My Story

Casey and I met through a mutual friend from when I was on staff with Young Life (shout out to Abby for referring me!). At the time, Casey was working as a meteorologist up in Johnstown, PA and had just received a new job offer to work here at Wavy TV 10 starting in November.

She came down the first weekend in October with her boyfriend, Erick, and her dad. We saw lots of homes that weekend but none of them were “the one.” So we continued the search via lots of FaceTime calls and when Casey officially moved here (shout out to Melissa and Dillon’s adorable Airbnb), we continued to see many more.

Late in November, after many showings, an offer that didn’t come together, lots of FaceTime calls, we finally found “the one.” I had heard about this Kempsville Greens townhome through my mom who had just shown it to her client who didn’t like it and thought it would be perfect for Casey (perks of being on a team!). We went the next day to see it and another agent was there writing an offer after their showing.

We knew our offer needed to be strong and in quick.

We moved quick and that afternoon Casey had secured a house!!

She closed about a month later, and recently, she shared some pictures of her adorable townhome (see below). Casey has become a past client turned dear friend. She spends Thanksgiving with us, we go to church together, and I even got to be in PA this summer for her wedding! Casey, I’m hoping Wavy will keep you around here forever! ;)

Casey’s Story

You’ve heard my side of the story…now hear from Casey! She has some really great insight about the home buying process whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a veteran….

What was your knowledge of buying a home going into the home buying process?

I really didn't know much about buying a house! I had rented for years prior to deciding to buy and it seemed like a daunting task. I knew there would be a lot of paperwork and research into places but friends/ family told me it would be a great investment to buy something now! Perrin answered SO many questions that I had and walked me through each step of the process. It never felt overwhelming because it was just one step at a time! 

What were the things you were most nervous about that turned out not to be so bad?

I was mainly worried about finding a house that I was really in love with and then not getting it! Houses were going so quickly so it was a fast paced search but with patience the right house came up and I couldn't be more happy!

How did you budget and know what you could budget for?

I knew what I would be paying if I was going to rent in this area, so I took that amount and went a little higher since I would be owning it. Lisa from Atlantic Bay was really great in helping me figure out what I could afford with my income and telling me what the monthly payment would be for each house I was considering! 

What are important questions to ask during the process?

There are no dumb questions when it comes to home buying! But here are some important ones that I found helpful: 

• What areas are the most sought after? I was moving into the area without knowing anything about Hampton Roads so I needed help on what places to look at.

• What's included in the house? Every house/ seller is different whether the washer/dryer or other appliances convey with the house.

• How old is the roof/ HVAC/ water heater/ etc.? These might need updated shortly after move-in so it's good to factor that in!

• What are comps in the area selling for? It's good to compare to other houses around the neighborhood to make sure you're getting a good deal.

• How would I set up my furniture in this space? Perrin is the best at visualizing a space so get her input while you're walking around a house!

What’s something you wish you knew before buying a house?

I wish I would've looked more at the home inspection after buying and been more proactive about fixing the things that needed fixing. Our house was sold as-is and since there weren’t any MAJOR problems I wasn’t worried, but there were still some small things that needed attention. Don't let the rush of buying a house get ahead of you! Take your time and make sure to look over everything and fix anything before the moving process takes over the rest of your time. 

What was the most surprising part of the process? 

The most surprising part of buying a house was how many people it takes to make this happen! You get so much help along the way that it really is a team effort. Between the realtor, lender, closing attorney, insurance agent, etc. there are a lot of people that you have to talk to but when you take it one step at a time it all gets done! 

Christmas is hands-down my favorite holiday. I love everything this time of year brings -- the lights, the Christmas trees, the peppermint flavored everything, the Frasier Fir candles, the Hallmark movies, the parties, the music, & so much more. I have many joy-filled memories with my family & friends during this season.

Hampton Roads has so many festive things to do this time of year. Here are some ideas for you & yours…

·      Drive down 43rd street at the Oceanfront to see homes with some of the prettiest lights around. 

·      Grab drinks at the Raleigh Room and peek the Cavalier’s holiday décor (insider tip: $1 champagne for the ladies every Thursday night)

·      Go see “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” at The Commodore Theater in Portsmouth

·      Don’t miss the lights at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens and the Virginia Beach Boardwalk

·      Visit CBN’s Christmas Village and shop the marketplace, catch “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the theater, or take an evening carriage ride

·      Shop Town Center and see the life-sized snow globes that come to life with ballerinas, elves, and musicians

·      Take a ride on the interactive seesaws at MacArthur Mall or test your skills on the ice skating rink

·      Go to one of the many Holiday parades or tree lighting ceremonies around town

·      Buy one, GET ONE Gold Key restaurant gift cards to use at your favorite restaurants at The Main, Cavalier, or the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront (coming soon) during their holiday special

·      Venture up to Williamsburg and visit Colonial Williamsburg or Busch Gardens Christmas Town

·      On days when it’s too cold, stay home and bake any of these amazing cookies from my new favorite food blogger/cookbook author, Half Baked Harvest

From my family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

PS: Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing photos of my clients' holiday decor. Keep an eye on my Instagram Stories!

Hotels have always been my thing. Ever since I was little I’ve collected (ok, stolen) hotel keys from all the places we’ve ever stayed in. Hotels are so fascinating to me. They have the ability to transport you from the mundane to a place of excitement and luxury.

Every year at the end of August my girlfriends and I take a “Girls Trip.” We started this tradition just a few years ago. So far we’ve made it to the Tides Inn and the Homestead. Schedules didn’t allow for us to go somewhere far and we were running out of time to make something happen so the annual trip was looking doubtful.

Until…we realized we had this beautiful, newly renovated historic hotel, The Cavalier, right in our backyard! No but really…it’s less than 10 streets down from my house at the beach.

---

We booked a room and a few weeks later made the long trip down Atlantic Ave. to The Cavalier. We arrived and were greeted by the kindest, most hospitable gentlemen. It was as if we had taken a step back into the Roaring Twenties, but with a 21st century twist.

Shortly, we were sipping cocktails by the pool. Life was very good. We wined and dined at Becca, enjoyed a few lazy, sunny days at the beach and pool, ate fried conch fritters (jury’s still out on that one), explored every nook and cranny of the building (without trespassing of course!), and even attempted a game of croquet (it took all of about 5 minutes before we were bored).

It was truly incredible.

I could go on about how stunning The Cavalier was and what a fantastic job they did with the remodel, but when I think back to those quick 24-hours “away,” I think about the quality time & conversations we were able to have together. There’s nothing like the people that know you and get you. The people that automatically know, when I say “Mama Jean,” exactly which grandma I am referring to and on which side of the family she belongs. The people you can let down your guard with and make a fool of yourself in front of. And the people that when there is silence, there’s no need to fill it so it doesn’t feel awkward. Stacey, Lauren, Kelsey, and I have walked through many years of life together. They are “my people” and I’m thankful for the ways they challenge and encourage me in my faith, relationships, job, and just life in general.

So although we weren’t able to explore new territory this year, I would say this little piece of luxury is all we needed to just be together. And that’s all that really matters.

Courtney & Andrew have one my favorite home buying stories to date.  I met Courtney and Andrew on a very chilly March Saturday in downtown Norfolk.  They were here from Charleston determined to find a house by the end of that weekend.  

Challenge accepted.  

Well...let me back up.  Their story goes like this:  Courtney and Andrew got married in December, Andrew came to Norfolk in February and was living on an aircraft carrier, Courtney was finishing grad school up in Charleston, and Andrew was getting deployed in April.  

Did you catch all of that?! 

To say their first few months of marriage were a whirlwind is a definite understatement.  

Fast forward to that chilly March Saturday:  The three of us met at a Starbucks in downtown Norfolk with a long list of houses to see.  We narrowed down our neighborhoods, saw some crazy things in some very old houses, and of course made a Taste Unlimited stop in Ghent for lunch and an ice cream stop at Doumar's for a mid-afternoon snack.  Throughout the day we saw lots of "maybe's" but not one house gave us the "wow factor."  

But then...

Tuesday morning I got a call from Courtney saying her FAVORITE house (that was already under contract before that weekend) came back on the market.  AHHH!!  

I wrote up the offer that day...but so did 4 other agents.  We were 1 of 5 people who submitted offers on this cute little bungalow.  We pulled out all the (legal) stops we could and waited for a response.  

10:00 pm on Wednesday the listing agent called me.

I answered nervously and he said, "Congratulations!!  Your buyers got it!"  

PHEW!!!  

Let me just say...it is SO much more fun to deliver good news than to deliver the bad.  

I called Courtney to let her know and she was ecstatic.  It was smooth sailing from then until closing.  Courtney drove up from Charleston right after her graduation in May and we celebrated with our famous RE/MAX cookies at the closing table.     

What I loved about Courtney and Andrew is that I never heard one complaint about the craziness of their first few months of marriage.  They both embraced it for all it was worth.   I am so proud of how Courtney navigated the home buying process with Andrew being deployed and get this...

She didn't wait until he got home to start renovating!!  

In fact, she started this awesome blog, DIWhy Wife, documenting her experiences as a Navy wife with a husband on deployment undertaking a home renovation.  Read it and I guarantee you will laugh and be super impressed.  Puppy lovers:  They have an adorable puppy you will go crazy over. 

Courtney and Andrew, I am grateful to know you and have the privilege of helping you through your first home-buying experience.  I can't wait to watch you make this house your home!  

Welcome to my daring attempt to be somewhat of a writer...

I love people, I love details about people, and I love helping people.  So when my job in full-time ministry started coming to an end this time last year, I had to start the daunting task of deciding my next career.  

I read all the blogs, rented all the books, and listened to all the podcasts related to the job search process.  

All my research kept leading me back to one thing...

REAL ESTATE.

I couldn't get it out of my head.  It was terrifying, yet so exciting. 

Is this too big of a financial risk?  What if I don't sell a house one month?  Will I be too young?  Will people take me seriously?  I don't even know what a mortgage is??  Don't worry- I'm much more educated now :) 

I approached my mom, a real estate superstar in our town, about my idea. She warned me about the pitfalls (always on call, not being able to please people all the time, irregular income, yada yada yada), but then she let me in on the best aspects of the job...

-  Being with people and building relationships with them

-  Helping them through one of the biggest and most important life moments

-  Design and marketing

-  Flexibility (I use that word loosely) in your day-to-day schedule

I was sold.  I studied for my license, took the test, and passed the first time (thank you Jesus). 

My mom's team leader, Stephanie, approached me about being on her team.  I knew we were kindred spirits when the first thing she asked me during my interview was, "What is your Myers-Briggs?"  That's easy..."ESFJ."  It was meant to be and we made it happen.  Steph calls me her "millennial agent."  

My license arrived in March and soon after I was opening doors and writing offers for my client's new forever home.  I've loved every moment of real estate so far- the ups and downs, the people I've met, the houses I've seen, getting to be innovative, the thrill of negotiating, the stories I've heard, and of course, getting to work alongside my fab mom (I'm required to call her "Donna" when we're in the office)!  Making people's house dreams come true has been the absolute best.  

So here on the blog I’ll share a few personal stories, professional updates, maybe some photos, I'm not really sure yet.  My hope is that through this little digital space we feel like friends chatting across the table from one another over a cup of coffee- a tall caramel misto from Starbucks to be exact.  

So here's to new beginnings!  I hope you'll join me on this crazy ride.