Real estate agents are no strangers to rich, famous

Washington, D.C., has its fair share of real estate agents working in the luxury home market, and Donna Paton and Nancy Alert are two of the region’s finest.

Donna Paton, Paton Real Estate

Paton has been in real estate since 1987, beginning with the Mark Vogel company, an organization she worked with to sell a luxury property on the water, Fish and Creek Farm in Annapolis, Md. Paton, who is based in McLean, Va., works with investors and regular buyers and sellers.

“I work with everyone, from the first-time-homebuyer condos to homes that sell in the millions,” Paton said.

According to Paton, most luxury homes are found in Northwest D.C. or out in areas like McLean.

Paton says most clients who come to her looking for a luxury home wish to be out of D.C. a little, in order to have more peace and quiet. “A lot of good luxury homes like this are right off of Chain Bridge Road,” Paton said.

Paton is selling a home formerly owned by an ambassador. It was previously $1.8 million, and it is now reduced to $1.3 million. It’s a six-bedroom, five-and-a-half bath Georgia-style home with four fireplaces. “It’s a quick, nice deal and you get the best of both worlds — the quiet of suburbs yet the closeness to the city,” she said.

Paton also utilizes open houses. Years ago, she would receive roughly six to seven visitors per open house. Now she receives as many as 50. “It’s how we track advertising,” she said.

Paton’s clients include all sorts of local celebrities, including many politicians. “I’m always amazed at who walks through my front door,” she said. “I’m star-struck by my clients.”

For more information on Paton, visit her website at www.patonrealestate.com .

Nancy Alert, Nancy Alert Real Estate

Nancy Alert has been in real estate for the past 12-and-a-half years, and has been part of the Remax agency for the past two-and-a-half. Licensed in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, Alert works with a lot of high-end condos in Arlington, Va., as well as atriums and penthouses in the city.

“The luxury home market is a little different,” Alert said. “Someone interested in purchasing a luxury home or condo knows exactly what they’re looking for — they come in with a certain price range and say, ‘OK, I want this, this and this.’”

According to Alert, this is the area that her agency tends to pick out, because more often than not, homes are available and loans are approved.

Like Paton, Alert agrees that open houses very rarely don’t work. She said they’re a great advertising tool and mainly give agents additional clients.

Alert has had her fair share of political clients as well. “I don’t like to mention names, but we have had some politicians come in,” she said. “D.C. is a fantastic housing market. Yes, it’s a selling-down market but it’s a buying-down market too. It’s still a win-win situation.”

For more information on Alert, visit her website at www.nancyalert.com.