Doug Francis | Real Estate

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Buyer Tips

Seller Tips

Living Here

Home Seller Tips

Take a few minutes and scroll through this collection of tips for home seller. Just so you know, I like to write about experiences that clients have because you may be dealing with a similar issue, and it might shed a little helpful insight.

A required termite inspection in your sales contract?

By Doug Francis

Termite in 2x4

Updated for 2025 Yes, a termite inspection clause is part of the standard Northern Virginia real estate sales contract. You need to keep in mind, this inspection needs to be done within 90 days prior to Settlement. Last week, I received a question via email from an upset seller who had just been told that he was being required to have his Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Home Buyer Tips, real estate, Vienna Virginia

Here’s my home seller checklist… imagine you’re Getting Ready to Sell

By Doug Francis

Staged kitchen for real estate marketing

Hoping for top dollar when you sell your home in Vienna, VA? Here's the first home seller checklist I give designed to help anyone get started. It's work, but delivers a worthy ROI! In 2025, my main marketing strategy will be helping each client's home look its best online with careful planning, staging, and professional photography. Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Home Seller Tips, Homeowner Ideas, Living Here Tagged With: Home Improvements, Home Seller Tips, Home Staging, Vienna Real Estate

Vienna VA Real Estate Stats | 2026

By Doug Francis

Vienna real estate market inventory update

Vienna Market - Rates hit 6%, and then quickly rose to 6.525% in May. I always hear questions about pricing and market activity in Vienna, and I like to talk about what is happening today. Specifically: active inventory, days on market, buyer activity, number of offers, and other important factors that monthly "stats" don't always make Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Posts, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: 22180, 22181, 22182, real estate, real estate stats, Vienna Virginia

Where your house meets home buyers

By Doug Francis

Virtual tour when selling a home in Vienna VA

Home sellers are often caught off guard when I explain that today's home buyers will decide on their house before ever stepping foot in it. The days of spending hours driving around looking at seven, eight, or nine houses on a sunny Saturday are over. Yes, meeting at 9:00 a.m. to review the available listings and map out a route are quaint tales Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Home Seller Tips, Vienna Virginia

Questions Home Sellers Ask

By Doug Francis

A 3 part video series to help Vienna home sellers understand buyers today

There are times when a client asks me a question about something that seems obvious to me, but makes me realize that I'm assuming too much. I am always willing to sit down with new people to discuss their moving plans, and hopefully, this is a helpful introduction. You also may do something so well simply because you understand the process step Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Posts, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Falls Church Virginia, Home Seller Tips, McLean VA, Oakton, Vienna Virginia

The Wire Fraud Warning

By Doug Francis

I sat in on a presentation by an FBI Special Agent who discussed many types of financial fraud which are being used across the internet. Victims are everywhere including real estate buyers and investors, to lonely widows in romance scams who unwittingly launder large sums of money for fraudsters. But let's just focus on Real Estate The Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Posts, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips, Vienna Virginia

Appealing a Fairfax Real Estate Assessment 2023

By Doug Francis

How to appeal and win a Fairfax County real estate tax assessment 2022

Updated for 2023 Deadline for Appeal is April 3, 2023 Especially if the next owner of your home will probably tear it down to build a brand new home, then you should carefully examine your 2023 Fairfax County Real Estate Assessment to see if the "Building" value jumped. Personally, my 2023 Fairfax County tax assessment jumped 6.06%. In Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Home Seller Tips, Living Here Tagged With: Fairfax tax assessment, Vienna Real Estate

Real Estate Offers | What’s In and What’s Out

By Doug Francis

Changes in Latitudes Attitudes This story may sound slightly made up, but the 2022 real estate market across Northern Virginia was full of fast-paced drama which is still kind of hard to picture. The brakes weren't just tapped... they were slammed! Or to create a picture for you, we went from a wild Category 5 hurricane to a windy Tropical Continue Reading

Filed Under: Blog, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips

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Vienna real estate agent Doug Francis

When we bought our house in Vienna, we were thinking about raising the kids, building an addition, and knowing the neighbors. Today, many of those great neighbors have retired and I was able to help them take that next step smoothly.

So, what’s next after your 25 years? It’s a conversation many of my clients are having with me as they plan to move to the beach, travel, or get closer to grandkids. Helping them see their future, sell their current home, and move ahead with their updated plan has been an interesting new chapter.

My background: I am an active licensed agent in Virginia, have negotiated hundreds of sales contracts, work at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in McLean, and help clients get organized helping maximize the value for today’s home buyer. I donate to the Town of Vienna tree replacement fund, participate in a neighborhood citizens association, and try my best to stay in shape.

Let’s discuss your moving plans: Email doug@dougfrancis.com or call me at (703) 304-6827 .  Cheers!

Considering selling your home?

https://youtu.be/0ZSodCtsfkY

Just Sold!

Plum Street home with swimming pool

Looking for a house with a pool in Vienna, VA?

Sold!

https://vimeo.com/1003798838?loop=0

Planning to sell your home?

Real examples of before and after real estate work by Doug Francis

Case Studies

My step-by-step guidance | before and after pics Continue Reading

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Looking for testimonials?

Read through a collection of client comments originally posted on Zillow, Google and Trulia. See what my clients say...

Looking for a Custom Home?

Insights into New Homes in Vienna VA
Termite in 2x4

A required termite inspection in your sales contract?

Updated for 2025 Yes, a termite inspection clause is part of the standard Northern Virginia real estate sales contract. You need to keep in mind, this inspection needs to be done within 90 days prior to Settlement. Last week, I received a question via email from an upset seller who had just been told that […]

“Doug nailed it! Within days, we had three offers, one of which not only met, but far exceeded all of our goals.”
– R. Pollard

“He truly was a partner integrating us unto the community and made it easy for us to take advantage of all Vienna has to offer.”
– A. D’Eredita

“We are so thankful we found Doug to guide us through the complex home selling and buying processes!”
– Scott and Jennie

About Doug Francis

I am a Realtor with TTR Sotheby's International Realty® just outside Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I'm licensed in Virginia with a focus on Vienna, VA real estate since 1991.

That deep knowledge is valuable, especially in today's fast-paced market where advice is critical. Although many of my clients are personally referred, I am available to help you too and am accepting new clients right now.

Feel free to contact me at 703-304-6827 or email me at doug@dougfrancis.com anytime!

Thank you for electing me to the Vienna Town Council!

Yes, I am a candidate for the Vienna Town Council this year, 11/4/2025. Learn More Now!

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Contact

Doug: (703) 304-6827

TTR Sotheby's International Realty
6723 Whittier Avenue McLean, VA 22101

Office: 703-319-3344
Why do people hire me?

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Vienna Real Estate Guide

Note from Legal…

My clients deserve my undivided loyalty and priority scheduling. Therefore, I exclusively serve buyers and sellers with whom I have signed representation agreements.

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This material can only be used with written permission.

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