Northern Virginia Real Estate: Vienna, Oakton, McLean, Great Falls, Reston, Fairfax, and surrounding areas.

MCLEAN, VA (February 27, 2012)  Keller Williams Realty International (KWRI), the second largest and fastest growing real estate company in the United States, again named The Belt Team of McLean, Virginia, its No. 1 Luxury Home Team in the entire company at its annual Family Reunion held this month in Orlando, Florida. The Belt Team sold more luxury homes in 2011 than any of the 80,000+ KWRI agents/teams in North America. (They also sold twice as many “million dollar homes” in the Vienna Oakton area as any other Realtor or team.)

In addition, The Belt Team was recognized in the Top 20 in North America in total production for the company and is recognized as a Top 100 team in the USA by the Wall Street Journal/REAL Trends. Terry Belt, CEO of The Belt Team, said he was “grateful for the recognition. These awards only affirm the true power of building and working with a team of professionals with integrity, focus and determination. By putting our clients’ needs first, together we are able to provide a standard and level of service not possible by an individual agent. Our team is doing new things that most others in the industry are not – especially in the area of social media; and our clients are the ones who benefit by having the leading edge – whether buying or selling their home.”

About The Belt Team and Terry Belt:
The Belt Team includes Terry Belt (CEO), Gail Belt (Founding Partner), 6 additional Realtor Partners (Pauline Knipe, Kevin Kleifges, Mary Jane Perry, Susan Hussey, Catharine Via & Krissy Cruse), Christy Grossman (Chief Operating Officer), Jerry Belt (Special Services) and Tara Miller (Client Care Manager).  The Belt Team serves all of Northern Virginia and has transacted over One $Billion in real estate. They specialize in Vienna and Oakton and have sold more homes there than any other Realtor since 1973 For more information, please visit http://www.TheBeltTeam.com  Phone: 703-242-3975 Contact The Belt Team

About Keller Williams Realty International:
Keller Williams Realty International (KWRI) is one of the largest real estate companies in the United States and has continued to grow despite the well-publicized turmoil in the real estate industry. In 2011, Keller Williams Realty surpassed Century 21 to become the 2nd largest real estate company in the United States. In addition to offices in the U.S., KWRI is located throughout Canada and has also just announced the signing of its first overseas franchise agreement in Vietnam. The company is also in conversations with potential franchisees in several other countries, including: South Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia, Egypt and several Middle Eastern countries.

7716 crossover Drive in McLean – $1,250,000

This is not your standard rambler! It’s bright and open, with 10′ ceilings in the foyer & dining room, a cathedral ceiling in the living room, and >8′ ceilings in the finished lower level.  The kitchen is a cook’s dream with high-end appliances, and opens to the family room with a charming fireplace. Wonderful main level master suite. All this & more in the sought after Timberly neighborhood & Langley HS pyramid!

More Info about 7716 Crossover Drive in McLean

Contact The Belt Team – We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this Spring. Let us know if you would like to be on our PRIORITY NOTIFICATION LIST so that you can find out about listings BEFORE they hit the market!

7001 Petunia Street in Springfield – $524,900

Charming brick front colonial with plenty of updates. Kitchen & bathrooms were completely remodeled in 2012 & the home is also freshly painted! new flooring was installed in 2010. Delightful family room with fireplace. Finished walkout lower level with rec room. This home is move-in ready! Wonderful convenient location close to several great commuting options.

More Info about 7001 Petunia Street in Springfield

Contact The Belt Team – We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this Spring. Let us know if you would like to be on our PRIORITY NOTIFICATION LIST so that you can find out about listings BEFORE they hit the market!

Have you ever wondered what the top eco-friendly features are that Buyers would like in their homes? And how you can ensure that your credit score is as high as possible? Watch this two minute video for some “news you can use’!

If you’d like more information on how much of a loan you qualify for, contact The Belt Team and we’ll be happy to put you in touch with our trusted lenders.

TGIF! That means it’s time for our Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements.

First, our video. They’re talking about snow on Sunday. (Ever get the feeling the newscasters are trying to pump up the ratings?) But whether it snows or not, that February air IS cold out there. And it always feels good to come home and in out of the cold. So our video this week is “February Air”. Scroll down for open house details after you listen to the video – because we have the PERFECT place for you to call home!

OPEN SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2-4PM – 108 Battle St SE in Vienna – $1,339,500!

This fabulous new home is just getting its finishing touches! Custom built by master builder Dominion Associates – crafting Vienna since 1979! Enjoy an elegant Hardiplank & stone elevation with charming porch feature, upgraded finishes & quality throughout, luxurious kitchen, first floor library, two fireplaces, an oversized deck, finished lower level with fifth bedroom, 4th full bath, & wet bar. Madison High School pyramid and fabulous “in-town” location!

Directions: From Tysons: Route 123 South (Maple Ave) to “downtown Vienna”, left Park St, right Moore Ave, 1st right on Spring St to end of Spring St. Home straight ahead on Battle.

More Info about 108 Battle St SE in Vienna

Read about “Life In Vienna”

Contact The Belt Team

One of the questions we get asked frequently is how to manage selling your home when you have a pet. After all, a pet is really part of your family. And you want to minimize the disruption showings may cause, while at the same time making sure your home is as appealing as possible. So – what’s the best way to handle this situation?

First – it depends on the kind of pet. Some (like fish) are obviously not a problem at all. Some (like cats & dogs) can be managed. And some (like multiple snakes & iguanas) are a much bigger challenge. (We’ve had all of these and more – including exotic birds who were allowed to roam freely in the house!)

What you’ll really need to think about is whether you want to sell your home quickly. And whether the amount you sell for is important. Because having pets can definitely affect both of those areas. If you’re looking to maximize profits and sell as fast as possible, then we recommend having your pets out of the house – at least during the first 2 weeks your home is on the market. (This is the period where you’ll receive the most showings.)

Now, if you’re like me – that doesn’t sound like much of an idea. My dog Cody would NOT be happy with this solution. And maybe your pet would feel the same way. You might be thinking, “Seriously now. My dog Fifi is the cutest thing ever. And she would never hurt a fly. Why in the world would I need to send her over to someone else’s house to stay? Or worse yet, to a kennel?!”

And the answer is, you don’t need to do that UNLESS selling your home quickly and selling for the most money matter to you. If you don’t mind having your home on the market for a much longer period, and you don’t mind not maximizing the sales price, then we would say not to worry about sending Fifi on an extended play date. BUT, if things like time & money are valuable to you, then we’d probably advise you that sending Fifi away would be in your best interests. (You may not always like our advice, but as your Realtors we feel strongly that we have a duty to represent you & YOUR best interests. So we’d have to be straight with you.)

Let us share some of the things “real” Buyers have shared with us over the years. Situations like these are VERY common and it’s why we recommend being pet free while you’re on the market.

* We have a current Buyer we are working with who refuses to even drive by or go in a home where there are pets. They require that before we show them a home, we verify with the Seller that they do not have ANY pets in residence. So even though several times we thought we had found the perfect home to show them, they chose not to even go see what it looked like. And we’re talking homes that are gorgeous & in pristine condition.

* We have had other Buyers who have serious fear of dogs. To the point that even though they know a dog is caged, if they hear it bark, they won’t enter the home. Now, if you have a dog, you may understand how silly this seems. (I have a dog for example who barks his head off until you open the door and then he wags his tail so hard you think it’s going to fall off because he’s so happy to see you.) But it doesn’t matter whether the fear is rational or irrational, a Buyer’s perception is your reality. Even if their agent convinces them to come in, the fear in the back of their mind causes them not to be able to bond with the house the way they would if they were totally relaxed.

* The worst situation we remember is showing a home where there were cages upon cages of SNAKES. AND ONE GOT OUT! Now I don’t care how many times you tell a Buyer not to worry because this type of snake is not poisonous, you are NEVER going to get that lady back in the house.

* Medical issues (like allergies) are often a factor. If someone in the family has allergies, it may mean they won’t buy your home if you have pets. Or it may mean they offer less money since they factor in replacement of carpets, cleaning of air ducts and all sorts of other things. Either way, you lose.

* Liability is always an issue too. While your pet may normally be very loving, quiet and unassuming – we have seen pets respond very differently than normal because their home is on the market and all these strangers keep invading it. The last thing you want to deal with is a law suit because Fifi nipped at a child while they were looking at your home.

National studies show that the Top Reasons A Home Doesn’t Sell (aside from price & condition) are smokers, heavy cooking odors and pets.

So, the bottom line is, if you can be creative and find your pet a temporary home-away-from-home (Can Fifi go to a relative’s home during the day? Can you board her for a short time? Maybe she would even really like “doggie day care” like our Client Care Manager’s dog Casey!), you’ll definitely improve your chances of selling quickly and for the most money. And in the long run, this would be best for Fifi too!

TGIF! That means it’s time for our Friday Funday Video & Open House Announcements.

First, our video. This weekend, some of the members of The Belt Team are headed to Keller Williams Family Reunion (KWFR) in Orlando. (That’s what we call our annual company convention). Since we’re the 2nd largest real estate company in the U.S. – we’ll have a HUGE turnout. But just like Vienna, where “everybody knows your name” – KWFR has that same feel. We’re excited that our CEO (Terry Belt) and Chief Operating Officer (Christy Belt Grossman) will be featured on several panels – sharing their expertise in the real estate business with thousands of attendees. So our video today goes out to all our colleagues at Keller Williams Realty International! (The rest of you can scroll down for open house information. We have a fabulous new home open. And it’s in Vienna – where we also are FAM-I-LY!)

OPEN SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2-4PM – 108 Battle St SE in Vienna – $1,339,500!

This fabulous new home is just getting its finishing touches! Custom built by master builder Dominion Associates – crafting Vienna since 1979! Enjoy an elegant Hardiplank & stone elevation with charming porch feature, upgraded finishes & quality throughout, luxurious kitchen, first floor library, two fireplaces, an oversized deck, finished lower level with fifth bedroom, 4th full bath, & wet bar. Madison High School pyramid and fabulous “in-town” location!

Directions: From Tysons: Route 123 South (Maple Ave) to “downtown Vienna”, left Park St, right Moore Ave, 1st right on Spring St to end of Spring St. Home straight ahead on Battle.

More Info about 108 Battle St SE in Vienna

Read about “Life In Vienna”

Contact The Belt Team

9449 Brenner Court in Vienna – $1,250,000

This lovely home is just outside the Town of Vienna limits (ie - no town taxes!). The spacious open floorplan includes a family room with gas fireplace ~ family room opens to the delightful screened porch ~  Sunny kitchen with breakfast room ~ wonderful tray ceiling master bedroom with two walk-in closets & luxurious master bath ~ finished walkup lower level with nine foot ceilings so it doesn’t feel like a basement! Fenced rear yeard with patio is perfect for entertaining. AND – it’s in the Madison HS pyramid!

More Info about 9449 Brenner Ct in Vienna

Read about “Life In Vienna”

Contact The Belt Team – We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this Spring. Let us know if you would like to be on our PRIORITY NOTIFICATION LIST so that you can find out about listings BEFORE they hit the market!

9603 Timberview Court in Vienna – $991,879

Delightful home in a fabulous cul-de-sac location. Wonderful outdoor areas to enjoy – from a screened porch to a brick patio to a tiered deck with hot tub! Inside you’ll find a wonderfully open floorplan including a vaulted ceiling library, family room with soaring two story ceiling, spacious kitchen/breakfast room, main level master bedroom with tray ceiling & luxurious bath, finished walkout lower level. AND – it’s in the Madison HS pyramid!

More Info about 9603 Timberview Ct in Vienna

Read about “Life In Vienna”

Contact The Belt Team – We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this Spring. Let us know if you would like to be on our PRIORITY NOTIFICATION LIST so that you can find out about listings BEFORE they hit the market!

3231 Norfolk Lane in Falls Church – $315,000

Charming brick rambler INSIDE THE BELTWAY! Enjoy a living room with bay window & woodburning fireplace ~ three bedrooms ~ one and a half baths ~ finished lower level with spacious rec room & wet bar (perfect for entertaining!). updates include a new hot water heater (2011), new windows (2009), & new A/C (2007). Plus easy access to 50, 66 & 495! 

 More Info about 3231 Norfolk Lane in Falls Church

Contact The Belt Team – We have LOTS of listings coming on the market this Spring. Let us know if you would like to be on our PRIORITY NOTIFICATION LIST so that you can find out about listings BEFORE they hit the market!