Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a lot of conversations that sound different on the surface but are actually about the same thing.
Buyers asking:
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“Should we wait?”
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“What if we overpay?”
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“How do we know when to walk away?”
Sellers asking:
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“Is now still a good time?”
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“Do we price aspirationally or strategically?”
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“What actually moves the needle?”
And people relocating to DC asking:
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“Where will my life actually feel easier?”
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“What does walkable really mean?”
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“How do I avoid feeling like an outsider?”
Different questions. Same underlying concern.
Nobody wants to make a move they’ll regret.
The misconception I see most often
Many people think the strongest position in real estate is having the perfect timing, the perfect house, or the perfect answer before making a move.
In reality, the strongest position is clarity.
Clarity about:
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What matters vs. what’s negotiable
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What your version of value looks like (not Instagram’s)
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What it means to confidently move forward and confidently walk away
The best-positioned buyers I work with aren’t reckless—and they aren’t frozen.
They’re informed, decisive, and grounded in reality.
Walkability isn’t about coffee...it’s about confidence
One thing that keeps coming up (and honestly makes me smile) is how often buyers say:
“I just want to be able to walk to a coffee shop.”
But what they usually mean is:
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I want my neighborhood to feel intuitive
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I want my life to feel smaller, not harder
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I want to know where I belong
That’s not about caffeine. That’s about lifestyle alignment.
And it’s why hyper-local knowledge matters so much, especially in a city like DC, where two streets can feel like completely different worlds.
What I focus on with clients right now
Whether you’re buying, selling, or relocating, my role isn’t to push momentum for the sake of momentum.
It’s to help you:
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Put your best foot forward when it matters
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Understand when not to stretch
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Make decisions you’ll still feel good about a year from now
Sometimes the strongest move is winning the house.
Sometimes it’s walking away knowing the right one will be better.
Both require the same thing: trust in the process and clarity in the strategy.
Final thought
DC is a transient city. People come from everywhere. They move everywhere.
But the people who land well here—financially and emotionally—are the ones who move with intention.
That’s the work I care most about doing.
If you’re thinking about a move (now or later), or just want to talk through what actually matters in this market, I’m always happy to have the conversation.
