Sold a Single Family home in 2017 in Cherrydale, Arlington, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Celeste was a joy to work with. The Capital Area Homes Keller Williams Teams are very creative, dedicated and hard working individuals. Celeste and Scott worked relentlessly to sell our home in Arlington. Scott provided insight and excellent leadership to his team. Celeste devoted a lot of time and was successful in selling our home. I appreciated their quality and the level of integrity demonstrated by both Scott and Celeste.

- Gamil Grais

Sold a Single Family home in 2016 in Cherrydale, Arlington, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Scott supported me in three different transactions and proven to be trustworthy and easy to work with. He has demonstrated to me certain level of integrity and commitment that lacks within the real state industry. Scott is creative, smart, and relentlessly worked hard thus dedicated great deal of time to successfully sell my home. Scott and his professional Team members at Keller Williams earned my trust and along the years proven to be successful in closing any real state deal. Scott is a good manager and treats people with respect. I certainly appreciated his honesty and work ethics. I depend on Scott to provide me with insight and support in dealing in any real state transaction. He is certainly built a good reputation within his field and maintains good relationship amongst his peers.

- Gamil Grais

Helped me rent a Single Family home in Falls Church, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Clare Sullivan connected my roommates and I with her colleague, Gabriel Jarjuri, to help us with finding a house for rent. This was a terrific recommendation. We received nothing but informative and responsive correspondences. Gabriel was very helpful and patient, he met with us on a frequent basis to tour and review properties that aligned with our interests. We managed to find a house within a timely period and located in the area we had hoped to settle in. A big thank you to Clare, Gabriel, and everyone at Capital Area Homes!

- Patrick McCleary

Bought and sold a Single Family home in 2017 for approximately $1.05M in Oakton, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness: 5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills: 5/5 stars

We have bought five houses over the last fifteen or so years. Without question, Crystal has been the best agent we have worked with. She is very detailed and meticulous. She has great knowledge of the McLean/Tysons market and advised us of homes even before they came on the market. Crystal was attuned to our needs, answering questions at all hours and preparing us for next steps. We recommend Crystal with great enthusiasm.

- Kwame M.

Sold a Single Family home in 2017 in Mc Lean, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise: 5/5 stars
• Responsiveness: 5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills: 4/5 stars

Scott was very responsive and kept us apprised of what was going on at all stages of the process. We worked with him over a period of months before the house was listed (including through some difficult times for our family), and he was unfailingly patient with our situation. He was also very helpful in advising us concerning what to do to maximize our house's marketability. -Jay Kraemer

- Jay Kraemer

Bought a Single Family home in 2017 for approximately $1.575M in Mc Lean, VA

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Buying a house with Crystal was a wonderful experience. She is an excellent listener and she was able to pinpoint on our long list of wants/needs houses that would be an ideal fit for our family in our budget. Her responsiveness was excellent and knowledge of the process and the local community were invaluable. She is very detail oriented. We love our house and feel we hit the jackpot with our realtor.

- Erin C.

Sold a Townhouse home in 2017 for approximately $400K in Fairfax, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

"Celeste was great to work with. She made the process of selling our home as easy and worry free as possible. We would recommend her to anyone! She went above and beyond to help us with anything and everything. Her marketing strategies got us a higher sale price than we expected, and we sold at the highest price in the neighborhood to date."

- Tom and Anne

Bought a Condo home in 2017 for approximately $450K in Ashburn, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Working with Celeste was like working with a friend! She was very personable and kind with the client's best interest in mind. As a first time home buyer with tons of questions, we felt very comfortable throughout the entire process as she held our hands along the way. She's always asking, "what can I do for you today?". She was honest and tough (when the time called for it) so that we didn't go beyond my means. Also, she peppered the seller with questions and helped with the lender to try and get the best deals and lowest rates possible. If we need home buying/selling help again, we'll definitely look to Celeste!

- Sang M Lee

Sold a Townhouse home in 2014 for approximately $700K in Mc Lean, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

We can’t say enough good things about Scott! He helped us with the sale of our townhouse and purchase of a new home in McLean! He and his team have been awesome, very responsive, knowledgeable, and easy to deal with throughout both transactions! In the past several years we have had three other property transactions and always felt like the real estate agent did not add much value to the transaction. Scott, however, added immeasurable value; I honestly don’t think either transaction could have closed without him. Moreover, his negotiation abilities are unmatched. Our townhouse sold for more than any prior one (that we know of) on our street. With regards to the new house we purchased, Scott negotiated us a better deal than we ever imagined. We could not be happier and highly recommend him to everyone!

- Crystal

We were very pleased with the service we received from Ria Dougherty and Scott Shawkey. They worked closely with us to identify the type of property to best suited our needs, we're patient with us as we explored property after property and then helped us close the deal quickly and effectively. We look forward to working with them in the future.

- Bill and Mary Sue H.

Heidi was incredible to work with as a realtor. She is highly competent and if she does not have an answer to your question on the spot, she will always get back to you with one. Heidi does her research! She estimated the appraisal value of my home nearly on the dot, this was very helpful when negotiating an asking price. Heidi will bend over backwards for you and she is extremely dedicated in her work. I doubt there are few, if any, realtors who can hold a candle to how hard she works at her job. Heidi has a strong personality that comes across very well when doing negotiations. As long as you tell her what you want, she is very good at getting it for you. Make sure you are up-front with Heidi, just like you don't want to be kept in the dark, neither does she. The more information you give her the more she can help you. If you want someone who will dedicate themselves to give you what you are looking for in a home, Heidi is the realtor for you.

- Chris H

Sold a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $1.025M in Mc Lean, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Crystal is an extremely dedicated agent. She was incredibly patient as we saw many houses over a span of many months before finding on that was 'right' for us. She worked hard and kept on top of things every step of the way. Her intention to detail was incredible as was her willingness to go 'above and beyond' with her outside the box thinking. She represented us as the seller's agent when it came time to sell our home and was able to help us attain an offer very close to our list price more quickly than expected. I would definitely recommend Crystal to anyone looking to buy or sell a home!

- Sara E L.

Bought a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $800K in Fairfax, VA

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Crystal made the home buying process flawless from start to finish! She was knowledgeable, patient, and really took the time to understand what we wanted in a home. She was so professional, really a class act! I'm highly recommend her!

- Alicia M.

Bought a home in 2014 in Leesburg, VA

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

She found exactly what I wanted and guided me completely through the process! She gave total attention to my needs and interests. A totally professional realtor.

- Kay N.

Sold a Single Family home in 2015 in Falls Church, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Celeste helped us sell our house virtually overnight. Top price! And as easily done as could be imagined! She led the way, all the way! Could not have gone better.

- J. Arnold

Sold a Single Family home in 2015 in Springfield, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Celeste was very knowledgeable and hard-working. She had a lot of ideas forpreparing and showing the home, and kept me informed every step of the way. Celeste is an excellent listener, and is great about providing other ideas and perspectives to consider. She made the process fun.

- Color14

Bought a Condo home in 2015 in Lyon Park, Arlington, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

My wife and I were first time buyers and we can't imagine how we would havenavigated the process without Celeste. She made everything so easy and fun! I can say without a doubt, that when it comes time to sell and buy a new home down the road, Celeste will be the first call that we make.

- Aaron R.

Bought a Condo home in 2015 in Lyon Park, Arlington, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

To echo my husband's review- as first time buyers, we went into this with very little knowledge. Celeste made us feel completely comfortable, answered all our questions, and gave us honest advice. I knew that throughout the entire process, she was looking out for us and was always advocating on our More.

- Brittany Vesce R

Bought a Single Family home in 2015 for approximately $600K in Annandale, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Celeste is Awesome!!! This is without a doubt the best experience I've ever had with a real estate agent. She is really low pressure and lets you find what you are looking for, while at the same time giving you great ideas about neighborhoods and the details you might not realize. She stuck with More.

- Steve S

Bought a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $1.7M in Mc Lean, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

Celeste worked with my family and I for close to 2 years before we finally made the decision to re-locate. She is the epitome of professionalism and patience. I recommend her without reservation!

- Renee D.

Bought a Condo home in 2016 for approximately $250K in Falls Church, VA.

• Local knowledge: 5/5 stars
• Process expertise:5/5 stars
• Responsiveness:5/5 stars
• Negotiation skills:5/5 stars

As a new homebuyer, I had a lot of questions but Celeste guided me every step of the way! She is so knowledgeable and thoughtful; she was definitely listening to what I wanted and helped me find something even better than I could imagine! Her positive attitude and her real estate expertise were so More.

- Nicole E.

It was great meeting you as well, you were truly sent to us by God. Thank you for all that you did for us in such a small window.

- Josefina H.

There are two ways to think about remodeling projects that will boost your home’s value; you can get one or two major remodels done or opt for a bunch of small fixes. Depending on your budget and your timetable, one approach may be better for you than the other.

For instance, if you have an unfinished basement, maybe your dream when you first moved into your home was to refinish it. It never happened. But now that you are thinking about selling your home, you feel that a prospective buyer would really appreciate a full finished basement. Is that the remodeling project that you should do before selling?

On the other hand, you want to spend as little as possible to squeeze as much value out of your home. Maybe you would prefer to just spruce up the kitchen cabinets or repaint the house. Whichever camp you fall into here are some remodeling project ideas that usually add at least a few thousand dollars to the value of your home.

Interior Improvements

Depending on where you live, some remodeling projects bring in more dollars on resale than others. Here are some of the interior remodeling projects that can help boost your home’s value:

Kitchen Upgrades: Potential buyers these days want spacious, modern kitchens. Simple upgrades like adding new appliances, granite countertops, or new cabinets can pull in the big bucks. Some big-ticket improvements that usually add value include:

• Adding an island
• Adding a breakfast nook
• Adding new ceramic flooring
• Adding accent lighting

Removing Walls: The style right now is open concept kitchens and living rooms. If you have an older home, you could knock down a wall or two to really open up more interior space. If they’re load-bearing walls, removing them will usually push the price tag up. But non-load-bearing walls are easy to take out to add a pass-through window or a bigger entryway. Use a professional contractor to make sure the job is done right.

Room Additions: Believe it or not, adding a new room to your home is not as expensive as you might think and can greatly increase your home’s value. Think about converting your attic into a spare room or building a new room addition onto your house. The added space increases the overall square footage of your property and will push your asking price up.

Exterior Improvements

They are often overlooked when making improvements to your home, but there are a number of exterior projects that can boost your home’s value. Here are just a few ideas for exterior improvements:

Outdoor Living Space: Especially in warm weather climates, buyers want a home with comfortable outdoor living spaces. That could mean adding in a slate patio or a wooden deck. Make your outdoor living space an oasis by adding in path lights, pathways, plants, shrubs, and trees.

Siding Upgrades: If you are making simple upgrades on the cheap just to spiff up your home exterior, a good paint job will do. To really boost your home’s value try adding new siding. If you replace portions of your siding with stone veneers, it will greatly improve curb appeal and your home’s value.

Driveways/Garages: If you haven’t paved your driveway in a while, new paving is an excellent exterior improvement that makes a good impression as soon as buyers pull up to your home. Your garage doors and exterior also make a good or bad impression. Even if you do not make any changes to your garage, you should clean it out and organize its contents for resale. Replace broken windows and locks and give it a good paint job.

A qualified agent with years of experience in the real estate market can help you determine the best improvements to make based on your particular market. When you’re ready to learn more, connect with me today. I’m happy to help!

- Remodeling Projects That Will Boost Your Home’s Value

There are many reasons why it may be time to sell your home. You may need more space to make room for a growing family or you need to downsize after your kids leave the nest. Whatever your motivations, you want to make sure that you’re timing it right.

If you sell when home prices are plummeting, you may end up losing on the deal. If you sell when home prices are highest, there may not be a lot of buyers looking to move. So how do you know when it’s a good time to sell?

A qualified agent can help you determine if the market puts you in a good place or not. But for your own personal situation, here are the signs telling you that now is the time to sell your home.

You’ve Outgrown Your Home

Whether you are expecting another child, caring for an aging parent, or have taken in your adult children, when you’ve outgrown your home, it may be time to sell your home. Consider the permanency of the change. Will the kids be there for a long time? How long will you be able to care for your aging parent? Buying a bigger home is one of the main reasons why homeowners choose to sell.

You Need to Make a Change

Change is inevitable. Maybe you’re tired of shoveling snow and you want to live in a warmer climate. Maybe you have to move so you can go after your dream job or you want to be closer to family. When change entails moving, then a home sale becomes necessary.

Home Prices are on the Rise

This is one of the riskiest reasons to sell your home. Sure you may get more than you ever dreamed for your home when prices are on the rise, but that also means that you will pay more for another home. Perhaps your agent can help you find a steal in a new location where prices are more level. Then you will have made a huge profit and a smart move.

You Need to Downsize

Many homeowners are selling in order to downsize. The baby boomer generation is moving into their golden years. The kids are all out of the house and you just don’t need all that space anymore. Selling now could add a nice healthy sum to your nest egg as well. As long as you are smart about how much of that profit to spend on a new place, downsizing could be just the right move for you financially.

You Can No Longer Afford Your Home

Sadly, there are homeowners who just can no longer afford their home. Whether it is due to divorce, illness, a death, a skyrocketing mortgage payment, or the loss of a job, change in your financial circumstances is a big red flashing sign that now is the time to sell your home. Waiting any longer could have catastrophic financial consequences.

In any situation you find yourself in, an experienced agent is the key to helping you achieve your goals. Learn more about how to determine if now is the time to sell your home by speaking with agent now.

- Signs that Now is the Time to Sell Your Home

Most homebuyers start the process anxious, excited, nervous, and some are downright terrified. It’s natural. A home is the largest and most expensive purchase that most people will make in a lifetime. It can either turn out to be a complete financial disaster or a smart long-term investment.

The person standing between it being a huge financial mistake or a valuable asset is you, the agent. Still, the agent can only help as much as the buyer allows. As vital as having an experienced agent by their side is, there are things that first-time homebuyers have to do.

Here is a list of tips to help first-time homebuyers help you the agent do the best job that you can do. When you are approached by a first-time homebuyer, share this list with them to help them get off on the right foot.

• Make Lists: Write out a list of the things that you want and a list of the things that you need in a new home. Share this list with your agent so that they can better help find what you are looking for. Update or add to your list as you think of things and share those changes with your agent.
• Keep Notes: Your agent is going to keep solid records of the homes that you see. However you should also keep your own notes as you go to open houses. After each home, share what you liked and what you didn’t like with your agent. That will help him or her narrow the search down for you.
• Organize Your Documents: Keep your documents organized and all in one place. If you have a pre-approval letter, keep that with you on house hunts in case you decide to make an offer. Any documents that you will need like inspection reports or appraisals should be readily available as you search for homes.
• Stay Positive: Maybe the most important tip for first-time homebuyers is to stay positive. Even after you have found the home that you want, made an offer, and had it accepted, the process of closing the deal can sometimes take longer than you’d like. Stay positive. If you’ve looked at several houses and still haven’t found what you want, stay calm. Trust your agent to get it right for you.

Speaking with an Agent

An agent for first-time homebuyers is an invaluable asset. They can help you navigate the process  when you are unsure of what to do next. You could call and speak with an agent if you have  general questions. However, if you are ready to seriously start shopping for a home, you need an  agent now. Feel free to contact agent with your specific questions.

- Tips for First-Time Homebuyers