Long & Foster Commercial Division Moves to New Location

Long & Foster’s Commercial Division has announced their office has moved to a new location in the Tyson’s Corner area. The new office is located at 8150 Leesburg Pike, Suite 620, in Vienna, Virginia.

Led by Jonathan Butt, managing broker, Long & Foster’s Commercial Division is committed to growing the business locally as well as having offices and affiliates around the globe.

“I’m thrilled to lead this team of driven agents, providing them with the knowledge I’ve gained over the years as well as the best training, technology and tools available to them,” said Butt. “Together with Long & Foster’s excellent brand recognition, we’re excited and ready to put our skills to the task.”

For more information about the Commercial Division, contact Butt at 703-873-5714 or at Jon.Butt@longandfoster.com.

For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Long & Foster to Host Fundraiser for Loudoun Breast Health Network

Four years ago, Long & Foster Real Estate Agent Kathy Jones had never heard about Loudoun Breast Health Network (LBHN). Despite being an area resident and active in the community, the small nonprofit, which helps individuals living in Loudoun who are affected by breast cancer, hadn’t come across her radar.

Everything changed, though, in 2018, when Jones’ daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though she had health insurance and a support system, the bills piled up as she needed more treatment and procedures. A friend then told them about LBHN.

The all-volunteer nonprofit started in 2007 to provide Loudoun residents in active treatment for breast cancer with emotional, physical and financial support. Qualifying residents must first apply to the program and LBHN can help with everything from prescription costs and grocery bills to medical expenses and even mortgage payments. They offer free mastectomy bras, wigs, head coverings, prostheses, support calls, visits and a resource listing as well. They also connect survivors with those who are currently undergoing treatment, providing emotional support through the process.

LBHN helped Jones’ daughter pay some of her medical bills, and the support they provided her inspired Jones to give back. In 2019, she asked her colleagues from the Long & Foster office at One Loudoun if they would want to host a fundraiser for LBHN. The team whole-heartedly agreed to do so, and they knocked it out of the park – raising over $20,000 for the organization. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic sidelined their fundraising in 2020 and 2021, but they’re back this year and looking for the community’s support.

“Often, when people think of cancer-based nonprofits, they think of raising awareness and money for research, but with the Loudoun Breast Health Network, they’re there solely to help people in the community affected by breast cancer,” Jones said. “Having breast cancer is costly, both financially and emotionally, and the help LBHN provides truly makes an impact. I’m thrilled to raise awareness of their organization and hopefully exceed our $20,000 fundraising mark from 2019. The more money we can raise, the more people we can help.”

How Can the Community Help

Join Long & Foster’s One Loudoun office for the Pink Ribbon Hoppy Hour Fundraiser on Nov. 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn. The brewery has donated the space for the event, and local caterer Savoir Fare is providing food at no cost. Plus, local musicians will volunteer their time to entertain guests.

Tickets are available for a minimum donation of $20 to LBHN, and Long & Foster will host a silent and live auction at the event. Anyone interested in donating to the auction is encouraged to contact Jones at Kathy.Jones@LongandFoster.com or 703-728-4038. To get your ticket for the event, go to www.lbhn.org/hoppyhour.

Long & Foster Names Julie Lubin as Manager of Downtown Silver Spring Office

Julie Lubin has been named managing broker of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland office. Lubin most recently led Long & Foster’s Logan Circle office, which she joined as its branch manager in 2020.

At the Logan Circle location, Lubin built a supportive and welcoming environment, where the team was encouraged to learn, share and grow in their professional and personal lives. She focused on creating opportunities to freely exchange ideas, share constructive feedback, and cultivate strong and respectful relationships.

“I firmly believe that creating a friendly, happy and open culture in the office drives long-term success,” said Lubin. “I look forward to establishing a similar workplace in Downtown Silver Spring, getting to know each of the agents there and helping them to grow their businesses.”

Prior to joining Long & Foster, Lubin worked for a boutique brokerage in D.C. for four years. She also spent over a decade in corporate fashion in New York City—a fast-moving industry that primed her for the vibrant Capital Region real estate market. Lubin prides herself on being a strong listener, dependable and a thoughtful and strategic communicator, who also enjoys a good laugh—a perfect balance for a real estate leader.

“This move to the Downtown Silver Spring office will provide Julie with a great opportunity to create a supportive and welcoming culture there, just as she did in the Logan Circle office,” said Kenneth Fagan, senior vice president and regional manager of Long & Foster’s D.C., Montgomery County and Southern Maryland regions. “Julie’s leadership skills combined with her passion for the industry will lead the agents in the Downtown Silver Spring office to even greater success.”

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Gregory Hangemanole to Lead Long & Foster’s Logan Circle Office

Gregory Hangemanole has been named managing broker of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Logan Circle office in Washington, D.C. Hangemanole currently manages the brokerage’s Woodley Park location and will continue to oversee that office while taking on new responsibilities in Logan Circle.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to expand our market presence and community outreach in the Logan Circle area,” said Hangemanole. “I look forward to further cementing our teams as the go-to experts for anyone who wants to buy, sell, rent or invest in real estate in the D.C. market.”

Hangemanole has over two decades of real estate expertise, with a focus on coaching both established and new agents and helping them to achieve success in their businesses. Hangemanole has been with Long & Foster for most of his real estate career. Since joining the company, he has achieved great success both personally and for the company and its agents. He was a consistent top producer while actively selling real estate for Long & Foster and has been recognized in the top 1% of agents nationally.

“With Gregory now at the helm of both offices, it brings together two of our top D.C. locations under the same strong leadership,” said Kenneth Fagan, senior vice president and regional manager of Long & Foster Real Estate in Washington, D.C., Montgomery County and Southern Maryland regions. “This presents our sales professionals with new networking opportunities, as well as expanded training and professional development.”

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Prosperity Home Mortgage Named Best Mortgage Company in Lehigh Valley by Readers of The Morning Call

Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC, (Prosperity), is pleased to announce that it has been named the “Best Mortgage Company in the Lehigh Valley” by the readers of The Morning Call, in the publication’s annual Reader’s Choice Award.

Readers of The Morning Call nominated their favorite local businesses in several categories. Those with the most nominations made it to the online voting round, which took place over the summer. The winners of this year’s “The Best of Lehigh Valley” awards were announced in The Morning Call on Oct. 2.

The Prosperity team of Lehigh Valley mortgage consultants includes Joshua Haddad, Matthew Wieder, and Michelle Halpin, led by Omar John Nassar, Prosperity’s Lehigh Valley regional manager. Together, the team has offices serving the needs of mortgage clients in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Macungie, and Center Valley.

“We pride ourselves on making the home loan process as simple as possible by guiding you through every step,” said Nassar. “We are extremely honored to have been voted as the “Best Mortgage Company in the Lehigh Valley” by the readers of The Morning Call.”

Prosperity offers a wide range of mortgage products, including fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages. It is represented by more than 500 mortgage consultants in offices across 48 states.

For more information, visit PHMLoans.com.

Caitlin Mckenna Named Manager of Long & Foster’s Columbia Office

Caitlin Mckenna, a sales professional for nearly 20 years, has been named manager of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Columbia, Maryland office. Mckenna most recently served as the sales manager of the Columbia office as well as a training manager for several Long & Foster offices.

In the sales business her entire professional life, Mckenna effortlessly made the transition to real estate at Long & Foster in 2017, joining the Columbia office. There, she received high marks for her attention to detail and care for her clients.

Prior to joining Long & Foster, Mckenna was a sales manager for Verizon, for 13 years, managing the company’s sales teams in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.

As sales manager at Long & Foster’s Columbia office, she provided sales associates with training, support and education.

“It is an honor to work with such talented people as we help community members navigate their real estate goals,” said Mckenna. “Long & Foster is known for attracting top-notch sales associates and clientele by providing the latest and greatest tools, technology and training.”

Born and raised in Annapolis, Mckenna is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where she earned a master of science degree in marketing and a master’s degree in business administration.

“Caitlin is a highly knowledgeable, experienced leader,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “I’m confident that her leadership and support of the agents in the Columbia office will ensure their ongoing success of helping local buyers and sellers meet their homeownership goals.”

In her spare time, McKenna enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs and traveling.

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Long & Foster’s Mark Miller Brokers $14.5M Commercial Deal in Loudoun County

Property is located near Metro’s Ashburn Station and has potential for future redevelopment

In real estate, knowing your market and local areas are critical to success. For Realtors working in the commercial side, staying abreast of what’s happening in the business and development world is also essential. That’s why Mark Miller, a Long & Foster Real Estate agent who has a growing commercial business, is an avid follower of the local news.

“Knowing what’s going on the region helps build my expertise on the commercial and residential real estate markets and my understanding of the broader economic situation across our region,” said Miller. “It’s not only invaluable to my clients, but also to my business’s future growth.”

And Miller’s investments in these ongoing learning efforts have paid dividends, not only enhancing his current client relationships but also developing new ones—including one that recently culminated with a $14.5 million commercial sale.

Here’s how it started.

About 18 months ago, Miller read about a proposed development project in Loudoun County. He immediately thought of one of his clients who might be interested in investing in the opportunity. A few phone calls later and Miller was talking with one of the development projects’ founders, but their conversation quickly shifted from that concept to another – commercial development opportunities in Loudoun.

More than just referring an investor, Miller ended up earning a new client—Oslo Real Estate Development—from that call. In the months that followed, Miller and the Oslo team had many more phone calls, business meetings, strategy sessions and investment plans, and their efforts led to the $14.5 million purchase of The Shops at Moorefield Village in Ashburn in late September 2022.

The 15+ acre commercial center currently houses a now-closed grocery store, and it is located close to the Ashburn Station of Metro’s Silver Line. Its proximity to the Metro station places it in one of Loudoun’s Urban Policy Areas, which means it’s eligible for future redevelopment into high-density residential and commercial.

“My clients saw this property not for what it is today, but for what it could be in the future,” said Miller. “While there are not yet plans for what it will become, there are numerous possibilities to redevelop the center into an invaluable property for the community and all of its residents.”

For Miller, this is his largest commercial development sale, and he looks forward to working with other investors seeking similar opportunities throughout the region.

“Mark goes above and beyond for his clients, helping them with their larger investment opportunities, as well as their individual purchases and leases,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “His dedication to the business and commitment to his clients is what Long & Foster agents are known for, and we’re proud to have him as a member of our team.”

To learn more about Long & Foster, visit longandfoster.com.

Long & Foster’s Kathy Opperman Wins Good Neighbor Awards

NAR honors Opperman with grants for her charity, Pillars of Light and Love

Long & Foster Real Estate congratulates Kathy Opperman for being recognized by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for making a difference in her community and founding Pillars of Light and Love.

Opperman, who is the branch manager of Long & Foster’s Collegeville, Pennsylvania office was honored with a $2,500 grant in the Good Neighbor Award honorable mention category for Pillars of Light and Love. The charity offers hundreds of free workshops and support groups to build self-esteem and resilience in adults and children.

In addition, Opperman was the recipient of the $2,500 Web Choice Award, which was supported by NAR sponsor Realtor.com as well as the Center for REALTOR Development. For this award, the public was invited to vote for their favorite 10 finalists. The top three vote-getters received additional donations for their charities.

“I am delighted and humbled that I won both the Web Choice Favorite Good Neighbor Award in addition to the honorable mention,” said Opperman. “I truly appreciate everyone’s votes and support of me and Pillars of Light and Love.”

In a few weeks, Opperman, along with dozens of community supporters will be opening the So Much to Give Inclusive Café. The restaurant will welcome people with special needs as both workers and customers. Opperman commented that they’ve hired over 30 employees with the majority having a diagnosed disability.

“Long & Foster is proud that Kathy has been recognized by the NAR for her many accomplishments and commitment to her community,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “Kathy is a true professional in the real estate industry as a dynamic branch manager, salesperson and productivity coach while also being dedicated to making a difference in her community.”

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Long & Foster Names Gregory J. Cross as Chief Financial Officer

The Long & Foster Companies, parent company of Long & Foster Real Estate, has named Gregory J. Cross as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Cross takes the lead on evaluating business development opportunities and determining the best financial strategies for current and future initiatives.

With more than 25 years of experience in finance and accounting, Cross is an expert at using data and metrics to chart paths to the best possible outcomes.

“We welcome Greg to Long & Foster,” said Jeffrey S. Detwiler, CEO of The Long & Foster Companies. “Greg recognizes Long & Foster’s entrepreneurial culture is one of our greatest strengths, and his vision plays a key role in keeping our companies at the forefront in the ever-changing real estate marketplace.”

Prior to joining Long & Foster, Cross served in numerous leadership positions with the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). He rose within that organization to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Operations & Technology, and held other positions with responsibility for business strategy, accounting operations and financial management. Cross also has worked as an assistant chief accountant at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He started his accounting career with Deloitte & Touche.

Cross holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Virginia Tech and is a native of Virginia. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A resident of Ashburn, Virginia, he and his wife have two children.

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.

Long & Foster Opens New Vienna Location

No. 1 Real Estate Firm Brings Together Leading Teams in Tysons, Vienna

Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s No. 1 real estate firm*, has merged its top-ranking Vienna and Tysons offices at a brand-new facility in the Town of Vienna. The company, which was founded in Fairfax County, has merged the two teams under the leadership of award-winning real estate broker Fetneh Schacht.

Agents and employees gathered at the grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the office on October 12. Guests included Linda J Colbert, mayor of Vienna, Virginia and Gerry Connolly, congressman of Virginia’s 11^th District. Also in attendance were members of Long & Foster’s leadership team, Jeffrey Detwiler, CEO of The Long & Foster Companies, Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate, and Karen Kidwell, senior vice president and regional manager for Long & Foster’s Northern Virginia and West Virginia regions.

“Long & Foster has a long history of success in Fairfax County, where we opened our first office over five decades ago,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “I’m confident we’ll build on these results, even better supporting local buyers, sellers and renters, with our powerhouse teams in Vienna and Tysons, now working as one.”

Schacht has been part of Long & Foster for more than three decades, and she brings expansive knowledge of the industry and the local market. She manages a diverse group of top-rated Realtors, and she leverages her career expertise, plus her degrees in marketing and international relations, to help the agents in her office to succeed. Schacht teaches many advanced training courses for her sales associates and is a Certified Real Estate Broker (CRB) and a Buffini mentor. She is licensed in Virginia, Maryland and DC, and she continually evaluates and implements new ways to support her agents in advancing their careers.

“Helping Realtors succeed in their careers is my passion—it not only brings success in their lives, but also helps the community, by helping people find their places to call home,” said Schacht. “I’m excited to now support even more real estate agents grow their businesses and support their clients whether they’re buying, selling or renting in Fairfax County and beyond.”

“With our new office and combined teams, we’re building a powerhouse location and leadership team for real estate agents in Fairfax County, with a state-of-the-art facility that creates tremendous opportunities for Realtors, from collaboration and business development to training and education,” said Karen Kidwell, senior vice president of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Northern Virginia and West Virginia regions. “Additionally, our office’s prime location in the Town of Vienna near Tysons makes it easy for agents and their clients to meet and connect with each other, all in one of the hottest markets in the country.”

Combined, the two teams sold over $650 million in real estate in 2021 and rank among Long & Foster’s top 10 locations companywide.

For more details on Long & Foster’s new office or how to join the team there, contact Schacht at 703-938-4200 (office) or fetneh@lnf.com.

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.