A growing family left their Petworth townhouse for a four-bedroom in Westover. The house drew seven offers in the fall, the slow season. The escalation structure is what won it.

Eric was in Florida and the house was in Donaldson Run. It needed three bathrooms redone, new floors, and paint throughout. We took the keys and managed all of it, through to closing.

Ricardo and Dee asked whether to sell their Arlington rental. We said keep renting. A year later they were done being landlords, so we sold it for $1,590,000 in the first week.

Andrew and Megan had a one-year-old and a D.C. townhouse. We spent months comparing McLean, North Arlington, and Falls Church City. The house they bought went under contract in two days.