Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Small Biz Focus: Why Online Reviews Matter — The Obvious and Not So Obvious

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development. This is a guest SmallBiz Focus post written by Justin Gooderham, owner of Dalton Digital in Arlington.

For small businesses, your online reputation can make or break you.

This is especially true for local businesses. About 88% of Google searches on mobile devices are for services or goods in the area, which means that a large number of potential customers who are looking for information on local businesses can be persuaded one way or another based on online reviews.

So, what exactly is an online review? It’s a digital rating of a business or product created by a consumer that appears on a website. Reviews can appear on the company’s own website — think Amazon ­– but review aggregator services like Yelp and Google My Business are just as popular. For home service providers like painters, handymen and landscapers, websites like HomeAdvisor are popular places for customers to leave reviews — good and bad.

Below are three reasons why online reviews matter, and how you can leverage them to grow your business.

1. Digital Word-of-Mouth

In the days before the internet, if you had a positive­ or negative­ experience with a business, you would tell a friend or two and they might tell a friend or two. Nowadays, your online review for a business can be seen by thousands. These ratings are an important factor in a customer’s decision on whether to hire or patronize a business.

According to one study:

  • 90% of consumers read online reviews
  • 88% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
  • 31% are likely to spend more on businesses with “excellent” reviews
  • 72% say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more
  • 94% of online shoppers say that they will avoid a business with negative reviews

Take Action Today

Set up a Google My Business listing (GMB). It’s a free and easy way to showcase your business and provides a convenient forum to start gathering reviews. Ask customers to review you by simply sending them a brief, friendly mail and linking to your GMB listing.

If you have more of a niche business, there is likely a review aggregator website specific to your industry, like Angie’s List. Find yours, create a profile and ask customers for reviews.

2. Online Reviews are a Two-Way Street

Consumers today expect companies to respond to their comments. While no company looks forward to a negative review, it can represent an opportunity to connect, clarify or gather feedback that can ultimately help your business in the long run. Be sure to consistently monitor your online review channels and websites and take the time to respond to good and bad reviews­ alike.

While most websites do not let you alter or remove negative comments or reviews, they will usually let you respond. Doing so in a timely, non-defensive and cordial way shows that customer — and potentially hundreds of others — that you care and are responsive to your customers.

Take Action Today

Google yourself and your company name or go to Yelp or your industry-specific review website and do a search. Websites like Yelp allow customers to provide a review about a business, even if the business has not set up a profile.

If this is the case, you can “claim” the page as the owner, which gives you the ability to reply. Identify all the websites that are showing reviews about your business and respond accordingly. Again, be sure to thank happy customers for their review. This goes a long way when others are reviewing the comments.

If there are negative comments, do your best to understand where the customer is coming from and offer to make things right. Don’t lose your cool, as this can reflect poorly on you by others who are monitoring.

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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.

In case you haven’t heard, we have a big, new neighbor: Amazon.

Yesterday (Tuesday, September 17), the company held a career day in Crystal City. Currently, according to the Washington Post, there are currently 170 Amazon jobs open in Arlington and the company has a goal of hiring 400 folks in the county by year’s end.

Surely, there will be more career fairs and more employment openings as construction begins on its HQ2 in the first quarter of 2020. We’ll certainly keep an eye on it and keep you in the loop.

In the meantime, the “Amazon Effect” in our area remains strong, with Arlington and Alexandria recently topping Redfin’s list of the most competitive real estate markets in the nation.

To navigate these interesting (and exciting!) times, you’ll need a reliable team advocating for you. When you’re ready to roll, Arlington Realty has been the area’s family-owned, trusted choice since 1984. Let’s make your real estate dreams a reality, regardless of what end of a transaction you may be on.

As of September 16, there are 149 detached homes, 29 townhouses and 105 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 22 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.

Laser of Arlington: Tailored Skin Care, Conscientious Pricing

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The care and comfort provided by Laser of Arlington since its opening in 2016 is complemented by the spacious Medspa’s dedication to exceeding expectations, as well as remaining affordable and economical, with up-front pricing for the state-of-the-art skin care services.

As such, Laser of Arlington has been voted “Best MedSpa” by Northern Virginia Magazine and ranks among the top in the region on “People Love Us on Yelp.”

The experienced staff of medically trained, licensed, and certified LMEs and registered nurses, led by Roshauna Singh, provide a complete range of aesthetic services, including Laser Hair Removal, CoolSculpting, Body Contouring, Botox, Injectables and Fillers, Chemical Peels, Laser Skin Rejuvenation and Anti Aging Treatments that are customized to each client’s expected outcomes and desires in improving their appearance, all the while staying within budget.

A complimentary consultation with staff members assures clients their selected treatment is tailored for their needs and is the right one for them as they target the areas they have the most concern about.

Singh and her team of professional clinicians are trained and skilled on today’s most effective and safe technologies. As a bonus, Laser of Arlington is noted for using specialized laser hair removal and other services on clients of all colors and skin tones, services not readily available elsewhere.

Contact Laser of Arlington for a free consultation!

Laser of Arlington is at 3111 10th Street N., near the Clarendon Metro. Free garage parking is available on Hudson Street. For more information email at [email protected] or call 703-812-5025.

See the website or instagram for more details about services and pricing.

Ask Eli: 71% of Homes Sell Within Ten Days

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: How fast are homes selling in Arlington this year and how does that compare to previous years?

Answer: Days on Market measures the number of days between a home being listed for sale and when it goes under contract. Low days on market is one of the leading indicators of a hot market and signals future price appreciation.

The most common way to measure this is average or median Days on Market, currently 33 days and 9 days over the last six months in Arlington, but I also like to track the percentage of homes that go under contract within the first ten days. I generally find that this metric gives buyers and sellers a better feel of the market.

Fast & Furious 2019

The percentage of homes that go under contract within ten days has skyrocketed in 2019, doubling the rate seen in 2015 and 2016. Below, you can see how demand for South Arlington homes has been increasing relative to North Arlington over the last three years, not just since the Amazon HQ2 announcement in November 2018.

The table below breaks the market down a bit further by number of bedrooms within each market. Note the incredible demand of one and two bedroom homes (mostly condos) in South Arlington, with well over 80% going under contract within ten days. Even more impressive is that only about 25% of one bedroom South Arlington properties were selling within ten days as recently as 2015 and 2016. If you bought one before the madness, congratulations!

Prepare To Pay

Sellers control the negotiations during the first ten days of a sale and the price paid on homes going under contract within the first ten days reflect that, with an average purchase price well above the asking price.

The table below breaks the market down a bit further by number of bedrooms within each market. It is based on net sold price (sold price less any seller credits). In South Arlington, homes that go under contract within the first ten days on market are averaging a net sold price nearly 2% higher than the seller’s asking price.

One important takeaway from this data is that in 2019 buyers making an offer on a property that has recently hit the market have become accustomed to including escalations, which is why you see average prices well above the asking price.

What Does It Mean?

Unsurprisingly, some national studies have determined that Arlington and Alexandria are the country’s hottest real estate markets. That’s great news for home owners, especially those looking to make a move into a less expensive market, renting, or downsizing. The frustration for buyers comes from all sides as well. There’s very little inventory to choose from and, as detailed above, good inventory moves quickly and for a premium.

If you’re considering selling, it’s important to understand just how high you can price your home without overpricing and missing the market, which can lead poor results.

If you’re hoping to buy a home, planning and preparation are critical. Despite the market conditions, I have worked with a lot of buyers this year who have found success in Arlington, but it requires the right approach.

I am available every day of the week to meet or schedule a call if you’d like to discuss your options to buy, sell, or rent in Arlington or the surrounding Northern Virginia, D.C., and Maryland Suburb communities. Just send me an email at [email protected] to schedule some time to talk.

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.

Ortho OIC Offers Direct Access Option for Orthopaedic Injuries

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Ortho OIC Orthopaedic Immediate Care is the first of its kind in this area; a standalone orthopaedic immediate care facility.

The facility represents an emerging service line for the delivery of healthcare. Ortho OIC Orthopaedic Immediate Care (OIC) was developed to address the growing patient need for urgent and off hour treatment options for orthopaedic conditions.

Traditionally, patients with non-emergent orthopaedic injuries, that occur outside of the standard office hours have been faced with limited treatment options. Often, the patients have no choice but to go through the nearest hospital-based emergency facility. The healthcare industry is forced to bear the significant financial burden of treating these non-emergent patients in the hospital-based emergency facility.

Ortho OIC Orthopaedic Immediate Care is open Monday thru Friday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday from 12-4 p.m. The office offers online scheduling and walk-in appointments are always welcomed. The clinic is staffed by orthopaedic specialists and features onsite digital x-ray and dry lab.

Ortho OIC treats adults and children with acute orthopaedic injuries including sprains and strains, sports injuries, fractures, ligament and tendon injuries, back and neck pain and suturing for simple lacerations. The facility also treats work-related musculoskeletal injuries. In addition to on site x-ray, the clinic provides casting and bracing services. Ortho OIC accepts most types of insurance and features short wait times.

Ortho OIC was developed by Dr. Lonnie Davis. Dr. Davis has been in private practice in Northern Virginia for nearly 15 years, where he specializes in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. Dr. Davis earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Indiana University and fellowship training in Arlington, Virginia.

Connect with Ortho OIC on Facebook or tweet @orthooic.

Thank You To Our Advertisers

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

ARLnow.com is an advertiser-supported independent local news website.

Our advertisers allow us to hire reporters and bring their local reporting to the entire community without a paywall. Please join us in supporting local organizations that support local journalism.

Interested in advertising? Check out our 2019 media kit.

Neighborhood Spotlight: The Local Oyster

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


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

In the latest Neighborhood Spotlight, Jamie FitzGerald of The Keri Shull Team gives us the details on The Local Oyster in Ballston.

Whether you are a hardcore oyster fan or completely new to the shucked shellfish, there’s something for you at The Local Oyster.

The roots of The Local Oyster are clear from the name, according to manager Will Brewster, who says that they “started about four years ago […] shucking oysters on the side of the road.” In the time since, the Local Oyster opened its first permanent location in Baltimore, before bringing their delicious fare to join the other great spots in Ballston Quarter several months ago.

The oyster experts have made sure that their featured critters are indeed local, including their house oyster, the Skinny Dipper. This Maryland catch, which Brewster describes as an “intersection of briny and sweet,” joins a wide selection of oysters from the DMV area and beyond.

For those of you who are not fans of raw oysters, don’t worry! The Local Oyster’s robust menu boasts a full complement of mouth-watering seafood, including steamed jumbo gulf shrimp, whole lobsters and a crab cake that was touted as one of the twenty best in Baltimore — high praise indeed!

The local focus extends beyond the seafood, too! The Local Oyster is quickly gaining a name as a spot for craft beer lovers, with a rotating tap of local craft brews. The hip joint also offers a robust list of spirits, making it one of the only places in the Ballston Quarter to boast a full bar.

In particular, Brewster recommends the Crush, a drink that The Local Oyster brought with them from Baltimore. This drink, which features freshly hand-squeezed juices, is a perfect refreshment as we reach the end of the hot summer.

The Local Oyster has plenty of specials to enjoy throughout the week, including Happy Hour and Dollar Oyster Days — and Brewster is hoping to add to that list in the near future.

No matter if you’re looking to shoot back some local oysters and high quality spirits, or just shoot the breeze with your pals over a craft beer, make sure to check out The Local Oyster in Ballston Quarter.

Are you interested in living in Ballston, or any of the wonderful surrounding neighborhoods? Contact The Keri Shull Team at 703-952-7653 or [email protected], and we’ll help put you in a home to meet all of your needs!

Your Beermonger: Better Know a Beer — Anderson Valley Black Rice Ale

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.

Part of my job is to constantly find new beers to stock.

I like those beers, of course, but occasionally a beer comes along that really gets me. This happened recently with the new Black Rice Ale from Anderson Valley Brewing Company. At only 3.8% ABV, it ticks the “session” box; as a year-round, it ticks the “if you make something good, make it available all the time” box; it’s tasty as hell, so it ticks the “tasty as hell” box.

There’s only so much information online about Black Rice Ale, so I asked our local AVBC rep if he had anything else to pass along. What he did was put me in touch with Fal Allen, AVBC’s brewmaster since 2000 and an industry veteran who started his pro career at Redhook in 1988. Yes, I was excited to chat.

Allen told me he had tried Chinese black rice, aka Forbidden or Emperor’s rice, in a dish. “I had no idea what it was but the rich nutty flavor was compelling. I immediately thought that it would work well in a beer.” AVBC’s site describes Black Rice as a Nut Brown, in fact.

I asked Allen if the intent actually was to make a Nut Brown or if they were searching for a style to suit the black rice. “It was really a matter of finding a style that the beer fit into,” he responded, adding “it is not really a nut brown ale but people want to know what it is like… we thought that it was closest to a nut brown ale.”

Allen noted they could also have compared it to Schwarzbier, but being neither German in style, nor a Lager ruled that out “although the beer certainly tastes like a schwartz bier.”

This hit on what, to me, is probably the most intriguing aspect of Black Rice Ale — how it melds roasty flavors of Black Ales and Lagers with the nuttier tones of American and English Browns. I wondered what the black rice actually brought to the beer besides being a cool ingredient to throw in the mash. Allen said the rice gives the beer its “delicious dark color,” and “a nice nutty flavor,” and doesn’t think it contributed anything to the beer’s aroma.

Remembering how the 2014 release of AVBC’s Gose sparked a new era for the brewery (and for Sour Ales in America in general), and noticing that Black Rice arrives at the same time as the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Stouts and Porters moving from bombers to cans and the introduction of its new Hibiscus Rozelle, I asked Allen if we were seeing another instance of Anderson Valley not quite reinventing itself, but refocusing.

“I agree it does feel a little like that, but I think it was more to do with a change in attitude,” he explained. “We are not trying to reinvent ourselves so much as we are trying to get our products out to market a little better.” The unpainted cans AVBC uses allows them to more quickly take what may be initially a draft-only offering and get it out to a wider audience if the response is good.

With bottle sales way down and cans on the rise on the East Coast, that promises more cool AVBC beers on the horizon. For now, check out Black Rice Ale if you see it around.

Upcoming Beer Events at Arrowine:

TODAY — Friday, September 13, 5-7 p.m. — Tom Blanch of Sierra Nevada
Saturday, September 21, 1-4 p.m. — Devon Callan of Reason Beer Company
Saturday, October 5, 12-3 p.m. — Patrick Cashin of Charm City Meadworks
Friday, November 8, 5-7 p.m. — Jesse Ploeg of Potter’s Craft Cider

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:

2815 N. Lexington Street
6 BD/ 5 BA, 2 half bath single-family home
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $1,999,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1511 N. Rolfe Street, A101
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $1,050,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

2310 S. Dinwiddie Street
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $859,999
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

1126 N. Randolph Street
3 BD/3 BA villa/townhouse
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $760,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

744 S. Granada Street
3 BD/2 BA, 3 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $619,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2848 S. Abingdon Street
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $499,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2725 S. Walter Reed Drive, B
2 BD/1 BA condo
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $378,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 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 picked up some steam this week as we head into a typically strong fall market.

Sellers did their part by listing 72 homes, while buyers ratified 48 contracts. That’s an improvement over last week’s 45 ratified contracts, but I would have expected much more this week.

The week started with interest rates taking some leaps. The 30-yr fixed rate mortgage went from 3.5% last week to 3.625%-3.75% early this week. Despite the uptick, the number of mortgage purchase loan applications so far this month is up 9% over last year, according to Freddie Mac.

So far, all the media talk about a possible recession around the corner hasn’t hurt our housing market locally. One of the first indicators that our local market is slowing is the number of sales in luxury homes. Higher end sales are doing well. Last summer, there were 88 homes that sold for $1.2 million or more. This summer, there were 106 sales, and the days on market dropped from 92 to 45. However the average sales price also dropped a bit from $1,639,246 last summer to $1,609,176.

Buyers should be happy to hear that Arlington’s inventory has improved. Just a few months ago, there was less than 1 months supply, meaning at that pace of sales there would be no homes left to buy if nothing else was listed. This week the inventory is now 1.4 months, a big improvement.

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

VIDA Fitness Offers Special Rates in Anticipation of Upcoming Ballston Location

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

VIDA Fitness is expanding our family and opening our doors in Virginia!

Lock in our special Ballston introductory rate by September 18, to take advantage of pricing that will never be this low again! You will receive discounted personal training, discounts off Aura spa services, access to SweatBox and much more!

Coming in early 2020, VIDA Ballston will be our sixth location and promises to offer all the exceptional and upscale amenities that members have come to expect over the years.

VIDA has been voted the Best Gym in D.C. by Washington City Paper and The Washingtonian, and offers countless services to promote a healthy and happy lifestyle. VIDA features state-of-the-art equipment, and boasts spacious weight room floors perfect for all types of strength work. We draw some of the best instructors in the D.C. area to drive results and engage members in hundreds of classes on our expansive group fitness schedule.

Between yoga, mat Pilates, barre, Zumba, Body Pump and much much more, we have something that every member is sure to enjoy. Our dedicated staff of Personal Trainers are some of the best in the industry, and will work with you to create and design individual workout plans to help you achieve your goals.

All of our facilities feature luxurious locker rooms that are fully stocked to ensure you have everything you need to start your day, and leave the gym feeling refreshed. Relax in our steam rooms and saunas after your workout, and enjoy quality Bang Salon products to leave feeling nourished and restored.

Visit www.vidaballston.com today, and become the latest member of the VIDA family! We can’t wait to share the VIDA experience with you.

Follow VIDA Fitness on Facebook and tweet @VIDAFitnessDC to stay up to date!

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