Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

Neigborhood Spotlight: Discover the local favorites of Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

What makes Columbia Pike a special neighborhood in Arlington?

How much time do you have? Take a seat ’cause there is so much to say about Columbia Pike! Not only was it one of the oldest thoroughfares in Arlington, it was the site of freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation, the location for three of the first communications towers in the region, and a central main street for many businesses and organizations.

Fun facts, the first Five Guys location and the original all-night Bob & Edith’s Diner started right off the Pike. Also, home to many amazing ethnically-diverse and culturally-rich restaurants and businesses. New mixed-use developments have also emerged, such as Penrose Square which includes a public plaza with a splash park for kids and outdoor movies. The residential areas include everything from condominiums, apartments, townhouses and single family homes.

More local favorites are the landmark Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse, the Farmers Market at Pike Park, Rebellion on the Pike, L.A. Bar and Grill, and Thai Square. The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington is also on the Pike. The location is minutes to Washington, D.C., Alexandria, and many other central neighborhoods throughout Virginia.

Known for its wonderful walkability, access to public transportation, and thriving shops, restaurants and entertainment centers, Columbia Pike is one of the most unique neighborhoods in Arlington.

Connect with neighborhood expert Nick Kuhn to learn more about Columbia Pike and other surrounding areas!

Nick Kuhn | 703-671-5225 | [email protected] | www.McEnearney.com

Important Columbia Pike (and Nearby) Neighborhood Resources

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: Arrowine and Cheese grand reopening this weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This sponsored column is written by Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway). We take a break from our usual beer programming this week to tell you about a special event at the shop.

We welcome you to explore the new Arrowine and Cheese — your neighborhood store with a national reputation! Enjoy the grand reopening of the new Arrowine and Cheese now through Saturday, November 6.

What’s New

  • Authentic sweet and savory French Crêpes made to order while you wait
  • Twelve of the very best craft beers on tap for crawler and growler fills/refills
  • One of the region’s largest selections of natural, organic and biodynamic wines from producers like Jean-Francois Ganevat, Ariana Occhipinti, Domaine Cos and Herve Villemade
  • The region’s largest selection of artisan, seasonal, and specialty cheeses and charcuterie
  • An updated and expanded gourmet grocery section
  • A newly expanded Grower-Champagne selection filled with hard-to-find producers like Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne, Jerome Prevost, Emmanuel Lassaigne and many more
  • A comprehensive selection of Virginia wines from Linden, Glen Manor, Chatham Vineyards and Michael Shaps to name a few
  • Timely online ordering through www.shoparrowine.com, usually ready in two hours or less

What’s Familiar

  • Our 4.8 of 5 stars Google satisfaction rate
  • Our reputation as THE Best Wine and Cheese Shop in Virginia according to DC Dining, Virginia, Northern Virginia and Arlington Magazines, and, of course, ARLnow’s Arlies
  • Our curated selection of world-class wines
  • Our legendary email sales (Be sure to sign up at shoparrowine.com to receive a 20% discount on your next in-store purchase — restrictions may apply.)
  • Your guaranteed satisfaction and our sincere appreciation of your business

The party is on! Please join us for the grand reopening festivities today, Friday, November 5.

Enjoy a 10% discount on any crêpes, free wine tasting of French favorites with Damien Lehoux of Elite Wines Imports from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and free beer tasting with Rocket Frog from 5-7 p.m.

Grand reopening festivities continue Saturday, November 6 with free samples as we slice into the world’s best 200lb Gotthelf Emmentaler Cheese with Gourmino Imports at 1 p.m., free beer tasting with Brouwerij Cornelissen from 1-4 p.m. and free Spanish wine tasting with Aurelio Cabestrero of Grapes of Spain from 1-4 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you!

Sign up for our email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup.

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, Arlington, and welcome to Just Listed!

New listings slowed down quite a bit this week, and demand sagged about 12% week over week. Neither of those points surprise me given we’re now in November, and it’s getting cold outside! Last year, the 2020 anomaly, was still going strong, but this year is a bit more on-trend than last year.

A brief bit on the seasonality of our market here in Arlington… We’re a lot less seasonal than many parts of the country — it’s a result of our broad-based economy bringing people here, and taking them away, for a variety of reasons all throughout the year. Having said that, we do experience higher volume times, the spring, for example, and lower volume times around the holidays. Demand is strong enough that homes go under contract every day of the year, including on Christmas, so seasonality is not a focus, just something to consider.

The attraction to new listings has stayed consistent as of late, with about 25% of those selling in their first week, and overall available inventory decreased. This is down a bit from some of the exuberance of the spring, where as much as 50%+ of new listings flew off the shelf, so to speak, while inventory was simultaneously building as new listings popped up each week in droves.

Mortgage rates dipped after rising for a month, still hovering about 3% for now. The fluctuations over the past month or so are minimal, and buyer’s primary takeaway should be that these rates are historically low, so from that perspective, it’s a great time to lock in your low housing payment. For sellers, this means buyers are holding onto most of their buying power, a good thing for prices which have remained elevated and climbed tremendously over the past two years.

This week, 56 new properties were listed in the county, eight less than last week. Buyers ratified 43 contracts, 19 less than the week before, including 15 contracts on properties that had been on the market seven days or less.

In Arlington, we currently have 482 listed homes for sale, 31 less than last week. 118 of these options are detached homes. 72 are townhomes/semi-detached properties, and the remaining 292 are condominiums.

The average price for homes across all property types in Arlington right now is $801,465, while the median price is $582,500. On average, these homes have been on the market for 65 days, but the median is just 39.

A quick comparison to this week last year, there were 66 homes listed for sale and 65 ratified contracts. There were 554 properties available in Arlington.

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.

422 N. Thomas Street

Celebrate Diwali with 15% off at Delhi Dhaba Indian Restaurant

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Arlington’s favorite Indian restaurant, Delhi Dhaba, is celebrating not once but twice!

Not only is Delhi Dhaba celebrating 30 years in Arlington, the anniversary also falls during the Indian holiday of Diwali. One of India’s largest and important holidays, Diwali has been celebrated for thousands of years. The five day festival of lights celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

As such, the longtime owners of Dehli Dhaba Indian Restaurant are offering a very special deal: Take 15 percent off the entire order over $25, for dine-in or take-out. But the celebratory offer is temporary — this special offer ends Sunday, November 7. Because of the popularity of this event, reservations are strongly recommended.

The deep discount on Delhi Dhaba’s full menu is a great opportunity for newcomers to experience the authentic flavors, colors, and richness of traditions transported from New Delhi as well as discover the restaurant’s whimsical philosophy of “khao, piyo, aish karo” — eat, drink and have fun.

The 15 percent off offer includes the online Family Meal Deal that has been popular since it started last year. Diners receive two orders of samosas (four pieces), two chicken entrees, a vegetarian entrée, two orders of naan and two orders of rice for a mere $50 (minus the discount). Place your order online with ease!

Be sure to follow Delhi Dhaba on Instagram @delhidhabava and happy Diwali!

Delhi Dhaba
2424 Wilson Blvd.
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 4-10 p.m.; Saturday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Website
703-524-0008

Small Business Focus: CAKE Society Co.

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

CAKE Society Co., founded by Executive Director Colton Gibbons, provides access to health, dance, fitness and community in a group fitness setting.

Opened in March of this year, CAKE Society Co. is different from other fitness organizations. It is one of the only BIPOC (Black Indigenous Person of Color) and trans-led dance-oriented fitness organizations.

“I created Cake Society Co. to challenge the traditional toxic fitness culture which supports only one kind of body and vision,” Gibbons said. The word “cake” is an acronym and a pledge for the organization’s main pillars — Community, Activism, Kindness and Equity.

Like many Arlingtonians, Colton moved to Arlington for graduate school and fell in love with the community. “I love the passion and activism that the community offers,” Colton said. “I like that Arlington is intentionally working on a more inclusive and equitable future for all of its residents.”

In starting Cake Society, Colton wasn’t alone. Not only does he have a community of great leaders helping him launch his business, Colton also sought out help from BizLaunch, Arlington’s Small Business Assistance Center.

“I worked with Alex from BizLaunch to help guide me on local business permits and licenses that I needed,” Colton said. “Additionally, Alex helped me brainstorm new ideas and ways to support my organization.”

Recently Cake Society received its 501c3 designation from the Internal Revenue Service as a community-based not-for-profit. Cake Society currently is offering classes by Zoom and at local community spaces. Colton hopes to see a thriving dance-fitness studio fully staffed by exceptional individuals with those from historically underserved communities in leadership positions in five years.

In addition to building an inclusive fitness brand, Cake Society Co has released new efforts providing resource distribution to the trans and gender-expansive community. They also host mental health events and support groups both through Zoom and in person. If you’re interested in attending an event, check out Cake Society’s event page.

For more information about Cake Society Co. and to try out a Zumba class, visit www.cakesocietyco.org.

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.

With Halloween in the rear view mirror, it’s on to the next big holiday for you and your home: Thanksgiving. (And, ahem, let us not forget several other big things before Turkey Day, too — notably, Veterans Day on November 11.)

Just as 2021 is zooming on by, Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Amid your cranberry sauce purchases and prepping your dining area for entertaining successes, here are two tips for preparing your home accordingly.

Number one: Declutter! If spring (or summer) cleaning didn’t happen, there is still hope for a fall spruce-up. Plus, you’ll need that extra room for guests and kids that love to run around.

And, number two: Get raking! By Thanksgiving, odds are you’ll have some substantial leaves and branches throughout your yard. If you get moving now on some raking, it will be a lot easier than digging through potential snow or ice down the line.

If you’re looking for a home to host Thanksgiving gatherings of your own down the line, the time-tested team at Arlington Realty, Inc. is always gravy. Until then, here are this week’s Just Reduced numbers.

As of November 1, there are 147 detached homes, 65 townhouses and 307 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 54 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

900 N. Stafford Street #2628

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: Zillow’s home buying/selling issues

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: Can you share your thoughts on the latest news about Zillow’s issues with their home buying program?

Answer: I don’t usually comment on real estate news, but the recent issues reported with Zillow’s home buying/selling program are interesting and worth discussing.

Catch Me Up

Zillow entered the i-Buying game in April 2018 (launched in Phoenix) with a home buying program called Zillow Offers in which they’d quickly purchase homes using their pricing algorithm (Zestimates) directly from homeowners for cash. The incentive structure is simple: fast, cash, reliable, no list prep. I wrote a column on this type of “i-Buying” in 2019 and discussed the approach, pros and cons.

Since 2018, Zillow Offers has expanded to over 20 markets around the country (mostly in the south and out west) and bought thousands of homes (maybe tens of thousands, but I couldn’t find a good source). Two weeks ago, news broke that Zillow was freezing home buying through 2021 as they work to offload ~7,000 homes.

Yesterday, news broke that an analyst at KeyBanc, Edward Yruma, studied a sample of 650 homes Zillow is currently selling (about 20% of their total inventory) and found that 2/3 are selling for less than their purchase price at an average discount of 4.5%.

What Does it Mean for the Market?

Does this signal a falling/collapsing real estate market?

People, especially news outlets, love looking for signs of a market or business collapse and will certainly play-up this angle. However, I think it’s a lot of nothing at this point.

First, Zillow’s i-Buying program doesn’t represent the housing market, so I don’t buy that it’s an early indicator of a downturn. It’s a new technology-driven business model for buying and selling homes and even if you expect i-Buying to find long-term success, you expect bumps along the way as algorithms and processes evolve through different market cycles.

Zillow relies on its Zestimate home valuation algorithm to determine their offer price and they have a published median error rate of 6.9% for off-market sales, which is essentially what a Zillow Offers home purchase is. Zestimates is within 10% of the final sold price on an off-market deal just 63.8% of the time.

Their published, and more visible, 1.9% error rate for on-market sales is misleading because the Zestimate algorithm adjusts to asking prices and days on market data once a listing is posted, which brings Zestimate accuracy for on-market sales (majority of sales) much closer to the sold price.

Combine Zillow’s 6.9% error rate for off-market sales with the difficulty in tweaking their pricing algorithms in a rapidly appreciating market (they’ve had to adjust values higher on the fly for their offers to have a chance of being accepted) and it’s easy to understand how they ended up with too much inventory worth less than what they paid.

This isn’t a housing market issue, but growing pains of a new business model and technology.

What Does it Mean for Zillow?

Did Zillow reach too far from their core business and get itself in trouble?

Business Insider reported that if Zillow sold everything at the current list price in Phoenix (Zillow Offer’s second largest market), they’d lose about $6.3M. Let’s say they take even more losses on these homes and take similar losses in the rest of their markets, we’re probably looking at losses of ~$50M-$100M against a market cap of approximately $22B and ~$3.7B cash on hand as of today. Far from trouble and probably losses they’re willing to accept in return for the lessons learned/experience.

(more…)

Legal Insider: Ten tips for leaving employment on good terms

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.

Many employees that quit their positions do not give enough thought to leaving a job successfully. Even though an individual is leaving for a new job, it is critical to leave on good terms.

A departing employee never knows whether or not they will later need a reference from a past employer or be subject to a background investigation where past supervisors are interviewed.

With that in mind, here are ten tips to consider when quitting your job:

1. Provide Notice

Usually, two weeks’ notice is appropriate, but it is very important (if possible) to provide enough time for your employer to find a replacement.

2. Tell your Supervisor First

Do not let your supervisor find out from others in the workplace that you are leaving your job. A supervisor will most often be offended if they learn from others that an employee is leaving. Tell your supervisor about your decision to leave first.

3. Finish Strong

In your last two weeks of work (or whatever period of time is agreed upon), work harder than you have before. Organize your files and make sure that everything is ready for your replacement. Not only do employers and supervisors respect this, but they will remember the departing employee fondly for years to come.

4. Don’t Take Company Materials

This comes up quite often. Make sure that you are up to date on company policies on what materials (example: prior work product) that you can take with you. Many materials are proprietary, and taking them without permission can cause a departing employee significant harm to their career.

5. Train Your Replacement

Be as thorough and helpful as possible when training your replacement. Leaving your employer with a smooth transition can help you in the future.

6. Do Not Say Anything Negative

It is critical that a departing employee not say anything negative about supervisors or other employees as they are preparing to leave. Be positive, and if there has been a negative situation in the past, the departing employee should just understand that they are moving to a new position and will no longer have to deal with the issue.

7. Ask for a Reference

If a departing employee has handled their departure smoothly, it is a great time to ask for a reference letter from a supervisor. These letters can be invaluable later. Also, supervisors will be able to give their best recommendation when an employee is still working for them.

8. Return All Employer Property

It is important to return any employer property that a departing employee has, including documents, keycards, computers or phones, and anything that belongs to the employer. Be proactive with this. A departing employee should not wait to be contacted about employer property later.

9. Don’t Brag About Your New Position

Bragging about a new position can leave supervisors and co-workers with bad feelings or jealousy after a departing employee has left. Modesty is key.

10. Be Thankful on Your Way Out

While there may be reasons that an employee has decided to move to their new position, a former employer or supervisor will also remember an employee who is thankful for the opportunities that they received. Do not miss this opportunity. Thank you notes to a supervisor or co-workers can be much appreciated and long remembered.

An employee should remember that even though they are leaving their position for a new one, it is critical to do so gracefully. If a departing employee makes a smooth transition, they can often obtain goodwill and great references for the remainder of their career.

If you are in need of advice regarding noncompete agreements or clauses, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Rethink Energy: November 4 — Getting to carbon neutral at home

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

Most of us want to do something to reduce our contribution to climate change, but many aren’t sure where to start. The good news is that there are many actions you can take. But which ones have the most impact and can get you to carbon neutrality at home?

In this FREE webinar, the second in the Getting to Carbon Neutrality series, experts will describe the basics of zero-carbon buildings and how to transform your home and other buildings to reach the goal of carbon neutrality.

Learn how energy efficiency improvements and electrification of your heating systems, water heaters, and appliances can reduce emissions while saving money and improving comfort in your home.

  • Thursday, November 4, 7-8:30 p.m.
  • Via Zoom — Registration Required
  • Register for free by 9 a.m. on November 4

Speakers

  • Helen Reinecke-Wilt, Arlington County Sustainability Planner — Green Home Choice Program and other Arlington initiatives
  • Sandra Leibowitz, Founder and Owner, Sustainable Design Consulting LLC — retrofitting our homes and buildings to be zero carbon or zero energy
  • Scott Donelson, President Home Energy Medics LLC — practical tips for homeowners and renters on improving energy efficiency and shifting away from natural gas systems and appliances
  • Carl Elefante, Past President, American Institute of Architects — rethinking community development for an equitable post-carbon world

Moderator

  • Joan Kelsch, former Green Building Program Manager at Arlington County

Agenda

  • 7-8 p.m. — Introductions, presentations and moderated panel discussion
  • 8-8:30 p.m. — Audience Q&A

Optional Tour

There will also be an optional tour of zero carbon buildings in Arlington on Saturday, November 6.

Take a tour of two zero-carbon buildings in Arlington on Saturday, November 6 with Scott Sklar. The tour led by Scott Sklar will primarily cover the outside of two self-powered buildings. Both buildings are on the same property and the tour will last approximately one hour.

  • Two tour options — 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
  • Each tour will last approximately one hour
  • Option available when registering for the webinar
  • Tour — Registration Required

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!

Interest rates rise again! Now standing at an average of 3.14% for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, all signs point to this continuing. I mentioned last week that this may push first time buyers out of the market, and that remains true. In Arlington, our first time buyers already have a hard time going up against more seasoned homeowners, so this is only compounding, especially in the higher price points.

Demand continues to show signs of strength after a bit of a slower summer, and that lends to what you’ve been hearing, perhaps for years; the pent-up demand is unsatisfied. That pent-up demand has continued to elevate prices, but the trend is slowing.

This week, 64 new properties were listed in the county, remaining unchanged from last week, and the week before! From memory, we haven’t had this much consistency since I started this column regarding new inventory.

Buyers ratified 64 contracts, one less than the week before, including 16 contracts on properties that had been on the market seven days or less.

In Arlington, we currently have 513 listed homes for sale, one less than last week. 122 of these options are detached homes. 72 are townhomes/semi-detached properties, and the remaining 319 are condominiums.

The average price for homes across all property types in Arlington right now is $774,675, while the median price is $575,000. On average, these homes have been on the market for 65 days, but the median is just 42.

A quick comparison to this week last year, there were 67 homes listed for sale and 55 ratified contracts. There were 539 properties available in Arlington.

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.

1000 N. Kensington Street

Listing of the Day: 880 N. Pollard Street #305

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Address: 880 N. Pollard Street #305
Neighborhood: Ballston | Ballston 880
Listed: $579,900
Open: Saturday, October 30 and Sunday, October 31 from 1-3 p.m.

SCREAM | A REAL ESTATE PARODY

We recreated the intro to the 1996 movie Scream with a real estate spin for this listing, check it out!

This 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit is home to 945 square feet of open living with beautiful hardwood floors throughout the main living space. The kitchen has Samsung Stainless Steel Appliances, granite counters, a laundry closet and a breakfast bar that opens to your living/dining space.

Sliding glass doors open in the living room to a private balcony facing east. The generously sized Owner’s Suite has large windows, a walk-in closet and en-suite bath. The second bedroom has great closet storage and receives amazing light. Both bedrooms were just newly recarpeted.

The second bath is located just outside of the second bedroom making it very convenient when entertaining guests. This unit comes with a rare TWO side by side parking spaces in the underground garage. Ballston 880 has every possible amenity! Enjoy the outdoor pool, fitness center, movie theater, billiards room, party room and conference room. Live just steps to two Metros, grocery stores, bike trails, tons of restaurants like Bronson Bierhall, Ballston Local & the Ballston Quarter.

Listed By:
Shawn Battle
Orange Line Condo | Century 21 Redwood Realty
703-999-8108
[email protected]
OrangeLineCondo.com

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