MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD- Nearly two hundred real estate professionals gathered together at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center on Thursday, October 20, 2016 for the RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group Real Estate Team Summit.

The Summit, which took place from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, addressed how to build the right team with the right agents, the strengths of the team model, how to increase transactions and so much more. Attendees registered for the event included real estate agents, sponsors and locals looking to begin their career in the real estate industry.

Presenters included Real Estate Recruiting Coach and Speaker, Judy LaDeur; the number one RE/MAX Residential Team Leader in the U.S., Marti Hampton; and Mount Pleasant Magazine’s voted best Realtor and Real Estate Team, Caleb Pearson.  RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group Broker/Owner Ken Crowley also presented to attendees before serving as the moderator of a panel discussion with Marti Hampton, Caleb Pearson and The Prigal Brothers and Associates, the top team with RE/MAX Realty Group in Gaithersburg.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our first Real Estate Team Summit,” said Broker/Owner Ken Crowley. “It was truly a success. Our goal was to host an incredible event filled with beneficial information for agents in the community. As a Broker/Owner, agent success is a priority and I truly believe we reached our goal.”

RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group is the seventh largest real estate company in the Washington Metropolitan area, the number one brokerage in Maryland and Northern Virginia, and one of 120 largest brokerages in the United States.

(RE/MAX Blog)- A home inspection can be a nerve-racking part of the home-buying process – but it is also a vital step. Here are a few things an inspector may find that could add to the cost of a home – or save you from buying a lemon altogether.

1. Lurking charges

Even though a home's electrical system may seem to function adequately, inspections can reveal safety issues. This frequently happens with old wiring that's corroded or outdated, or with new wiring that was improperly installed.

2. A failing grade

Poor grading, or a slope that drains water toward your house instead of away from it, can cause all kinds of problems such as flooded crawl spaces or basements, rotting walls and framing, and mold and foundation damage.

3. Trouble on top

Roofing materials don't last forever, and inspectors often find problems with aging materials that will soon cause problems. The scale of necessary repairs can range from needing to replace a few shingles to needing an entirely new roof.

4. Mold

Especially in humid regions, mold can sprout anywhere moisture collects, like attics, basements and drywall around leaky pipes. If the inspector finds mold, a separate mold inspection may be required.

5. Foundation flaws

As a home settles over the years, the foundation can shift. Symptoms include cracks in the drywall, uneven floors, and doors and windows that won't shut. While home inspectors can identify basic foundation issues, if they see something that seems structurally suspicious, they'll often recommend you call a foundation engineer to assess the situation.

6. Not going with the flow

Inspectors often find clogged or bent gutters, or gutters that channel water too close to the house, where it can cause damage.

(RE/MAX Blog)- James Johnson has been trying to sell his Colorado ghost town – a café, motel, gas station and two homes (just $350,000!) – for months without success. And it's not just because it's in the middle of nowhere that the property isn't selling. While offloading your sofa or lawnmower on your own doesn't take a lot of sales skill, working with a professional real estate agent is one of the best ways to make the most money in the shortest time when selling your home – or ghost town. Here are the top reasons why.

1. An agent may increase your profit
Many people think they'll make more money if they avoid paying an agent a commission and instead handle their own home sale, but the statistics show otherwise. According to the National Association of Realtors, selling with an agent brings in a higher profit, enough to cover the commission and then some. For one thing, a Realtor has the experience and tools to price your home appropriately. Studies show that homes priced correctly when they first hit the market sell faster, and for a better price, than those that linger with a decreasing price tag.

2. An agent can save you time
While it may take just moments to upload a Craigslist ad, handling prospective buyers, inspectors and appraisers can suck up your time. From screening out unqualified buyers to helping you prepare your home for inspections, agents drive the process more efficiently.

3. An agent often makes a better deal
You might be proud of your poker face, but are you really a savvy enough negotiator to put one of the biggest deals of your life on the line? As most buyers use a buyers' agent, you'll probably be going toe-to-toe with a professional negotiator. When you list your house through an agent, you not only get their marketing power and connections, you get a pro negotiator advocating for you during the initial offer, the counter offer and the post-offer period, which includes inspections and requests for concessions.

4. An agent can lower your risk
The potential for making mistakes (with potential legal ramifications) among the reams of paperwork involved in a home sale is huge. Agents know how to do things exactly right.

Thinking of selling your home and moving to Maryland, Northern Virginia or Washington, D.C.? Start the search for your new home.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD- RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group, the number one brokerage in Maryland and Northern Virginia, is hosting a Real Estate Team Summit for agents in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The event, which has already attracted nearly two-hundred professionals in the real estate industry, will address topics such as how to build a successful real estate team and how to make an already existing team more successful.

Team Summit presenters will include some of the most prestigious and successful professionals in the industry such as Real Estate Recruiting Coach and Speaker, Judy LaDeur; number one RE/MAX Realty Residential Team Leader in the United States, Marti Hampton; and Caleb Pearson, Mount Pleasant Magazine's voted best Realtor and Real Estate Team.

Event: Real Estate Team Summit

Date: Thursday, October 20, 2016

Time: 9:30 AM- 4:30 PM

Where: College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

3501 University Blvd E · Hyattsville, MD 20783

All agents are invited to attend this free event and may register at Eventbrite, regardless of affiliation. Lunch will be provided.

RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group have been in business for over 30 years and have the reputation of providing quality service to customers and a quality experience to their realtors by providing them with the tools they need to succeed.

(RE/MAX Blog)- Every year in the U.S., more than 50,000 kids are rushed to the emergency room for home playground equipment-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. To keep kids safe, remember the following tips when it comes to creating and maintaining play space in your yard.

1. Soften the fall
If you have a play set in your yard, consider upgrading the ground around and below it, as kids will inevitably be landing on it from a tall height or at high speeds. About 60 percent of all playground injuries are caused by falls to the ground, and a more shock-absorbent surface can reduce the risk of serious injury. Consider sand, wood chips, pea gravel or shredded rubber.

2. Keep a safety zone
If you install equipment like swings or a trampoline, be sure to place them a safe distance from fences, trees or your house in case kids accidentally (or not!) launch themselves in that direction.

3. Go with a pro
While it's great to have friends or family members offer to help assemble and secure your backyard play equipment, it can pay to invest in professional installation. This will help ensure the fort doesn't collapse during your kid's birthday party or the jungle gym doesn't go sailing the next time the wind kicks up.

4. Inspect your equipment regularly
Standing up against the weather – and kids – can take its toll, even on the highest quality play equipment. Check the hardware and wood to make sure bolts and screws remain secure and rot (or splinter-causing flaking) doesn't begin.

5. Beware of lawn treatments
Know what's in any lawn treatment to make sure it's safe for kids and pets to roll around in.

Wondering how much value your backyard adds to your home's potential sale price? Begin the process to finding out what your home is worth.

(RE/MAX Blog)- Busting clutter is almost always the first recommendation from professional stagers. Why not have a yard sale to clear out the things you no longer use while earning some cash for your move? Follow these tips to help things go smoothly and maximize your profits.

1. Get the online word out
List your sale on the "Garage Sale" section of Craigslist and on any neighborhood Facebook page groups. Include photos of your more interesting items to attract shoppers.

2. Sign up
Hit the dollar store for some neon poster board and thick markers. Then make big, legible signs to post at intersections near your home.

3. The more the merrier
Ask neighbors and friends if they want to sell their things too. Everybody has things they need to get rid of. People are more likely to stop and shop if they see a variety of items for sale.

4. Sell drinks
Enlist your cute kid (or your neighbor's) to learn about economics with a lemonade or coffee stand. A hot or cold drink for a few cents can help lure people to stop and shop while they sip.

5. Plug in
If you're selling appliances, have access to an outlet or an extension cord so people can test them out. Make sure to have some batteries on hand so shoppers can see if battery-operated items work as well.

6. Make it easy to find prices
The bigger the item, the bigger the price tag. Don't make shoppers hunt around for tiny stickers on your couch or lawn mower.

7. Prep for checkout
Have lots of change and small bills on hand, as well as plastic bags shoppers can use to carry home their new treasures.

Selling your home? Click here to find more tips for home sellers.

The Prigal Brothers and Associates, the top team at RE/MAX Realty Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland, were welcomed into the RE/MAX Network’s most exclusive group known as the RE/MAX Circle of Legends in August 2016. 

Entrance to the prestigious group is truly an accomplishment, with just 388 out of 100,000 RE/MAX agents worldwide are in the circle. Just two other Realty Group agents and one RE/MAX Realty Group agent have received this honor from the RE/MAX Network in the past. 

Take a look at our full list of RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group Agents who have been admitted to the RE/MAX Circle of Legends to find out who. 

RE/MAX Realty Group & RE/MAX Realty Group Agents in the RE/MAX Circle of Legends

RE/MAX Realty Group Real Estate Agents Ava Kennedy and Theresa Davis,and RE/MAX Realty Group Real Estate Agent Suzanne Scharf have earned the RE/MAX 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. Kennedy, Davis and Scharf were awarded the honor in August 2016 for their commitment to their career and dedication to the RE/MAX Network.

The achievement award signifies a commitment of seven years with the RE/MAX Network and the attainment of a major milestone in the volume of business conducted throughout an agent’s career. 

A combined total of forty-eight Real Estate Agents with RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX 100 have received the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award since 1994. 

Here is our complete list of RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award winners with RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group. 

RE/MAX Realty Group & RE/MAX Realty Group  Lifetime Achievement Award winners

(RE/MAX Blog)- Nothing lasts forever – including the "vintage" stove that came with your adorable fixer-upper or the washing machine your parents gave you when they decided to downgrade. When it's time to replace the appliances in your home, here are four considerations to keep in mind.

1. Repairing vs. replacing
Sometimes an appliance is so far gone (smoke is often a sign) that repairing it is not an option. And if the estimate for a repair is more than half the price of a new (or great, used) machine, Consumer Reports says you're better off buying.

2. Classified ads
There are several reasons someone may be selling a perfectly good appliance. They may be moving to a smaller home. They may need a bigger, more powerful version. They may no longer be able to resist the lure of a fridge with a smart panel that tells their phone when they're out of eggs. Appliance repair pros tell Angie's List that newer appliances tend to have about half the life span of past models, so just because a machine is a few years old, it doesn't mean it's time for it to go.

3. New, but not perfect
Ads may insist Labor Day weekend (and then Veteran's Day, and then the next holiday, etc.) is the very best time to find deals on appliances, but if you don't mind a cosmetic blemish or two, you can find deals year-round. Many big box and furniture stores and outlets have "scratch-and-dent" sections where you can find significant discounts.

4. Refurbished shops
Some stores specialize in repaired appliances. They often come with delivery and service offers. If you can, bring a pro (or at least a handy person) with you when you shop to take a look. If the store doesn't know a machine's age, you can look it up by serial number here: http://www.appliance411.com/.

Is it time to upgrade your home as well as appliances? Let us help you with your search for your next dream home.

(MONTGOMERY COUNTY)- RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group is hosting a Team Summit on Thursday, October 20, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Hyattsville, MD 20783. 

The Summit will address information beneficial to real estate agents who want to start a team or hire an assistant and agents who are already part of a team and want to take their team to the next level.

Presenters include:

- Judy LaDeur, Real Estate Recruiting Coach and Speaker

- Marti Hampton, #1 RE/MAX Realty Residential Team Leader in the United States

- Caleb Pearson, Mount Pleasant Magazine's voted Best Realtor and Real Estate Team

- The Prigal Brothers and Associates, the top team at RE/MAX Realty Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland

This is a free event you will not want to miss! Lunch will be provided. All agents are welcome regardless of affiliation. 

Register today at eventbrite. Seats are filling up quickly.