Roslyn Cousins Named Manager of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Strawberry Street Office

Long & Foster Real Estate is pleased to announce that Roslyn (Roz) Cousins has been named manager of its Strawberry Street office, located in Richmond, Virginia.

“Roz is a highly knowledgeable, experienced leader,” said Dawn Bradley, senior vice president and Long & Foster’s Richmond regional manager. “I’m confident that her leadership and support of the agents in the Strawberry Street office will ensure their ongoing success of helping local buyers and sellers meet their homeownership goals.”

A licensed real estate agent since 2006, Cousins most recently was an award-winning agent in Long & Foster’s Village of Midlothian office. There, she created a thriving business while providing her clients with the ultimate sales experience. A multi-million-dollar producer, she participated on Long & Foster’s Silver Team as a Director and is a member of the prestigious Gold Team.

Cousins will provide the Strawberry Street agents with education, mentoring, professional development, and commitment. Prior to entering real estate, Cousins was with C&P Telephone and AT&T for over 25 years and also was a mortgage consultant with both Carteret Mortgage and Prosperity Mortgage.

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

Eastern Shore Estate with Pool, Barns and Ponds Now Available for $3.5M

Spectacular 300-acre property offers indoor/outdoor living at its finest

Just imagine living in a luxury home on your own 300-acre estate on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Located at 6925 Eastside Road, in Parsonsburg, this over 5000-square-foot home offers a tranquil private retreat just 20 miles from Ocean City, Maryland and a couple of hours drive from Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Built in 2005, the farmhouse-style custom home was meticulously updated and expanded in 2017 with the finest features that impress at every turn. It has five bedrooms, six full bathrooms and one-half bathroom on four parcels of land. The estate is listed by Brandon Brittingham, of The Maryland and Delaware Group of Long & Foster Real Estate in the Williamsport Circle Salisbury office and is offered for $3.5M.

“The vast outdoor spaces provide an ideal setting for grand entertaining – from the large terrace on the back of the home to the pool overlooking one of the property’s six ponds,” said Brittingham. “With two barns, this property is ideal for the equestrian enthusiast to ride horses and take in the beauty of this gorgeous Eastern shore estate.”

You’ll feel like you’ve truly “arrived” as you travel down the long tree-lined driveway leading to the gated entrance. The house, barns, and outbuildings are on one parcel of land expanding more than 160 acres. Previously known as Hilltop Farm, the property is said to be 90 feet above sea level and was once a cattle farm.

The home’s circular driveway leads to a covered front porch, where you can enjoy a cool drink overlooking the park-like setting. Greet your guests in style in the foyer with gleaming hardwood floors. An entertainer’s dream, with an open floor plan, the home is well designed for everyday living or grand-scale entertaining. Gorgeous, upgraded finishes and architecturally interesting details such as high ceilings, generous molding and board-and-batten accents are found throughout the house.

It will be easy to cook for a crowd in the well-equipped and spacious kitchen with two large islands and three ovens. The kitchen’s sitting area is the ideal place to relax with guests before dinner. An informal dining room connects with the kitchen. In warm weather, open French doors from both of these rooms to extend your party to the covered back porch and terrace overlooking the inground saltwater pool and stocked pond.

The family room with its stone floor-to-ceiling fireplace is the perfect place to watch the game or a movie with family and friends. The dining room, which adjoins the family room, is flooded with natural sunlight from its many windows.

For quiet time or to work remotely, there is an office with a built-in desk and cabinetry. Your guests will enjoy the privacy of two first-floor guest bedrooms.

Upstairs, the luxurious master suite has three walk-in closets and views of the pool and pond. On this floor, there are two additional comfortable bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. A landing leads to the rooftop deck with panoramic views. 

The third level features a large light-filled flex room with a full bathroom that is currently used as a bedroom and playroom, but could be used as an office, art or yoga studio. 

The spectacular outdoor area includes living and entertainment space – covered porches, decks, patios, and a unique stone structure that has been used for gatherings and events.

With no neighbors in sight, 3,000 feet of the property borders a state forest. Wildlife gathers around the six ponds including deer, ducks, geese, turkeys, eagles, blue herons, and otters.

The detached two-car garage is fully insulated and drywalled. With water, HVAC and electric rough-ins in place, the upper level could be converted into a studio or apartment. There are also two barns on the property.

Learn more about 6925 Eastside Road by clicking here. For more information about Long & Foster, visit www.LongandFoster.com.

Long & Foster’s Commercial Division Lists Springfield Tower

Long & Foster Real Estate’s Commercial Division is pleased to announce the listing of a property located at 6320 Augusta Drive in Springfield, Virginia. The 37,142 square foot office building just went through a multi-million-dollar renovation and is being leased at $20-24/per square foot. Jennifer Burke of Long & Foster’s Commercial Division represents the seller for the leasing transaction.

Easily accessible, the building is conveniently located at the intersection of interstates 95, 395 and 495.  It is also across the street from the popular Springfield Town Center, which offers many dining and shopping options.

“The property has been an iconic high rise building to the Springfield market for decades and we are looking forward to revitalizing and giving the property new life,” said Burke. “Our focus to achieve this is offering well maintained and affordable options for businesses of any size. The building was fully vacant at the time of the listing, and we have since welcomed some new tenants who like the building for its 360-degree views and convenient location. The spaces make for an inspiring workplace, and we look forward to being a hub for innovation and community.” 

Long & Foster’s Commercial Division is based in Tysons, Virginia and has a focus on sales and leasing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and throughout the Mid-Atlantic. 

For more information, visit longandfostercommercialrealestate or contact Burke at jennifer.burke@longandfoster.com.

Long & Foster Real Estate is the nation’s No. 1 real estate company as part of HomeServices of America.

Long & Foster Named as a Top Workplace in Richmond Region

Long & Foster Real Estate has once again been named by the Richmond Times-Dispatch as a Top Workplace. Employers who scored the highest locally and exceeded national benchmarks made the list.

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage, a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. Several aspects of workplace culture are measured in the anonymous survey, including alignment, execution and connection.

“We’re pleased to again be named as a top place to work in the Richmond region,” said Dawn Bradley, senior vice president and regional manager of Long & Foster’s Richmond region. “A big thank you to our agents and employees who contribute every day to make Long & Foster the successful company that it is, all while maintaining our culture of trust, family and excellence.”

The Richmond Times-Dispatch recognizes companies in four categories, ranging by the organization’s size. Long & Foster qualified in the large companies category with 400-899 employees in the Richmond region. The Times-Dispatch will release the ranking of the final winners in their publication on May 29.

You can view the list of companies named as Top Workplaces by the Richmond Times-Dispatch here. If you’re looking for a workplace to call home, visit LongandFoster.com and click on Careers.

Long & Foster’s Parent Company Again Ranks No. 1 Nationwide

HomeServices of America secures No.1 in industry by closed transactions

HomeServices of America, the parent company of Long & Foster Real Estate and a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, today announced that it has once again earned the title of the country’s largest residential real estate company. The ranking is based on transaction sides, according to the REAL Trends 500 report.

“Being able to provide our sales associates and their clients with a complete offering of brokerage, mortgage, and settlement services to help them navigate what is a complex and often confusing real estate transaction played an important role in our ability to achieve the No. 1 industry ranking in closed units,” said Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices. “Equipped with best-in-class technology and resources, our sales associates, loan officers, and closers earned their clients’ trust as they delivered the American dream of homeownership to more people than anyone else in the industry.”

In 2021, HomeServices of America’s sales associates, including the Long & Foster team, closed over 388,000 residential transactions, a 13% increase over 2020. The REAL Trends ranking is based on 2021 closed transaction sides for the country’s top 500 brokerages.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, HomeServices has nearly 46,000 real estate professionals operating in over 900 offices across 33 states and the District of Columbia. In 2021, the company’s sales associates facilitated nearly $200 billion in residential real estate sales and nearly 390,000 home-sale transactions.

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.

Real Estate as a Hedge Against Inflation

With the recent stock market volatility, inflation and all that’s going on in the world, you may be looking for opportunities to diversify and protect your investment portfolio. Over the long term, real estate provides steady appreciation and is usually an excellent investment response to inflation. Savvy consumers are becoming increasingly interested in owning property to get the many benefits that help offset stock market volatility and inflation.

Even with the recent uptick of mortgage interest rates, real estate is still considered a safe haven to add to one’s investment mix. Here’s a look at several of the potential benefits of diversifying your portfolio into real estate.

Appreciation. While every market is different, home values have historically appreciated approximately 4% annually. Plus, as real estate is a leveraged investment, you enjoy appreciation on the total price of the home, not just the cash you put down to purchase it.

Tax benefits. Your tax advisor can help determine eligible tax deductions on an investment property, which generally include mortgage interest, property taxes, depreciation and operating costs, such as repairs and maintenance.

Tenant-paid mortgage. As your tenant pays rent, your mortgage balance is reduced, building equity in the property for a future sale or to borrow against and buy another property.

Cash flow. Depending on expenses, you can usually generate positive cash flow from the rent you charge.

If you’re thinking about investing in real estate, your Long & Foster real estate agent can evaluate investment properties that fit your financial goals. In addition, Long & Foster’s partners in mortgage, title, insurance and property management are here to assist you every step of the way.

For more information, visit longandfoster.com

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Estate in Chapel Hill’s Historic District Available for $4.7 Million

An entertainer’s dream, this southern classic home has gardens, a wine cellar, caterer’s kitchen and more.

Take advantage of a rare opportunity to own this stunning estate in beautiful and sought-after historic Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Located at 620 E. Franklin Street, this nearly 9500 square foot home on over an acre, the property is conveniently situated adjacent to the University of North Carolina’s campus. The three-bedroom residence with four full bathrooms and two half bathrooms is listed with Viki Pace-Morris in Fonville Morisey’s Chapel Hill office and is offered for $4.7M.

“If location is important, there’s no better place than this world-class masterpiece in the heart of the prestigious historic district of Chapel Hill,” said Pace-Morris. “Adjacent to the UNC campus, this classic southern beauty has been renovated with extraordinary attention to detail – from the gardens to the wine cellar – it’s an entertainer’s dream.”

Built in 1908, the home has been lovingly maintained and updated with every modern convenience. Ornate front gates open to a wide brick walkway leading to the welcoming covered front porch – ideal for enjoying a cold lemonade on a warm summer day. There is ample parking on the side of the home in the large, paved motor court and in the three-car garage, which is unusual for Chapel Hill’s historic district.

Greet your guests in style in the elegant, spacious foyer with enticing views of the first-floor formal rooms. Your dinner parties and family celebrations will be remembered in the large dining room under the double crystal chandeliers. Serve drinks before dinner from the wet bar with a beverage chiller.

A feminine, light-filled living room is ideal for your grand piano and to enjoy conversation with your guests before dinner. On the other side of the long center hall, you’ll find a masculine living room/library with impeccable, stately millwork, connecting to a billiard room.

The well-equipped kitchen will appeal to the foodie in everyone, featuring a long center island, double ovens, warming drawers, dishwashers and sinks. The kitchen is open to an expansive informal dining area with a coffered ceiling and flooded with natural sunlight from its large bay window seating area and French doors leading to the garden. Beyond the informal dining area is the sunroom with built-in bookcases and a long window seat – ideal for relaxing with a good book.

The carved staircase leading to the second level is a work of art and truly makes a statement in the center of the home.  Upstairs, you’ll find a spacious office with built-in cabinetry to enjoy some quiet time or to work remotely.  On this level, there are two comfortable ensuite bedrooms with sitting rooms. The owner’s suite has two large custom closets – one with masculine woodwork and another feminine one including a dedicated shoe closet and a section of the closet designed to house evening gowns. A laundry room is also located on this level with two washers and dryers.

On the third floor you’ll find an exercise room with lots of natural light from its skylights. The ensuite bathroom features a regular shower, as well as a steam shower.

The lower level has an office, laundry room and is perfect for the wine connoisseur with its magnificent wine cellar and wine tasting room. Brick walls and tile flooring invoke the feeling of sipping wine in Tuscany. It will be easy for your catering team to prepare impressive feasts for your next party in the caterer’s kitchen, equipped with an ice maker, multiple ovens, refrigerators (including one dedicated to chill fresh flowers for entertaining) and plenty of counter space. An elevator transports food from the catering kitchen to the first and second levels of the home.

In warm weather, open French doors from rooms at the back of the house to extend your party to the terrace overlooking the yard’s exquisite landscape design, including a trellis and fountain. As a certified wildlife habitat, the gorgeous garden has been designed with plantings to encourage birds and other wildlife to the property – without the use of pesticides. Typical of southern homes, colorful magnolia and crepe myrtle trees adorn the property.

Learn more about 620 E. Franklin Street by clicking here. For more information about Long & Foster, visit LongandFoster.com.

Prosperity Home Mortgage Now Operating in St. Louis

Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC (Prosperity) is pleased to announce they are now open for business in St. Louis, Missouri. Prosperity is joining forces with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate as their affiliate lender.

In addition to expanding into St. Louis, Prosperity also welcomes Sales Manager Scott Mangus, Mortgage Consultant Anita Brockway, and Sales Associate Bev Pettus to the Prosperity team. This experienced group of mortgage professionals will focus on delivering exceptional customer service to the agents of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate and their clients in the St. Louis market.

“Scott and his team of mortgage professionals have a strong reputation for providing the highest quality of service and support to their clients,” said Amy McDonald, Prosperity’s regional mortgage manager. “This is an incredible opportunity for exponential growth, and we believe this team is perfectly positioned to lead our vision for the St. Louis area.”

Prosperity takes pride in making strong connections with partners and clients – which stood out to Mangus. “My passion and drive within the mortgage industry comes from working with realtors,” said Mangus. “Once I understood that Prosperity’s primary focus was taking care of the agent and their client’s purchase business, they had my attention.”

By joining Prosperity, these mortgage professionals gain the advantages of a company with great resources and technology, while also maintaining the family approach to business that ensures their clients’ continued real estate success.  Prosperity offers a wide range of mortgage products and operates its own in-house processing, underwriting, and closing. Prosperity also coordinates appraisals and mortgage fulfillment in-house.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate is a locally owned, full-service real estate company serving the metropolitan St. Louis area.  They are one of St. Louis’ premier real estate agencies that has been built on their commitment to providing a level of personalized service that far exceeds expectations. 

“This is a very exciting time for our real estate brokerage, title and mortgage operation,” shared Kevin Goffstein, president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate. “We have had multiple mortgage partners over the years, but never a wholly-owned company like Prosperity that we know is built to last. We are confident in Prosperity’s ability to deliver the highest service levels to our agents and their clients as well as the most competitive rates. Prosperity’s successful track record speaks for itself in their specialized focus on purchase business in real estate offices that HomeServices of America operates in nearly every state in the U.S.”

Prosperity is thrilled for the future of this partnership and looks forward to making homeownership a reality for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate’s clients.

For more information about Prosperity Home Mortgage, click here.

Long & Foster to Open New Vienna Location

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

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

“Long & Foster has a long history of success in Fairfax County, where we opened our first office over five decades ago and where we continue to lead the real estate market,” said 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, which is set to open this spring, 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.

Cathy Zamanpour Named New Manager of Long & Foster Real Estate’s One Loudoun Office

Cathy Zamanpour has been named manager of Long & Foster Real Estate’s One Loudoun office, located in Ashburn, Virginia.

“Cathy 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 One Loudoun office will ensure their ongoing success of helping local buyers and sellers meet their homeownership goals.”

Zamanpour, who’s been in real estate for almost 20 years, most recently served as the managing broker in Long & Foster’s Tysons office and was the sales manager for the Fairfax Centre location prior to that. Zamanpour has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in information systems from American University.

“This provides a great opportunity for Cathy to share her passion and talents for the business with additional agents in our region,” said Karen Kidwell, senior vice president & manager of Long & Foster’s Northern Virginia/West Virginia region. “Cathy’s leadership skills combined with her focus on education and training will lead the agents in the One Loudoun office to even greater success.”

As a real estate leader licensed in Virginia, Maryland and D.C., Zamanpour focuses on education and training, building successful mentoring and business development programs for her teams. She looks forward to expanding these efforts at the One Loudoun office.

“I’m excited to take on this new role to lead the real estate professionals at the One Loudoun office,” said Zamanpour. “I look forward to helping new and experienced Realtors to reach their highest potential by providing them with Long & Foster’s latest and greatest tools, technology and training.”

Zamanpour will work closely with Andrea McSorley, sales manager at the office, as well as the team’s exceptional administrative support team. An Ashburn resident since 1999 and native Virginian, McSorley has a background in education, plus two decades of real estate expertise, that she leverages to help agents build their careers and best support area buyers and sellers. Zamanpour looks forward to the partnership and programs they will build working together at One Loudoun.

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.