Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

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.

Black History Month is here, folks!

On the doorstep of our nation’s capital, we have tons of incredible spots to reflect on times past as well as enrich ourselves that much more with African American culture.

Among some favorites are the iconic Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House just off Logan Circle and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in West Potomac Park. In Arlington County, the Black Heritage Museum and Arlington Historical Museum are must-stops as well.

Amid so many cultural offerings in our area, we hope you’ll get out and enjoy these destinations in February and well beyond.

These institutions are just part of what make Arlington such a wonderful place to call home. And, as you know, when you’re ready for a new spot to call home, the time-tested team at Arlington Realty, Inc. has your back. Until then, here are this week’s Just Reduced numbers.

As of January 31, there are 77 detached homes, 21 townhouses and 166 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 11 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

1513 N. Ohio Street

Please note 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: Arlington rental market update — Single-family, townhouse and apartment

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: Have rental prices in Arlington followed a similar trend as the ownership market?

Answer: The rental market for apartments was hit hard during the pandemic with rental rates dropping roughly 15%-20% in Arlington and the D.C. Metro, but rents quickly climbed back up last year and seem to be stabilizing.

As you would expect, the pandemic had the opposite effect on the detached and townhouse rental markets, sending those prices up, but at a lower rate than the appreciation we’ve seen in the cost to buy.

Below, I’ve compiled rental data from the MLS in Arlington over the last five years. Note that very few commercial apartment buildings listed in the MLS so this data is limited to non-commercially owned rentals (for apartments, that is mostly individually owned condos).

Further, it’s difficult to say what percentage of non-commercially owned properties go through the MLS for rent but I would guess that it’s less than half of rented apartments, but likely a majority if detached and townhouse properties. Despite the limited data set, we still have more than enough information available through the MLS to generate outputs that represent the true rental market.

Here are some highlights from the data table:

  • The total number of rentals that came to market in 2021 increased sharply over previous years with 48.8% more apartment rentals and 24.9% more detached/townhouse rentals, compared to the averages over the previous four years
  • The increase in rent for 3-4 bedroom and 5+ bedroom single-family homes from 2019-2021 was 6% and 12.7%, respectively
  • In 2021, the average tenant for a single-family or townhouse paid at or over the asking price
  • Rental prices for 3-4 bedroom townhouses is nearly identical to those of 3-4 bedroom detached homes
  • The average rent for a one-bedroom and two-bedroom condo is down from 2019 highs by 5.7% and 3.2%, respectively

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Legal Insider: Virginia’s new teacher tip line — Bad for Virginia, worse for teachers

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.

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced last week that his administration has opened an official email tip line for Virginians to submit “reports and observations” of “inherently divisive practices” in Virginia schools. On a radio show last Monday, he touted the new tip line and encouraged parents to send his administration “any instances where they feel their fundamental rights are being violated [or] where their children are not being respected.”

While it remains unclear exactly what might constitute such a “divisive practice” in the eyes of the new Governor, he has emphasized his broader goal to rid the school system of such teachings, including Critical Race Theory — despite CRT not actually being taught in K-12 schools in Virginia. This move comes after the Governor expressly banned CRT in Virginia public schools via his first executive order.

But all those political controversies aside, this new tip line presents a new and unnecessary worry for the dedicated teachers of our Commonwealth. For society generally, I think this tip line is a terrible idea. As an employment lawyer, however, I think it is even worse.

Educators across the Commonwealth may be obviously and justifiably upset at the idea of having someone report them. This worry is only magnified by the lack of clarity regarding this new tip line. For instance, there is no clear guidance about what counts as “divisive” — so teachers now have to worry about anything they teach, or even just the way they teach it, possibly being perceived as “divisive” by a disgruntled parent, student, community member, or random third party.

Although it is not clear what sort of investigative and/or enforcement actions the Governor envisions against teachers, the move comes just as our teachers face among the lowest salaries for their profession in the United States and just as the Commonwealth continues to face serious teacher shortages that have only been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Being investigated by the government over such ambiguously defined concerns is the last thing our hardworking teachers need right now.

Many other questions about this tip line remain unanswered at this point, in addition to the vagueness of the “divisive practice” label. The Governor has not expressly stated that his goal is to investigate teachers, and his press secretary tweeted last Wednesday that the tip line is intended as a “resource for parents, teachers, and students to relay questions [and] concerns,” calling it a “customary constituent service to hear from Virginians.”

Asking people to report teachers over anything perceived as offensive or divisive is sure to result in overinclusion relative to anything that is truly a problem, and the breadth of this potential coverage is what is so problematic for the teachers faced with the Governor’s efforts. We have school boards and administrations for a reason — there is simply no need to create a culture of reporting schools and teachers to the state government rather than by solving problems within the school district.

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Neighborhood Spotlight: Touring Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

What makes Virginia Square a Special Neighborhood in Arlington?

We simply don’t talk about my neighborhood Virginia Square enough!

Virginia Square is located on the western end of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor. It’s part of the Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood and often swallowed up by the catchall name of Ballston. It’s a wonderful live, work, play neighborhood that features all the amenities of an urban oasis with quick access to downtown D.C. It has a variety of housing, beautiful parks, restaurants, retailers and gyms. And it’s home to the Arlington campus of George Mason University and its law school.

Virginia Square has one of the most vibrant restaurant scenes with a huge variety of cuisine. One of my favorite go-to places is El Pollo Rico, which has the best Peruvian rotisserie chicken in our region. This was once Virginia Square’s best kept secret until Anthony Bourdain covered it in an episode of No Reservations! Get the rice and beans and you won’t regret it.

Also in Virginia Square is Quincy Park, a four-acre hidden gem that has open green space, softball and baseball diamonds, tennis courts, a basketball court, playground, a sand volleyball court, and plenty of open green space for play, including reservable picnic shelters. I love walking my dog through the park and while I’m not that good, I enjoy shooting hoops. And, when it’s cold and playing outside isn’t in the cards, the Central Library is right there where you can find a good book and a quiet space to read.

As a major transportation hub connecting Northern Virginia to D.C., Virginia Square is truly a special neighborhood that has access to so much in Arlington and beyond. Contact me if you want to learn more about Virginia Square and North Arlington, and the surrounding areas!

Jason Surbey | 703-731-8610 | [email protected] | www.JasonSurbey.com | www.McEnearney.com

Virginia Square (and Nearby) Neighborhood Links & Recommendations

For 40 years, McEnearney Associates has been a premiere residential, commercial and property management firm with 11 offices located in the Washington metro region. With service excellence, hyper-local expertise, powerful data insights, innovative technology and cutting-edge marketing, McEnearney Associates have helped their clients make informed decisions on their most valuable real estate investments. There is an important difference at McEnearney: It’s not about us, it’s about you. To learn more, visit us at www.McEnearney.com.

Your Beermonger: January is always a strange time in the beer world

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is written by Todd Himes, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup.

January is always a strange time in the beer world.

You have a sizable portion of clientele who are participating in a Dry January (or at least taking a few weeks off) but we also see two of the years mostly anticipated releases in Troegs Nugget Nectar and Bell’s Hopslam (at least in years when the national supply chain issues don’t hold up its arrival in Virginia.) In years past this is a typical time to see many folks in the industry changing jobs and this year that’s meant seeing a few familiar friendly faces stopping in representing some of the bigger craft breweries in the market.

When we start back up our tastings you’ll be sure to see some veterans repping new brands. January is also a great time to take a look back at the previous year and make a few guesses as to what the upcoming year may hold.

Starting off, it was absolutely no surprise to me to see that no matter which way I sorted the numbers, our number one beer of 2021 was Bingo’s Classic Lager.  Dollars, units sold, cans crushed by our cheesemongers — this one led them all. Was it the clean, refreshing, quaff ability of this beer that propelled it to the top spot?  The fact that you get a six-pack of 16oz cans of craft lager at what has quickly become the starting price point for many 4 packs?  Maybe it is just the understated beauty of the blue and white cans.

I’m not one to complain whatever the cause was, this beer was one of my favorites. In fact, a couple of cans were among the first beers to go in the fridge at the new house when I moved this past week. A perfect beverage to sip on while unpacking. While I don’t think that craft beer prices are going to come back down, I do think that a number of brands with the ability to produce solid options at this price point will take hold.

Recently Asheville, North Carolina’s Hi-Wire brewing announced plans to move all of its core beers into the six pack 16oz format and their Hi-Pitch IPA is quickly staking its claim to a top spot for 2022’s numbers here.

In the world of IPAs the talk might be all about the Hazies, but whether it is the never ending quest for the new or maybe a shift in overall preferences the top spot belonged to a newcomer for 2021 — Vibrissa’s Gracious Living.

The dream of the nineties is alive in Front Royal with this flagship West Coast styled IPA nestled alongside a series of delicious lagers, English bitters, milds and *gasp* more West Coast IPAs. Many see West Coast IPAs making a clear comeback in 2022 and I’m already hearing from brewers and sales reps that there are going to be some of the same types of innovations coming to the style that helped drive the Haze Craze of the past few years.

Hops in all their forms and citrus additions have already played a big part in the West Coast style’s history but look for talk of thiols and terpenes to join the conversation. We probably won’t be seeing any Frankenberry Milkshake 100 IBU DIPAs quite yet though.

Rounding out our top three for the year and certainly the one that caused the most excitement in its immediate arrival was 3 Floyd’s Zombie Dust. We had our phones ringing off the hook when this first came into the shop, of course that was one of the only ways to reach us at the time since we had yet to re-open our doors at the time. The excitement of a long storied brand arriving really lit a fire for many of you. That excitement continued throughout the year as well and we were consistently moving through cases of the one time top rated brewery in the world.

What will be the next brewery to make its way to Virginia’s shelves?

There’s some STRONG contenders in the New England area that I know many of you are clamoring for and a number of California breweries that make the occasional appearance when some of the major beer festivals in the area are happening. If I had my druthers though we would finally see the return of some of my favorite Belgian breweries that have had their distribution rights in limbo for a few years.

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.

The frigid temps are no match for determined buyers! Ratified contracts are up 14% since last week and overall inventory declines again!

Buyers clearly got the memo about rising interest rates and are taking a crack at just about everything that hits the market, with few exceptions. Interest rates held steady for the first time in a month, perhaps the best news buyers received this week. Stories of multiple offer scenarios, dozens of first day showings and other aggressive market tactics are being shared throughout my brokerage this week, and we can’t get enough sellers to list their homes!

A few homes sold sight unseen, no doubt with no contingencies and the seller calling all the shots. Arlington is hot, hot, hot!

Last week we had 246 properties for sale in Arlington, and this week we’re down another nine, for a total of 237! Sellers listed 55 homes in the past week, up thirteen from the prior week, and buyers ratified 58 contracts, 22 of which were on homes listed in the last seven days.

Of the 237 homes currently available for sale, 55 are detached homes, 23 are semi-detached/townhomes, and the remaining 159 are condominiums. These properties range in price from $100,000 all the way up to $3,850,000.

Average list price for currently available homes is $853,299, and the median price is $574,900. These homes have been on the market for an average of 81 DOM (days on market) and a median of 51.

This week last year, there were 388 homes available for sale throughout the county. Sellers had listed 75 homes for sale and buyers ratified 64 contracts.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home that you’re interested in purchasing, give us a call!

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

2642 S. Kenmore Court

The Enclave at Aylors Overlook brings iconic homes to Falls Church

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Presenting The Enclave at Aylors Overlook: a private community of 16 brand-new, single-family homes from Madison Homes, a leader in developing high-end boutique communities. These are not ordinary homes and this is not an ordinary location.

Central to everything, Aylors Overlook is adjacent to charming Downtown Falls Church and less than 10 minutes from the more cosmopolitan shopping and dining of both Tysons and the Mosaic District. The W&OD Trail is right across the street and access to Metro, Route 7, I-66, and I-495 easily connect you to everywhere in the D.C. Metro area and beyond.

With 4-7 bedrooms, 3.5-5.5 baths, and 2-car garages, the homes at Aylors Overlook rewrite the meaning of the word luxury. Each space is exceptional, light-filled and refined. And it all starts with the front entrance.

Front steps and porches crafted from bluestone lead to a majestic 42″ wide, 8′ tall front door, reminding you how different and special your Aylors Overlook home really is. Through the door, you’ll find a home expertly designed and finished for today’s modern family living.

The kitchens in Aylors Overlook have been expertly detailed with stainless steel appliances and a commercial style range; quartz countertops; an oversized island with seating for four; and painted maple cabinets await your culinary creations. The oversized walk-in pantry and separate butler’s pantry make sure you always have the right ingredients and equipment on hand (just not out in the open).

Every Aylors Overlook home has a dedicated home office on the main level, a loft space on the upper level and a finished lower level. Combine this space with Madison’s beautifully curated features and you really start to appreciate how special these homes are.

Dual-pane wood-clad windows, nine-foot ceilings on all levels, oak stairs with contemporary railings, custom mudroom built-ins, Kohler fixtures, quartz countertops and porcelain sinks in all bathrooms, a freestanding tub in the Owner’s suite, and smart home and energy efficient features including an electric car charger rough-in in the garage — these are just a few of the features you’ll find standard at Aylors Overlook. Of course, you will also have the option to customize your homes to make it truly unique. Select from our featured upgrades or develop your own.

The Enclave at Aylors Overlook by Madison Homes transcends what you think home could be and lets you live right in the middle of everything! Construction of the first homes are well underway so schedule your appointment today. Priced from the upper $1.7 millions.

Aylorsoverlook.com | 703-844-8484

Boring Title: Discovering history through chain of title

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

Most people tend to think of title work as, well, boring.

In this week’s edition of Boring Title, brought to you by Bill Johnston, Historic Preservationist with Honey Do Today, we discover that a thorough chain of title can reveal a fascinating history of even the most mundane structures, let alone the grand historic houses and structures scattered throughout the DMV.

For Johnston, the historic summarization process begins with a chain of title search, revealing not only the owners, but the circumstances under which they purchased, sold, and divided their properties.

The so-called “Ball-Sellers House” is, simultaneously, both common and uncommon. It represents what the “common (property-owning) man” of Virginia would have dwelt in during the 18th century (the “colonial period”). Its commonality made such houses almost disposable, unlike the grand estates like Mount Vernon or Gunston Hall. Nowadays this makes it all the more rare and through the painstaking analysis of local history, period accounts, and title research, gives us a story that is quite uncommon…

The house was built at some point after 1742, when a yeoman farmer named John Ball was given a land grant of 166 acres by Lord Thomas Fairfax (as in Fairfax County).  His family would later give rise to the name “Ballston” after further development. John worked the land with his wife, five daughters, and quite probably his nearby brothers and nephews until his death in 1766.

In 1766, deed records show that the property was sold to a William Carlin, a tailor by trade from Alexandria who made clothes for, among others, the Washingtons. The Carlins owned the property for over 100 years, until it was sold in 1887. During this time, they constructed an adjoining house, quite possibly another, only one of which remains standing today. The last Carlins also ran a dairy farm, and a vacation spot at a place called “Carlin Springs” (currently on Four-Mile Run) which D.C. and local residents enjoyed for its airy atmosphere, and the springs themselves.

The last Carlin residents, siblings Andrew and Anne, sold the property in 1887, to two lawyers named Samuel Burdett and William Curtis, who subdivided the land into the neighborhood known as “Glencarlyn.” They intended it to be a neighborhood of modern homes for those of modest means, reinforcing the trend of this modest house as a “Fanfare for the Common Man.”

The house later became a schoolhouse, vacation house and a private residence for a final time under the ownership of the Sellers Family. Marian Rheinhart Sellers sold the property in 1975 for the whopping price of $1, to the Arlington Historical Society. AHS has worked tirelessly using the same research methods that I do: deeds, chains of title, probate/will research, and corresponding inventories as well as written accounts and newspapers. They did this in aid of recreating the house as it would have been around the time it was lived in by the Balls and Carlins.

Maintained by the dues and donations of Arlington residents and patrons alike, the house is well-used by the AHS for community events.

The adjoining house, painted in its original 1880 colors, is now occupied by a tenant under the Resident Curator Program, where the tenant is responsible for upkeep, maintenance, or a bit of restoration in exchange for tenancy.

Want to learn more? Check out the extended version of the history of the Ball-Sellers house. For additional links as well as visitor information, please visit the Arlington Historical Society’s website.

For further inquiries into property history research and historic preservation, Bill Johnston can be reached at [email protected].

Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [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! 

You’re invited: Master’s and certificate virtual open house

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Thinking about taking the next step in your career?

The Arlington-based Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University offers flexible part-time or full-time options for graduate certificate and master’s degree programs designed to teach applicable, real-world knowledge for in-demand careers. Learn more at the upcoming open house.

Prospective master’s and graduate certificate students who attend this event will be provided with an application fee waiver for the Fall 2022 graduate application.

Virtual Master’s and Certificate Open House

Thursday, February 10
6:30 p.m. Eastern
Virtual Session

This virtual event is the perfect opportunity to:

  • Explore the school’s top-ranked master’s degree and graduate certificate programs
  • Meet Schar School Dean Mark Rozell, program directors, alumni, and admissions team
  • Find out how the program works around a full-time job
  • Learn about your program of interest in depth, including the curriculum, admissions requirements, and career opportunities
  • Ask admissions team members specific questions about the application process

Master’s Degree Programs

Part-time, full-time, and online options available

  • Biodefense, MS
  • International Commerce and Policy, MA
  • International Security, MA
  • Organization Development and Knowledge Management, MS
  • Political Science, MA
  • Public Administration, MPA
  • Public Policy, MPP

To learn more about graduate programs at the Schar School, register for the virtual open house or fill out our inquiry form.

Small Business Focus: AWE Women in Business Summit

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

The AWE Women in Business Summit is back again in 2022, and BizLaunch is excited to support the program once again as the keynote sponsor.

The Summit is hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce at Marymount University on February 4. This impactful half-day conference features panel discussions and presentations from experienced female leaders from across the region.

“Female entrepreneurs are starting businesses at record numbers, not only in Arlington but also across the country. We’re thrilled to be able to help women achieve their entrepreneurial dreams through this dynamic conference,” says Tara Palacios, Director of BizLaunch.

Designed for women entrepreneurs, executives and professionals of all levels, all genders and gender identities are welcome at the AWE Women in Business Summit.  The Summit will provide education, inspiration and connections to foster success, helping attendees achieve their personal and professional goals.

Exclusive for ARLnow readers, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is offering $20 off the prospective member registration. To take advantage of this special offer, use promo code AWENOW at checkout. To view the full agenda and speaker bios for the event, visit the Arlington Chamber’s website.

For more information about BizLaunch, visit www.bizlaunch.org. We look forward to seeing you on February 4, at the AWE Women in Business Summit.

Photos courtesy of Tara Palacios taken from the 2020 AWE Summit before COVID-19 restrictions and when the AWE and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce merger was announced.

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.

Believe it or not, we’ve already arrived at the last Just Reduced column of January 2022!

In a few days, we’ll be flipping the calendar to February. What a first month of the year it’s been — we’ve experienced some wild local snowstorms and winter weather, we’ve endured a surge of omicron and our beloved Capitals and Wizards remain in the playoff picture… though it’s still early in their respective seasons.

We’ll just have to see what this next month (and the upcoming year) brings.

But, know amid all the variables, real estate remains a constant strength in our area. With continued low unemployment rates, high-paying salaries and incredible cultural opportunities, it’s no wonder folks decide to call the D.C. metro area home.

When you’re ready to explore the Arlington County real estate market and beyond, the time-tested team at Arlington Realty, Inc. has your back any month of the year. Until then, here are this week’s Just Reduced numbers.

As of January 24, there are 75 detached homes, 21 townhouses and 180 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 17 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

2018 N. Cameron Street

lease note 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.

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