When you’re starting the process of buying or selling a home, you probably have a lot of questions.  So what do you do? You go to your internet browser and search for the answers to your questions, right?  In this episode, Alison addresses all of the most commonly searched real estate questions and gives concise and honest responses that can help inform and answer most if not all buyer and seller questions!    Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

Let's say you have an animal who lives in your home with you -- not necessarily a pet, but perhaps an assistance animal of some sort -- and you're looking to move to a new home.  What rights do you have when navigating your search with your animal in tow?  What if you're a landlord and you have someone with an animal who wants to live in your property -- what rights do YOU have? In this episode, Alison is joined by Abby Volin, a subject matter leader on animal accommodation law, and together they discuss common concerns both for those seeking housing and those providing it. They will answer common questions that are often asked and give context to the topic as a whole.     Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Abby abby.volin@dc.gov

VA loans are an incredible financing option for those who qualify, but like all special loan types, they have unique conditions and differences from conforming loan types such as conventional, fixed rated, and adjustable rate mortgages. In this episode, Alison is joined by Brandon Frye, a Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate in the DC metro area who has regularly helped clients secure VA Loans over the past decade. In this episode they discuss all details of this loan type – who qualifies, specific caveats to the program, and common questions clients have about them.  Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Brandon IG: @bfryemortgage

Love Letters, personal letters written to homeowners when trying to buy a home, have been a hotly contested topic in the real estate world for many years.  So when you’re ready to offer on a home, should you write one? What are the pros and cons?  In this episode, Alison is joined by Karen Ringo, Realtor with Compass licensed in DC, MD, and VA who consistently provides ease of process and personalized experience along with direct and healthy communication to each and every client.  Together, Alison and Karen truly break down love letters from all angles and leave the choice up to you whether or not including one in an offer is right for you.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Karen www.karenringodmvrealtor.com | IG: @thekarenringo

It’s a tough market and with interest rates up and fewer homes being listed so far this year, competition is fierce yet again in the DC-metropolitan area. When buyers find the right home to offer on, they can end up competing against other buyers who feel it’s the home for them, too. In this episode, Alison is joined by Michael Fowler, her RARE teammate with over 10 years of experience as a Realtor in DC, MD, and VA who has helped a large number of buyers and sellers navigate multiple offer situations.  Together they discuss the various things to consider when entering into a multiple offer situation along with some tips that hopefully will help you win when and if you enter into such situation yourself.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Michael www.michaelfowlercreative.com

It’s rentals season and while the rental market has been an unpredictable rollercoaster over the past 3 years, recent data is showing us that seasonality is once again a factor in overall rental market trends. In this episode, Alison is joined by Emily McDonald, Zillow’s rental trends expert. Emily interprets constantly changing data to help renters understand market trends so they can make the most informed decisions possible during their housing journey.  Together they discuss the rental market in general, specific trends in the DMV, things to consider when entering the rental market, and tips & tricks for those on the hunt for their next rental home.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Emily emilymcd@zillowgroup.com

Who doesn’t love a good HGTV home renovation show? When there’s a hot market and high levels of competition, Buyers often find themselves considering purchase options that perhaps they hadn’t considered before. In this episode, Alison is joined by Erin Helland, home renovation coach, licensed home inspector, and Owner of Hardhat Diplomat. While still doing renovations of her own, Erin uses her experiences in commercial and residential renovation to guide others through the home improvement process. In this episode, Alison and Erin break down what to consider when buying a fixer upper, from finances, to timeline, to the pain points that can occur throughout the process.  Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Erin www.hardhatdiplomat.com | IG: @hardhatdiplomat

Just because you rent and don’t own the place where you live, it doesn’t mean you need to be fearful of making changes to your space, adding what you like, and making a home your own. But oftentimes renters are nervous to do too much for fear that changes to their space can cause issues down the road. In this episode, Alison is joined by Imani Keal, creator of Imani At Home, a DC-based home & lifestyle content channel that has amassed a huge following since its 2020 inception. Imani believes that all people, regardless of whether they rent or own, should invest in their happiness by improving the spaces in which they live, and together on this episode, she and Alison share renter-friendly DIYs, tips for the design-obsessed renter, and advice on how to navigate renovation conversations with landlords.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Imani www.imaniathome.com | IG: @imaniathome

Housing affordability in the Washington DC metro area has been and continues to be challenging for many people, and though it’s not a new concept to commute into a city for work, the pandemic has made this a trending topic and consideration, especially in the DMV. In this episode, Alison is joined by Mimi Montgomery, the Home & Features Editor at Washingtonian Magazine who recently researched and penned an article about DC area home buyers moving to Richmond, VA for more affordable housing and a lower cost of living. In this episode, they discuss the findings of Mimi’s research and point out some of the potential concerns when considering a 2+ hour move from the place where your job is located.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Mimi Montgomery twitter: @mimi_montgom | mmontgomery@washingtonian.com

It’s Spring 2023, the market is heating back up, and Buyers are coming out of the woodwork to explore their options for homeownership in the DC, MD, and VA. Oftentimes as first time buyers enter the market and begin their search, they come across co-op listings but don’t truly understand what they are or how they work. In this episode, Alison is joined by Jeff Morelli, a Lender with Caliber Home Loans who has over 25 years of experience providing every type of home loan available, and together they break down what a cooperative is and how to buy into one, how it differs from a condominium, perceived pros and cons of owning one, and how one finances a co-op transaction. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Jeff Morelli jeff.morelli@caliberhomeloans.com

Taxes: we all pay em and 99% of the time, we don’t know the ins and outs of the complicated tax code that exists in this country. At some point in our lives, we likely hear that our taxes can be affected by real estate – if we own it, invest in it, or sell it, but beyond that, there are a lot of nuances that we may not really grasp.  In this episode, Alison is joined by Ted Phillips, aka The Dely Ray CPA, and together they discuss tax implications and concepts that can and will apply to anyone involved in a real estate transaction.  Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and www.thedelraycpa.com

With enforcement of newer short term rental laws in the DC area, some people may find themselves unable to rent their investment properties as short terms on platforms like AirBnB or VRBO. But what if another option, in addition to long term rentals are medium term rental? In this episode, Alison is joined by Zeanna McIntyre, an investor, Realtor, coach, and co-author of “30 Day Stay: An Investor’s Guide to Mastering the Medium-term Rental.” Together they discuss what medium term rentals are, how they can be a sweet spot for cash flow, and how to generally navigate them.   Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and www.zeonamcintyre.com

What is a condo or homeowners association? What are the differences between the two?  And what do they even do or provide a homeowner? In this episode, seasoned Agents Michael Fowler and Alison break down all that you need to know about them and what documents one should especially pay attention to when deciding to buy a property that is guided by one of these associations.  Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

Divorce is far from an exciting thing to think about or go through, but the fact of that matter is that many of us may have to deal with one at some point in our lives… and one of the most stressed over parts of a divorce is, “What happens to my house or the homes we own?”  In this episode I’m joined by Alex Xanttopoulos, a principal at Roop Law located in Tysons Corner, Virginia. In this episode, Alex and Alison speak about some things to do (and not do) when going through a divorce and answer common questions that people have when starting to go through the process. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

Refinances are something that are often discussed between Mortgage Lenders and their clients, and they received a ton of press in Fall 2022 when rates skyrocketed.  But if you’re new to home buying, getting a mortgage may be confusing enough, let alone getting a new refinanced mortgage down the road. In this episode, Brandon Frye, SVP or Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate and Alison explain and discuss refinances - when to consider them, how they work, and why they can be a valuable tool for buyers and homeowners. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

It’s November 2022 and home mortgage interest rates have more than doubled from where they were a year ago. The economy is in a much different place, job security has changed, and people who anticipated starting a real estate purchase or sale are now considering if this is a good time to move ahead.  In this episode, John Downs, Founder of Downs Mortgage Group and SVP at Vellum Mortgage and Alison discuss their thoughts on what one should do when rates are high. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

There are many many realtors out there and chances are you have a friend or family member who works in the real estate industry.  So when you go to buy or sell, should you work with them as a client? In this episode, Alison breaks down why you should use your friend or family member to represent you in one of the biggest transactions of your life… or at least strongly consider it.  Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc

The Washington, D.C. area real estate market is cut-throat.  It is one of the most expensive housing markets in the country with homes getting listed, sold, and rented in record time...so naturally, new buyers, sellers, and renters have many questions that they need answering before diving in headfirst. On Rent Move Buy, The RARE’s official housing podcast, Realtor Alison Scimeca takes a refreshingly authentic approach to answer all of the area's burning real estate questions. For more info, head to theraredc.com and subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or whichever podcast streaming source you prefer, and please feel free to reach out to us with comments and questions! @theRAREdc or alison@theraredc.com

There’s no single answer to the question “Should I rent or buy?” but there certainly are questions one can ask to help determine what the right decision is for them. Rianka Dorsainvil ia a Certified Financial Planner and the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of 2050 Wealth Partners a virtual, fee-only comprehensive financial planning firm dedicated to serving first-generation wealth-builders, entrepreneurs, and thriving professionals. Because so much of the decision to rent or buy comes down to one's finances and financial goals, a CFP® can offer insight beyond what traditional real estate professionals have on this topic. In this episode, Rianka and Alison discuss their thoughts on how to best evaluate renting vs buying and list things to think about and consider as one makes this important decision. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc and Rianka: 2050wealthpartners.com IG: @Rianka_d

Amid rising interest rates and an inability to compete in the housing market, many buyers are exploring their options and considering homes needing major renovations or building new.  Once someone decides to move in that direction, they then have to decide how to navigate: hire a design / build firm?  Separately hire an architect and contractor? In this episode, Sean Ruppert of award-winning design / build OPaL and Alison discuss some of the differences for people new to these concepts. Subscribe to our show and feel free to reach out to us on The RARE website or directly to Alison with comments and questions: www.theRAREdc.com | alison@theraredc.com IG: @theraredc