Sponsored

You’re Invited: Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House

By ARLnow.com 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 upcoming Master’s and Certificate Virtual Open House for prospective students on Feb. 11. 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
Thursday, Feb. 11
6:30-8 p.m. (EST)

Graduate Certificate Programs (just five 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 Feb. 11 virtual open house or fill out our inquiry form.

Statutes of Liberty: Trump Admin Immigration Regulations Frozen

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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.

In the fair city of Washington D.C., we have a semi-quadrennial tradition. After we vote the bums out, the bums spend their last weeks in office working to enshrine their political program via last-minute regulatory and personnel actions. It’s not the most picturesque tradition, but it’s ours.

The Trump administration did exactly this with respect to immigration law and policy. It promulgated all sorts of regulations concerning asylum, student visas and the H-1B program: Asylum applicants would have to show “extreme and severe” harm, students would have to renew their visas frequently, and H-1B petitions would be cherry-picked for the highest-paying jobs.

The Biden administration — like Mr. Freeze, the most delightfully awful Batman villain of all time — has put all of these changes on ice with a memorandum entitled The Regulatory Freeze Memorandum. In short, it says that all of these midnight rules are being sent to the cooler.

[Arnold Schwarzenegger voice] CHILL

Here is the actual text. In paraphrase, it says:

  • No new regulations may be sent for publication in the Federal Register until a Biden-appointed agency head says so.
  • Regulations sent to the Federal Register but not yet published in the Federal Register shall not be published until a Biden-appointed agency head says so.
  • Regulations sent to the Federal Register and published but with an effective date in the future will not become effective for at least 60 dates from Jan. 28, 2021.

What this means, in practice, is that recently proposed changes to the H-1B visa system, the asylum system and the immigration courts will be frozen until the Biden administration decides (probably) to withdraw them. All regulations, which were effective before Inauguration Day, will remain in force. It takes as much administrative paper-shuffling to repeal a regulation as it does to promulgate one, so the Trump administration’s approach to immigration questions will be with us for some time.

The Biden administration has announced, with great fanfare, that the Department of Justice will be ending contracts with private prisons. That’s all to the good, but we want our readers to notice the dog that isn’t barking: the Department of Homeland Security, which holds the lion’s share of private prison contracts, will be renewing its contracts with the very same contractors.

We enjoy answering questions about immigration from commenters. We also enjoy the oeuvre of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ask us anything, and we’ll do our best to answer.

Just Sold in Arlington: Feb. 4, 2021

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This past week, 54 properties were reported sold across Arlington County. That’s way up from last week’s 31 properties sold.

As of Jan. 31, there were 516 homes listed for sale in Arlington, according to Homesnap. This includes 363 condos, 122 detached homes and 31 townhomes.

“The median list price is $536,250 and the median sales price is $605,000,” Homesnap reports. “There have been 166 new listings in the last 4 weeks and 161 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.

Local Celebrity Tommy McFly to Host A-SPAN Virtual Event

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/5

A-SPAN’s “Home for the Heart” virtual breakfast will take place Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. Tommy McFly will emcee the free event taking place on a-span.org and Facebook.

“I believe people will be excited to learn about our continuum of care which extends well beyond shelter,” said Betsy Frantz, President and CEO of A-SPAN. “I’m encouraging everyone who has ever wondered what we do at A-SPAN to join us on Feb. 12.”

Tommy McFly, D.C. radio and television celebrity, will share what it takes to successfully operate a 24/7 homeless services center during COVID-19.

“I’m excited to host this important event showcasing how A-SPAN makes a profound impact on those experiencing homelessness,” said McFly, a long-time Washingtonian who, with Kelly Collis, launched the local Real.Fun.DC. broadcast channel and “The Tommy + Kelly Show” on Alexa, Google Home and the Real.Fun.DC. app.


A-SPAN believes everyone deserves to be stable and free from the threat of homelessness and provides services including shelter, rapid and permanent supportive housing, day programs, medical respite, job/life skills coaching, and street outreach. For more information, contact Scott Miller at [email protected].

Visit a-span.org to register online and learn more about the event.

Small Biz Focus: ReLaunch Helps ReVitalize, ReNew, ReBuild Your Arlington Small Business

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Since BizLaunch’s inception 20 years ago, we’ve hosted numerous workshops to educate small business owners about the tools and resources available to help them take their business online. While many have launched an online marketplace, some have felt that they’ve been in business long enough and that their customers know who they are or haven’t seen the need to develop an online presence until recently.

Since the abrupt shift in consumer behavior that started with the shutdown orders last March, it’s becoming clear that many of these new trends are here to stay. A recent survey from McKinsey & Co. found that three out of four consumers have tried a new shopping method within the last year. Nearly 70% of consumers surveyed intend to continue buying online for store pickup.

Before 2020, much of the growth of e-commerce was driven by millennial consumers and early adopters. Now with many baby boomers at higher risk for developing complications from contracting COVID-19, they are embracing online shopping. Between January and October of 2020, consumers 65 and older spent on average $1,615 online, a 49% increase from the previous year, according to The Washington Post. National brands are taking note, expanding customer support, educating customers how to shop online, and making their platforms more accessible and intuitive to cater to baby boomers.

In developing programming to support small businesses dealing with the ongoing public health emergency, the BizLaunch team was mindful of the need for capital but that the amount available wouldn’t be very impactful to the majority of businesses. From there, ReLaunch was born, a new initiative from BizLaunch in partnership with Amazon Web Services and additional partners to provide in-depth technical assistance, financial assistance to build out a website and an e-commerce platform, and numerous free resources.

Our first program in a four-part series, held last week, gave an overview of the program along with free technology consultations. On Feb. 18, Amazon Web Services, Amazon Business and Nub8 will discuss how small businesses can utilize Lightsail to build a website and e-commerce platform and to sell through Amazon.com.

Additional information about ReLaunch, including how to leverage the resources outlined for your small business, is available at www.relaunch.business. Stay up to date with us by signing up for our e-newsletter or following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and now TikTok.

Si está interesado en aprender más acerca de los nuevos recursos disponibles que tiene BizLaunch para apoyar su negocio por favor visite la página web www.relaunch.business. Adicional a ello si desea recibir información sobre diferentes iniciativas y recursos ofrecidos para su negocio suscríbase a nuestro boletín electrónico.

@aedbizlaunchAre you looking for FREE technical services? Click the link in our bio to get exactly that. #voiceeffects #arlingtonva #fyp #smallbusiness #ReLaunch♬ original sound – Josh Lepulu

Arlington Pet of the Week: Leo and Lenny

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/6

Meet the latest Pet of the Week, Leo and Lenny, energetic kitten brothers who are total goofballs.

Here’s what their human had to say about about their lives in Ballston…

Meet Leo and Lenny, or “The Leonards” as I sometimes call them. These are my rambunctious kitten brothers who were born from the same litter. They are full of energy and curiosity and make working from home more fun — and sometimes more distracting. I adopted them from To The Rescue animal shelter in Springfield and brought them back to the city life of Ballston!

They are obsessed with peering out windows, wrestling, letting themselves into the kitchen cabinets and… water. Yes! Water. Anytime they hear the shower or sink, they run in excitement to observe or play in it. The boys love chasing each other around the apartment, then taking naps together. They are also the most food-motivated kittens I’ve ever met. They will come running anytime I open a pantry in the kitchen or am cooking.

They are as much rowdy as they are cuddly and make for the ‘purrfect’ company while being cooped up at home.

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!

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/8

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.

Hello, lovebirds.

Rather than waiting for Valentine’s Day to super-creep up on us all, here is your friendly reminder: The big day is in 11 days (Feb. 14).

You’ll want to prepare accordingly. With everyone in the world going wild on Amazon, make sure to get your boo’s gifts well in advance so they arrive in time. And, please, let’s show our local retailers some love as we all continue to navigate these loony times.

For some couples, a nice box of chocolates or a colorful bouquet of roses strikes the perfect chord. And, for other couples, their Valentine’s priorities may be focused on even bigger or more long-term goals. Every couple is different, so do your thing!

As always, when you and your love are ready to talk real estate aspirations, the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. is ready to roll on your behalf. In the meantime, here’s to a day of happiness and well beyond.

And now to this week’s Just Reduced figures…

As of Feb. 1, there are 106 detached homes, 31 townhouses and 286 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 32 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

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: Market Values 18.2% Higher Than County Assessments

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: How accurate are the County’s tax assessments when it comes to determining the market value of a home?

Answer: Arlington’s property tax rate will remain unchanged in 2021 at just over 1%, but many homeowners will pay more in property taxes because of higher assessed values from the County. For those with plans to sell in the near future, the rapid appreciation of Arlington real estate values is a good thing, but for those with no plans to sell, appreciation simply means a higher annual tax bill.

If you’re upset by recent increases in your home’s assessed value, just know that you’re most likely getting a significant break compared to your home’s actual market value. Homes that sold in 2020 sold for an average of 18.2% (14.9% median) more than their most recent assessed value by the County. Last year, the average difference was 14.2% and the year before it was just 7.6%.

If County assessments were representative of actual market values, the average Arlington homeowner would pay just over $1,100 more per year in property taxes. So don’t forget to send the Department of Real Estate Assessments a Christmas card this year for such generous valuations!

Only 5.9% of homes sold for less than their most recent assessed value. On the other end of the spectrum, 6% of homes sold for 38% or more over their most recent assessed value.

Let’s take a look at the data!

If you believe that the County’s assessment of your home’s value is too high, you have the right to appeal the assessed value, but that must be done by March 1. Here are the key steps in appealing your assessment:

Reminder: Your first appeal with the Department of Real Estate Assessments must be filed by March 1.

  • Step 1: Call 703-228-3920 for information on how your assessment was determined.
  • Step 2: File your appeal online here (first level).
  • Step 3: An assessor will visit your home and you can provide relevant info to make your case.
  • Step 4: If you’re not satisfied with the decision or have not received written notice by April 1, file your second appeal with the Board of Equalization online here (second level) by April 15.
  • Step 5: If you’re not satisfied with the decision, your final option for appeal is with the Circuit Court, which will likely require you to hire an attorney.

If you’d like to discuss buying or selling strategies, 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.

Listing of the Day: 4717 31st Street S., Unit B2

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/6

Address: 4717 31st Street S., Unit B2
Neighborhood: Fairlington Villages
Listed: $389,000

Bright and airy 2 BD/1 BA condo in Fairlington Village. This sun-drenched home has been beautifully updated with new gleaming hardwood floors, additional closet space with custom Elfa shelving and fresh paint throughout.

The open living-dining area provides excellent space for everyday living and entertaining and leads to the private balcony, perfect for dining al fresco or enjoying your morning coffee. The modern kitchen is well appointed with blue cabinets, mosaic backsplash and stainless steel appliances. Retreat to the primary bedroom highlighted by the wonderful extra closet space that no other unit has. The in-unit washer and dryer, large storage area that’s temperature-controlled and convenient parking round out this wonderful home.

Enjoy the outstanding location close to local shopping, a farmers market and Shirlington, which has a great restaurant/bar scene. Fairlington Village has terrific community amenities that include a pool, tennis courts and a community center. There’s easy commuter access to 395, Route 7, the Pentagon, D.C. and Alexandria.

Listed by:
Steve Wydler
Wydler Brothers of Compass
703-348-6326
[email protected]
wydlerbrothers.com

Stylish Trenton Square at Ballston — Just Around the Corner

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/10

Just around the corner from Washington, D.C., in North Arlington, is Ballston. A reflection of the nation’s capital, Ballston blends some of the city’s highlights with its own unique rhythm, creating a vibrant and exciting place to work and play.

Just around the corner from the heart of Ballston, is Trenton Square at Ballston. Down tree-lined streets, the townhome community of Trenton Square provides the perfect balance to the cosmopolitan cadence of Ballston, creating a relaxing and spacious place to live. This boutique community of just 19 townhomes is selling quickly and won’t last long. Make an appointment to visit our beautifully decorated model today, and lock in today’s low mortgage rates with our homes available for immediate delivery.

The homes at Trenton Square would make anyone in D.C. envious. Four levels of luxury and elegance, and with the space and comfort to stretch your legs, take a deep breath and bathe in the light pouring through all the large windows.

The entry level is all about productivity. A two-car garage protects your vehicles and gives you some extra flex space, should you need it. Dedicated office space lets you easily work from home without taking over the dining room table.

The next two levels provide fuel, fun and recharging. A designer kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and a large island will inspire many delicious meals. A spacious dining and family room fill out the floor, providing all the room you need to entertain. Above that, on the third floor, is your owner’s suite. Decadent. Refreshing. A sanctuary within a sanctuary.

The fourth floor is special, because that’s where a large and airy loft space leads out onto your private outdoor terrace. Dine under the stars, dance with the rising sun or share a glass of wine and a good book with the fresh air. Your private terrace provides the ultimate natural recharge.

Just around the corner from home, right down the road, you’re back in the heart of Ballston. All the best dining, shopping and entertainment await you. Any flavor you crave can be found within five blocks at one of over 80 restaurants. Scores of essential services and boutique shops are ready to brighten your home and life. Parks, movie theaters, immersive virtual experiences and even an ice rink (home of the Washington Capitals) — can’t get much cooler than that!

4 levels, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2-car garage, beautifully finished — from $974,900

Immediate delivery homes are available!

Listing of the Day: 2332 N. Van Buren Court

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/10

Address: 2332 N. Van Buren Court
Neighborhood: East Falls Church
Listed: $999,000
Open: Sunday, January 10 from 12-2 p.m.

This beautifully updated 3 BD/4.5 BA townhome in Fenwick Court is a short walk to East Falls Church Metro, the W&OD Trail, Tuckahoe Elementary and Tuckahoe Park, plus area restaurants and shops.

The main level features a renovated table-space kitchen with a large quartz peninsula counter, breakfast bar, subway glass backsplash tiles and stainless appliances, and a large open living room/dining room with gas fireplace, elegant moldings, built-in bookshelves and cabinets, and huge windows that flood the room with light.

There are three bedrooms, all with en suite baths, including a master bedroom with a dramatic vaulted ceiling and two large walk-in closets.

The lower level offers a fabulous rec room with gas fireplace, which can also double as a guest suite, with a full bath and walkout to a private, fully-fenced flagstone patio with a relaxing goldfish pond. There’s a full-size two-car garage as well.

Fenwick Court is a quiet, close-knit community tucked next to Charles A. Stewart Park. You will enjoy the neighborhood Halloween, Easter, Fourth of July and birthday block parties!

This is a spectacular home in a fantastic location. It’s time to make it your own.

For a video tour, 3D virtual tour, interactive floor plan and more photos visit www.2332NVanBurenCt.com.

Listed by:
Meg Ross
Keller Williams Realty
703-447-0970
[email protected]
MegRoss.com
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