• Home
  • Buying
    • The Process
    • Mortgages
    • Buyer Consult
    • Search
  • Selling
    • Selling with Laura
    • Marketing Plan
    • Staging and Photography
    • What’s Your Home Worth?
    • Sellers Consult
  • Meet Laura
  • Vendor Guide
  • Let’s Talk

Call 703.283.6120 to discuss your real estate needs

Laura@GuidingYourMove.com
Laura Schwartz, RealtorLaura Schwartz, Realtor
  • Home
  • Buying
    • The Process
    • Mortgages
    • Buyer Consult
    • Search
  • Selling
    • Selling with Laura
    • Marketing Plan
    • Staging and Photography
    • What’s Your Home Worth?
    • Sellers Consult
  • Meet Laura
  • Vendor Guide
  • Let’s Talk

The Process

Interview a Real Estate Agent to Hire

It’s best to schedule an appointment with a real estate agent before ever looking at a home and discussing personal information. That way you can first establish an agency relationship with that specific real estate agent. Also, you can discuss with your agent your goals for your purchase, your needs and desires, and help them find the home that you’re looking for.

Contact a Mortgage Lender for a Pre-Approval

In today’s market, you cannot submit an offer without either proof of funds for an all cash transaction, or a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender. This is where a lender will provide you with various mortgage options. To assist in your mortgage pre-approval process, a lender will review your credit, ask for information related to your income and employment status.

Search for Homes

This is where the right agent comes in to help you identify options that match your list of needs. The list of available homes for sale is most current from our realtor database, named MRIS locally. Sites like, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com etc all pull from our database. It will have the most current information and should make your online search much easier. Showings can be arranged based on specific information for each property (for example – vacant homes can be shown anytime; occupied homes may have time restrictions). You are also free to visit any open house. You can see any home listed for sale by any company.

Submit and Negotiate an Offer

As part of our contract, there are several important details that are submitted in an offer. They include price, date of closing, deposit amount, specific timelines for inspections, appraisal, financing, what conveys with the property, and the settlement agent. Specific inspections, if apply, include but are not limited to: home inspection, radon, termite, well, water, septic, mold, pre-drywall, and lead based paint. I have resources and referrals for all of these inspections, but you are always free to choose your own provider.

Contract to Close

Once your contract has been accepted, your due diligence period begins. Assuming you’ve successfully navigated each contingency and your financing has been approved and loan issued, you’ll move on to closing. At closing, you’ll sign paperwork for your mortgage and ownership of the property. You’ll be given the keys, making you an official homeowner!

Reviews on Zillow
4020339
"While looking for a realtor to sell our house our number one requirement was trust. We had to have someone we trust since we would be moving out of ... more "
5.0/5.0
by Libby hoffmann
4017009
"Laura is definitely the agent you want! We had the pleasure of working with Laura to sell our condo and buy our first SFH. Although this was not my ... more "
5.0/5.0
by zuser20150107163310068
3909271
"Laura was absolutely wonderful to work with and we highly recommend her! We were first-time home buyers and relied heavily on her as a result. She ... more "
5.0/5.0
by megmcg 1
  • Laura Schwartz
  • McEnearney Associates
  • 374 E Maple Ave, Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180
  • 703.283.6120
  • laura@guidingyourmove.com

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My favorite days are closing days. Congrats to M+H My favorite days are closing days. Congrats to M+H on the purchase of their new Vienna home! #viennava #viennavarealtor #closingday
Fridays small business spotlight is the new restau Fridays small business spotlight is the new restaurant in town - @lezzetbistroo! I tried their cauliflower and halloumi and both were so good! Can’t wait to go back and try more! #viennavafoodie #viennava #viennavarealtor #worklaura
✨ Just Listed ✨ 📍9417 Colonade Drive, Vienn ✨ Just Listed ✨
📍9417 Colonade Drive, Vienna VA 22181
🚨Steps to the Vienna Metro and choose from 3 entrances to Nottoway Park from your doorstep!
🤩3 Bedrooms, including a huge, vaulted-ceiling primary bedroom
🛁2 Full Baths and 2 Half Baths
👌End Unit with 2-Car Garage + Extra Storage
🤩Every major item has been recently done: roof, windows, 2 Carrier HVAC systems, water heater insulation, gutter guards, Trex Deck, permeable paver patio with fence, and kitchen appliances!
$875,000
📲 Floorplan, photos, and more details at www.941ColonadeDr.com
Yesterday my clients finally closed on an off-mark Yesterday my clients finally closed on an off-market townhouse in Reston, VA after losing 4 offers in early 2022. Thanks to some weeks of begging, one of my realtor friends connected me with a colleague who had this coming. We struck a deal that made sense for everyone and we finally found the one and avoided the bidding wars that were normal in March. Congrats K&M!
Throwback to 2015 and my first @vivavienna. Todays Throwback to 2015 and my first @vivavienna. Todays @tysonsreporter post is a list of my best tips to help you enjoy the best weekend in #viennava link in bio 

#smalltownusa #townfair #memorialdayweekend #games #rides #fairfood #hometownrealtor #worklaura
Congratulations to the 3 winners of the May Ice Cr Congratulations to the 3 winners of the May Ice Cream Raffle! I'll be contacting you guys tomorrow! 🍦
Small Business Spotlight: The Lawn Ranger! Guilmer Small Business Spotlight: The Lawn Ranger! Guilmer was referred to me by some of my trusted clients and he didn't disappoint! Guilmer and his guys handle weekly mowing, leaf removal, mulching, trimming, gutter cleaning, snow removal, aeration, and week control. He did some mulching for me along with tree clean up. He's super responsive and gives free estimates. 

#lawncare #homeowner #worklaura #baseballislife #notimetomow #viennava #smallbusiness
Fantastic *rental* now available in #clarendon!
📍1020 N Highland St #605 Arlington VA 22201
1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom, 741 sq ft
Balcony, Garage Parking, In Unit Washer/Dryer
Pool, Gym, Business Center, Media Room and 1 block to Clarendon Metro!
Available as early as May 23rd!
#whatsthiswednesday On my walk this morning I came #whatsthiswednesday On my walk this morning I came across this random patch of active water spilling out of a neighbors yard. No rain the past 24 hours, so why is this wet? The answer is likely the sump pump is running when it shouldn't be. Sometimes there's a high water table but likely this is a warning sign your sump pump needs to be serviced. If it's constantly running it'll burn itself out. Keep your eyes open around your home for anything that seems off! 👀🕵️

#neighborhoodrealtor #viennava #homeownership #sumppump #homemaintenance #worklaura
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© 2022 • Laura Schwartz • McEnearney Associates iamge