3) Home Inspection resources: A buyer can certainly have whomever they wish conduct a home inspection. However, the sellers can choose to disregard the issues that may arise from the inspection since the contract typically states that the services of a licensed home inspector must be used. Additionally, a good home inspector like the ones I've teamed up with can often times be worth thousands of dollars in repairs even in brand new homes. (See my recommendation of one of the best in our area in this issue.)

4) Market Analysis: As a full-time agent with a Masters degree in economics, I pride myself on an ability to analyze the market in ways more detailed than many appraisers and, of course the ever popular and fun website, Zillow. Each property has a multitude of variables that make up it's value. And for each property, I work to understand the market in such a way that my buyer clients understand the value behind the property as well as the risks they may take and gains they may see in certain market areas. This data allows us to make aggressive offers, knowing what the bottom line price should be in each circumstance.

5) Saving time: I've assembled a team in my office that handles all of the details- That's what they are paid to do, so you don't have to fumble through the 50+ pages of unfamiliar paperwork.

6) Limited legal exposure: My team is trained to limit your exposure in a transaction by delving into the details of the contract so that you can abide by the time frames agreed to, don't miss any signatures and initials and can have a smooth transaction on the legal side.

7) Local knowledge: Born in DC, raised in Maryland, educated in both and having married into a Falls Church, VA family, I have a grasp of the local metropolitan market that only a native can have. I conduct numerous transactions every year in all three jurisdictions and know that each neighborhood has a unique set of characteristics that make up the microeconomic situation surrounding it.

8) Coordination of people: In almost every transaction my team and I work to coordinate not only with the sellers and their agent but also manage the title company, loan officer, home inspectors, termite inspector and movers. Add to that the occasional HVAC contractor, engineer, landscape designer, estate sale, yard sale and oil tank removal, and all I need is the partridge in a pear tree! Most of my clients are busy with a day job and would not have enough vacation time to pull this off. Again, that's where we come in!

9) Bi-lingual agent: Having studied and worked in Spain for three years, my Spanish is fluent. I cannot remember the last time it didn't come in handy at least once in a transaction to be able to speak the language of the rest of Las Americas.

10) Construction knowledge: With a background in construction and the resources of my father's company, Superior Structures a phone call away. I believe that we offer an unprecedented ability to assess the physical structure of a home for our buyers before the home inspection as well as to prepare them for the costs of renovation and general improvements of their investment.