“I had a wonderful experience working with Tamara. Her depth of knowledge and prompt responses paired with her warm character made the entire experience of managing the real estate market manageable and enjoyable. I am grateful for how well she tailored our search to our preferences and her thoroughness at inspecting potential properties. I am very happy with my time working with Tamara and so will you!”

Find the right home in Northern Virginia.
I’m dedicated to helping you through the entire home buying process, from your first showing to the day you get your keys.
Finding the Right Home, Not Just Any Home
Finding the right home takes time, and it’s important to think through everything before you decide. Before we tour a single house, we’ll talk about what matters most to you. Then I’ll help you move quickly when the right one comes along.
- Introductions to trusted local lenders for pre-approval
- Listing alerts on Compass, so you see new homes right away
- Honest advice on neighborhoods, pricing and resale
- Offers written to fit your budget and win
- Support through inspection, appraisal and settlement

The Home Buying Process, Step by Step
Here’s what to expect, and how I’ll help at each stage.
Check your credit
Your credit is crucial when applying for a loan; the better your score, the lower your interest rate is likely to be. Check all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion), since each report can be slightly different, and do it well before you apply.
Find a lender
Most buyers need a mortgage, and you’ll want to be ready to make an offer when you find the right home. Get pre-approved before you start touring so you don’t miss out. If you need a lender, I can recommend trusted local lenders.
Know your price range
Figure out what’s realistic for you, including taxes, insurance and any HOA fees, before you fall in love with a neighborhood. Once you know your range, I’ll help you make the most of your money.
Do your research
Think about everything that matters to you: your commute, schools if you have kids, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, and whether you prefer a newer or older home.
Make an offer
When we find the right home, I’ll prepare a written offer. Using recent sales and what’s happening in that neighborhood right now, I’ll help you arrive at an offer that fits your budget and has the best chance of being accepted.
Once your offer is accepted
You’ll have a set window to have the home professionally inspected and ask for repairs or a credit if needed. Then we’ll confirm the terms of your loan and get you to settlement, where you’ll sign your papers and get your keys.
Moving time
Now it’s time to plan your move. If you’d like professional movers, I can recommend reputable local companies. Don’t forget to file your change of address and set up your utilities.
I’m still here after closing
Questions about your new home or your neighborhood don’t stop at settlement. Many of my clients still call me years later, and I love that.
Buying before you sell?
Compass Bridge Loans can help you buy your next home before your current one sells, so you can make a strong offer without a sale contingency.
Moving to Northern Virginia?
Whether you’re PCS’ing to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or Quantico, or relocating for a new job, I can help you learn the area and find a home to buy or rent, even before you arrive.

What My Buyers Say
“Tamara did an amazing job helping us find a house in the DC area. She went above and beyond multiple times in the house search (19 homes in 1 weekend), closing, and move-in periods, including taking the lead on coordinating all aspects of installing new carpet before we moved in. She understands the unique nature of buying a home while in the military because she’s lived the experience personally and has helped many others. Bottom line is she is trustworthy and I would highly, highly recommend Tamara for anyone in the military who is PCS’ing to the DC area.”
“We bumped into Tamara at an open house on our first day in town and quickly decided that she would be a great match as our agent. Tamara has great attention to detail, is proactive, and follows through when she tells you that she will do something. She has all the intangibles that you look for in an agent. I’m confident that our first offer on a home was accepted, because of Tamara’s guidance and negotiation skills. She was never pushy, and we could tell that she had our best interests in mind. As a former military spouse, she also understood the stress that we were under (with a short-notice Army move). Additionally, Tamara works very well with little kids. So if you have to bring your kids to look at homes, trust that they will never be a burden to Tamara. After we closed on our home, Tamara continued to be very helpful. She recommended a reliable and affordable handyman, along with several other credible contractors (floors, foundation work, etc.). Additionally, she loaned us her personal inflatable mattresses and other household items, while we waited for our household goods. If you’re looking for a realtor who is personable, genuine, and highly knowledgeable of the Northern Virginia area, you can’t go wrong with Tamara.”
“Tamara did a fantastic job helping us find our home within just a few weeks after starting our search. We were fortunate enough to meet Tamara at an open house during our first weekend of touring and we immediately knew that she should be our agent. Tamara shared vast knowledge and wisdom regarding the Northern Virginia housing market and patiently worked with us without ever exhibiting pressure. Bottom line, if you are purchasing a home, I highly recommend that you get Tamara on your team. She is responsive, efficient, professional, well-connected, nice, honest, and sincerely sought to find the perfect house for us.”
“From the beginning, Tamara was super helpful and willing to talk and answer all of our questions without any pressure or commitment or expectation. I appreciated that she never asked us to sign any exclusivity with her or her brokerage, unlike other agents. As a former military spouse herself, she truly “gets it” when it comes to the stress of a tight timeline and house shopping from out of state. We were clueless about this area and we were house shopping in a competitive market, but Tamara went above and beyond. She recorded lots of video for us plus multiple video calls, both with and without home inspectors. She was persistent in communicating and negotiating on our behalf. While other realtors discouraged us from attempting a VA assumption mortgage due to added complexities and timeline, Tamara encouraged us and helped sell the idea to the sellers’ agent. Ultimately we succeeded, which felt like all the stars had aligned on our behalf. In closing, I will say that working with Tamara was pleasant and easy, and now I am happy to call her a friend!”
“Tamara is simply amazing! As first-time home buyers, we could not have asked for a better person to guide us. She was extremely informative, breaking down the process for us so we could better understand the pros and cons of various properties and options. Even better, she is honest. When we were impatient and ready to put an offer on an overpriced property, she did not take advantage of the situation; rather, she worked relentlessly to find us a home more suited to our desires and price range. I would absolutely use Tamara again and give her my highest recommendation.”
“We could not have asked for a better agent! We first reached out to Tamara before even arriving to Virginia, she responded immediately to my email and got the ball rolling for us, which was reassuring for a military family arriving from overseas. We started touring homes the day after we arrived, and Tamara was extremely accommodating - every day, for two weeks straight, she was showing us 3-5 houses and driving countless hours to make sure we found the perfect home. I’m most thankful for her keen eye and expertise, she provided helpful feedback and pointed out things within the homes that we would have accidentally overlooked. When we finally did make an offer on a home, we genuinely felt that Tamara had our back and was fighting for (negotiating) the terms/agreements we wanted. She was thorough in walking us through the processes and paperwork, which reassured us we were making a sound investment in our new home. We can’t thank her enough for being by our side through the entire process of buying our home.”
“We have had the unique experience of being able to use Tamara’s expertise both buying a home and then later selling that home. Tamara is knowledgeable and professional. Her caring and friendliness made the transitions much easier. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Tamara.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Tamara. She helped us find the perfect home while we were searching from out of state. She is so friendly and a joy to be around, extremely responsive, and incredibly diligent. We searched for months, saw dozens of properties, and made several offers because of how tough this housing market is. She helped motivate us even when we were losing hope - and she was right! We found our amazing home at the lower end of our budget. As first-time homebuyers, she helped us understand the buying process and had a keen eye for things to be concerned about as we toured homes. She is knowledgeable about the area, introduced us to some great restaurants, and was constantly giving us very helpful tips for our specific needs. I am so impressed with Tamara’s work ethic and truly can’t imagine a better agent for our situation. Do not hesitate if you are considering working with Tamara Barnes, you won’t regret it! Thanks for everything Tamara, we miss talking to you every day!”
“Tamara came to the rescue when a previous real estate agent was extremely inefficient. Tamara was able to help us find our next home in a matter of weeks, whereas we had been looking for nearly three months with the other agent. Tamara was professional, authentic and knowledgeable about the locations we wanted to live in. Her level of professionalism far exceeded our expectations, and her care and follow-up to make sure we were happy was remarkable. Always punctual, she never rushed us and was honest with us if she thought a house or location was not a fit, and kept us focused and on track. I have no hesitation in calling Tamara to help us with our next home purchase, to sell our home, or for rental options.”
“We first reached out to Tamara when we were living out of the country due to a military assignment. Tamara was responsive, knowledgeable and supportive from the very beginning. She set up online searches for our desired areas and gave us information on how the market was going that allowed us to refine our search. She went above and beyond when working with us to line up showings to meet our hectic schedules. Tamara listened to our wants and needs and helped guide us through the process. She respected our wishes when it came to budgets and offers but always provided us guidance and feedback. Tamara got to know our family and made the effort to understand what we needed. She gave us great recommendations when it came to finding other professionals such as lenders, title companies and inspectors. Her communication and patience made the experience very positive! Even in an insane market we found a home that we love! Thank you, Tamara!”
“Tamara was absolutely amazing in helping us purchase our first home (which by the way was only three weeks from offer, through close, to move in)! She was quick, provided great insights from her experience in the industry, professional, and extremely kind throughout the entire process… and after the process! When we move again in the future, she’ll be the first person we call!”
“We worked with Tamara in the past to find us a home for rent. We were pleased with our rental home. So when it came time to buy our 1st home 3 years later, she was the only one we wanted to work with. Not only is she professional, but she is very friendly, kind and so easy to work with! We are so excited to move into our new home in a few weeks! Our entire family thanks her!”
“Tamara was the perfect Realtor for us as first-time homebuyers! She was very patient and walked us through every step to make sure we understood, and felt comfortable throughout the process. She helped keep us calm and focused on our goals, as well as narrowed down our search criteria so we were able to find something that was perfect and we truly loved. I would recommend Tamara to all first-time homebuyers! She knows the Northern Virginia area well!”
“Tamara helped us with our relocation from out of town and she is an absolute expert at relocations. She keeps a high level of communication, is so fast and helped coach through the logistics and challenges of a strong seller’s market from hundreds of miles away. We won’t miss house hunting but we’ll certainly miss Tamara. She’s the best and we love the house she found us!”
“Tamara assisted us in finding a rental in the fast-paced DMV market. We were moving from overseas and she was doing research so we hit the ground running. She was knowledgeable about market dynamics, thus we were educated and poised to move fast. Tamara is extremely personable and kind, and we enjoyed her company. She made a stressful transition flow with ease. She was professional yet assertive in problem-solving with the property manager. I wish we were staying in the area so we could work with her again to buy. Highly recommend!”
“I connected with Tamara as a referral from someone else and I must say that I am very grateful. She was very proactive in finding listings that fit my needs and was very responsive throughout the entire process. She made it much less stressful.”
“A friend recommended Tamara to us. Within a few hours of contacting Tamara she sent us information on multiple homes with our specifications. Tamara was very quick in responding to all my emails and answering all of my questions and concerns. In addition to being very professional, Tamara is also very genuine and a pleasure to work with.”
“Tamara was recommended to us by a friend and we are so thankful that happened. Tamara was professional from the start, but it was her personal touch that struck us. From our first meeting, we felt like we had known her forever. She was keenly interested in our family and our vision. She was able to take that vision and translate it into action. We highly recommend Tamara for all of your Virginia realty needs. She is fantastic.”
“Tamara was such a wonderful realtor! She was calm, smart & on top of everything!! She found us the perfect home for our family! She started as our realtor but ended up our friend! I highly recommend her!!”
“Phenomenal experience with Tamara Barnes! I would not have gotten the house if it were not for her advice and action. Very easy to work with, represented me so well and saved me thousands. First rate in every way!”
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Tamara to purchase a new dream home. From start to finish, it was an absolute pleasure! From our initial conversations and throughout the whole process, Tamara was professional. She was highly knowledgeable about the local market and made sure I always felt like a priority. At each step in the whole process, Tamara came through with her commitment to excellence. Her negotiation skills were first-rate – she consistently found ways to get me the best deal possible. She also went out of her way to ensure every detail was taken care of – from arranging and conducting inspections to researching potential issues with a property. Throughout our journey, Tamara demonstrated immense patience and understanding of my situation. Whether I needed additional time for research or required more information on a particular property, she took it all in stride. She went out of her way to provide me with extra resources and various options I could consider when deciding.”
“Tamara was wonderfully helpful when we purchased our home. We were located across the country and she was always willing to video chat with us to show us houses, which was greatly appreciated. Would definitely recommend her to anyone in the area!”
“It was a pleasure working with Tamara. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and always available. At the same time she didn’t just want to push any house on us. She made sure we found the right house. I would definitely recommend her and work with Tamara again.”
“Working with Tamara was a great experience! Originally we were just checking out the market but she showed us so many great houses and somehow managed to find the ones that met our unusual requirements.”
“Tamara is the most wonderful realtor I’ve ever worked with! Our entire buying and selling process went so smoothly because of Tamara’s hard work. She is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met!!”
“Professional ~ Responsive ~ Caring. These three words come to mind when we think of our relationship with Tamara. She first helped when we purchased a condo and later helped us find a tenant for that same condo. We recommend Tamara without hesitation!”
“Tamara is great. She is friendly, responsive, and cares about the buyer’s concerns and needs. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to buy or rent in the Northern VA or DC area!”
“Tamara was a godsend for our family, while purchasing a home “sight unseen” from overseas. We had to move fast in a competitive market, but she made it happen and even calmed down the seller when our bank messed up financing paperwork, which delayed closing by a few days.”
“Tamara was great to work with during the buying process. She was very knowledgeable about property in the Alexandria/Springfield VA area and the real estate process in general. She was also extremely responsive to questions and issues that came up. Highly recommended!”
Buyer Questions, Answered
Should I get pre-approved before I look at homes?
Yes. A pre-approval tells you exactly what you can borrow, and sellers in Northern Virginia take offers more seriously when they come with one. Tamara can introduce you to trusted local lenders.
How much do I need for a down payment?
It depends on the loan. Some loan programs allow a small down payment, and VA loans may require none for eligible service members and veterans. A lender can tell you what you qualify for, and remember to budget for closing costs too.
How long does it take to buy a home?
Finding the right home can take a few weeks or a few months. Once your offer is accepted, settlement often takes about 30 to 45 days, depending on your loan and the terms of the contract.
Can I buy a new home before I sell my current one?
Often, yes. Compass Bridge Loans can help you buy your next home before your current one sells, so you can make a stronger offer without a home-sale contingency.
How is a buyer’s agent paid?
Before you tour homes together, you’ll sign a written buyer agreement that spells out how your agent is paid. In many cases the seller covers some or all of it. Tamara will explain your options up front, before you sign anything.
Ready to start looking?
Tell me what you’re looking for and your timeline, and I’ll be in touch personally.
Search homes now
Browse every home for sale in Northern Virginia and D.C. on Compass, then send me the ones you love.