Dwayne & Maryanne Moyers

We were recently asked to provide a description of our real estate philosophy and services as partner real estate agents with an emerging real estate company. There are plenty of numbers, recommendations, and statistics we have posted on other websites to describe our past in the real estate industry. But this description is a personal approach of describing who we are, and what we are about as real estate agents.

The Moyers Team: Dwayne and Maryanne Moyers, Realtors

We have been a residential sales team earning the highest industry awards by simply putting the needs of our clients first. We began our estate profession with a business model addressing all facets of residential sales. We have sold hundreds of homes including new construction, short sales, auctions, and foreclosures.

We feel this approach requires us to study the continuous changes occurring in the communities we serve. This also agrees with our philosophy of providing our clients with representation which addresses their future housing needs, as well as the future growth of surrounding jurisdictions. We achieve this by listening to the needs of our clients, attending local development meetings, and exercising patience and continued research until our clients find their home of choice. We are committed enough to this principle to show a past client 160 homes before finding the perfect fit.

Our services have also included management and consultation of new home sales by regional builders. This has given us insight to the problems homebuyers face when signing a builder's contract. We encourage anyone considering a purchase from a builder to consider contacting us before conducting a home search.

Our experience in local real estate markets have shaped our belief in success over time. We view the real estate profession as always evolving. We are committed to possessing the best skills among our peers in changes which occur in customer service, real estate regulations, sales trends, community awareness, and technology applications. Our guarantee to our clients is representation by full-time committed agents with a problem solving full-service approach. We continue to serve both buyers and sellers, and continue to grow our client base by putting the best interests of our clients and reputation above all else.

After evaluating jurisdictions through the 2010 Census Bureau Report, TheStreet.com has ranked the richest counties in America. The baseline for comparison was through median household income. Normally this kind of report wouldn't catch our attention. But 5 Northern Virginia counties earned recognition on a list of the wealthiest 15 places in America. The Northern Virginia jurisdictions mentioned are as follows:

Loudoun County: The wealthiest county in America. With the average estate homes in the surrounding areas of Leesburg and Ashburn priced from $500K-$800K, and horse properties at every turn from Middleburg to Purcellville to Lovettsville priced between $1m-$3M we were not surprised Loudoun County earned the top spot on this list. The median household income of $119,540 supports a poverty rate of 3.2%. The population has doubled in size during the past decade. We have sold homes in Leesburg, and provided bank servicing of homes in the Middleburg area. Based on our observations smart planning by Loudoun County officials has forged great transportation networks, well designed communities and services, schools with a technology infrastructure which supports a virtual learning initiative, and a long-term plan supporting additional commercial growth. We believe Loudon County will continue to be considered one of the best places to live for the forseeable future.

Fairfax County: The largest county in Northern Viginia (population 1,081,726) finished second with a median household income of $103,010. The development in the Lorton-Fairfax Station areas bordering the Occoquan River, and the Chantilly and Fair Lakes areas during the last 10 years attracted a professional workforce purchasing luxury homes. With the median value of homes at $507,800 it's no surprise the average unemployment figures have recently been as low as 1.4%. Communities in Fairfax County offer single family homes with a commute into Washington, D.C. which will not dictate the lifestyle of homeowners. Our clients relocating to Northern Virginia are frequently interested in home searches which begin in Kingstowne, West Springfield, Reston, and Centreville. If you're interested in purchasing a new single family home in Fairfax County buyer beware. According to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, during 2011 the median sales price for a new construction purchase was $861,362. Existing homes compared at $525,000. Feel like testing the market for smaller homes? A new townhouse averaged $664,092, and existing units were $329,500.

Stafford County: North Stafford has been our home for 20+ years. We moved to Stafford County for our children to receive an education in the Stafford County School System. It is listed as the seventh wealthiest county in the United States. Located next to Quantico Marine Corps Base, it's commonplace to patronize businesses and restaurants in the Aquia and Garrisonville areas, and find these establishments completely full of U.S. Marines, along with FBI & DEA Academy staff members and students. The additional presence of FBI National Academy students, government contractors, and military retirees possibly makes Stafford County among the safest places in America. We also have high praise for the effective work of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. The median household income next to the Crossroads of the Marine Corps (Quantico Marine Corps Base) is $94,317. There are 128,961 residents in Stafford County and the unemployment rate remains below 5%. Single family homes on 3+ acre lots, and subdivisions allowing horses can be found throughout Stafford County, and usually become the target of buyers in Northern Virginia requiring space. These homes are usually priced between $500K-$600K. Homes on smaller lots in planned subdivisions with 4-5 bedrooms on 3 finished levels are usually priced between $450K-$500K.

Arlington County: Located next to Washington, D.C. along the southern bank of the Potomac River, Arlington County is well known for its nightlife, apartments, and condominiums. Ranked as the fifth wealthiest county, Arlington (especially the Shirlington area) attracts mostly younger professionals. Over 70% of residents posess college degrees. The majority of housing transactions are between $500K-$700K. Median house values are $571,700. The commute into the District of Columbia includes numerous transportation choices, and workers who live without dreading the ride home. But don't look for spacious single family homes in the Arlington housing market. Commuters travel as far as Fredericksburg and Warrenton every day for larger homes and lower mortgages.

Prince William County: A popular Civil War attraction, Manassas is located in Prince William County along Interstate 66 between Fairfax and Fauquier Counties. Our real estate office is located in Prince William County in the Lake Ridge area next to Interstate 95. Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, and Manassas are popular areas for potential homebuyers because they offer commuters the options of slug-lines, commuter bus services, carpools from numerous commuter lots, and commuter train service from 4 stations. Due to a 43% population increase during the last 10 years, Prince William County offers newer model homes and subdivisions (especially in Bristow, Gainesville, & Haymarket), and schools recently constructed in areas of expansion. The median household income is $92,655. Single family home searches by clients relocating to Northern Virginia are found in all price ranges starting at $400K. Prince William County is considered a bedroom community. There are 11 high schools, 16 middle schools, and 85 elementary schools. The operating budget of Prince William County dedicates 51% of the yearly budget to fund Prince William County Schools. This initiative has kept students out of attending class in trailers, and allowed technology upgrades in existing schools.

The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area also claims 5 more spots from the top 15 wealthiest counties in the United States. They are (in order):

Jurisdiction (rank) Median Household Income

Howard County, MD. (3) $101,771

Montgomery County, MD. (12) $89,155

Calvert County, MD. (13) $88,862

St. Mary's County, MD. (14) $88,444

Charles County, MD. (15) $87,007

For complete community and school information we encourage you to use the research provided on our real estate website. Click here for information in our service areas: Prince William County, Stafford County, Frededricksburg, Spotsylvania County, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, King George County, Orange County, Manassas City, Manassas Park, and Fairfax City.

Serving the Northern Virginia area gives us the opportunity to serve military and civilian personnel arriving to assignments which include: The Pentagon, Navy Yard, Fort Myer, Fort Belvior, Quantico Marine Corps Base, Dahlgren Naval Research Division (NSWC), and Fort A.P. Hill. We receive questions from prospective clients frequently regarding the best course of action for buying a home from a foreign or domestic duty station.

Before the creation of IDX listing feeds the real estate consumer relied mostly on print advertising, and real estate companies with local MLS access to find houses for sale. Listing information is now available to the public through internet companies such as: Trulia.com, Realtor.com, Zillow.com, and many others. Until the creation of these companies we advertised our services to members of our armed forces in various parts of the world through Stars and Stripes magazine.

Prospective clients contacted us, gave us a summary of what they wanted to purchase, and were sent listings by e-mail. After learning which houses interested them, we provided them with additional photographs, and community information from brochures provided by local school districts and government agencies. After making a decision to purchase a home based on this limited information, all contracts and associated paperwork was signed through express mailing services. But times have changed. Finding and purchasing a home can be done from your computer. We even use a service to electronically sign contracts through e-mail. But we still encourage our clients to spend the time and money to travel to their next duty station to conduct an extensive search, and purchase a home while standing next to us.

Let's discuss relocation purchases with the use of present day technology. Finding an experienced relocation agent is still the most important step in the home buying process. Experienced agents already understand the time and paperwork requirements of purchasing a home through a relocation company. Experienced relocation agents understand the buyers schedule for home searches is usually limited and inflexible. Having an agent who can clear the calender to meet the needs of their client(s) is important beyond all else in this process. We feel using a real estate team for a relocation purchase is a wise decision. This guarantees your agent will have the ability to go in opposite directions if necessary to preview homes, gather all necessary sales information before viewings, and provide you with a second opinion immediately during showings.

We encourage those who are relocating to Northern Virginia to conduct home searches on www.MaryanneMoyers.com. The IDX feed on our website is continuously updated directly from the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) which is the listing management company for the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area. This guarantees real-time information for available homes. Our strategy is to provide you with home searches which match the description you provide of your next home, while using our website to help us determine the perfect home for your next move. Once you provide us with a list of homes you would like to view, we begin communicating with the listing agent, providing additional photographs and video upon request, recent sales statistics of each neighborhood, and our knowledge of the community and neighboring areas. Our website also has extensive information for individual schools provided by the National Center of Education Studies, and community links for general services including transportation.

At this point you're satisfied you've done your homework, you have had multiple conversations with us through e-mail, telephone, and Skype, and you're ready to come to Northern Virginia to begin the tour of homes you've selected. Prior to your arrival we are scheduling showing appointments, and making sure our trusted home inspector (Kevin Holliday) is ready to get to work once we've found your home. Based on our earlier lender recommendations (Rhonda MacGill, Kim Ramey, Ken Malinowski) you're already in possession of a prequalification letter for us to conduct home searches in your qualification range. It will also be necessary to provide a prequalification letter with a contract offer. At this point we have found a home which is supported by a suitable homeowner's association, schools, amenities, and commuting options (it's time to learn about area commuter lots and slug-lines). We advise all of our clients to obtain as much intelligence as possible from their upcoming duty station about smart commuting options.

It's equally important for you to test drive the morning and afternoon rush hours to determine if you can survive the commute from potential purchase area(s). There's no positive way to describe Northern Virginia traffic. It is considered the worst in the nation. If you commute to Washington, D.C. everyday we suggest beginning your search in Prince William County. For buyers utilizing I-95 this would include the Woodbridge, and Lake Ridge areas. If I-66 is in your commuting plans we suggest your homework should start in the Manassas, and Bristow areas. This recommendation is based on home prices, commuting options, and commuting distance.

We encourage clients to consider Stafford (south of Quantico MCB), and The Gainesville-Haymarket areas. These areas contain newer communities with sought after schools. But there must be a plan in place to utilize HOV lanes if searching for homes in these areas are part of your plans. But it's an individual choice usually based on your commuting options allowing you to survive the ride home. The I-95 HOV/HOT Lane Project is currently under construction. This may help ease traffic congestion to the release point at Garrisonville Road (Exit 143B) in Stafford County. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has a great website addressing Northern Virginia Commuter Resources. This will help map out a battle plan for your commute.

After we have located your home of choice, we will present your proposal (hopefully without competing offers) on a Regional Sales Contract (including addendums). The seller agrees to our offer. But the celebrating will need to wait. Since you are still in town it's time for the home inspection. After the inspection discovers deficiencies requiring repairs, we will discuss lender required repairs, contractor repairs, and homeowner repairs. We usually want all of them addressed (unless the seller has accepted your offer which is well below market value). After signing the home inspection addendum you are ready to go back home and continue communicating with your chosen lender in order to provide the necessary information to complete a loan package.

We will coordinate with the lender, seller's agent, title company, and any necessary third party to get to the closing table by the chosen date. Our recommendation for a moving company is Interstate Moving and Storage (ISO 9001-2008). This is an impressive company which handles military and government moves from any Department of Defense location worldwide. This company conducts its domestic and overseas operations from Springfield, Virginia. We have inspected the Interstate Moving & Storage facilities personally and we were impressed with every aspect of this company. The packers, loaders, and drivers are all full-time, drug tested, security clearence approved employees. The company does not allow day labor assistance as witnessed with numerous companies in Northern Virginia. We encourage all of our clients to take advantage of the Avery-Hess Realtors discount to use Interstate Moving & Storage to for their next duty station. For title agencies we encourage our clients to use RGS Title, or MBH Title. The loan officer, processor, and closing attorney at a title agency can be the difference between moving into your new home with a shipment of household goods, or living out of suitcases in a hotel room until a less than attentive and responsive third party to the transaction has the necessary paperwork for closing.

We've arrived at the end of this process. The only event remaining before moving into your home is conducting a walk-through to make sure the required repairs have been completed, and the home is being delivered in satisfactory condition. If the seller has not finished the repair work we would ask for an escrow based on an estimate for repairs as required by contract. Once this issue has been negotiated we are signing the closing papers. If you are unable to attend the final walk-through and closing, hopefully we have convinced you during this process to sign a transaction specific power-of-attorney (otherwise known as an attorney-in-fact). If your assignment date is delayed we can sign the necessary paperwork for you to become a homeowner in Northern Virginia.

We are both qualified relocation agents for CARTUS, SIRVA, Prudential, and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Please feel free to contact us for any questions related to residential real estate.