“My husband and I recently sold our house in the East Bethesda area — and had the good fortune of doing so with the expert help of Marcie Sandalow and Catarina Bannier. Marcie came recommended to us through a trusted neighbor, and it didn’t take long to see why. She and Cati are the perfect team. With their combined skills and knowledge (awesome in their breadth), their attention to detail, and their upbeat, accessible manner, they were able to meld an otherwise nerve-wracking series of events into an orderly, manageable process.
“From the initial meeting through closing, Marcie and Cati were there for us, providing expert advice on any number of fronts and coordinating a dizzying array of visits to our home with minimal disruption. They looked out for our interest every step of the way while maintaining the highest level of integrity. There was not a phone call or email that didn’t get answered — they were efficient and thorough in every respect. And all of this with good nature and easy-going interaction. Our house sold within five days of listing.
“I cannot recommend Marcie and Cati highly enough. As I told them after settlement, I would recommend them to strangers on the street…and I meant it.”
— Rita Doherty, Bethesda
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We’re all really enjoying our new house – love the space inside and out. The boys have been tearing around the gardens in these lovely warm and light evenings. Thank you for helping to make it happen. Without your confidence that our house would sell and your good advice about finding the house we really wanted first, I don’t think we would have had the courage to do it.
–Amy B. , Bethesda buyer and seller
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“Cati, and her partner-in-crime Marcie, are experienced agents with all the local knowledge, strategic negotiation skills, and interpersonal skills one desires in an agent. After months of patiently looking at apartments with me, my team jumped into action when my dream apartment went for sale at 4PM on a Friday. In DC’s competitive market, we knew we had to move quickly. By Saturday evening, I’d seen the apartment twice – once with daylight, once at night. I’d also received a helpful collection of comps from my team. By Sunday, we’d put together a competitive and strategic offer. And, by Monday at 2PM, Cati and Marcie had gotten me a signed contract at the price I wanted to pay! They continued to guide me through the closing process which was remarkably smooth. Exactly 30 days after my offer was accepted, I got my keys! I look forward to working with them when I’m ready for my next house in a few years.”
—Rosie Rauer, Dupont Circle
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My husband and I worked with Marcie to purchase a single family home in Bethesda. Having worked with almost a half dozen realtors in the past ten years (bought and sold two other properties), we highly recommend Marcie as a knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated professional.
Our main criterion for selecting an agent was expertise in the Bethesda/Chevy Chase market as we were looking for a house within walking distance of a Bethesda-area metro stop. Marcie did not disappoint! Her extensive knowledge of the characteristics of the various neighborhoods and the quality and value of the housing options within the neighborhoods were invaluable in setting our expectations and helping us buy the best house for us. Marcie is easy to talk to and is a good listener, which ended up being critical for us as she found us our house before it officially went on the market.
Marcie’s experience and professionalism really shine when it comes to getting from the contract to the closing. For us, the process was almost painless with Marcie. She was always on top of the deadlines and details, she negotiated title company fees on our behalf, and she took care of several items that were not her responsibility but made life easier for us (for example, arranging for the removal of the freezer left behind by the seller).
Marcie’s dedication to real estate and to her clients goes beyond the transaction at hand. She has generously shared with us many of her contacts: from hardwood flooring vendors to pediatricians. And her website and blog continue to provide us with useful information about Bethesda and the surrounding community.
Marcie has an easy-going personality and is a pleasure to work with. We highly recommend her to home buyers.
-Rosemary & John
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I am pleased to write a review about Marcie Sandalow. I was a first time home buyer and found Marcie on the internet while I was inquiring about a property. Though I ended up not pursuing that particular listing, Marcie suggested we still meet and I could give her my wish lists for a home. She was extremely flexible and was able to show me several properties around my schedule. Being from the area, Marcie has extensive knowledge about the Washington, DC metro area, and has many great connections in financing and home repairs. Once I found the property I knew I wanted to pursue, Marcie was very diligent and thorough in making sure I got what I wanted. Not to mention, she showed me the property several times at my request so I could make sure it was perfect. I really felt that she was looking out for my best interests during and after the sell. I would recommend Marcie to anyone looking to purchase a house from a first time home buyer to a veteran.
Melanie A., Washington, DC
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We worked with Marcie to sell our house. We really enjoyed the experience (as much as you can enjoy selling your house). We felt well matched with her. She was easy to work with, well organized and personable. We were confident in her knowledge of our neighborhood. We agreed with the price range that she suggested and sold the house in just a few days. One of the most important factors for us in choosing someone was their integrity. Marcie has a great reputation in our neighborhood and we felt like she was following good business practices and treating us fairly. We would freely recommend her to anyone who asks.
Heather & Greg, Sellers
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I have been a real estate owner and investor in the DC area for ten years. I’ve worked with several agents, but always keep coming back to Marcie. She has several qualities that make her both an excellent agent and a pleasure to work with.
First, Marcie treats your priorities as her own. This is a rare quality among real estate agents as most of them frankly are after a commission and don’t make their decisions based on the client’s needs and wants. Marcie in contrast makes important decisions (such as recommendations for offering price) based on what the client’s bottom line priorities are.
Second, Marcie is patient and has a pleasant personality. This is important because real estate transactions can often be somewhat of an emotional roller coaster and its good if someone on the team is grounded and willing to deal with the back and forth of the shopping process. Buying or selling real estate can take a long time, and it’s a real bonus to work with someone who is likable.
Third, Marcie is organized, efficient and follows through. The process of buying or selling real estate in DC often has a lot of moving parts, for example you need to draw up lists of open houses to visit, often there is a need to coordinate with four or five different individuals or organizations (buyers, sellers, agents, bankers, closing attorneys, inspectors, contractors, etc.). Marcie is also great about keeping her word. If she says something will get taken care of it, it gets taken care of. No need to monitor or follow up, she gets the job done and moves the deal forward.
Fourth, Marcie works with a good outfit. Evers and Company is a good real estate agency with a great reputation for honesty and excellent service. This is important because there are synergies that come along with working for a better company – for example you get more local knowledge about which properties have problems, which closing attorneys are to be avoided, where good deals can be found, etc. This is important for reducing the overall amount of stress in the transaction as well as maximizing your profit and minimizing your hassles.
All in all I give Marcie an A+. Give her a call, you won’t regret it.
-James H., Multiple Purchases and Sales
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“Catarina was a god-send for my husband and I when we were looking to buy a home in the District in 2003. The market was challenging enough, but trying to find, successfully bid on, and purchase a home in DC from Paris, France was daunting. Catarina graciously accommodated our special needs, working around time differences and trips to DC. She even showed us homes during the blizzard of 2003 – one of the weekends we traveled to DC. Her knowledge of the market, wise counsel, and personal attention made a seemingly overwhelming task very manageable (and successful) for us. I would recommend her highly with no reservations.” – Jill E. Robinson, Buyer and Seller, North Cleveland Park/ Capitol Hill
“Cati found us a house we loved, in the neighborhood we wanted, at a terrific price. Then she sold our previous house for more than we imagined possible. Every step of the way she was there to guide us and advise us. Buying and selling a house is supposed to be stressful — but she made it fun. It was all done so quickly, we were sorry not to get to spend more time with her!” – Emily Y., Buyer and Seller, North Cleveland Park/ Chevy Chase
“Cati listened very closely to exactly what we needed. Coming from out of town, our expectations were clearly skewed. Nevertheless she guided us expertly through the appropriate and available choices, allowing us to make a wise (and happy) decision for ourselves.” – Ilene C., Buyer, Glover Park
“Cati was very patient and resourceful during our search for a new home, emailing us listings every week and sacrificing her weekends and evenings to take us to look at properties. We ended up finding exactly what we were looking for, in the neighborhood we wanted, and, with Cati’s help, at a price well below asking.
“When it came to selling our property last year, Cati helped us extensively by providing comparisons for pricing, marketing our condo beautifully, and holding numerous open houses. With Cati’s help and perseverance, our property sold for a terrific price in what was a very sluggish period for D.C. real estate.” – Laura T., Buyer and Seller, Dupont/Logan Circle