LICENSED IN:
District of Columbia
Virginia
MARKETS/NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED:
Virginia - Aldie, Alexandria, Arlington, Ashburn, Brambleton, Broadlands, Falls Church, Fairfax, Great Falls, Herndon, Leesburg, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Sterling, Vienna
Washington, DC - 14th Street Corridor, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Penn Quarter, Shaw, SW Waterfront, Upper NW, West End
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Since he became a licensed Realtor in 2004, Joe has assisted many wonderful buyers and sellers and worked with the best real estate partners in the Capital Region. Throughout his career, whether the local housing market has been in a fast-paced frenzy or a lull, Joe's business has prospered, thanks in large part to generous referrals from current and past clients, friends and family, and colleagues.
Prior to his real estate career, Joe was Vice President of Information Technology at Washington Mortgage Group (WMG) for seven years and a Project Manager at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for ten years, where he directed several key efforts for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His strong organizational and project management skills made for a smooth and successful transition into real estate.
Joe specializes in residential real estate sales and rentals (new construction and existing homes) in all price ranges. He is known for his savvy marketing skills, strong negotiation skills, attention to detail, personable demeanor, and in-depth local market knowledge.
EDUCATION:
BS, Economics, George Mason University
OUTSIDE INTERESTS:
When he is not helping his clients, Joe enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends, cooking, and reading. An avid runner, Joe has completed several full and half marathons, and enjoys participating in charity events throughout the year.
Joe O'Hara was an excellent partner when purchasing my condo! From our first meeting, he was able to create an environment of trust. Buying a house is one of the most critical decisions in life, so you must trust your realtor! He had already worked with some friends in the past, so I had terrific references for him already. Joe is also very knowledgeable. He has been working in the DMV area for a long time, so he knows most of the neighborhoods and buildings. Every home tour was an adventure and a learning experience for me. He put together private tours, so I had the time to get familiar with the process and review each house carefully. Joe was also very skilled in helping me navigate the closing phase. DC is a pretty competitive environment, so you need a partner and a team around you who can act fast and help you make the best decisions. Joe is just awesome! I truly encourage you to work with him.
Joe was an amazing agent to work with. Any questions we had, day or night, he was there with an answer, or an "I'll get right back to you!" He was fabulous, and we would use him again if need be!
Joe was always available when we needed him. Whether for questions we had or information we had to pass along. He helped us every step of the way to ensure we knew exactly what was going on and what the next steps were. His friendly and kind demeanor made it all the better! I would use Joe again in a heartbeat, except he found us the perfect home that we expect to be living in for years and years!
Joe O'Hara was a superb realtor to work with. Joe made the process of buying our first home easy and enjoyable. He went above and beyond our expectations. He has so much knowledge of this area that he was able to provide us with very detailed information about the areas we were looking to buy a home in. Joe was always accessible and somehow was always available to show us homes we wanted to see. He was detail-oriented and quick to give us updates that we seldom had to ask him about anything. Joe was so positive, funny and very easygoing. He always made us feel comfortable. And more importantly, he helped us find and buy our perfect home. He gave us great advice on how to negotiate for our home that made sense to us and we were comfortable with.
Mr. O'Hara was pivotal in the selling of my residence. His knowledge of the area's real estate and values was important in the pricing of my residence. His suggestions and recommendation to get the residence ready for sale were valuable and helped get the highest value for the residence and sell the residence in the shortest time. Mr. O'Hara is pleasant, honest, friendly and helpful. He is the kind of real estate agent that everyone should deal with, whether selling or buying a residence. I cannot recommend Mr. O'Hara more highly — he is a terrific agent and a terrific person. Mr. O'Hara and Washington Fine Properties are the only agent and company that I would use to buy or sell a property in the future.
Joe was the consummate professional. He had several very viable suggestions which we followed. This resulted in the highest paid price for a home in the neighborhood. Joe was accessible, knowledgeable, and amiable. He also has a sense of humor, very necessary in the stresses of readying a house for sale and the purchase of another in another state and a condo in the area. We knew we could trust Joe. We highly recommend Joe to all our friends and relatives, and neighbors have requested his card to contact him when they are ready to move. Thank you to Joe O’Hara. Joe helped us in all aspects of the above. If we had questions, he was ready to answer them and help us understand in order for us to move carefully and judiciously, and successfully. He was right there with us from finish to end.
Joe offered highly sophisticated insights into the art of the offer, which I know made all the difference in having my very first offer accepted in a competitive offer situation. Before I located my ideal property, Joe offered invaluable insights about each property we toured. Not once did he try to “sell” me a property; rather, he fairly identified the pros and cons of each neighborhood, building and unit that we viewed. I never once was made to feel as though I was wasting his time; he took full advantage of all of our encounters to learn more about my likes, dislikes and needs. (I learned a lot about these things along the way, too!) Joe is your partner throughout a process that, without him, I think could be quite stressful. Although ultimately the nature of (any) business is closing sales, Joe does not make his buyer clients feel any pressure to “hurry up and like something already.” Joe’s vibe is knowledgeable, professional, patient and friendly. (I missed him as soon as I closed on my condo.) Joe has refined taste; equally important, though, he does not push any of his particular tastes on his clients. Rather, he offers insightful observations about each property and then listens carefully to his clients’ feedback, which he masterfully incorporates into future discussions and recommendations. I practically will refrain from buying a pair of shoes without consulting with Joe O’Hara in the future. If he is willing, I will have him buy and sell all properties for me in the future. I feel incredibly lucky to have identified an agent of Joe’s caliber who I can trust to understand and look out for my best interests.
Working with Joe was a pleasure. He did a fabulous job staging and photographing our house prior to the listing. The transformation was amazing! Joe's staging helped us close at $20k over our asking price. I really couldn't see the value in hiring a realtor prior to working with Joe, but he proved his services were worth the investment. Joe is a true professional who took the time to understand our needs and help us maximize our results.
Joe O’Hara not only knows the market; he knows the myriad of details and requirements for the sale of the house to go smoothly. We were traveling abroad during the open house and contract execution. We trusted Joe, and he took care of everything. Joe, thankfully, also kindly put up with my many nervous phone calls as we waited through the various inspections. Thanks to his support, the sale of our home exceeded our best expectations.
Above all else, Joe is very trustworthy. And that is why I worked with Joe on the purchase and eventual sale of the same house. He is very responsive and polite. Joe has several years of experience and is very familiar with the whole process. I had to do very little as Joe and his set of contractors did the bulk of the work. I would gladly refer Joe to others.
Joe was a true professional throughout the entire process, from the initial search and scheduling home visits, to making an offer, closing, and moving in to our new home. He was knowledgeable of the unique local area and attentive to critical requirements in a fast-moving market; he communicated clearly, promptly, and with the utmost candor. Even during a stressful search, Joe was calm, friendly, and fun. We truly appreciated his counsel and guidance. Our highest recommendation.
Joe is completely amazing, and we feel as though he always had our best interests at heart!! We have used him to buy a townhome, sell a townhome and buy a forever home. He got us a great deal on the forever home and sold our townhouse in less than a week. He also helped us with our landscaping a few months after moving in. He remains calm in a stressful storm and has been through it all. He also has a great title company to work with — definitely the best I’ve experienced! We plan on using him again without a doubt!
Recently Joe O’Hara acted as our buyer’s agent when we moved to the Washington, DC, area. It wasn’t an easy task as we didn’t know the area, but Joe took the time to show us all of the areas we requested. Additionally, he identified many, many homes for us to buy, and also responded to our many requests to see homes that we identified from a variety of sources. Always helpful, always patient, and always informative and cheerful. We could not have asked for a better agent, particularly since it took us so long to find and buy the “right” home for us.
Joe took over for an agent/friend who retired, and he still deserves to be sainted for persevering. I spent 3 years looking — actively looking — because I was content where I was and had very specific requirements for what a new house would need to offer to get me to uproot myself and move — namely a great neighborhood to walk my dog and garage for my Tesla. Joe never judged, he just patiently helped me measure each existing garage or assess the cost/feasibility of adding one. We had a few near-hits where his ability to bring in expert opinions saved me from making some pretty expensive mistakes as well. And he has a great sense of humor -— bonus.
Joe is friendly and easy to talk to, which is a great attribute when going through a home buying/selling experience which can be stressful at times. He is also very knowledgeable about the process and is always available.
Joe assisted us in selling the home we had lived in for 18 years. He was instrumental in helping us to prepare our home to be sold. He offered constructive suggestions, recommended reputable contractors to assist us and brought in an amazing staging company. He created a stunning brochure and kept us well informed of all the activity related to prospective buyers. We would highly recommend Joe.
As a first-time homebuyer, I really relied on Joe to hold my hand and make this process as easy as possible, and he did not disappoint. He was very professional, courteous, knowledgeable and helpful. I would definitely recommend him to be an agent representing anybody I know.
I have already recommended Joe to many friends, and have no problem rating him 5/5 in every category — he knows the area inside and out and has sold in most buildings. He walked me through the process step by step, so that even as a first-time home buyer, buying a condo wasn't actually that stressful. He helped me structure a winning bid in a competitive market and find the right lender to get the deal done quickly. Joe came recommended to me through many friends, and I would recommend him on just as quickly!
Joe O'Hara made the uncertainty and stress of selling our home of 20 years a positive experience. His calm presence, positive nature and sense of humor are attributes that complemented his thorough knowledge of the local market, helping to manage our expectations. Sometimes, it seemed like he had ESP, as my husband and I would be talking and thinking about calling Joe with for a question or an update, and the phone would ring with Joe checking in! If your desire is a partner to support you and always have your best interest front and center throughout the process, Joe is your agent.
Joe O'Hara is outstanding, honest and knows what his clients want and need when buying and selling a home! Joe worked with our budget and told us what we needed to do to sell our home right away. The minute we started the process I felt at ease, I trusted his professional opinions and by following his advice, we put our home on the market and had 9+ offers the next day. The amount of support and professionalism got my fiancée and me through a very difficult and tumultuous process. If anyone were to ask me for a recommendation, my response would be "If you are looking for an honest realtor that cares about all your wants and needs, Joe O'Hara is your realtor!!
Just wanted to say Thank You again for the wonderful job you did handling the sale of our son Jay’s condo. We have had a very difficult time since his passing, and your professionalism has certainly lessened our burden. Your coordination of all the repairs as well as your efficiency in handling the many details of the sale have been a tremendous help. We would be more than glad to talk to anyone looking for a recommendation for your work.
Joe is very comfortable to work with and a true professional. He has a vast knowledge of home craftsmanship/quality in addition to understanding trends of the housing market. For the inspection of the home we did purchase, it was Joe who suggested we have the surrounding trees inspected as well because they were covered in ivy. I don't think we would have thought of doing that on our own. The inspection showed numerous trees that were diseased and needed to come down. Joe is also very competent in negotiation, and it is obvious he is well respected by his peers. It was a delight to work with Joe, and we have already referred him to others. He is very knowledgeable, professional and easy to work with. We are not new to buying/selling homes, yet we learned so much from Joe.
Joe is amazing!!! He took over the sale of our house after it wasn't selling. I only wish I had started with Joe. After Joe took over, the house sold quickly. He had a team of pricing agents that came in and suggested a price to get the most out of our house and to sell quickly. His negotiation skills are excellent. On the outside Joe is calm but behind the scenes he is furiously working. Since Joe grew up in McLean, VA, his connections are extensive throughout the metro area...this really helps! He is a gentleman and very professional. Joe is a major strategist when it comes to selling your house and finding your new dream home. We wanted to downsize and Joe found us a 5-story townhouse, with an elevator, where we can walk to restaurants and stores. The bus is across the street, which takes us to the Metro! Hire Joe...you won't be sorry, I promise!
I want to express my gratitude, and that of all our family, for the professional and caring way that you've handled everything from listing through closing for Mom. I'm glad to have your card so that we can recommend your services in the future. Our very best wishes in all your future endeavors…
Thank you.
My spouse and I were purchasers of a Georgian center hall colonial in the Langley section of McLean in December 2015. The seller agreed to stay on for 60 days. However, we needed a 12- to 18-month rental (at the end of that 60-day term) prior to our being able to take possession. After having dealt and been dissatisfied with the firm that we had been advised were the "leading" agents for placing such rentals, we asked local friends for recommendations. They referred us to Joseph O’Hara. When we phoned Mr. O’Hara the next morning, he was available to meet with us and inspect the property residence that afternoon. After having inspected the residence with us, he discussed rental alternatives with us, and we advised him that we wished to work with him as our agent and asked to execute his listing agreement.
Mr. O’Hara acted to have the rental multiple-listed by the end of that week. By the end of the following week, Mr. O’Hara had identified two rental prospects. By the middle of the week following, he had shown the property, and each of the prospects had tabled offers at the rental asking price. The offers differed in the number of months of occupancy to which the renters were willing to commit. Mr. O’Hara counseled us in how best to proceed in our decision-making. We followed his advice and closed on an 18-month rental with the new occupancy commencing the day after the departure of our original 60-day seller-occupant. Mr. O’Hara was “Johnny-on-the-spot” attentive to every detail. No representation could possibly have been better. We would be pleased to speak with you about our experience.
Joe — Can't express in words how pleased we were with you selling our condo! We can see why Scott so highly recommended you. We will not hesitate to refer you to any of our friends or church folk that we hear are selling.
Thank you both for all your amazing help in our home search and purchase. Bonnie and I feel like we won the lottery running into you on the Hill several months ago. We cannot imagine having gone through this process without you and look forward to singing your praises to as many of our friends as possible.
We can’t imagine going through this without Joe….we couldn’t be happier.
Thank you so much for all your help these past few months. Justin and I are so excited to move into our new home! We really enjoyed working with you and were quite pleased that our first experience as first-time homebuyers was positive, and everything ran smoothly. Thank you also for our change of address cards and gift checks. That was very thoughtful, and we look forward to using them. Thanks again!
Ken and I are so grateful for all you have done for us, and believe me I will be referring everyone I know to you as I have already sung your praises at this office.
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