“a true force to be reckoned with.”
— Kathy, recent client
Half real estate.
Half everything else.
We believe that the real estate market can be crazy, unpredictable, and intimidating enough as it is.
So why make buying or selling a home even more unpleasant by researching with confusing articles, poring over boring inspo images, and working with an apathetic agent who doesn’t truly listen to you?
Instead, The RARE is about doing this real estate thing differently. None of us are the same, and we believe everyone should truly honor who they are and what the want, in life and in real estate. We love to nerd out on cool spaces of all kinds, want to educate everyone in an authentic way that speaks to them, and we love sharing what inspires us with our community of real estate junkies. When it comes to buying and selling a home of your own, we pride ourselves on being just as knowledgeable as we are quirky (and we have the chops to prove it with over $150m in sales in neighborhoods all over DC, Virginia, and Maryland and have a perfect 5/5 review score from past clients. Boom.)
So, yes - we’re here for you in every way imaginable. We’re kinda like your new real estate agent besties. Love you, mean it.
The Faces Behind The RARE
Alison Scimeca
Alison has always had an eye for the unique, cool, and funky – in real estate, and in life, and she values honesty, authenticity, and clear communication above all else. As a former NCAA college athlete and Athletic Trainer, a long-time musician & current lead singer in a band, a 12-year and counting rescue puppy foster, and extensive world traveler always in search of one-of-a-kind experiences & the best scuba diving sites, she brings years of passion, hyper-focus, and dedication of her crafts into the real estate world.
Before going into real estate in 2009, only 3 months after buying her first condo in DC, Alison hatched a plan to start working 3 jobs … just so she could quit them all and travel around the world by herself for a year. She left with 1 backpack, visited 17 countries, and came back with enough stories to entertain people for a lifetime.
Michael Fowler
Michael is as knowledgeable about real estate as he is fun. Known for his gregarious laugh, you'll just as easily find him dancing at a weekend nightclub, trying a new menu at one of his favorite DC restaurants, or designing and staging homes. He knows a thing or two about real estate too. He has served on numerous boards and committees for the DC Association of Realtors, where he served on the Board of Directors for several years, and the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors. This has made him a wealth of knowledge and an asset to his clients and teammates. After nearly a decade in real estate, his love of home design led him to complete a degree in Interior Design and Graphic and Media Design from Marymount University. Marrying his love of real estate with interiors, Michael started a new venture, Michael Fowler Creative. His staging and design consulting services have grown quickly and successfully into one of the DC area’s most unique, highly regarded, and effective staging companies.
The Friendship Story
Michael and Alison met over 15 years ago when working in a different industry well before they had partners, dogs, or real estate licenses. What started as a friendly work relationship grew into a friendship as the two realized they had similar interests and crazy loud laughs that didn't scare the other. Michael later began his real estate career, and after his first year, was awarded the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors Rookie of the Year. Alison followed Michael into real estate a few years later, starting her journey at a small boutique brokerage followed by a stint working directly for a local innovative developer, Ditto Residential. What began as a mentor/mentee relationship at the start grew into a true partnership when they first joined forces in 2018. They’ve already hit the pinnacle of work titles with one another: work wife and work husband, and have started their adventure to dominate the real estate world soup-to-nuts from transacting to making a home truly your own.
The Collaboration
Realtors go on vacations, too! So what happens when Alison is underwater scuba diving in Indonesia or Michael is dancing the night away in Mexico? You don't have to worry because, as friends and real estate partners, they are there to support one another AND the others' clients. They aren't a package deal, unless, of course, you want them to be. But all of their clients need to know that when the heat is on, whether they're in the middle of offering on a super competitive home or are frantically trying to get their home ready for sale, Alison, Michael, and their transaction coordinator team are here to lend their support, expertise, and guidance to all RARE clients. So while you might not be able to just sit back and relax when one of us is away (because let's face it, real estate isn't usually relaxing), you CAN know that you'll never be without someone to help you through any question or situation that may come up along the way!
We’re fun on Instagram, too.
