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Biz Talk: Arlington venture capital roundup Q2 2022

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This article was written by Adam Henry, CEcD, Senior Business Development Manager for Arlington Economic Development.

While Q2 2022 showed some headwinds in venture capital raises and the IPO market, Arlington-based companies continued to raise venture capital at a steady rate to launch and grow their innovative products and services.

In total, Arlington-based companies saw eight venture capital raises totaling $166 million in funding. This represents a 60% increase in deal count and a 29% increase in funding from Q1 2022. Notable raises from this quarter include:

  • Arlington-based Federated Wireless, a provider of shared spectrum and CBRS technology, raised an additional $14 million in Series D funding to help scale the company’s platform and support further investments in its capabilities and partnerships, bringing the total raised in the round to $72 million.
  • Ryse Health, an Arlington-based startup that provides care offerings to diabetes patients, raised $3.4 million in seed funding to hire more employees and expand its service into new markets.
  • OxiWear, an Arlington-based health tech startup, secured $70,000 from Halcyon Angels, an early-stage investing network from Washington, D.C. social impact nonprofit Halcyon. That comes not long after OxiWear collected its second $100,000 investment from the nonprofit’s separate Halcyon Fund.

Since Q2 2020, Arlington-based companies have raised $995.2 million in venture capital across 63 deals. From Q3 2021 to Q2 2022, Arlington-based companies have averaged $143 million in venture capital raises per quarter.

Looking at the North American landscape of venture capital, Q2 2022 saw a decrease in deal count from Q1 2022. According to the National Venture Capital Association’s Pitchbook-NVCA Venture Monitor, the US venture capital ecosystem in Q2 2022 saw a total of 3,374 deals, a 24.5% decrease from the 4,467 deals logged in Q1 2022. Further, the top four markets in the US (Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles and Boston) have captured 68% of deal value through the first two quarters of 2022. Metro D.C. has logged a total of 230 venture capital deals totaling $2.3 billion thus far in 2022.

While global economic trends in inflation, supply chain, tightening labor markets and predictions of a possible recession show signs of affecting the venture capital and big tech industries, Arlington-based companies continue a steady trend in venture capital.

This is a testament to our community and regional strength in innovation and talent to spin out new products and services.

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 8, there are 153 detached homes, 62 townhouses and 243 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 48 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

2406 John Marshall Drive

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.

Ask Eli: Influence of new construction on Arlington prices

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 Ask Eli, Live With Jean playlist. Enjoy!

Question: How much of an effect do expensive new construction homes have on the average prices in Arlington?

Answer: A couple of weeks ago I offered a mid-year review of the single-family housing (SFH) market in Arlington and average prices were a focal point. This week, we’ll look at some pricing data with and without new construction included to understand how much new builds influence our average prices. Please note that the data used below is based on new construction sales entered into the MLS and accounts for most, not all new construction sales.

New Construction Prices High, Effect Limited

So far in 2022, a new SFH home has sold for an average of nearly $1,000,000 more than resales. Sales of new SFHs have accounted for 9% of total sales but only account for a 6.8% increase in Arlington’s average home value. The numbers were similar last year.

22207 Dominates New Construction Sales

Since 2018, the 22207 zip code has accounted for 54% of all new SFH sales in Arlington and so far in 2022, 22207 has accounted for 60.3% of new SFH sales. In 2022, new home sales have accounted for 14% of all sales in 22207 and are responsible for increasing the average home price in 22207 by $120,000.

Average New SFH Nearly $2.2M

In 2021, the average new SFH crossed over $2M for the first time and after a 7% increase in average prices so far in 2022, the average new SFH is nearly $2.2M. There are still some markets where you might find a new house under $2M including 22205 where lots, and thus homes, tend to be smaller than neighboring North Arlington zip codes.

The 22204 zip code far out-paced other zip codes in average price appreciation for new SFH, increasing by 15% from 2021 to 2022. I expect similar double-digit growth in new construction prices in 22204 for another year or two until the gap between 22204 and other Arlington neighborhoods gets tighter.

So far in 2022, new SFH outside of 22204 is selling for an average of over $2,273,000, which is 45.1% higher than new homes in 22204. The percentage gap of average prices of resale homes in 22204 versus other Arlington zip codes is similar, at 48%.

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 Ask Eli, Live With Jean playlist.

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

Therapists all booked up? Peaceful Mind Solutions now accepting new clients

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Finally, a therapist who has time for you.

Those who have tried to find counseling in the last two years may have discovered that therapists are overwhelmed and not accepting new clients, or that first appointments are months away.

But there is good news for those who are going through a challenging life transition, struggling to cope with feelings of stress, or are looking to make a crucial change: Lauren K. Nickum, LCSW, CSAC from Peaceful Mind Solutions is now taking new clients for telemedicine psychotherapy.

Lauren specializes in helping clients work through anxiety, depression, stress, grief, trauma or anger. Her Peaceful Mind Solutions brings the experienced psychotherapist to your home by means of telemedicine, a method of therapy that has proven successful time and again.

She works with adults and adolescents as individuals as well as in groups and has more than a decade of experience, including five years in private practice, helping clients in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Lauren’s proven approach to helping clients involves a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and dialectical behavioral therapy skills that empower her clients to make changes and learn how to live the life they desire.

Her diverse client list includes people struggling with chronic illnesses, members of the recovery community and their loved ones, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To arrange a free 15-minute initial consultation, contact Lauren via the Peaceful Minds Solutions website, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 703-994-0300.

Are you ready to make a change?

Legal Insider: Defending federal employees nationwide in discipline cases

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.

Approximately over 20,0000 federal employees are subject to formal discipline a year. Our nationwide federal employee lawyers represent federal employees in disciplinary cases. Each disciplinary action defense is different and requires careful planning.

Disciplinary Process for Federal Employees

There are various types of disciplinary actions for federal employees. They include letters of counseling, reprimands, suspensions, demotions and removals. For most serious disciplinary actions, referred to as adverse actions, a federal employee will first receive a notice of the proposed discipline and the opportunity to respond. A proposal will typically have an explanation of the conduct or issues leading to the proposed disciplinary action.

If a federal employee is issued a notice of proposed disciplinary action, they will have the opportunity to contest it before it becomes final. A federal employee can choose to provide a written response, an oral response or both. We often recommend providing both oral and written responses.

Request Disciplinary Materials

In most disciplinary cases, it is important for federal employees to request all of the materials that have been relied upon by the agency in proposing the discipline. We request these materials before responding on behalf of federal employees at the beginning of a case.

Draft a Written Response

It is important to prepare a full written response to the allegations in proposed disciplinary cases. These responses are typically 5 to 20 pages in length, depending on the underlying facts. Most written responses are typically due anywhere from 7 to 30 days after a proposal is given to a federal employee. We also attach exhibits to these responses, including supporting evidence, good performance records and character support letters.

Present an Oral Response

The oral response portion of a federal employee’s response can be very important. While written responses can be key to refuting specific allegations, there is something very important about personally meeting with the person that will make the decision. We think that in serious cases, oral responses can make a significant difference in outcomes. We represent federal employees during oral responses.

Appeals

If an unjust disciplinary decision is sustained by a federal agency, there are various options for federal employees to appeal further. If serious enough, an individual can appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Other potential appeals can include filing Equal Employment Opportunity complaints or whistleblower appeals, where applicable. There are also a number of other types of appeals that can be brought, but legal advice is important when making such decisions.

Conclusion

When a federal employee receives a proposed disciplinary action, it is important to have an attorney represent or advise them from the beginning. Our lawyers represent federal employees nationwide in all types of federal employee discipline. We can be contacted at www.berrylegal.com or by telephone at (703) 668-0070.

The Nose That Knows: Wine 101

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored 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.

Few subjects provoke more angst than wine. For many, wine is a great mystery, a secret handshake, or a password. It doesn’t need to be.

My job with this bi-weekly column is to help you safely navigate the complex world of wine without intimidation or nonsense. You are in control.

If you take a moment and read my musings, hopefully you find them valuable, educational, practical and perhaps even entertaining. I will be trying to get you to engage and ask questions, make requests for future articles and reach out. I’m listening but know I’m an excruciatingly bad typist and have learned to use the fewest words possible for practicality’s sake.

Let me begin with a little about myself. I am 64 years old and have been in the wine biz since, and I hate to say it since 1977; I began my career in the very spot that Arrowine currently occupies. In those days, you “old-timers” out there might remember the “old” Cheese and Bottle.

I’m not just a fine wine retailer but also an importer within the confines of the laws of the State of Virginia. I have traveled extensively throughout France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, The New Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Greece, Israel, South Africa and Argentina in search of the best wines these places have to offer. I also hunt for “new-growers” whose work has yet to be discovered or who are not currently represented in Virginia or our region.

I proudly support Virginia’s Wine Industry. Did you know we are now the fifth largest producer of wine in the USA? Virginia Wine is no longer an oddity; we produce the best wine on the East Coast. And many Virginia wineries are “World Class!”

Doug Rosen of Arrowine with Gérard Boulay of tiny Village of Chavignol, in Sancerre. His family has been growing grapes there since 1380. (photo via Doug Rosen)

I have extensively traveled throughout Oregon. I’m long overdue for a California and Washington State road trip, but I have a store to run. Pre-COVID, I usually took six buying trips a year. That’s a lot of miles, moving daily, staying in small hotels with no elevator or A/C. And despite what people might think, crappy food. So I usually travel to the countryside, and there aren’t many resources in the middle of nowhere.

All that said, I wouldn’t change a thing. You need to go where the wine is! I’ve met many humble, hard-working families, men and women who are genuinely jack-of-all-trades; they grow grapes, transform the juice into something delicious, and then market it in many cases worldwide. They only get to practice their craft 40 or so times in a lifetime! So you have to be a quick study. How many occupations are this demanding?

I am the ambassador of these families. My job is to tell their stories and, when appropriate, convey how much risk there is at every step. A career in agriculture is like walking on a tightrope without a net. There is so much out of your control, precocious flowering and then a late frost that can wipe out your entire harvest, hail damage, too much rain or not enough, excessive cold or heat, insect infestations, wood diseases and the list goes on and on.

And then you have to ferment the juice and try to get it into the bottle without screwing it up. Sell it and hopefully get paid. Making wine from your own grapes is not for the faint of heart. Trust me!

Congratulations if you made it to the end of my ramblings, I have a secret to share with you. It is the one simple thing guaranteed to heighten your pleasure of drinking wine or anything else.

Never and I mean never, use glass without thoroughly washing with soap and water before using it! I’ll explain why in two weeks and give you a little experiment to perform at home.

Cheers,
Doug

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 — it’s hot these days but at least there is a tiny bit of relief when this column comes out, at 5:30 a.m. in the morning!

The August slump is here, and I sense a huge opportunity for buyers, as well as strategic positioning for sellers.

Transactional volume slows way down this time of year — so many people are at the beach squeezing in one last vacation before settling back into the routine of the school year, and even housing takes a breather.

While there are fewer new homes being listed for sale, there are also fewer homes being taken under contract by purchasers. Couple this with mortgage rates that have just dipped below 5% for the first time since mid-April and a decrease in overall levels of competition, and purchasers may find it easier to snag the home of their choice.

Sellers are likely waiting until September to list their home, as this strategy seems to work year over year. Though kids now go back a week before Labor Day, as opposed to always just after, the mentality and objective match up — purchasers get back on track and start shopping again in September and this shows up in an uptick in showing activity, mortgage pre-approval letters, open house visitors and ratified contracts.

This week in Arlington, sellers listed 51 homes for sale while buyers ratified 50 contracts, 12 of which were on homes just listed in the last seven days. This near equilibrium for the week is not something we experience very often in Arlington — for the majority of the year sellers have way outpaced buyers — a flip from last year where buyers frequently ratified more offers.

Of the 425 homes currently available for sale, 136 are detached homes, 59 are semi-detached/town houses and 230 are condos.

Of those currently available properties, the average asking price is $890,497 and the median is $660,000. These properties have been sitting on the market for 52 days on average, while the median is 33.

Quick note — there was a time back in January and February where the median was 12 days, so while 33 doesn’t seem like much, this is a substantially different market and the dynamics continue to change rapidly, and from week to week.

This week last year, there were 497 properties available for sale, sellers listed 63 homes and buyers ratified 67 contracts. Mortgage rates were 2.77%!

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home that you’re interested in purchasing, give us a call! Our team are experts at WINNING when it comes to Arlington real estate — our agents routinely outmaneuver others when it comes to multiple offer scenarios — call us to find out how!

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight properties I think you might light to check out!

1411 Key Boulevard #409

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Sassy Sue

By ARLnow.com
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Meet the adorable Sassy Sue, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week.

This lovely girl loves exploring and is searching for someone who will love her for who she is.

Sue’s friends at Animal Welfare League of Arlington had this to say about her:

Sassy Sue’s favorite things are: Being outdoors with a stuffed kong and chew toys. She loves to explore. She can be a perfect running mate in the neighborhood.

Her special talents are: Sassy Sue knows “sit” and is working on “hand shake”. She is a good listener. Ask her to sit while waiting to put the food bowl down, she’ll wait until you say it’s okay.

Her perfect day would be: Running free in the backyard followed by a few chew toys or stuffed kong. A walk/run in the park, a few quick naps, dinner time, play time, then it is time for snuggling.

If Sassy Sue was an ice cream flavor, she would be: Rainbow Sherbet — sweet, bright and happy go lucky.

Important facts about Sassy Sue: She is house-broken, friendly with people, and gets along well with other dogs (sometimes she is too excited and we are still training her to be more calm). She is very food-motivated and can be easily trained.

*Sassy Sue has not met children/cats while in our care. AWLA team is happy to discuss these topics during your call/virtual appointment.*

Are you and Sassy Sue a perfect match? Read Sue’s complete profile to learn more.

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!

Statutes of Liberty: CBP issues a save the date, leaves the immigrant at the altar

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq., and Laura Lorenzo, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.

The Biden administration has pledged to ‘shorten from years to months‘ the timeline for processing asylum claims.

As part of this big push, Customs and Border Protection is now placing asylum seekers directly in immigration court. There’s just one problem: CBP is forgetting to actually file the charging document, so, when the immigrant shows up to court, the Immigration Judge has no alternative but to dismiss the case.

You may recall that not long ago, the Supreme Court determined that for DHS to issue a statutorily-compliant immigration charging document, or NTA, which initiates deportation proceedings against a noncitizen, DHS must include the date and time of the hearing on the NTA itself. For years, DHS had only included that the hearing would occur on a “date and time to be set,” and let the immigration court schedule the eventual hearing. However, the Supreme Court said that DHS must actually schedule the hearing with the immigration court and include the hearing place, date and time for the NTA to be statutorily compliant.

Recently, DHS has been following this rule, particularly in cases involving noncitizens who enter through the U.S. southern land border. Great, right? Well, only partially.

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (“TRAC”) at Syracuse University issued a report on July 29, 2022 that describes how DHS is actually timely-filing very few charging documents, which is resulting, and will result, in mass dismissals of cases against noncitizens.

Here’s what appears to be happening: noncitizens arriving at various ports of entry and through the land borders encounter DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP decides that it would be appropriate to initiate deportation proceedings against the noncitizen. CBP then enters the immigration court scheduling system, and finds an open date and time for a hearing. CBP issues the NTA with that date and time, and then gives the NTA to the noncitizen. The noncitizen then leaves CBP custody, under the impression that he or she will have a hearing on the date and time listed on the NTA.

However, CBP is, frequently, not following through on filing the NTA with the appropriate immigration court, meaning the immigration court does not have the document that actually initiates the deportation proceedings against the noncitizen.

Thus, the noncitizen shows up to the court on the date and time in the NTA only to discover that the immigration court has no idea who she is. The court then “dismisses” the case because the case never actually existed within the court system.

(more…)

“My ‘go-to’ auto service center…”

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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If you’re like most people, you’d rather not waste hours of time getting your car maintained or repaired. That’s why so many people are responding to CarCare To Go with reviews like the one below.

CarCare To Go delivers celebrity-level service with surprisingly competitive prices. They combine the quality and trust of a full-service shop with a uniquely transparent process, plus free valet pick-up and delivery from your home or work.

This is the second time I have used CarCare To Go, once for brake replacement and maintenance work, and just recently for interior detailing. I could not be more pleased with the quality of work and the service on both occasions. The pricing is transparent and very highly competitive. The car was picked up from my home and delivered back with no hassle. Everything was on time and with reminders and updates all along the way. I was able to go about my day working at home as normal without any disruption or inconvenience. Getting my car repaired, serviced and cleaned has never been easier. I highly recommend this group and plan to keep CarCare To Go as my “go to” auto service center… — Cynthia S.

CarCare To Go is offering first-time clients an oil change for just $20.22. No catch. Synthetic or blend for any make or model car. Just enter coupon code FIRST20 when you book. And the valet and a light hand clean are completely free.

Of course, CarCare To Go does much more than oil changes and new tires. They are a full-service shop that does everything from brake pad replacements to the most complicated engine replacements.

You’ll wonder why you ever took care of your car any other way.

Small Business Focus: Live Laman | Fitness & Nutrition

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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

With Arlington ranking No. 1 on American Fitness Index for the fifth year in a row and many ARLnow readers saying that they feel less fit than they were before the pandemic in an online poll, we thought this was an opportunity to highlight one of Arlington’s many fitness companies.

Founded in 2018 by Laman Ben-Trahoret, Live Laman | Fitness & Nutrition is a fitness and nutrition company that helps people reach their fitness goals holistically and healthily. “We provide the knowledge and access to follow and adhere to a fitness route. Additionally, we provide meal prepping service, helping clients to know what to eat to reach their fitness goals,” says Ben-Trahoret.

In looking for a place to locate his business, it makes sense that the fittest city in the country would be an ideal location. “I started my business in Arlington because I could see the high value people placed on fitness and wellness,” says Ben-Trahoret. “That intrinsic belief was an excellent foundation on which to base my business.”

Since founding his company in 2018, Laman has gotten active in the Arlington business community and has enjoyed being in Arlington. “The community support and opportunities to network have been remarkable. Something that makes Arlington distinguishable are the resources available to small businesses,” says Ben-Trahoret.

Of course, no community is without its challenges.

“With Arlington being named the fittest place in the country, such accolades have attracted many to the area, particularly in the fitness industry. As a small business, it’s easy to get lost or forgotten, especially by larger national brands,” says Ben-Trahoret.

Like many entrepreneurs, Laman sought out resources to combat these challenges. Laman took advantage of BizLaunch’s ReLaunch program and exhibited his meal prepping services at BizLaunch’s Brunch and Business: Celebrating the Joy of Black Entrepreneurship.

As Arlington continues to change with development and new companies calling the community home, many small businesses see this change as beneficial. Ben-Trahoret says he sees huge opportunity with major companies coming into the neighborhood and he envisions partnering with residential buildings, companies and community organizations to better facilitate wellness for Arlingtonians.

Suppose you’re an organization or person that sees the long-term value in offering and participating in wellness services. In that case, Live Laman is a great partner for you. “So much is gained beyond just the physical benefits of having a fitness routine. There are mental, social and community aspects that improve as well,” says Ben-Trahoret.

For more information about Live Laman, check out their website, and don’t forget to connect on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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