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.
Home insulation has a significantly greater impact on your home’s energy use and comfort than new windows or doors.
Believe it or not, 9 out of 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. That means that you most likely live in one of them. Older Arlington homes were built when insulation was expensive and fuel was cheap. Many Arlington homes were built with no insulation and are uncomfortably hot in the summer, cold in the winter and have uneven temperatures room-to-room and floor-to-floor.
Do you have uneven temperatures throughout your home? What are you waiting for!? Join other Arlingtonians that already weatherized their homes and are enjoying the benefits of year-round comfort and lower utility bills.
In most cases, the fixes aren’t complex and the cost will likely be less than you expect. In just one day you can have your home insulated and be comfortable year after year.
Unsure where to start? Check out this list of contractors who participated in previous County programs. Give an insulation contractor a call today to get an estimate.
The sooner you act the more comfortable your home will be.
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.
Unlike last year, our fall market is off to a great start, and it really never slowed at the end of summer.
Bolstered by low interest rates and a high level of white-collar jobs that allow remote work during the pandemic, Arlington continues the hustle and bustle. Despite inventory growing slowly and steadily, we’re still a strong seller’s market and I see nothing on the horizon that will change that.
A topic we haven’t talked about much is condo fees, but it makes sense to visit this subject briefly, considering around 60% of our inventory in Arlington has condominium ownership. As a reminder, a condo is a method of ownership, meaning you own your unit and a shared interest in the common spaces such as pools, parking lots, tennis courts, etc., and are bound by the rules, bylaws and covenants established and maintained by unit owners through a condo board — perhaps one of the smallest examples of a local government. You have access to those amenities through your ownership and payment of the association’s fees.
Condos can look like townhomes, high rises, garden style buildings and even appear as semi-detached homes. Monthly fees in Arlington vary widely, with some in the $200 range and not providing much in the way of amenities, to buildings that include all utilities, have 24-hour concierge and a wide variety of amenities and conveniences. The latter can run you towards $1,000+ in Arlington, but the average falls somewhere in the $400-$600 range depending on the amenities included.
Condo fees increase over time, sometimes the result of unexpected maintenance, or increases in costs of contracts and services such as landscaping, lifeguards or snow removal. Fees rarely decrease, and there are often rules contained in the individual organization placing a cap on how much they can increase year to year.
Townhomes are sometimes condo ownership, but more frequently part of a homeowner’s association (HOA) — and HOAs typically have much lower fees than condos. Usually there aren’t many utilities included; they don’t have elevators or other costly systems to maintain and the function of an HOA is more limited in scope, generally to architectural rules, landscaping and perhaps a pool or tennis courts.
We don’t have many examples of single-family homes belonging to HOAs in Arlington, but as you venture farther outside the metro area, this becomes much more prevalent from tract-development housing.
Now for your weekly stats…
This past week in Arlington, sellers listed some 84 properties for sale while buyers ratified 68 contracts. 32 of the ratified contracts were on homes listed just within the past week.
There are currently 444 homes for sale in Arlington, 16 more than last week. 128 are detached homes, 42 are townhouses/semi-detached and 274 are condos. Average days on market (DOM) for currently available homes is 49 and median DOM is 30.
The median list price of currently available properties is $628,500, while the average is $866,392. Last year for the same week, sellers listed 72 homes and buyers ratified 48 contracts.
Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate — if you see a home you’re interested in purchasing, we’d love to help!
Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight homes that are new this week that I think you might like to check out.
This sponsored column is by James Montana, Esq. and Doran Shemin, Esq., practicing attorneys at Steelyard LLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact James for an appointment.
Dear ARLnow readers,
James just returned from his vacation, during which he hiked a 290-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, sleeping in a camping hammock all the way. He also snagged this shot with the wild ponies of the Grayson Highlands.
Doran is too busy winning cases to write an article this week. She had to cover the whole docket while her self-indulgent boss was hanging out with wild ponies.
We paid for the advertising space, didn’t we?
Therefore:
Enjoy the silly photo.
Get outside. This wonderful weather won’t last.
Long live the free press!
As always, we welcome your thoughts and comments. If you have any requests for our next immigration column, let us know! We’d love to address issues of concern to ARLnow readers.
Once again, Arlington made its mark on the annual Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies as 31 local companies qualified, including five that ranked in the top 500.
To qualify for the prestigious list, each company exhibited exponential growth over the preceding three-year period and earned over $2 million in revenue last year. While the companies share several traits that positioned them for success, perhaps the most important is their ability to identify and recruit exceptional talent. Along their growth trajectory, each company was able to assemble a standout team to fuel its rapid expansion.
With Northern Virginia being home to one of the nation’s top talent pools, the Arlington honorees are well-positioned to continue building teams equipped to develop innovative products or provide excellent service to commercial and government entities. Given the desire to remain a member of the Inc. 5000 for years to come, these companies are seeking talent to fill positions in a diverse set of industries, including cybersecurity, government contracting, information technology, marketing and software development.
For job seekers, this presents a unique opportunity to join one of the region’s next leading companies, including Arlington’s highest-ranked and most-recognized companies on the list, Royce Geospatial Consultants and Fors Marsh Group, respectively.
Appearing on the list for the first time, Royce Geospatial Consultants is Arlington’s highest-ranked honoree at #333. The Clarendon-based government contractor reported an impressive three-year growth rate of 1,370% and has openings in in GIS application development, data science, geospatial engineering and software development.
According to Royce Geo’s CEO, David Sterling, “Our number one goal is to provide clients with highly mission focused subject matter experts who think innovatively with a sharp eye on mission. As a company, we operate as an employee first/mission first entity and we believe, if you take care of both with equal attention, everything else takes care of itself.”
On the other end of the appearance spectrum, Fors Marsh Group (FMG) led Arlington companies by earning its eighth-consecutive place on the Inc. 5000. The Ballston-based, Certified B Corporation helps organizations and governmental agencies make research-backed decisions and implement solutions that positively affect customers, employees and the citizens they serve. FMG’s client portfolio has grown in large part due to the talent it recruits from higher education institutions, like George Mason University (GMU), to fill positions in the fields of data science, human capital strategy and policy evaluation.
Fors Marsh Group’s Senior Vice President and GMU alumni, Brian Griepentrog says, “The talent in our local undergraduate and advanced degree programs is simply world class, and cultivating these partnerships is central to our company’s success. And is one reason almost one-third of our almost 300 employees have a degree from a local D.C. Metro university.”
For more information on Fors Marsh Group, Royce Geospatial Consultants and all of Arlington’s 31 companies on the Inc. 5000, Arlington Economic Development’s webpage provides a snapshot of each company and its current career opportunities.
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington Pet of the Week Banjo (photo courtesy of Camryn)
Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Banjo, a 1 year old cat who loves to chat with anyone around him.
Here is what Banjo’s owner had to say about his life here in Arlington:
We are very excited to introduce you to Banjo! Banjo is a recently minted Arlingtonian, arriving in the Arlington Mill neighborhood after being adopted from City Kitties this June. He is about 1 year old and is a classic Gemini with tons of personality.
Much like his namesake instrument, Banjo is a very vocal cat, and loves chatting with anyone around, whether that be the birds outside, reflections on the ceiling, his own reflection, and even on Zoom calls! Banjo is an endless ball of energy, and sometimes serves as our resident alarm clock. A little bit of a ditz, he is ultimately a sweetheart who loves to lick your face and share his stinky cat breath.
Banjo is one of many cats affected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV+), but this doesn’t get in his way one bit. He has an undeniable zest for life, and makes the most of his days watching the wildlife in the courtyard outside his window perch, playing with his wide cache of toys, and hiding in various nooks and crannies throughout the house.
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!
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.
The pandemic is affecting what folks are looking for in a new home.
According to a recent Homes.com survey of 1,000 respondents who purchased a home during the pandemic, 40% said that COVID-19 changed the features they desired.
As for the biggest change in attitudes?
Well, more and more people are looking at adding a home office space and want more square footage in general, knowing that things have generally trended toward a work-from-home-friendly environment.
On the ground here in Arlington Country, we know that the pandemic has affected each and every person or family differently. But, just as before, the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. is well equipped to help folks navigate the climate and find the perfect home, condo or townhome..
When you’re ready to discuss your needs — pre-, during or post-pandemic — we’re ready to roll on your behalf. And now on to this week’s Just Reduced figures.
As of September 14, there are 157 detached homes, 41 townhouses and 291 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 44 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:
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.
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. Enjoy!
Question: I’ve seen a lot more condos come to market and also some staying on market longer than before, is that part of a larger trend in the condo market?
Answer:In July, I predicted there would be a surge in housing inventory that was held off the market this spring because of COVID. That has proven to be moderately correct for single-family housing and very accurate for condos. The market has had no trouble absorbing the extra single-family housing, albeit with less competition than before, but the condo market has not absorbed the extra inventory and has undergone a significant shift in the last two months.
In short, listing volume for Arlington condos reached historically high levels in July and August, absorption (demand) is down, and months of supply is the highest it’s been since the fall of 2017.
Historically High Listing Volume
July (253 listings) and August (229 listings) had the 5th and 13th highest months for listing volume in the last ten years. Prior to this year, the top fifteen months for condo listing volume fell in April or May (peak demand offsets higher listing activity), with the exception of June 2015. This is the first time that the number of condos listed in July or August has ever exceeded 200.
Pre-Amazon HQ2 Demand
Since Amazon announced plans for HQ2 in November 2018, condo demand was through the roof with 15 straight months of more condos going under contract than listed for sale (over 1.0 in the chart below), beginning January 2019. Absorption levels, a strong indicator of demand, are now more reflective of 2016-2017 which brought very little real appreciation in the condo market.
Monitor Months of Supply
The Months of Supply metric combines inventory levels and rate of absorption (supply and demand). It measures how long it would take to sell out of existing inventory given the current pace of sales. Most housing economists say that ~6 months of supply is needed for a well-balanced housing market, a number we’ve never come close to in Arlington.
Given that it takes ~6 months of supply for a balanced market, Arlington is still very much a seller’s market, but nowhere close to what it’s been over the last two years. In August, Months of Supply exceeded 2.25, higher than it’s been since October 2017 (2.32). Compare that to December 2018 — March 2020 with an average of .67 (just over two weeks of supply) and high of .88, and it becomes clear why many buyers and sellers are experiencing a different market now than they were as recently as June.
Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. Monday Properties is proudly featuring Shirlington Gateway. Say hello to the new 2800 Shirlington, which recently delivered a brand-new lobby and upgraded fitness center. Experience a prime location and enjoy being steps from Shirlington Village, a large retail hub with a variety of unique restaurants and shopping options. Spec suites with bright open plans and modern finishes are under construction and will deliver soon!
Joint Arlington-Icelandic regenerative-medicine biologics company Kerecis has reeled in a new batch of funding.
The company, which has its operational headquarters in Courthouse, is focused on a technology that might sound to some like Spider-Man villain origin in the making.
Kerecis uses “fish skin and fatty acids for tissue protection and regeneration.” The fish skin can be used to treat wounds, burns and other tissue damage.
The company’s leadership said in a press release that the technology’s eager adoption in the United States was one of the leading sources of growth over the last year. Though the product might sound fishy, Kerecis said in a press release there’s no risk of viral-disease transfer from Atlantic cod to human.
Kerecis said all of the fish it flays for human use are wild and caught off the coast of Iceland.
“The fish skin needs only mild processing for medical use and maintains its natural structure and elements, including Omega 3 fatty acids,” the company said. “The Kerecis fatty-acid-based products protect the body against bacterial and viral infections.”
The company announced that the funding is based on $15 million in credit from Silicon Valley Bank to fund the company’s capital needs, with investors and lenders providing $6 million in loans to finance expanding the company’s expansion plans in the United States.
Research into adapting fish skin as treatment for burns and other skin-damage has been promising, with some experimental treatment being done in Brazil.
“The main reason that we were once again named Iceland’s fastest growing company is the rapid adoption of our medical fish skin in the U.S. market,” said G. Fertram Sigurjonsson, founder and CEO of Kerecis. “We are excited that our products are preventing amputations and reducing human suffering.”
Sigurjonsson said the funding will go to accelerating development and marketing of products for wounds, burns and other medical needs, especially in the United States.
This monthly column comes from the Arlington Community Federal Credit Union as part of their mission to financially empower the community. Credit unions are not-for-profit member-owned cooperatives and anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, goes to school, or does business in Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, or Fairfax County is eligible to join ACFCU.*
Your mortgage and home equity products are likely some of your biggest expenses.
With rates being low, many people are finding that it’s a good financial decision to refinance to meet their financial goals. If you’ve been thinking about refinancing, here are some reasons to contact your financial institution:
You’re ready to consolidate your home loans: If you obtained a first mortgage and an equity loan to purchase your home, you may be able to refinance the two loans into one and lower your overall monthly payments. Equity loan rates tend to be higher than first mortgage rates so you may save on total interest paid over the life of the loan.
Cash out refinance: Use the equity in your home to pay for major expenses like home improvement, college, vacations or to pay off higher interest rate credit card debt.
Lower rate and lower payments: Refinance to a lower interest rate to reduce monthly payments and the overall amount of interest paid over the life of the loan.
Shorten term: To build equity faster, reduce interest paid over the life of the loan. If you’ve owned your home for several years, it may be possible to shorten your term and keep about the same monthly payment.
Change your product: Many people refinance from an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed rate product. ARM rates are typically lower and are popular for getting into a home for the lowest monthly payment. However, with an ARM loan, your interest rate and resulting monthly payment will fluctuate over the life of the loan. Many people choose to refinance to a fixed rate mortgage to not have to worry about the interest rate and payment amounts changing.
If you’re ready to explore refinancing, reach out to a financial institution. ACFCU’s real estate team is here to listen and advise you on your best options.
This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.
Sometimes, nothing hits the spot quite like a taco. Classic, convenient, and always delicious, these cantina treats are a favorite for a reason — but who serves up the best tacos in Arlington? In this week’s Neighborhood Spotlight, join Peter Applegate, Caitlin Kamerman, and Drew Carpenter of the Keri Shull Team as they take you 3 of our favorite taquerias in Arlington!
Do you have a restaurant, bar or entertainment spot that you’d like for us to highlight in a future Neighborhood Spotlight post? Just let us know in the comments — we’d love to check it out!
Now, let’s get right into it and talk about the contestants!
Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita
Located on Columbia Pike — just down the road from Bob & Edith’s Diner and right next door to the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse — is a hidden gem for authentic tacos in Arlington. Tortas Y Tacos used to be a food truck in the area, but they opened up a storefront about 3 years ago and have been slinging salsa there ever since.
In addition to their authentic tacos, Tortas Y Tacos also serves — as the name implies — torta sandwiches, as well as quesadillas and other iconic street fare.
If you are looking for the classic Mexican taco, with soft corn tortillas, a variety of tender meats, and a zesty squeeze of lime on top of cilantro and onion, then this might be the spot in Arlington.
Tacos El Chilango
There’s no simpler taco experience than the one you get at Tacos El Chilango. The unassuming food truck is parked in Rosslyn, right by Arlington Boulevard. When you approach (with cash in hand — no plastic at this spot!) the menu might seem surprisingly simple.
Just tacos. Take your pick of beef, pork, chicken, sausage, lengua or a mix. It’s $2.50 per taco, and they come to you on a paper plate to eat there or as you walk.
And they are absolutely incredible.
Just like Tortas Y Tacos, this food truck boasts truly authentic Mexican tacos, with tender meats double wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with onions, cilantro, and your choice of salsas.
Plus, with plenty of room to space out, sanitizer options from the owner, and its prime location near Rosslyn and Court House, Tacos El Chilango is a great option for takeout food in Arlington — especially on a lunch break!
Taco Rock absolutely blows away the competition when it comes to menu size and presentation. The eatery offers 23 varieties of tacos — including speciality items like sushi-inspired tacos and a cubano sandwich inside a tortilla — as well as a wide selection of empanadas, ceviche, burritos and other tex-mex offerings.
If you stop by Taco Rock, either to dine in or take out, make sure to try one of their signature drinks, too! In particular, we loved their speciality margaritas, which pair perfectly with the unique flavors of the tacos.
The Verdict
The truth is, it’s hard to compare these places! Tortas Y Tacos and Tacos El Chilango lean heavily on tradition and authenticity, whereas Taco Rock tries its hand at innovation with unique fillings and attractive presentation.
When it comes down to it, though, our agents selected Tortas Y TacosLa Chiquita as the top taco in Arlington. The combination of biting hot sauce, perfectly crafted tortillas, fall-off-the-bone tender meats, and authentic flavor is simply unbeatable in our eyes!
