Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

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 Andors Real Estate Group.

Good morning and welcome to JUST LISTED, Arlingtonians!

WOAH — mortgage rates just hit their highest average since 2008 — 5.89% average for the standard, 30-year fixed rate mortgage. This continued upward trend reflects the nervous sentiment about the overall trajectory of the economy, the persistent and elevated rate of inflation and simple uncertainty that comes from this.

The flood of inventory I predicted would hit our marketplace just after Labor Day is here, and available properties just jumped significantly, after a six-week run of decreasing inventory.

Additionally, as of now, there are 24 properties in “Coming Soon” status, many of which will begin hitting the market over the next few days and within 21 days at most. This number varies greatly depending on the day of the week, due to the weekly cycle most agents follow of listing properties in “active” status on Thursday and Friday.

What are we seeing in the market right now? Well, we’re seeing some things we hadn’t for a long time. Lowball offers, houses sitting that everyone thought would sell, an abundance of price reductions to find the marketplace, and overall lower activity on all fronts. The reality of our market, and how fast it has shifted is lost on some, especially on sellers. The days of intense bidding wars, large price escalations and over-exuberance are largely behind us, and that may be the new norm, for a while.

This week in Arlington, sellers listed 68 homes for sale (22 more than last week), while buyers ratified 43 contracts, 12 of which were on homes just listed in the last seven days. Of the 392 homes currently available for sale (34 more than last week), 131 are detached homes, 62 are semi-detached/town houses and 199 are condos.

Of those currently available properties, the average asking price is $902,205 and the median is $715,000. These properties have been sitting on the market for 55 days on average, while the median is 37.

This week last year, there were 532 properties available for sale, sellers listed 93 homes and buyers ratified 41 contracts. Mortgage rates were 2.88%!

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home that you’re interested in purchasing, give us a call! Our team are experts at WINNING when it comes to Arlington real estate — our agents routinely outmaneuver others when it comes to multiple offer scenarios — call us to find out how!

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight properties I think you might light to check out.

6124 11th Street N.

Listing of the Day: 5509 17th Street N.

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Address: 5509 17th Street N.
Neighborhood: Tara Neighborhood
Listed: $1,195,000
Open: Sunday, September 11, from 1-4 p.m.

Expansive mid-Century brick rambler with great bones on a private 11,400 square foot lot in the Cardinal, Swanson, Yorktown pyramid.

Traditional living room is anchored by a wood burning fireplace and flows into the dining room with built-ins and views of the gorgeous yard. The kitchen was recently renovated with Brookhaven cabinets, KitchenAid and Thermador appliances, and has a door opening to the covered patio, deck and one car garage. Wood floors continue from the living areas into the primary bedroom, second and third bedrooms. The primary bathroom and hall bathroom are original to the home and are in pristine condition.

The lower level provides an exceptionally large rec room with another fireplace, tall windows and built-in bookcases. A door opens to the backyard from the gym and office area and a fourth bedroom is on this level. The recently-renovated bathroom has an oversized shower and large vanity and adjoins the laundry room with granite tops on the cabinet and a deep sink.

Walk to Westover Village’s shops, restaurants, library, Sunday farmer’s market, the bike path, Big Walnut and Parkhurst Parks. Whether commuting to a workplace or working from home, this versatile home can be your dream home.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg
McEnearney Associates
703-967-4391
[email protected]
www.betsytwigg.com

The perfect match: Below-market financing and a new condo in Alexandria

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Towngate North perfectly blends attainable luxury with convenient living by offering stylish new construction condominiums in Old Town North, Alexandria — with limited-time, below-market financing available.

These one, two and three bedroom residences are designed to meet your needs, with a variety of single-level floorplans available plus dens and private outdoor space included in select layouts. Open living spaces, natural light, stainless steel appliances and refined finishes are staples of the home designs, and all come with assigned private garage parking.

The homes at Towngate North are priced from the $400’s to $2M+, and with interest rates rising, Towngate North is currently offering below-market financing for the first two years of homeownership. This limited-time opportunity allows homeowners to take advantage of a 3.75% interest rate* their first year, with initial monthly payments starting as low as $2,467/month*, to help them achieve their dream lifestyle at Towngate North.

Interested homebuyers should call 703-957-2452 to learn more about this offer.

The community provides easy access to the plethora of amenities throughout Alexandria. The Mount Vernon Trail and Potomac River are just steps from Towngate North offering ample outdoor and waterfront recreation. Old Town’s renowned King Street, lined with local artisans and sought-after eateries, and Potomac Yard Center, boasting popular retailers and restaurants, are nearby.

Seasonal and year-round community events from festivals to art shows to farmers markets mean there is always something to explore. Plus, the community’s address at Slaters Lane is in close proximity to Metro and connects directly to the George Washington Memorial Parkway for easy commutes to employment and even more entertainment through the greater D.C. area.

Towngate North also offers a full portfolio of on-site amenities. From daily conveniences like a concierge, bike storage and pet spa, to community spaces like a fitness studio and conference room, these amenities make life easier. Best of all, the stunning rooftop terrace is completely furnished and ideal for taking in picturesque views of the area.

Learn more about the new condominium residences and limited-time financing opportunities at Towngate North by scheduling an appointment with the sales team at TowngateNorth.com. The community’s off-site sales center is located at 525 Wythe Street and hard hat tours of the initial residences are available now with anticipated move-in later this year.

*Terms & Conditions Apply. See Website for Details.

Azure Dream Day Spa: A successful Grand Opening

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Azure Dream Day Spa has a new location and new look!

The professional team at Azure Dream Day Spa has provided comfortable and luxurious service for over 14 years, and recently celebrated their Grand Opening.

Taking place at their new location (901 N. Quincy Street) in Ballston, the Azure Dream Spa team along with clients, family and friends celebrated their Grand Opening on August 12, with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce performing a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Special discounts to neighbors and newcomers were sent out.*

The Azure Dream Day Spa is a full service spa that specializes in MediSpa, Laser Hair Removal, Electrolysis, Skin Care, Massage, Nail and Hair Services.

Their team of licensed professionals are dedicated to providing the best experience to each and every client, using the latest state of the art equipment available in the industry to achieve the best results possible.

They also use top of the line skin care products, including Eminence Organic, Skinceuticals,and SkinBetter Science, as well as Aveda Hair Care products.

For a full list of services and pricing visit www.AzureDreamSpa.com. Call (703) 243-4343 for more information and booking services.

*Azure Dream Day Spa will still honor these specials through the end of October. 

Arts Focus: Cuba’s sizzling Cimafunk headlines Rosslyn Jazz Fest

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

From NPR “Tiny Desk Concerts” to Rolling Stone magazine, the Cuban band Cimafunk has the music world buzzing about their super-charged blend of funk and tropical rhythms (“Top 10 Latin Artist to Watch,” Billboard).

Like Beatle Paul McCartney (who was recently seen cheering in the front row of a Cimafunk show), you can catch their groove when they headline the 30th Annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival, on Saturday, September 10, from 1-7 p.m., in Gateway Park, 1300 Langston Boulevard. As ever, the event is Free!

In addition to Cimafunk, the varied lineup also includes: Mwenso & The Shakes, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, and Samuel Prather and the Groove Orchestra. Presented by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID)  in partnership with Arlington Arts.

“Over the last three decades, Rosslyn Jazz Fest’s music and amenities have evolved and grown, making us the largest outdoor music festival in Arlington,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn BID. “Back and bigger than ever, we’re thrilled to host this year’s diverse lineup of artists, headlined by Cuba’s Cimafunk. We can’t wait to throw this party, connect the community through music, and celebrate in ways we haven’t been able to in the last few years.”

“This festival represents the breakdown of long-established, rigid barriers between genres and highlights the contemporary direction of jazz festivals,” said Josh Stoltzfus, deputy director of Arlington County’s Cultural Affairs Division, who programs the Festival. “These bands bring eclectic styles, high level musicianship, and dynamic stage shows that will be the soundtrack for the summer’s best party.”

Attendees can experience the music alongside food trucks and fun programming for all ages. The award-winning Arlington Art Truck kicks off its fall season at the Festival with the interactive Flight by Greg Stewart, through which you’ll learn about Arlington’s birds and those that are a “species of concern.”

Gateway Park is a 5-minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro station (Blue, Silver and Orange lines) and several Metrobus stations. Bike and scooter parking is available onsite, and several Capital Bike Share stations are conveniently located nearby.

About Rosslyn Business Improvement District

The Rosslyn Business Improvement District provides high-quality, customer-oriented services designed to define, enhance and continually improve Rosslyn for those who work, live, visit and do business here. As a resourceful and collaborative organization, we work in partnership with our key stakeholders and Arlington County to create a welcoming, creative, thriving environment that supports Rosslyn’s residents and a wide range of business types, from innovative start-ups to established Fortune 500 companies and international associations. We take an active leadership role in all that we do, serving as a collaborator, community builder and agent of positive change.

About Arlington Arts

Arlington Cultural Affairs is a Division of Arlington Economic Development that delivers public programs as Arlington Arts. For more information about the 30th Annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival, on Saturday (1-7 p.m.), September 10th at Gateway Park, visit www.rosslynva.org or www.arlingtonarts.org.

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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 Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes. 

As of September 5, there are 147 detached homes, 57 townhouses and 206 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 30 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

3109 Military Road

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 Arlington Realty, Inc.

Ask Eli: Expect listing activity to spike, fade quickly

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. Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Ask Eli, Live With Jean playlist. Enjoy!

Question: I’ve noticed a lot less homes being listed lately, will that continue for the rest of the year?

Answer: I hope everybody had a great holiday weekend! For those in the market to purchase, you’ll want to quickly shift out of vacation-mode and into house-hunting mode this week because you’ll see a lot more homes being listed for sale in the coming week(s) than you have over the last couple of months.

Historically, September comes in just behind March and June for new listing activity, with much of that front-loaded in the week or two following Labor Day weekend.

This follows a similar trend on the demand side where we see peak demand from roughly mid-March to early June, with a slowdown during the summer vacation months, followed by a brief spike in buying activity following Labor Day weekend with dwindling buyer interest through the remainder of the year.

However, the seasonal increase in September demand generally lags the pace of new inventory and thus results in the most average available listings for sale in September and October, before falling rapidly in November and December because the volume of new inventory drops by over 50%. For buyers, that means that the next 4-8 weeks will be your last chance at a wide variety of homes for sale until March.

Projected Surge in Available Inventory

As of 10 a.m. Monday, September 5, there are 369 homes listed for sales in Arlington and a whopping 42 homes in Coming Soon status, 34 of which are scheduled to hit the market within the next week. The homes in Coming Soon status will boost total inventory by nearly 10% and there are sure to be plenty of homes listed for sale over the next week that are not showing in Coming Soon.

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Listing of the Day: 4600 S. Four Mile Run Drive #141

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Address: 4600 S. Four Mile Run Drive #141
Neighborhood: South Arlington
Listed: $214,900
Open: Saturday and Sunday 12-3 p.m.

This is the best 2-bedroom deal in Arlington! All utilities included! This two-bedroom layout spans 1,084 square feet and features a spacious living area, a private balcony and a separate dining area.

Enter the unit to a welcoming foyer area that leads into the living bright and open living area. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows have been upgraded and lead out onto your own balcony. The balcony overlooks Four Mile Run on the quiet side of the building. The dining area is off of the living room and is large enough for your dining space or for a home office area. The kitchen features plenty of cabinet and counter space to go along with its own pantry.

Both bedrooms are located down the hall for additional privacy. The first bedroom features a walk-in closet and access to the balcony directly from the bedroom. The second bedroom comes with a wall of closets and a Juliet balcony. The bathroom is located at the end of the hallway, convenient to both bedrooms.

Residents enjoy a fully equipped gym, an outdoor Olympic-sized pool and many other amenities. The Carlton is conveniently located near the W&OD Trail, Shirlington, The Pentagon, Amazon HQ2 and everything the area has to offer!

Listed by:
Matt Leighton
The Battle Group | Century 21 Redwood Realty
703-472-0574
[email protected]

The Nose That Knows: Dirty little secrets

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@arrowine.com.

Hello again! So, many of you participated in our cleaning the glass experiment? Shocking, isn’t it?

Now you are on your way to better-tasting, terrior-driven wine. And what do I mean by that?

Well, it’s a little complicated, but I do my best. The only reason to drink wine is for pleasure, period! And that means more than just “it tastes good.” A well-made wine is a companion, a friend, sometimes an antagonist, but always a good conversationalist. So it must speak eloquently of its birthplace. When tasting it, I need to recognize the lineage, that exact spot on the globe.

Unlike our ancestors, drinking wine today is an option, not a necessity. We don’t need wine anymore to survive. Fresh water is abundant, so wine is now optional. We don’t drink wine to live. Instead, we drink fermented beverages because they enhance our culinary experiences and please us.

What gets to me is no one talks about wines’ dirty little secrets. Sometimes, I feel like Frank Serpico; I just dated myself, but I love classic movies, so who cares? It’s a good analogy. When did speaking the truth become a liability? We are talking about wine, not national security. I don’t tolerate lazy, sloppy, or greedy winemakers. If you care, you are vigilant and proactive. We deserve a clean wine that speaks to us.

Today’s wines are cleaner and fresher than we drank forty years ago. And they should be. When you embrace science, you preserve terroir, which means uniqueness. Modern science allows a bottle of wine to reflect the exact spot it came from. So a well-made wine speaks to and talks to you like you have been there.

If a wine doesn’t smell and taste like fermented pure grape juice, meaning “grapey,” you have a problem! Wine is NOT supposed to smell like leather, mushrooms, wet-basement, barnyard, burnt tire, green pepper, bandaid, cloves, nail polish, green peppers, or dirt! But, if it does run, I will expand on the causes of faults in a future column.

There are tricks of the trade that remain “trade secrets,” and that’s a problem. For example, did you know your California Cabernet, Chardonnay, or Zinfandel can be technically sweet? The question I’m most frequently asked is, is it “dry?” Well, that depends, and it’s not as simple a question as you think.

Table wine should be dry unless the cuisine has a note of sweetness, which I’m sad to say is far too prevalent today. A winemaker can leave unfermented sugar in the wine to make it easier to drink — think Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, it was deliberately bottled with a slight but perceptible amount of residual sugar to make it appealing to the masses.

Classic European cooking has little, if any, sweetness. Therefore a dry wine is needed. A New World wine is in order if there is any hint of sweetness. Wines from the New World tend to be higher in alcohol from all the sun. Thus energy the vines receive. In the New World, we plant for “commercial” reasons and ensure success, so we grow grapes where we know they will ripen. If not, over-ripen.

Our ancestors weren’t so lucky. So they planted where they stood and had to figure the rest out. Unless you had well water, you couldn’t be sure the water floating downhill was pure enough to drink. Fermented beverages were necessary for survival, lucky us.

Cheers,
Doug

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 Andors Real Estate Group.

Welcome to JUST LISTED, Arlingtonians!

Mortgage rates continue to rise, averaging 5.66% over the past seven days. This is due to the continued aggressive monetary policies the Fed is taking as they contend with consistent, high inflation.

It’s anyone’s guess just how high rates will go, but expect that they have not peaked yet. The Fed keeps moving the goalposts, and banks, consumers and markets will continue to tumble and seek shelter until we receive more clarity. This unpredictability translates into a tumultuous fall for the housing market.

The inventory slide continues for the seventh straight week, indicating that despite interest rates, demand in Arlington remains strong overall. This resilience in Arlington is nothing new, it played out in 2008 and has for many decades, but the market is not irrational either. Most of the exuberance we witnessed over the past two years had to slow at some point, and the market does continue to slow now.

Open houses are slow, private agent showings are dwindling and sellers continue to make price adjustments to find the current market. Price growth trajectory is predicted to slow significantly for the next 6-9 months and possibly beyond.

This week in Arlington, sellers listed 46 homes for sale (10 more than last week), while buyers ratified 42 contracts, nine of which were on homes just listed in the last seven days.

Of the 358 homes currently available for sale (six less than last week), 120 are detached homes, 54 are semi-detached/town houses and 184 are condos.

Of those currently available properties, the average asking price is $919,219 and the median is $730,000. These properties have been sitting on the market for 61 days on average, while the median is 43.

This week last year, there were 483 properties available for sale, sellers listed 63 homes and buyers ratified 56 contracts. Mortgage rates were 2.87%!

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home that you’re interested in purchasing, give us a call! Our team are experts at WINNING when it comes to Arlington real estate — our agents routinely outmaneuver others when it comes to multiple offer scenarios — call us to find out how!

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight properties I think you might light to check out!

812 S. Wakefield Street
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