What the Upcoming Recession Means for Real Estate



Many of my investors ask me when the next recession is going to happen. The truth is that I don’t know. All I can do is look for answers. Many smart economists predict that the recession might start in 2020.

Our economy has been expanding since 2009 and we have seen almost a decade of growth. All signs point toward a recession soon. However, to my friends that invest in real estate, there’s no need to panic. With the exception of the 2008 recession, real estate has done really well in the past five economic recessions. A recession doesn’t equate to trouble in the real estate market.


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I wouldn’t be concerned about falling home prices in an upcoming recession.

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This recession will occur when the GDP begins to shrink for multiple quarters in a row. It’s more complex than that, but that’s what it is on a basic level. We don’t have any data to indicate that the real estate market will cause another recession, which is the only way a recession would really affect real estate.

So, I’m not concerned about dropping house prices during the upcoming recession. You shouldn’t be either. If you have any questions about the recession or about anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Location: Arlington County, Arlington, VA, USA

What You Need to Disclose in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.



Today I want to talk about property disclosure as the seller.

Many people have asked me what they need to disclose about their property when selling. To answer this, I should start by saying that what you have to disclose depends on where you live. Each state actually has different rules about disclosures.

Virginia, for example, is a “buyer-beware” state. If you read Virginia's one-page disclosure, it pretty much says that the seller doesn't know anything about the house and the buyer will need to do their own inspection. In other words, you don't have to disclose much of anything.

However, keep in mind that if you are concealing some kind of trouble, such as a leaky roof or a crack in the foundation, that actually becomes a disclosable item and you are violating the law. You may even get in trouble after the settlement for doing it. I recommend always disclosing a problem if you're aware of it. Just because you disclose it does not mean that you have to fix it.
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There is a federal law that requires homeowners of homes built prior to 1978 to disclose whether there is any lead-based paint in the house.

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In Maryland and D.C., meanwhile, the laws are different. There is a much longer disclosure form. However, sellers can also do a one-page disclosure where they can say that they don’t know anything about the house and that the buyer will need to do a home inspection to figure it out.

Regardless of which state you live in, there is a federal law that requires homeowners of homes built prior to 1978 to disclose whether there is any lead-based paint in the house. You must also disclose if there are any inspections. Everybody needs to fill out this form if your home was built before 1978.

If you are concealing something, you may get in trouble after the settlement. For this reason, I say that it is better to disclose and to be safe than sorry.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to me by phone or email. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
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Location: Sterling, VA, USA

The Benefits of Multi-Generational Living



What is multi-generational living?

Multi-generational living refers to a person sharing a household with their parents or in-laws. It has become increasingly popular over the last few years with more people searching for homes that have finished basements with a separate entrance so they can have their parents live with them. I am currently selling a house in Vienna which has live-in parents and in-laws. This totals to three families living together.

Why is this happening? People are living together in this way because of the cost of living in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. It is becoming cost-prohibitive. When people retire, they may only have the choice of moving out of state because they can no longer afford to pay their property taxes. Some, meanwhile, choose to live with their children. 
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Multi-generational living has become increasingly popular the last few years in the United States.

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Some people consider living in an assisted living community, but that is a huge expense. It could be $10,000 or more per month to live in assisted living. If you do not have that kind of money, there is a chance you may be moving in with your kids.

As you may know, I am from Lithuania, where generational living is very common. People grow up in a house and raise their own families who then have their own children. Multi-generational living in the United States, though, has become a new trend. I think that it will continue to become increasingly popular and be similar to the European model. This means that people will look for large homes and maybe even combine two or three households into one which will create tremendous savings for all members of the family.

If you are interested in finding out more about generational living or are looking at buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
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Location: Sterling, VA, USA
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