February, 2023 | Issue 1, Volume 3

Hello! Can you believe it's 2023? Life seems to be moving at such a quick clip for us and I'm ashamed I have let my newsletter lapse for as long as I have. We hope to get back on a better schedule soon because we really do miss the opportunity to reconnect that it brings.

Since our last newsletter, some changes have occurred on the team and we've said some hellos and goodbyes. First the goodbyes: Mary has completed her transition to retirement but remains an active referral agent often handpicking an agent on the team to take care of her previous clients. Mary remains my first call when I need a brainstorming session and she will always be our biggest cheerleader!

Jackie Steventon is also making a change--she's moving to Maryland! Jackie will continue to sell real estate so we now have a wonderful and trusted agent to refer you to across the bridge! We will continue to take care of her Virginia clients here so we think this is a great expansion of our business! Congratulations, Jackie! We will miss you but know you are going to do great things on your new team!

And now a hello! Mike and I welcomed our first grandchild, Eli Michael DeLoach, on February 7th at 3:31 PM. He weighed in at 6 pounds 8 ounces and was 19.5" long. We are in love so anticipate seeing a lot of this little guy in future newsletters!

We hope you are all happy and well and would love to hear from you!

~Cathy💜

I have been resistant to the idea of including recipes in my newsletter BUT I am cutting back on my drinking AND I have some favorite, real-life, family recipes I would like to share. This recipe for "Allie's Chicken" was given to me by my mother-in-law, Dorothy, an amazing cook. Though it was intended for salmon, it's excellent on chicken and my family loves it. We always serve it at the beach because it's an easy recipe for feeding a crowd. (You should actually try this recipe! It's some serious good eats!) If you have a family recipe you would like to share with us, we would LOVE to feature it!

Paint is very often a seller's best friend--a fresh coat of paint is relatively inexpensive and can make a home feel and smell newer and fresher. But paint can do so much more! A strategic paint plan can be a significant money maker for our seller clients. It doesn't cost more (with our painters) to add pizzaz to a room with an accent wall or perhaps just the right shade of blue! But the right paint color strategy can drive excitement for a listing, make it pop online, and result in more and better offers for our clients.

Here's a little before and after of one of our FAVORITE listings (maybe because we love these sellers so much!). Our color strategy involved unifying the space, amplifying existing assets in the house, and adding interest and drama. How do you think we did?

Bionic Pets in Sterling built this custom wheelchair for Sudi!

If you would like to learn more about Homeward Trails, click here. And be sure to check out their upcoming Spaghetti Bingo night. It looks like fun!

Got a cute pet you'd like to share with us? Or a favorite pet meme or tip? Please send to cathy.deloach@longandfoster.com!

If you've ever chatted with us about real estates, you'll know that we are completely "into" market data. There is no more telling data than the number of showings scheduled by week and from what we can see, the market is returning to normal. In the graph above, provided as part of Bright MLS's weekly update, you'll see the red 2023 line is becoming closely aligned with the gray 2019 line. As 2019 was our last "normal" pre-Covid year this would be a key indicator of a normalizing market. It seems the number of shoppers has recovered as buyers adapt to the new (old?) higher interest rates. Inventory is increasing as sellers become more optimistic about the market and we are seeing great opportunities for both buyers and sellers as the market normalizes and feels more balanced. Read the full weekly report here: Bright Weekly Market Update

Looking for more local information? We've got it! Click on the icon below to read more about the Robinson 22032, single-family detached market, the single-family detached KPW market, or the 22032 townhome market. You'll find a complete list of homes coming soon, active on the market, under contract or pending, and those homes which closed in the past seven days.

Would you like more information about how those sales may affect your home's value?

Let us know and we will create a customized CMA for you!

CLICK TO SEE LISTINGS

Listings and information are taken from the MLS. If your home is currently listed with a broker, this is not a solicitation of that listing.

Well, that's all for now! If you've made it this far, we thank you!

Please know that we love hearing from you and that we are never too busy to help you with your home or real estate needs. We so appreciate your support, referrals, and most of all we appreciated your friendship over the years!

~Property Sisters, The Mary & Cathy Team