Case study | Written by Caitlin Ellis
How We Helped a Reston Homeowner Downsize to Piedmont and Move Only Once
A widowed Reston homeowner of more than 15 years wanted to leave her two-story house and live closer to her daughter and grandkids in Haymarket. We helped her clear out the home, staged it, and sold it in two days for $25,000 over list with a free 60-day rent-back. Inside that window, she won a Piedmont home with a main-level primary bedroom and moved only once.
Why did this Reston homeowner want to move to Piedmont?
She wanted to be closer to her daughter and grandkids in Haymarket, and the stairs in her Reston home had become a daily problem. She had lived in the house for more than 15 years. It was a four-bedroom, two-story home just off the toll road, at the end of a cul-de-sac, with a very private, wooded backyard.
Her daughter and son-in-law both work full-time, and she often watches the grandkids during the day. Driving from Reston to Haymarket every day, or having the family drop the kids off in Reston, wasn't working for anyone. Her husband had passed away, so she was handling the entire move on her own.
What did she need in a Piedmont home?
She needed a primary bedroom on the main level, in a community that wasn't 55+. That combination is harder to find than people expect. She liked Piedmont in Haymarket because it's gated and has indoor amenities, including an indoor pool and a fitness center. Piedmont also has a few home models with a main-level primary bedroom, which made it the right fit for someone planning to age in place without moving into an age-restricted community.
How do you get a Reston home ready to sell after 15 years?
You start early and take it in stages. We worked with her for nearly two months before the house went on the market. Over 15 years she had collected a lot, including a storage room full of very old boxes.
We guided her through decluttering room by room and connected her with multiple estate sale companies. Most of the furniture and household items sold before we listed. The items in the garage and basement stayed in storage for later. Once the main living areas were clear, our professional stager staged the house from top to bottom. Staging is included in our services, so she didn't have to coordinate or pay for it separately.
How did the Reston home sell in two days?
It sold quickly because it was cleared out, fully staged, and priced right for the market. We listed it at $1.3 million. Within two days we had multiple offers and accepted one at $1.325 million with no contingencies. We had to cancel the open house we'd scheduled for that Sunday.
How did a rent-back let her sell in Reston before buying in Piedmont?
The buyer agreed to a free 60-day rent-back, which let her sell first and stay in the house while she found her next home. That solved two problems. She could keep selling items through the estate sale after closing. She could also shop in Piedmont knowing what her sale proceeds would be, without a deadline forcing her into a temporary rental.
What other options did she consider besides Piedmont?
We also toured ranch-style homes near Bull Run Mountain that aren't in an HOA. Many of those offer main-level living, including a main-level primary bedroom. Many of them are also older, and she didn't want a house that needed a lot of work. That narrowed her search to Piedmont. The first Piedmont house we walked into was the one, and she knew it right away.
How did she win a multiple-offer home in Piedmont?
We wrote an offer with an escalation addendum, which let her compete while setting a ceiling on how high she would go. The house had been on the market for only two days, and there were multiple offers. She ended up escalating $75,000 over list.
We also kept two protections that buyers often give up in multiple-offer situations. She kept her appraisal contingency, and the home appraised. She also kept an information-only home inspection, which mattered because she didn't want to inherit a long list of repairs.
The home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with 2,144 square feet above grade and a finished basement. The primary bedroom is on the main level. It sits on 0.18 acres, a much smaller yard than she had in Reston, which was exactly what she wanted, and the back deck overlooks the pond.
Did she have to move twice to get to Piedmont?
No. We closed on her Piedmont home before the rent-back ended, so she moved once, straight from Reston to Piedmont.
What would we tell someone downsizing from a longtime Reston home?
Start the process early, even if it feels too soon. For this client, nearly two months of decluttering and estate sales came before the house was even listed. Sorting through years of belongings takes time, especially when you're doing it alone.
Frequently asked questions about downsizing from Reston to Piedmont
It depends on how much you've accumulated, but plan for longer than you think. For this client, after 15 years in her home, it took nearly two months before we listed. That time went to decluttering, estate sales, and staging.
Yes. Piedmont in Haymarket has a few home models with a main-level primary bedroom. They're a good option for buyers who want single-level living in a community that isn't age-restricted.
For our client, it was. She didn't want a 55+ community, but she did want main-level living, a gated community, and indoor amenities like the pool and fitness center. Piedmont gave her all of that.
Yes, if you can negotiate a rent-back. Our client sold with a free 60-day rent-back, stayed in her Reston home while she bought in Piedmont, and closed on the new house before the rent-back ended.
Sometimes. In this purchase we used an escalation addendum to stay competitive, and that let us keep both her appraisal contingency and an information-only inspection. Every negotiation is different, so it depends on the seller and the competing offers.
About the author: Caitlin Ellis co-owns Ellis Properties at Samson Properties with her husband, Steven Ellis, serving Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax counties, Arlington and Alexandria. Downsizing is one of the team's specialties, including coordinating estate sales, staging, and rent-backs so clients can sell and buy with a single move.