An interview with Sara Helmke

How many years have you been in Real Estate?

I have been working in real estate for over 10 years. I began in the late 1990's working with foreclosures, regular resales and rentals, and investment properties. I  worked with investors finding bargain real estate. I have seen the marketplace go up and down. I work with Homebuyers, Sellers, Clients wishing to become landlords, Renters, Investors, Relocations, and First-Time Homebuyers.

Are there any new developments or trends in your area?

Many homes are being sold below last years pricing and I expect that the bottom of the current market is coming soon.  In the coming months, I expect to see a large increase in buyers. So, if you are one of those potential buyers, my services to you are FREE, the seller pays my commission on MRIS listings as a Buyer's Agent. There are many homes that have been on the market for a long time and their prices have been greatly reduced. It is a great time to buy, especially with mortgage loan interest reates at an all-time low now.

Why do you enjoy being a real estate agent?

I have lived in the Northern Virginia area all of my life and know the area better than many agents, as my dad was Commissioner of Revenue in Loudoun County and I helped him in my teens. Being a real estate agent serving the Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William area just fits who I am and what I like to do. I also have real estate license in Maryland. After all, helping people realize their dreams is one of the most rewarding jobs I could ask for and I love to help people acheive their goals.

What is the most challenging issue you face as a Real Estate Professional?

The biggest challenge right now is pricing listings. Sellers are facing new issues that they never have had to face before in this area. There are many bank-owned, foreclosed and short sale properties now on the market as competition. Sellers need to be realistic when working with  their Realtor pricing their home to sell quickly An overpriced home will not sell in this market. Even if the property did attract a buyer, it would probably not appraise for the price stated, due to the neighborhood comparables available. The best way to determine a fair market value sales price is to do a comprehensive Comparable Market Assessment of the property and the neighhorhood sales history. The sales numbers tell the story, then the seller can see where their sales price needs to be to sell quickly.

Tell us one of your client success stories or an interesting moment in your profession.

One of the homes that I sold was an older home. The seller was determined to get the home sold at a fair price, but due to market conditions, there were many younger homes for sale at the same time, things were not expected to move quickly. With my web presence advertising,  I was able to attract a qualified buyer, send out information on this listing quickly as the Seller's Agent and I was able to get the home sold for cash within two weeks of the purchase offer.

What is your best characteristic?

Because I am a native Northern Virginian, I am well connected and a people person. I have a contact for virtually anything that my home buying clients ask me about. Everywhere I go I talk to people and try and help them, even if it is just to give useful information. So people remember me and I am able to reach out to more people and this allows me to extend my network of potential buyers for my home sellers, as well.

Who or what inspires you the most?

Children!  Both my husband and I love children. They are our future and their unaffected, optimistic vision of the world as it can be is a constant inspiration.

What is the best advice you ever received?

My dad said - "BUY REAL ESTATE!".  Real Estate in the Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, Maryland and general Washington DC areas has always been a good, constant, long-term  investment. 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Near the beach ideally, but really I love where I live. The Washington Metropolitan DC Area has so much to offer, more than any other location in the world. We enjoy 4 distinct seasons of weather and foliage changing color. We can jump in the car and be at the Atlantic ocean beaches or at the Blue Ridge mountains in no time. We have the city for cultural events, sporting events, concerts, museums, the National Zoo in one direction and the country fairs, farmers markets, wineries, skiing, hiking, camping, rivers and outdoor activities in the other direction. We are close to 3 major airports and train service. After all, I travel a lot and we can visit the places that I love and still come back to my home in Loudoun which I love.

What is your Personal BIO ?

I am a Loudoun county native who lives in South Riding with her husband and teenage son now. My other 3 children are now sucessful young adults on their own.  I grew up in Leesburg, Virginia and I am the daughter of Lee T. Keyes and Etta V. Bradford. My father, Lee, was one of Loudoun Counties'  Commissioners of the Revenue for many years. I bought my first property when I was 20 years old and currently own 2 properties in Loudoun county. My family was one of the pioneers of South Riding, buying the first Trafalgar Ellis home built in 1995, even before the model. I started in real estate in the late 1990's, became licenced in Virginia and Maryland. I enjoy working as a RE/MAX Premier agent because of my award-winning, supportive broker, Tom Donegan, and the excellent support staff and friendly working atmosphere we have in all three of our offices in Fairfax, Ashburn and Burke, VA. 

I enjoy photography, jewelry-making, gardening, travelling, snorkelling, sailing and reading in my spare time. I love mystery novels and watching CSI. I have travelled to Hawaii, many of the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, throughout the United States and overall I have to say I love beach and water vacations the most, as well as cruising! I still have many travel destinations on my list to explore.