This is my last newsletter of 2024 and I wanted to recognize and thank my clients, colleagues at Hunt Country Sotheby's International Realty (as well as our brand affiliates), my go-to vendors for home presentation and advertising, and my family and friends, for their trust, support and inspiration this past year. Without these people in my life, 2024 would not have been interesting or meaningful. In 2007, Bob Burg wrote the book The Go Giver & said, "Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment". Whenever I have an opportunity to work with a buyer, seller, landlord or tenant, I ask myself, "how may I best serve them?" and then I move forward to the BEST of my ability!
Thank you to my 2024 clients!
A good Realtor is like a good whitewater raft guide: Sometimes I work with people I've never met, until they reach out to ask me for help - they have found me through my website, social media, a post-card, a friend's referral, an open house, or even from a newsletter. I've helped people who have separated from their spouses (but are still living under the same roof); children who must make difficult estate decisions on behalf of their aging parents; young families looking for a bigger place to call home; investors trying to get passive income to help with retirement; and so many others! Deals can be emotional - with lots of highs and lows. If you want to go down a river you've never traversed before (or don't regularly paddle), it's a LOT smarter to go with a competent guide! Although many people know several realtors, it is really hard to find one who has the right combination of preparedness, bravery, intelligence, responsiveness, and resilience. I love a good rafting trip!!
Helping with an aging parent: Brad reached out to me at the beginning of February. I had sent a post card to his mother's community (Belmont Country Club) and his family decided to give me a call to see if I would be the right person to help their family sell his mother's home. Besides offering comps, an estimated net proceeds statement and a good marketing plan, the family wanted to know if I would sing an impromptu Blink-182 song upon request. I sung a few lines of "All the Small Things" in their mother's kitchen and was hired shortly after!
Celebrating a job promotion: At the beginning of October, Kevin got an unexpected job opportunity which required that his family would need to relocate to North Carolina before year end. Kevin and Lauren enlisted my handyman, Kevin's dad, my movers, and my stager to get their home "ready for showtime" in Raspberry Falls. Their home went "active" on November 15, and closed less than a month later. They will be opening Santa's presents next week with their three children and dog in a brand new home!
Why rent when you can own???: Riley & Bryan are 23-year old brothers who graduated from college in 2023. After living in their parents' basement for almost a year, they reached out to me this past Spring & I represented them to purchase their very first property, a condo in Ashburn, VA.
Finding the right "Fixer Upper": Robert & Kelly are LCPS teachers who asked me to represent them in the purchase of their first home - a beautiful rural property off Route 15 North (Lucketts) with land in agricultural use. We competed with multiple buyers and got to closing in less than 3 weeks!
Lifetime Client MVP Award: Mohammed, 86, is my oldest client. I've helped him purchase and sell 6 properties since we met in 2018, and this year he bought his 4th investment property with me in August. He is a retired general and former Olympian. We often go to lunch together at Tuscarora Mill.
Thank you to my family - Dave, Chase & Catey (and my parents, and my brother...)
Simon Sinek is a well known Ted-Talker/author who says businesses distinguish themselves from competitors by prioritizing their WHY. My WHY is my family: my husband Dave (we married in 1998), my son Chase (age 23, graduated from UVA in May), and my daughter Catey (age 21, graduated from UVA this month, dual majoring in Spanish and Economics). We visited Bluemont Vineyard for the "Lighting of the Vines" dinner this past weekend with friends. I would LOVE to go to more events with these three and their friends! They are smart, fun and interesting! And, I look forward to becoming a grandmother and hopefully live to see my great grandchildren, too.
LOUDOUN COUNTY HOME SALES DATA - JAN. THRU NOV. 2024 YTD
More homes sold/Prices keep rising: Homes in Loudoun County are selling for 8% more this year than last year AND 7% more homes were sold than in 2023. The average price of detached homes sold through November 2024 in Loudoun is just over $1.1M. This, conversely, isn't great news for local BUYERS, who may be feeling a bit off put by rising home prices, as well as interest rates.
Current Mortgage Rates - 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates are currently just below 7%. According to Mortgage News Daily, the Federal Reserve is expected to reduce interest rates today, but the market has already responded in anticipation of this event.
2025 Home Sales Predictions
The chief economist from Bright MLS, Lisa Sturtevant, PhD, is predicting there will be 7.5% higher sales activity in 2025, as compared to 2024, which is still below the volume of sales in 2019. She is not predicting that home prices will fall. She believes there is significant pent-up demand in the market, as buyers were sidelined in 2024 by higher-than average mortgage-interest-rates. She says there is also pent-up supply, as would-be sellers have also been waiting for mortgage rates to drop before listing their home for sale.
In 2025, there is projected to be more home sales across all local markets in the Bright MLS service area; however, some markets will see more activity than others. Lisa believes bigger metros will likely see faster increases in sales activity in 2025, as more companies call workers back to the office and proximity to employment centers becomes more important. For example, sales activity in 2025 in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro areas is expected to grow more quickly than in some other smaller markets in the Bright MLS service area.
My favorite listing video (featuring Charlie) of 2024!
The rules of BRIGHT MLS prevent agents from posting videos with any PEOPLE in them. That said, many realtors (including myself) do property videos to social media to gain followers. BRIGHT MLS does NOT have any policy (at least not yet!!!) about including videos with PETS. With that in mind, I had my golden doodle Charlie open the front door, play in the house dormers, and jump into the pool of my listing of 41881 Raspberry Drive, which sold at the end of August for $1,625,000.
In Loving Memory
Our family said goodbye this past year to our 14-year-old Welsh Terrier, Kevin. He was Charlie's "big brother" and taught him the ropes of being a good boy. Kevin enjoyed swimming in the ocean, chasing creatures big and small, watching "Game of Thrones", and hanging out at my real estate office in downtown Leesburg.
Thank you for reading & may your holiday season be merry and bright!
Chrissie Goodrum
VA License #0225222629
Mobile: 571.275.5556
Comments