We’re proud of the team of agents we’ve assembled here at Nest Realty. We think they’re pretty awesome, and we think you will too. During our “Meet the Agent” series, we sit down with our agents to learn more about them, what makes them tick, and why they’re passionate about the real estate industry. In this installment, we chat with Bonnie DaSilva, a Realtor® at Nest Realty Fredericksburg.
Nest Realty: Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from? What brought you to Fredericksburg?
Bonnie DaSilva: Originally born and raised in New Jersey, my husband and I came down to the D.C. Metro area in 2011 for my job with an international commercial real estate firm.
NR: How did you get into real estate?
BD: I fell into real estate over 13 years ago when I decided to stay in NJ to be with my boyfriend-now-husband. I had a job lined up after graduating college, working in public relations for the Defense Intelligence Agency, when I met my husband. I feel in love hard and fast and decided to stay in NJ, rather than moving to the D.C. area. I needed a job at that point, and I ended up working for a small commercial regional real estate firm in NJ, where I quickly rose through the ranks. One stipulation of marrying my husband was that I would bring him down to the D.C. area and here we are, 13 years later living the dream!
NR: What was your previous career? How has that prepared you for real estate?
BD: With my background in public relations, I learned how to be diplomatic, direct, and unwavering. In my years of commercial real estate, I learned the ins-and-outs of construction, leasing, asset management, financing, underwriting, acquisition, and disposition of real property. I also seek value-add opportunities for my clients which help them in making choices based on finances and long-term positioning. Being a mom, I learned that sometimes choices are made emotionally, which is fine, as long as you also have the facts to support an emotional decision. My job is to make sure my clients have access to the facts to make an informed decision.
NR: What led you to Nest Realty, as opposed to another brokerage?
BD: I loved the unique approach to real estate and marketing at Nest Realty. This lead me to email Nest, to see if they were accepting agents into their brokerage. Luckily, they were. Now that I am Nester, I appreciate the small number of agents, which means that I have access to marketing, training, and brokerage support, which translates into me being able to give my full attention to my clients.
NR: What is your favorite part of being an agent?
BD: I love being able to provide a service to and problem solve for my clients—whether that be to find them a new home fitting a certain price range, or selling an asset quickly.
NR: Do you have a specific area of expertise to offer clients?
BD: Value-add real estate and rightsizing are my most favorite areas. With a large amount of baby boomers retiring and moving out of state, I love helping them see the value within their home that could add to their retirement nest eggs. Knowing that I’ve played a part in helping people add to their retirement goals, and hopefully live a more comfortable life is so satisfying.
NR: What makes you different from other agents? What sets you apart?
BD: My experience in commercial real estate allows me to see the transactional component to real estate. Even though residential real estate has deep emotional roots, it is my job to make sure my clients are seeing the big picture of buying and selling a home.
NR: What are five adjectives that describe you?
BD: Supportive, intuitive, reliable, resourceful, and broad-minded.
NR: Who would be your dream client?
BD: Oh wow, this is such a hard one! I love first-time homebuyers and folks nearing retirement. You see both ends of the spectrum of those starting out in homeownership and those that are seasoned—and how their perspective and wants/needs change through a lifetime. I learn so much from both ends of life!
NR: If you had one piece of advice for a first-time home buyer, what would it be?
BD: Educate yourself on the home buying and financing process—ask your realtor and mortgage lender a lot of questions! If something does not make sense, deep dive into it. Have a real conversation with you and your loved ones about expectation. Really understand what is on your needs and wants list, how much maintenance you are willing to do within a home (whether it be a turn-key or fixer upper), what is your overall financial health, and what are you willing to compromise in order to find a home?
NR: What is your favorite season in Fredericksburg?
BD: I love autumn. D.C. is just north enough that we get to experience the beautiful fall colors and everyone is so much calmer when it starts to get a little cooler. D.C. summers are rough so it is nice to start seeing the pace slow down just a little bit. Plus, who doesn’t love fuzzy sweaters and apple cider?!
Bonnie DaSilva is a Realtor® at Nest Realty Fredericksburg. She knows the importance of understanding her client’s needs, wants, and expectations in a transaction, and uses her experience to her client’s benefit.To learn more about Bonnie, visit her agent page.