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Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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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.”

Fresh inventory poured into Arlington’s real estate market this week with 90 new listings. But buyers were more active ratifying 93 contracts. The spring market is still hot hot hot. Of those ratified, some 51 sold within a week. Even stale old inventory sold. One home sold that had been on the market over two years, and three more sold after more than a year on the market. Still, the average days on market was just 39.

Buyers’ agents were full of woeful tales this week of deals lost in multiple contract bidding wars. It takes skills and courage for buyers to win these days.

Interest rates dipped suddenly late last week and Monday this week prompted by a rush of domestic and international capital into the 10-yr Treasury bond as financial markets grew nervous over the mounting potential crisis with North Korea. That drove yields down, and long term interest rates followed. But that changed by mid-week, and mortgage rates have ticked back up to about 4.11% for 30-yr fixed rate. Lenders are encouraging buyers to lock in rates soonest they can.

Featured listing of the week: 3015 2nd Street N. — check out the 3-D virtual tour.

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

Ready Arlington: Who’s Responsible for Emergency Preparedness?

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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This biweekly column is sponsored by the Arlington Office of Emergency Management.

The question flashes across a screen at a recent Personal & Family Emergency Preparedness workshop for Arlington Network for Community Readiness (ANChoR) volunteers. Participant responses split between the public, the government and community leaders. A collective groan, and then conversation, ensues as they’re told they’re all right — everyone has a role in preparedness.

We cannot prepare alone

Let’s take a look at the numbers: Arlington County has a population of 220,000, which goes up to 300,000 during the day. The Office of Emergency Management has six staff that dedicate a portion of their time to preparedness outreach and education. With those calculations, we would have to reach 4,236 residents per week for 52 weeks to prepare every resident. And this is not even counting the daytime, business population. Clearly this is not possible.

This is why our team of ANChoR volunteers is such a critical resource: they can help our staff extend our reach into the community. They help to host Preparedness Workshops in their communities, staff tables at fairs and community events and connect our office with neighborhoods and networks throughout the county.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Following Winter Storm Jonas last year, elderly and informed residents needed help shoveling out their walks so they could receive critical services. While everyone needs to develop a network and plan for themselves, ANChoR volunteers are asked to be a critical part of that network. Volunteers are asked to meet their neighbors before a disaster, and to check on neighbors before and after storms to make sure they’re prepared and okay.

Volunteers do basic preparedness and response in their community, like adopting their local fire hydrant, bus stop or storm drain to keep clear during storms and prevent flooding in their neighborhood.

Many hands make work lighter

When a disaster does strike, we rely on many hands to make a response run smoothly, including ANChoR volunteers. Volunteers train to support the Emergency Operations Center, Watch Desk, Volunteer Reception Center shelters and more.

Volunteers may provide administrative help in the OEM office or serve as controllers and actors during exercises.

Kudos & Thanks

This week is National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we’d like to recognize and thank the Arlington Network for Community Readiness, as well as all of the emergency support volunteer programs, including the Community Emergency Response Team and Medical Reserve Corps, for their time and service. Their dedication helps make our community safer and more prepared.

Interested in the Arlington Network for Community Readiness or how to help during an emergency? Go to ReadyArlington.com for more information.

Listing of the Day: 4626 N. Dittmar Road

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4626 N. Dittmar Road
Neighborhood: Country Club Hills
Listing Price: $2,199,000
Open House: Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Just completed! Brand new high end construction by Classic Cottages in the heart of Country Club Hills.

This home comes equipped with wide plank hardwood flooring, quartz and butcher block counters, premium cabinets and more. Uniquely designed floor plan with custom features throughout. Smart home technology, whole house sound, wireless cameras, and more. This home is a must see.

Come view us at the parade of homes this weekend. Call or email Pierce Tracy for more information: 703-350-6365, [email protected]

Rental Trends: Mortgage Rates Across The U.S.

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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This biweekly sponsored column is written by the experts at Gordon James Realty, a local property management firm that specializes in residential real estate, commercial real estate and homeowner associations. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.

Mortgage rates. Sound boring, right? They’re actually pretty fascinating — especially if you are in the market for a new home. Even if you don’t think so, you better get used to them because it’s something that will come up a lot in the journey to home buying — and even sometimes renting.

First of all, if you are trying to educate yourself on mortgage rates, you may be having a hard time just Googling “mortgage rates.” Typically, the results yielded will be from different lenders claiming they have the best rates. If you haven’t figured it out already, there are a lot of ads for mortgages on the web. You’ve probably seen a ton of different rates from a ton of different lenders. But if you’re not actually looking into that right now and just want to learn more about mortgage rates in general, we are here to help.

Wonder how mortgage lenders and banks even come up with interest rates in the first place? Wonder why a lot of mortgage rates are so different? Well, to better understand all of that, you need to fully understand how mortgage rates are determined.

One of the most important aspects to successfully obtaining a mortgage is securing a low interest rate. After all, the lower the rate, the lower the payment each month. The smallest even quarter of a percent of a change could mean thousands of dollars in savings or costs annually. And even more over the entire term of the loan. Keep in mind — mortgage terms often last a very long time.

When you are offered a rate, it will either be a whole number, such as 2 percent, or 2.125 percent, 2.25 percent, 2.375 percent, etc. The next stop after that is 6 percent, then it repeats itself. Get it? For all you math minds, this should not be too tricky to you.

So, how are mortgage rates set? There are many different factors. If you just want to determine whether rates are going to rise or fall, they say that the best indicator is the movement of the 10-year Treasury bond yield. Most mortgages are sold as lasting for 30 years. But the average mortgage is paid off or refinanced within 10. Treasuries are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the United States, so you can feel confident in their determinations.

Mortgage rates can change a lot. They are different all throughout the U.S. Some states have high mortgage rates and some have low ones. In fact, they can even vary by county. For example, in Washington, D.C., mortgage rates may be higher than in Arlington.

This is not because the mortgage lenders are out to get you in D.C. No, it’s because lenders want to increase their business in a certain part of the country, and thus they’ll offer better pricing for lower rates in, for example, Arlington. Or maybe in Seattle or areas of Dallas, Texas.

It can really be a toss up. And for that reason, this is why you must shop around. Don’t go with the first rate or lender you see, unless you think it’s the best deal. You can easily compare mortgage rates online. Then, you can also easily check mortgage rates with your bank and/or credit union.

It all depends on economic activity, unemployment rates, the stock market, home sales, consumer confidence, home loans, loan criteria and much more. To prove this, we are going to take a couple of states from the north, east, south and west and compare mortgage rates. Let’s compare some 30-year and 15-year fixed loans from state to state. Here we go! (Keep in mind, these are always subject to change – and they do!)

  • New York: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.07 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.26 percent.
  • California: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.18 percent.
  • Florida: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 3.96 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.13 percent.
  • Texas: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 3.97 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.14 percent.
  • Virginia: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.02 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.17 percent.
  • New Mexico: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.06 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.24 percent.
  • South Dakota: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.04 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.22 percent.
  • Alabama: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.10 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.26 percent.
  • Oregon: A 30-year fixed loan rate is 4.05 percent and a 15-year fixed loan rate is 3.23 percent.

Want more great blogs on everything property and mortgage-related in the DC and Arlington area? Visit GJR.

Gordon James delivers full-service residential property management for single-family homes, multi-family homes and condo units in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

Just Reduced Properties In Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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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 is not the listing agent of these homes.

Who out there is in spring-cleaning mode?

Aside from sweeping up Fido’s fur, mopping the floors and getting the kids’ fingerprints off of all the windows, now is a prime time to check up on some key components of your house.

Some spots that rarely get as much love as other parts of your house include your gutters, roof, exterior paint, shrubbery and outdoor vents.

And, what’s the beauty of all of these things? They are all outdoors! You’re definitely going to want to inspect all of these items and take care of any persisting issues long before summer arrives… because we all know how humid and sticky summer tasks can be around here.

As always, I’m here to help you GET MORE out of your home (and home purchase), even if it requires a friendly reminder to do your spring cleaning. It will save you big bucks in the long run!

As of April 25 there are 228 detached homes, 42 townhouses and 238 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 51 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: Q1 2017 Arlington Real Estate Update

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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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: How is the Arlington real estate market looking so far this year?

Answer: Through observations in my business, conversations with colleagues and conversations with providers like lenders, title companies, inspectors and contractors, almost everybody saw a spike in business this winter, a usually slow period. After a few years of relatively flat growth in Arlington residential real estate (most of the price growth we saw in the county from 2014-2016 was attributed to tear-downs and some localized development), I think we’re finally going to see some real market-wide appreciation in 2017.

Below, I’ve compiled a series of key metrics that all support this claim. The data is broken down by housing type – detached, townhouse, and condo – and is presented by Quarter (calendar), mostly in Year Over Year changes.

Increased YoY average sold price shows mostly consistent growth over the last few quarters and a clear increase over Q1 2016.

A large increase in new pending contract in Q1 proves a substantial increase in buyer activity. Increased demand means price appreciation.

Homes in Q1 sold for .5-1 percent more relative to their original asking price, another indicator of high demand.

Homes in Q1 2017 sold much faster than they did in Q1 2016, coming close to the expected market pace during spring markets (Q2).

The housing supply has decreased by about one-third over the last two years, meaning the market is shifting further in favor of sellers.

If you’re a homeowner interested in taking advantage of a favorable market or a buyer wondering how to succeed in a competitive market, don’t hesitate to reach out to set-up a meeting. You can reach me directly at [email protected] or (703) 539-2529.

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 http://www.RealtyDCMetro.com.

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.

Rethink Energy: 40th Post on Earth Day

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A 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. Got a question? Email us at [email protected]!

It’s Earth Day and this marks our 40th post on ARLnow.  The Rethink Energy Program is Arlington County’s energy management program. Saving energy means saving money.

We offer a number of program and resources to help you save energy and money:

Arlingtonians continue to lead on actions that leave a lighter footprint on our plant and your wallet. Please stop by and see us at the Home Show & Garden Expo with your energy questions or email us at [email protected].

Happy Earth Day!

WWBG: Three Notch’d Brewing Company is Steeped in History

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). It is written by Garrett Cruce, a Cicerone Program Certified Beer Server.

Three notches, like small slashes, mark both an historic road running east/west through Central Virginia and an accomplished Charlottesville brewery. Three Notch’d Brewing Company takes its name and its trademark from the road of the same name. But it also takes its inspiration from it and its historical surroundings, naming most of its beers after places, events and artifacts of the local past.

Opened in 2013, this relatively young Virginia brewery has already managed to “make its mark.” With three locations from Charlottesville to Richmond and a national award — Hydraulion Red won the bronze in the Irish-Style Red Ale category at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival — Three Notch’d appears to be striking the balance between growth and relevance well.

RVA Collab House is their most recent location to open and is located in the historic district of Scott’s Addition in Richmond. In addition to a taproom, Three Notch’d installed a 3.5-barrel brew system that they use to collaborate with breweries, local businesses and other organizations.

Between their core beers, which are solid entries in their respective style; their seasonal releases that show up on Instagram and Untappd; and their small-batch collaborations Three Notch’d can appeal to both the casual beer drinker and the beer geek alike.

On Friday, April 28, Three Notch’d will be releasing some new beers and taking over the taps at Dominion Wine & Beer from 5-8 p.m. In addition to six-packs of Hydraulion Red Ale, 40 Mile IPA, The Ghost Pale Ale, G IV IPA and Minute Man IPA, the following beers will be on tap:

  • Hydraulion Red Ale
  • Brew Betties — a Maibock
  • Peach Ghost — Ghost Pale Ale brewed with peaches
  • Minute Man IPA
  • G IV IPA
  • Sticky Wicket Dank IPA

Below are my thoughts on three of the releases available from Three Notch’d.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company Declaration of Hops Series G IV IPA (7.5% ABV)

The historical reference here is one that strikes close to home for the brewery — it’s named after the founder’s father, George Henry Kastendike IV or Big G4. The brewers claim that this bold West Coast IPA is reminiscent of the way Big G4 lived. What a life!

Inhaling the aroma, I get peach nectar and citrus zest with just a hint of pine. The flavor is equally bold — bolder — with grapefruit tang and bitterness, a combination of the pith and flesh. It starts out sweet, but quickly turns bitter and dry. The slight dankness suggested by the hint of pine in the aroma peeks through mid-sip, but doesn’t linger or overpower. The current trend may be toward cloudy New England IPAs, but this fruit-forward beer stands along side the trendy ones in flavor.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company Minute Man IPA (7.0% ABV)

The can’s art evokes both Minute Maid orange juice and the historical volunteer-based militia Minutemen. Orange juice is the main thing here. I detected orange juice concentrate, Nilla wafer and pine resin in the aroma. Not bitter at all — the 20 IBUs tell you that — the sip is sweet and dank with a juicy finish.

I was surprised that the orange didn’t dominate the flavor in the same way that it did the aroma, but I think that’s for the better. So many fruit-forward IPAs focus solely on citrus flavors, but I appreciate how this one had the extra dimension of pine. The sweetness makes is tasty without becoming cloying.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company Hydraulion Red Ale (5.3% ABV) (originally posted 2/20/2015)

Named after the only fire engine that the University of Virginia’s first fire department owned, Hydraulion is a tribute to Three Notch’d Brewing’s hometown. It’s also like a bit of history itself. Eschewing the hoppy ambers and reds of today, Three Notch’d has made a malt-balanced red ale, truly in the Irish tradition.

The addition of the English Golding hops, rather than an American variety means that the hops will be more subtle. Though this beer does not lack hop bitterness altogether, it is definitely not pronounced. What you get, instead, is a tasty malty brew that is pleasantly offset by a slight hop bitterness around the edges. You can’t go wrong with this 2014 Great American Beer Festival Bronze medal winner for Irish-style ales.

Come down to Dominion Wine & Beer to check out Three Notch’d next Friday. Cheers!

Healthy Paws: Feline Environmental Needs

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Healthy Paws

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

As anyone who loves a cat knows, cats are interesting creatures. It is easy to fall in the trap of thinking if your home is comfortable and happy for you, it will be perfect for your animals. But cats are not tiny humans — or dogs — and have their own set of unique set of preferences and needs.

Safe Spaces

Cats value their personal space. They need enclosed and secluded locations to allow them the opportunity to withdrawal and ability to control their surroundings.

A cardboard box placed on its side is a perfect place to hide (or perch). Flip the lid up inside the box so the top is clear for sitting. Another great safe place is a cat carrier. If you leave your cat’s carrier out at all times and make it somewhere your cat is happy, it becomes a safe space at home as well as a portable safe space. Think of your cat’s carrier as a tool of security and comfort, rather than a tool primarily for transportation.

The more cats in your household, the more safe spaces you will need in your home. A good goal is the number of cats in the house plus one. So if there are two cats, you’ll need a minimum of three different good hiding spots. Also consider any health issues your cats may have when choosing locations. For example, a geriatric cat probably has some arthritis and will need locations with floor access, whereas a kitten will enjoy higher perches. Finally, think about your cat’s outside environment, if they do venture outdoors, and make sure hiding options are provided there as well.

Resources

Aim to provide multiple, separated key environmental resources of: 1) food/water 2) bathroom 3) scratching posts. Provide a minimum of two of each resource (two water bowls, etc) and spread everything out. Even the food and water bowl should be separated from each other across multiple rooms for maximal feline comfort. Some cats want to cuddle with their housemates, but sometimes when we provide the option to spread out, we find that the cats end up resting separately. They didn’t actually want to sleep together – there was just nowhere else to go.

Play and Predatory Opportunities

Cats require opportunities to hunt and play. Putting food down twice a day does not allow cats to exercise their predatory instincts and leads to begging, obesity, stress and anxiety. In the wild, cats hunt 10-20 times each day. This is an entire topic unto itself, so hop over to our last post for suggestions of fun and easy ways we can use food to give our cats a chance to engage in these normal behaviors.

Human-Cat Interaction

This one is simple. Provide positive, consistent and predictable human-cat social interaction. Do not force your cat to play with you, and allow it space to retreat. If you need to train your cat, use positive methods rather than punishment, so no shaking a can of pennies to scare your cat off the counter. It’s nearly impossible for humans to be 100 percent consistent with punishments, as sometimes you’re not home or are otherwise occupied when your cat jumps up on the counter, so we can appear unpredictable and therefore scary to our cats.

Smell

Provide an environment that respects the importance of a cat’s sense of smell. When it’s time to launder a cat’s bedding, don’t wash everything at the same time. Leave a few things out of the wash until the washed load is back in the home and smelling “normal” again to your cat. If you wash everything at the same time, all her beds/toys will be foreign to her, which can be very unsettling for cats.

The smell of their housemates is also very important for cats. If one leaves and comes back smelling different it can cause discord in the household. To minimize this, arrange vet trips for all cats at the same time. Use a pheromone diffuser (such as Feliway) upon return. If you have to take just one cat, take some care reintroducing that cat to the house. Separate the recently out-of-the-house cat from the others until all is calm.

Establish a “common scent profile” to get everyone smelling the same and minimize signals that the cat who was gone is now an outsider. To establish a common scent profile, use a cloth to rub down the cat who was out of the house, then take that fabric and rub down a housemate, continue with the same fabric for each cat in the house and end by re-rubbing the cat who was out of the house. More information about successful transportation can be found here.

If we can meet as many of these needs as possible, we can maximum the healthy and well being of our feline companions.

Just Listed In Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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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 been a lackluster week for inventory and homes sales in Arlington. We are in the peak of the spring market, and only 75 new listings went up for sale and only 64 contracts were ratified. Some 27 of those sold this week lasted less than a week on the market. Stories of multiple contracts continue.

For all homes sold this week, the average days on market dropped to just 30, the lowest level so far this year. Arlington reflects the national market with low inventory everywhere. A Freddie Mac report this week expects to see fewer sales in 2017 just because of low inventory.

The reasons for low inventory include people not willing to sell because they are afraid they can’t find a replacement home; they can’t replace the mortgage on the next purchase with the same low rate they currently have; and builders are not delivering enough supply to keep up with demand.

For Arlington, pricing also tells a compelling story. The higher end market of homes priced above $1.5m has slowed, with average DOM of 100. But the sweet spot for pricing seems to be $500k – $999k where DOM is lowest at just 31. That number climbs to 46 for homes sold $1,000,000-$1,499,900.

Mortgage rates dropped again this week by about six basis points. The 30-yr fixed rate ended this week at about 4.16%.

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

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