THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Welcome to my weekly newsletter featuring a personal note on the ever-evolving world of real estate along with a few news-worthy updates. Enjoy!

behind the glamour

Dazzling quartz countertops and chic light fixtures can sell a home. Far less glamorous are the behind-the-scenes items that speak to its quality and maintenance. But if overlooked, they can lead to big headaches and big dollars.

Every buyer should have a professional home inspection. But there are five key areas to assess up front:

1. The home’s exterior: The eaves, the siding, the condition of the downspouts and what you can see of the gutters. Spotting or mold on the eaves? Disconnected downspouts? Retaining walls: are they leaning or crumbling? What about the driveway and condition of the garage door(s)? Landscape: is there overgrown vegetation hitting the house? Trees in poor health, or leaning toward the property?

2. Age of key infrastructure: HVAC components and water heater: you should be able to see a manufacture date on the unit. Ask about the roof. Property disclosures in DC and MD should provide the Seller's knowledge of ages. You'll also want to know about annual service contracts for heating and cooling systems, as well as septic (if applicable).

3. Property lines: While I recommend a survey of the property along with other title work, it's important to get a feel for the land boundaries. Look for potential encroachments or structures straddling the property’s perimeter. Ask about any easements on the property - Is there a shared driveway or garage and how are shared elements maintained?  

4. The “extra” spaces: You can tell a lot by examining a home's basement and garage. These spaces are not easily spiffed up with staging and a coat of paint. So they are often a more accurate gauge of a homeowner's actual level of care. A well-organized, well-maintained basement or mechanical room certainly suggests pride of ownership.

5. Signs of water intrusion or poor drainage: Look for water stains on ceilings and walls, particularly unfinished walls in the basement. White patches and spots are often signs of microbial growth. And trust your nose - a musty odor is never a good sign. Outside, observe the grading. How does water naturally flow on the property? Does the ground slope away from the foundation? Are the drains at the base of stairs and hardscapes sufficient?

Some of my favorite homes may not have the latest updates. But if a home is well-maintained with good bones, you have the opportunity to make it your own, AND to increase your equity. That's the sweet spot.

real estate & the news

• Almost 70,000 people have allegedly applied for the Gold Visa program that offers a green card in return for a $5 million investment in the US.....will this fuel foreign buyers of real estate? The success of such visas depends on the tax treatment they are afforded and that has not yet been finalized. The EB-5 visa program - which has been in place since 1990 - requires a minimum investment of up to $1.8million. About 14,000 such visas were granted in 2024. (FT)

• Consumers are sounding more optimistic: For the headline index of consumer sentiment, the gauge was at 60.5, well ahead of the Dow Jones estimate for 54 and a 15.9% increase from a month ago. On inflation, the one-year outlook tumbled from levels not seen since 1981. The one-year estimate slid to 5.1%, a 1.5 percentage point drop, while the five-year view edged lower to 4.1%. (CNBC)

• RH - a huge furniture retailer - maintained its full-year outlook for net sales to rise 10%-13%, which was seen as a sign of optimism as the company navigates supply chain disruptions and a delayed launch of some products due to tariff uncertainty. (Yahoo Finance)

• There were about 55,200 fast chargers in the US in May, up from 42,200 a year earlier, a 30% jump. (NY TIMES)

around dc

EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION & GENERAL ORDER NO. 3

On Display At The National Archives

Through the generous support of The Boeing Company, the Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3 will be on display at the National Archives from Thursday, June 19 to Sunday, June 22, 2025, during normal museum hours. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST. For more information, click here.

Lee Arrowood

Principal, Arrowood Advisory at Compass

M: 202.251.3175

O: 202.448.9002

lee.arrowood@compass.com

+$173M Sold In 2023

#3 Team Lead 2022