“I just worked with Stephen Carpenter-Israel at Buyer's Edge to purchase a home in Maryland. I couldn't be happier with the experience, it was wonderful. Stephen quickly understood what I was looking for and my budget. I was in a good place to be very picky about the home (no time constraint to move in/move out of my previous residence) and he showed me a tremendous number of homes until we found exactly the right one. There was no pressure to buy quickly or settle for a house that wasn't quite right, and in fact Stephen told me a couple of times, when I was discouraged with the homes on the market, that he was sure we could do better -- and we did! The mortgage broker, inspector, and settlement attorney recommended to me by Buyer's Edge were also excellent. I'm so thrilled with my new house and I feel great about the experience from start to finish. I would not buy a home ever again without having an Exclusive Buyer Agent represent my interest in the transaction and I can't imagine that there are better agents in the DC/MD/VA area than the people at Buyer's Edge. Also: Their Bethesda Office sometimes has a Very Cool Dog in residence.
My wife and I have really enjoyed working with Steve Carpenter-Israel. We're looking to buy our first house and Steve has patiently walked us through understanding the buying process. He took the time to explain the Buyer's Edge model to us, which made complete sense from our end. And he's repeatedly shown us around different neighborhood, although our search continues to be a bit all over the DMV area. We would thoroughly recommend Steve and Buyer's Edge for potential home buyers.
Client: Ben W.
Steve -
I was home this morning to take the dog for a walk while an agent showed our house. I do this a lot these days.
Often, by the time I finish walking the dog, agent and buyers are gone. But today, when I returned they were in the basement. I could here the agent evaluating the systems and talking about the sump pump. Then they went upstairs, and I noticed them taking time in every room to get beyond a mere first impression.
Something felt qualitatively different from other showings of which I have overheard the tail-end. I sat in the kitchen fighting off the urge to tell the Buyer's, unsolicited, that they were fortunate to be working with such a good agent. Instead, when everyone came downstairs, I merely offered to answer any questions and thanked them for coming.
The agent then took the buyers on a complete tour of the exterior of the property, and they all stood in the driveway talking for a bit. I turned off the lights and got ready to meet Sara and the kids at the park.
The whole experience made more sense when I grabbed the agent's card on my way out the door. I should have realized it would be one of your colleagues. After all, you thoroughly evaluated each house we saw, paused to explain things we wouldn't have noticed, and steered us well into this house, which really is great. (We wish y'all wanted to come to Madison with us to find the right house there.)
I hope Dana's** clients liked the house and that they appreciate her and the rest of your team.
Client: Jeff
Steve and his team at Buyer's Edge have helped two generations in my family find the right home.
My wife and I planned a switch from Bethesda to close-in Chevy Chase. Steve was patient with us as we whittled down our options. He learned to anticipate what we would like and dislike about properties even before we got there.
At the end, we were down to two similarly priced properties. On the first, Steve told us that he could almost certainly knock the price down ~$50K.
On the second he said, "I don't think there is much room left to bargain, they have come down once, and the property will probably sell pretty fast at the new price. But the second one will appreciate faster than the first."
He was right. We paid the (reduced) asking price for property #2, moved in, and loved it.
Based on comps on our street, our new home appreciated 40% in the next three years. The other property sold at the asking price and we saw it resold five years later at an increase of only about 10%. So 40% vs. 10%.
The point of the story is that Steve Israel reads his clients well, has a keen sense of how much "give" there is in each seller, and has a sharp grasp of price trends.
He is also a "fun guy". Both generations in our family who worked with Steve to buy a home enjoyed the process.
By John B.by John B.
I know, five star reviews are easy to dismiss as over-enthusiastic or inaccurate, but we are finding it difficult to overstate the value of Steve Israel's assistance with our recent home purchase. We recommend him without reservation - not only online, but also to our friends, family, and colleagues. Steve is a buyer's broker - only representing buyers. If you don't know what that means, I encourage you to Google "buyer's broker" and do some research (Steve's site is a good starting point) before settling on an agent. More important to us, however, is that Steve knows the local market and his real estate. We depended on him to guide us through the wide variety of homes in the DC area. His ability to walk into a place and give you the low down is uncanny. He consistently highlights points about the house, construction, or maintenance issues that we couldn't have spotted after hours walking through it. He explained the purchase process from start to finish, answering all of our questions along the way. When it came to putting in our offer, Steve's friendly yet no-nonsense attitude really won the day. We were in a competitive bidding situation with other interested parties. Steve was able to read the situation, devise a strategy, and then keep positive communications with the listing agent until our bid was accepted. I have no doubt that Steve's involvement helped ensure we got this house at the price we wanted. How do I know? This is what the SELLER had to say after the bid was accepted: "The way you and your agent handled things really made an impact on me. I wanted to give you any close call because of …how great Steve was to deal with. You picked a good one." If you're looking to purchase a home in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, you should be working with Steve Israel”
Client: Primedir
“Working with the Buyer's Edge team was a fantastic experience! Steve Israel was extremely knowledgeable regarding the different neighborhoods' pros and cons and evaluating the value and likely repair, remodel and upkeep potential of each location. He emailed new listings that fit my specifications regularly and quickly responded to my questions or requests to view listings. As a first-time home buyer, he helped me understand and feel comfortable with each step of the buying process and he and his staff responded quickly to each of my many questions. I would definitely recommend Buyer's Edge to anyone looking for a new home”.
Client: C Rodgers
“Stephen Israel is a consummate professional and his staff is courteous and attentive. We only visited homes that met my criteria. For every home we visited he quickly had a profile on the neighborhood and gave me on-point commentary about the advantages and disadvantages of the home and property relative to my specific needs. I was amazed about how in-depth his real-time observations were. He exceeded my expectations regarding serving my specific needs. He was instrumental in securing and negotiating a home I love; I otherwise wouldn't have found or wouldn't have been able to negotiate the terms of the agreement without him. I can not imagine a more effective and personable buyer's agent in this area and would recommend him to any of my friends or associates that need to find a home”.
Client: Gilles B
Steve Carpenter-Israel was recommended to us and after our great experience, we highly recommend him to anyone buying a home in the Metro DC area. We were moving from out of state and needed to find a home quickly. Steve took time to clearly understand the “must-haves” for the house we were looking for. His extensive knowledge of the area helped us narrow down our geographic choices. He then laid out the pros and cons of each of the houses we saw and his extensive knowledge of home construction allowed us to eliminate houses that were not up to standard. Steve found our dream house and we are so grateful to him. In addition, he negotiated such a great price for the house that our neighbors routinely grumble about what a “steal” we got. We recently recommended Steve to a friend who was moving from out of town and he did the same for them – finding an amazing home at an amazing price in less than a week!
Client: Teri and Tim K.
"One of the reasons we felt real comfort in dealing with Buyer’s Edge was because we knew there would not be a conflict of interest with Buyer’s Edge representing home sellers. It was important to us that your total focus was to find the right home and make the best deal for us."
Client: Jerry S.
"Buyer's Edge was great to work with. From the start, they made us feel very comfortable. Steve and Lisa found us a wonderful house and really worked hard to get the deal done. I highly recommend working with them!"
Buyer’s Edge:
took the time to understand our needs and desires, and quickly gathered examples of condominiums that met our criteria
were always promptly responsive and made themselves always available to set appointments and show us units that met our criteria and those that we wanted to see
had a great feeling for “value” and had an eye for seeing structural and design issues that needed to come to our attention
opened easy and regular communication channels with sellers’ agents
helped us develop realistic negotiation strategy that ultimately carried the day
provided assistance with settlement that greatly eased the process for us"
Client: Jeff S.
"I bought just the right house for me thanks to Steve’s expertise. His patient, no-pressure approach gave me the confidence I needed to take the plunge. I would recommend Buyer’s Edge to any prospective homebuyer without reservation."
Client: Richard T.
"A word of thanks for all of your help. We truly love this house and the kids are thrilled with it too. The house is beautiful, the neighbors friendly, the location convenient and the local elementary school has been welcoming. All your hard work has allowed us to reunite as a family and give our children a great opportunity. Thanks for all your hard work and support. We feel like we won the lottery with this house..."
Client: Ellis and Ronna R.
"Steve, this is a long overdue expression of our appreciation for the help you gave us over and above what should be expected. We are finally feeling settled in the house and we love it! Thanks again for expertly guiding us through the process."
Client: Maureen and Jim
"Steve...I appreciate all of your help in finding our home. I know it was a long path but we are thrilled that our patience paid off. Again, many thanks for everything. It was a pleasure to work with you."
Client: George and Nancy
"Steve, thank you so much for all your efforts on our behalf during the process of buying our house in D.C. We were very fortunate to have your help, and we enjoyed meeting and working with you. We really appreciate all you’ve done. We hope you’ll stay in touch."
Client: Sherry and Decker
"John Sullivan worked with us and for us to secure the best price for a home we bought in the Greenbelt area. He was always available for our repeatedly asked questions via email or phone, we can't imagine working with anyone else."
Client: Barbie W.
John was incredibly patient with us when we were buying our first home. He was always available to answer our questions and showed us close to one hundred houses. We were confident he was giving us sound advice not only about finding the perfect house for us but also about making a good investment for our future."
Client: Sara S.
"John displayed a high level of customer service and real estate knowledge. He clearly explained the home buying process and all the details we needed to learn to purchase our first home."
Client: Matt and Debbie
"We know we couldn't have done all this without you. Your experience in the market and you willingness to spend so much time with us is greatly appreciated."
Client: Beckie and Jeff
"We can't thank you enough for you patience and guidance in getting us here and in your kindness in answering all of our mundane questions."
Client: Amanda and Eric
"We are thankful that you worked so hard on our behalf to come out with the best outcome - we never once doubted that you had our best interests at heart and felt completely safe in your hands."
Client: Sue and Alexis
"We are both very grateful to John for the effort he put forth for us. We have already referred two of our friends to him and will not hesitate to do it again as the opportunity presents itself. It is refreshing to know that top-notch service still exists in some places. Thank you, John. Thank you Buyer's Edge."
Client: Derek and Gina
"Buyer’s Edge helped us every step of the way in buying our first house. Our agent, Valerie, took the time to understand our needs and walk us through the process. She was very available to us and made buying a house much less overwhelming. Valerie was professional, very knowledgeable of her field, and was able to help us get the house for $14,000 less than the listed price. We’ve even kept in touch after moving in. We would definitely recommend Buyer’s Edge to anyone looking to buy a house in the area."
Client: Kevin and Allison
"I've hired at least six real estate agents in the past and Valerie is by far the best. I have yet to meet an agent that I liked and trusted as much."
Client: Mia
"We enlisted Valerie's help when buying both of our houses, our starter home in 2001 and our latest this past May. She is professional, very personable, and helped us every step of the way, especially in finding out as much info as possible about the prospective house and seller, as well as negotiating the best deal possible. If we are ever in the market again in the DC area, she will be our first choice." Client: Diana and James
MLS Listings-Search Luxury Homes for Sale in DC Area!
"Valerie makes the daunting task of buying a home much easier than it otherwise might be, and she makes the time one spends looking for a home enjoyable. She is knowledgeable and honest, and she gives an honest assessment of a home and whether it fits with her clients goals and desires. She will not let you buy a home just out of frustration -- she'll make certain that you buy a home that is right for you.
Client: Josh
"We hired Valerie Winebrenner as our Real Estate agent to assist us in finding and buying a house in suburban Maryland. This was a very challenging undertaking given our many criteria (price, schools, commutes, etc). The process took several months. Valerie's patience, professionalism, and knowlege of the real estate market in this area helped to make our house search ultimately successfully. We would recommend her without reservation and would use her again if we once again needed to relocate.
Client: Steve and Ann
"Valerie was referred to us by my wife's supervisor at the World Bank. We looked for our first home over the course of 18 months, starting with condos and eventually purchased a single family home in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring. Valerie was diligent in providing us with information on a daily basis. We were able to see any listing we were interested in and benefited greatly from Valerie's insight at each location. We liked the fact that Valerie only deals with the buying side of the transaction, a true advocate for her clients. I highly recommend Valerie when purchasing a home."
Client: Nick
"My wife and I hired Valerie to help us with the daunting task of finding and purchasing a house. We didn't have a good idea about the type or location of our ideal home, yet Valerie was very accommodating about showing us houses all over Montgomery and Howard County. She gave very honest assessments of each house's strengths and weaknesses and helped us evaluate the best choice for our growing family. Valerie is an excellent negotiator and helped us buy our new home for $30K less than the original asking price. In her role as en exclusive buyer's agent, Valerie represented our interests and made sure we were happy with the outcome of every part of the transaction. We give Valerie our strongest recommendation. Working with her was a true pleasure.”
Client: Nat
"Valerie has the patience of a saint! My husband and I had very specific parameters in our home search and worked with Valerie for nearly a year until we found just the right fit for our family. She has very deep knowledge of the real estate market in DC, MD and VA. At the time we were house hunting (2003), it was a seller's market and there were 6 offers on the house of our dreams. Valerie had creative solutions to help us craft the winning offer and surprisingly we were not the highest bid! If/when we decide to move within the DC metropolitan area, Valerie will be our first call - no question. In addition to our experience, Valerie has had repeated successes working with family and close friends over the years."
Client: Lisa
"My family and I want to thank you and your company for helping us with our move from Ohio to Northern VA. Ben was great in helping guide our house hunting tour and we are thankful he was able to squeeze us into his schedule for one last house after the tour ended in May. The last one was 'the one'. Ben is extremely knowledgeable of the area and helped point out items on the townhouse/area we did not think about. He worked very closely with Ramez on necessary paper work and communications. Thank you! Ben was great and we will recommend him if we have the opportunity. When the times comes to upgrade, we'll being calling Buyers Edge."
Client: Debra and Blaine B.
"Dear Mr. Israel:
"Buyer's Edge was great to work with. From the start, they made us feel very comfortable. Steve and Lisa found us a wonderful house and really worked hard to get the deal done. I highly recommend working with them!"
Client: Jeff S.
"Stephen Mercer made buying our first home in an unfamiliar city as easy and stress free as I could have imagined. He was exceedingly knowledgeable about every aspect of the process, from evaluating homes through the lens of a contractor to helping with the banking aspect of making the purchase. He never once pressured us to make a decision or hurry the process, and we felt confident that he had our best interest at heart. Lastly, it is worth noting that he always accommodated our schedule requests, which were erratic at best. (We had to make the move in <4 weeks and were doing so from quite a distance away.) Working with Stephen was akin to having a close family member who knows the ins-and-outs of home buying advise you along every steps of the process. I can say without reservation that I would recommend him to anyone in need of a friendly, unbiased, and knowledgable buyer's agent - he was fantastic!"
Client: Kelly and Coursen S
"A close friend referred me to Buyer's Edge, and I can say I'm glad I took her advice. I worked with Stephen Mercer, a knowledgeable ex-contractor and experienced buyer's agent. As a first-time homeowner, I will be the first to admit I was all over the place with the type of home, location, and even price. Stephen was incredibly understanding every time I changed my search criteria, especially since I had him driving all over northern VA when his office is in Bethesda, MD. He was especially open to the homes I found from independent research, and immediately organized home-tours when I expressed interest. Since my lease was ending and I was on a time-crunch, he helped me find a perfect home in less than two months (start to closing). Going forward, I would highly recommend Stephen to anyone else looking for homes in the DC/MD/VA region. Thanks Buyer's Edge for helping me find my new home!"
Client Justin S.
"Victoria and Marshall Henderson were GREAT partners to us, as 1st Time Home Buyers. They were approachable, responsive, felt like we were family to them. They follow up, even now, just to check in. During tours, it was clear that they had taken the time to understand what we were looking for (short and long term) and gave us great tips on why certain properties might not be as great as it seemed or if we were overlooking certain elements in a potential home."
"Lynn Spiegel from Buyers Edge was awesome to work with for the purchase of my home. I had a small window of time in which to make a purchase, and after our initial conversation, Lynn was quick to share new listings and to set up walk-throughs. I also appreciated her advice with regard to making an offer and her connection to a great home inspector who was able to give me better insight into the condition of the home. With all that said, I give Lynn my highest recommendation to someone looking to purchase a home."
Client: John M.
“My favorite part of working with Lynn was that the work never stopped for her. Even after helping us close on a home in an extremely competitive market, Lynn was with my family long after closing to provide any assistance needed, including contacting the previous owners about any questions and concerns. She was very thoughtful and considerate of our constraints and always made us feel like more than just a client. Thanks again, Lynn!"
Client: Justin P.
“Working with Lynn from Buyer's Edge made our first home buying experience not only painless (even in a competitive market), but also fun and a memory we will definitely cherish. We never had to think twice about making appointments, exploring different areas, or what the next steps were going to be. We always had an answer to anything we asked right away and Lynn made sure we were well informed, mindful, and were in the best position possible to find our dream home - which we absolutely did!! Thank you, Lynn, and the Buyer's Edge team for making it happen.”
Client: LS
“Lynn was a great agent. She was thorough and responsive to all my questions throughout the buying process, always punctual, and never missed a deadline. She helped out a lot with the inspection and did a good job negotiating with the seller. And she didn’t pressure me to overbid. Would highly recommend her.”
Client: D
“Lynn Spiegel was my realtor. She was wonderful. I was a first-time home buyer, so she continually educated me about upcoming steps and my options. She didn’t push when I had not yet saved enough money to close and have my ideal monthly mortgage/PITI payments. She put me in touch with several lenders. I picked one gifted at explaining things succinctly. For months, for my information, she would email me listings that met my search criteria. Houses were sold within days of going on the market! She prepared me by giving good advice: if we were going to physically view a house during this COVID pandemic, I should first calculate my finances and be ready to make an offer that same day. And that’s what happened! Three busy weeks later, we went to closing and I got the keys to my new house. Lynn predicted what would happen every step along the way, informed me of possible worse case scenarios, but always remained positive and reassuring throughout every step in the home buying process.”
Client: LB
"I highly recommend Buyer's Edge! We worked with Lynn and she did an amazing job at managing the entire process. There was a lot we didn't know going into this, but Lynn worked closely with us on every step so that we could make informed decisions. Her experience and knowledge go far beyond the logistics of buying a home as she also has a deep understanding of home maintenance, which was extremely helpful for us. Lynn also has good relationships with several excellent home maintenance professionals and was able to give us lots of recommendations for any work we needed. Even after moving into our new house, she has continued to make herself available for any questions that we have. Lynn is also just a great person to work within general. She is friendly, professional, trustworthy, and goes above and beyond to deliver. In the end, Lynn was able to help us find a place that really checked off all of our boxes. We truly couldn’t be happier with our new home. Thanks, Lynn!"
Client: MC
“We chose to work with Lynn because her attention to her client's needs was obvious during our first conversation with her about the home-buying process. Lynn helped us find several very promising listings and was instrumental in guiding us through the process of making a successful offer on our home. We are grateful for the calming presence Lynn brought to the home buying process and will always remember the ways in which she went above and beyond for us -- arranging a home inspection on very little notice so that we could feel secure in our purchase, repeatedly advocating for us throughout the settlement process, and continuing to serve as a resource well after closing. What separates Lynn from other Realtors is her resourcefulness and deep network. She was able to refer us to other professionals she trusted very quickly. Our experience working with Lynn was nothing but positive. We felt taken care and we owe Lynn so much gratitude for helping us start our new life in our new home. We wholeheartedly recommend Lynn if you are looking to work with a tenacious and competent Buyer's Agent, especially if it's your first time buying a home."
Clients: C & E
Client: A
"I have suggested Buyer's Edge in the past to friends, and citing that they have no personal interest in selling you particular properties since they don't have any listings. The Hendersons are fully vested in what you are trying to find, meaning they won't try to sell you something you don't want, but will show you everything that is a potential match for what you're looking for."
Client: A
“Our thanks to Lynn Feinberg Spiegel, Stephen Israel and Buyer's Edge. Purchasing a home in the middle of Covid days led to many unexpected hoops and their assistance in helping us maneuver through this was appreciated beyond words. Finding the right home was the easy part as Lynn listened to our desires from day one. The behind the scenes is what closed the deal and for this we are most grateful. With a team solely focused on their buyers wants and needs we wholeheartedly recommend Buyers Edge without reservation.”
Client: JL
“This was out first time buying a house -- and we were lucky enough to have Lynn Spiegel serve as our trusted guide. Buying a house has it's fair share of anxiety, but Lynn's dedication, her attention to detail, and desire to truly help us find our dream home eased the process -- and dare I say, made it fun. More than anything, we really appreciated not feeling pushed or rushed into any decision. And when we were closing in on a decision, Lynn was there, as others have mentioned, available to answer our questions on weekends and after hours. We definitely will be keeping Lynn (and her trusted contractors) in our back pocket!”
Client: SS
“We were very happy to have Lynn guide us through the process of finding and buying our first home. She always replied very quickly to our calls and texts, and made herself available on short notice. Her experience and professionalism were evident in all our interactions. We really appreciated her patience and knowledge when touring house after house. When the perfect place came along, Lynn moved the process along nicely making us feel well taken care of. We would wholeheartedly recommend Lynn as an agent for new and experienced buyers.”
Client: GB
“As first-time home buyers, we set out to homebuying with little knowledge of the entire process. Lynn Spiegel guided us through the process and made sure everything went smoothly until we found and bought our dream home. Lynn is very dedicated and passionate about her profession. From the very beginning she was very attentive to specific needs we had and was always available to answer our questions even in weekends and after hours. She was also available on very short notice to go and see the houses we were interested in. When viewing houses her attention to detail and in depth knowledge of real estate helped us make informed decisions. Lynn has excellent knowledge of the area including schools, accessibility to transport and proximity to shopping complexes. We would highly recommend Lynn for anyone looking for houses in the DMV area. Thank you Lynn.”
Client: BS
"I decided to seek out a buyers agent and my husband and I had the pleasure of working with Lynn Spiegel when searching for a condo in North Bethesda to call home. Lynn is very responsive, and energetic and put together a contract quickly when we toured a condo the first day on the market that we knew we wanted. I highly recommended Lynn Spiegel and Buyer's Edge to help you in your search for a home or condo. She is also well connected and has great referrals for lenders, inspectors and home warranty companies."
Client: TK
"My wife and I worked and Lynn Spiegel from BuyersEdge to purchase our first home. Lynn has been absolutely fantastic. She patiently took us to see quite a few properties we bookmarked, helped us through our decision, and got us from viewing to closing within 23 days. She was quick to respond to any help, always available, and a great resource altogether. I can't recommend the brokerage or Lynn herself highly enough!"
Client: DT
"My husband and I felt so lucky to have Lynn Spiegel from Buyers Edge by our side! As first time home buyers, she made the process easy, and was with us every step of the way. Thanks to Lynn, we were able to find and purchase our perfect first home. Working with Lynn was a pleasure, and if you are in the market for a home, I would strongly suggest using her as your agent."
Client: C .
"I cannot imagine why someone buying a home would work with anyone else! Someone looking out for the buyer's interest-eased my worries. Fabulous!"
Client: A
"I bought my house with the Buyer’s Edge team by my side. Lynn Spiegel was with me every step of my way through the intimidating process of buying a home - all 6 months of it. She was patient, informative, and always available (literally, an email or a phone call away) for any of my questions or requests. She made the whole process easy, handling all the “gotcha’s” - and did everything she could to make sure I was happy with my purchase before closing. This is a fantastic team and fantastic company. The amount of attention, care, and time they give to their clients is impressive and admirable. These are by far the people to call if you’re in the market to buy."
Client: DT
”I purchased property with Lynn Spiegel from Buyers Edge. So many things can go wrong during the buying process. Lynn made sure I was always protected. I would not purchase real property without a Buyers Edge realtor looking out for my rights/needs!! What a great experience! This is the way to go!”
Client: J
"Lynn did a great job throughout the whole process. Very responsive and knowledgeable about the area. I would definitely recommend her to anyone."
Client: CM
“My wife and I can't say enough good things about our experience with Stephen Mercer. The house we bought more or less fell into our laps--it wasn't listed, so there were no open house marathons, no competitions w/ other potential buyers, and no escalation clause hellscapes--but the rest of it, from walkthrough/inspection to closing (and beyond: Stephen has also helped us find contractors) went as smoothly and painlessly as I think it could have. And we attribute that to Stephen. We hope to be in this house for a while, but if our plans change, we wouldn't hesitate to call Stephen again. In addition to being savvy and knowledgeable, he is otherwise a pleasure to be around. We felt like we had a friend in Stephen as much as an agent."
Happy Homebuyer Client: M.F.
”We were so lucky to have Stephen Mercer as our real estate agent during our house hunt in D.C. We were buying a house from a different state, which meant communication was absolutely paramount in an incredibly competitive market (height of the pandemic house hunting craze). Stephen was always extremely prompt in replying and was able to set aside entire weekends for us to tour when we came down.
As first-time home buyers, we were in way over our heads and Stephen helped us through every step of the process. He was always patient and kind in answering all of our questions and very flexible even as we continued to change our criteria. Stephen's biggest value-add is his exceptional knowledge of construction and materials, helping us identify big and small things that are essential for any home buyer but especially those looking for their first home. We always knew we were in good hands and felt confident choosing the home we purchased. Even after the purchase, Stephen checked in to make sure everything was working and still answers are occasional questions as we try to learn about how to take care of a house! We recommend Stephen to anyone who asks.”
Client A.H.
“Although I carefully researched buyer’s agents in the Washington, DC area and Stephen Mercer’s recommendations were stellar, you still don’t know who you might get, hiring an expert on the Internet. I was more than pleasantly surprised; I was thrilled! Stephen is personable, organized, and knows the DC real estate market well. Thanks to his contracting background, he also knows exactly what to look for in a property to determine actual value, as opposed to list price, and pride of ownership, details I might not have noticed nor given much weight to. His operation runs so smoothly because he works with the same people - property inspector, title company, etc. - on every sale. Only 31 days from our initial Zoom conversation to closing escrow. I highly recommend Stephen and would work with him again in a minute!”
Client: J
“Stephen Mercer, from Buyer's Edge Company, Inc. helped us with finding a home in Silver Spring during the peak of the seller's market season in April 2021. He was instrumental in getting us educated in the current market conditions and we are very thankful for it. His local knowledge of Silver Spring and surrounding locations and his background in construction has been very valuable for us in finding an older house with a lot of charm and pride of ownership. Right from submitting the offer to all the way to closing, he was proactively providing the right information to keep us informed. He made sure there was efficient communication between all the parties involved in the transaction. We are happy to have worked with Stephen and will do so again in the future if we need to.”
Client: RS
“My wife and I worked with Stephen Mercer to buy our first house when the market was absolutely crazy. He was very knowledgeable when it came to pros and cons of every part of a house as we walked through it and we learned so much every time we saw another house with him.
He was able to see houses with us often on a day or even less than a days notice due to the competitive nature of the market. We changed our criteria multiple times as we looked for houses but ended up in the perfect house for us after he helped us put in an offer that was just right to win against multiple other offers. I’d highly recommend working with him as a first time or a long time homeowner.”
Client: Nick M.
"I was so fortunate to work with Stephen Mercer at Buyer's Edge. It was such a tough market and his relentlessness was essential. I thought I knew the market, both price and neighborhoods, but Stephen knows so many of the specifics and details that he was able to find the exact niche for me. More than that, because of his background as a contractor, Stephen was able to identify any potential issues with the houses I saw, the potential for upcoming repairs etc. Finally, Stephen and Buyer's Edge were able to connect me with a great lender and settlement company which made the process smooth from beginning to end. But best of all, no matter how tough it can be to buy a house in this market, having a friend on your side makes it easy."
Client: Patrick C.
"I have heard so many horror stories of people have really negative experiences with either buying or selling a home simply because their real estate agent was subpar. My wife Ellen and I were first time home buyers and we wanted to make sure that we had a good real estate agent that would help make this process as stress free as possible. We were recommended to Stephen Mercer through my wife's coworker. Back in June, we had a one hour zoom call where we both got to ask some questions and get a feel for how a relationship might work. We immediately got a sense that Stephen was the right real estate agent for us. I imagine we were one of his more challenging clients, as we viewed 50-60 homes over 3 or so months. Stephen was always accommodating to Ellen and I's work schedules and made sure we got to see every home we wanted. The process was long but honestly I can't imagine it having gone any smoother than it did. I very rarely write reviews for anything but honestly Stephen and his team have my highest recommendation for anyone looking to purchase a home. Thanks again Stephen for all of your hard work, persistence, and dedication to not let us give up on our dream when things were looking bleak! Cheers, Andrew"
Client: Andrew T.
“My husband and I found Stephen Mercer to be exceptionally helpful in guiding us toward finding our home! He was incredibly patient (it took us 18 months to find what we wanted) and consistently gave us the message that there was no rush and that he was invested in helping us find the right property. One of the things that set him apart was his knowledge of all things related to house construction, carpentry, utilities, etc. His background as a professional contractor was a huge advantage. As a result of this knowledge and experience, my husband and I felt like Stephen did a kind of inspection “screening” at every house we looked at! We also appreciated his extensive knowledge of the metro DC real estate market—that really helped us narrow down areas that would be a good fit for us. Probably most importantly, we found Stephen to be so easy to work with, given his warm, genuine demeanor and responsiveness. In short we highly recommend him!!
I hope all is well with you and your family, Stephen. Is it weird for me to say that we miss you?️”
Client: Denise and Chad M.
“Stephen Mercer from Buyer's Edge was great! He guided us through the home-buying process in a very competitive market, giving us valuable advice that was instrumental in us buying a great home below asking price.”
Client: Jorge C.
"Whether it’s your tenth home or your first (like us), you can’t go wrong hiring Stephen Mercer from Buyer’s Edge. He provides everything you would expect from an agent- prompt responses to all text messages and emails, knowledge of the market, ability to explain the complexities of buying a home in simple terms, etc.
However, what sets Stephen Mercer apart was his background in contracting work, his ethics, and his genuine kindness.
Each time we met with him we felt we learned something new on how to spot a good home, and maintain one after buying. He allowed us to develop our own taste and never steered us in a direction just to close a deal. He takes his role as an *exclusive* buyer’s agent seriously. We toured about 15 homes with Stephen Mercer before we found “the one” and we felt absolutely confident in our decisions. This was hugely influenced by what he had taught us along the way.
Stephen Mercer also has a slew of mortgage lenders, settlement attorneys, and others that he has worked with for decades. They all worked together like a well-oiled machine and processed our paperwork seamlessly. We always knew we were in good hands with Stephen’s recommendations.
We were by no means his biggest sale, but he made us feel like his only clients. He took time to move his schedule around when a house just hit the market. He came up with bidding strategies that kept us competitive in multi-bid situations. He followed up to ensure we understood everything he explained during the tours. He even came back to our house after buying it to help us do a quick-fix on one of our windows. We really feel like we struck gold when we hired him and ended up with a home that greatly exceeded our expectations in the competitive DMV market.
Besides all that, Stephen Mercer is truly hilarious and kind. Someone you want to be around and can trust to help you with big decisions. We feel like we gained a friend throughout the process and can’t recommend him enough!"
Client: Sierra L.
"Our experience with Buyer's Edge was very positive. We had the pleasure of working with Stephen Mercer in the process of seeking our new home. He was very helpful in the process as he clearly possessed a thorough understanding of homes and the specific related to their construction. He was easily able to point out things to us that we should be wary of as well as things that were very good about the different homes we viewed. He also worked very hard to ensure that we got the best possible deal on the house we decided on. He listened closely to all of our thoughts, comments and concerns and made sure they were all addressed. he also clearly walked us through the entire process. This was my first time buying a home and I was very glad to have his help in navigating this process. If we are ever in the market again, we will definitely look up Buyer's Edge again. Thanks again Steve for your help!"
Client: Jed S.
“We worked with Stephen Mercer to buy our home in Bethesda, MD. We were introduced to Stephen by one of his past clients and couldn’t have asked for more as our buyer’s agent. He was not only informed about the neighborhoods we we’re interested in and housing trends in the area but, being a former contractor, had a keen eye for quality and not-so-quality builds, repairs, and upkeep. We learned so much walking through and around houses with him! Who knew that window trims should be wrapped to make them last, and indicated extra care in home construction/maintenance?! All that learning translated into us making truly informed decisions on our home purchase. We appreciated his knowledge, responsiveness, flexibility, thoughtful analyses, professionalism, advocacy for our interests, and good humor. He was also a counselor of sort for us when we missed out on opportunities. When we were dealing with our disappointments, he’d say that we’ll find even a better home that is meant for us. And he was right! We had a lot of anxiety over the past months with our relocation. With Stephen’s help, at least our home-buying experience was productive, efficient, and even pleasant. Thank you, Stephen! We wouldn’t be where we are without you.”
Client: Junie K.
"Stephen Mercer made buying our first home in an unfamiliar city as easy and stress free as I could have imagined. He was exceedingly knowledgeable about every aspect of the process, from evaluating homes through the lens of a contractor to helping with the banking aspect of making the purchase. He never once pressured us to make a decision or hurry the process, and we felt confident that he had our best interest at heart. Lastly, it is worth noting that he always accommodated our schedule requests, which were erratic at best. (We had to make the move in <4 weeks and were doing so from quite a distance away.) Working with Stephen was akin to having a close family member who knows the ins-and-outs of home buying advise you along every steps of the process. I can say without reservation that I would recommend him to anyone in need of a friendly, unbiased, and knowledgable buyer's agent - he was fantastic!"
Client: Kelly and Coursen S.
"So many things about buying a home are stressful, overwhelming, and scary, especially if it’s the first time. Lucky for us, we had Stephen Mercer to guide us reassuringly through the chaos. Stephen is not only a great real estate agent, but he also understands that the decision to buy a home is an emotional one. He is thorough, smart, patient, and funny. He is discerning and critical while also being supportive and positive. Our search for our first home had a few bumps and snags, but Stephen never doubted that we would find what we were looking for. When we found the perfect house for our growing family, he expertly advised us on how to make the best offer in a very competitive market. The best part about our journey with Stephen was that it didn’t end when we signed the closing documents. He recommended a reliable contractor to do renovations, and he checked in regularly to ensure we were getting what we paid for. He was genuinely interested in making sure we settled in, and he was crucial in helping us navigate a basement flood after a freak storm. Stephen was so much more than our real estate agent. He was our advocate, our mentor, our advisor, and our friend. We wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone buying a home."
Client: Ethan & Lauren
"We had such a wonderful experience working with Stephen Mercer. Stephen has an incredibly thorough and perceptive eye for detail, noticing so much about the outside and inside of home that, as first-time homebuyers, we would never have considered. With twenty-five years of experience as a contractor, he is uniquely suited to identifying potential problems and also noticing real potential. Stephen’s ideas about remodeling are clever and creative—there were many occasions on which we were amazed that he could think of how to move a countertop or install cabinets in such a way as to make the most of a space. His knowledge of renovation is really impressive, and he is always thinking about the big picture—he guided us through every aspect of the purchase process, from thinking through neighborhoods to closing and moving in. We always felt confident that he was in our corner, working exclusively with buyers and looking out for our best interests—and we can’t imagine finding another realtor who knows as much about home maintenance and remodeling, able to give such expert and detailed advice. Stephen is a generous person, available to show and take the time to really investigate a home—and it really was a pleasure work with him: he is fun to be around and makes the whole process enjoyable. We would recommend him to anyone."
Client: Melanie and Scott
"We came to Stephen Mercer after a disappointing experience with a realtor who was not an exclusive buyer's agent. Stephen's approach was different from the first meeting, throughout the process and even after we bought the house. He was there for us every step of the way. With care, patience and professionalism he helped us navigate the different stages of the process."
Client: Eyal & Pazit A.
"During the transaction, Stephen learned as much as he could about me and my needs. I was unfamiliar with the DC market and relied on Stephen’s knowledge of neighborhoods, investment properties, and construction quality. His best asset was the instinct for and ability to find the right property for me. Stephen put in long hours reviewing listings to identify those that might be of interest to me. Furthermore, as a property investor himself, Stephen was able to advise me on good investments.
Stephen has a number of strengths, including confidence, dependability, patience, and creativity. He has extensive knowledge of real estate construction, investments, and the DC market. His main strength, though, is courage. When the going got tough, Stephen rolled up his sleeves, counseled me, and held the deal together. I respected his opinions, knowledge, and intuition and closed a difficult deal under tight deadlines. I now have a wonderful home in a great neighborhood, a successful rental property, and a good friend."
Client: Laura H.
”We are very happy with our buying experience working with Stephen Mercer! We started off not knowing exactly what we were looking for, and by touring several homes with Stephen we learned a great deal and really narrowed down our search and found the perfect home for us in a great location. Stephen's knowledge of housing construction, renovation and repairs, as well as his experience negotiating as a buyer's agent were immensely helpful in arriving at a terrific buy! We would recommend working with Stephen Mercer to anyone looking for a new home.”
Client: Stefan S.
“I had a great buying experience with Stephen Mercer. I was a first time home buyer and Stephen was an absolute pro as we visited dozens of properties.
His experience was extremely helpful. Stephen pointed out so much beyond if a unit was nice. He would highlight nice features, risks, and just things I never would have known to check out (like ventilation over the microwaves!)
I am approaching 1-month in my new condo and I am thanking Stephen every day I get home! I can not recommend Stephen enough, he is charming you're looking for a charming to work with, informed, and patient. (Thanks Stephen!!!)”
Client: Robert Z.
"My wife and I interviewed quite a few real estate agents before we decided that an exclusive buyer's agent was the best choice and would give us peace of mind that there would be no conflicts of interest to influence the largest purchase either of us had ever made. We worked with Stephen Mercer at Buyer's Edge and were very happy with him and with Buyer's Edge. We trust Stephen. He listened to us, drove all over PG county looking for homes with us, and was very knowledgeable about the entire process. He also has a great amount of knowledge about general home maintenance and construction and a great eye for detail. Just touring homes with him made us feel like we knew what we'd be getting into before ever going into the home inspection phase. Stephen was patient with all of our scheduling needs, and helped make our home-buying process as painless as possible. We recommend him for anyone looking for a home in the DMV." Client: James D.
I just worked with Stephen Mercer at Buyer's Edge to purchase a home in Maryland. I couldn't be happier with the experience, it was wonderful. Stephen quickly understood what I was looking for and my budget. I was in a good place to be very picky about the home (no time constraint to move in/move out of my previous residence) and he showed me a tremendous number of homes until we found exactly the right one. There was no pressure to buy quickly or settle for a house that wasn't quite right, and in fact Stephen told me a couple of times, when I was discouraged with the homes on the market, that he was sure we could do better -- and we did! The mortgage broker, inspector, and settlement attorney recommended to me by Buyer's Edge were also excellent. I'm so thrilled with my new house and I feel great about the experience from start to finish. I would not buy a home ever again without having an Exclusive Buyer Agent represent my interest in the transaction and I can't imagine that there are better agents in the DC/MD/VA area than the people at Buyer's Edge. Also: Their Bethesda Office sometimes has a Very Cool Dog in residence. Client: Catherine F.
So many things about buying a home are stressful, overwhelming, and scary, especially if it’s the first time. Lucky for us, we had Stephen Mercer to guide us reassuringly through the chaos. Stephen is not only a great real estate agent, but he also understands that the decision to buy a home is an emotional one. He is thorough, smart, patient, and funny. He is discerning and critical while also being supportive and positive. Our search for our first home had a few bumps and snags, but Stephen never doubted that we would find what we were looking for. When we found the perfect house for our growing family, he expertly advised us on how to make the best offer in a very competitive market. The best part about our journey with Stephen was that it didn’t end when we signed the closing documents. He recommended a reliable contractor to do renovations, and he checked in regularly to ensure we were getting what we paid for. He was genuinely interested in making sure we settled in, and he was crucial in helping us navigate a basement flood after a freak storm. Stephen was so much more than our real estate agent. He was our advocate, our mentor, our advisor, and our friend. We wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone buying a home.
Client: Ethan & Lauren
Our home buying experience with Stephen Mercer was outstanding! My wife and I were first-time home buyers and we wanted a home in what turned out to be a competitive market. At our initial meeting, Stephen listened to our needs and was extremely knowledgeable about the housing market and community in our neighborhood of interest. We found Stephen to have the perfect balance for suggesting properties that fit our needs, but allowing us to move at a pace that was within our comfort zone. As he had worked formerly as a contractor he was able to provide valuable insight into the quality of remodeling and maintenance previously done on a home as well as things that may be areas of concern in the future. Stephen draws from a great team of home inspectors and lenders which ultimately ensured we closed on time and without any unexpected issues, we feel that we could not have had a better home buying experience. Stephen was a wonderful advocate and we felt that our best interests were always his primary concern. We would highly recommend Stephen to anyone looking to purchase a home. Client: Riley & Sarah
We had such a wonderful experience working with Stephen Mercer. Stephen has an incredibly thorough and perceptive eye for detail, noticing so much about the outside and inside of home that, as first-time homebuyers, we would never have considered. With twenty-five years of experience as a contractor, he is uniquely suited to identifying potential problems and also noticing real potential. Stephen’s ideas about remodeling are clever and creative—there were many occasions on which we were amazed that he could think of how to move a countertop or install cabinets in such a way as to make the most of a space. His knowledge of renovation is really impressive, and he is always thinking about the big picture—he guided us through every aspect of the purchase process, from thinking through neighborhoods to closing and moving in. We always felt confident that he was in our corner, working exclusively with buyers and looking out for our best interests—and we can’t imagine finding another realtor who knows as much about home maintenance and remodeling, able to give such expert and detailed advice. Stephen is a generous person, available to show and take the time to really investigate a home—and it really was a pleasure work with him: he is fun to be around and makes the whole process enjoyable. We would recommend him to anyone.
- Melanie and Scott, first-time homeowners
From my recent experience in preparing to buy a home, it seemed as if all of the rules of real estate were stacked in the seller's favor. The more I educated myself, the more I was convinced that trusting an agent would be an issue, and that I would have to be on guard against divulging too much information to the person who was supposedly on my side. Then I read about exclusive buyers agency. The buyers agent has a fiduciary duty to keep my information confidential. That meant I truly had an advocate I could trust, and that makes a huge difference. Client: Nikki H.
I recently purchased my first home with Stephen Mercer. Just when I was ready to give up thinking we couldn't afford what we needed in this area, we found our dream home that exceeded all of our needs and desires. Our first offer was accepted and we closed in three weeks without a hitch. We really enjoyed the entire process, learning invaluableknowledge from Stephen's objective advice and guidance. Stephen was referred to us by dear friends; we have and will continue to refer Stephen to anyone we know thinking about buying!Buying a home is difficult enough without having these additional concerns. I appreciated having an agent that would not try to steer me towards properties listed with their firms, or towards properties that were unobtainable given my resources. My agent worked within my budget and let me decide on the properties to tour without any undue influence. Most importantly, I enjoyed the greater peace of mind knowing that my agent was truly on my side. I wholeheartedly recommend the exclusive buyer agency process, and publicly thank Stephen Mercer for his guidance, expertise, and patience in helping us obtain our new home.
Client: Mark B. & Lisa Z.
We came to Stephen Mercer after a disappointing experience with a realtor who was not an exclusive buyer's agent. Stephen's approach was different from the first meeting, throughout the process and even after we bought the house. He was there for us every step of the way. With care, patience and professionalism he helped us navigate the different stages of the process. As first time buyers we were uncertain about what to look for, what to avoid and even what questions to ask. Stephen explained everything, taught uswhat we should pay attention to and gave us excellent advice, while respecting our need to make our own decision. We could not have hoped for a better experience.
Client: Eyal & Pazit A.
We were incredibly lucky to have found Stephen Mercer as our real estate agent. He really took the time to listen to us and understand what we were looking for. We appreciated his sharp eye for sub-par renovations and understanding of the difference between different locations, for example if they were prone to flooding, or near power lines, etc., which we would have never thought of on our own. We were very pleased with the contacts he provided for financing, inspections and other services, all at very competitive prices, with impeccable service. Lastly, what most impressed me, was the coaching he provided to us regarding how to make a strong offer, which made us comfortable to set a number and stick to it, and which was eventually accepted, and we were and still are absolutely thrilled in our new home. We would feel absolutely delighted and confident in recommending Stephen to anyone in search of a new home.
Client: Itzbeth & Keith
Stephen Mercer is an excellent real estate agent. Stephen was a trusted advisor throughout the entire process of finding and buying our home. He provided invaluable guidance and advice and always had our best interests in mind. As first-time home buyers, we particularly appreciated his expertise in spotting potential issues with the homes that we visited and his insights into remodeling. We always felt very confident in his advice and never felt pressured or rushed. He took time to understand our preferences and helped us find the perfect home. We also valued Stephen’s patience, responsiveness, thoroughness, and genuine care, all of which were very evident as he answered all of our questions during negotiation, offer, and closing processes. We would not hesitate to highly recommend Stephen to any of our friends looking for a new home.
Client: Henrique C. Nino S.
I am pleased to be able to provide a letter recommending Stephen Mercer as a real estate agent. He ably represented me as a Buyer’s Agent during a recent real estate transaction.
During the transaction, Stephen learned as much as he could about me and my needs. I was unfamiliar with the DC market and relied on Stephen’s knowledge of neighborhoods, investment properties, and construction quality. His best asset was the instinct for and ability to find the right property for me. Stephen put in long hours reviewing listings to identify those that might be of interest to me. Furthermore, as a property investor himself, Stephen was able to advise me on good investments.
Stephen has a number of strengths, including confidence, dependability, patience, and creativity. He has extensive knowledge of real estate construction, investments, and the DC market. His main strength, though, is courage. When the going got tough, Stephen rolled up his sleeves, counseled me, and held the deal together. I respected his opinions, knowledge, and intuition and closed a difficult deal under tight deadlines. I now have a wonderful home in a great neighborhood, a successful rental property, and a good friend.
In summary, Stephen displayed the qualities that make a realtor successful. He is hard-working, motivated, knowledgeable, and in tune with the needs of his clients. He works well with colleagues and has an excellent team to support him. I highly recommend Stephen Mercer for a realtor. Client: Laura H
John Sullivan - "Thank you so much for your help - again. You are a rock and I am so glad we can turn to you."
"I am a first-time home buyer who did some research and went with an exclusive buyers agent, as I wanted someone who would be able to fully represent my interests in the largest financial transaction in my life.
Well, I was lucky to get two great buyers agents on my side in Victoria and Marshall. My search for a home took me some time, yet they were very patient with me and didn't allow me to get too cynical about the process. They also protected my interests in the matter, and they were never pushy about a property. They also are full of knowledge on properties themselves, warning signs to look out for, and will even show up with you during the inspection (most importantly, they recommend the same inspector that others recommended to me. Use this inspector as they are extremely thorough).
If you are a Veteran and want to use a VA home loan, Victoria and Marshall are very knowledgeable on how those loans work in regards to your real estate search, which was very valuable to me.
I highly recommend them for your search, especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. I needed someone on my side, and I am extremely grateful for their services."
Client: Galvin G.
Client: Diane & Adrian
After spending four months wasting time and energy trying to find a house on my own, I realized that I needed a professional. Am I glad I turned to Susan Rosenblum. Within a few short days she had sourced multiple houses and immediately scheduled visits to see them. At each house she pointed out their particular strengths and weaknesses, reminding me that no house was perfect but that some were more perfectly suited to my needs. Susan helped me make a choice that was grounded in fact and practicality not emotional and irrational. As someone who grew up in the greater Washington area, Susan had extensive knowledge about neighborhoods, builders, and contractors. She was accessible and responsive and I felt that I had a real ally and advocate.
Client: L. Samet
My husband and I throughly enjoyed working with Susan. She was responsive, patient and thorough way beyond any other agent we have ever worked with. We found her gentle yet persistent way to work beautifully for what we needed to make our decision on a house and then bring it to closure. There will never be a detail overlooked or a problem left unresolved when working with Susan She is resourceful beyond anything I have encountered. She followed up on our geothermal heating for us and came up with exterminators and inspectors and the list goes on. She is the consummate professional and just the best! If you work with Susan you have found a true partner in your home buying process.
Client: L. Frear
My wife and I worked and Lynn Spiegel from BuyersEdge to purchase our first home. Lynn has been absolutely fantastic. She patiently took us to see quite a few properties we bookmarked, helped us through our decision, and got us from viewing to closing within 23 days. She was quick to respond to any help, always available, and a great resource altogether. I can't recommend the brokerage or Lynn herself highly enough!
I bought my house with the Buyer's Edge team by my side. Lynn Spiegel was with me every step of my way through the intimidating process of buying a home - all 6 months of it. She was patient, informative, and always available (literally, an email or a phone call away) for any of my questions or requests. She made the whole process easy, handling all the "gotcha's" - and did everything she could to make sure I was happy with my purchase before closing. This is a fantastic team and fantastic company. The amount of attention, care, and time they give to their clients is impressive and admirable. These are by far the people to call if you're in the market to buy.
Client: D. Tadin
"I purchased property with Lynn Spiegel from Buyers Edge. So many things can go wrong during the buying process. Lynn made sure I was always protected. I would not purchase real property without a Buyers Edge realtor looking out for my rights/needs!! What a great experience! This is the way to go!"
"My husband and I felt so lucky to have Lynn Spiegel from Buyers Edge by our side! As first time home buyers, she made the process easy, and was with us every step of the way. Thanks to Lynn, we were able to find and purchase our perfect first home. Working with Lynn was a pleasure, and if you are in the market for a home, I would strongly suggest using her as your agent." Client: Courtney D.
I didn't think it was possible, but we found my perfect home!!! Lynn Spiegel listened to what I wanted and to what I needed. When I would get overwhelmed or carried away with something, she kept me grounded. She worked with unending patience to the end!!! I couldn't be happier.
Client: Susie F.
Lynn Feinberg Spiegel was our buyers agent for Stillbrooke! She was amazing every step of the way and very patient and caring with us as we learned about purchasing our first single family home and got us an incredible deal on a home we both fell in love with quickly. I highly recommend Buyers Edge. Lynn is fantastic to work with at Buyers Edge in Bethesda, MD. She is primarily a buyers agent. Thank you Lynn! We are so happy and look forward to seeing you at the B's home warming."
Client: Diane B.
One of the reasons we felt real comfort in dealing with Buyer’s Edge was because we knew there would not be a conflict of interest with Buyer’s Edge representing home sellers. It was important to us that your total focus was to find the right home and make the best deal us."
Client: Jerry S.
MLS Search Homes for Sale Bethesda, Maryland Now
“We can’t recommend Bettina and Buyer’s Edge enough. As first time home buyers, we had put off buying a house for over a year as we felt intimidated and vulnerable in the current volatile real estate market. Buyer’s Edge came highly recommended to us by friends, and they were the perfect panacea to our real estate anxieties. Drawing on the deep knowledge of Washington DC area real estate, Bettina very patiently and thoroughly assessed what we wanted and needed from a home. Bettina was with us when we found our perfect house - on our first day of looking! The support from Buyer’s Edge through the sale and closing process was similarly remarkable."
- Emily & Chad
“David did a tremendous job for us. Finding a home in Takoma Park is not easy (it has become quite popular) and he really hustled over a period of many months to get us what we wanted. He quickly understood what our priorities were and guided us with straight talk and without high-pressure tactics.He was always available and gave us good advice on contractors, architects, etc. (we looked at many houses that required renovation) who gave us a sense of what our true costs would be.
I would recommend David to anybody in our area without hesitation.”
Client: Scott in Takoma Park, MD
“David could not have been more available, more thorough and more strategic in helping us buy our house. There were other offers on the table and David helped us navigate and negotiate the deal brilliantly. We credit David with helping us get the house at all, and are not sure that another realtor would have had the same result. At the end of the negotiation, we were very happy, the sellers were very happy, and everyone felt great about the process. Thanks David!“
Client: L., in Takoma Park, MD
“There are a lot of great agents out there but I can highlight a few ways that David stands out. He listens. The focus isn’t on getting the sale but helping you find what you want. He’s responsive. If you sign up with him, the personal attention you get will make it seem like you’re his only client. He’s thorough. He’ll do the research, check the details, and follow up. I can also speak to David’s character which is something you can only tell about someone you have known a long time as I have David.”
Client: S. Lee in Silver Spring, MD
“David was the missing ingredient that turned a potentially very difficult overseas search for a house into an overwhelmingly satisfying experience for our whole family. We are a dual military family that was moving from Korea with two commutes to different bases, a rising first grader, and only a week in town. David worked with us remotely over several months to refine our requirements and build a plan for the week we traveled to the area. We originally wanted to look in the Bethesda area, but given our requirements, David expanded the search to areas we had not really considered, yet the combination of location, schools, and price was actually just what we needed.
Our new house in Olney is perfect. The search was only successful because of the months of preparation David put into understanding us and our requirements, helping us develop our understanding of the market, his flexibility in dealing with us remotely most of the time, and his impartiality to any particular house.
Even when the sale was complete, David continued to offer his support in helping us transition, going above and beyond any contract or expectation we had of his involvement. It is clear to us that there is a positive difference when an agent is as totally committed to representing the buyer as David is to us. We are not first-time homebuyers, but we are first-time retainers of an exclusive buyer’s agent, and we wholeheartedly recommend if you are interested in buying a house in the area, it is the way to go.”
Client: Autumn and James R. in Olney, MD
“I used Dave to find and buy my very first house. I was nervous because I didn’t know what factors I needed to consider in a purchase, and I didn’t have a clear idea of all the steps to get me there. Dave was great on both accounts. He listened and catered our tours to what I was looking for – I appreciated that he didn’t try to convince me to value different things (I insisted on being in the District, near a metro AND wanted a detached house). He explained to me how to evaluate the value, and potential future costs, of a house.
Once I found what I was looking for, Dave was always one step ahead and responded to any of my inquiries immediately. When time is of the essence, having someone that puts together information to help you make decisions and complete necessary steps quickly is so important. Whether it was at 7am or 11pm, Dave was never annoyed to hear from me (or at least, he didn’t act like it!).
Throughout the closing process, Dave was invaluable in every step – from referring us to an awesome inspector and real estate lawyer to handling permit violations and tax issues of the seller. We were dealing with a bank foreclosure, and even with the added complexity, Dave’s patient explanations about the process made me feel like I had a handle on things. In short, Dave was extremely knowledgeable, hard-working, and patient, and I would recommend him with great confidence.”
Client: O. Brookland
“After having a bad experience with a real estate agent at another real estate company nine months prior, my fiancee and I were cautious about finding a good buyer’s agent this time around. David was very attentive to our needs and helped allay many of our fears and reservations by being honest and forthright through the entire process. He made sure to examine the houses we looked at thoroughly and point out any potential problems rather than just trying to make a sales pitch. Even when David went on vacation, he left us with a highly responsible buyer’s agent who could continue our search at the same pace and make an offer on a property right away. We were impressed with David’s knowledge, patience, and candor, and would highly recommend him to anyone looking to purchase a house.”
Client: K. Yang, Laurel
“David’s services exceeded our expectations! We were first-time home buyers and pretty well out of our depth; David patiently explained each stage of the process and helped us to find a home within our budget and ahead of schedule! David’s cool, collected, and professional demeanor really helped us get through the whole process from loan pre-approval to closing with confidence! We highly recommend going with David if you’re looking to buy!”
Client: Mark & Mary, Springfield VA
“A buyers agent is worth their weight in gold! I tried a discount agent first and quickly realized I needed a more personalized experience. When I wrote David and he responded immediately I knew that I had found what I was looking for. David was an expert with technical details and negotiating. He actually talked me into going in with a lower offer and I paid $12,000 below list, with the sellers covering all closing costs. I found David to be trustworthy, always willing to accommodate my schedule, and polite and caring to boot. I can’t recommend David enough!”
Client: Maya, Greenbelt, MD
“It was a great pleasure working with Dave during our house-hunting process. Dave guided us through every step as we searched for our first home in the super competitive neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, Georgetown, and AU Park. We were looking to buy in early 2013, which was a period of historically low-interest rates and rapidly rising housing prices, which meant that inventory was extremely low and finding a property within our budget that met our requirements was close to impossible.
Dave helped us navigate this hyper-competitive market by always being available to show us houses and condos as soon as they were listed — sometimes only after a few hours notice. He was also always willing to answer our questions over the phone or by email. He was extremely patient with us, despite a large number of houses we had him show us and our somewhat demanding tastes.
In addition to knowing a lot about the DC housing market, Dave knows a lot about houses and how they work. He helped us with visual assessments of the condition of key attributes of a property, such as roofs and basements, as well as the quality of appliances and key systems such as water heaters and HVAC. Since he is an exclusive buyer’s agent, he always had our interests in mind and did not hesitate to let us know if there were aspects of a home we visited that were problematic.
When it came time to put in an offer, Dave helped us craft a winning strategy while always making sure that we were comfortable financially. He also guided us through inspection and closing, which was very helpful for first-time homebuyers like us.
We would not hesitate to recommend David to anyone looking for a home in the DC area. We love the house that David found us in Capitol Hill, but when we decide to buy a larger house in the future, we will be sure to contact Dave!”
Client: Y., Capitol Hill
“I cannot thank David enough for his assistance in purchasing my first home. As a first-time buyer, the process seemed overwhelming and confusing at times. David made himself available to answer all of my questions along the way. He directed me toward listings I did not find on my own, and he encouraged me to stay within my budget (much appreciated!).
The market in the Rockville area has been quite competitive, and David helped me to make a competitive offer that rose to the top in a multiple-offer situation. David helped me complete a pre-bid home inspection and write an escalation clause that ultimately got me my home. I trust David’s judgment and expertise, and I will absolutely recommend him to anyone I know purchasing a home in the DC metro area. Thank you, David!”
Client: Emily, Rockville, MD
"We returned to the DC area in 2001 determined to find a high-end “fixer-upper” in a highly desirable neighborhood. We quickly wore out two real estate agents who could not keep up with our pace of property evaluation. Then, we met Dana and were off and running. We had trouble keeping up with her! After numerous offers and counter-offers, we found the perfect house for us. With homes selling in bidding wars for the above-asking price, we were able to negotiate a price that was $94,000 below the original asking price, almost a 20% reduction. If you need a tenacious buyer’s agent, Dana is the one who’ll see you through to a successful conclusion."
Client: Al and Claudette D.
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