Many people see a seemingly happy couple and imagine that they have some intangible magic that makes their relationship work blissfully.
This, however, is usually far from the truth. In reality, healthy relationships that last are the product of commitment, work, and deep emotional bonding.
Therapist Matt Levine works with couples at Arlington-based Summit Counseling, where he helps people overcome their relationship hurdles using Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, the gold standard in couples therapy.
“Many issues come from clients denying themselves their need to be securely attached with another human. Relationship issues also stem from couples distancing due to past attachment injuries (e.g. abusive parents, divorces), trauma, or just general life stressors,” reflects Levine.
First, the couples counselor helps clients realize and break the predictable negative cycle they fall into.
Second, they help couples create deep bonding moments during each session, called “corrective emotional experiences.” The therapist helps the couples respond and comfort each other in their distress (yes, when it’s caused by their partner!), which because of our wiring as humans, creates deep bonds. “Remember that friend who showed up when you were in a really bad place? You are bonded and endeared to them for life” said Levine.
Couples can revitalize bonds and attachment, they can show up in ways that meet their partner’s needs for closeness, and they can find common ground again. “Once they can achieve this, it is a question of dedication, respect, and devotion to a partnership that could last a lifetime,” said Levine.
Artists and arts organizations who are seeking support for programs and ideas to benefit Arlington’s cultural offerings and amenities take note: applications are now being accepted for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) for the Individual Artist Grant for individual artists and the General Operating Support Guidelines for arts organizations.
Please see guidelines for eligibility.
Arts organizations that are applying for the P.L.A.C.E. Grant may also apply for a GOS Grant. Applications will be available to those who attend a grant preparation workshop. See below for more details:
The Arlington Arts Grants Program is an important way that the County addresses its investment in our arts infrastructure. As you apply for support, consider the ways in which your work helps to further the vision and values of Enriching Lives: Arlington Arts and Cultural Strategy.
For information about these and other opportunities for grants for artists, please click here to visit the Arlington Arts grants page.
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 April 24, there are 130 detached homes, 26 townhouses and 149 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 14 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:
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.
Whether you’re regularly commuting through a construction area, or just taking your vehicle on a roadtrip a few times per year, alignments are an important — but often overlooked maintenance best practice.
The process of having your vehicle aligned involves ensuring that your tires and drive system are properly angled according to manufacturer specification.
Over time, routine driving can wear your tires down unevenly, and you may notice your car beginning to pull one direction instead of another. That and other symptoms may indicate it’s time to have your vehicle aligned once again.
Getting an alignment every 5,000 miles, or more often for travel often or through harsh roads, helps protect and extend the life of vital drive and steering components in your vehicle.
Replacing components like ball joints, shocks, and struts can be expensive but also time-consuming if you need to have your vehicle available at all times and parts aren’t immediately available.
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: Is it more effective to save for my kids’ college through a rental property investment or a more typical college savings plan like a 529?
TL;DR (1:53)
Answer: I often hear from parents who purchase a small investment property around the birth of their child as the primary savings vehicle for college. Some people swear by it. I did it when my son was born (and will report back with results in 13 years!).
I reached out to my financial advisor, Erik Fischer CFP, RICP of Taylor Financial ([email protected], (727) 417-3400), about the topic and he offered a very detailed, thoughtful comparative breakdown of using a real estate investment as a college savings tool vs a more traditional 529. Erik is an excellent resource if you have additional questions about this topic or other financial savings topics.
With frequency, this question arises from parents who gravitate towards real estate investing. And, there is not a definitive answer. Okay — column over. Just kidding. While it’s true that there is not a definitive answer, depending on your situation the answer may be definitive for you.
Identifying the parameters:
First, establish a target — how much wealth do you want to save to pay for college?
Then, consider the following key areas when comparing the two investment vehicles
Savings strategy — how will you fund your savings vehicle
Flexibility
Level of involvement
Associated risks
Expected growth rate
Tax implications
Establish your target:
The good news here is that your target will likely be the same regardless of which approach you choose. So here is an easy-to-follow framework of how to establish your target.
Identify the amount you would like to have accumulated for each child when they reach college. You can research the “Cost of Attendance” (*important* this is your all-in cost, not just tuition) at www.collegeboard.org.
Use the current cost of attendance for a school and inflate that amount to future dollars using an inflation rate of 5%. Inflate this number out until your child is likely to graduate college.
Why 5%? This is somewhat arbitrary, but over the last 20 years college costs have been doubling or more the long-term average inflation rate of 2-3%. I encourage you to use a number somewhere from 5-8%.
Take the last 4 years of inflation adjusted costs and add them up. These numbers represent a ballpark of what you could expect to pay for this child. Is it perfect? Of course not, but it will give you a greater level of visibility into what you will need.
Establish your target (example):
Let’s say your child was just born, plans are to attend college in 18 years, graduate in 4 years. At UVA, in-state cost of attendance for families making over $110,000 per year is $29,877 (tuition represents roughly half of this number). If you adjust for inflation and add up 4 years of all-in cost, you arrive at an aggregate number that includes the annual timeline of cashflows. See table below:
These calculations will vary whether you plan for in-state vs out-of-state, public or private, and how much of the cost you are willing to fund. Regardless, the framework will remain the same or very similar to arrive at some accumulation target.
You have your target, now what’s the best way to get there: Let’s compare a 529 based approach to a rental property-based approach. Of course, these are not the only two ways to save for college, but we’re focusing on these two today.
Let’s first look at the rental property approach: The high-level idea is buying a rental property when a child is born and selling it to fund college when the child is college-ready.
Because of the increased complexity of rental real estate (which is not inherently good or bad, it just is), let’s identify some of the important considerations first:
Down payment will be required
Management/execution risk
cash flow planning
property management
tenant management
increased tax planning
increased insurance planning
financing considerations (if you will require a mortgage)
a plan to sell the property (to fund college)
So, you may have picked up here another hint at what the answer might be for you depending on your situation. That is, if you do not have the cash on hand to make a reasonable down payment for the type of property you desire, the rental property might be off table for you, at which point you might lean on an annual savings approach of a 529.
Address:5604 4th Street S. Neighborhood: Glen Carlin Type: 5 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 4,800 sq. ft. Listed: $1,895,000
Open House this Sunday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Noteworthy: Quality built by A&N in the popular Glen Carlin neighborhood bordering two parks
A&N Homes presents a light-filled new home with these quality details: *Energy efficient Pella Low-E windows; low maintenance HardiPlank siding, stone water table, and MiraTEC trim; 30 year architectural shingle roof; extensive insulation and two zone heating and cooling; Shrock cabinets, Quartz countertops, JennAir kitchen appliances including gas range and rangehood vented to the outside; finished and stained-in-place 4 inch oak floors on main and upper levels; LFV floors for comfort and endurance on the lower level; stone floored front porch; vented gas fireplace in the family room; screened in porch with wood decking and steps to level rear yard; sodded and landscaped lot.
Blocks to 94 acre Glencaryln park with play areas and wooded trails, Arlington County Library and community garden, Carlin Hall, and the Ball Sellers historic home. Easy commute to Washington, business and government centers, and from the primary bedroom to the main level office.
With 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and an open, airy floorplan, there is exceptional space for everyone and everything.
On Tuesday, May 2 the Northern Virginia Technology Council, Arlington Economic Development and the National Landing Business Improvement District will be hosting the ‘Building America’s Most Connected Neighborhood’ event.
Discover how JBG SMITH and Federated Wireless’ unique partnership is driving public and private sector innovation in National Landing by deploying 5G private wireless networks.
You’ll learn how JBG SMITH, through its $25.3 million investment in CBRS spectrum, is working with Federated Wireless and several industry partners to develop a converged digital infrastructure platform to deliver advanced connectivity to indoor and outdoor areas across Arlington’s National Landing neighborhood.
The networks will deliver private wireless solutions at scale to a broad set of industries: government, high-tech, professional services, aerospace, aviation, retail, academia, national defense, and cybersecurity.
Guests will then hear from Federated Wireless CTO, Kurt Schaubach, and JBG Smith Vice President, Vardahn Chaudhry, who will explain how the companies are creating an interoperable 5G private wireless network showcase in National Landing. The program will be followed by an interactive networking session with representatives from Arlington Economic Development, Federated Wireless, JBG Smith, National Landing BID, and Virginia Tech Innovation Campus.
When: Tuesday, May 2, 3:30-6 p.m. Where: National Landing Experience Center, 241 18th Street S, Arlington, VA 22202
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 April 15, there are 126 detached homes, 30 townhouses and 146 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 19 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:
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.
Address:1834 N. Kirkwood Place Neighborhood: Lyon Village Type: 5 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 5,000 sq. ft. Listed: $2,349,000
Noteworthy: Luxury 2018 Modern Farmhouse, sited on a level landscaped 10K SF lot.
Welcome to this elegantly designed 5 bed/4.5 bath Modern Farmhouse. Enter this custom residence noting the gleaming walnut-stained hardwoods, high ceilings and expansive entry.
The main level includes a generously-sized office, convenient half bath and private dining room. The expansive Chef’s Kitchen is highlighted by a grand island with breakfast bar seating, quartz countertops opening to the Great Room, boasting a cozy gas fireplace. Kitchen highlights include upgraded stainless steel appliances, a double wall oven, opulent white cabinetry, luxurious custom mill work, and a Butler’s Pantry that flows to the mudroom and garage.
French doors from the Great Room lead outside to your private fenced rear yard. The upper bedroom level showcases 4 bedrooms all with walk-in closets, and 3 baths, including a spacious Owners Suite with two walk-in closets and an en-suite luxury spa-inspired bathroom. The lower level includes a rec room, a full gym/exercise room and fifth bedroom with a full bath.
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: How is the real estate market through the first quarter?
TL;DR (1:33)
Answer: “How’s the market?” Well, technically, that answer depends on what market you’re talking about — location, property type, price point, etc. but for this column, I’ll provide an overview of what we’re generally seeing in the Arlington/Northern Virginia/D.C. area market these days.
The market is competitive
Demand is moderately high
New listing volume is historically low
Rates (Hopefully) Heading Down
Ignore National Data
The Market is Competitive
Multiple offers, escalations, and reduced or no contingencies are common.
The data visualization below is from the listings that went under contract each of the last two weeks at our brokerage, RLAH @properties, of ~400 agents in the greater D.C. Metro area.
Demand is Moderately High
Demand is lower now than it was from late 2020 through early 2022, due to high interest rates.
The chart below shows the quarterly absorption ratio for Northern Virginia over the past decade. A higher ratio equals higher demand. We’ve fallen slightly from the post-Amazon HQ2 year (this was primarily driven by the condo market) and Covid buying years, but demand is still well above the “norm” established from 2013-2018.
New Listing Volume is Historically Low
The lack of new listings is driving competition, not high demand.
The chart below highlights the dramatic drop in new listing volume for the D.C. Metro area for Q4 and Q1, with about 10,000 fewer homes listed for sale during the most recent Q4/Q1 compared to previous years, or a ~25-30% drop for most D.C. area localities.
Want to know the best place to find Parisian city vibes, the most prestigious wines in the world, and the most incredible countryside scenery in France?
Look no further than Bordeaux and Dordogne.
The city of Bordeaux is considered by many a smaller version of Paris. It boasts the same style of grand architecture, a variety of neighborhoods with their own identities, scores of Michelin starred restaurants, and wonderful plazas and streets for walking, dining, and shopping. Outside the city you can find countless winemaking vineyards of the highest revered appellations and classes.
Dordogne on the other hand is a region that embodies everything your French countryside dreams are made of: cliff hanging medieval villages, stunning castles, amazing historical sites, lush landscapes, vibrant markets, prehistoric cave art, and more.
Trusted Arlington based French travel experts, TripUSAFrance, offer a small group tour that takes travelers on an immersive trip to Bordeaux and Dordogne with local guides for 8 full days of touring these amazing regions with site visits, walking tours, and rewarding local experiences mixed in such as a wine masterclass, truffle hunting in an orchard, breadmaking demonstration at an old mill, making your own wine, and that’s not all!
Keeping the tours to a maximum of 14 travelers is a more sustainable way of touring that allows guests to experience better connections with the regional culture, local artisans, fellow travelers, and guides. But it also limits availability of the tours so don’t wait to book your spots on these exclusive trips before they are gone.
Click here to see all the details about this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
