Doug Francis Real Estate

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Selling a Home in 2020

Doug Francis Real Estate Sign

The clean, classic design of our sign is instantly recognized by home buyers. The focus is on your beautiful home.

If you have decided that it is time to move, then it is essential to put a contemporary real estate marketing plan in place to help get the highest price for your home, where the primary focus is on featuring your home.

Smart and competitively priced… Doug was very responsive.

It is safe to say that 97% of today’s home buyers start their search for a home while sitting in front of the TV looking at homes on the Internet. Photos, school information, and other descriptions need to be clear, concise and reader-friendly.

As a long time agent and digital marketing strategist, I will show you my essential ideas for helping you get the most money out of your home sale with a real estate marketing plan to help you be competitive in the Northern Virginia real estate market.

Prepare for the Internet to find today’s home buyers

  • photography
  • staging
  • preparation
  • pricing

Having professional photography isn’t an option just for million-dollar homes anymore. Today’s buyers often make buying decisions based on photos especially when the inventory is limited.

Although I have always loved photography, I now hire a firm that uses multiple image/exposure photography which is layered into a perfect image each time. What this does is eliminates flash photography to deliver a magazine quality look.

I include a home stager/designer to make recommendations

Hilary Farr Interior Design Tips

Designer Hilary Farr

Although staging sounds like an HGTV-ism, we have always had a focused effort helped clients present their homes. Today, I hire a local design consultant to walk the home with you (and me) giving immediate insight into your home from a designer’s perspective. Most of my clients have excellent taste, but having a designer make tweaks and recommendations that will help your home sell is critically important.

Doug became a trusted advisor, educates you, and connects you to a community of high-quality contacts.

Preparation has always been the key to success. Preparation is going to be unique for you simply because there are many factors involved. Expect to spend 30 days getting prepared before hitting the market.

Preparation can mean cleaning, storing things, painting, re-carpeting, landscaping, or all of those things.

Since each home is unique, pricing is determined using current market conditions, recent home sales and updates you have made to your home.

A ten-year-old kitchen isn’t going to be as valuable as a new kitchen, and a freshly painted home will be more valuable than one with flowery wallpaper.

Market knowledge and professional interpretation of comparable sales is essential especially since instant home valuation reports available across the Internet can be as much as 10% off.

Once we met Doug, he was the clear choice to sell my father’s Vienna home.

The Next Step

Having a personalized action plan in place will enable you to take the next step.

What I need to know from you, either in an email or when we meet in person, is:

  • when do you want to move?
  • how long have you lived in the house?
  • any updates in the last ten years?
  • what you love about your house or location (top 10 things)

My focus is on marketing and getting your beautiful home in front of today’s home buyers.

Here is a sample home marketing page too

Vienna real estate realtor Doug Francis


When I started as a real estate agent long ago, the Sunday Washington Post was where everyone placed a tiny ad hoping to catch a reader’s interest. (Just typing that makes me feel ancient!) As you can see here, I embraced the Internet long ago sharing my experiences in blog posts and marketing client’s homes effectively.

To set up a meeting, send me an email now telling me about your specific situation doug@dougfrancis.com or give me call at 703-304-6827 during the day.

There is more about me here on my About Me Page.


Let’s Get More In Depth:

  • Digital Signatures

  • Bright-MLS

  • Zillow Value Estimate vs. RPR Value Estimate

  • Home Inspections & Radon Inspections

  • Mobile Apps from Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com

  • Sotheby’s Lifestyle Websites

  • What is My Home Worth?

  • Facebook Marketing

  • Open Houses

  • Negotiation

  • 3D Tours & Floor Plans

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, home buyers are attracted to Vienna because of the sense of community, walkability, and small town lifestyle.

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 still sell homes in all price ranges. 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?

Case Studies

Continue Reading

Have a question?

Homeowners: Add a level of privacy

name withheld by request

Privacy: Hiding your name

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
Staged kitchen for real estate marketing

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

Getting started is the hardest part for many clients. My Vienna home seller checklist will help you get the ball rolling today.

“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!

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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?

Search for homes in Vienna

Vienna Real Estate Guide

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