Sponsored

Tomorrow: Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House

By ARLnow Sponsor

Thinking about taking the next step in your career? The 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.

Join our Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House for prospective students tomorrow evening, April 7. The online session will provide an overview of the Schar School’s top-ranked master’s degree programs and graduate certificate programs, student services, and admissions requirements.

Virtual Master’s and Certificate Open House
Wednesday, April 7
6:30-8 p.m. (EDT)
Virtual Session

Graduate Certificate Programs (just 5 courses each)
Part-time and full-time options available

Master’s Degree Programs
Part-time and full-time options available

To learn more about graduate programs at the Schar School, register for the April 7 virtual open house or fill out our inquiry form.

Ask Eli: Demand for Home Pools Increasing

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. Enjoy!

Question: Have you seen a change in demand for home pools since COVID-19 began?

Answer: In 2017 I wrote that for most homes in Northern Virginia (and the D.C. metro), having a pool had a negative impact on resale because most buyers see them as a hazard, unnecessary expense and/or inefficient use of yard. However, COVID has changed the minds of many buyers and caused demand for homes with pools to increase significantly.

Demand for Pools Much Higher in 2020+

Below is a look at the data (as of April 4, 2021) of homes sold with a pool in Arlington County, Falls Church City, Alexandria City, Fairfax County and Loudoun County since 2015. The numbers were pretty consistent prior to 2020, then demand clearly shifted in favor of pools due to COVID. All indicators improved significantly for people selling a home with a pool.

Demand Similar Across Northern Virginia

I broke down the sales data since 2015 between each Northern Virginia jurisdiction to see if certain markets perform better or worse on sales of homes with pools. It turns out that there’s not much of a difference on where you’re buying in Northern Virginia — the interest in pools seems to be relatively similar across each market. Note how few homes in Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church have pools.

Looking for a Pool?

If you’re looking for a house with a pool in Northern Virginia, I wrote an article last year breaking down what sub-markets you’re most likely to find homes with a pool for sale and the sales data for those homes.

Unfortunately, it’s incredibly expensive to build your own pool here. Most people are shocked when they find out what it costs to build a gunite (concrete) in-ground pool around here, which usually runs from $150,000 to $200,000 before additional patio and landscaping work.

I linked up with local Arlington landscape designer/expert Rob Groff, of Groff Landscape Design, to find out why it’s so much more expensive to build a pool here than elsewhere in the region/country. I also asked about a common strategy I’ve heard from homeowners to hire an out-of-town company to build a pool for less and pay for their travel/lodging during the project to save some money.

Q: Why is it so expensive to build a pool here?

A: It’s so much more expensive to build a pool here because permitting is more time consuming and expensive; materials and labor are more expensive; average lot size is smaller, which oftentimes causes problems; and engineering, municipal-related site preparation, such as construction entrances, super silt fence, site restoration, drainage, etc. are all a factor.

Q: Is it more cost-effective for homeowners to hire an out-of-town pool company who builds pools for less money and pay for their travel/lodging?

A: A lot of pool companies don’t include all expenses upfront and therefore there are a ton of surprise costs on the back-end of the pool project. I’ve seen this a lot, especially from out-of-area pool companies. We actually set up a spreadsheet and accompany some of our clients in the vetting process. We had a local company at $205,000 for a pool that a Fredericksburg-based company had at $145,000. By the time the meeting was over and we corrected the Fredericksburg company to make sure they didn’t leave anything off, they were up at $215,000.

Q: Are there more affordable options for in-ground pools that you recommend?

A: In Northern Virginia, a gunite (concrete) pool has been the standard for a long time. On average, we see these coming in at $150,000 to $200,000 in Northern Virginia (not including the pool patio and other surrounding elements like landscaping, lighting, etc.). Fiberglass pools are growing in popularity and their base price is closer to $55,000 to $65,000 (River Pools and Spa). These fiberglass pools don’t feel the same to many homeowners as a true gunite pool, but they save enough money to make people consider them. There are a ton of good videos on their website that explains the differences between gunite and fiberglass, etc.

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to set-up an in-person meeting to discuss local Real Estate, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at 703-539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N Fairfax Dr #10C Arlington VA 22203. 703-390-9460.

Aging Right at Home: Encouraging Older Men to Take Care of Their Health

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Aging Right @ Home is a monthly blog series, answering your questions on providing care for individuals with disabilities, loved ones with dementia and older adults aging in place. If you have a question, please submit it to [email protected].

It’s not hard to notice, and the statistics confirm it: Women tend to live longer than men. U.S. Census data show that there are only half as many men over the age of 80 as women. Additionally, more than 80% of centenarians are women, and men in almost every country have a shorter life expectancy.

What explains this seeming paradox?

It is most likely a combination of factors. From a biology standpoint, gender-related differences in genes, hormones and the immune system make men more susceptible to inflammation, heart disease and high blood pressure. Behavioral differences exist as well. Men are more likely to smoke, consume more alcohol and take part in other risky behaviors. Attitudes toward health care is also a big contributing factor. Men are less likely than women to have regular doctor visits. Because men are more susceptible to health concerns, here are some key areas to address.

Talking to men about health matters.

If you have an older male family member or loved one, encourage them to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating well, giving up smoking, getting enough exercise and managing stress. It’s important to also talk about health care with them. Ask them how long it’s been since they saw a doctor. Research shows that many male patients underplay health problems during conversations with their doctor, but they may be more likely to be truthful and forthcoming with you. Help them stay on top of regular check-ups, including tests of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar; screenings for prostate, colorectal and skin cancer; and vision and hearing tests. Discuss emotional health as well — health care includes mental health as well.

Care support at home for older men.

Most senior men prefer to age in place in their own homes, but health challenges may make that unsafe without assistance. They may avoid asking for help from family members — or they might require a lot of help and feel bad about it. Professional in-home caregivers provide assistance with personal care, prepare nutritious meals, and transport clients to medical appointments and exercise opportunities.

If you or your loved one is looking for support, at home senior care providers, such as Right at Home, will carefully match caregivers with clients. Having professional support can be of benefit in a variety of ways — from companionship that wards off loneliness to an extra focus in senior health. Right at Home care experts work with families to support the needs of senior loved ones and family caregivers alike. Contact me today and ask for a care consultation or let me know if I’m able to provide any other assistance to you and your family.

Your neighbor, and Owner/President of Right at Home of Northern Virginia,
Phillip Turner, CDP, CSA

Each month readers can submit questions to Phillip Turner (CSA, CDP), the Owner and Executive Director of Right At Home Northern Virginia, one of the area’s largest and longest-serving providers of in-home senior care.

As a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), Phillip is passionate about providing individualized care, enthusiastic management services and collaborating with other health care providers. If you have a question, please submit it to [email protected].  

Legal Insider: Virginia Passes Pro-Employee Overtime Law

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.

The Commonwealth of Virginia did not have its own overtime laws until the recent passage of the Virginia Overtime Wage Act (VOWA), in Virginia House Bill 2063, signed on March 30, 2021, by Governor Northam.

Those who were able to argue for lost overtime compensation had to previously rely on federal law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, known as FLSA. While the new VOWA is similar to the FLSA, it increases costs and penalties (both civil and criminal) for Virginia employers that don’t pay required overtime to employees.

Like the FLSA, Virginia’s new overtime law generally requires payment of time and a half at an employee’s regular rate for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek. But although the law largely tracks federal standards, significant differences are likely to result in new liabilities for Virginia employers and higher damages for overtime violations for employees in Virginia who have not received their overtime pay.

The new Virginia law establishes a new formula for calculations for salaried employees in Virginia, which will yield larger recoveries in overtime cases. VOWA will also yield larger recoveries for misclassified workers. Additionally, while the FLSA has a two-year statute of limitations to bring claims — unless they are willful (intentional), which extends it to three years — VOWA expands this. VOWA extends overtime claims to three years. This will bring greater liability to employers.

Finally, VOWA presumes an employees’ ability to obtain double damages for all overtime violations. The FLSA allows employers to argue they acted in good faith as a defense to such claims. The new VOWA takes this defense away. Under VOWA, all overtime wage violations are subject to double damages (in addition to pre-judgment interest of 8% per year). Finally, VOWA goes further and permits triple damages for employees where an employer had actual knowledge that it failed to pay the overtime wages due and acted in deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard as to whether it was paying all overtime wages owed.

VOWA also includes criminal provisions against employers. Employers can be now found guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if the value of the overtime wages earned and not paid is less than $10,000. If the amount unpaid is over $10,000, the employer can be found liable for a Class 6 Felony charge. A felony charge can also apply no matter the amount of wages at issue for a second conviction.

There is a lot to sort out with the new VOWA overtime legislation in Virginia, but employees are going to have much stronger state claims for overtime in the future.

Contact Us

If you are in need of employment law legal representation or advice, 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: New 2021 Solar and Electric Vehicle Charger Co-op

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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.

If COVID has shown us anything, it’s that collective action is possible to address a global issue. As the COVID vaccine rolls out, we are watching history being made in so many ways.

On the topic of global collaboration, for the first time, Arlington County is joining a group of other D.C. area local governments to form the Capital Area Solar Co-op.

Launched on April 1, 2021 (no joke), this regional Solar Co-op opportunity will be available from now until the end of August 2021 for residents all over the Capital Area!

It can be hard to find positives amid the chaos of COVID-19, but there is one silver lining. The lockdown has slowed climate change: cutting fossil fuel use, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Unfortunately, this decline in emissions is already reversing.

We as a community and a region have an opportunity to take action now to change the trajectory of the future. Installing solar is one way to directly decarbonize or clean the electric grid, eliminate your dependence on fossil fuels, and even turn your house into a ‘gas station’ if you own or buy an electric car.

More than 230 Arlington homeowners have already participated in the County’s Solar and Electric Vehicle Charger Co-op. The cooperative helps residents, small businesses and non-profit organizations buy solar and electric vehicle (EV) chargers at a discounted price through bulk purchasing. The cooperative provides support to participants to make the purchasing process easy. This year we will also provide information about storing your solar power at home in battery systems.

Take advantage of the federal residential solar and electric vehicle charger tax credits. This year the residential tax credits are 26% for solar and 30% (up to $1,000) for electric vehicle chargers. Business tax credits are also available.

This is a great time to learn more about solar, electric vehicle charging and solar battery storage and help our community reach carbon neutral by 2050.

Below are dates for the upcoming virtual info sessions. Click below to RSVP for the date and time that works best for you:

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

1827 N. Highland Street
5 BD/4 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $2,200,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m. and Sunday, 2-4 p.m.

 

5616 4th Street S. 
5 BD/5 BA single-family home
Agent: Classic Cottages Realty
Listed: $1,449,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

 

3825 37th Street N.
5 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,249,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

 

1991 N. Adams Street
4 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath townhome
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $950,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m. and Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

 

1812 N. Ode Street
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Compass
Listed: $899,900
Open: Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

 

1833 S. George Mason Drive
4 BD/2 BA single-family home
Agent: KW United
Listed: $775,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

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 happy Friday!

With another busy week for buying in selling in Arlington behind us, expect the pace to stay pretty brisk, at least until school gets out for the summer. We usually see a brief break the first and second week after school gets out as people head to beaches or other vacation spots. Perhaps this year will be even greater a slowdown since many will be taking some of their first vacations in a year or more.

Interestingly enough, we’ve also always observed that Easter weekend is a very busy real estate weekend. Many people love to visit open houses, especially when family is in town, so traffic is always up. That seems to almost double if we get lucky enough to have nice weather Saturday and/or Sunday.

Sellers listed 108 homes for sale this past week, while buyers ratified 96 contracts — 39 of those were on homes just listed within the past seven days.

This week, there are 426 available properties for sale throughout all of Arlington and across all property types, three less to choose from compared to last week.

There are 89 detached properties available for sale throughout all of Arlington, 43 townhome/semi-detached homes, and condominiums make up 294 of the available units in Arlington.

A quick comparison to last year, for the same week, sellers listed 59 homes and buyers ratified 45 contracts. There were also only 204 available properties for sale this week last year

The average list price for currently available properties is $804,879 and the median is $549,900.

Currently available properties in Arlington have an average of 65 days on market (DOM) and a median of just 30.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home 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 I think you might like to check out:

628 24th Street S.

Statutes of Liberty: Tax Law and the Undocumented — You Don’t Get What You Pay For

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is by James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq. and Laura Lorenzo, 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.

“Tax Law and the Undocumented” was one of the less-popular choices on our glorious Readerpalooza poll, but it’s tax time, and we want to make sure this information is out there, because someone really needs it. (Our motto here at Statutes of Liberty is “Decreasing Needless Suffering: It’s Taking Longer Than We Thought.”)

So, it’s time for a Q&A between our imaginary interviewer, Cosell, and our non-imaginary founding partner.

Cosell: Let’s cut to the chase. Do illegal immigrants — undocumented people, what-have-you — do they have to pay taxes?

Montana: Yes. Paying taxes on U.S. income is required under federal law whether you are here legally or illegally.

Cosell: But they don’t have Social Security numbers, do they?

Montana: Some of them do. Immigration is complicated. (Until 1974, you didn’t have to submit any evidence at all to get an SSN — you just asked for one. See here.)

Cosell: OK, wise guy, but how do you pay your taxes without a Social Security number?

Montana: The IRS will issue you something called an Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN), which serves as a substitute for an SSN. An Individual Taxpayer ID Number allows the IRS to keep track of you from year to year.

Cosell: But come on. It would be stupid to tell the federal government your address and name if you’re living illegally in this country. Why on earth would anyone do that?

Montana: Many of our clients genuinely want to pay taxes. They see it as part of being responsible residents in this country. Also — again, immigration is complicated! — there are lots of families with mixed status. For example, Dad has TPS, Mom is undocumented, one kid is undocumented and the two younger kids were born here. In that family, there are three legitimate Social Security numbers and two ITINs. Dad’s employer will withhold his income, and he’ll want to file a tax return.

Cosell: But won’t the IRS report you to ICE?

Montana: There are plenty of people who fear that, but federal law generally forbids the disclosure of tax information for immigration purposes. This is a contested area of law, but our view is that people should pay their taxes. First of all, it’s the right thing to do. Second, paying your taxes is useful evidence of physical presence and compliance with U.S. law, which your immigration lawyer will love to see.

Cosell: So, let’s say I’m undocumented. Should I have my cousin’s friend prepare my taxes? I hear he’s super good at it — always gets the best refund!

Montana: God, we get this all the time. NO NO NO NO.

Cosell: Why not?

Montana: Because your cousin’s friend is an idiot. He will, without fail, (1) claim incorrect numbers of dependents, (2) write down that you are “head of household” when you aren’t, (3) put down his address rather than yours “just to keep things simple” and generally make a dog’s breakfast of the whole thing.

Please go to a licensed tax preparer or a CPA. Free tax preparation is available right here in Arlington from Enterprise Development Group (EDG). If you live in D.C. or suburban Maryland, check out the Catholic Charities Financial Stability Network. If neither of those works for you, go to a physical H&R Block office. H&R Block takes more of your refund than a free preparer would, but they’re still better than the alternative.

Cosell: What’s your favorite unlicensed tax preparer story?

Montana: There are so many. My personal fave is Kenneth Mwase, whose unlicensed tax business not only fleeced clients out of their refunds but also (allegedly) drove them to ATMs to demand more money. After his conviction, he fled to South Africa using a bogus Zimbabwean passport. It took an international manhunt to find him. Why would you pay for that kind of service when you can get actual, sane tax advice for free from a kindly retired accountant?

Just Sold in Arlington: April 1, 2021

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

In the past seven days, 53 properties were sold across Arlington, including a 2 BD/2.5 BA condo with D.C. views that went for $1.5 million.

Zooming out, as of March 28, there were 595 homes listed for sale in Arlington, according to Homesnap. This includes 416 condos, 140 detached homes and 39 townhomes.

“The median list price is $564,850 and the median sales price is $635,000,” Homesnap reports. “There have been 217 new listings in the last 4 weeks and 227 sales.”

Here’s a look at a few of the properties sold in the past seven days:

In the market? See properties that have been Just Listed and Just Reduced.

Arts Focus: Artful Mind — Art Workshops to Sharpen Focus

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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

Over the centuries, artists throughout the world have developed practices to center themselves and prepare mentally, spiritually and emotionally for making art.

Artful Mind, a series of four workshops (April 1 to 29), will teach you techniques to create a focus that can be helpful in everyday life as well as art-making.

Combining exercises from her art and bookmaking practice, instructor Sushmita Mazumdar will guide students in this lunchtime exploration of mark-making with lines and swirls and playing with various kinds of paper. No experience with art-making is necessary! You can pick one session that catches your fancy or join us for all four sessions. No matter which one you attend, you will leave with techniques to help you find a spot of calm anywhere, anytime.

All classes are held virtually via Zoom, and the schedule is as follows:

Session 1: Line, Lines, Lines (April 1) — Learn how a simple pen or pencil can help you find calm anywhere, anytime.
Supplies: Sketchbook, pencil, marker, color pencils, water-soluble graphite, cup of water

Session 2: Swirls and Puddles (April 15) — Learn how some new and simple tools you find on a walk, in your garden or from around the house can help teach you something new.
Supplies: Sketchbook, twigs and pebbles from your walk or around the house, small bottle of food coloring (any color/s), empty cup, water

Session 3: Fold, Fold, Fold (April 22) — Reading magazines and newspapers can help us relax or make us anxious. Using origami, we can turn them into something that is always fun.
Supplies: Sketchbook, pages torn from magazines, newspaper, scissors, yarn/ribbon

Session 4: Tear, Tear, Tear (April 29) — Let color and texture change your mood and create something new from paper.
Supplies: Handmade paper scrap pack; paper from around the house like grocery bags, wrapping paper, envelopes; stapler

Your instructor, Sushmita Mazumdar, is an Arlington-based artist, writer and educator. She works across stories, book arts and mixed media to explore her memories of home, heritage and migration from India. She mixes into her work present-day places and the community who collaborate, discuss and respond to inform her creations. Sushmita is the founder of Studio PAUSE, a community space for art and stories, and is also a studio arts instructor with the Smithsonian Associates.

Arlington Arts’ Arts Enterprise Institute Spring Classes often fill to capacity. Artists, performers and arts professionals looking to up their game are encouraged to explore the remaining sessions, continuing through May 18, 2021 (all classes are virtual).

Classes are filling up quickly, so sign-up now. Attendees will receive a Zoom link via email after 5 p.m. the day before the event. Visit our Eventbrite page for registration fees and details.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Charlie and Tucker

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/6

Meet Charlie and Tucker (aka Chuck and Tuck), Arlington’s latest Pet of the Week.

Here’s what their mom had to say about this duo’s life of luxury in Ballston.

Charlie and Tucker live a posh life up in their Ballston apartment, lounging in their cat hammock, chasing lasers and using their custom-built poop hut.*

Charlie enjoys the simple things in life, sleeping his days away and finding a good box to squeeze into (provided by his Mom’s Amazon shopping addiction, of course). Tucker, on the other hand, is the baby of the family and lives a more active life, carrying around fuzzy toys while waiting for someone to play fetch with him or plotting his next sneak attack on his big brother. Together they live their frenemy lives as Tuck and Chuck, running around the apartment looking to wreak havoc on Mom’s Zoom meetings.

Both kitties are rescues from the NoVA area. Charlie is from the Arlington Animal Welfare League and Tucker from the NoVA SPCA.

*Poop hut is the term coined to describe the cabinet built by Mom and Dad to conceal the litter box. Is it a fancy cabinet, or is it a wooden structure to mask the smell…? Nobody will ever know.

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!

We are also looking for local pets who look like their owners or like celebrities. Email us photos of your pet and their doppelgänger, explaining the resemblance and whether it has been noticed in your neighborhood.

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