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Woloszyn’s Insights: How to pick a real estate agent

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by Joseph Woloszyn Esq. of Maximo Mortgages LLC. Have a question or comment? Contact Joseph at [email protected].

Choosing the right real estate agent can be a pivotal decision in the home-buying or selling process. A good agent can make the transaction smoother, less stressful, and more financially advantageous. Here’s how to select the best fit for your needs.

Identify Your Needs

Before you start your search, outline what you’re looking for:

  • Are you buying or selling?
  • What type of property are you interested in (e.g., residential, commercial)?
  • Do you need someone with local market expertise or a particular niche (e.g., luxury homes, foreclosures)?

Ask for Referrals

Begin by asking friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors about agents they’ve had positive experiences with. Personal referrals often yield the most trusted and tested recommendations.

Check Reviews and Testimonials

Online platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Google can provide client reviews. While not every review is indicative of an agent’s overall service, consistent feedback can give you a clearer picture.

Consider Experience and Credentials

While longevity in the industry can be a strong indicator of expertise, it’s also crucial to consider other factors.

Specializations: Agents might have additional credentials indicating specialization, like CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) or ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative).

Recent Sales: An active agent with sales in the past year is a good sign they’re up-to-date with the current market.

Interview Potential Candidates

Once you’ve shortlisted a few agents:

  • Meet in person or via a video call.
  • Ask about their current listings and past sales.
  • Discuss their strategy for meeting your specific needs.
  • Note their communication style — you’ll want an agent who communicates in a way that makes you comfortable.
  • Inquire about their fees and commissions. Understand what services are included.

Assess Local Knowledge

Local market knowledge is invaluable. An agent familiar with the area can provide insights on neighborhoods, school systems, market trends, and community amenities.

Understand Their Network

Good agents have a strong network of professionals like mortgage brokers, home inspectors, contractors, and lawyers. Their connections can streamline the buying or selling process for you.

Evaluate Their Marketing Strategy

If you’re selling, ask about their marketing plan for your property. This might include:

  • Professional photography
  • Home staging
  • Online listings and virtual tours
  • Open houses

Clarify Communication Expectations

Your agent should be available to answer questions, provide updates, and handle any issues that arise. Set clear expectations about:

  • Frequency of updates
  • Preferred communication methods (e.g., email, phone calls, texts)
  • Availability on weekends or evenings

Trust Your Gut

Finally, trust your instincts. You’ll be working closely with your agent, so it’s crucial you feel comfortable with and confident in your choice.

Conclusion

Picking the right real estate agent is a combination of research, recommendations, and personal comfort. By taking the time to thoroughly vet potential candidates, you set yourself up for a smoother, more efficient property transaction. Whether buying or selling, the right agent can be your biggest ally in the world of real estate.

If you have any mortgage related questions or would like to inquiry about applying for a mortgage, please reach out to us at Maximo Mortgage LLC at [email protected] or 703-755-0045! Happy house hunting!

Joseph Woloszyn Esq. boasts a diverse professional background, including roles as a real estate attorney, mortgage broker, real estate broker, general contractor, and real estate investor. When he isn’t working, Joseph enjoys watching football and taking trips to unwind. In his personal life, he lovingly reports to his two superiors: his wife, Haimei, and their daughter, Elizabeth.

Listing of the Day: 2423 16th Street N.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 2423 16th Street N.
Neighborhood: Lyon Village
Type: 6 BR, 5 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 5,523 sq. ft.
Listed: $2,995,000

Noteworthy: Coveted Lyon Village neighborhood, sophisticated design, steps to Clarendon

Stunning like new construction in the coveted North Arlington neighborhood of Lyon Village.

Built in 2022 by Griffin Head, this home offers buyers luxury, convenience, elegance, and beauty. Steps away from Court House Metro, shops and restaurants in Clarendon, and Whole Foods. A walk score of 95 makes everything accessible and convenient from this home. All 4 levels of this 5,500 sf, 6 bedroom, 5 and a half bathroom home are pristinely designed and maintained.

Gourmet kitchen with Thermador WIFI appliances, Quartz countertops, six-burner range and wall unit housing a second oven and built in microwave. Cozy screened in porch with privately fenced in yard, SONOS sound system, 4th level roof deck, open concept living spaces, and butler’s pantry make this a dream home for entertaining.

Upgrades added include: drain system, designer lighting and wallpaper, lawn sprinkler, alarm system, and electric window shades.

Tour 2423 16th Street N. today!

Listed by:
Danielle Johnson — Roberts Real Estate, LLC
[email protected]
(703) 855-9893

Fall into fun with Fray leagues near you

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Fall into fun with DC Fray and register for an upcoming league offered at various locations, days and times before spots fill up 🎾.

We’re offering kickball, flag football, softball, soccer, volleyball, bocce, tennis and much more right in Arlington, with additional leagues across Northern Virginia and in D.C. 

Take a swing at something new or slide into an old favorite pastime. Join as an individual, group of friends, or as a full team.

Secure your spot as leagues fill up fast!

Arlington County Fair returns August 16-20

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The Arlington County Fair is one of the largest free events on the east coast, and this year, the fair returns bigger and better than ever, August 16-20 at Thomas Jefferson Community Center and Park.

Each year, the fair welcomes thousands of local residents for rides and games, and it showcases some of Arlington’s best food, drink, artisans and performers.

The 2023 theme — A Fair for All — reinforces our commitment to providing an inclusive space for everyone. This year we’ve expanded our sensory hours to 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sunday for greater access for those with sensory sensitivities. We’re also partnering with local organizations to give ride tickets to those in our community with the greatest need. Our complimentary shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible.

For the second year in a row, the fair is offering a night market on Thursday, August 17, and the first 100 shoppers will receive a free Made in Arlington tote bag. While you shop, enjoy the sounds of live music from one of our many live performers. Our pie eating contest takes place Saturday morning and the winners of our competitive exhibits are announced that evening.

Our midway is open daily beginning August 16, and our indoor exhibits open August 18. We encourage visitors to walk or take public transit, but for those that drive and require assistance, we offer a shuttle to the fair from our parking facility.

Learn more at arlingtoncountyfair.us, and we look forward to seeing you at the fair!

Arts Focus: Dominion Stage announces 2023-24 season!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/3

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

Since the days of Florenz Ziegfeild and David Belasco, hopeful performers and audiences alike have harbored glittering dreams of Broadway.

But each one of those dreams begins in regional theater, where performers train and grow, while audiences enjoy the magic of live theater in their own community. Part of the fabric of our area’s rich cultural scene since 1949, Arlington’s Dominion Stage has just announced its’ 2023-2024 season.

Known as the Fairlington Players until re-branding in the late 1980’s, their first production was Ayn Rand’s Night of January 16th, an interactive courtroom drama whose ending depends on the decision of a jury of audience members (the play premiered in January of 1949, of course). Dominion Stage’s website offers a fascinating digital program archive, replete with ads and notices that offer a fascinating window on changing times.

Take a peek at Dominion Stage’s current season, which launched last weekend:

BRUTE FARCE
by Craig Houk
August 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 2023
8 p.m.
Gunston Theatre Two, 2700 S Lang Street, Arlington, VA 22206
Four vengeful, narcissistic actors, with the assistance of a brutish stage manager and a cynical stagehand, abduct and hold captive a theatre critic notorious for shutting down productions and ending careers through his malicious reviews. To confound matters, they intend to carry their plan out during a performance of a show they’re all currently appearing in. Less than an hour before the curtain is due to rise, their scheme begins to quickly unravel; we discover that none of the conspirators are familiar with the actual plan or its designed outcome.
‍
‍MISERY
A thriller by William Goldman based on the novel by Stephen King
Fall 2023
‍Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it, and it does.

TORCH SONG
A dramedy by Harvey Fierstein
Winter 2024
The life of Arnold Beckoff, a torch song-singing, Jewish drag queen living in New York City, is dramatized over the span of the late 1970s and 1980s. Told with a likable, human voice, Torch Song follows Arnold’s odyssey to find happiness in New York. All he wants is a husband, a child, and a pair of bunny slippers that fit, but a visit from his overbearing mother reminds him that he needs one thing more: respect.

‍RENT
‍A musical with book, lyrics, and music by Jonathan Larson
Spring 2024
Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical.

About Dominion Stage

Dominion Stage will enrich the local arts community by expressing, through live theatrical productions, the different contemporary, traditional, diverse, and historically under-represented stories in our community. Our company will provide an inclusive place for new and continued education and personal development for participants on the stage, in technical roles, and as leaders/administrators behind the scenes.

For more information on the upcoming season, visit the Dominion Stage website.

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.

As of August 7, there are 124 detached homes, 30 townhouses and 139 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 22 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

3311 Kemper Road

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.

Make a difference at this school supplies drive this Thursday!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Help DC Fray and Founders Row pack the backpack and stock the lockers this school year on Thursday, August 10.

You can earn one raffle entry for every three items you donate and enjoy lawn games, free snacks and Lost Boy Cider tastings. Plus, meet with local schools and children’s foundations to get involved.

Pencil us into your schedule to make a difference for underprivileged youth and have some fun while doing it!

Ask Eli: Will new homes prices in Arlington drop due to Toll Brothers project?

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 Eli Residential channel. Enjoy!

Question: What impact will the new Toll Brothers community have on the Arlington housing market?

Answer: If you have enjoyed my real estate columns over the years, I would greatly appreciate your vote for Arlington Magazine’s Best Of Arlington, Real Estate Agent (in the Home section) and encourage you to support all of your favorite Arlington businesses with a meaningful vote!

Toll Brothers will open sales of 40 new single-family homes at The Grove at Dominion Hills very soon (projected by this fall) starting in the $1.9Ms (really $2M) and I suspect most of the homes will have a final price tag of $2.1M-$2.3M.

All 40 homes will not be available at once, rather they’ll be released in phases based on the pace of sales, but the addition of these homes to the market will have a significant impact on the supply of new construction homes in Arlington and I expect will put downward pressure on the price of new builds under ~$2.6M.

The Grove Will Be a Big Percentage of New Construction Supply

Arlington has averaged just over 95 new homes sold per year since 2018 (per MLS, which includes most but not all new homes sold) so even if it takes two years for Toll Brothers to release all 40 home sites, those homes will represent a significant percent increase in the supply of new homes in Arlington.

If you look at the sales of comparably priced homes ($2M-$2.4M), The Grove will bring an increase of 60-70% more new builds to market over the next 18-24 months (assuming that’s the timeframe they release all 40 home sites within).

Most new homes in Arlington are located in the 22207 zip code, with 52% of new home sales (275 of 524) since 2018. The Grove is in the 22205 zip code and while it’s just 1.5 miles from 22207 and 22205 also commands premium pricing and shares many of the same characteristics as the 22207 zip code, there’s no data to support whether or not the 22205 market is prepared to absorb 40 new homes at this price point. Of the 73 new homes sold in 22205 since 2018, just seven have closed at or above $2.1M — one more is under contract and three are for sale.

And New Homes Are Already in a Softer Sub-Market

Adding that kind of supply to any market is bound to put downward pressure on prices, but I have no doubt that the market would happily gobble up dozens of 2,500-4,000 SqFt homes in the $1M-$1.5M+ range. However when you get into the 5,000+ SqFt market (I imagine most of the 40 homes will finish with 4,500-5,000+ SqFt) and in the $2M-$2.5M range, you enter into that is already pretty well balance between buyers and sellers, softer than the rest of the housing market, without the inventory from The Grove.

The first chart, courtesy of Altos Research, shows the percentage of homes with a price reduction in the “upper” price range of the Arlington single-family home market, which The Grove community will fall within. Notice the upward trend of price reductions this year highlighted by ~30% of homes reducing price this spring compared to previous spring markets with just 20-25% of homes with a price reduction.

I have seen this play out anecdotally as well with more new builds reducing the asking price or accepting larger discounts from ask than in years past. I would expect this trend to continue as the market adjusts to the Toll Brothers inventory rolling in later this year and in 2024-25.

The Months of Supply (MoS) chart below, a good measure of supply and demand where higher MoS suggests a market more favorable for buyers, shows us that the market for homes with 5,000+ SqFt is very much in balance between buyers and sellers, with about six Months of Supply. Most housing economists say that six MoS is a balanced market, below six favors sellers, and above six favors buyers. For comparison, the overall Arlington market measured 1.4 MoS in Q2 2023.

So this chart tells us that unless demand picks up sharply for large homes, the extra supply added by Toll Brothers will likely push this sub-market (~5,000+ SqFt) into a buyer’s market.

Local/Smaller Builders Will Bear the Burden

Most likely, none of this will matter to Toll Brothers and it will be a problem for their competition (everybody else building in Arlington) to bear. Toll Brothers can afford to wait for premium buyers longer than smaller builders can, Toll Brothers has an exceptionally efficient and proficient sales machine including full-time sales staff, model homes, and a nationally recognized brand, and Toll Brothers can offer incentives smaller builders can’t compete with, most notably through the Toll Brothers mortgage company.

If I was a builder in Arlington, I would be careful over the next couple of years on projects in the $2M-$2.5M range with tight margins.

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 discuss buying, selling, renting, or investing, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N Fairfax Dr #10C A

Join the LadyBug Academy Open House on August 26!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/2

Looking for a reliable childcare in Arlington?

Explore LadyBug Academy — a full-day preschool and daycare — at its Open House on Saturday, August 26!

As a preschool that specializes in providing early childhood education to young children, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, LadyBug Academy utilizes the Reggio Emilia approach, which emphasizes children’s innate curiosity, creativity and ability to generate powerful ideas.

The teachers are dedicated to fostering a collaborative and hands-on learning environment, where children can actively participate in the learning process, and develop their own understanding of the world around them.

The new facility in Arlington has a capacity of 67 children, with onsite parking, and an outdoor playground — becoming an attractive, reliable option for childcare in the surrounding community. LadyBug Academy still has spots available for the upcoming fall 2023 registration.

LadyBug Academy started as a small, in-home daycare in North Arlington.

Since its inception, Aleksandra Razavi, the owner and founder, has maintained her commitment to providing an enriching and diverse learning environment for children in the Arlington and Merrifield communities. Ten years later, following a tremendous success in Merrifield, LadyBug Academy is accepting enrollment for its third location in Arlington Courthouse.

Be sure to sign up for the LadyBug Academy Open House.

Listing of the Day: 5214 17th St. N.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 5214 17th St. N.
Neighborhood: Tara Manor
Type: 4 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 4200 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,799,000

Noteworthy: Pristine condition with Cardinal, Swanson, Yorktown schools.

Set amid trees on a cul-de-sac between Westover Village and lee Harrison Center, this 4 bedroom 4.5 bath all brick home has over 4500 square feet of well-appointed and an expansive 2 car garage and deep driveway.

Traditional living and dining room with butler’s pantry, main level office and second office off primary bedroom, gas fireplace anchors the family room and doors open to deck, patio, and beautifully landscaped yard with stone garden wall. Warm wood cabinets in the kitchen, walk-in pantry, and breakfast area.

Primary bedroom with two, fitted walk-in closets and separate vanities, soaking tub, and glass enclosed shower in the primary bathroom. Two more bedrooms with private baths, and a big laundry room. Lower level rec room with wet bar and second fireplace; fourth bedroom and bath, and oversized two car garage with large storage area for gym space. Many updates and pristine move-in condition.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg
[email protected]
(703) 967-4391

The Nose That Knows: Sunday Super Tasting!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@arrowine.com.

Are you looking for something fun to do on Sunday? How about tasting some phenomenal French Wines? Let’s meet at Arrowine.

On Sunday, August 6th, from 1-4 p.m., don’t miss a special Super Tasting with wines from the award-winning Vintage ’59 Imports portfolio! Specializing in wines from quality family-owned wineries in France’s top wine regions, they’ve now added truly exciting family wineries from Italy and California!

By Reservation only. Attendance is limited to ensure a great experience. All attendees must be 21 and possess a valid picture ID.

Additional details:

Cost: There is no charge for this tasting event! 

Discounts: Tasting discounts are “on”! Every wine you taste will be ON SALE during the event, at least 10% off the regular price. We’ll have wine available for purchase, and if you want more than we have available, discounts will apply to tasting wines you order during the event, too!

This event will be popular. Please e-mail us at [email protected] and let us know you plan to attend. Please include the following information:

  • Name 
  • E-mail and phone contact information 
  • Number of people in your group 
  • When you expect to arrive: 
  • (a) 1–2 pm, (b) 2–3 pm, or (c) 3–4 pm. 

We will be sure to confirm all reservations by e-mail. If attending, we will add you to our e-mail list that announces special events and sales.

We look forward to seeing you!

Doug Rosen

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