After a new job opportunity brought Dr. Kevin Washburn to Washington D.C., he and his husband were eager and excited to move from North Carolina to a vibrant, city neighborhood.
Then they got some sticker shock.
“I knew the general geographic area and what the communities were like in D.C. I had felt I was prepared and knew the cost of living,” said Kevin, who is now the Manager of Library Services at District of Columbia Public Schools. “But it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t the same as being here and getting to know it firsthand. There was a lot more to it than I had ever thought possible.”
After seeing housing prices in the D.C. neighborhoods they liked, they worried they might be forced to buy in a Maryland or Virginia suburb and face a long commute to work.
“We wanted to be in the city. And as a same-sex married couple, we wanted to be in an area that was diverse and would also be accepting of us,” Kevin said. “Somewhere we would feel really comfortable.”
Fortunately, the HR department at his new school told him about how Landed could help him and his husband, Vinson, through the whole process -- and even partner with them to make a 20% down payment.
With Landed and its partners, Kevin and Vinson found true allies who were committed to helping them find a great home.
“Everyone was working to make sure we not only found the right place for us but with the structure of the laws and the HOA home regulations in D.C., they were meticulous,” Kevin said. “They made sure we were not going to have issues to deal with in the future that we hadn’t planned on.”
During the sale, when an issue arose with the appraisal coming in lower than their offer, they were worried the deal would fall apart. Instead, the Landed team took on the task of making sure they were able to work out the deal (and for $55,000 less).
In February 2020, Kevin and Vinson closed on a condo they love that is 1.3 miles from Kevin’s office and five blocks from the city’s Metro public transport system.
Kevin said one of the things they liked most about working with Landed is that they were connected with a group of people who were willing to help, even outside of business hours. For example, Jason, the real estate agent Landed connected the couple with, pulled in additional agent support to help them see and learn more about the D.C. area and even helped them find deals on new furniture and appliances.
Plus, the Landed team fully accepted and respected the couple -- something that sadly doesn’t always happen.
“We never felt secondary, as a gay couple a common experience is being marginilized or treated like you don’t matter because there’s so much prejudice and bias,” Kevin said. “But not a single person made us feel less than valued.”
Now, as they continue to hang their artwork and put the final touches on their new home in a neighborhood they love, both are eager to tell others to check out Landed.
“We are residents of the District of Columbia and we are proud to say so,” Kevin said. “And we couldn’t have found a better partner and opportunity for us to find that perfect home for us than we did with Landed.”
