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Ben Stern is the Managing Broker of the Buyer's Edge Dupont office, which he opened in 2020. Ben has been with Buyer's Edge since 2008 and is committed to Buyer's Edge's consumer-oriented approach to home buying. By eliminating the conflict of interest that exists at traditional firms, where agents can represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction, Ben can always give candid and unconflicted advice to his clients.

Before joining the Buyer's Edge team, Ben worked in the financial services industry. A native Washingtonian and graduate of Georgetown Day School, Ben possesses a wealth of local knowledge about the D.C. area. After graduating from Princeton, where he was the track and field team captain, Ben spent two years pursuing his passion for distance running in Oregon. Ben then retired his track spikes, returned to Washington, and began working at Buyer's Edge.

To better serve his clients, Ben studied in Georgetown University's Master's in Real Estate program, graduating with a focus on multifamily development in Washington, D.C.

Ben is committed to providing you with the best possible representation. Licensed in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, Ben would be happy to answer your questions about the real estate market and home buying in the metro area.

Ben splits his time between downtown D.C. and his Rappahannock County, VA, horse farm. You'll often find Ben trail running in the Shenandoah National Park or training for alpine mountaineering, with his notable summits including Denali, The Matterhorn, and Mt. Everest.

Education

Princeton University
A.B. History

Georgetown University
Master's in Real Estate

TESTIMONIALS

"My family and I want to thank you and your company for helping us with our move from Ohio to Northern VA. Ben was great in helping guide our house hunting tour and we are thankful he was able to squeeze us into his schedule for one last house after the tour ended in May. The last one was 'the one'. Ben is extremely knowledgeable of the area and helped point out items on the townhouse/area we did not think about. He worked very closely with Ramez on necessary paper work and communications. Thank you! Ben was great and we will recommend him if we have the opportunity. When the times comes to upgrade, we'll being calling Buyers Edge."

Client: Debra and Blaine B.

"Buyer's Edge is extremely competent, personable, and the absolute right fit for our needs in a real estate agent. We spoke with a number of agents before being introduced to Buyer's Edge, and Ben Stern was far better to communicate with and acquire knowledge from."

Client: A

"I really enjoyed working with Ben Stern and felt that he was dedicated to finding the right home for us, no matter how long it took."

Client: A

Susan has practiced as a Maryland Attorney and Chief Deputy Clerk of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland. She has been licensed since 1982 as a Maryland Real Estate Sales Agent and most recently licensed in DC and Virginia. Having lived in the Washington DC area for the past 47 years, she has watched our community grow and evolve through new neighborhoods and communities.

She has previously served on the Executive Committee of Norwood School, the Board of the Avenel Home Owner’s Association, and on the Board of Washington Hebrew Congregation. Currently, Susan serves on the Women’s Board of the American Heart Association, Greater Washington, DC Region.

Susan is thrilled to be a part of the talented team at Buyer’s Edge, which she believes uniquely offers the loyalty and dedication that all buyers deserve. Her skills and passion for real estate complement this specialized service to individuals and families as they navigate the process of buying the right home.

Come join her as you begin your exciting journey of walking through the doors of your new home.

TESTIMONIALS

“I had the great opportunity to work with Buyer's Edge and Susan Rosenblum in finding and purchasing truly the home of our dreams. Our family has purchased a handful of homes throughout the country, but never have we experienced such white glove service. What set Susan apart was her deep knowledge of us, and the needs our unique family brought to the table. She built genuine relationships with each of us, right down to the baby and dogs. She distilled all of that knowledge into a home hunt across Bethesda. She found us a needle in a haystack, a perfect home with few compromises to the wish list. We are incredibly grateful and owe countless future memories to her help and now lasting friendship. I couldn't picture purchasing another home in the area without her and Buyer's Edge.”

 Client: Christopher H.

“We recently worked with Susan Rosenblum with Buyer’s Edge on the purchase of our condo. We were downsizing from a large home and greatly appreciated her very helpful guidance and advice. Susan was really superb throughout the entire process. Always accessible and very knowledgeable. She truly goes the extra mile for her clients. I highly recommend her! "

Client: Ellen B.

"My husband and I throughly enjoyed working with Susan.  She was responsive, patient and thorough way beyond any other agent we have ever worked with. We found her gentle yet persistent way to work beautifully for what we needed to make our decision on a house and then bring it to closure. There will never be a detail overlooked or a problem left unresolved when working with Susan She is resourceful beyond anything I have encountered. She followed up on our geothermal heating for us and came up with exterminators and inspectors and the list goes on. She is the consummate professional and just the best! If you work with Susan you have found a true partner in your home buying process."

Client: Leslie F. 

"Felt like I has a personal agent fighting for my interests every step of the way. Susan made the whole process easy."

Client: A

"After spending four months wasting time and energy trying to find a house on my own, I realized that I needed a professional. Am I glad I turned to Susan Rosenblum. Within a few short days she had sourced multiple houses and immediately scheduled visits to see them. At each house she pointed out their particular strengths and weaknesses, reminding me that no house was perfect but that some were more perfectly suited to my needs. Susan helped me make a choice that was grounded in fact and practicality not emotional and irrational. As someone who grew up in the greater Washington area, Susan had extensive knowledge about neighborhoods, builders, and contractors. She was accessible and responsive and I felt that I had a real ally and advocate."

Client: L. Samet

Sally has been licensed as a real estate salesperson in Maryland for more than 22 years. Her primary role during that time was working alongside her husband, the late John F. Sullivan, who enjoyed a twenty-one year career with Buyer’s Edge after retiring early from the Department of Navy. John and Sally together helped advance the cause of exclusive buyer agency and worked with many Buyer’s Edge clients in Maryland, DC, and Virginia.

In addition to supporting John’s real estate career, Sally worked as a professor in the Information and Engineering Department of Prince George’s Community College for many years and now has Emerita status. Her goal is to help both first time and experienced purchasers navigate the home buying process and to advocate for them exclusively. Originally from the Midwest, Sally has lived in the DC Metropolitan area for more than 41 years and also owns a row house in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore.

TESTIMONIALS

“Prior to locating Sally, we worked with a buyers agent, but they didn't work exclusively with buyers. We felt there was still a conflict of interest so were happy to discover there were agents who worked exclusively with buyers.

Sally researched the questions we asked her, provided timely updates and comparisons on the properties selling in the development we wanted to buy in, and would fill us in on the "backstory" of properties after she spoke with seller's agents.That often involved "reading between the lines" which she was good at doing and this information was helpful when strategizing an offer. She was patient (we looked for awhile!), friendly and engaging, and communicated with us well.

We would highly recommend working with her.”

Happy DMV Homebuyer: JB and DG

“This was my second home purchase using Buyer's Edge so I already knew to expect a smooth, hassle-free experience but Sally topped my expectations. Her in-depth knowledge of the area and the ins and outs of different styles of homes keyed me into things I hadn't even considered when I first started looking. She was always one call or email away and answered all of my questions promptly and thoroughly. I couldn't be happier in my new home and I just can't thank her enough."

Happy DMV Homebuyer: F

"Sally is an absolute delight to work with, one of those people who you feel like you've known forever even after you've only met once. Sally really takes the time to get to know you and what you're looking for. She's knowledgeable, patient, and happy to explain and help in whatever way she can! We were INCREDIBLY appreciative of all the work she put in for us. There were some tight deadlines and difficulty communicating with the sellers and their agent (location and technical) and Sally was always there and available, sometimes even rescheduling other appointments. We were so so so happy she was our agent, and we were even saying it was such a shame the sellers didn't have an attentive agent like her!

You will NOT regret choosing Sally, she's an absolute gem. We found our forever home thanks to Sally at Buyer's Edge!"

Happy Homebuyers: R and H

“This is a much delayed (but honest and cheerful) post-settlement review of my experiences with Sally Sullivan as my EBA for the purchase of a residential unit in South Baltimore.
"Review" sounds a bit rude, as if I'm talking about a new refrigerator or something, but Sally did mention that these endorsements are helpful, particularly for a smaller brokerage. And happy to do so
Firstly, as a novice homebuyer it was a revelation that "exclusive buyer-agents" existed at all. It was a bit troubling to consider the potential double-standard of being served by a firm that could benefit from both sides of the closing table. So my experience here was reassuring from the start.
Doing this long-distance and unable to visit the area easily, I had my target neighborhood in mind and Sally was readily available to check out properties early. She was very attentive to our needs and preferences, often quick to alert when a home simply didn't fit (and saving us a trip). Crucially, Sally was also very patient with my novice questions and extremely transparent about the entire process, from first walk-through to inspection and settlement, all while COVID was in its first great wave. All this contributed to our overall confidence that we were in good hands.
Would I do it again? Absolutely, but no! The new place is a perfect fit, and I have no intention to leave(!) A fine experience, confidently endorsed.”

Homebuyer Client: C.H.

“We had never used a “buyer’s agent” before but took our daughter’s suggestion to work with a buyer’s agent after we had experienced difficulties with a regular agent. Sally was terrific. She listened to what we wanted and got to work right away. After only a few forays we saw what we liked and Sally put her attention on getting us to the top of the soon-to-be listed condo customers. Her easy-going attitude and genuine interest in people proved essential to get us the condo we wanted in a very competitive market. She was the “edge” we needed. In just a few days we purchased our fifth residence and first condo. Sally made sure that we read and understood the condo documents and nailed down every detail of the purchase. We would recommend Sally enthusiastically.

Client: Peg A.                                                                                                                                                    

Jemma is originally from Southern California and moved to DC after graduating from Occidental College. Jemma immediately fell in love with the beautiful Capitol region as a result to the close proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia’s wine country, and the Chesapeake Bay. Throughout her career, Jemma’s unwavering goal has been to make the process of buying a product or service fun, easy, and, most importantly stress-free. Jemma is excited to apply these objectives when working with Buyers Edge clients. After her first meeting with the Buyers Edge team, it was clear that Jemma was sold on the value that an exclusive buyer’s agent company has to offer. Jemma currently holds her license in DC, VA, and MD as a Real Estate Salesperson. 

Prior to joining Buyers Edge, Jemma spent her career in commercial real estate working in sales and business development. She started her real estate career in Los Angles, working in investor relations for a boutique multifamily development firm. Her most recent role was at Zeus Living, a real estate tech and hospitality startup that provides short-term furnished housing.

Jemma has always had a passion for education, specifically literacy, and through her involvement in the Junior League of Washington, Jemma has been volunteering weekly at the Washington School for Girls, supporting the students with their literacy efforts. Jemma currently lives in VA with her husband and their two dogs, Cosmo and Rover (who can be found hanging out in our Dupont office from time to time).

Education

Occidental College
Bachelor’s Degree - American Studies Urban Education

Georgetown University
Master’s Degree - Real Estate
Capstone Project - Affordable Housing in the DMV

TESTIMONIALS

“My husband and I had the best experience buying our first home with Buyer's Edge, and were so lucky to work with Steve Carpenter-Israel and Jemma Parsons Ruggiero!! From the beginning, they both offered incredible insight into what to look out for when touring a home and strategies for being successful in this market. Jemma and Steve were always there for us whether we needed a late-night question answered or a last-minute look inside of a property. As first-time homebuyers, we needed a lot of guidance along the way. Steve's authentic feedback and assessment of homes we toured together made us feel really confident when we eventually found the right one for us. Steve and Jemma advocated for us, provided fast and clear communication, and got us to a quick settlement in a house we love. We recommend Buyer's Edge wholeheartedly and feel so grateful for their help in this process!!”

Client: A.T.

Arnold Gaither is a licensed real estate salesperson in Washington, DC.  Originally from Long Island, NY, he moved to Washington, DC after graduating from Catawba College in North Carolina. 

Prior to joining Buyer’s Edge, Arnold was a Senior Accountant for the Newseum, previously located on Pennsylvania Avenue. He also worked for 11 years as a part-time real estate investor renovating and selling properties and as a group fitness instructor.

Arnold joined Buyer’s Edge and became an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent. The skills he learned analyzing properties as an investor are useful. Arnold is dedicated to providing excellent service, advocating for his clients, and assisting them through the buying and investing process. 

Wendy Carpenter-Israel built the Buyer's Edge Company, Inc. with her husband, Stephen Carpenter-Israel, in 1991. Licensed since 1989 in Maryland and Washington, DC, Wendy was the first woman in the Nation's Capital Region to practice Exclusive Buyer Brokerage.

Soon after starting her real estate career with a traditional real estate company, Wendy was uncomfortable with the lack of transparency with regard to representation, especially when it came to homebuyers. Back in the day, there were no buyer agency agreements, buyer disclosures forms, or buyer's agents of any kind in the DMV. It was truly "Buyers Beware."

Along with her husband, they knew that there had to be a better way to buy a home. Going against the status quo, Wendy and Stephen established the first Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Real Estate Company in the Nation’s Capital Region with a single focus to champion consumers so they were truly represented and protected throughout the home buying process.

Steve and Wendy raised their two children in Bethesda, MD. And over these past 37 years together, Wendy’s role within the company changed and expanded to include managing all the social media, websites, and marketing for Buyer’s Edge – BuyerAgent.com.

Wendy is a True Buyer’s Agent committed to the clients of Buyer’s Edge, both personally and professionally. She loves what she does. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call her.

Sue Israel is the Office Manager for Buyer’s Edge - BuyersAgent.com. She also is an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent since 2016. Most of our real estate homebuyers will meet or talk to her at some point during their home search in the Nation’s Capital Region. Sue is a great resource for our clients. She welcomes any questions or concerns you may have, so please do not hesitate to reach out to her.

When Sue is not keeping the real estate offices running smoothly, showing homes, or accompanying buyers at home inspections, she is an artist creating positive, modern art for office spaces and individual clients.

Exclusive buyer agency is in Nora’s blood.  As the daughter of John Sullivan, Vice President of Buyer’s Edge, she grew up around dinner table conversations about home searches, inspections, and closings.  She’s had the opportunity to witness first-hand the growth and benefits of the expanding Washington DC and Baltimore metro areas.

Joining Buyer’s Edge has allowed Nora to put those dinnertime conversations into practice.  She is firmly committed to working exclusively for home buyers and representing only their interests. Obsessive about personal finance, she understands the unique challenges facing millennials when it comes to home ownership. Millennials who entered the job market after the recession are often unable to purchase homes due to poor job prospects, student loan debt, and lack of access to credit.  As a young adult herself Nora is committed to helping millennials make their dream of home ownership a reality.

A proud native of Prince George’s County, Nora attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School.  After graduating from Indiana University, she returned to Washington DC where she spent her early career in legal support including five years as a federal public servant with the United States District Court.  She speaks fluent Spanish which is a plus when working in any metropolitan area.  Communicating in a client’s own language can help build trust, which is essential in any real estate transaction.

Nora is currently studying to be a registered nurse.  She lives in the Greenbelt Homes Cooperative and devotes her leisure time to running, singing in choir, watching soccer, and cooking for friends.

Related:
Indispensable Homebuyers Checklist | Buyer's Edge - BuyersAgent.com | Exclusive Buyers Agents Washington, DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia
Stephen Carpenter-Israel Named One of Washington, DC Metro Area 100 Best Real Estate Agents
Explore the Buyer's Edge | Buyer's Agents | Real Estate Home Buying Services in the DMV