RE/MAX International is the nation’s number one real estate franchise, and the number ten franchise overall, according to Entrepreneur Magazine’s 29th Annual “Franchise 500 Survey.” RE/MAX has held the honor of the top real estate franchiser for eight of the past ten years. The survey, which appears in this month’s edition of Entrepreneur Magazine ranks RE/MAX among the top ten in four different franchise categories. The Denver-based real estate franchiser was ranked #1 in the low-cost franchise category, #7 among global franchises, #10 in the fastest-growing franchise category, and 10th among ALL franchises. Its closest competitor in the real estate industry was ranked in the 43rd position.

“We are not surprised by our high ranking, given the quality of our affiliated broker/owners and sales associates,” said Margaret Kelly, CEO of RE/MAX International. “They lead the industry in experience and productivity and we’re proud to offer them a comprehensive array of support services.”

The Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Survey is the most comprehensive franchise ranking in the world. The initial survey was conducted in 1980, and it was the first ranking of franchises in the industry. Over the years, the ranking procedure has been refined to provide the most accurate formula for identifying today’s top franchises.

Through extensive online search capabilities, HomeZill.com servicing Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland has provided home buyers with one of the best DC Metro MLS searches on the web. Not only does HomeZill provide a great home buyer search tool, but they give up to 2% cash back in home buyer rebates, saving consumers thousands of dollars on commissions!

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HomeZill is like having a real estate professional at your fingertips 24 hours a day! You can make an offer online for real estate in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. Whether it’s a town house in Fairfax Virginia, a new construction DC condo in Georgetown, or investment property in Bethesda MD, simply fill out the Express Offer to get started! And, since you are doing a good amount of the leg-work, shouldn’t you benefit? Well, with HomeZill you do! Whether you’re a first time home buyer or seasoned real estate investor, you will receive a home buyer rebate up to a 2% cash back for real estate in Northern VA, DC or MD - there’s no catch!

Search for a Home
Our online navigation tools allow you to search condominiums, town homes or single family homes in all price ranges, styles and locations in the DC Metro area. Many Realtors only show you their listings, at HomeZill.com, we show you ALL the listings in the MLS from every Realtor! HomeZill incorporates the listings, location maps and aerial imagery for you to see for yourself. Once you find homes that interest you, select and save them to your favorites so you can view them later before scheduling appointments and making an offer online.

Get in Touch
If you are interested in a home you find, contact HomeZill’s 24-hour customer service line to schedule a time to view the property at 888-998-ZILL (9455).

Let’s Buy a Home
When you have decided on a NEW construction home that you would like to purchase, simply contact a HomeZill agent to schedule an appointment with the builder. For RESALE or EXISTING homes, simply fill out our HomeZill Express Offer and a real estate professional will contact you to review your offer and answer any questions you may have. You’ll have the comfort and guidance of an experienced ReMax agent every step of the way to help you understand and explain each document you sign.

HomeZill in your Corner
Your Re/Max agent will negotiate to get you the best deal by consulting the builder or listing agent about any competing offers or special terms. We do this through our years of experience negotiating real estate transactions and the extra mile we are willing to go to get it right the first time.

Closing up Shop
One last step before you move in…closing time. Closing usually takes place at an attorney’s office or title/settlement company and typically lasts about an hour. This is where the home buyer and seller gather to sign the documents, say our thank you’s and hand over the keys.

Begin searching for homes in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, or buy your home online by making an offer.

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It’s FRIIIIIIDAY, T.G.I.F. The day you couldn’t wait for when you were little. You remember the sweet lineup, Family Matters, Step by Step, Full House, and Perfect Strangers. Now, you may find yourself at a local restaurant/bar socializing and drowning your work week in a dirty martini, shaken not stirred. Or you may be sitting with your kids watching Harry Potter, apologizing for the spilled coke that soaked the woman’s purse in front on you. Regardless of your Friday night activity, you are relieved that the weekend is finally here. Maybe you spend your Saturday relaxing or going to the park, Home Depot, or Bed Bath and Beyond if you have enough time. Or you like to grill out and invite the neighbors over for a barbeque. Well, some of you may have this luxury but as for my wife’s friend situation, it’s a little different. She has to spend her time in a motel room because the home she just purchased is full of mold! Why would she buy a home full of mold? That wasn’t the first thing that was going through her mind when she saw this beautiful home with such a great price tag. Being hyper excited about her first investment, she failed to get a home inspection. She didn’t want anyone else to have a chance at buying this home. Now you can’t put all the blame on her because she DID use a real estate agent. I know I wouldn’t blame myself for a huge mistake like this.

“RE/MAX is the world market leader in real estate, with a network of 6,149 offices in 62 countries and over 114,417 agents. Averaging three times the production and more advanced industry experience and education than other agents, RE/MAX associates are truly ‘The Real Estate Leaders®’ in quality customer service. The proof of quality service is in repeat customers and customers who refer RE/MAX to their friends and family. RE/MAX agents receive 70% of their business from repeats and referrals, while other agents average about 30% from those sources.”

I’m not saying that her agent was a bad one, just make sure when you choose your agent; they’re going to go out of their way for you. Cheers!

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As much as we don’t want to admit it, the Great Bob Dylan said it first, “The Times They Are a Changing”.  Can you believe how much has changed just in the past ten years? Just think back to 1997. People didn’t even think about having a cell phone on them, email was only used by computer geeks talking to their cyber buddies, and the only popular thing on the internet was AOL.

Nowadays, people can’t leave the house without carrying their cell phones on them. Checking email is a daily routine and to some it’s a drug, checking their inbox at least 30 times a day only to find another piece of spam. You know who you are. And of course, the internet! It has evolved into something that this world could not live without. I mean new words are being added into Webster’s from the internet for crying out loud. Google is now in the dictionary. Family’s are booking vacations and wondering if the hotels are going to have the internet available or if they’ll get cell phone service on that remote island. We now are living in a technology dependent world. This is pushing everyone to adapt to the information super highway. Second graders are learning to use the internet when people in their 60’s don’t know where the Start menu is. “The Times Are a Changing.”

HomeZill realizes this change. Let’s be honest with ourselves, the majority of the technology savvy individuals fall between the ages of 18 and 45. For lack of a better word we’ll call these people, Zillers. Don’t blow a gasket Mr. 55-year-old, you computer whiz, you’re not the majority. So, another majority are people who do not own a home. This majority happens to fall between the same age group of the technology savvy individuals. Do you see a correlation?

HomeZill Re/Max agents recognize the fact that these Zillers don’t want to deal with an agent in their face 24/7. HomeZill agents make the home buying process more enjoyable. With not enough hours in the day anymore, you can find your home at your convenience. When you’re ready to pull the trigger, that’s where they come in. When buying your home with HomeZill, you’ll receive up to 2% cash back at closing. Yeah, you say to yourself 2% is dinky. Well it is if you’re buying a pack of gum, but when you’re buying a $500,000 home, that $10,000 isn’t so dinky, is it? You think this is good? It gets better when selling your home. You only pay a flat fee of $3,000. You’ll still get great service but you’ll be more involved in the process. HomeZill Re/Max agents are professionals and they’re going take care of all the negotiations and paperwork. After all, Re/Max is the #1 brokerage worldwide.

Search for a home online, call HomeZill to do the dirty work, and receive money at closing for real estate in Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. More freedom and control in your hands. Just what the Zillers asked for. Believe it or not, the Internet is taking over and “The Times They Are a Changing.”

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We have officially launched our website, Homezill.com, which is still very much in BETA! HomeZill is run by a team of local RE/MAX real estate agents serving Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Southern Maryland real estate. Our mission is to empower savvy home buyers and sellers through the use of technology and the Internet, allowing us to offer better customer service. We are able to reduce costs and save home buyers money with a Realtor commission rebate up to 2% cash back on their new home! Sellers can also save thousands when using HomeZill to sell their home. Through our innovative business model, every HomeZill client receives cash back whether a first time home buyer rebate, new construction rebate, or a real estate investor rebate in Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland or Washington DC.

You can search the Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland MLS using our Google™ map-driven search application, arrange tours with a HomeZill agent, and even draft an offer or list a property online using HomeZill Express.

We’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to post your comments or questions on our Northern Virginia, Maryland & DC real estate blog. You can also click on feedback or email us at feedback@homezill.com.

Happy House Hunting!

The HomeZill Team

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