Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Arts Focus: Local Artists Make Holiday Gift Shopping A Snap

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.

Small Business Saturday is this weekend, but there are plenty of upcoming opportunities in Arlington to shop local for creative, distinctive artist-made gifts for the holiday season!

Made In Arlington Pop Up Shops
Every Thursday (excluding Thanksgiving Day) thru December 20 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

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.

Upcoming pop-up’s include;

  • Melanie Lee handcrafts and District Line Clothing — November 29
  • bakt by Ingrid and Luna Blu Mar — December 6
  • Village Sweet and Diane Felice jewelry — December 13
  • Pinup Preserves and Sik Imagery — December 20

Click here for more information.

GRUMP Rosslyn
Saturday, December 1

With 45 unique vendors, free arts workshops and the opportunity for your kids to meet a Yeti or two, GRUMP is a fantastic way to shop handmade and local this holiday season.

Vendors range from Potomac Chocolate, and the popular regional bakery Whisked DC, to inspired textiles by vendors like Scarvelous, Seeing in Fabric and quirky creatures for the kids by TigerFlight! Meet your creative neighbors, all while hanging out in the beautiful SPACES building in Rosslyn, sponsored by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District and Arlington Arts. Click here for more information.

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.

We hope your appetites are ready for tomorrow. But, before you dive into your massive Turkey Day feast, our team wanted to take a moment to wish you and yours a happy Thanksgiving!

We’re thankful for your readership, your engagement and your business here in Arlington County and beyond.

Beyond our gratitude to you, we collectively have so much to be thankful for here in our area. Our local economy is thriving, our schools are among the best in the nation, our outdoor amenities are world-class and there are so many promising things on the horizon, spanning new real estate projects to Amazon’s HQ2 arrival.

When you’re ready to chat real estate, our team is ready (and thankful!) for you — we’re always happy to help you GET MORE out of your transaction. But, for now, enjoy your holiday and the leftovers that may come with it. Cheers!

As of November 17, there are 181 detached homes, 44 townhouses and 197 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 17 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week.

Here is this week’s selection of Just Reduced properties:

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.

Ask Eli: The Amazon Impact — Part 1 of Many

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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

Question: What impact has Amazon’s announcement had on Arlington’s real estate market?

Answer: Wouldn’t it be funny if I wrote about something other than Amazon this week? I’ll come back to this topic every 4-8 weeks to provide an analysis on how Amazon’s decision (and probably Apple too) is changing our local real estate market by combining my normal data analysis with experiences of my clients and my colleagues around the D.C. metro area.

Key Data Following the Announcement

On Saturday, November 3 the Washington Post broke news that Amazon HQ2 was in final discussions with Crystal City and by Monday, November 5, the impact on property values was all over the national news.

Late on Monday, November 12, the Walls Street Journal reported the decision was final, and the next day, it was confirmed by Amazon. Let’s take a look at market activity in Arlington over the last two weeks since the news broke:

  • The November 3 WaPo announcement created the biggest surge with investors pouncing and owner-occupants accelerating their timelines. From November 4-12, 100 properties went under contract. Historically, about 200 properties have gone under contract the entire month of November.
  • Since the news became official the night of November 12, 46 more properties went under contract, for a total of nearly 150 properties under contract in a two-week period, surpassing the activity during the same period in previous years by over 50%.
  • I figured a lot of the increased activity would be in the condo market, but the percentage of contracts on condos is in-line with historical trends (about half of all contract activity)
  • While we won’t know how much the market is appreciating until these properties close (when purchase price is released) investors and owner-occupants seem willing to spend more.
    Historically, properties that have gone under contract in November averaged an asking price in the low $600’s and median asking price in low/mid $500’s. Properties under contract in the last two weeks averaged an asking price of $698,000 and median asking price of $625,000.
  • The surge in purchase activity has not been off-set with a surge in new inventory. We’ve had 89 properties listed for sale since the November 3 WaPo announcement, which is barely higher than the same period in prior years.
  • After removing age-restricted housing and the River Place Cooperative, there are less than 350 properties currently for sale and the average asking price of those properties skews abnormally high. The current average asking price is over $995,000 and median asking price is $812,500, compared with an average asking price in the mid $800’s and median price in the mid/upper $600’s historically during this time of year.

My Experience So Far

I knew we were in for a wild ride when buyers I was working with started running into multiple offers and escalations on properties that had been sitting for weeks/months.

Generally, the odds of running into multiple offers after a property has been on the market for a full week are slim, yet every one of the buyers I worked with on an offer in Northern VA over the last two weeks found themselves competing against at least one other very strong offer.

Another investor I’ve been working with ran into 11 competing offers on an old condo in northern Alexandria that normally would have sat on the market for a couple of months.

On the listing side, we’ve had people reaching out about properties that were already under contract and off the market (rarely happened previously). Remember the new 12-unit condo building near Rosslyn I wrote about on October 30? All six of the two-bedroom units are under contract at full price and with the six three-bedroom units almost finished, we expect those to move just as quickly.

From what I’ve gleaned from offers I’ve been part of and activity my colleagues have seen, there’s been an almost overnight increase of 2-5% on most properties in Arlington and northern Alexandria. It doesn’t seem like D.C. or outside the beltway in Northern Virginia is experiencing as notable of a bump, at least not yet.

What I’m Watching For

I am really interested in how the Amazon news fits in with the winter market we usually experience, highlighted by fewer homes listed for sale and slower buying activity.

December historically produces the fewest new properties for sale, by a wide margin, and also tends to offer buyers the best opportunity to negotiate bigger discounts, but I highly doubt this December will offer buyers much in the way of negotiating.

The big question is whether the Amazon news will push a higher number of home owners to sell and buck the low-inventory trend. If new inventory remains low as sellers prepare their homes for the spring market, I wouldn’t be surprised if home owners who make it to market in December/January walk away with significant returns. The pace of new inventory will be key.

I also doubt the purchase momentum will continue at this pace, but will be watching closely with interest. A lot of the activity over the last two weeks was driven by investors, but I suspect many who didn’t get under contract in the first two weeks will hesitate for fear of not getting in early enough (I’ve heard this from a few of my investor clients already).

While many investors will take a step back, I think owner-occupants will continue to be active in the market and willing to pay the new premium, knowing that there is still a much higher ceiling for appreciation over the length of their ownership.

If you are interested in testing the market as a buyer, seller, or investor and want to talk in more detail about your options, feel free to give me a call at 703-539-2529 or email me at [email protected]

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, 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 DC, and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

Listing of the Day: 3804 14th Street N.

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Address: 3804 14th Street N.
Neighborhood: Ballston-Virginia Square
Listed: $998,000
Open: Sunday, November 25 from 1-4 p.m.

This charming, single-family home places you in the heart of Arlington. Enjoy neighboring trails, shopping, restaurants, parks, library and great schools all less than a mile walk to the Clarendon or Ballston Metro. A great investment that offers metropolitan living in a welcoming neighborhood.

A solid, well-maintained brick home with expansive first floor layout is perfect for entertaining. The classic country kitchen has plenty of cabinets and counter space. Vintage French doors in the formal dining room connect an enormous living room and family room with stone trimmed gas fireplace.

Step out onto a bluestone patio and fenced-in flat back yard with raised organic garden beds. The second floor’s uncommonly large four bedrooms are a must see. The master bedroom with ensuite includes the option to double in size to a master suite with a balcony, dressing room and office, nursery or gym.

Attached garage with automatic garage door, plus off-street parking for two cars in driveway and room for more.

The updated efficient ENERGY STAR HVAC, double pane windows and added insulation assure comfort year-round.

Ready to move in with updated bathrooms, new carpets, fresh paint, hard-wired CAT5e and ready-to-go security system.

Listed by:
Miriam Gennari
Ikon Realty
Office: 703-658-3999
Cell: 703-309-1600
[email protected]

‘Miracle on 23rd Street’ — Melwood is Keeping the Tradition Alive and Better Than Ever

The time-honored Arlington holiday tradition, Miracle on 23rd Street, continues this year with its festive community tree lighting, arrival of Santa Claus and seasonal celebration to benefit those in need to kick off the holiday season.

Melwood, the leading nonprofit employer of people of differing abilities and wounded veterans in the Greater Washington D.C. metro area, is hosting this year’s event after recently acquiring Linden Resources, an Arlington organization of a similar mission, which previously hosted the event for more than 50 years.

“Melwood is proud to keep the tradition alive as we set up our new campus in Crystal City and make friends with our new neighbors,” said Cari DeSantis, president and CEO of Melwood. “We are excited about becoming part of this vibrant community, and we hope to make this longstanding traditional event better than ever.”

The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 30, at 750 23rd Street South in Crystal City. Admission is free and you can register at this site.

The celebration begins with the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree and the much-anticipated arrival of Santa, escorted by representatives of Arlington’s Police and Fire Departments. Photo opportunities with Saint Nick, face painting and free cookies are included in the festivities. New this year is a “virtual reality sleigh ride,” compliments of electronics pioneer, Samsung.

Melwood is one of the largest employers of people of differing abilities in the country, employing more than 1,600 workers — nearly 1,000 of whom are of differing abilities.

For 55 years, Melwood has offered job placement, job training, life skills for independence, and support services to more than 2,500 people each year in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Its merger with Linden Resources last year, allowed for an expansion of job opportunities, partnerships and services in a larger geographical area.

Legal Insider: Rights for Federal Employees in Disciplinary Cases

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

More common types of federal agency “adverse actions” (more serious discipline) include removal, demotion, reduction in grade or suspensions of greater than 14 days. Some types of “disciplinary actions” (lessor discipline) include letters of warning, letters of reprimand, oral or written counseling or suspensions of less than 15 days.

Federal Employee Rights in Disciplinary Cases

If a federal employee is issued a proposed disciplinary action, the proposal will normally include a description of the alleged misconduct and the type of charge against the employee (e.g., insubordination, theft, conduct unbecoming, lack of performance, etc.).

Federal employees in adverse action matters (suspensions of 15 days and above, and demotion matters) and in some disciplinary actions (suspensions of any length (usually 14 days and below)) have the following rights: (1) right to an attorney; (2) right to respond to the proposal in writing or orally, and (3) the right to review all of the materials relied upon in the issuance of the Proposal.

We recommend that employees involved in proposed disciplinary or adverse action always request from the agency all of the materials that it is relying upon to propose discipline. Sometimes disciplinary actions will not be drafted properly and reviewing the materials relied upon can help in responding to the discipline.

Present Both a Written and Oral Response

We also usually recommend, in most cases, that a federal employee present both a written response and an oral response to the deciding official (the decision maker on the disciplinary action) in a proposed disciplinary or adverse action.

The oral response portion of a federal employee’s response can be extremely important and usually follows the submission of the written response.

Typically, when we assist federal employees in this regard, we obtain a full statement of facts from the federal employee involved and prepare a full written rebuttal to the allegations. We also contact the deciding official in the personnel action and request an appointment for the oral response.

In these types of cases, we respond to both the merits of the alleged conduct and argue for mitigation under the Douglas Factors. Douglas Factors typically are mitigating reasons as to why a particular disciplinary penalty should be reduced (i.e., based on years of successful performance, no prior disciplinary actions, lack of clarity about the rules at issue and other reasons why a disciplinary penalty should not be so harsh).

Conclusion

If you are in need of assistance in the federal employee discipline process please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Rethink Energy: Button Up Before the Cold Arrives

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This regularly-scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

People don’t see insulation so they don’t necessarily think about it. The reality is that insulation has a significantly greater impact on the average home’s energy use and comfort than windows or doors.

Believe it or not, 9 out of 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. That means that you most likely live in one of them. Older Arlington homes were built when insulation was expensive and fuel was cheap.

Many Arlington homes were built with no insulation and are uncomfortably hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and have uneven temperatures room-to-room and floor-to-floor.

Do you have uneven temperatures throughout your home? Can you feel the bitter wind blowing even when to doors and windows are closed? Is your floor freezing cold? What are you waiting for!? Join other Arlingtonians that already weatherized their homes and are enjoying the benefits of year-round comfort and lower utility bills.

In most cases, the fixes aren’t complex and the cost will likely be less than you expect. In one day you can have your home insulated and be comfortable year after year.

Unsure where to start? Check out this list of contractors that participated in the our previously run Home Energy Rebate Program. Give an insulation contractor a call today to get an estimate. The sooner you act the more comfortable your home will be.

Tune in to our next post where we’ll post tips for renters and condo owners.

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:

6050 28th Street N.
5 bed/4 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Optime Realty
Listed: $1,399,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1531 12th Street S.
3 bed/3 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Penfed Realty
Listed: $934,500
Open: Saturday 12-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

5727 2nd Street S.
3 bed/2 bath single-family home
Agent: Mcenearney Associates
Listed: $895,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

314 S. Cleveland Street
3 bed/1 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $694,500
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1530 N. Key Boulevard #527
1 bed/1 bath condo
Agent: Ttr Sotheby’s International Realty
Listed: $499,995
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

900 N. Stafford Street #2010
1 bed/1 bath condo
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $324,900
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

4600 S. Four Mile Run Drive
3 bed/2 bath condo
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $260,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

WWBG: This Weekend at Dominion Wine and Beer

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). This week’s Guide is written by Arash Tafakor of Dominion Wine and Beer.

We are now serving lunch full time!

This week’s new beer arrivals include Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Bourbon Barrel GBS, Bell’s Brewery Lampshade DIPA, Maine Beer Company Fall Coffee Stout and many more! Full list of arrivals can be found in the link below.

Weekly Draft Features

Follow our Twitter handle for alerts when kegs are tapped. Download the DigitalPour mobile app to view all 36 of our rotating taps in real time! On tap now or tapping soon…

Founders Brewing Co. 2018 Canadian Breakfast Stout and Ocelot Brewing Company Sanitarium Pilsner. Crowlers are available on both.

Tapping for the first time at Dominion, via our friends at Liquid Distro, we’re super excited to offer three beers from Charlotte, North Carolina’s Resident Culture Brewing Company!

  • Causal Continuum, 7% ABV NE Style IPA hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Galaxy
  • Thunder Stud, 8.3% ABV NE Style DIPA, Double Dry-Hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Citra
  • Unhallowed, 6.5% ABV NE Style IPA hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Citra

In house pours only on all three Resident Culture kegs

On Saturday, November 17th from 1-5 p.m., join us for a complimentary wine and chocolate tasting featuring River-Sea Chocolates.

We have some fun wine sales and arrivals this week including limited edition Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut ‘Cities Magnetic Arrow Box Sets’ and Brut Rose ‘Ice Jacket’, plus an incredible sale price on Champagne Laurent-Perrier Brut ‘2-Glass Gift Sets!’

Full list of new beer arrivals, wine sales, and more details, subscribe to the Dominion Wine & Beer Weekly Newsletter at this link.

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.”

It’s official and Arlington is abuzz with the excitement that Amazon’s HQ2 is coming to “National Landing”, a newly branded area that includes parts of Crystal City and Pentagon City in Arlington, and Potomac Yards in Alexandria.

A huge congratulations to the dynamic team in Arlington’s Economic Development Division that has been negotiating this deal for several years. And our condolences to residents and neighbors who were in opposition…

Here’s what we know so far: Amazon has decided to split its HQ2 between here and Long Island City in New York. So Amazon will add about 25,000 jobs to northern Virginia over the next 12 years.

About 80% of those workers are expected to be hired locally from the greater DC area, and about 15%-20% hired from outside of the area. We also know, according to a 25 page agreement between Amazon and the Commonwealth of Virginia (Amazon Memorandum of Understanding) that there will be 400 jobs rolled out in 2019 and another 1,180 in 2020.

While all this hype is great for getting everyone fired up about our local housing market and hopefully rustling up more listings for our still under-stocked market, the real question is will 1,580 jobs over two years really make property values jump up over night? Probably not. Have some Amazon employees already started looking at property in our areas? Probably…

Home owners and investors have already begun speculating on the impact that HQ2 will have on our real estate market and home prices. I think the best analysis so far has come from the Stephen Fuller Institute at George Mason University.

“While HQ2 will generate additional demand for housing, its effects will be geographically dispersed and gradual. Even so, the additional demand would likely increase both home sales prices and rental rates, albeit only marginally above the rise that is expected to occur without these households,” according to their initial report.

So what does all of this mean if you’re thinking of selling or have been on the fence about buying? Well that depends on your situation.

If you would like more specific information on how HQ2 may impact your home’s value, call me today and let’s chat! Here’s my direct line: 703-975-2500.

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

Listing of the Day: 4075 35th St. N.

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Address: 4075 35th St. N.
Neighborhood: Gulf Branch
Listed: $1,149,999
Open: Sunday, November 18 from 2-4 p.m.

Adjacent to Country Club Hills, this stunning renovated colonial boasts one of a kind design and thoughtful detail throughout.

Situated on a flat quarter-acre lot with a serene, wooded backdrop, the home is surrounded by some of Arlington’s best parkland. The private backyard looks directly upon the lush woods of Gulf Branch and is accessible to Broyhill Forest Park.

The home features 3 beds and 2 baths up including an expanded owner’s suite. Main level includes an expanded eat-in kitchen, family room addition and half bath. Lower level is finished and includes a bonus room for a true home office or bonus bedroom.

Picture yourself in this serene setting. Welcome home.

Listed by:
Holly Tennant Billy
TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
703-928-3764
[email protected]
www.4075ThirtyFifthStreetNorth.com

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