Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Small Biz Focus: Top Tips to Prepare Your Business for the Holidays 2019

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

By Tara Palacios

It’s that time of the year!

Fall leaves mean the holiday season is nearly upon us. Is your business ready? Networking events, holiday parties, seasonal get togethers can all be overwhelming for anyone — much less a busy entrepreneur. The fall season also marks the end of the calendar year, and you’ll want to make sure you are taking advantage of any tax benefits that end December 31.

Your friends at BizLaunch have compiled a quick tip list to help you prepare for the 2019 holiday season.

Tip #1
Make an End of Year To Do List 

Now. Today. While you still have time. I am a firm believer in to do lists. It is a great way to ensure you accomplish what you have set out to do. I keep a daily list and a long-term list to make sure I achieve goals. What are some outstanding items you are still working on that you need to have completed by the end of the year?

Tip #2
Meet with Your Accountant or CPA 

Now. Today. While you still have time. There may be tax items or cost savings for your business that you can take advantage of before the end of the calendar year. Set up a time to meet in November before the holidays.

Tip #3
Create a Holiday Schedule for You and Your Team 

Now. Today. Before everyone asks for the same days off. Be proactive and decide how you want to handle the federally scheduled days off, and if you want to officially close the office until the New Year.

Tip #4
Revisit 2019 Marketing Efforts 

Now. Today. Always. Pre-holiday season is a great time to see how well you did with your marketing efforts throughout the year. Were you able to achieve your marketing goals by increasing sales? How did certain campaigns do overall? Once you ascertain and review your results what would you do differently in 2020? This effort will give you a jumpstart into being ahead of your competition in the New Year.

Do take advantage of all four tips. The holiday season is almost upon us; however, there is still time to be proactive. Also, don’t forget about potential marketing efforts this holiday season.

Save the date! Small Business Saturday is November 30. #ShopSmall #ShopLocal

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

November is just around the corner (Friday!). Of all the months in the year, this is certainly one where people are most reflective and give widespread thanks.

Most of the time here within the Just Reduced column, we talk about the home-related items that are optimal to buy and/or are the best bargains during certain months (e.g. patio furniture after the summer months).

For November, let’s think about the things we have, de-clutter (very important in many aspects of the real estate world!) and make a positive impact on those in-need in our community.

Ahead of Thanksgiving, take a look at your pantries and the non-perishable food that you can donate to great organizations like the Capital Area Food Bank and Arlington Food Assistance Center. Better yet, perhaps the next grocery trip you take, pick up a few extra items that can be donated and make a real and lasting effect on our neighbors.

And, if there are household items that are taking up space, de-clutter! Whether you are buying, selling or staying put, it never hurts.

Now on to this week’s figures.

As of October 28, there are 154 detached homes, 26 townhouses and 99 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 27 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Aaron Seekford.

Million Dollar Listing NY Star Ryan Serhant to Host Live Event in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Ryan Serhant, star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing: New York, will be coming to Arlington to host an event on November 11 and 12.

Serhant, who heads the top-ranked real estate team in New York City, is the featured speaker of the HyperFast Agent Sales Summit, an annual convention aimed towards real estate professionals, marketers and entrepreneurs. Serhant’s real estate sales total over one billion dollars each year and at this event he will be opening his playbook to how he has been able to achieve these staggering numbers.

The event is hosted by HyperFast Agent, a coaching service founded by Dan Lesniak and Keri Shull. Lesniak and Shull are also the founders of The Keri Shull Team and Orange Line Living, two real estate agencies based in Arlington. Shull and Lesniak are two of the most successful real estate agents in the country — together, they created the top-selling real estate team in the DMV area. They founded HyperFast Agent to help other realtors and entrepreneurs achieve success in business.

As part of their efforts, Shull and Lesniak have organized many live events, bringing in top speakers from around the country to talk to attendees about the most cutting-edge strategies for quickly growing their business.

The event is particularly tailored for real estate agents and entrepreneurs, but anyone who is interested in improving their business or sales skills is encouraged to attend the Summit. Certain ticket levels even give you the chance to have a private lunch with Serhant who will answer any questions you have about real estate, sales, or business.

Due to high demand, there are a limited number of tickets available — so make sure to secure your spot and register today. Ticket prices increase as supply diminishes.

For more information and to register for a seat, please click here.

Ask Eli: Making Up for a Questionable Housing Report

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: I recently read an article by the Sun Gazette that median price per square foot was down since last year in Arlington and the rest of Northern Virginia. Is that what you’re seeing in the market, despite reports of prices going up?

Answer: I read that article as well and was equally confused by the statistic that $/sq. ft. was down 6.8% in Arlington in the first nine months of 2019 compared to the first nine months of 2018. While this data point may be technically correct, it doesn’t accurately represent what’s happening in the Arlington/Northern Virginia marketplace. Even without having access to the data behind it, does anybody believe that with all the news about the Amazon-effect on Arlington’s real estate market, that people are paying less per square foot in 2019?

Price-Per-Square-Foot Is Actually Up (Obviously)

The truth is that while the median $/sq. ft. did drop year-over-year in the first nine months of 2019, it was actually due to a shift in the type of inventory that sold, not because buyers are getting more for their money. As I pointed out earlier this year in an article about a national news story on Arlington’s real estate market, it’s easy to find market data that sounds interesting (aka generates reader clicks) but doesn’t tell an accurate story.

When I drilled into the 2018 vs. 2019 data on median and average $/sq. ft., I found that within comparable sub-markets (e.g. 2 BR condos, 4 BR single-family, etc) median and average $/sq. ft. increased year-over-year. In fact, if you use average $/sq. ft. instead of median, like the article references, there was a 9.5% increase across Arlington.

In this case average is a better statistical measure than median, but of course the median $/sq. ft. made for a better story.

Accurate Headlines From The First Nine Months

While I have the data together comparing the first nine months of 2019 to the first nine months of 2018, I’ll go ahead and offer up five headlines that accurately represent the Arlington real estate market through September 2019:

  • The market is up, but not by as much as you might think based on some news stories. The average purchase price in Arlington jumped 5.8% to just over $722,000.
  • A lack of inventory drove total sales down by 8%, with the biggest drop-off showing up in the condo market which suffered from a 12.3% drop in sales, led by a 13.6% drop in two-bedroom condo sales.
  • The price range of the middle 50% of homes jumped from $380,000-$864,300 in 2018 to $415,000-$916,000 in 2019, a 9.2% increase in the lower limit and a 6% increase in the upper limit. This indicates that the Amazon-effect is impacting lower price points faster than upper price points which makes sense because investors and other speculators are more likely to purchase at lower prices.
  • Good properties sold much faster in 2019 with 62.7% of homes selling in the first 10 days, compared to 46.4% in 2018. The craziest stat? 85.5% of 2 BR townhomes/duplexes sold within the first 10 days.
  • Price growth in the 22202 zip code, the area surrounding Pentagon City and Crystal City aka National Landing aka Bezosville, led all Arlington zip codes with a 13.7% jump in average sold price.

If you ever run across market data you’re not sure about or would like a customized data analysis, please reach out to me at [email protected].

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to set-up an in-person meeting to discuss local real estate, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

Neighborhood Spotlight: Punch Bowl Social Brings Burgers, Brews and Board Games to Ballston

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

For this Neighborhood Spotlight, we’re joining Sean Sneed of The Keri Shull Team as he gives us the rundown on Punch Bowl Social, a hot new spot for food, drinks and games in Arlington.

Originally founded in Denver, Colorado, Punch Bowl Social has expanded to include many locations across the country, each with its own unique theme in decor and menu. The Arlington location — which sits in the Ballston Quarter alongside some of our previous spotlights — is designed with a circus in mind.

Brett Ramsdell, the general manager of Arlington’s Punch Bowl Social, shed some light on this design choice. The team became fascinated by the “Great Elephant Escape” — an event that saw 4 elephants escaping from a traveling exhibit in 1906, in the area that is now known as Arlington. Though the elephants were eventually rounded up after several days, some managed to travel dozens of miles from their enclosures.

This circus theme is a perfect fit for the whimsical atmosphere inside Punch Bowl Social. With its bright lights and vast collection of games, Punch Bowl Social is a bastion of pure fun. Customers can pay to play table tennis, sing karaoke, or even go bowling inside the arcade, all while sipping on a signature cocktail.

For the retro-inclined, Punch Bowl Social also offers a traditional arcade experience of cabinet-mounted video games.

What’s more, Punch Bowl Social is also equipped with a full collection of classic and modern board games, all of which customers can play for free at their tables.

Punch Bowl Social doesn’t skimp on fun when it comes to food and drinks, either. Customers can enjoy any of the three signature punches — or the Punch of the Day — in a shareable bowl, true to the arcade’s name. For food, Ramsdell recommends the Knockoff Burger, a two-patty sandwich that’s designed to mimic an iconic fast food meal.

Don’t feel like drinking punch? That’s okay! Punch Bowl Social also boasts an enormous menu of wines, beers and mixed drinks, all made with the freshest possible ingredients. And if you’re worried about missing work tomorrow, don’t fret — the drink menu features an impressive collection of non-alcoholic beverages, made with the same craftsmanship as the stiffer stuff.

With so many options for artisan food, delicious cocktails and games for all ages, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to unwind after work than Punch Bowl Social.

Are you interested in living in Ballston, or any other of the unique neighborhoods in the D.C. Metro area? Contact The Keri Shull Team today to learn about how we can help you find your dream home — for a price you’ll love!

Your Beermonger: Port City’s Got the Ways & Means… Again

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway). Sign up for Nick’s email newsletter and also receive exclusive discounts and offers.

During my time working for Port City, the decision was made to bring its Session Rye IPA, Ways & Means, off the wider market and make it a tasting room house beer, I understood, but never completely got over it.

Beyond the recognition Ways & Means got in awards, it got national attention as a great example of what Session IPA could be. Also, I was a sucker for its combination of spicy rye malt character with big hop aromas and flavors, so I was happy to hear that six-packs of Ways & Means were coming back out.

With their arriving this week, I reached out to my former boss, Port City’s Bill Butcher, to get some more info on this returning favorite.

The first change you’ll notice with Ways & Means is its packaging. It has a very nice new label and six-pack design, a harbinger of full package rebranding to come in 2020. Changes can be found in the bottle as well as outside of it: over the time it spent as a house beer, the Ways & Means recipe was tweaked slightly but not insignificantly.

Like all Port City beers, Ways was and is packaged unfiltered; Bill Butcher told me during its time in the tasting room Ways started to be kegged unfined as well, with a warm dry-hop addition of 100% Citra hops to punch up the aromatics. Butcher tells me PCBC Head Brewer Jonathan Reeves likes to say they’re “‘using hazy techniques for our non-hazy beer’,” but you may notice a touch of cloudiness to your new Ways & Means.

Asked why Ways & Means is reappearing now, Butcher cited “quite a bit of great feedback and demand for package” the beer had been receiving since going in-house. That’s not the only reason, however.

“Also, we are seeing lots of interest in lower alcohol, lower calorie beers. At 4.5% ABV, and 122 calories per bottle, this one fits the bill nicely.” He and the team at Port City decided to roll Ways back out now because they think “the hoppy flavor profile makes for a great fall session beer.”

Ways & Means isn’t going to be the only session-strength offering we’ll see from Port City during the next year; a new Session Ale will arrive for the spring, replacing Ways & Means on the market until the season comes around again. You can find Ways & Means in stock at Arrowine and stores around the area — but c’mon, buy it at Arrowine.

Until next time, which should be very interesting.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

928 26th Street S.
5 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: Neighborhood Real Estate, Llc
Listed: $1,299,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

 

6930 27th Road N.
4 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $939,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

112 S. Barton Street
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $839,900
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

4820 8th Street S.
3 BD/2 BA single-family home
Agent: Re/Max Allegiance
Listed: $699,900
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

2428 S. Oxford Street
3 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Re/Max Allegiance
Listed: $560,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

2100 Lee Highway #224
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $459,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

4401 Lee Highway #78
1 BD/1 BA condo
Agent: Optime Realty
Listed: $249,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Arlington’s real estate market took a siesta this week. Both buyers and sellers were napping big time.

Sellers listed only 45 homes, and buyers ratified only 36 contracts. What’s up with that? Last October, sellers were averaging 60 new listings a week, and buyers were ratifying 58 contracts.

Mortgage rates did increase earlier this week, then fell back a bit to settle at 3.75% for a 30-yr fixed rate. A year ago, that rate was 4.86%. The gradual drop in interest rates has helped home prices continue to grow.

Nationally, the average price of homes rose 5.9% over last year. In Arlington, detached home prices rose 6%. But Arlington condos are a tale of two markets. Condo prices in North Arlington actually dropped 0.2% as more inventory entered the market, while prices in South Arlington were up 23%. Remember, the Amazon announcement came in November last year.

There’s some good news for veterans. The Veterans Administration has announced that its coveted “no money down” mortgage program will no longer have limits on purchase price. Previously, the 100% loan program capped out at about $726,000 for our area. Soon, there will be no cap. For more information, ask Team Cathell or contact your preferred lender.

Click to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

Boring Title: Thad Wise from First Savings Mortgage

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

This week, we sat down with Thad Wise of First Savings Mortgage, to talk about the low rates we’ve had the past 3-4 months, whether or not now is a good time to purchase a property, and how to select a lender and/or agent.

If you have any questions about the market, or are looking for a great loan officer, send Thad an email at [email protected].

Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [email protected]. Want to use Allied Title & Escrow when you buy a home? Tell your agent when you buy a house to write in Allied Title & Escrow as your settlement company!

Get Three Months Free Internet From Starry in October!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Starry, the Boston-based internet provider that launched in D.C. about a year ago, is quickly expanding its network coverage throughout D.C. and Arlington.

As a Halloween treat, the company is offering new subscribers 90 days of free service with promo code SCARYFAST90 from now through October 31.

If you’re tired of your internet provider, Starry Internet will be a refreshing change. The company offers a very straightforward deal of $50/month all-in (taxes and router included, no additional fees) for 200 mbps plan speeds. No data caps, no long-term contracts, or bundles. You can also choose your own 30 minute installation window around your schedule and Starry provides 24/7 customer support from a locally based team of experts.

Check if Starry is available at your address.

If Starry is not available in your building yet, you can contact your Property Manager to let them know that you’re interested in this new internet provider. You can also join their interest list and Starry will email you as soon as the service is available at your address.

Condo Board Members, Building Property Managers and Owners who want to bring Starry to their residents can reach out directly to have Starry installed in their building.

Arts Focus: Creative Gifts for the Holiday Season

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is written and sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Looking for one-of-a-kind gifts this holiday season? Arlington’s artists and creatives have the answer via two upcoming events to help you #shoplocal for unique treasures for holiday gift giving!

Lee Arts Center Fine Crafts Show and Sale
November 9-10
Saturday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Sunday (12-4 p.m.)

Handmade ceramic vessels. Vibrant prints. Luminous jewelry… Undoubtedly the studio artists of Arlington’s Lee Arts Center have created something to delight those on your gift list, and it’s waiting for you to discover at their annual show and sale. Some of our regions finest artists work out of Arlington’s Lee Arts Center, a quaint 1920’s elementary school on Lee Highway that, when it was deemed too historic to demolish, but too impractical for continued school usage, was converted into a community cultural center by Arlington Arts.

Participating artists include:

Ceramics — Connie Bergere, Dana Lehrer Danze, Donna Downing, Susan Elliott, Laura Fall, Jan Filsinger, Mami Grignol, Jyotshna ‘J’ Herbert & Maddie Palmer, Helen Hensgen, Veronika Jenke, Scott Kaye, Klaudia Levin, Polina Miller, Hiromi Minemura, Catherine Satterlee, Victoria Truhn and Terry Young.

Prints — Sue Mason, Wes Muntain and Janis Sweeney

Prints and Ceramics — Janet Gohres

Ceramics and Jewelry — Marsha Lederman, Darlene Tsukamoto and Alanna Rivera

For information on the annual sale, call the Lee Arts Center at 703-228-0560 or click here.

Made In Arlington Pop Up Shops
Thursdays (11 a.m.-2 p.m.)
November 7-December 19 (excluding Thanksgiving Day)

Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development’s Creative Economy program, Made in Arlington returns just in time for the holiday season! Visit the Plaza Branch Library (in Courthouse Plaza lobby) for this pop-up retail market dedicated to unique things beautiful, wearable and edible from innovators and artisans in Arlington.

Find favorites like Livin the Pie Life and Kingsbury Chocolates and welcome new vendors like Tried and Truhn pottery and Artisan Confections. Click here for details.

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