Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Boring Title: How client experience enhances your closing experience

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This biweekly feature is sponsored by Allied Title & Escrow.

This week, we would like to introduce you to our Client Experience Team at Allied Title.

Why Client Experience?

The Client Experience Team (also known as “CX”) at Allied Title and Escrow was established in January, 2021. The title industry is mundane and boring. Allied Title’s Co-Founder and CEO, Latane Meade, wanted Allied to stand out from other title companies by humanizing the real estate closing experience and making it a celebration.  

We never want customers to feel they’re talking to a robot, shuffling them through the process, when for most people, this is the biggest purchase of their lives. When you walk through our doors, we want you to know you are special, you are valued, and you deserve to be celebrated! 

How does the closing experience feel different at Allied Title?

We believe the closing experience should be just as fun as getting that accepted offer on your dream home! When you come into our offices for settlement, we have cold brew and beer on tap waiting for you. After signing the closing documents, we love to capture the moment with Polaroids, photo booth props, and Closing Keys customized with your real estate agent’s logo. 

Kids enjoy settlement at Allied too! We have specially-designed coloring books and video games for kids to enjoy while parents do the “boring” stuff. 

How does the Client Experience Team help real estate professionals?

The CX Team is composed of like-minded, creative, and caring individuals who thrive on being a strategic partner for real estate agents, lenders, and developers. Whether it’s having our attorneys on speed dial, providing continuing education, or implementing fun ways to make the experience uniquely special for our clients, the CX Team’s sole focus is to keep our clients and their customers at the forefront of all that we do, while maintaining balance between quality and high volume. 

Title is boring. With the help of Allied Title’s CX Team, you will be in the hands of real people who care and will make sure your settlement experience is a celebration!

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

“Omg! This was the absolute best car service experience ever…”

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/4

If you’re like most people, you’d rather not waste hours of time getting your car maintained or repaired. That’s why so many people are responding to CarCare To Go with reviews like the one below.

CarCare To Go brings modern convenience and simplicity to car repair. They combine the quality and trust of a full-service shop with a uniquely transparent process, plus free valet pick-up and delivery from your home or work.

OMG! This was the absolute best car service experience ever. So much better and so much less expensive than the BMW dealership. No waiting to tell a “service advisor” what I need. No spurious extra cost items ‘discovered’ during the 14 point inspection. No waiting to talk to the “service advisor” and then waiting again to have my car pulled around. My car came back to my driveway the same afternoon sparkling clean and purring like a kitten. Makes me want to do the whole thing again tomorrow. — David F.

CarCare To Go is so confident that you’ll love their new service and come back for more, that they’re offering first-time clients an oil change for just $20.22. No catch. Synthetic or blend for any make or model car. Just enter coupon code FIRST20 when you book. And the valet and a light hand clean are completely free.

Of course, CarCare To Go does much more than oil changes and new tires. They are a full-service shop that does everything from brake pad and rotor replacements to the most complicated engine replacements.

You’ll wonder why you ever took care of your car any other way.

Arts Focus: Shemekia Copeland headlines 25th Annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/4

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

Celebrating its 25th anniversary with its first fully in-person event since the pandemic, vocalist Shemekia Copeland (2021 Blues Foundation “Entertainer of the Year”) headlines The Columbia Pike Blues Festival on Saturday (1-8:30 p.m.) June 18th. The full line up of blues, R&B, and funk performers of national and regional note, includes: Eric Scott, Robbin Kapsalis & Vintage #18, Shakin Woods, and Anthony “Swampdog” Clark. The free event covers three blocks at the intersection of So. Walter Reed Drive and Columbia Pike, in Arlington.

Hailed as “Arlington’s best block party” (Arlington Magazine), the Festival draws thousands of blues fans to the Pike each year. Ready to celebrate big-time for our Silver Anniversary, the event is presented by the Columbia Pike Partnership and Arlington Arts.

Part of a long-running partnership between the County and the Community, the Blues Fest survived the two-year disruption of the pandemic with a range of down-sized and virtual events in collaboration with businesses along the Pike. Incorporating some of these features, this year’s Anniversary celebration expands to an array of events and activities throughout the weekend: from pop-up music events at local eateries (June 17 and 19), and the Columbia Pike Farmers Market (June 19), to a Juneteenth History Walk (June 19), and a screening of The Blues Brothers at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (June 19).

About Shemekia Copeland:

“Copeland is a powerhouse, a superstar…she can do no wrong.” — Rolling Stone

“Shemekia Copeland is one of the great blues voices of our time. No one comes close to the sheer firepower that Copeland conjures at will.” — Chicago Tribune

As you can see in the accompanying video, Shemekia Copeland never holds back. Her latest CD Uncivil War was named #1 Blues Album of The Year by the influential Mojo Magazine, which opined “There’s an unrelenting power to Shemekia Copeland’s performance on her tenth album; her rich, grainy vocals, sitting midpoint between Ruth Brown and Mavis Staples have never sounded so forceful…”

Her wide-open vision of contemporary Americana roots and soul music showcases the evolution of a passionate artist with an up-to-the-minute musical and lyrical approach.

When Shemekia broke on the scene at age 18 in 1998 with her groundbreaking Alligator Records debut CD Turn The Heat Up, she instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. News outlets from The New York Times to CNN praised Copeland’s talent, larger-than-life personality, and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland’s music has continued to grow.

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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 June 13, there are 159 detached homes, 45 townhouses and 238 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 45 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

1101 S. Arlington Ridge Road #116

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.

Home buying seminar: Maximize your home search!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Homeownership is an investment toward building long-term wealth and financial freedom!

However, buying a home, whether it is your first time or not, can be a complex process that calls for expert help.

The Keri Shull Team, the top-producing real estate team in the D.C. metro area, is hosting a seminar to help aspiring buyers navigate the competitive DMV real estate market while saving time, money and hassle. In 2021, our agents helped over 1,100 families with their real estate needs, and we would love to do the same for you.

Angela Decint, ranked as a top realtor by the Washingtonian, and listing specialist Lane Brenner, will be leading this seminar at our Rosslyn office.

Attend to learn:

  • How to find off-market homes — hidden gems that don’t appear on popular home search websites
  • How to get out of your lease so you can move on your timeline
  • The “4 C’s” that determine home prices in any market
  • How to set a realistic budget for your home search
  • And much more!

Join us on Tuesday, June 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. for this FREE in-person seminar! This is your chance to take the stress out of your home search by working with seasoned realtors.

Claim your spot today!

Ask Eli: Are condos a good investment?

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: How have rental rates on condos compared to appreciation in resale market value?

Answer: Last week, I compared the historical appreciation rate of different property types (tl;dr… single-family > townhouse > condo) so this week, I thought it would be interesting to drill into what a condo investment looks like in Arlington by comparing historical market value appreciation against historical rental rate appreciation.

1 BR vs 2 BR Condos, North vs South Arlington

Last week we learned that, since 2012, condos in South Arlington have appreciated faster than similar condos in North Arlington and in both areas, a two-bedroom condo has performed better than a one-bedroom condo.

North Arlington Rental Rates Frozen, Moderately Higher in South Arlington

Incredibly, the average rent for a one- or two-bedroom condo in North Arlington has barely changed since 2012, while increasing about 18% and 15%, respectively, in South Arlington. I believe that is due to the high volume of new apartment buildings delivered over the last 10+ years, significantly increasing the supply of rents and delivering more modern finishes and amenities than most condo buildings offer, causing condo buildings, mostly built 15+ years ago, to become less desirable for renters.

It’s important to note that the rental data below is limited to what is in the MLS, which is mostly condo rentals, and does not reflect the commercial rental market, which has seen average rental prices increase since 2012.

*Calculated using that year’s average 30yr fixed interest rate (5.5% for 2022), 20% down, and $50 per month on homeowner’s insurance
**Approximate first year return on an all-cash purchase

Expect Low Return, Potentially Negative Cashflow

In most cases, real estate investments follow similar principles as other investments — more risk for higher return and lower expected returns for more stable investments. Arlington is one of the most stable, lowest risk real estate markets in the country/world and condos tend to have the lowest risk of all property types because they’re generally easy to rent with less exposure to costly repairs and maintenance oversights. Thus, you can expect shockingly (for some) low return on a condo investment in Arlington.

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Upgrade to Starry Internet and get 2 months free plus $100!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Stay-in this summer (even if for a bit) with Starry!

Switch to Starry Internet and get ridiculously fast internet for as little as $30 a month, every month. No long-term contracts, data caps, or annual price hikes.

Sign up at starry.com by August 15 and get two months free plus $100 to either Amazon or Target. Use code TARGET or AMAZON at checkout. Offer valid for new customers only. Additional terms apply.

For as low as $30 a month all-in, Starry gives you ultra fast speeds (up to 200Mbps), free WiFi router and installation, up to $200 reimbursement for your old provider’s early termination fees, unlimited data — no data caps or overage fees, and friendly, reliable 24/7 customer support from a locally based team of experts.

Don’t wait — upgrade your summer with the best streaming, gaming, and internet from Starry!

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.

Hello Arlington, and welcome to this week’s JUST LISTED column!

For 10 weeks in a row, inventory has been on the rise, giving buyers more to choose from and causing sellers to stress out as the market continues to change. Additionally, after three weeks of mortgage rate declines, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage average increased 1/8 of a point, to an average of 5.23% over the past week.

As we approach 400 properties available throughout the county, it’s worth mentioning that inventory has risen 40% in the past 15 weeks, and yet we’re still way short of where we were this time last year.

There are 396 properties available for sale in Arlington as of today, an increase of 22 properties. 132 of these are detached homes, 43 are semi-detached/town homes, and the remaining 221 are condominiums.

This past week, sellers listed 103 homes for sale, an increase of 29 more from the week prior, while buyers ratified 63 contracts, an increase of 11. 31 of the ratified contracts were on homes just listed within the past seven days! Average asking price of currently available homes is $936,049 and the median is $675,000. Currently available homes have been on the market for an average of 43 days and a median of 22 days.

COMPARISON — there is a tremendous difference between properties FOR SALE and properties UNDER CONTRACT when it comes to what their statistics look like! Currently UNDER CONTRACT homes took a median of seven days and an average of 30 days to go UNDER CONTRACT. The median tells the story, and those that go under contract do so in 1/3 of the time!

This week last year, rates were sitting at 2.96%, sellers has listed 125 homes for sale and buyers ratified 107 contracts. There was a total of 544 properties for sale!

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.

4026 7th Street S.

St. Agnes School invites more students into expanded facilities in August

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/5

Celebrating its 75th year in educating students, and tucked into the Cherrydale neighborhood of Arlington, St. Agnes School is more than just a school, it is a community.

Traditionally, at capacity St. Agnes’ expanded, new facilities have openings for a few students within the 2022-2023 Kindergarten class. Students from Pre-K thru 8th grade know not just their friends’ names, but the names of their friends’ siblings as they pass them in the halls.

Saint Agnes offers a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, a 95% faculty retention rate and provides a full-time nurse and school counselor on-site daily. For the younger students, classroom aides are in place for Pre-K-1st grade. Upper school students are offered a choice in foreign language — uncommon for most local Catholic schools in the area.

Our students play on CYO sports teams, participate in the theatre program and band. In addition, there are myriad afterschool activities to choose from including Odyssey of the Mind, Robotics Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, School Dances, afterschool care and more. Students serve their community; grow in their faith, challenge themselves with academic rigor while bringing joy to Saint Agnes.

We welcome you to tour Saint Agnes and see what we are about.

You can schedule a tour by calling 703-527-5423 x101 or visiting our website at school.saintagnes.org. We have spaces available for the incoming 2022/2023 Kindergarten class, and welcome families of all faiths to explore our school and be a part of the St. Agnes School community.

Statutes of Liberty: The virtues of the immigration racket part 1 — The rules of the game

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq., and Laura Lorenzo, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.

Note: In this Guest Essay, our anonymous friend, Prof. Erasmus, explains his rather unusual thoughts about U.S. asylum law, which — of course — we do not endorse or even pretend to understand. If you like Prof. Erasmus’s work, stay tuned, because he intends to make this a regular feature. We’ll see if he intends to pay our advertising bill.

Prof. Erasmus Explains It All!

I, Professor Erasmus, read your newspapers, your books, even your advertising features, and I have noticed a disturbing trend: everyone hates American immigration law. One side says that U.S. immigration law is far too permissive; the other side says that it is far too restrictive. Both sides say that U.S. immigration law is “broken,” Both sides are completely mistaken. I am here, in all Christian mildness, to correct that. I am here in praise of folly.

Let us begin by explaining the rules of the game. Law should not be judged by what it says it does, but by what it actually does. What does U.S. immigration law actually do? Here is what it does: it permits certain kinds of people to enter the United States, where they are (usually) happier, more productive and richer than they were before.

Who gets to enter? Three kinds of people:

  • People Who Actually Qualify As a Matter of Law

U.S. immigration law pretends that this is the only category of people permitted to enter. Tripe! People who qualify are of course permitted to enter, but they aren’t the only ones.

  • People Who Do Not Qualify, But Fool Consular Officials

A common way to immigrate to the United States is to fool a consular official at a visa interview. This is not easy, because most consular officials are not fools. To fool a consular official, you have to be able to tell a story about how you intend to come temporarily to the United States. That story may be false, but it must be consistent, credible and persuasive. Telling such a story requires being smart and resourceful.

  • People Who Do Not Qualify, But Fool Border Officials

Another common way to immigrate to the United States is to fool a border official at a credible fear interview. The ostensible purpose of a credible fear interview is to determine whether there is a “significant possibility” that the applicant will someday qualify for asylum under U.S. law.

Passing a credible fear interview is easier for some and harder for others. If you present yourself at the U.S. border with Canada and state that you fear Justin Trudeau’s spelunking habit, you will be denied entry. But if you present a story that is consistent, credible and persuasive, your odds of being admitted are actually quite high. Telling such a story requires being smart and resourceful.

So far, I have demonstrated that a certain kind of person is permitted to enter the United States. That person is either (a) actually qualified as a matter of law, or (b) smart and resourceful. In my next article, I will explain how the law intends to treat people in category (b), and how, in practice, the legal system operates to their advantage.

Questions? Ask, if you like. I have no confidence that the legal commentariat will understand me, but I expect slightly better things from ARLnoow readers. Try not to disappoint me.

We found the Instacart for car repair and maintenance

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/4

If you’re like most people, you’d rather not waste hours getting your car serviced.

That’s why so many are turning to local start-up CarCare To Go for all their car needs. They provide maintenance, repairs, even detailing for all car brands. And every appointment comes with a free valet pick-up and return of your vehicle from home.

It’s as easy as ordering groceries online.

And to help you actually afford those groceries, they are offering a crazy deal for first-time clients: $20.22 for an oil change. No catch. Seriously. It even covers synthetic oil. Use coupon code FIRST20 when you book.

But what you might love even more than the free valet, competitive pricing, 12k- or 12-month warranty, free light-clean with every appointment is just how darn nice the people who work there are. Which might just explain why their average review is 5.0 stars and clients are writing reviews like the one below.

Great experience overall. CarCare To Go picked up the vehicle on time, quickly diagnosed the issues that needed to be addressed immediately (clogged sunroof drainline, brake fluid replacement), and recommended services that could wait. Extremely communicative throughout, providing frequent updates. Clear and reasonable pricing. Returned the vehicle on time and in excellent condition. 10/10, will use them again for regular maintenance as it saved me at least 2 hours getting to/from my usual place. –– Owen

You’ll wonder why you ever took care of your car any other way. Learn more here.

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