The Mendenhall Properties Review

On October 27th, 2016, Mendenhall Properties hosted its 11th Annual Client Appreciation Night with a movie screening. Friends and past clients of Mendenhall Properties were invited to show our gratitude for helping with our success. We look forward to hosting more movie nights and showing our appreciation. Below is a video and photos from the event:

Atlantic Coast Mortgage brought the following to my attention. It's a mistake when applying for a new credit card that has an effect on your credit score. Some Home Buyers may find it necessary to apply for a new credit card when getting a loan. Click Here for what happens you apply for new credit card.

A wine and cheese reception was held from  6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16 at Marymount’s Main House to provide area alumni with an opportunity to learn about the real estate market and how the Marymount Affinity Program can save them time and money. The event was free to alumni and their guests.

“We’ll talk about the real estate market and help alums understand what the program is and how they can take advantage of its special discounts,” said Erin Mendenhall of Mendenhall Properties, Marymount’s partner in the affinity program. “They’ll also hear about past success stories.”

    
Enjoy the highlights from the evening:

Clarendon began as a streetcar suburb of DC in 1896 and quickly grew into the unofficial downtown retail district of Arlington. A huge part of the area’s appeal is its close proximity to DC just across the Potomac. That convenient commute and the arrival of the Metro station in 1979 created a high demand for housing and retail space, leading to a new wave of development like the 2001 Market Common.

The feel of Clarendon is a mix between city and suburb, with large apartment, condo and office complexes surrounded by smaller townhouse developments. Not much of the “Little Saigon” vibe of the 70’s and 80’s remains in the neighborhood, replaced by high-end restaurants, condos and shopping. While Clarendon does have a few home-grown retailers (Public Shoe Store, Artisan Confections, Kinder Haus Toys) most of the shopping is found at upscale national chains like Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn, and The Apple Store.

On March 8th I was awarded the Top Centurion award for sales volume for 2014. It was an amazing night that I’ll always be proud of, and I wanted to take a moment to send a special thanks out to all of my clients who helped make this honor possible. It wouldn’t have happened without you! I'm so blessed to be celebrating my 10th year in a business that I love so much.

Erin

    
Enjoy the highlights from the evening:

Well dear friends, it looks like we have to officially say farewell to summertime now that Labor Day has past. But don't put away your whites and summer clothes just yet! Please come join me on Tuesday September 16th at 5:30pm for our annual Mendenhall Properties End of Summer Happy Hour at Lyon Hall. Come relax, have some cocktails on me, and enjoy an exclusive meet and greet with Lyon Hall's new chef Matt Hill. It's going to be a fabulous evening and I can't wait to see you there! If you don't feel like driving, just hop on the metro and take the orange line to Clarendon.

* Please RSVP by Sept 10th or just click on this Evite Link: RSVP EVITE

At Mendenhall Properties, we primarily focus on real estate in the greater-Washington D.C. area. But we recently had a couple of meetings in Costa Rica to explore some real estate opportunities in that beautiful country. So how did this opportunity come about? Wes and Judith are two my clients that I worked with recently.

We have such a great working relationship that they trusted me to watch their home while they traveled to Costa Rica to visit with their familiy. I am beyond lucky and blessed to have built such great relationships with my clients over the past nine years during which I started Mendenhall Properties. It's not about meeting quotas and selling properties -- it's about relationships, that's how you grow a business and that's how I've grown mine.

This past year, I sold Wes and Judith's home in Falls Church so that they could retire in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has always been one of my favorite island hot spots -- I've traveled there more than six times already. In 2010, I started Costa Rica Connect, LLC, with my business partner Krista Baker Scheyer, who helps organize most of the triatholons in the country.

I visited serveral properties on my trip, meeting with property managers who take excellent care of the land while folks are back in America. Of course I had a little bit of fun, too, enjoying all of the great island life: chilling with monkeys and long walks on the beach. 

Investing in a property in Costa Rica isn't just an escape -- it's an experience. I dined with the locals and ate at Villa Deevena, one of the best restaurants in Costa Rica. The chef, Patrick Jamon, has served four presidents in the U.S.! It was simply delicious. I got to eat with Patrick and his family. What a treat!

And yes, I even surfed. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time. I surfed!!!!! 

I'm telling you about these experiences not to brag, but because you, too, can enjoy Costa Rica's incredible opportunities. 

We founded Costa Rica Connect to help Washingtonians know about the real estate opportunities on the island. With her extensive background in Costa Rica and my greater-Washington real estate background, this was a perfect business match.

Our mission? To help Washingtonians realize all of the great potential on one of our favorite islands. It's not just real estate potential -- but the potential to like the Pura Vida LIfe, enjoying the simple things and being within nature.

My business mantra is It starts with a connection... 

Sometimes, that connection leads to Costa Rica.

Check out some pictures of the land and Villa Deevena:

What a busy summer season it has been! At Mendenhall Properties, our spring season has flown right into the summer season, and we're planning for a busy fall, too.

At Mendenhall Properties, we focus on higher-end properties, but many of my clients ask me about tips for their kids who are thinking about entering into the real estate market.

It's a daunting decision, and a big financial one, too. So I was happy to lend my tips to The Washingtonian magazine last month to offer my tips for first-time home buyers.

The big secret is to plan ahead and be communicative. You need an agent that will fight for you. And at Mendenhall Properties, I'm always fighting for my clients.

You can check our our real estate tips for first time home-buyers in The Washingtonian magazine here, and below is an excerpt:
The first time you do anything can be a bit tricky. But throw in a mortgage, a contract, and a potentially life-altering decision? That’s a whole new level of scary. We checked in with local realtor Erin Mendenhall of McLean’s Mendenhall Properties, and she shared her expert wisdom on what to know when you’re first setting out on the house hunt. The number one thing to remember: “Your agent should make you look good,” she says. “Just like a Hollywood agent lands celebs dream roles, or an NFL agent can take a college athlete to the big leagues—you want your agent to make you look good and to fight for you.” Noted. Read on for the rest of Mendenhall’s advice. We always fight for our clients! And be sure to check out our properties at MendenhallProperties.com.

It used to be that senior citizens would retire in Florida. And while many seniors do that, the recent real estate market outlook suggests that many Baby Boomers are looking to have a little bit more fun than just sitting and sewing scarves on their front porch patio swings. Take a look at this recent article in The Washington Post from Roger K. Lewis: 

"Millions of older Americans, a large and rapidly growing segment of the nation’s population, will face that question. Most will look for an apartment, not another house, and many will prefer living in denser urban environments rather than in sprawling suburbs and exurbs."

As the principal Mendenhall Properties, I know firsthand about this Baby Boomer trend and it's why I sit with senior citizens clients and ask them about what it is they're looking for.

Down-sizing doesn't have to mean downgrading your lifestyle. In fact, moving into Washington D.C. can offer a more exciting social scene. You're in walking distance to all of the great museums, restaurants and major transportation hubs.

As Lewis writes: "Many seniors will sell their suburban homes at prices reflecting greatly appreciated value and equity. Many also will enjoy stable annual incomes from pensions, annuities and investments."

<< CLICK HERE to 'Like' Mendenhall Properties on Facebook for more gorgeous properties. >>

Lewis adds: "Consequently, unlike people in need of workforce housing, millions of seniors will have the financial means to rent or buy spacious, conveniently located apartments."

But if you're weary about moving into the big city, consider staying in our towns that surround D.C. 

From Arlington to Alexandria, our small towns are each terrific communities that can help senior citizens downsize from the hassle of upkeeping a house while increasing lifestyle. 

A property perfect for this at Mendenhall Properties is 1515 Arlington Ridge Road in Arlington, Virginia (pictured above).

You can view the full listing at the link above, and you can take a video tour here.

From our listing: "Beautiful luxury corner unit looking to Washington Monument. Huge open floor plan with kitchen that opens to living and dining area. gleaming hardwoods throughout, separate dining space. gourmet kitchen with granite and stainless steel appliances, tons of closet space, separate storage unit and garage parking space conveys, outdoor private pool, walk to pentagon city metro, shops, and dining!"

At Mendenhall Properties, we're all about giving back. That's part of what makes our are such an awesome place to live for potential-buyers -- our strong sense of community.

As a native of this area, I know firsthand about that. We recently hosted a Habitat for Humanity Build Day to give back to the community.

Today, I wanted to tell you about how you can donate to Habitat for Humanity. It's easy, too. You can visit this website to learn more about how to give back.

<< CLICK HERE to 'Like' Mendenhall Properties on Facebook. >>

When Habitat offers a home to an underprivileged family, it can also include furniture and appliances. So if you're getting rid of home improvement supplies, furniture, building materials and tool -- consider donating to Habitat for Humanity in our area.

As the principal of Mendenhall Properties, I make sure to tell my clients about this incredible organization.

Here's a Mendenhall Properties Pro Tip: You don't even have to worry about dropping off the donations to our local Habitat for Humanity. That's right! Just call your local Habitat for Humanity and schedule a pick-up time and location. 

<< CLICK HERE for photos of 1101 Park Royal Ct. property. > >

Everything from toilets, tubs, bricks, drywall, DVD players, radios, video games, carpets, extra hardwood flooring.

Don't forget about donating bedroom sets, dining room sets, stools, desks, lamps, entertainment centers, lawn equipment, bikes, counter tops, exercise equipment mirrors, and more. So next time you're  going through your belongings or getting ready for a move, consider helping Habitat for Humanity.

It's one of hidden headaches for my clients' during their real estate journeys And no, I'm not talking about packing and unpacking (although that can be pretty tedious, too).

The Open House.

Apparently, I'm not alone in my thinking. Last week, The New York Times' Ronda Kaysen wrote that Open Houses recently feel "like a block party, with everyone from the neighborhood traipsing through with the children in tow."

"Unnerving," is how Kaysen describes open houses. I couldn't agree more. That's why at Mendenhall Properties we work with our clients ahead of a showing to put them at ease. We help our clients make their homes show ready. We want potential buyers to see your house as their home, at that usually means seeing it lived-in, before you start packing up the boxes.

When Mendenhall Properties hosted our recent Open House at 1101 Park Royal Ct., in Great Falls, Va., I made sure all the lights were on in each of the rooms -- nothing dark, only light. We want our potential buyers to see everything.

 If you check out the picture of our Park Royal property to the left, notice how each of the windows are open to let the light in.

<< CLICK HERE to 'Like' Mendenhall Properties on Facebook for more gorgeous properties. >>

Next, notice how the lamps in the kitchen and in the living room are each turned on. See that? Real estate secrets.

(Though it's impossible to make our gorgeous Park Royal property looks bad. Take a video tour here.)

I usually play soothing jazz music (no block party themes at my open houses, New York Times!). In the spring and summertime, I serve cold lemonade or bottled water.

I keep away from food -- and I'd recommend you do, too -- because you don't want any spills dirtying up the gorgeous properties. See our Park Royal kitchen photo below, and notice there's no food anywhere on the tables.

<< CLICK HERE for photos of 1101 Park Royal Ct. property. > >

Here's an insider's tip: The Pre-Open House is often where real deals can be made. I host these special invitation only events (where I do serve food) for my properties just before a listing goes on the market and before our first public Open House.

Why? It gives agents an opportunity to see the property first. So ask your realtor about Pre-Open Houses to see if you can get an inside track.

Your agent should take care of your open house and its promotion. At Mendenhall Properties, we tap into our network of real estate experts and into the community to make sure the right people are seeing your home.

Our marketing strategy includes social media (like Facebook and YouTube), but it's also good ol' fashioned word of mouth.

The bottom line: The Open House should be agents' headache -- not yours. And at Mendenhall Properties, that's what we do.

Marketing in the 21st Century can feel like a lost cause -- just when you think you have the technology down for one social media platform, blink it's gone.

I'm in the thick of the spring real estate season. And while properties in NoVa, Md., and D.C. are only staying on the market for 30 days or less, that's not always the case elsewhere.

As principal of Mendenhall Properties, the core of my business is helping my clients sell and purchase homes. But renting offers some great options sometimes, too, especially in the D.C. region. That's why I'm excited to share with you The Shooshan Company's latest apartment building located in the heart of Arlington.

It's called The View.

The View is just steps from the Ballston Metro stop in the heart of Arlington, right near all of the award-winning restaurants and local shops. You're just a few metro stops away from all that D.C. has to offer, but you're still not directly in the city.

The View has a perfect location, but the building itself comes with unparalleled amenities: a valet concierge; rooftop deck with a fire pit -- perfect for entertaining your friends; year-round plunge pools; an al fresco bar with a cooking station; underground garage parking (so you never have to worry about shoveling snow off your car); and an outdoor movie screen for summer film nights under the stars.

One of my personal favorite features of The View is that many of the units come with a balcony with gorgeous views. So you can wake up and sip your morning coffee while scanning your emails outside. The units come with brand new appliances, and there's studios, one-bedrooms, and one-bedrooms with either a loft or a den -- which makes a great second bedroom or an office space -- as well as a two-bedroom unit.

A word on renting: Just the other week, The New York Times teamed up with Zillow, a real estate website, and reported that between 2007 and 2013, 6.2 million Americans became rental tenants -- compared with just 208,000 Americans who became homeowners. Translation: Renting is here to stay. So make sure if you're going to be renting, you're connecting with an established company.

This building is owned by The Shooshan Company. My good friend Kelly Shooshan is the chief operating officer at Shooshan. Just like Mendenhall Properties, they know how what makes our region stand out -- the incredible sense of community. Remember, Shooshan and Mendenhall Properties are sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity build day next week!

We attended the Arlington Community Foundation's annual gala last week and what a great time we had learning about all of the different non-profits right here in the Arlington community.

Recently, we've been spotlighting a series of philanthropies as we gear-up for our Habitat Build Day later this month that we're sponsoring with The Shooshan Company, an Arlington developer. From Living Vicky to the Offender Aid and Restoration Program of Arlington County -- these are programs that help make Arlington special.

So what makes the Arlington Community Foundation so special? Just check out a few of their countless initiatives that help people of all ages.

Their Youth Philanthropy initiative helps prepare high school students for a life of community service. Their Hoffman-Boston initiative helps an underprivileged elementary school pass learning standards. And their Senior Engagement provides crucial services to our senior citizens.

We had a great time attending the ACF's annual gala -- but we knew it was for a great cause, too.

I wanted to take a quick minute to spotlight a charity in our backyard that fights to give people second chances. As principal of Mendenhall Properties, I'm constantly selling folks on the incredible community that exists here in Arlington (my hometown) and the greater-D.C. region.

Now? Here's some proof:

The Offender Aid and Restoration Program of Arlington County, Inc., was established in 1974. For 40 years -- that's right, four decades! -- they've helped put volunteers in jails. What's more is that OAR also provides ongoing support of prisoners and ex-offenders. These are some of the most forgotten members of our society.

This is a thankless task. But OAR never looks for credit. Instead, they continue onward, helping our community behind the scenes. It's why I'm so glad to be able to sponsor them this year. Check our more of their amazing story here.

We attended their fundraising event earlier this month. And we were inspired. Community services takes all different forms.

At Mendenhall Properties, we not only deal with homes -- we deal with offices.

And just like a family needs certainty as they navigate a tough real estate market, so do businesses.

Don't take my word for it, here's what Kimberlee Stiens, the office manager of the Marijuana Policy Project had to say after I sold MPP their new office home:


"Working with Erin on our recent office purchase was an absolute pleasure. She really went the extra mile and did a LOT of work on what turned out to be a complicated and difficult transaction. Through it all, we always knew we could trust Erin to have our back and do the research to know we were doing the right things. All her recommended vendors, including the title company, were fantastic. I would definitely recommend her to friends and colleagues!" --Kimberlee Stiens, Office Manager,
Marijuana Policy Project

Save the Date!

Who: Habitat for Humanity; Erin Mendenhall, Mendenhall Properties principal; and Arlington developer The Shooshan Company.

What: Habitat for Humanity Build Day -- help us help others in our community!

When: Wed., April 30, 2014; 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Where: 2828 Douglass Ave., Falls Church, Va.

At Mendenhall Properties, we believe that what makes our area so strong is the sense of community -- in the schools, the shops, the parks. And that's why we are so committed to helping lay the foundation for another family to join our community. Habitat for Humanity is one of my favorite organizations. And I hope you'll join us for a few hours in helping give back to our community.

A catered lunch will be provided!

For more information, email info@mendenhallproperties.com.

Thanks,

Erin.

Last week at Mendenhall Properties, we turned around a contract in ONE DAY. That's right, folks, the average turnaround in this market is about one month.

But at Mendenhall Properties, we have a close tap on our community. It's all part of the Mendenhall Difference -- I grew up in Northern Virginia, so I know our hometown inside and out.

There's no secret -- it's just hard work combined with our inside, local network that makes the Mendenhall Difference that much more special to sellers. Sellers don't want a hassle, they want some help. That's where we come in and in this case, it only took a day.

The property itself is on Ashby Lane, in Alexandria. We've got quite a few properties listed on Ashby Lane, which you can check out here. It's perfect for first-time buyers or anyone looking to downsize.

Alexandria is still close enough to Washington D.C. to access via metro, but far enough removed so you can still enjoy its unique community -- especially the shops, restaurants and boutiques in-and-around King Street.

The bottom line: if you're looking to sell your property and want a hassle free environment -- give Mendenhall Properties a chance!