Remembering Soren Arn-Oelschlegel

Our Long & Foster family is devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved colleague and friend, Soren Arn-Oelschlegel. An accomplished Realtor in our Smithfield Suffolk office in the Hampton Roads region, Soren (41) fell victim to a terrible crime on Oct. 8, 2021.

‘Unusual Name, Uncommon Service’

Soren grew up in the industry—his father, a general contractor and home inspector for most of his life, and his mother, a Realtor—and that lifelong experience instilled in Soren a passion for real estate and for helping people.

In his business, Soren leveraged the tagline, “Unusual Name, Uncommon Service,” and he delivered on that promise by helping hundreds of clients achieve their homeownership dreams. His colleagues in Hampton Roads shared that Soren helped any, and every, one on their real estate journeys—no matter where they were in the process. His strong beliefs in family and home guided him, and he once said, “I remain devoted to those I serve because it is important people know that I am here for them.”

Soren truly exemplified Long & Foster’s values of trust, family and excellence in all aspects of his life. In fact, it was our culture of family that attracted Soren to Long & Foster. From the camaraderie in our local offices all the way up the corporate ladder, Long & Foster’s commitment to our people and communities echoed many of the principles Soren held in high regard.

His loss will be felt not only across our company, but also the greater real estate community and Hampton Roads region.

Long & Foster’s Chickahominy Office Moves to New Kent County

Long & Foster Real Estate’s Sandston, Virginia office has moved to New Kent County. This convenient location narrows the gap between the Williamsburg and Richmond markets while providing Long & Foster with high visibility to serve clients in communities like nearby Patriots Landing. The new office is located at 7410 Cooper Tavern Road #E in Quinton, Virginia.

Nancy Steinke, who has served as managing broker at the Chickahominy office for two years, and Shannon Prosser-Wall, who has been sales manager for two years, will continue to lead the team of 14 sales associates. The Chickahominy office provides agents with the latest technology and facilities – a great benefit to both Long & Foster agents and their clients.

“Our agents are thrilled to move into our new office in beautiful New Kent County, located just off the I-64 Bottoms Bridge exit,” said Steinke. “We are ready to offer our clients with continued Long & Foster services in this Richmond-Williamsburg corridor.”

In addition to the new office’s central location, Long & Foster will continue to serve the Sandston, Virginia area.

“In relocating the office, Long & Foster will achieve a broader reach in the area,” said Dawn Bradley, senior regional vice president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “We are proud to expand our footprint into New Kent County as we serve our clients across the region.”

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

Long & Foster’s Terrie Owens, Cynthia Bailey, Brenda Payne Elected to Greater Piedmont Realtors 2022 Board of Directors

Long & Foster Real Estate congratulates Terrie Owens, Cynthia Bailey and Brenda Payne of the Warrenton office for being elected to the Greater Piedmont Realtors (GPR) 2022 Board of Directors.

GPR provides outstanding services and leadership to help its members be successful and profitable in real estate.

Owens was elected to GPR as President of the Board of Directors. She transferred to Long & Foster from a competing broker two years ago. Since joining Long & Foster, she has doubled her business. Deeply involved in the community, Owens is knowledgeable in the real estate market and is an active real estate investor in the community.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the giving nature and loyalty of these three agents and all they do for the realtor community as well as the entire Fauquier community,” said Dave Wills, managing broker of Long & Foster’s Warrenton office.

Bailey has a banking background and joined Long & Foster as a new agent three years ago. Her willingness to be the first one in the office to volunteer to show a home, cover at an open house or show a rental property, has paid off – her real estate career has truly flourished. Her election to the board is a true testament to her commitment to the real estate business.

Payne has worked in the real estate business for over 30 years, in various capacities. She worked for a title company for several years, selling real estate on a part-time basis, later transitioning to a full-time agent, growing her business exponentially with Long & Foster. Known as a ‘true giver’, Payne is very involved in the local Fauquier County community. She volunteers for the fire department, the county fair, Christmas parade, and is a mentor to agents in the Warrenton office.

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.

Fall In Love with These Decorating Tips

Today marks the official start of fall. As temperatures begin to drop and the days get shorter, the desire to decorate your home for the season will grow.

To help you decorate this year, the team at Long & Foster came up with a few ideas to help give your usual decorations a new look. These changes are meant to be simple and inexpensive but provide maximum impact to your home’s aesthetic appearance.

Our ideas pull from the latest decorating trends that can be quickly adapted to up your design game. Here are a few suggestions to add a touch of fabulous to your already incredible fall deco plan.

Break the color palette. Fall is known for its rich orange, yellow, red, and brown hues. While these colors remain the standard, experiment with cool colors such as blue and green. When used as accents, these tones can make the traditional warmer colors of fall appear brighter and more vibrant. For example, put a collection of colorful fall leaves in a blue glass vase.

A different play on pumpkins. Pumpkins are an essential part of fall decorating and can be painted white for a crisp, modern look. Place them on shelves and bookcases around the house. Dip gourds in brightly colored paint (gold and silver work great) so half is white while the other half remains natural. Display these on a living room table or a mantle to accent other decorations.

Accentuate the fireplace. As the days get shorter and colder, the living room becomes a key focus with the fireplace at the center. Decorate the fireplace with natural and fall-colored accessories, such as a vase of pampas grass. You can also weave warm white microlights around the fireplace to make it feel cozier.

Swap out pillows and blankets. We all have our favorite blanket, but leave it on the easy chair in the basement. While it is challenging to change furniture, adding seasonally themed blankets and pillows can instantly update the feel of a living room or other common areas.

Use soft lighting inside and out. Orange and yellow lighting can add to that cozy feel of fall. Place lamps with yellow or softer shades in your living room. For your porch or backyard, orange paper lanterns can add a fun, yet classy look.

An upscale Halloween. The spookiness of Halloween can quickly turn campy in the wrong hands. Instead, think of understated ways to celebrate the holiday. For instance, place a bunch of old books on the mantle with orange pumpkins, and cover them with fake cobwebs. This design can give that Halloween feeling without the need for a giant green cartoon witch.

Less is more. Fall decorations can be understated and simple. The bright colors of the changing leaves always inspire creativity. Find some beautiful leaves and tie them together with twine to make a classic yet simple household design that adds color and hominess without going overboard. The same can be done with a table centerpiece. Go outside and clip a few tree branches that showcase the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of fall and showcase them in a large vase filled with water.

What ideas do you have? Reach out to us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) to share your favorite fall decorating tips with pictures showing your creativity.

Long & Foster’s Karen Kidwell Featured in DC Modern Luxury Magazine

Congratulations to Karen Kidwell, Long & Foster Real Estate’s Senior Vice President/Regional Manager who has been featured in the September 2021 issue of DC Modern Luxury Magazine in their ‘dynamic women’ section.

The popular luxury magazine annually showcases entrepreneurial women in the Greater Washington, D.C. metro area who shape the city’s landscape with their knowledge, dedication and leadership skills.

Kidwell has been in sales and marketing for more than 25 years and chose real estate as her second career after many years of working in commercial and government contracting. She employed many of the skills she learned in those positions to her real estate career and has earned numerous awards from the industry and Long & Foster.

In 2004, Kidwell joined Long & Foster as an agent and has risen to become the Regional Manager for Northern Virginia and West Virginia. As her story in the magazine explains, Kidwell has a deep passion for serving people, including helping them achieve the American Dream of homeownership.

“I have always felt that if our vocations can be spent in a way that is in service to others, we will continue to find joy each and every day,” Kidwell said.

Today, Kidwell focuses on her leadership role at Long & Foster and hopes to inspire her team to see their potential. These qualities became even more critical during the Covid-19 pandemic, where the value of solid leadership stood out during an uncertain time.

“While empathy is one of my stronger traits, more recently, I had to find the courage and confidence to be even more vulnerable in terms of not having all the answers and to listen, be open and empathetic to what we all were feeling and experiencing,” she said. “During the past year and a half, I hope that my confidence and empathic leadership brought people together and showed that not only were we there for one another, but together we are stronger.”

As a company and community leader, Kidwell makes a point to share her knowledge and skills with her colleagues. “I try to find ways to mentor, coach, and encourage others to have the confidence to grow professionally and to seek out and understand what they are passionate about in their career, that also brings them joy and work/life balance,” she said. “Don’t just show up – stand up, reach out, mentor, share, and believe in one another.”

Kidwell can serve as a resource for those looking to begin an exciting career in real estate. She also has expertise in helping experienced agents and teams create a strategic partnership to grow their business.

Contact her today to see how she can help you launch a successful real estate career or connect you with one of Long & Foster’s professional agents to help sell a property or find your dream home. She can be reached at karen.kidwell@longandfoster.com

To view the full article, click here.

Kathleen Wilks Joins The Long & Foster Companies as Chief Marketing Officer

Kathleen Wilks, a marketing executive with real estate and independent agency expertise, has joined The Long & Foster Companies as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Wilks will head marketing, branding, communications and advertising programs across the Long & Foster enterprise, including its real estate brokerage and other business lines. She will support the companies to drive their integrated services strategy with a focus on adding ongoing value for the firms’ agents and customers.

“I am thrilled to return to The Long & Foster Companies – where I started my real estate marketing career and will now lead their enterprise branding, communications and marketing efforts. After being immersed in the industry for the past decade, I understand and value the importance of connecting with both the consumer and agent audience,” Wilks said. “I can’t wait to start working with this incredibly talented group of people, and share the company’s impressive history and values to drive brand loyalty, market presence and growth.”

As part of Long & Foster’s leadership team, Wilks will lead its enterprise marketing in supporting the brokerage’s over 9,000 real estate agents. With her guidance, the company will ensure Long & Foster’s agents continue to have the best resources available to grow their businesses and support area homebuyers, sellers, renters and owners. Additionally, Wilks will collaborate across the Long & Foster enterprise on the launch of LF1, the companies’ all-inclusive customer experience that brings together everything and everyone an individual may need on their home-buying or selling journey.

“Kathleen’s passion for marketing and branding shines through in every interaction she has and combined with her enthusiasm for the real estate industry, she’ll provide immeasurable value and vision for Long & Foster and our long-term strategic direction and success,” said Jeff Detwiler, president and CEO of The Long & Foster Companies.

Wilks comes to Long & Foster from Washington Fine Properties, where she oversaw the brokerage’s marketing and communications. In that role, Wilks developed marketing strategies to make the brand more approachable and its agents more successful. Those initiatives included overhauling the company’s social media presence, expanding its advertising programs into the digital arena and increasing its earned media exposure.

Before working at Washington Fine Properties, Wilks led Wydler Brothers Real Estate as its president and CMO. While there, Wilks developed and implemented a major rebranding effort, from a new website launch to the debut of comprehensive advertising and public relations campaigns. Wilks also spent much of her career running The Dan Rosenthal Co., a creative agency, as SVP and Director of Account Management. Her accounts included a division of Marriott, Sigma Tau Pharmaceuticals and CoStar. She also had a brief stint at CNN.

Wilks has a degree in marketing from Georgetown University. She has lived in the D.C. area for over 30 years and currently resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband and three children.

Fannie Mae Survey Shows Some Optimism Among Homebuyers

This blog post is based on an article written by Matt Carter for Inman. To read the full article, click here.

Americans who think it’s a good time to buy a home increased by 7% in August, which was its first increase since March, according to Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey.

The tick upward comes after the metric, which measures the net share of those who think it’s a good time to buy a home, hit a historic low in July at negative 38%. August’s 7% increase in favorable homebuying consumer sentiment is a step in the right direction after many months of heated competition for homes, although the delta between the July and August numbers remains at a survey low of negative 31%.

Many factors, including high home prices and a lack of housing supply, contribute to consumer sentiment. Despite daily news of inflation and the highly contagious Delta variant, it’s believed this incline in the ‘good time to buy’ category is due to the continued low interest rate environment and expectations that soaring home prices will moderate over the next year.

Long & Foster Real Estate’s President Larry “Boomer” Foster said that inventory remains low in the Mid-Atlantic. Northern Virginia saw a brief uptick for several weeks in August, before buyers swept up the available homes.

“The good news is that interest rates remain near all-time lows,” said Foster. “Although median sale prices have increased by an average of 20% over the last year in our market, 30-year fixed rates are still under 3%. Even with this appreciation, consumers can buy homes with these low interest rates, since they buy payment, rather than price.”

About a third of respondents to the Fannie Mae survey believe interest rates will stay flat over the next 12 months. While only 6% of those surveyed believe rates will drop, 53% expect them to rise – a number that dropped from 57% in July.

Real estate is hyper-local. To learn what is happening in your real estate market, visit Long & Foster’s Market Minute and Market Conditions reports.

If you have questions about the real estate market or are interested in buying or selling a home, visit longandfoster.com to locate a professional agent in your area.

Long & Foster Commercial Division Represents Tenant in 8,906 Square Foot Lease in College Park, Maryland’s Discovery District

Long & Foster Real Estate’s Commercial Division announced today that Judi Garrett and Bobby Kauffman, of the Meta Commercial Team, recently represented Capitol Percussion + Backline Rentals in the lease of an 8,906 square foot space in College Park, Maryland’s Discovery District business community.

Jauvon Gilliam, founder and owner of Capitol Percussion + Backline Rentals is also the principal timpanist of the National Symphony Orchestra as well as an artist-in-residence at the University of Maryland. Gilliam will use the space to house the company’s massive inventory of high-quality musical instruments and stage equipment, as well as create a unique space for local artists and musicians.

“We realized that typical warehouses were not going to work for this project, as only a modern facility would check every important box,” said Garrett.

With design and construction services provided by St. John Properties, Gilliam plans to build professionally soundproofed studios for rehearsals, recordings, lessons, and podcasts. Plans are also in the works for office space, a control room for a large studio, and break room. This facility will become known as The Shed, a place where musicians of all genres can gather to hone their skills and showcase their craft.

The Meta Commercial Team’s hard work was key to the success of this project. The business model was expanded and changed in scope as Mr. Gilliam’s vision for his business came into focus.

“Our familiarity with St. John Properties’ in-house resources was essential to expedite the space planning and construction management schedules,” said Kauffman. “The proximity to the University of Maryland, where Mr. Gilliam spends considerable time, pointed to this business community as the ideal choice.”

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

Fatima Pereira Named Managing Broker at Long & Foster’s Gainesville Office

Fatima Pereira has been appointed as managing broker of Long & Foster Real Estate’s Gainesville, Virginia office. Pereira currently manages Long & Foster’s Manassas office, and she will continue to lead that location while taking on new responsibilities at the Gainesville office.

“I’m excited to bring together two of Long & Foster’s top-performing offices in Prince William County under a unified leadership and core partner team,” said Pereira. “This presents new opportunities for agent collaboration, networking and business development, so that we can continue provide outstanding results for our clients.”

With nearly 20 years of experience in real estate, Pereira has long-standing relationships with agents across Long & Foster’s Northern Virginia region. Her focus on training, support and education has been invaluable in helping Long & Foster agents achieve success.

“Our teams in Gainesville and Manassas rank among the best real estate professionals in the business,” said Karen Kidwell, senior vice president and regional manager of Long & Foster. “I’m confident Fatima’s experience, strong leadership and support will ensure the ongoing success of Long & Foster’s presence in both of those locations.”

Pereira is active in the Virginia and Prince William County local associations, and previously served as sales manager for both the Manassas and Gainesville offices. While leading Gainesville the past few months, Pereira has demonstrated strong leadership and helped make the transition smooth.

“Fatima is known for her dedication and passion for the industry, as well as her integrity and commitment to agents and their clients,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “That focus has led to increased productivity and profitability for her agents and our company, and I’m confident she’ll continue to build on these successes with our teams in the Gainesville and Manassas offices.”

For more information, visit longandfoster.com.

Rise in Private Listings in this Competitive Real Estate Market

Here’s how private home listings benefits brokerages, but hurts buyers and sellers

This blog post is based on an article written by Michele Lerner for the Washington Post. To read the full article, click here.

If you ask any prospective home buyer this spring or summer to comment on their biggest homebuying challenge, you’ll likely hear about the severe shortage of homes on the market. They’ll tell you about the homes they lost to other buyers, the outrageous cash offers they can’t compete against and homes that sold before they even had a chance to see them.

There are many reasons for the limited availability of homes for sale, such as rock-bottom mortgage rates, homeowners delaying sales until the pandemic passes, and baby boomers choosing to age in place. Many real estate experts also point to another reason – pocket listings.

What are pocket listings? Also known as private exclusives or private office listings, they are homes that are marketed internally within a real estate brokerage or privately between agents and potential buyers but are not publicly marketed or listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or other websites.

For a brokerage, the benefit of a private listing is the higher probability that the sale will be handled on both ends by an agent within the same company, earning the full commission for the transaction within the company. Some sellers prefer private exclusives because they are privately marketed rather than allowing anyone to see photos and the price of their home.

“Historically, private exclusives have been used as marketing tools for extremely high-end homes or celebrity sellers who didn’t want to expose their homes to the general public,” said Larry “Boomer” Foster, president of Long & Foster Real Estate.

On the other hand, private exclusive listings can be detrimental for buyers who don’t have access to the full market of homes for sale. “In addition, sellers are less likely to receive the highest price for their property if they limit their pool of buyers,” said Foster. “While we encourage every seller to list their property publicly, sellers sometimes request us to keep their home off the MLS initially.”

Foster mentioned that recently one seller asked for their home to be privately listed and quickly received a full-price offer. Their listing agent also asked if they wanted to list publicly to see if they receive any additional offers. “The property sold for $130,000 over the listing price within a few days,” Foster said.

Maximum exposure on the open market is likely to gain the highest price and fastest sale for sellers, as well as offer access to all qualified buyers, not a select few.

If you’re thinking about listing your property, please contact a Long & Foster agent, who will always put your interests first. For more information, visit LongandFoster.com.