Issue #22: April 2026

Congratulations to this month's sponsored giveaway winners:
Tim A., James K., Jeannie P., and Eugene K.

Life

I’m finally sitting down to write this month’s newsletter. Staying consistent isn’t easy, and it’s kind of wild to think this marks 22 straight months of hitting “send.” I don’t take it for granted—thank you for following along. And as always, thanks to Sylvia for continuing to sponsor the newsletter.

We Sold Our House!

The past few weeks have been a blur. We prepped our home, hit the market, and quickly went under contract—5 offers, no contingencies, and a 7-day cash closing. We officially closed earlier this week, and I’m grateful it all came together smoothly.

Even though I help other people sell their house on a regular basis, it was still a little nerve-wracking doing it for my own family. You may find this odd, but throughout the transaction, I wrote emails from my realtor email to my wife and myself, addressing myself in third person. I just wanted to have a record of all the documents, forms, and attachments.

We were in our house for almost 10 years, and we'll miss it. We had a lot of good memories in it. The new owner already has it up for rent.

Personal Finance

Our Next Step

Now that we’ve sold our house, the next chapter is finding our next home.

The big question we’re working through is budget—specifically, how much house we actually want and how large of a mortgage we’re comfortable taking on.

As I’ve shared before, we had been living mortgage-free on our primary residence for a few years, which gave us some breathing room. We used that margin to purchase a rental property with an assumable 2.375% loan. It’s been a solid investment so far—producing a bit of cash flow while steadily building equity each month.

Real estate income can come in waves, so one thing I’ve been more intentional about is smoothing that out. I’ve been keeping my business account better funded, paying myself a consistent monthly amount, and maintaining at least six months of reserves to cover slower periods. I also returned to my government job about six months ago, so we now have a stable W-2 income stream, which definitely helps from a lending standpoint.

My goal is simple: buy what we need, not just what we can afford. But that’s easier said than done. It’s easy to get pulled in emotionally when you walk into a house that checks all the boxes.

Between the two of us, I’m not even sure who the pickier buyer is. I’ve seen enough home inspections to know exactly how small issues can turn into big expenses, so I tend to look at every house through that lens—what will it take to maintain this over time?

We’ll see where we land.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions.

Real Estate

Northern Virginia Market Still Going Strong

Spring is typically the busiest time of year in Northern Virginia real estate, and this year is no different. Inventory is still tight relative to demand, so well-prepared and well-priced homes are continuing to attract multiple offers.

April was a busy one for me with 4 closings—including my own:

• 9424 Park Hunt Ct. ($810,000) – represented seller
  5 offers, no contingencies, free rent-back, $60K over list
• 41943 Night Nurse Cir. ($1,275,000) – represented buyer
  New construction with $20K in closing cost credits from the builder
• 4102 Port Rae Lane ($858,000) – represented seller (our home)
  5 offers, no contingencies, $43K over list
• 25349 Wakestone Park Ter. ($725,000) – represented seller
  8 offers, no contingencies, free rent-back, $40K over list

I also got my Pentagon City listing under contract this month, which is set to close next month.

Things typically ease up a bit once school is out and we move into summer. I still have a few deals in motion, but I’m looking forward to catching my breath a little.

If you have questions about real estate, reach out to me at realtordannylee@gmail.com. Follow me on IG @realtordannylee.