THE WASHINGTON POST.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2019EZ14
Town Square Real Estate News & Notes
BY MICHELE LERNER
Home buyers and sellers do
their best to choose a real estate
agent who will represent their in-
terests and advise them through-
out the stress of a real estate trans-
action. But, like any other partner-ship, sometimes the relationship
does not work.
We asked Robin Kencel, an as-
sociate broker with the Robin
Kencel Group of Compass Real
Estate in Greenwich, Conn., for
advice about how to know when to
say goodbye to your real estateagent. For buyers, Kencel said,
there are a variety of signs that
indicate it may be time to consider
changing agents.
“First, if you feel that your agent
is not keeping you abreast of new
inventory coming on the market
or you’re finding new inventory
and telling your agent about it,”
Kencel wrote in an email. “Second,
if your agent is clearly not knowl-
edgeable about the local market,
this is a big problem. Third, an
agent who is not accessible, com-
municative or timely is not okay.”
From the seller’s perspective,
Kencel pointed to three experi-
ences that could indicate it’s time
for a change:
“First, if your agent does not
provide market and showing feed-
back and is generally uncommuni-
cative,” she wrote in an email.
“Second, if your agent has an ini-
tial marketing plan for your prop-
erty and then makes no sugges-
tions for adjusting, improving orchanging the original plan based
on buyer feedback and response.
And third, if every time you get off
the phone or meet with your
agent, you are discouraged, de-
pressed or feel like there is no one
driving the bus to get your proper-
ty sold.”
Even after coming to a decision,
breaking off the relationship isn’t
easy. First, Kencel warns, you need
to check your contract. Ideally you
would have negotiated an easier
release before signing it.
Here are some other tips:- Remember, it’s a business de-
cision. Keep your business hat on
and your emotions at home. - Have your “script” ready.
Start with a few positives and
thank your agent for their work.
Respect them and the energy that
they put into the assignment. - Keep it short.
- Do not let them know that
they are being discontinued by
email or text. Call them.
How to call it
quits with real
estate agent
BY MICHELE LERNER
Even before Amazon an-
nounced that it would be locating
its second headquarters in Crys-
tal City, Arlington County was
highly desirable. The median
sales price in the county was
$590,000 in September, accord-
ing to Bright MLS, up nearly 13
percent since September 2018.
But that doesn’t mean there are
no affordable homes to be found
there.
For example, a condo in River
Place is priced at $199,900. An-
nual property taxes are $1,819,
and the monthly condo fee —
which covers water, sewer, gas,
electricity and access to the com-
munity amenities — is $501.
The condo, at 1121 Arlington
Blvd., No. 119, has 716 square feet
with one large bedroom and one
updated bathroom. The resi-
dence also has a living room with
a wood parquet floor and a balco-
ny. The enclosed kitchen needs
updating. The unit also comes
with a garage parking space. The
unit doesn’t have a washer and
dryer, but there is a laundry roomin the building.
River Place, a gated communi-
ty built in 1955, is a few blocks
from the Rosslyn Metro station,
where developers are adding
more high-rise buildings, shops
and restaurants.
In addition to Metro and bus
service, the condo is close to Key
Bridge, routes 50 and 66, Lee
Highway and the George Wash-
ington Memorial Parkway for
commuting and airport access.
A convenience store, dry-
cleaner business and barbershop
are on the premises of the devel-
opment, which also has a gym
with free classes, an outdoor
swimming pool, a hot tub, sauna,
steam room, playground and
grills.
Assigned schools include Ar-
lington Science Focus Elemen-
tary School for preschool through
fifth grade, and Williamsburg
Middle and Yorktown High
schools, all rated above average
by greatschools.org.
For more information, contact
real estate agent Shawn Battle
with Century 21 Redwood Realty
at 703-999-8108.In popular, pricey Arlington County,
1-bedroom condo lists for $199,900
ELIJAH GRIFFINThis
condo at
River
Place has
a living
room
with
wood
parquet
flooring,
a balcony
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