page 21

“This helps the spouse or the child understand your perspective without making the other person feel defensive,” says Pessel. “Change isn’t easy. It can be difficult for everyone involved. The important thing is to work as a team.”

If the child is the one having a hard time dealing with the transition, Pessel says it helps to get them excited about something in their new home or their new town. She recommends focusing on new adventures and possibly new interests.

“I worked with a family who walked their children past their soon-to-behome, which was a little larger and only one-fourth of a mile away, to get them acclimated to the idea that they’d be moving,” says Loretta Gray, a Realtor® with Long & Foster Real Estate in Alexandria. “I think the strategy depends on the kids, the new place, the old place and how parents present it.”

For families making a long-distance move, it can help to remember that they can always stay in touch with their hometown.

“I tell my sellers who are moving out of state that no matter where you go in life, this will be here – this neighborhood, this town, your family, your friends,” says Jeddie Busch, a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Reston. “We will always have our memories, and it’s time to go make more at their new home. I also let them know that the next owner will be a wonderful steward to the beautiful home they built.”

CHALLENGES FOR BUYERS AND BUYER’S AGENTS Including older children in the process of identifying a wish list and “must haves” for their new home can smooth the transition, recommends Jillian Hogan, a Realtor® with McEnearney Associates in Alexandria.

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“Their knowing that they can use their voice and that their agent is taking the time to listen to their concerns can help make the whole process easier and a much more enjoyable experience,” says Hogan.

For many parents, child care costs have a significant impact on their housing budget. A recent study by Freddie Mac found that the price of child care (when adjusted for inflation) increased by 49% over the past 25 years, while housing costs for rental and homeownership only increased by 14% during that same timeframe.

Unfortunately, the burden of child care costs is highest in the Washington, D.C. area, requiring an average of 19.3 percent of median income. There isn’t much a real estate agent can do to relieve that burden, but it may be worthwhile to discuss that cost and child care options with clients during the initial consultation about their housing budget.

While buyers with and without children face some of the same challenges related to inventory and affordability, NAR’s research found that buyers with children place a far greater emphasis on the quality and location of the schools when choosing a neighborhood for their home search.

Fifty-three percent of buyers with children said that the quality of the school district is an important factor when choosing a home, compared to just 10% of buyers without children at home. That focus on schools and neighborhoods presents a challenge to real estate agents, who must be careful to avoid any violation of Fair Housing Laws while providing guidance to clients.

“I sit down for a brief interview before taking buyers out, either by phone, Facetime or face-to-face, to go through their payment options, qualifications and lender preapproval,” MAR+APR 2020

says Cris Curtis, a Realtor® with Century 21 New Millennium in White Plains, Md. “I take notes on their hot buttons and what they’re looking for in a home and community. Most buyers are very savvy and have already done their research on locations.”

Busch says she always recommends that buyers drive around a prospective neighborhood to get a feel for the community.

“This way, the buyers are doing the legwork, not the agent,” says Busch.

Pessel says she reminds clients that she’s not allowed to give an opinion about the safety of an area or about whether a house is in a “good” school district. She suggests checking local police logs or a data site such as Watchdog.com or another independent resource for crime information.

“When it comes to finding a school, parents can get very passionate, so I encourage them to make a list of what’s important to them and their child’s needs,” says Pessel. “Is there any particular educational direction they want, such as language immersion, IB or AP classes, sports, etc.? Once they have that list, they can fine tune it and do the homework on different schools.”

Hogan recommends a variety of independent and county websites that provide test scores, information about programs at individual schools and data about school rankings and satisfaction.

“Another option is connecting our clients with past clients and friends who may already have experience in a certain neighborhood or school district, so they can speak to one another about their concerns,” says Hogan.

Gray recommends that buyers schedule an appointment with a principal or assistant principal to get a better feel for a school and its atmosphere. As she says, “People teach children, not numbers.”

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working with families

“[The] focus on schools and neighborhoods presents a challenge to real estate agents, who must be careful to avoid any violation of Fair Housing Laws while providing guidance to clients.”

“I always direct my clients to school district websites to get a picture of what schools are out there and what programs each school offers,” says Susie Klein, a Realtor® with The Goodhart Group with Compass real estate brokerage in Alexandria. “I then suggest they use social media to find out more about the school community.

Many PTAs have Facebook pages that promote the happenings in the school.

There are also neighborhood groups where a buyer can find out more about the community and satisfaction with the school.”

CHALLENGES FOR SELLERS AND LISTING AGENTS Families are often overwhelmed with work, school and kids’ activities, so adding a move in the mix can be difficult.

“I explain to parents that in order to get the top end of their price point or a full price offer, we need to spend the time or money to be sure the home is showing at its absolute best,” says Curtis. “For example, it may cost $200 to $400 to have someone clean and organize for you, but if you don’t, it could cost thousands in a lower asking price.”

Among the biggest challenges for sellers moving with kids is staging the house and maintaining a pristine condition to attract buyers.

“I ask that almost all the toys, with the exception of one large storage bin filled with their favorites, be put into storage,” says Busch. “The children

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can bring out this large bin between showings. If a showing is requested, then all the toys, books, etc. can be easily thrown into this bin and put into a storage room or garage.”

Pessel suggests designating one room as the playroom to keep the rest of the house completely toy-free. If that doesn’t work, she encourages families to rent a storage unit during the move.

“The amount of kids’ belongings will help determine if attic storage, a storage unit rental or a POD is the best option,” says Hogan. “Helping your kids pick out their favorite things in different categories, such as dolls, art supplies, large toys and books, allows them to be part of the process and gives them the chance to make the decision on what stays and what will be meeting them in their next home.”

If possible, Hogan suggests that sellers put their home on the market close to the end of the week and take a vacation to ease the frustration of needing to leave often during the popular first weekend on the market.

Depending on their age, it can be tough to get kids to cooperate with the frustrations of selling, such as keeping their rooms clean and frequently leaving the house.

“With younger kids, I kneel and ask if they have any ideas for how they can help keep the house clean,” says Pessel.

“This helps the child feel like they’re part of the process and lets them think they’re coming up with these things on their own.

That encourages them to do their part.”

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Older kids usually understand why they need to help, but Pessel says incentivizing kids works at any age.

“I suggest having the kids work off a token system for keeping the house clean while the home is on the market,” says Busch. “They can earn poker chips for completed chores, so when a showing is requested, they can take the kids out for ice cream or have them ‘spend’ their tokens at a store.”

Sometimes the agent is the one providing incentives to get kids to cooperate.

“I had a family with four children ages 7 to 14 and a nearly wild poodle move from a little home to a big home,” says Gray.

“At the end of the process, I fulfilled my promise and gave them gift cards for doing everything I asked of them. It worked out great and everyone was happy.”

NAR’s research found that sellers with children are more likely to need to sell their home urgently (23%) compared to sellers with no children at home (14%).

The top three priorities for sellers with children were for their agents to sell within a specific timeframe, to help price the home competitively and to market the home.

Most buyers and sellers with children found their agent by referral, so providing emotional and practical support for your clients with families can lead to a growing network of clients.

Michele Lerner, a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. area, has been writing about real estate and personal finance for more than 20 years.

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nar buyer-seller data

NAR SURVEY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA BUYERS EXPLORES LOCATION PREFERENCES ADULT COMPOSITION OF HOUSEHOLD

(Percent of Respondents) Quality of the neighborhood

ALL BUYERS

MARRIED COUPLE

SINGLE FEMALE

SINGLE MALE

UNMARRIED COUPLE

CHILDREN IN HOME OTHER

CHILDREN UNDER 18 IN HOME

NO CHILDREN IN HOME

71%

70%

86%

50%

10%

*

79%

65%

Convenient to job

66

67

59

67

10

100

70

65

Overall affordability of homes

41

39

41

33

*

100

35

44

Convenient to friends/family

36

34

50

33

50

*

30

41

Quality of the school district

37

45

9

33

60

*

61

22

Design of neighborhood

32

32

32

50

30

*

28

36

Convenient to shopping

38

39

41

33

*

*

42

35

Convenient to schools

33

39

23

17

50

*

62

13

Convenient to vet/outdoor space for pet

18

16

18

33

70

*

14

21

Convenient to entertainment/leisure activities

35

32

45

50

30

*

24

43

Convenient to parks/recreational facilities

32

35

27

17

80

*

39

27

Availability of larger lots or acreage

14

15

5

17

60

*

18

12

Convenient to health facilities

10

11

9

*

30

*

8

11

Home in a planned community

8

8

9

*

30

*

10

7

Convenient to public transportation

36

39

32

*

10

*

35

39

Convenient to airport

20

20

18

17

30

*

20

22

Walkability

33

33

27

33

30

*

34

32

Access to bike paths

18

19

18

17

40

*

21

18

Other

3

4

5

*

20

*

3

4

* Less than 1 percent.

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Source: National Association of Realtors® Research Division 2019 Northern Virginia Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

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fairtechnology housing

FAIR HOUSING DECLARATION Source: National Association of Realtors®

I AGREE TO: Provide equal professional service without regard to the race, color, religion, gender(sex), disability (handicap), familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity of any prospective client, customer, or of the residents of any community.

Document my efforts to provide professional service, which will assist me in becoming a more responsive and successful REALTOR®.

Refuse to tolerate non-compliance.

Learn about those who are different from me and celebrate those differences.

Keep informed about fair housing law and practices, improving my clients’ and customers’ opportunities and my business.

Develop advertising that indicates that everyone is welcome and no one is excluded, expanding my client’s and customer’s opportunities to see, buy, or lease property.

Take a positive approach to fair housing practices and aspire to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law.

Develop and implement fair housing practices for my firm to carry out the spirit of this declaration.

Inform my clients and customers about their rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws by providing brochures and other information.

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new members

Welcome New Members Khalil Abdelmoumen Phyllis Ahlman Musaffa Akhawan Shukur Al-Hasani Sidiqullah Asim Lida Assareh Anthony Athanason Mursal Attai Adeela Awan Kulsum Aziz Timothy Bae Ian Barr Ashley Becker Ana Bejarano Oxana Belskaya Robert Bender Bruce Bennard Dan Benson Hailemariam Berhe Juliana Borba

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Matilde Bradbury Radu Bujoreanu John Buss Lisa Cameron Chekesha Catlin Kylee Chay Baback Chiniforoushan Jonathan Chvala Faiqa Clark Cassandra Coleman Shea Cousin Jannelle Cunningham Hye Ok Daigle John Daly Alberta Davies-Doe Brenda Denny Milagro de la Paz Torres de Zelaya Heba Diab Alex Diaz

Farzin Djafarnia John Dominick Shahin Ehteshami Dorelba Estrada Ahmad Exeer Kayleen Fields Rebecca Fitzgerald Noel Flores Timothy Florio Walter Foster IV Gladinell Fuentes-Nevarez Gaurav Ghai Devon Gibson Pablito Go Paulina Gomez-Larroque Amalia Munoz Gonzalez Gregoria Gonzalez-Ramos Cynthia Graham Jonathan Graham Lori Graham

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Maria Gravina Audrey Graziano Vanessa Gregg Greg Gutmeir Christina Harrington Ralph Harvey III Yassine Hasan Rebecca Haughian Anne House Henrich Randall Herbst Jr. Sean Hopkins Aeryn Jeffery Zobair Karzai Lonnie Kelley Jr. Kevin Khim Valeriya Khoroshun Jennifer-Claire Kinchen Jawaid Kotwal John Krotzer Elsie Labarete

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new technology members

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP AT NVAR.COM/SHOPREALTOR Anh Le Amy Lee Alicia Levy Randall Lewis Han Lin Patrick Ludwick Elisabeth Magloire Gladys Makayat Bhawna Malhotra Reza Malik Barbara Maloney Brandan Martini Mariam Mattin Rory Medrano Sameera Merzaie Michael Miller Aaram Millones Erich Molina Sheila Molina Janel Moore

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Michelle Morris Ellen Mosher Muoki Musau Swaminathan Nithiyanandham Daniel Nyce Elizabeth O’Hare Anthony Quiroz Olivares Carmen Oliver Prisila Otazo Ticona Eun Park Yadira Pena-Goncalves Sally Pencikowski Lisa Pham Tima Phan Ali Pourghassemi Samir Qreitem Joseph Quinn Michael Quintanilla-Linares Tyler Ramos Megan Reed

Mihnea Rotariu Jaspinder Sahota Sunnie Salvia Perry Sanders Kurt Schwartz Leila Seirafi Jonathan Shafran Joseph Shieh Zachary Silvey Liz Singanong Rana Smith Paul Sneeringer III Chuck Stanton Samuel Sterling Jonathan Stevens Neil Stygar Shirley Tennyson Alexis Teska Darlene Travagline Samuel Umanzor

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Leyla Uzer Angel Valecillos Rios Gabriel Valladolid Thuy Anh Vu Jonathan Watkins Leo Watts Melissa Weakley Ashton White Mark White Mary White Kenneth Williams Chantal Winstead Jasmine Wise Mark Wolf Dunia Woodward Kevin Wulff Jun Yang Lan Zhong Allen Zhou

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young professionals

Déjà Vu All Over Again!

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK HOSTS FOURTH ANNUAL SPEED NETWORKING EVENT

By Diana Costa

THE NVAR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK (YPN) kickstarted its 2020 year with the group’s most popular event – the annual speed networking happy hour. More than 70 attendees came out to Punchbowl Social in Arlington on February 26 to network with colleagues and to meet the 2020 YPN chair, vice-chair and advisory group members.

REACH OUT TO A 2020 YPN ADVISORY TEAM MEMBER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YPN: Sergio Blumen, Peter Braun, Felicia Brewster, Brian Comey, Michelle Doherty, Casey Menish, Chris Miller, April Myers, Vance Nguyen, Alex Norcini, Roger Rojas, Aisha Sayeda, Casey Sutherland, Katrina Thomas and Rob Wittman.

LEARN MORE:

SAVE THE DATE

APRIL 24 | 10 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. YPN is teaming up with the Professional Standards Advisory Group and the Education Advisory Group for a Fair Housing event. The program will include informational speakers and a leadership panel who will discuss and answer questions regarding Fair Housing scenarios that Realtors® experience in the field. Bring your trivia knowledge as there will be an engaging game of Kahoot!

NVAR.com/YPN | Facebook.com/nvarypn | @nvarypn on Instagram

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young professionals

With table questions such as, “Do you have an elevator speech?” and “What are you doing for personal growth outside of your comfort zone?” participants shared their business tips and tricks while making new professional connections.

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Event attendees rotated between tables and rooms to network with new attendees, which included Realtors ® and service provider members.

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Diana Costa is the NVAR associate director of leadership development & executive assistant to the CEO.

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book review NAR LIBRARY BOOK ‘RE+VIEW’

‘Start With Why’ SIMON SINEK’S BEST-SELLER UNLOCKS THE SECRET TO INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP

By Christine Richardson

The first in a new series, this book review explores one of the tens of thousands of titles available as part of your association membership.

Visit nar.realtor/library-archives to learn more about this valuable member benefit.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT why you do what you do? Or why clients choose you over other Realtors® when they are deciding with whom to list or buy? In his best-selling book, “Start With Why,” Simon Sinek describes a startling discovery. It turns out that all great and inspiring leaders and organizations in the world think, act, and communicate in the same way. And it’s the exact opposite to everyone else.

Most people market like this: they say what they do and then they say how they’re better than others at what they do, and then they expect some sort of behavior from their prospect as a result.

For example, “I list and sell homes, and I can sell your home faster and for more money than other agents. Would you like to hire me?” In other words, they start with What and then they move to How. What’s missing is Why. Everyone knows What they do. Most people (but not all) can tell you How they do it. Very few can tell you Why. That’s what makes great and inspiring leaders and organizations different.

Instead of starting with What and then moving to How, they flip it. They start with Why, move to How, and then talk about What. Suppose instead you said, “I believe that selling a home should be one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of your lifetime. Throughout the process, I will always listen intently to what matters most to you and pledge to keep you fully informed about progress. Together, you 32

and I will respond to market conditions in order to get you the best possible outcome.

Would you like to talk about getting your home sold?”

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Without a strong Why, we’re all commodities.

The differentiation between us and our competition doesn’t happen in the Whats.

It happens in the Whys and in the Hows.

Price and features matter, but they do not set the course and they do not inspire behavior. Those who start with Why never manipulate; they inspire. When people buy into your Why, they choose to work with you because it just feels right.

They don’t have to have a good rationale.

The goal is not to work with everyone who wants to buy or sell a home. The goal is to work with people who believe what you believe.

Your Why should be broad and should influence everything you say and everything you do. Your Why is a core belief. It’s what gets you out of bed in the morning. (By the way, your Why is never “to make money.” That is always an outcome, not a belief.)

Once you know your Why, it will guide everything you do and every decision you make – from how to invest your MAR+APR 2020

marketing dollars to how to spend your time. What you do should always be proof of your Why. So, start thinking about this and ask yourself, “What is my Why?” It isn’t something you can copy from a friend or from a top producer in your office. It’s inside of you. It’s a core belief. It’s who you are and why you do what you do.

Remember, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. If you’re struggling with identifying what your own Why is, perhaps after reading the book “Start With Why,” you could go back to NAR’s member library and check out Simon Sinek’s companion book, “Find Your Why.” I highly recommend both books!

Would you like to be our next book “RE+View-er”? Email re+view@nvar.com to learn more.

Christine Richardson is NVAR’s immediate past president and an agent with Weichert, Realtors® in Great Falls.

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nvar cares awards

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ces products

Robots, Smart Homes, AI – Oh My! NVAR TECH TEAM REVIEWS CES 2020 PRODUCTS

By Steve Russell

EACH YEAR IN LAS VEGAS, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) debuts the latest products and technologies – setting the global stage for the most innovative consumer electronics in the marketplace. In January, REALTOR® Magazine reviewed the top smart home tech offerings from CES 2020. The NVAR tech team, consisting of Associate Director of Digital Communication Steve Russell and Associate Director of Digital Engagement Leo Mofunanya, has narrowed down the list to some of the most relevant products for Realtors® to explore.

The five products featured here were chosen based on how Realtors® could use them not only in their own homes, but also as unique selling points or added amenities in a listing.

#5 GE Kitchen Hub Microwave/ventilation combo Smart 27” display Three built-in cameras with AI powered computer vision Tech Team: This installed product requires more of a commitment/investment, but my goodness is this thing cool. The GE Kitchen hub is a smart microwave that has a beautiful 27” display instead of the traditional microwave viewing window. That means you can prepare a meal on the stove while binging the Great British Bake Off on the microwave display above! You don’t have to worry about getting too distracted, because the built-in cameras will monitor food and oven temp. This is one of the coolest “futuristic” items on the list that we can absolutely see becoming a norm in new high-tech homes in the next few years.

#4 Vision Smart Lock Multiple ways to enter a home, even without keys Alerts owner if tampered with Intercom system for two-way communication with a smart device Tech Team: We really like the Vision Smart Lock because who hasn’t forgotten their keys? We have heard negative opinions about smart locks related to safety, so the added features, such as alerting the owner on entry, allay some of those concerns. The intercom system is useful and so is the ability to assign guest keycodes. A Realtor® showing a home with this feature has a great selling point to mention even before walking through the front door.

#3 Knectek Townew Automatic Trash Can Senses when trash is full Opens lid when it is time to change bag When bag is removed, it auto replaces the liner and closes the lid Tech Team: The automatic trash can might seem like a stretch as a smart device, but could be a cool addition in an already high-tech home. What a great conversation starter: “Look how high-tech this home is – even the trash bin is smart!” This could be an excellent closing gift for the technology-focused buyer.

Interested in more NVAR tech resources? Visit NVAR.com/TechPortal

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Steve Russell is NVAR associate director of digital communications.

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ces products #2 Wayzn Smart Sliding Glass Door Opener Can be controlled via mobile app or smart speaker Integrates with smart cameras and sensors Can send notification when in use Alexa and Nest compatible Tech Team: This is one of our favorite product on the list. It provides the convenience of a pet door, while giving owners greater control. It offers pet owners the option of remotely opening the door at a set time instead of letting pets come and go as they please (although that is still an option). This way, owners can be prepared for rainy days and maybe keep muddy paw prints to a minimum. We can also see this being a cool tool for training pets about coming in and out of the house. Plus, this feels a little more safe and secure than just a flap in the door.

#1 Samsung Ballie Smart Robot/Home companion Auto detects users or pets Can assist or command other home smart tech Tech Team: The REALTOR® Magazine article put it perfectly when describing this as the closest thing yet to Rosie the robot from “The Jetsons.” This is definitely not a “starter” tech device, as home owners need to have other smart devices already in the home to make use of it, but we think Ballie is cool. As smart home tech becomes more the norm, devices like Ballie are going to help the user manage all of their tech tools. If Realtors® have listings with a lot of smart tech already installed, this would be an excellent device to showcase what the house can do.

It will even tell your Roomba or other smart vacuum to clean up before the next showing appointment! Let’s be honest, it’s really cute, too.

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sentrilock

I ♥ SentriLock

SOLD-OUT EVENT EXAMINES BEST PRACTICES FOR SHOWINGS AND ACCESS

By Kate O’Toole

ON VALENTINE’S DAY, NVAR Realtors® celebrated their love for professionalism with a sold-out program about SentriLock best practices at NVAR’s Fairfax Headquarters – hosted by the NVAR Professional Standards Advisory Group.

With gift-card giveaways, mocktails, heart-shaped donuts and themed trivia, the program proved that professionalism and following the rules can be fun! Rob Wittman, associate broker with Keller Williams Realty Falls Church, presented and invited discussion from the audience on topics such as showing instructions, sharing a property in an unexclusive showing and access during home inspections.

Test your SentriLock knowledge by completing the quiz taken by event attendees:

1. TRUE OR FALSE: NVAR still sells the NXT (blue) boxes.

2. USING A SENTRILOCK LOCKBOX TO ACCESS A PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION IS: A. A violation of the Code of Ethics B. A violation of the SentriLock Rules C. A violation of the Code of Ethics and the SentriLock Rules D. Not a violation

3. TRUE OR FALSE: One-Day Codes were approved so members can provide their buyer clients with access to properties in their absence.

4. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WILL BE RETIRED BY SENTRILOCK IN 2022?

A. SentriKey Mobile App B. SentriCards C. One-Day Codes D. Call Before Showing Codes

5. TRUE OR FALSE: If a property is vacant, you have automatically been given permission to access the property at any time.

Answer Key: 1 – False; 2 – C; 3 – False; 4 – B; 5 – False; 6 – D; 7 – C; 8 – True; 9 – True 38

6. IF A LISTING AGENT OR THE SELLER FINDS AN OPEN LOCKBOX WITH A KEY MISSING, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISSING KEY? A. The listing agent B. The seller C. The buyer’s agent D. The person who last accessed the box per the access log

7. WHEN AN AGENT ARRIVES BEFORE THEIR APPOINTMENT AND WANTS ACCESS DURING YOUR SCHEDULED SHOWING, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? A. Give them the key without verifying that they have accessed the lockbox.

B. Return the key to the lockbox and let the agent into the property.

C. Return the key to the lockbox and politely instruct them to retrieve it.

D. Use colorful language to tell them to go away :)

8. TRUE OR FALSE: It is the responsibility of the listing agent to verify that a party is licensed prior to issuing them a One-Day Code.

9: TRUE OR FALSE: Unauthorized access and poor showing practices can tarnish the reputations of all Realtors®.

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Valentine’s Day was off to a sugary-sweet start at NVAR’s Fairfax Headquarters with themed mocktails, heart-shaped donuts and flavored popcorn to snack on during the program.

Learn more about lockboxes, including SentriLock FAQ, at NVAR.com/ SentriLock.

Kate O’Toole is the NVAR digital content manager & senior editor.

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sentrilock

With over 90 people in attendance – and most dressed in red and pink – the love for SentriLock was in the air during the Valentine’s Day session!

To close out the program, the audience used their cell phones to participate in trivia and test their SentriLock knowledge.

Revised Regional Rules and Regulations for the SentriLock Lockbox System Effective March 1, 2020

By Matthew L. Troiani, Esq.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®, Blue Ridge Association of Realtors®, Dulles Area Association of Realtors®, Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors®, Greater Piedmont Realtors®, and Realtors® Association of Prince William have all recently approved revisions to the Regional Rules and Regulations for the SentriLock Lockbox System (the “Rules”). The Rules were revised and updated to ensure that they are clearer, more concise, conform to current practice, and ease member compliance while providing safeguards to members and their clients in providing access to properties. The revised Rules take effect on March 1, 2020.

The Rules were last revised in 2016. Since then, several participating associations, including NVAR, have revised their policies regarding oneday codes, personal assistant cards and affiliate member cards. NVAR has received feedback from members via the

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Legal Hotline as well as the Grievance and Professional Standards Committees that the Rules are difficult to understand and comply with. The CEOs and staff from the participating associations met last year to discuss ways to improve the Rules. NVAR took the lead in revising the Rules in consultation with the other participating associations and feedback from volunteer leaders.

The revisions ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and implement. The revisions do not substantively change how the SentriLock Lockbox System is used. The Rules are still based on the principle that the owner of the property gets to determine on what basis access to the property may be provided.

The definitions are clearer and used consistently throughout the Rules.

SentriCard® and SentriSmart® Apps are now collectively referred to as a “Key.” Call-Before-Showing and OneDay Codes are now clearly defined.

The document has been reorganized to avoid the necessity to cross-reference

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sections. Acts prohibited under the Rules can now be found in one section with clear statements on what users may or may not do. The separate set of rules for Personal Assistants and Affiliate Members are now a section in one set of rules while clarifying that these users are still subject to association jurisdiction and the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual.

The revisions accomplished simplification and clarification while decreasing the length to eight total sections in less than six pages! The revised Rules can be found on the NVAR website at NVAR.com/rules.

Stay tuned for additional information, training and videos. Please do not hesitate to contact the Legal Hotline with any questions at NVAR.com/ LegalHotline.

Matthew L. Troiani, Esq. is vice president of professional development and chief counsel.

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realtor® ethics

NVAR

REALTOR HUB ®

Your Membership. Your Building.

Your Experience.

NVAR has redesigned the first floor of its Fairfax Headquarters to create the NVAR Realtor® Hub. Through every stage of your transaction and aspect of your business, the NVAR Realtor® Hub is your place to connect, discover and collaborate.

Visit the NVAR Realtor® Hub today!

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realtor® ethics

New Experiences Co-work and mingle in a collaborative workspace

Grab a latte and browse the updated Realtor® Shop

Explore the latest real estate technologies

Discover the benefits of your membership

Experience the all-new Onboarding Process

Get to know your Member Engagement Team

®

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realtor® school With continuing education, professional development, certifications and designations, and additional classes that Take You Further, the Realtor® School enables you to best serve your clients and achieve business success. Look for a Shop Realtor® icon to determine how the Realtor® School can help you grow professionally.

Broker Pre-Licensing BROKER PRE-LICENSING Broker Pre-Licensing: Finance (45 hours) 9 am - 5 pm March 26...................................Fairfax

Your First Year POST-LICENSING EDUCATION (PL) New Member Orientation 9 am - 1 pm March 9.....................................Fairfax March 28...................................Herndon April 14......................................Fairfax April 30......................................Herndon 6 - 10 pm April 14......................................Fairfax Fair Housing 6 - 7:45 pm March 2.....................................Fairfax 10 am - 12 pm April 20......................................Fairfax Current Industry and Trends 7:45 - 9:30 pm March 2.....................................Fairfax

The Business Management represents all the icon courses you need to earn and maintain your license as required by DPOR. The Personal Success icon showcases classes that take you above and beyond to achieve certifications, designations, and other specialized training.

The Client Presentation icon highlights Bright MLS courses that hone your Multiple Listing Service expertise.

Check out more resources at

NVAR.com/ShopRealtor.

1 - 3 pm April 20......................................Fairfax Agency Law 6 - 9 pm March 3.....................................Fairfax 9am-12pm April 6........................................Fairfax Financing Options for Residential, Commercial and Land 6 - 9 pm March 4.....................................Fairfax 10 am - 12 pm April 21......................................Fairfax Ethics 6 - 9:30 pm March 9.....................................Fairfax 1-4pm April 6........................................Fairfax Risk Management 6 - 9:30 pm March 10...................................Fairfax

9 am - 12 pm April 14......................................Fairfax Escrows and Protecting Other People’s Money 6 - 9:30 pm March 11...................................Fairfax 1 - 4 pm April 14......................................Fairfax Contract Writing 6 - 9:30 pm March 16-17..............................Fairfax

Maintaining Your License CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) CE: 16-hour Course (4 evenings) 6 - 9:30 pm March 17 (part 1)....................... Herndon March 19 (part 2)....................... Herndon March 24 (part 3)....................... Herndon March 26 (part 4)....................... Herndon April 14 (part 1).......................... Fairfax April 16 (part 2).......................... Fairfax April 14 (part 3).......................... Fairfax April 23 (part 4).......................... Fairfax CE: 16-hour Course (Day 1) 8:45 am - 4:45 pm March 21...................................Fairfax April 18...................................... Herndon CE: 16-hour Course (Day 2) 8:45am-4:45pm March 14...................................Fairfax April 11...................................... Herndon CE: 8-hour Mandated Course 8:45am-4:45pm March 5.....................................Herndon April 1........................................ Fairfax CE Elective: New Rules of Real Estate Finance 8:45 am - 12:25 pm March 4.....................................Herndon CE Elective: Green Building Course 1 - 4:45 pm March 4.....................................Herndon CE Specialty: Architecture, Styles, Building Nomenclature and Materials 9 am - 12 pm March 12...................................Fairfax CE Elective: Buyer Beware - Foreclosed & Neglected Properties 8:45 am - 12:25 pm April 2........................................ Fairfax CE Elective: Basements, Foundations & Crawl Space Issues 1-4:45pm April 2........................................ Fairfax

9 am - 4 pm April 7........................................Fairfax Real Estate Law & Board Regulations 6 - 9:30 pm March 23-24..............................Fairfax 9 am - 4 pm April 13......................................Fairfax

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realtor® school

Taking It Further DC CE Fair Housing 9 am - 12:15 pm March 10.................................... Fairfax DC Legislative Update 1 - 4:15 pm March 10.................................... Fairfax

MARYLAND CE Ins & Outs of Mortgages 9:30 am - 12:30 pm March 4...................................... Fairfax Maryland Fair Housing 1:15 - 2:45 pm March 4...................................... Fairfax Maryland Legislative Update 9:30 am - 12:30 pm April 8......................................... Fairfax 1031 Exchanges 1:15 - 2:45 pm April 8......................................... Fairfax Maryland Code of Ethics 10 am - 1 pm April 24 ...................................... Fairfax

BROKER CE Brokerage Risk, Liability & Supervision 8:45 am - 12:25 pm March 11...................................Fairfax April 15......................................Fairfax Production Agents & Profitable Offices 1 - 4:45 pm March 11...................................Fairfax April 15......................................Fairfax

FEATURED OFFERINGS

*Registration through Bright MLS

BRIGHT MLS

Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation (SRES) 2 Days 9 am - 5 pm March 2 - 3.......... Sunrise Senior Living

Homesnap Pro 10 – 11 am March 9.....................................Herndon April 27...................................... Fairfax

GRI 502: Sales Contracts 9 am - 4 pm March 5.....................................Fairfax

Making the Most of Remine Pro 11 am – 12 pm March 9..................................... Herndon April 27...................................... Fairfax

VHDA Real Estate Professional Training 10 am - 12 pm March 11...................................Herndon Getting Started with RPR® 10 am - 12 pm March 12...................................Herndon April 10......................................Fairfax The Best in the Buiness – Making the Most of Your RPR® Reports 10 am - 12 pm March 19...................................Herndon Realtor® 007: Don’t Be a Secret Agent 1:30 - 4:30 pm March 25...................................Fairfax April 15......................................Herndon

CMAs - Setting the Right Price 1 – 2:30 pm March 9.....................................Herndon April 27...................................... Fairfax Bright MLS Orientation 10 – 11am March 23...................................Fairfax Intro to Bright MLS 11 am – 12:30 pm March 23...................................Fairfax Managing Listings and Sellers 1:30 – 3:30 pm March 23...................................Fairfax

Short Sales & Foreclosures Resource Certification (SFR) 9 am - 5 pm April 1........................................Fairfax Accredited Buyer Representative Course (2 Days) 8:30 am - 5 pm April 6-7.....................................Fairfax Discovering Commercial Real Estate 9 am - 12 pm April 8........................................Fairfax Commercial Leasing Course 1 - 3 pm April 8........................................Fairfax GRI 504: Working with Buyers 9 am - 4 pm April 9........................................Herndon 5 C’s of a Successful Farming Strategy with RPR® 10 am - 12 pm April 17......................................Fairfax

FAIRFAX HQ ACCESSIBILITY: Underground parking is available with direct access to lower level classrooms. Elevator is available, accessible from main entrance on building’s west side.

To register for a course listed, view a class description or find other offerings, visit

RealtorSchool.com

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service providers

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Realtors® Federal Credit Union Lori Day 703-709-8900

1031 EXCHANGE

Realty Exchange Corporation.............................................................. William Horan......................................... 703-754-9411

ASSOCIATIONS

The Rotonda Condominium Unit Owners Association....................... Autumn Fields......................................... 703-821-8100

COMMISSION ADVANCE

Commission Express........................................................................... John Stedman......................................... 703-560-5500

FINANCIAL

1st Preference Mortgage.................................................................... Steve Stratos........................................... 703-858-4558 Ameris Bank Mortgage Services........................................................ Patrick Maloney...................................... 703-466-4050 Ameris Bank Mortgage Services........................................................ John Slye................................................. 703-466-4010 Atlantic Union Bank............................................................................ Tom Ciolkosz............................................ 703-871-2100 Atlantic Union Bank............................................................................ John French............................................. 703-871-2100 BB&T................................................................................................... Frank Donnelly......................................... 703-405-2104 BB&T Mortgage.................................................................................. Kevin Connelly......................................... 703-855-7403 Caliber Home Loans............................................................................ Christopher Miller................................... 703-599-3504 Citizens One Home Loans................................................................... Daniel Aminoff........................................ 703-245-3477 Citizens One Home Loans................................................................... Katie Wayne............................................703-245-3465 Concierge Mortgage LLC.................................................................... Amare Merz............................................. 410-771-3800 CrossCountry Mortgage...................................................................... Scott Davis.............................................. 703-209-3138 Embrace Home Loans, Inc................................................................... Mariana Montalvo.................................. 800-333-3004 Embrace Home Loans, Inc................................................................... Victoria Kiser..........................................703-328-7238 Embrace Home Loans, Inc................................................................... Shawn Barsness...................................... 828-506-0487 Fairfax Lending.................................................................................... Pawan Gupta........................................... 703-349-0363 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation..................................... Rob Heltzel.............................................. 703-368-9248 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation..................................... Kelly Katalinas........................................ 703-868-9103 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation..................................... Nicole Wilkes.......................................... 571-261-3462 George Mason Mortgage LLC............................................................. Kirk Curran............................................... 703-273-2600 George Mason Mortgage LLC............................................................. Brian Kempf............................................. 571-309-4911 George Mason Mortgage LLC............................................................. Andrew Siddon........................................ 703-802-5398 George Mason Mortgage LLC............................................................. Holly Silas............................................... 703-259-0835 Langley Mortgage............................................................................... Tammy Gelles.......................................... 757-224-4792 Member Advantage Mortgage........................................................... John Springer.......................................... 703-236-7625 Merscope Holdings, Inc...................................................................... Laurinda Clemente.................................. 703-328-4080 Movement Mortgage.......................................................................... Stacey Barowich..................................... 703-629-6678 MVB Mortgage................................................................................... William Kinberg...................................... 202-669-0600 MVB Mortgage................................................................................... Lyn Gundogdu..........................................703-254-8080 Planet Home Lending.......................................................................... Jean Allen............................................... 571-275-9310 Prime Lending..................................................................................... Doug Enger.............................................. 571-442-5193 Prime Lending..................................................................................... Samuel Hogan......................................... 540-478-5803 Revolutionary Mortgage Company..................................................... N. Tyndale Cobb......................................301-620-0220 Revolutionary Mortgage Company..................................................... Smith Cobb.............................................. 301-620-0220 Sandy Spring Bank.............................................................................. Michael Eastman.................................... 571-327-2145 TD Bank............................................................................................... Richard Eul.............................................. 703-967-8845 The Federal Savings Bank................................................................... Sonal Gupta............................................. 703-996-4364 USA Loans........................................................................................... Paula Cano.............................................. 571-244-7956 Valley National Bank Residential Mortgage...................................... Stan Schnippel........................................ 703-615-7373 VHDA................................................................................................... Michael Urban......................................... 804-343-5583 VHDA................................................................................................... Toni Ostrowski......................................... 800-227-8432 VHDA................................................................................................... Dan Kern.................................................. 804-343-5992 VHDA .................................................................................................. Regina Pinkney........................................ 804-343-5748 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.............................................................. Kelley May, NMLSR ID 455117...............703-442-5320 Wells Fargo Private Mortgage............................................................ Javier Gonzalez, NMLSR ID 1089141..... 571-283-9076 Wells Fargo Private Mortgage............................................................ Clarry Ellis, NMLSR ID 837846............... 813-420-3016 Wells Fargo Private Mortgage............................................................ Amy O’Dell, NMLSR ID 1006440............ 703-969-6348 Southern Trust Mortgage.................................................................... Michael McNamara................................ 443-864-1150

INSURANCE SERVICES

Victor Schinnerer & Co., Inc................................................................ Eric Myers............................................... 301-951-5495 Welch, Graham, & Ogden Insurance, Inc............................................ Bill Angle................................................. 703-530-1300

LEGAL SERVICES

Beau Brincefield, Jr............................................................................. Beau Brincefield...................................... 703-549-4820 Dunlap, Bennett, & Ludwig PLLC........................................................ George Hawkins...................................... 703-442-3890 Fairchild Law PLC................................................................................ Pamela Fairchild...................................... 571-271-4070 Fidelity National Law Group............................................................... Michael Tompkins................................... 703-245-0286 Friedlander, Friedlander & Earman PC................................................ Jerome Friedlander................................. 703-893-9600 Joseph A. Cerroni, Esq........................................................................ Joseph Cerroni........................................ 703-941-3000

Law Office of Ann-Lewise Shaw........................................................ Ann-Lewise Shaw................................... 703-774-7626 Pesner Altmiller Melnick & DeMers PLC ........................................... Susan Pesner........................................... 703-506-9440 S & T Law Group................................................................................. Toula Dreifuss......................................... 703-997-0917 S & T Law Group................................................................................. Sarah Petcher.......................................... 703-665-3584 Shannon, Mullins, & Wright LLP........................................................ Roy Shannon........................................... 571-620-1930 Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A.................................... Marc Lipman........................................... 301-230-5200

REAL ESTATE TRAINING/CONSULTING

BrokerWindow.................................................................................... Anne Wydler........................................... 703-851-4589 Integrant, Inc....................................................................................... Heber Garcia........................................... 703-272-8688

SETTLEMENT

Allied Title and Escrow....................................................................... Matt Paulson........................................... 703-567-7933 Bayer & Kaufman LLP......................................................................... Mark Bayer.............................................. 202-466-4747 BLG Title LLC....................................................................................... Joshua Bushman..................................... 703-845-9070 Boston National Title.......................................................................... Peppi Bolger............................................ 301-461-0789 Boston National Title.......................................................................... Jackie Kane............................................. 301-221-6616 Boston National Title.......................................................................... Stuart Cudaback-Cox............................... 703-672-5771 Central Title & Escrow, Inc.................................................................. Jennifer Ploutis....................................... 703-658-1300 Champion Title & Settlements............................................................ Jessica Youngs........................................ 703-385-4555 Classic Settlements............................................................................ Joe Detrick.............................................. 301-921-2667 Classic Settlements............................................................................ Andrea Martinez-Conte........................... 703-988-6015 Classic Settlements............................................................................ Stephanie Brewer................................... 301-921-2667 Classic Settlements............................................................................ Joseph Russo Jr...................................... 703-988-6015 Cobalt Settlement LLC........................................................................ Jeff Nowak.............................................. 703-646-1000 Double Eagle Title............................................................................... Barbara Rhodes....................................... 703-922-0880 Double Eagle Title............................................................................... Diann Burns............................................. 703-992-0880 Double Eagle Title .............................................................................. Georgina Clough...................................... 703-992-0291 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Lisa Mitchell............................................ 703-448-3556 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Marcus Simon......................................... 703-821-3556 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Todd Condron.......................................... 703-537-0800 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... E. Sheldon Leggett.................................. 703-481-6200 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Nana Yeboah........................................... 703-448-3556 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Jon Lyon..................................................888-821-3556 Ekko Title LLC...................................................................................... Mark Barrett............................................ 703-573-3556 Key Title.............................................................................................. Steven Sacks........................................... 703-522-3900 KVS Title LLC....................................................................................... Andrew DiPaola...................................... 240-500-5020 KVS Title LLC....................................................................................... Martin Stanton........................................ 301-605-1420 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Janna Wolff............................................ 703-123-4567 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Michelle Smith........................................ 703-279-1500 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Ryan Stuart.............................................. 703-739-0100 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Shannon Doyle........................................ 703-277-6883 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Dan Withers............................................ 703-966-3968 MBH Settlement Group L.C................................................................ Fred Westerlund......................................703-587-2423 Metropolitan Title LLC........................................................................ Sonia Downard........................................ 703-753-9005 Monarch Title, Inc............................................................................... Cary Melnyk............................................ 703-852-1730 Monarch Title, Inc............................................................................... Erin Rauner.............................................. 703-852-7700 National Settlement Services............................................................. Loretta Colom.......................................... 703-354-9677 New World Title & Escrow................................................................. Nicholas Vlissides................................... 703-691-4330 New World Title & Escrow................................................................. Helen Krause........................................... 703-691-4330 Pesner, Altmiller, Melnick & Demers.................................................. John Altmiller..........................................703-506-9440 Provident Title & Escrow LLC.............................................................. John Richter............................................ 703-451-6600 Realty Title Services of Tysons........................................................... Luisa White............................................. 703-790-1001 Republic Title, Inc................................................................................ Bob Malico.............................................. 703-916-1800 Resource Title LLC............................................................................... Kristi Bick................................................ 410-262-1039 RGS Title LLC....................................................................................... Nina Wolfe..............................................703-655-3077 Stewart Title And Escrow, Inc............................................................. Kamelia Sacks......................................... 703-352-2935 Strategic National Title Group............................................................ Sanam Vivansia.......................................703-637-9030 The Settlement Group, Inc.................................................................. Myrna Keplinger...................................... 703-642-6002 Titan Title............................................................................................ Sara Rodriguez........................................ 703-865-4999 Universal Title..................................................................................... Sarah Anderson....................................... 208-914-4667 Universal Title..................................................................................... Carrie Mock............................................. 703-354-2100 Universal Title..................................................................................... David Robertson...................................... 703-348-6533 Universal Title..................................................................................... Kelly Satterwhite.................................... 877-645-8319 Vesta Settlements............................................................................... Melissa Fones......................................... 571-236-3345 Vesta Settlements............................................................................... Keith Barrett............................................ 703-288-3333 Vesta Settlements............................................................................... Scott Mozingo......................................... 703-318-9333 Vesta Settlements............................................................................... Laurie Kauffman...................................... 703-314-6366 Vesta Settlements............................................................................... Nichole Jenkins....................................... 703-288-3333

MARKETING & TECHNOLOGY MARKETING/MEDIA

Changeover Media.............................................................................. John Gagliardi Jr..................................... 703-728-1230 NVA Signs & Striping.......................................................................... Brian Llewellyn........................................ 703-263-1940

REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY

3D-Virtual Group................................................................................. Kara Attari............................................... 571-406-2594 BTW images........................................................................................ Brian Woods............................................703-340-6383 Exposurely Photography...................................................................... Ashley Marks.......................................... 703-899-4129 HDBros................................................................................................ Bobby Cockerille...................................... 540-840-1388

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

DotLoop............................................................................................... Sarah Bittlinger....................................... 888-368-5667 HomeTech Services............................................................................. Yazan Jarrar............................................703-584-7729 Homevisit............................................................................................ Dave O’Brien........................................... 703-953-3866 Lone Wolf Technologies ..................................................................... Steve Mapes........................................... 800-668-8768 PunchList............................................................................................. Brock Pardo............................................. 843-532-2755 Realtor.com......................................................................................... Rhett Damon........................................... 312-513-1918 Realtor.com......................................................................................... Tricia Tough............................................. 800-878-4166 SentriLock LLC..................................................................................... Dan Kinzie............................................... 513-644-1511 SentriLock LLC..................................................................................... Stephen Vaughn...................................... 513-644-1708 TruPlace, Inc........................................................................................ Colleen Smith.......................................... 301-972-3201

Centralized Showing Service.............................................................. Robert Russell......................................... 866-949-4277

Learn more about NVAR Room Rental Opportunities at

NVAR.com/RoomRental

Interested in becoming an NVAR Partner or Service Provider, or have a correction to this list? Visit NVAR.com/services or email info@nvar.com.

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service providers Coffman

PROPERTY SERVICES

APPRAISAL

Able Appraisals LLC............................................................................ Victoria Defreitas....................................434-327-6568 AD Brown Appraisals.......................................................................... Alan Brown.............................................. 703-541-8212 Alan Lord and Associates, Inc............................................................ Alan Lord................................................. 703-768-1954 Allen Appraisals.................................................................................. Charles Allen...........................................540-664-1169 Amanda Rae Smith............................................................................. Amanda Smith......................................... 703-895-4993 Anthony Appraisers............................................................................ Michael Magnotti................................... 703-319-0500 Appraisal Works, Inc........................................................................... Dennis Park............................................. 703-906-8258 AREAS Appraisers, Inc........................................................................ Gilbert Rogers......................................... 703-866-6000 AREAS Appraisers, Inc........................................................................ Cindy Coffman......................................... 703-866-6000 Barish & Associates of Fredericksburg............................................... Stephen Barish........................................ 540-693-5373 BFM, Inc.............................................................................................. Robert Thompson.................................... 703-670-2586 Bruce W. Reyle and Company, Inc...................................................... Michael Jackie........................................ 703-273-7375 Capitol Appraisal Service, Inc............................................................. Richard Bowman..................................... 703-691-8800 CMS Appraisals, Inc........................................................................... Silvia Bennis............................................ 703-209-9123 Corelogic Platinum Valuation Solutions............................................. Sonja McWillliams.................................. 301-385-2511 D.S. Kim Appraisal Services LLC........................................................ Dongsik Kim............................................ 443-540-9987 DCO Appraisal Services, Inc............................................................... David Olynik............................................ 301-855-3886 Dickman & Associates........................................................................ John Dickman.......................................... 703-938-6633 Distinctive Homes Realty LLC............................................................. Michelle Gore.......................................... 540-338-4606 dm Appraisal LLC................................................................................ David Maeng........................................... 571-529-0534 ENL Appraisal Services....................................................................... Surendra Patel......................................... 301-660-7365 F & F Appraisals.................................................................................. Jerry Fleming........................................... 703-963-1743 Forte Appraisal Service, Inc................................................................ Anthony Forte.......................................... 703-542-6124 Fortune Appraisal Service................................................................... Wanda Graham.......................................571-449-6136 Gee Appraisers, Inc............................................................................. Robert Gumbrewicz................................. 703-451-9020 Heiner Appraisal, Inc.......................................................................... Despina Gellios....................................... 703-754-6110 Home Appraisers................................................................................ Thomas Runion........................................ 703-709-5695 JDC Appraisals, Inc............................................................................. Jeff Cunningham..................................... 301-438-3300 Kandhall Appraisal Services LLC........................................................ David Hall................................................ 571-455-2622 Karas, Inc............................................................................................ Melissa Jones......................................... 703-753-5635 Kinder Appraisal Services................................................................... Jill Kinder................................................ 703-268-0756 Marcia Novak & Associates LLC........................................................ Marcia Novak.......................................... 703-585-2615 Martin Cho.......................................................................................... Martin Cho.............................................. 703-795-5723 Monir Moshashaie.............................................................................. Monir Moshashaie.................................. 703-255-6451 Murray Appraisal Services................................................................. Tom Murray............................................. 703-673-6054 NVA Appraisal LLC.............................................................................. Jeffrey Kidwell........................................ 703-477-3178 NVA Appraisal LLC.............................................................................. Stephen Capistrant................................. 703-477-3178 Omni Appraisal Services..................................................................... John Chapman........................................ 703-591-4001 Omni Appraisal Services..................................................................... Nathalie Palmer...................................... 703-591-4001 Pemberley Appraisal........................................................................... Teresa Gilg.............................................. 703-618-7265 Real Estate Appraisals 4 You.............................................................. Diane Richard.......................................... 703-794-9118 Residential Appraisal Group, Inc........................................................ Dale Goodson.......................................... 703-777-7033 Residential Value Services................................................................. Daniel Swinney....................................... 540-347-4570 REX Appraisal Services....................................................................... Esther Omorodion.................................... 703-468-1123 RH Real Estate Appraising.................................................................. Richard Hayes......................................... 703-731-5040 Riverpoint Appraisals.......................................................................... Robert Riddell.......................................... 571-333-3747 RSG Commercial, Inc.......................................................................... James Ruffner......................................... 703-273-9106 Sandra A. Le Blanc.............................................................................. Sandra LeBlanc....................................... 703-629-6842 Stewart Jarrett Real Estate Appraisal and Consulting...................... Stewart Jarrett........................................ 703-671-3662 Suburban Appraisers & Consultants.................................................. James Loizou...........................................703-591-4200 Tech Appraisal Group LLC................................................................... Amy Switzer............................................ 703-631-1111 Walker Valuation Services.................................................................. Dan Mori................................................. 703-933-2010 Washington Appraisal Group, Inc....................................................... David Shin............................................... 703-813-8160 William C. Harvey & Associates......................................................... Richard Olsen.......................................... 703-759-6644 World Mortgage.................................................................................. Patricia Kearns........................................ 703-934-5502 Zeena Deeb......................................................................................... Zeena Deeb............................................. 703-964-7473

CARPET/FLOORING

Liberty Carpet One.............................................................................. Mark Bisbee............................................ 703-691-1616

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES/ NEW HOME BUILDERS

Alair Homes........................................................................................ Chad Hackmann...................................... 703-409-1280 Toll Brothers........................................................................................ Jill Dail....................................................703-346-1961

ENGINEERING SERVICES

Deska Services.................................................................................... Jim Maloney........................................... 703-457-6540

ENVIRONMENTAL & MOLD SERVICES

AART, Inc............................................................................................. Christine Sleigh Popeck.......................... 703-425-2822 Accurate Radon Testing...................................................................... Alexandra Bukowski................................ 703-242-3600 Capital Environmental Testing LLC..................................................... Todd Hix...................................................202-257-9291 Dominion Environmental Testing LLC................................................. Rex Brouillard.......................................... 703-496-3799 Guardian Radon.................................................................................. Terry Strange........................................... 703-425-7001 Madison Taylor Services, Inc. ............................................................ John Taylor.............................................. 877-932-7177 Radon Defense.................................................................................... Nicholas DeFelice................................... 703-688-3797 VESCO................................................................................................. Ken Conte................................................ 571-364-5400 VESCO................................................................................................. Gregory Caudill........................................ 703-722-8851

GUTTER REPAIR

Gagnon’s Gutterworks......................................................................... Timothy Gagnon......................................703-716-0377

HOME INSPECTION

Abode Check LLC................................................................................ Raquel Barrientos.................................... 703-255-6622 Alcova Home Inspections LLC............................................................. Thomas Ball............................................. 703-867-9565 All Pro Services LLC............................................................................ Sean Patti................................................ 703-385-1347 All Pro Services LLC............................................................................ Christopher Casanova............................. 703-385-1347 Anderson Inspection Consultant......................................................... Gary Anderson......................................... 301-855-3337 Anthony Elbert Lane............................................................................ Anthony Lane.......................................... 571-221-5756 Biller and Associates.......................................................................... Scott Biller............................................... 571-528-6817 Blue Horizon Home Inspections.......................................................... Tim Wiley................................................703-919-4785 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Scott Beckman........................................ 703-881-6617 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Kevin Curtin............................................. 571-436-6863 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Scott Fogelberg....................................... 703-881-6617 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Bradley Lowery........................................ 540-849-6956 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Ken Humphreys....................................... 703-881-6617 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Aaron Ellis............................................... 703-881-6617 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Doug Horton............................................ 703-881-6617

http://nvar.com/2002 RE+VIEW

BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Dean Heim............................................... 703-881-6617 BPG Inspections.................................................................................. Leo Heim................................................. 301-807-1261 Brahman Home Inspections................................................................ Samuel Lopez.......................................... 202-491-5499 Commonwealth Home Inspections LLC.............................................. Elizabeth Riddick..................................... 703-657-3207 Donofrio & Associates LLC................................................................. Donna Seeker.......................................... 703-771-8374 Donofrio & Associates LLC................................................................. PJ Moore................................................. 703-559-5111 FUCO Inspection LLC........................................................................... Chaofu Lee.............................................. 240-888-0219 House Inspection Associates.............................................................. Jiri George Danihel................................. 703-453-0442 House Master..................................................................................... Franklin Moyer........................................ 703-721-7220 Hurlbert Home Inspection................................................................... Seth Hurlbert........................................... 703-577-7127 InspectionPro LLC................................................................................ Andrew Renaux....................................... 540-455-9078 J Anlauf Home Inspections................................................................. Justin Anlauf...........................................540-514-9099 Master Home Inspection LLC.............................................................. Richard Park............................................ 703-851-3339 Max Home Inspections....................................................................... John Becci............................................... 703-447-0854 Merit Home Inspectors LLC................................................................ Alexander Aderton.................................. 703-589-6740 National Property Inspections............................................................ Christopher Nelson................................. 571-330-0974 NextDay Inspect.................................................................................. Alex Martinez.......................................... 703-450-6398 Pillar To Post Home Inspections.......................................................... Eric Boll...................................................703-657-3207 Pillar To Post Home Inspections.......................................................... Lisa Lloyd................................................. 703-520-1440 Pillar To Post Home Inspections.......................................................... Michael Ward-Dahl.................................703-402-2475 Pillar To Post Home Inspections.......................................................... Kevin Dougherty...................................... 703-291-0344 Prime Property Inspectors LLC............................................................ Ray Dayhoff Jr......................................... 301-916-0300 Prime Property Inspectors LLC............................................................ Romano Pietrobono................................. 301-916-0300 Prime Property Inspectors LLC............................................................ Ronald Meely.......................................... 301-916-0300 Property Disclosure Solutions LLC...................................................... Nanette White........................................ 703-839-3154 ProSpect Inspection Services LLC....................................................... Anthony Kelly.......................................... 703-407-7841 ProTec Inspection Services................................................................. Francis McDonald................................... 301-972-8531 Reynolds Home Inspection Services................................................... Tim Reynolds...........................................571-499-2149 Smart Home Inspection...................................................................... Antonio Soares........................................ 240-286-1251 The Robert Paul Jones Company........................................................ W. Scott Gudely......................................703-385-8556 US Inspect Group................................................................................ Tim Shelton.............................................888-874-6773 VA Home Inspect LLC.......................................................................... Joseph Najm........................................... 703-786-3368 Z to A Home Inspections..................................................................... Matthew Zawislak.................................. 571-525-8986

HOME REPAIR SERVICES

Leslie Anderson Interiors LLC............................................................. Leslie Anderson....................................... 703-973-8734 M. Quinn Designs............................................................................... Moira Quinn Leite................................... 703-354-6359 My Marketing Matters....................................................................... Abby Lebowitz......................................... 301-590-9700 Preferred Staging................................................................................ Monica Murphy....................................... 703-851-2690 Staged Interior.................................................................................... Trish Kim.................................................. 703-261-7026

HOME WARRANTY

Old Republic Home Protection............................................................ Molly Flory............................................... 800-282-7131 SUPER................................................................................................. Dilyana Mazur......................................... 703-731-2259 SUPER................................................................................................. Jonathan Asfour...................................... 703-254-9628 SUPER................................................................................................. Bill Davis................................................. 703-731-2259 SUPER................................................................................................. Heather Stephenson............................... 703-731-2259

MOVING & STORAGE

Able Moving & Storage, Inc............................................................... Andy Lopez.............................................. 703-986-9901 Artisan Movers................................................................................... Marc Lewandowski................................. 240-600-0998 Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics.......................................... Erick Barr................................................. 703-898-0095 Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics.......................................... Sherry Skinner......................................... 571-296-0405 Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics.......................................... Mike Stine............................................... 703-863-7238 Interstate Moving | Relocation | Logistics.......................................... Kim Woods..............................................571-238-9483 JK Moving........................................................................................... Michael Bennett...................................... 877-983-3639 Quality Services Moving..................................................................... Andy Graves............................................ 703-495-8900 Quality Services Moving..................................................................... Michael Sipple........................................ 703-495-8900 Regency Moving & Storage................................................................ E.C. Krug Jr.............................................. 703-497-1515

OTHER REAL ESTATE NEEDS

Academy Door & Control Corp............................................................ Alan Greenberg....................................... 703-541-0300 BlueSage Catering.............................................................................. Michelle Bloxton..................................... 703-451-2798 CORT Furniture Rental........................................................................ Frances Boller.......................................... 703-379-8846 Cutco Closing Gifts............................................................................. Russell Wimbrough................................. 757-714-7207 Design Pro Remodeling....................................................................... Andrew Jones......................................... 703-782-9349 Four Sales LTD..................................................................................... Daniel Sanders........................................ 703-256-8300 Seventh Heaven Pet Care Services.................................................... Jennifer Stevens..................................... 571-389-0091 Sunrise at Fair Oaks............................................................................ Valerie Parker..........................................703-264-0506 The Benjamin Group, Inc..................................................................... Joseph Grouby........................................ 703-684-3577 What the Heck Barbecue.................................................................... Kevin Heck............................................... 571-446-0398 Yassaman REI LLC............................................................................... Aref Erfani............................................... 703-217-9585

PEST CONTROL SERVICES

Alexandria Pest Services LLC............................................................. Richard Diggs.......................................... 703-752-1634 Alexandria Pest Services LLC............................................................. Chau Tran................................................ 703-752-1634 Connor’s Pest Control.......................................................................... John Caffo............................................... 703-321-9315 Holiday Termite and Pest Control....................................................... Christian Wright...................................... 703-569-9333 Hughes Pest Control, Inc..................................................................... Robert Hughes......................................... 703-481-1460 My Exterminator LLC........................................................................... William Trefry.......................................... 703-615-4028 My Pest Pros....................................................................................... Brett Lieberman....................................... 703-665-4455 Principal Termite and Pest Management............................................ William Choate....................................... 703-673-6905 Rat Pack PC LLC.................................................................................. Jairo Hernandez...................................... 703-906-7094

PLUMBING

Marines Plumbing............................................................................... Ray Toczylowski...................................... 703-331-2100

REMOVAL SERVICES & DONATION PICKUP

123JUNK............................................................................................. Neil McKinnon III.................................... 703-400-7645 1-800-GOT-JUNK................................................................................. Richard Galliher....................................... 800-468-5865 Atlas Services LLC.............................................................................. Cristin Castro........................................... 703-201-3084 Atlas Services LLC.............................................................................. Lori James............................................... 703-201-3084 Brogley’s Estate Organization & Relocation....................................... Leslie Dickemann.................................... 703-665-6505 GreenDrop Charitable Donations........................................................ Melanie Neubauer.................................. 267-432-8743

ROOFING

DryHome Roofing & Siding, Inc.......................................................... Steve Gotschi.......................................... 703-891-4663 Rooftop Chimney Sweeps LLC............................................................ Andrew Raycroft..................................... 703-836-7858

MAR+APR 2020

List is current as of Feb. 24, 2020.

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ask nvar

Fair Housing in Leasing and Unauthorized Access

By Daniel B. Harris, Esq.

Q.

I am the listing agent for a residential rental property and my firm is screening the applications. We’ve received a lot of interest and have narrowed the search down to two applicants. My client has asked for a copy of the applications. May I provide this information?

What about other supporting documents like credit reports and photo identifications?

entire application and supporting documents to the landlord and are, in fact, not authorized to do so by the applicant (discussed below). Realtors® perform an essential screening process by only providing the landlord that which is reasonably necessary for the landlord to make an informed decision regarding the offer.

A.

The answer to these and other questions related to screening applicants relies on a proper understanding of the Realtor’s ® role in the review process and the applicant’s expectations.

Ensuring that all citizens have fair access to housing is essential “[to protect] the peace, health, safety, prosperity, and general welfare of all the inhabitants of the Commonwealth …” (Virginia Code § 36-96.1(B)). Screening applicants is a necessary step in the leasing process, but it’s also when many Fair Housing Act violations can occur. Realtors ® serve a vital role in promoting fair access to housing, and screening applicants is one of the most undervalued services Realtors ® provide their clients. Few professionals are better suited for this role.

When screening applications for your landlord client, appreciate the gravity of that assignment. Your job is to find the best possible tenant for your client without regard to protected classifications or by means of unlawful discriminatory housing practices. Landlords, who are often inexperienced in Fair Housing rules and regulations, are far more likely to engage in illegal acts of discrimination (intentional or unintentional) than those represented by Realtors®.

Another important consideration is whether the applicant has consented to sharing the application with the landlord. When an applicant submits NVAR Form K1008 (Rental Application), authorization to “verify information” and “perform any credit or investigative inquiries necessary to properly evaluate [the] Application” is given to the reviewing firm, not the landlord.

This arrangement protects the tenant and the landlord from Fair Housing Act violations by removing the landlord from the review process, which reduces the likelihood that impermissible classifications will be considered.

The same analysis applies to supporting documentation submitted with the application, such as credit reports, and photo IDs. Delivering these supporting documents, without consent, may also violate laws unrelated to Fair Housing. For example, sharing the credit report without consent may be a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act since the applicant has not consented to the landlord reviewing the application. Photocopying a U.S. government issued identification may violate federal law (See Title 18, US Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701).

Remember, Realtors ® are on the frontlines of Fair Housing and play an essential role in protecting “the peace, health, safety, prosperity, and general welfare of all the inhabitants of the Commonwealth.” When viewed in this light, Realtors ® should think twice before handing over the application. Discuss these issues with your clients upfront to ensure a smooth transaction.

By sharing the application with your client, you do yourself and the client a disservice. Not only do you diminish your value added to the transaction, you expose your client to a greater risk of Fair Housing Act violations. The fines for violating Fair Housing laws are substantial, and the societal harm from a discriminatory housing market is incalculable.

Realtors® are still obligated under Article 1 of the Code of Ethics to present all offers and counteroffers to their clients.

However, that does not mean that Realtors® must provide the

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MAR+APR 2020

RE+VIEW http://nvar.com/2002

ask nvar

Q. A.

been installed.” The foundational assumption throughout the Code and Lockbox Rules is that third parties should never have unsupervised access to a property without a seller’s consent.

My buyer’s home inspection is scheduled for today. I am extremely busy and can’t make the appointment. Do I need get the seller’s approval before providing access to the buyer and inspector if I’m not going to be present for the entire inspection?

Yes!

Article 3, Standard of Practice 3-9 of the National Association of Realtors ® Code of Ethics (the “Code”) states that Realtors ® representing buyers or tenants “shall not provide access to listed property on terms other than those established by the owner or the listing broker.” The Regional Rules and Regulations for the SentriLock Lockbox System (the “Lockbox Rules”) also prohibit use of the SentriCard® or SentriSmartTM Mobile App for the purposes of gaining “[un] authorized entry into real property on which a system Lockbox has

http://nvar.com/2002 RE+VIEW

Sellers have the right to place restrictions on accessing their property and may do so for numerous reasons. For example, an unaccompanied minor may live in the home or there may be valuables or other sensitive items present. Best practice is to always confirm with the listing agent that unaccompanied access to the property is permitted. If the access is permitted, a One Day Code or Call Before Showing Code can be issued in order to provide the authorized access. This simple step will protect the rights of sellers and avoid unintended consequences.

If you have any questions, contact the Legal Hotline at NVAR. com/LegalHotline.

Daniel B. Harris, Esq. is the NVAR staff attorney.

MAR+APR 2020

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