Rebecca Secord

I absolutely love helping my clients buy their first home, sell their starters, upgrade to their next big adventure, or transition to their next phase of life.

Whether you're a first-time buyer, a long-term couple, a single professional, or a family that doesn't look like the ones in the brochures, the confidence my clients have going into a transaction and through the whole process is one of the most rewarding aspects of practicing this type of law.

My very first class in law school was real estate law, and let me tell you, this was like nothing I'd ever experienced. I remember vividly cracking open that big red book and staring at the pages, not having the faintest idea what I was actually reading. Despite those initial scary moments, I grew to love real estate law.

My obsession with real estate law was solidified when I was working in Virginia at a law firm outside DC. I ran the settlement (escrow) department and learned the ins and outs of transactions and the unique needs of the parties.

My ex and I bought our first home in Virginia in 2012, and despite being an attorney, there was so much we didn't know, especially when it came to our HOA and our mortgage. Our real estate agent was a wonderful resource for finding our home and negotiating some of the key terms, but there was something missing in the process. I've spent the last 10 years helping those who were in the same situation we were in better understand the process, and helping them plan for what comes next.

That same drive to help people feel confident and prepared is why I also built out an estate planning practice. Buying a home is often the first time people think seriously about the future: what happens to this place, and to the people they love, down the road. That question doesn't have one right answer, and your estate plan shouldn't be built as if it does.

I'm passionate about creating inclusive estate plans for LGBTQ+ families and non-traditional families. The plans that too many attorneys still build around a template that assumes a straight, married couple with 2.5 kids. Your family might look like a long-term partnership without marriage, a chosen family, co-parents who aren't romantically involved, or a household that doesn't fit neatly into a box on someone else's intake form. Whatever it looks like, it deserves a plan that reflects it; one that names the people you trust, protects the people you love, and holds up when it matters most.

I work with single people, married couples, poly families and everyone in between, building plans for non-taxable estates without the unnecessary complexity (or price tag) that so often gets tacked on. You shouldn't need a seven-figure estate to deserve a thoughtful plan. Whether it's your first time thinking about a will, or you're finally getting around to updating one that's years overdue, I want you to leave my office knowing your wishes are documented, your people are protected, and nothing was left to guesswork.

When I'm not at my desk, you'll usually find me out on a softball field, brush in hand working on a watercolor, trying to get my giant cat to walk on a leash, or planning the next trip (Spain is still on my mind). I'm also almost always in the middle of a good book, and one of my favorite things in the world is going to concerts with my pre-teen. Music has become one of our favorite things to share together!