The Connection

It is spring and the real estate market is hot. Mary Moran puts her access card in the lock box, uses her own personal code, opens the front door and walks into the hallway. According to Mary Moran, Realtor for Long & Foster, in the spring the market picks up because of weather. Houses look better, snow is gone and they are easier to show. And part of it is that everyone thinks the spring market is the best time so it is built in. She has worked in real estate for two years based in Arlington but with properties in the metropolitan area. She says she grew up for 22 years in Del Ray. “That’s when my father was mayor of Alexandria.” Previously she was head of human resources for the NFL Player's Association.

Moran walks through the living room to the large kitchen with windows overlooking the park. She is showing a $1.699 million house in North Arlington. "Do you like these unusual oriental lights," she asks the client. "They did a lot of traveling and have some interesting things." She says In the 22207 zip code homes average over $1 million with multiple listings over $2 million. “The 22301 zip code in Del Ray where I grew up is also very hot for home sales.”

Although she points out when she lived there they had Mackey’s Barber Shop “where I got my hair cut, a comic book store and the Mandarin Inn where we got a treat to eat out once in a while.” Today Del Ray is a treasure trove of boutique shops and restaurants and salons and festivals. “That has had a major impact on property values there.” Moran says in this aggressive market there is a lot of pressure to forgo contingencies when there are multiple offers so people are going in without home inspections. "That's where the Realtor comes in; I think the client should know that this can cause problems." Homes often sell in less than a week.

She said she thinks what sells a house is "all about location in this area." For instance, people may be looking for a walk to the metro or a specific school or a short commute. "Also I can't underestimate the importance of having it uber-clean, and it does make a difference how old it is. A lot of people now are looking for brand new." She points out the large glass window in the sunroom overlooking a small local park with a winding creek, which is a "huge" feature. "It is private and very serene with the backyard patio looking out over the trees and small bridge.

In addition, large closets are very popular as she opened a door and pointed to three shelves of shoes lined neatly against the wall. She said, "I have a house in Great Falls with dual closets the size of a room. Also people love big garages but now they have to be able to accommodate an SUV." Other trends today are walk-in pantries, and decked-out mud-rooms are popular, also free-standing fake claw foot tubs in the bathroom. The open room concept is very much in demand although she says 'it's not for everyone. I have one client who doesn't like this because she doesn't like to have everyone in her kitchen while she's cooking."

She said when you are showing a house you try to take out the personal things in the house so the client can envision himself living in it. For instance, "I had a house where the master bathroom had blown up black and white pictures of nudes, of the owner I think. " Moran added, "You risk turning off some people."

Moran works seven days a week. During the week, she drops her youngest off at school and then arrives to begin returning emails, checking new listings, approving some ad copy and prepping for some showings. Then she goes to showings followed by preparation of documents, more emails, and waiting to hear from clients about to put in an offer. Tuesday is the weekly staff meeting followed by Broker's Opens, a way to see a slew of listings in a short period of time.

"Not to sound too hokey, but I was raised to believe in the power of home ownership,” she said. “Realtors often get a bad rap, but when we do our jobs right we serve a critical role in building and maintaining a healthy economy — and in helping people realize that American dream."