Tim Hoang - leads our office Productivity and Accountability group that meets every Monday (online) and every Thursday morning LIVE in person @ 10 a.m. - it was great to meet today to discuss and PLAN: ~ What are our Pillars of outreach? (notes, calls, mailing, etc.) ~ How are you feeding your database (like a fish tank! If you don't feed them they will either die or go somewhere else to get fed!) ~ What are you thankful for at this time of year -- what's your win ~ What's a lesson learned in 2025 ~ What's a business goal you want to accomplish by the end of the year I'll go first: ~Pillars - Notes, mailing, email and calls ~How I'm feeding: email, posting data info on social media and my YT channel (AND NOW HERE IN THE BROKER 911 Skool!) ~My win -- This Platform. I've been searching for months for a place where I can post my videos, blog posts, answer questions -- AND IT BE SEARCHABLE TO THE COMMUNITY!! ~Biz Goal by end of the year: complete my Smart Plan setups in KW Command What about you!?

The question comes up more often than most sellers expect: If someone died in the house, does the law require you to tell the buyer? In Virginia, the answer depends entirely on how the person died. **Violent or Criminal Deaths Trigger Mandatory Disclosure** Under Virginia Code § 55.1-703, any death that occurs as the result of a felony — including murder, manslaughter, or a violent suicide — transforms the property into what the industry calls a “psychologically impacted” or stigmatized property. State law classifies these events as material facts that can reasonably affect a buyer’s decision or the home’s value. Sellers and their agents are required to disclose them proactively, even if the buyer never asks. **Natural Deaths and Non-Violent Accidents Are Treated Differently** Deaths from illness, old age, or non-criminal accidents (such as a fall or medical emergency) do not fall under the mandatory-disclosure umbrella in Virginia. Sellers have no legal duty to volunteer the information unless the buyer specifically inquires. Once the question is asked, however, truthful disclosure is required; evasion or misrepresentation can expose the seller to civil liability. **State-by-State Variation Remains Significant** Virginia is one of roughly half the states that do not require disclosure of non-violent deaths. Jurisdictions such as California, Alaska, and South Dakota impose broader “death disclosure” rules, while others align with Virginia’s narrower approach. For a comprehensive 50-state chart on death-disclosure requirements, the National Association of Realtors maintains an updated reference at nar.realtor/stigmatized-property-laws (last revised October 2025). Real estate attorneys recommend that sellers document any disclosure conversations in writing and consult counsel when the circumstances fall into a gray area. As one Richmond broker put it: “Most buyers just want honesty. The ones who sue are usually the ones who feel blindsided.”

Moving out soon and dreaming of that fat security deposit hitting your bank account? Same. But if you skip a few key steps, that money can disappear faster than free pizza at a party. Let’s break it down so you walk away with every penny you deserve! 🚀 ⚒️1. Physical Damage = The #1 Gotcha Everyone knows “don’t trash the place,” but pre-existing damage will bite you if you don’t document it on day one. - 📸 Take timestamped photos of EVERY little thing when you move in (cracked mirrors, stained carpet, chipped paint, dents, etc.) - Fill out the move-in checklist completely and send it to your landlord (email + photos = gold) Do this or they’ll happily charge you for that cracked window that was there before you even unpacked your first box. Been there, hated that. 💳 2. Unpaid Charges They Covered for You Bounced rent check? Returned payment fee? Wiring fee that got reversed? If the landlord ate those costs and you never reimbursed them… yep, it’s coming out of your deposit. Read your lease — these are almost always spelled out. 🕒🔧 3. Late Fees & Repair Call-Out Fees - Max late fee in Virginia = 10% of monthly rent - Some leases make YOU pay the $50–$100 “tenant-caused” service call fee Skip those payments during the lease? Landlord can (and will) pull them from the deposit at the end. 🧹✨4. Cleaning & Maintenance — This One Hurts the Most “Broom clean” is NOT enough when you’re renting. Landlords want PROFESSIONAL level: - Professional carpet cleaning (yes, even if you think it looks fine) 🧼 - Chimney sweep (if there’s a fireplace) 🔥 - Pest/flea/tick treatment (especially if you had pets) 🪳 - Brand-new HVAC filters (change them every 30–60 days anyway, but 100% replace before you leave) - New fridge water filter - Cut the grass, trim shrubs, remove EVERY piece of trash/recycling 🗑️ Leave any of this for the landlord and watch hundreds vanish from your deposit. Pro tip: schedule the carpet and pest people a few days before your final walk-through. ✅ Final Move-Out Checklist (Do This or Cry Later)

Before I open this crew to the whole world - I want to thank @Shane Comeaux for entering the crew here!

Thanks to Scott Ford (KW United/Bella Casa Partners) for the latest data on how buyers reacted during the DC Shutdown!