Stephen Carpenter-Israel Named One of Washington DC's 100 Best Real Estate Agents

September 7, 2022 Wendy Carpenter-Israel

Stephen Carpenter-Israel of Buyer’s Edge Recently Named Top 100 Realtors and One of the Top Real Estate Agencies in Washington DC Market

In a recent press release, Stephen Carpenter-Israel, President and Broker of Buyer's Edge | BuyersAgent.com, DC's leading Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Company, was named one of Washington's 2022 100 Best Real Estate Agents by Washingtonian Magazine. Earlier this year, Carpenter-Israel's company also was included in the Washington Business Journal’s 2022 List of Top Residential Real Estate Companies.

Why is this real estate news so exciting?

In 1991 when Stephen and his wife, Wendy, founded Buyer’s Edge Real Estate, challenging the DMV’s real estate industry status quo, who would have ever believed that the single-focused business model of real estate buyer brokerage would have survived, let alone taken off? Back in the day, there was no such thing as a “buyer’s agent” or an “exclusive buyer agent. (EBA)” Homebuyers only were starting to understand that the friendly Realtors that drove them around in their Cadillacs or greeted them at Open Houses were all working on behalf of the Seller’s best interest. At the same Wendy, Steve, and their friends were buying their first homes, they knew there had to be a better way for consumers when buying a home in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

After a deep dive into Exclusive Buyer Agency and flying cross country to consult with Tom Hathaway and Barry Miller, some of the first EBAs in the USA, Stephen and Wendy decided to open their own real estate company. By working as exclusive buyer's agents, they would practice real estate differently and in the best interest of the home buying consumers. They believed that consumers had a right to unconditional protection and loyalty throughout the entire home buying process. By representing Buyers 100% of the time, Buyer’s Edge became the first Exclusive Buyer Broker in the DMV to offer homebuyers the opportunity to buy a home with a real estate company that would never represent both sides of the real estate transaction.

It took some time for consumers to catch on and for the real estate industry to acknowledge this most basic conflict of interest. If lawyers, accountants, and other licensed professionals weren’t permitted to engage in this type of conflict of interest, then neither should traditional Realtors. The real estate industry has come a long way since 1991, but there is still room for more clarity for the home buying consumer during real estate transactions.

Luckily for homebuyers in the DMV, there are now numerous exclusive buyers brokers in the area to work with, most of whom were trained and gained their buyer-focused experience working with Stephen Carpenter-Israel at Buyer’s Edge | BuyersAgent.com before they went out on their own in recent years. In addition, as real estate disclosure laws change, homebuyers also are being offered more real estate services and options from the new “real estate disruptors.”

“All this exciting growth and change, I view as a big win for homebuyers and the real estate industry as a whole,” says Stephen Carpenter-Israel.

Exclusive Buyer Agency helped change the way real estate is practiced today.

With so many more options locally and nationwide, consumers with a greater understanding of buyer agency are better served. Perhaps, this may be one of the reasons I'm pleased to again be recognized as one of the D.C. Metro area's top 100 agents and for my company, Buyer's Edge, to be listed among the area's best real estate agencies. As the only Exclusive Buyer's Agent in this select group – a group of professionals recognized for market knowledge and integrity - it is especially gratifying that my clients see the value of working with an agent and company that only represents one side of the real estate transaction. The dedication and hard work of all our exclusive buyer's agents at our company and the long-standing support from our past clients is truly amazing and genuinely appreciated," reflects Carpenter-Israel. "Growing up in D.C. in the '60s and '70s, I was significantly impacted working alongside my father, who was a real estate appraiser that helped the city government of Washington, DC grapple with rebuilding parts of the city damaged during the 1968 riots. I was able to observe and participate in many ways, visiting and inspecting the damage and listening to the people impacted address what they wanted as the city was being rebuilt. I got my real estate license when I was 18. After college, I spent time in the commercial and residential construction businesses, first as a project manager and then running my own firm. My intimate knowledge of the city and love of construction and real estate made it a very natural fit for me to represent people buying homes. In 1991, my wife and I decided to make the leap into Exclusive Buyer Brokerage and started Buyer's Edge. Buyer's Edge was one of the very first firms in the U.S. to solely represent one party in housing transactions. This idea was novel. You might say we were part of the first wave of “real estate disruptors." We believe in doing real estate differently. We have seen many ups and downs in the market over the years and believe that this deep experience enables us to provide thoughtful, educated insights into navigating the tumultuous market conditions and help clients in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, negotiate the very best outcome.

Stephen Carpenter-Israel Broker| President of Buyer's Edge - BuyersAgent.com

It is this dedication and pursuit of the “very best outcome” for their homebuyer clients that keeps Steve, Wendy, and all the Exclusive Buyer’s Agents at Buyer’s Edge | BuyersAgent.com motivated every day. It doesn’t matter if the client is a first-time homebuyer, buying their third home, downsizing to a smaller home, in the market for luxury real estate, or a business mogul with vast experience in highly complex negotiation strategies. Our company was formed on the basic principle that every homebuyer has the right to work with an expert buyer’s agent that is in their corner and protects their best interests throughout a real estate purchase.

So go out and find an experienced real estate exclusive buyers agent and a real estate buyer brokerage company that will guide and support you, the homebuyer, through the complex, nuanced, and ever-changing home buying process.