Steve Israel – President of the Buyer’s Edge Company, Inc.

Letter to the Editor with Regard to Agency Relationships and Residential Real Estate

February 17, 2012

Inman News wrote an extensive article about consumer confusion with regard to agency relationships iu the home buying and selling process. The following is a letter Steve Israel wrote to the editor.

Take a look at our recent post on buyDCcondos.com for the whole story.

At the Buyer’s Edge we represent Home Buyers 100% of the time in MD, VA and DC. 301-807-2130

Old Town Alexandria’s Fabulous Mile

February 17, 2012

Every time we go to NYC we end up walking forever…and inevitably end up browsing through Soho. I find that every truly great city has a place like that, with endless independently owned boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.  In Montreal it’s along Rue St. Laurent and Rue St. Denis. In Seattle the ferry can take you to Bainbridge Island – exquisite – and San Francisco has Fillmore Street. Here in the DC area we have our own in Old Town Alexandria.

Starting at the riverfront on King Street and walking the mile to King Street Metro you can quite simply  lose track of time.

There is nothing quite like The Lamplighter  where clients experience a wonderful old school feeling the minute they walk through the front door. Four rooms are filled with an array of lamps, lamp shades, parts and light bulbs. You will find the family matriarch, Lillian Vasilas, behind the counter with a vast knowledge of all your lighting needs. Her sons, Steven and Roger are also involved in the business. It was amazing to go into the store and have Ms. Vasilas help us find two perfect lampshades in less than seven minutes. If you need custom orders, picture lighting or Tiffany lamps, the Lamplighter also specializes in these areas. The Lamplighter is genuinely a friendly old fashioned place, a really wonderful time warp, that has been in this location since 1950.

Walker Home is one of our favorite independently owned shops .  Their inventory features the highly eclectic personal taste of the owners who came to their business through their own love of collecting. They specialize in East Asian 17^th -19^th C. furniture and decorative arts. They offer antiques from “investment level pieces to introductory pieces.” But what makes this small store so much fun to browse is the wonderful mix of vintage accents with contemporary arts that fill their showroom. They also offer 100 gifts for under $35 to meet everyone’s budget.

Another independently owned store that we enjoy is a furniture store called Creative Classics. Scott and Rachel Hughey opened their furniture store in 2000 with a dream to build a business selling fine North American hardwood furniture handcrafted in the USA. Their specialty is building small-scale furniture that is perfectly sized for condo and townhouse living. The attention to detail and high quality craftsmanship is amazing. Since it is difficult to find beautifully designed furniture on a smaller scale, this store on King Street is a great find for the family who is downsizing or the condo buyer that is just starting out. One of our favorite pieces of furniture in the showroom is a truly comfortable sleeper sofa with no springs or bars. It is perfect for weekend guests or an efficiency condominium.

There are countless antique stores, thrift shops and fabulous restaurants, the vast majority of which are independently owned. The Historic designation of much of this area has preserved an incredible environment and serves to provide a truly intimate, beautiful, engaging walk.

Take the walk down King Street in Old Town;  it’s one of the many things that makes the DC Metro area truly great.

Be Protected. Save Money. Get a Real Buyer’s Agent – an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent at the Buyer’s Edge 301-657-1475 Representing Home Buyers 100% of the time in VA, DC and MD.

37 Miles of Streetcar Routes may Need to be Revised

February 16, 2012

Take a look at our recent blog on buyDCcondos.com that addresses the need to rework the proposed streetcar routes in order to provide better transit service to areas of the city that will be directly affected by the new streetcar system.

When you’re ready to explore Washington, DC real estate listings, get the Buyer’s Edge. Our Exclusive Buyer’s Agents represent Home Buyers 100% of the time in MD, DC, and VA. Try a uniquely different way to buy DC real estate. Our Bethesda real estate company is located close to METRO and we offer free parking. 301-657-1475

We Can Work it Out!

February 14, 2012

It’s Valentine’s Day and Trulia hired Harris Interactive to conduct a survey that looks at the differences between men and women in the home buying process. The question was asked if a couple was in the market for their first home or condo, what are the different amenities that make men and women fall in love with the property? Secondly, Harris Interactive explored the desirability of a mate with regard to their current living situation. Is home-ownership more desirable in attracting dates?

Let’s start with women, where their priorities seems to be a gorgeous, master bathroom (75%), ample walk in closets (72%), and a gourmet kitchen (62%). Surprisingly, men seem to value the importance of a walk in closet (55%), gourmet kitchen (51%) and the outdoor deck (51%) equally. The biggest difference between men and women reported in the survey is the need for that “man cave/entertainment center”. 42% of men surveyed considered this important as compared to 28% of the women. With this particular information in hand, perhaps the “man cave” issue should be negotiated and resolved prior to the couple starting their new home search.

Than again, if men and women buy when they were single they could avoid the whole lovers “man cave” spat completely.

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies:

1. More than one in five home buyers is a single woman.
2. Twice as many unmarried women are buying homes than single men.
3. Single women make up more than one-third of the growth in real estate ownership since 1994.

Are women buying real estate in order to avoid the home entertainment nightmare? No, not according to the Harris survey:

1. 63% of unmarried US adults said homeowners had no significant advantage in attracting date.

2. 19% of men preferred dating homeowners compared to 36% of women who preferred someone who owned property.

3. 43% of unmarried US adults said that home-ownership is not an indication of a person’s desire to get married or be in a serious, long term relationship.

4. 62% said that they would rather date someone who lives alone.

5. 74% of those surveyed said that they’d be willing to consider living with their significant other in order to save money.

Perhaps, men and women aren’t so different in their desire to buy a house or condo that they can call their own. After all, this Valentine’s Day the top amenity that both men and women love is a glamourama master bath. Next year, perhaps, Trulia should survey the relationship between a “man cave” and floating, rose pedals in the master bedroom bath.

When buying Washington, DC real estate get the Buyer’s Edge. 301-657-1475

February 11, 2012

Washington, DC Real Estate  – Every home is made unique by the way the home buyer chooses to decorate it. Ideas come from magazines, family, decorators, and good friends. Be creative and have fun when decorating. The more relaxed in the approach, the more a home will reflect the warmth and spirit of the homeowner who created the environment. Please check out this fun idea at our buyDCcondos.com blog.

February 9, 2012

Have you ever wanted to travel to Sydney or Hong Kong and stay for “free?” With your Washington, DC real estate you have the golden ticket. Enjoy our recent blog from buyDCcondos.com.

Have You Seen Hyattsville Lately?

February 8, 2012

By Victoria Henderson – Exclusive Buyer’s Agent, Buyer’s Edge Company, Inc.

I was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Prince Georges County Maryland. In the 60’s and 70’s, I remember going to Hyattsville, Maryland with my grandfather to buy cars at Lustine Chevrolet. That particular stretch of Route 1 in Hyattsville, from East West Highway to the District was lined with car dealerships, thrift stores, a funeral home, various small local shops and Dematha Catholic High School which is an all boy school just off Route One. Today….Hyattsville is a very different place!

Over the last few years, townhomes have been built along and just off of Route One in Hyattsville. Lustine Chevrolet is gone, except for the showroom, which has been transformed into a very cool looking gym with elliptical bikes and treadmills lining the floor to ceiling windows. But one of the best new additions to Hyattsville is the restaurant Busboys and Poets. According to their website, Busboys and Poets is a “community gathering place for thinker’s dreamer’s activist and artists.” It’s part restaurant and part grandma’s living room. There are great big cozy chairs and couches where you can eat, drink or just work on your laptop. My son and I shared several appetizers, nachos with blue corn chips and sweet potato fries and then split one of their fresh pizzas. Right across the side street, there is a Chipotle and other restaurants with a Yes Organic Grocery store at the end of the block. Further in toward DC, there is a skateboard park with walking paths along the Northwest Branch.

In the historic district of Hyattsville, there are Victorian houses built in the late 1880s. Also the Sears bungalow and Arts & Crafts style of homes which were built between 1910 and early 1940’s. Hyattsville is an easy drive to Washington DC and a short ride to the Baltimore Washington Parkway if you work in Baltimore. The Marc train makes a stop in the historic part of town too. Like the city of Takoma Park, Hyattsville has a rich history and Bladensburg Waterfront Park a short drive away. Hyattsville Maryland looks and feels like a fresh new town. There is a big sign in a local shop window that reads “Hip is Here” and that seems to sum up the feel of this funky place.

When it’s time to explore Hyattsville or other Washington, Dc real estate listings….

Be Protected. Save Money. Get the Edge.

Call Victoria Ray Henderson and get the Buyer’s Edge! 301-922-1677

Unlike other Washington, DC real estate agents in traditional firms, we are the only real estate company in DC, MD and VA that exclusively works for Home Buyers 100% of the time. Our Bethesda real estate company is conveniently located close to METRO and offers free parking.

PRESIDENT OF BUYER’S EDGE RESPONDS TO WASHINGTON DC’S

#3 RANKING FOR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT  IN

AFIRE’S 2012 ANNUAL FOREIGN INVESTMENT SURVEY

Press Release Summary:

AFIRE’s Annual Foreign Investment Survey ranked Washington DC in the top U.S. cities for real estate investment.  According to Buyer’s Edge President, Steve Isreal, there are several compelling reasons why Washington DC area real estate is a good investment for foreign and U.S. investors alike. A highly educated and constant workforce, high level of income per capita and the cosmopolitan nature of the area are just a few.

February 2, 2012 – Bethesda, MD – Washington DC was named one of the top global cities for foreign investment according to a recent survey released by the Association of Foreign Investors In Real Estate (AFIRE).  The 20^th Annual Foreign Investment Survey ranked Washington DC  number three behind New York and London. “Washington DC real estate continues to be a stable environment for home prices,” says Steve Isreal, President of Bethesda, Maryland based Buyer’s Edge.

“Foreign investors find Washington Metropolitan real estate inviting as the region has one of the highest levels of education and income per capita in the US, and many are within easy commuting distance of the city,” explained Steve Israel, President of Buyer’s Edge, an Exclusive Buyer Brokerage firm serving the Metropolitan Washington area.  “With the Federal Government and all its contractors located in the area, the workforce is constant, and job growth is projected to be substantial over the next 20 years.”

For foreign investors, the cosmopolitan nature of the area is particularly inviting said Israel.  “Representatives from different countries and working in different fields live in the area, providing a solid group of renters for housing and commercial spaces.  In Bethesda, Maryland, for example, doctors and researchers from around the world who come to work at the National Institutes of Health (many on a long-term basis) end up renting in the area, providing a seemingly endless supply of great renters.”

While the DC area, like the rest of the U.S., experienced an explosion of property values beginning in 2002, it also experienced a slight downturn in 2008 (15% inside the Beltway) but has steadily rebounded at a calm moderate pace of 1.5 to 2.5%. “These numbers far outperform nearly every other market in the country, largely due to the steady job market in the region,” added Israel.

In contrast to top-ranked New York City, whose market is exclusively very expensive high-rise apartments and townhomes, the Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area offer a wide array of housing types and investment levels.  “In DC,” explained Israel, “An investor can find inexpensive or very high-end condo options  in downtown locations, semi-detached or attached row houses, retail and office options of all kinds and even fabulous single family detached homes across a wide price range.”

Commenting on current activity in the Washington DC real estate market, Israel said investors have been “very active” in areas close to Metro stops that were a “bit beaten up” by the downturn in 2008.  “Many investors have been buying and holding onto single-family houses,” he explained.  “Others have concentrated on buying DC condos in the core areas of the city.”

Israel recommends that anyone considering buying a home retain an Exclusive Buyer Broker who will only represent the buyer, not the seller of the property. “It’s important to look for someone who is serious about evaluating properties correctly and will consistently provide the in-depth research required to develop an accurate picture of the costs and potential returns for each property.  Exclusive Buyer Brokers do not list homes for sale, so there is no conflict of interest,” he explained. “All our efforts are directed to finding the best houses, at the lowest price, on the best terms for the buyer.”

For more information, contact Steve Israel, Buyer’s Edge, 4919 Hampden Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814.  Phone: 800-207-6810, Fax: 301-657-4494, e-mail: broker@buyersagent.com or visit www.buyersagent.com.

About Buyer’s Edge

Buyer’s Edge is metropolitan Washington DC’s only buyer broker real estate company, exclusively representing Home Buyers in Maryland, Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia since 1992.

Super Bowl Turkey Chili to Enjoy at Home

Have a Ton of Fun!

February 5, 2012

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil                               5 Tbs garlic minced

1 – 1 ½ lbs ground turkey                         4 Tbs chili powder

1 onion chopped                                            ½ teaspoon paprika

1 red pepper chopped                                 1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 ounce Mexican beer                                 ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth                                 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes          1 Tbs kosher salt

1 (16 ounce)can drained kidney beans     ½ ground black pepper

1 Tbs tomato paste                                      ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce                     2 Tbs dried basil

1 bay leaf

2 Tbs sugar

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot and cook until brown. Stir in onions, red/yellow peppers and cook until tender.
2. Pour beer and chicken broth into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, kidney beans and garlic. Season chili with chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, red pepper, basil, sugar and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour.

To thicken up chili at the end – Add a smooth flour paste made from ½ cup water and 6 Tbs of flour.

Serve this delicious spicy chili over rice.

For Washington, DC real estate listings, please call the real estate company with the Buyer’s Edge. Our Exclusive Buyer’s Agents represent Home Buyers 100% of the time in MD, DC and VA. Try a uniquely different way to buy DC real estate. 301-807-2130