Nobody moves to Herndon without thinking about the commute. It's usually one of the first questions I get from buyers—how bad is it really? I've lived here since 2001, and I've watched this conversation evolve dramatically, especially over the last few years. The honest answer is more nuanced than the horror stories you've heard, and for a lot of people, it's actually a workable situation.

Let me walk you through what the commute from Herndon to DC actually looks like today.

Every week, I sit across from a seller who has already mentally spent $40,000 on a kitchen renovation before we've even talked about pricing. And every week, I have the same conversation: let's slow down and think about whether that's actually going to make you more money, or just less.

Here's the honest answer to whether you should renovate before you sell: it depends -- but probably not in the way you're thinking.

In the spring of 2020, while the rest of the world was trying to figure out what was happening, I was making some of the most consequential financial decisions of my life. I bought 4 short-term rental properties on the Outer Banks and 1 long-term rental in Jacksonville Beach, FL, over an 18-month period. And yes, I'd do it again — but not for the reasons you might think.

Here's the honest version of the story.

People ask me all the time why Herndon keeps drawing buyers even as prices across Northern Virginia stay elevated and inventory slowly loosens. My honest answer: because Herndon earns it. I've been living here since 2001 and selling real estate across this market for years, and I still think Herndon is one of the most underrated towns in the DMV. Not because it's perfect, but because what it offers is real and lasting, not just hype chasing the next hot zip code.

So let me tell you what buyers are actually finding when they get here.

Some homes check boxes. This one creates a feeling.

I've been selling homes across Northern Virginia for over a decade, and the ones that stop you in your tracks have a certain quality that's hard to describe until you're standing in them. 26867 Barnsley Place in Chantilly is one of those homes. Tucked into the established Marbury community on a premium lot that backs to preserved woods on two sides, this is the kind of property that doesn't come up often, and when it does, it doesn't last.

We're hosting open houses this Saturday from 1 to 3 PM and Sunday from 2 to 4 PM, and the Sips and Sweets truck will be on site serving refreshing drinks and popsicles. Come for the house, stay for the popsicles. But come.

The most expensive mistake you can make when selling your home isn't accepting a low offer. It's overpriced in the first place.

I've been selling homes in Northern Virginia since 2012, and I've watched this play out more times than I can count. A seller gets attached to a number, we list too high, the house sits, and then we chase the market down with price reductions that signal to every buyer browsing Zillow that something is wrong. What started as optimism ends with a lower net than if we'd priced it correctly on day one.

Pricing your home in Northern Virginia isn't guesswork. But it also isn't as simple as punching your address into an algorithm and trusting whatever number comes back.

Running a short-term rental sounds glamorous until you're the one making sure the toilet paper is stocked, the WiFi password is legible, and the coffee maker isn't growing something in the reservoir. I manage a short-term rental portfolio in the Outer Banks through Salt Coast by Sojourn, and what I've learned after doing this long enough is that guest experience lives or dies in the details — the ones you can only catch if you're actually looking for them.

So here's the honest truth about what goes into a five-star turnover. This is my actual short-term rental checklist, not a template I found somewhere online.

If you haven't driven down Silver Arrow Way in the last few months, you are missing out, and I mean that in the most "I need to tell everyone I know" kind of way. Arrowbrook Centre, the mixed use community tucked near the Innovation Center Metro station, has quietly turned into one of the most exciting little food and lifestyle hubs in Herndon, VA. As someone who has sold real estate in this town since 2001, I have watched a lot of retail come and go. This one feels different.

Home for sale in Ashburn, VA

Buying a home isn’t just about price and location—it’s also about lifestyle. Whether you're a young professional, a growing family, or planning for retirement, the type of property you choose can dramatically affect your day-to-day life.