3 Steps to Find the Best School for Your Kids

     

Here are three steps you can take to find the best school for your kids.

As a parent, I understand the importance of a good school. Giving your child a great education is one of the most important gifts you can give. When my family and I moved recently, picking a home in a great school zone was a huge consideration. Today I would like to go over my family’s steps for picking a great school so you can pick the best location for your children: 

1. It’s okay to start with online reviews, but make sure you read them thoroughly. If you’re like me, you’ve never left an online review on anything. Therefore, you have to understand that people leaving online reviews for schools might have different motivations than you. Are their issues with the school personally directed at an administrator, or is their critique systematic? Nothing beats the convenience of online reviews, but make sure you take them with a grain of salt. 

2. Talk to local experts. School board members, teachers, and parents are all great resources to find a great school. Parents especially are nice to talk to, because they share the same interests as you. Ask members of your local community where they send their children, or if they went to school in the area, ask them what it was like. 

"School board members, teachers, and parents are all great resources to find a great school."

3. Prioritize what's right for you. I have a friend who recently pulled their daughter from a top-10 local school to send her to one outside of the top 10. If you only go by online reviews, this doesn’t make a lot of sense, but his family valued things the top-10 school couldn’t offer. Whether it’s athletics, diversity, language courses, or anything else your child needs, you shouldn’t stick strictly to ratings if the top schools don’t fit your priorities. 

Hopefully you found these tips useful. If you have any questions about today’s topic or anything else related to real estate, do not hesitate to reach out to me. I am always willing to help.

Why a Real Estate Relationship Might be Right for You

The difference between a real estate agent and a real estate relationship.

Today I'd like to talk to you about the difference between a real estate agent and a real estate relationship. A lot of people view the two things as interchangeable, but I’ll explain how they differ and why a relationship might be in your best interest. 

You can watch my full explanation above, or skip around using the timestamps I’ve included below for your convenience. 

0:00 - Introduction

0:24 - What is a real estate agent?

1:35 - A real estate relationship helps you with strategy

2:08 - A real estate relationship should make you smarter 

2:50 - A real estate relationship involves tough and enlightening conversations 

5:15 - A real estate relationship opens up their network to you

7:07 - Wrapping up 

If you are looking for a standard real estate agent, that’s fine. However, at AJ Team Realty, we focus on building relationships and saving our clients money over a long period of time. If this sounds right for you, or if you have any other real estate questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always here to help.

AirBnB 101 #TurksAndCaicos

Here are three good tips for how to leave an Airbnb.

Today I’m here with my wife Christal Johnson at the Leeward Settlement in Turks & Caicos. She owns

Airbnb properties here in the DMV, so she knows all the rules that people should follow when it comes

to renting an Airbnb, especially when it comes to leaving one:

1. Clean up after yourself. When you’re leaving, treat the property like you would a friend's home and clean up all your trash.

2. Put the towels in the wash. If you really want to be a great guest, you could get the towels started in the washing machine so that the owners can easily turn over the property for the next guest.

3. Leave a good tip. A good tip allows the owners to continue to take good care of their property and guests and shows appreciation for all their hard work.

In short, when you leave an Airbnb, do your best to leave the premises nicer than when you first arrived. If you have any questions about renting Airbnb properties or anything else to do with real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.