Reston, VA Real Estate Podcast with Paul Herrick

We've moved!

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 13:47:00 -0800

We've moved! www.paulherrick.net is the place to go to receive all of your real estate needs. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

How We Helped Bageshvar Verma sell his home

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:13:00 -0800

"The results were very good. He was a great, realistic agent for me. I tried to sell my property last year, and did not. He has a great marketing strategy, and the house sold for a price that I liked. When we first interviewed him, he showed us his marketing plan, and once I listed the property with him, he looked at his master strategy and it went very well for me"

How We Helped Jocelyn and Alan Reyes Buy and Sell Multiple Homes

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:13:00 -0800

"He helped us find our house in the winter of 2004. We didn't even know that was his first time as a realtor. He was very professional, and listened to our needs in a house. Each house we looked at fit most of what was on our list. Ten years later, I called him again, not only because I liked working with him, but when it came to business he was very professional. I was confident that we would get us a good deal on the house. We put a bid in on one house, and lost it, however we loved the next house that came along and felt confident in our bid and got the house! We felt like he presented well and got the house because of it."

How We Helped Steve Melko Sell His House in a Timely Manner

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:11:00 -0800

"My results were excellent. He came through with his promise to sell it quickly. He actually called me when we were interviewing other agents. He asked us to consider him, and when I said I don't know, he assured us he could be there in ten minutes. He convinced my wife and I that we was the right guy. He was very aggressive, and a real go-getter, and got us results."

How Can You Increase Your Sale Price?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Mon, 6 Jul 2015 09:27:00 -0700

Buying a Northern Virginia Home? Search all Homes for Sale

Selling a Northern Virginia Home? Check out our FREE Home Value Report

The market here in Northern Virginia is heating up, and that means that we're seeing more multiple offers coming in. This is a great thing for home sellers because it can escalate their sale price and give them the chance to pick and choose between different offers.

One of the best ways to draw in multiple offers is to hire the right agent. This agent must be able to identify when a multiple sale opportunity arises, negotiate the highest price without losing any offers, and defend this new and higher price to the appraiser.

I've had a lot of situations recently where I have been able to get sellers extra money for their homes. In one instance I got a seller an extra $15,000, and in another instance I managed to get a seller an extra $8,000 for their home. In a different sale I actually managed to get someone else an extra $15,000 for their home.

So, you see that I am capable of recognizing these multiple offer situations and am able to get you thousands of extra dollars for your home. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you're trying to get top dollar on your home in Northern Virginia!

How we helped Wayne with his real estate transactions by going the extra mile

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:21:00 -0700

"I've worked with Paul Herrick on two occasions, once to buy a house and then to sell a house. He was very professional. Paul is always willing to go the extra mile and keep me informed on the process. He reached out to the buyers to facilitate negotiations, and he was able to reach an agreeable price. I've sold five houses, and I'd say he goes above and beyond compared to most Realtors!"

Wayne Walker, homeowner

How we helped Jerry find a home by listening to the customer’s needs

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:05:00 -0700

"He listened to what I needed. He showed me what was available at the time, and adjusted along the way. He fed it to me in a way that I could understand. At the end of the day, I was certainly happy with the product!"

Jerry Haran, homeowner

Why Are Our Clients so Impressed with Our Service?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 21 May 2015 10:19:00 -0700

Buying a Northern Virginia Home? Search all Homes for Sale

Selling a Northern Virginia Home? Check out our FREE Home Value Report

When you hire the Paul Herrick team, you are hiring a positive, helpful partner for buying or selling a home. We utilize innovative marketing strategies and strong negotiation skills in order to get you the best possible deal for your home. We are experts in Northern Virginia real estate and bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate here.

We have helped many people in the past, and always strive for them to have the best experience possible. More often than not, we succeed. Take a listen to some of the great things that our clients have said about us recently:

"Paul did a great job of helping us get our place ready to go. He did a great job as far as figuring out ways to get things done without having to hire a contractor or anything like that."

"Paul was unbelievable. He knows what it takes to convince the buyer to purchase and had answers for every question we had."

"He was very proactive about helping us understand the market. His service was, hands down, above and beyond."

"We never sold a house before, and he kind of walked us through the process. He did what he said he was going to do and was very thorough about the whole process."

"Paul was very professional throughout the process. If I were to sell another home, I would definitely contact Paul Herrick."

This is just a small sample size of the many happy customers we have helped over the years. When you are buying or selling real estate, you need someone who knows Northern Virginia inside and out. When selling your home, our team knows how to make your house look its best before you put it on the market. We will take care of everything you need, from start to close.

If you have any questions for us, or know somebody looking to buy or sell in Northern Virginia, we would love to answer them. Just give us a call or send us an email, and we will get back to you soon! We can't wait to hear from you!

Are Marketing Your Home and Selling It the Same Thing?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 6 May 2015 11:37:00 -0700

Buying a Northern Virginia Home? Search all Homes for Sale

Selling a Northern Virginia Home? Check out our FREE Home Value Report

Hey everyone, thanks for visiting. Over the course of my career selling real estate, many sellers have asked me, "What's the difference between marketing and selling? And why is marketing necessary when selling?" Well, let's first define the term.

Marketing is considered a passive activity. When you are advertising a product or service, you blast a message out to the most people, advertising the features and benefits of this product or service, with a call to action at the end. It's a necessary component, but not the only one.

Selling is not telling. If you're telling someone about your product or service, you are marketing, not selling. A good sales person will ask a lot of questions about a buyer's motivation. When we find that, we can match it up with the product you are offering. Ideally, the buyer will pay the most money possible because that's what you want, isn't it?

If you are looking for a marketing and sales expert to sell your Northern Virginia home, let us know. We want to be your #1 resource for real estate in the area!

How we helped Gisela close the deal by being right on the money

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:17:00 -0700

"Paul Herrick gave us exactly what we needed to get this deal. We had been dealing with another Realtor for almost a year and a half. In a very short period of time, Paul was able to get the buyers for the price that we were requesting. He was right on the money! He was experienced, and he was actually there for us to answer all of our questions. He was able to make the buyer confident that it was a good fit for them. He know what it takes to convince the buyer!"

How we helped Doug sell his home by being proactive

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:14:00 -0700

"Even before we signed with him, he helped us understand the market and how everything was going to go down. I thought that was above and beyond. My mom was the homeowner, and she loved his enthusiasm and work ethic. He was the third Realtor we worked with. The rest of them all just said that the market wasn’t good, but he definitely represented. There was a bit of a bidding war, and he got the house sold!"

How Can Photography Enhance Your Home's Visual Appeal?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:26:00 -0700

There are many great Northern Virginia area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (703) 831-4131 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

When it comes to selling your home, there are a lot of things that can contribute to your success. No one thing can affect the perception of your home more than photography. Today we are going to talk about professional photography and the important role it plays in marketing and selling your home.

We are going to take a look at 4 examples of "before" home pictures that were originally taken by the agent and 4 "after" pictures we took with the assistance of a professional photographer. The second 4 photos were successful in selling the home.

In the first picture, you can see the home almost appears to be tilted, and doesn't fill the frame. We corrected this by filling the frame and centering the home, making the home look bigger and better.

In another one, we have a picture of the inside of a home. Specifically, the inside of a home gym. There is exercise equipment strewn throughout the room and it looks cramped and dark.

By decluttering the room and opening up some windows, we were able to transform this space into a wide-open room, that added value to the home.

From these photos, you can really see how marketing and professional presentation affects your home sale. If you have any questions for us, you can always give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

How we helped Aaron sell his house by being resourceful

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 5 Mar 2015 09:19:00 -0800

"We sold the house. It was a pretty quick turnover. Paul did a great job getting the word out. He had to do a lot of back and forth with the contract, because the buyers wanted certain things fixed. Paul did a great job figuring out different ways for us to get those things done without having to hire a contractor. Some things were simple enough that I could take care of them myself. I thought that was very helpful."

Why are the Holidays a Good Time to Sell?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 16:00:00 -0700

The holiday season is rapidly approaching! A lot of people have been asking us lately if the holidays really are a good time to list your home for sale on the market. We say absolutely yes! In fact, I have 11 reasons why the holidays are a great time to sell; today I'll give you the first three:

1. People who look over the holidays are serious buyers
Many of them have to purchase before the end of the year for tax purposes and many companies relocate their employees in the 4th quarter of the year.

2. Serious buyers have few homes to choose from
Many sellers are waiting until the spring to re-list or even list their home. In other words, you have less competition now and buyers have fewer homes to choose from. That translates to more money in your pocket.

3. You can restrict showings on the market
You can still have your home on the market during the holiday season, while also restricting showings for a period of time. This will allow you to focus on your family during the holidays, instead of on your home sale. Once the holidays are over, you can start showing your home again and still reap the benefits of the market at this time of year.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to us. We would be glad to help you out.

How we helped Avantika by going above and beyond throughout the whole process

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:34:00 -0700

"Pretty much from start to finish, he was excellent to work with and went above and beyond. He was very good at following up and checking in to make sure things were moving along quickly."

Should Your Real Estate Agent Have a Sales Background?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 09:39:00 -0700

Here's an interesting fact most people don't know: In the Commonwealth of Virginia, sales training is not required to get a real estate license. According to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, "active brokers must complete 24 hours of continuing education within a current two-year term." Basically, an agent needs to dedicate a day every two years to continuing education in order for their license to be valid. But what exactly does this consist of?

There's a handful of requirements, but sales training isn't one of them. You need 8 hours of broker management, 3 hours of ethics and standard of conduct, 2 hours of fair housing, 1 hour of legal updates, 1 hour of real estate agency, and 1 hour of real estate contracts. The remaining 8 hours should simply be in real estate related subjects.

How is an agent, whose job it is to sell, supposed to benefit you without any relevant training in sales? Wouldn't it be beneficial to the bottom line to hire an agent who has a background in sales? We're the best qualified real estate professionals in the business because we have extensive sales experience on top of our agent training.

If you want to work with someone with a proven track record in sales performance, don't hesitate to give us a call. Use our broad experience to your advantage!

Should You Wait Until Spring to Sell Your Home?

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Fri, 5 Sep 2014 14:40:00 -0700

Many sellers are under the impression that the spring is the best time to sell their homes. However, according to the number of closed sales by month in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, the spring may not be the ideal time to put your home on the market if you want to sell it within 6 months.

The numbers show that more homes sell in September than in January, February, and March. Additionally, more homes are sold in December in these counties than in the first quarter of the year. If you want to sell your home in 6 months, the smart thing to do would be to put your home on the market in September or October. You will have less sellers to compete with and, according to our data, there are still buyers out there.

If you have any questions about market conditions in your specific area or are interested in making your move soon, give us a call. We would love to give you a hand selling this fall!

How we helped first time home seller Spencer sell his home by walking him through the process

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 20:02:00 -0700

"He took us through the whole process. We had never sold a home before and he just walked us through everything. He was really good about doing what he said he was going to do. If he told me he was going to follow up on certain time or certain day, he did that. It was really great!"

An Agent with Sales Training will Sell Your Home Faster

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 15:03:00 -0700

If you have $500,000 you want to invest in the stock market, would you trust an inexperienced banker to handle it for you? Of course not - with such a large sum of money you would want to find the most experienced investment banker available so you could be sure to get the best return. The more money on the line, the smarter it is to make the safe bet.

Why should real estate be any different? If you want your home to be sold for the most money possible, you need an agent with extensive sales experience to get the results you want. Since most agents don't have any background in sales, why would you trust them with an investment as massive as a home? The safest bet is to hire an agent that has sales training and a proven track record to sell your home and maximize its value.

In the next few weeks, we will reveal some of the sales techniques an experienced agent uses, as well as what you should be looking for in a responsible agent.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give me a call. Thanks, and have a great day!

How we helped Ken sell his Residential/Commercial property by always keeping him informed

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 07:28:00 -0700

"I have no complaints and I’m happy that we were able to sell my commercial property. Paul was very thorough and he always followed up with me, even when things weren’t happening he would still call me. He was so professional and knowledgeable and if I were to sell another home or anything, I would call Paul, he was great."

How a title company expedites your home's transaction

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Tue, 8 Jul 2014 11:01:00 -0700

A few weeks ago, we talked about how every real estate agent should have a close professional sphere of people they do business with to help get your home sold faster. Nicole Greco of Champion Title is part of our sphere, so we have asked her here to tell us 3 reasons why Champion Title is so important in the process of selling your home.

1. Trust
You want to make sure that the company you are working with always has your client's best interest at heart and they are always doing everything they can for the client. Champion Title does this and more. Confidentiality is something they take very seriously and they do well with keeping sensitive information confidential.

2. Relationship

We work closely with Champion Title, and have a very good working relationship. Getting them on the phone or keeping in touch electronically has never been an issue. We know that anytime we pick up the phone, we are going to be able to communicate with them.

3. Customer Service

Champion Title knows what is important to our business and what is important to our clients. Their main focus is getting everybody on the same page and making deals happen. The reason that Champion Title doesn't have to spend money on advertising is because they have very good relationships with customers and have thrived through repeat business and word of mouth.

We recommend Champion Title because they allow us to focus on the sale of your home and getting over the obstacles and details that we know we can trust to them. If you have any questions about Champion Title or any other real estate needs, don't hesitate to contact us!

Now is the Right Time to Sell Your Home

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 13:35:00 -0700

The most common question we get is, When is the best time to sell my home?

The answer is simple: Summer.

According to the data on closed sales in northern Virginia, more homes sell in the summer months than any other time of the year.

Not only that, but sellers also get higher prices for their homes in the summer!

Because more people are looking for homes when the weather's nice, there is no better time than now to put your home on the market.

If your home isn't quite ready to sell, don't worry. The strong summer season has proven cyclical, so you can always wait until next year.

Whether you're looking to buy or sell a home in northern Virginia, I'm available to answer any questions you might have. As always, feel free to call or email us at any time.

How we helped Alan sell his home with our unique tactics

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 09:08:00 -0700

"We really wanted to sell our home quickly and Paul really helped us meet our objectives. We set a good price for the home and were able to get it on the market quickly. We actually sold it before our first open house using Paul’s unique tactics!"

What lenders look for in borrowers

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Thu, 5 Jun 2014 13:58:00 -0700

3 Things that All Lenders Look For in Borrowers
Today I'm with Joe Lucas from McLean Mortgage. We will be discussing the top 3 things that lenders look for in borrowers. If you're looking to get financing to buy a home here in Northern Virginia, then this is some great advice for you. Joe recommends these three things if you want to have a smooth and painless financing experience.

Cash: How much cash do you have readily available? This is important for a home deposit. It's also important to know where these funds came from because the lenders have to source your income from somewhere.
Your Credit Score: Credit scores are extremely important because a lender will need to know if you meet the minimum requirements necessary to borrow money.
Income: This may be the most important part of qualifying for a home. You need to be able to make the monthly payments necessary to pay off your mortgage, and your income must show that.

If you can satisfy these criteria you are very likely to be approved for a mortgage loan from a lender. If you would like to know more about this then please do not hesitate to contact me.

As always, consider me your #1 resource for real estate in Northern Virginia!

My sphere of influence encourages a smoother transaction

HerrickTeam@Gmail.com (Paul Herrick) — Wed, 21 May 2014 12:38:00 -0700

What is a Professional Sphere?
Today I am going to speak about the importance of hiring a real estate agent with a large professional sphere (or sphere of influence). You will find that if you hire an agent with a large professional sphere, your transaction will be smooth and rather uneventful.

You would want a real estate agent to be familiar with lenders, so that they can refer qualified buyers to your home when you're selling it.

Another very important connection that your Realtor should have is with a title company. They collect the debits and the credits in a sales transaction and are essential pieces to the puzzle. The lender that is referred to you should be competent and experienced because they will often determine whether the sale goes smoothly or not.

A real estate agent should also be in touch with qualified home inspectors, insurance agents, movers, plumbers, carpenters, cleaners, surveyors, etc.
The more professionals your real estate agent has in his/her professional sphere, the smoother and less painful your transaction will be. You will not have to hunt down contractors if your agent is already familiar with and trusting of their service.

If you need assistance finding real estate in Northern Virginia, then please don't hesitate to contact me. I would be more than happy to provide assistance to you.