ABOUT ME

I’ve had a life long interest in real estate. It started back when I was a child in Budapest, Hungary. It should come as much of a surprise since Hungary is a small country nestled in the middle of Europe, with a fascinating history and many examples of beautiful architecture. As important, from an early age I learned to appreciate the value of a residence and what made it a home.

Budapest also gave me a life-long love affair with hot chili  peppers.

Since I left Budapest, I have had the privilege of participating in a wide variety of  international business activities involving senior business executives and government officials.

My work in Budapest, Paris, the Caribbean and Washington, DC. has given me substantial insights into the needs of international investors and other business people. I’ve even had the luck to work with prime ministers.

Working in so many places also made me appreciate people’s feelings about their homes.

Moving into a new home can be exciting and stressful.

Moving out of a home can also be exciting and stressful.

It doesn’t matter how important the position, people want (and need) to feel comfortable with where they live.

Since moving into the metro DC area more than 30 years ago, I’ve witnessed a lot of changes in the area itself and the many faces of the real estate market.

One thing has not changed though. Real estate matters are some of  the biggest issues most people face. They want a trustworthy professional  who understands their  full range of needs when buying and selling and knows what she is doing.

Experience & Expertise:
Learn What the Letters After My Name Mean to You

Like in other professions, knowledge is power. To better service, I've made the commitment to learn all aspects of real estate.

Not only am I licensed in Virginia, Washington;D.C.  and Maryland, but I took the extra steps to obtain broker’s licenses in Virginia and Maryland. To get a brokers license in both Maryland and Virginia, a real estate professional had to be a real estate agent for at least three years. Keeping a broker status also means a lot more continuing education every year than your average agent.

You may have noticed the series of letters that follow my name. These letters represent not only certifications that I have earned to better serve you, but also demonstrates real and meaningful experience in the real estate profession. In other words, these designations require experience in the field and not simply classroom training.

More important, these certifications represent part of my ongoing commitment to serve you professionally, ethically and effectively.

Commitment can mean very little, however, without knowledge. So let me take a moment to explain these certifications.

ABR stands for Accredited Buyer’s Representative that is offered by National Association of Realtors. In addition to extensive course work and passing exams, someone who earns this designation also has to have completed at least 5 transactions solely as a buyer’s representative.

CIPS stands for Certified International Property Specialist, which is offered by the National Association of Realtors. Only a handful agents go the extra mile to obtain this certification. In addition to extensive classroom training on international real estate issues, this designation also focuses on training real estate professionals to help buyers and sellers who may be new to the  U.S.  Again, this certification not only requires course work and passing an exam, it also requires real world experience. You can’t get unless you have at least three transaction that involve other countries and cultures

TRC stand for Transnational Referral Certification, offered by the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations, which includes National Association of Realtors. This certification provides real estate professionals with expertise and tools to professionally handle international real estate transactions.

GRI stands for Graduate REALTOR® Institute, which if offered by the National Association of Realtors. This is one of the most extensive real estate training programs in the country. It requires at least 90 hours of specialized training to work effectively for sellers and buyers. It also recognizes these professionals as top performers and dedicated to bringing you quality service.

SRES stands for Seniors Real Estate Specialist, which is offered by the National Association of Realtors. This program trains real estate professionals to meet the special needs of maturing residents when selling or buying or investing in real estate.

These are more than letters after my name. They are tangible symbols of my commitment to provide you with the best real estate service possible.

If you have any real estate questions, please call me at (703) 819-9787 or send me an email. I will be delighted to hear from you. 

Sincerely,

Katalin S. Melamed

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