Crystal City Parking Lot Staying Put — “Crystal City has been a scalding hot market for new development ever since Amazon.com Inc. moved in — but one well-positioned lot will continue to sit empty for the foreseeable future. Gould Property Co., which owns a small parking lot at 2661 S. Clark St., filed a request with Arlington County last month asking for permission to maintain the property as surface parking through early 2026.” [Washington Business Journal]

Westover Apartment Building Named — “Kathleen Sibert, who led the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN) from 2008 until earlier this year, will remain a permanent part of the organization through a facility named in her honor… Located in Westover, Sibert House is designed to provide permanent-supportive housing and a foundation to help individuals achieve better health, overcome substance abuse and mental illness, obtain job security, and attain their goals.” [InsideNova]

Schools Also Facing Budget Gap — “Superintendent Durán said that APS is facing an estimated budget gap at this time of between $24 million and $31 million. The APS budget gap continues to fluctuate and is based on continued unknowns including more possible revenue loss, more possible savings and more costs as APS works to return students to in-person learning while continuing to provide distance learning. The school district is examining its current practices and reviewing the budget.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Arlington Water Facts — “In a year, Arlington residents use some 8 billion gallons of water. That’s about a trillion 8-ounce glasses of the stuff. Clean, safe and always at the ready.” [Twitter]

Real Estate Costs on the Rise — “Not only are home prices on the rise across the Washington area; the average cost on a per-square-foot basis continues to grow, too… In Virginia, Arlington led the pack, with its average per-square-foot cost of $455 up 4.4 percent from $436.” [InsideNova]

Real Estate Firm Opening Second Office — “McEnearney Associates is excited to announce a new office location in the heart of Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia located at 3033 Wilson Boulevard… This will be McEnearney Associate’s second office location in Arlington.” [Press Release]

Airport Concession Sales Way Down — “Roughly 33 concessionaires were open at Reagan and 44 at Dulles, or just over 40% of all shops in the two airports… the shops that are open are still struggling with very low foot traffic and a customer base that is spending less than normal. Sales per passenger were down 20% at Reagan National and 22% at Dulles in August compared to the same month of 2019.” [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Early Voting on Irish TV — “Irish TV RTÉ was in Courthouse filming the early voting for the election.” [@Irelands4Courts/Twitter]


Address: 888 N. Quincy Street #1406
Neighborhood: Ballston | The Residences at Liberty Center
Listed: $595,500
Open: Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 24 from 2-4 p.m.

Imagine waking up every morning and watching a gorgeous sunrise over Washington, D.C. from your 14th floor balcony.

At the Residences at Liberty Center unit 1406, this can be your every morning. This amazing 1 Bedroom + Den/1 Bathroom Hamilton Model in the heart of Ballston has a beautifully updated kitchen with granite counters, a breakfast bar accented by pendant lighting, and a stunning view enjoyed from almost every room in the condo.

To the left of the kitchen is an open den with built in cabinets, perfect for your home office. The breakfast bar overlooks the dining and living areas with hardwood floors, fresh paint and sliding glass doors that open to a balcony with monument views. The Owner’s Suite is filled with natural light, has two custom closets, and an en suite bathroom with a granite top vanity and a soaking tub/shower. The unit also comes with one prime parking space and an extra storage unit.

The Residences at Liberty Center is a luxury building with breathtaking rooftop views, a rooftop fitness center, an outdoor rooftop pool, a community room and a 24-hour concierge. Located in the heart of Ballston, this Arlington condo is just steps to the Ballston Quarter with dining, shops, nightlife and everything we love about Arlington.

Listed by:
Shawn Battle
Orange Line Condo | Century 21 Redwood Realty
703-999-8108
[email protected]
OrangeLineCondo.com


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.

There are plenty of ways that folks volunteer and make a difference in Arlington County each and every day.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect day to try out something new, this Saturday (October 24) is Make a Difference Day. Amid the pandemic, some volunteer activities have certainly changed to adhere to the current climate.

But, then again, what hasn’t been changed a little in recent times? The bottom line is that many organizations still need volunteers and, for some, now more than ever.

Among the many awesome tools in our community, Volunteer Arlington has some stellar online resources and tools. On its site, individuals and groups can be matched with volunteer opportunities, nonprofits can post their needs and businesses can sign up to make an impact.

Have fun making a difference this Saturday (and beyond), folks!

For decades, the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. has been engrained in the local community. We want to see it thrive. When you’re ready to embark on a real estate journey of your own, we’re excited and ready to help.

Now on to this week’s Just Reduced figures.

As of October 19, there are 170 detached homes, 58 townhouses and 372 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 46 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

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.


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: We are looking forward to buying our first home in 2021. Do you have any recommendations on how we should start the home buying process?

Answer: Google “home buyer tips” or “what to know before buying a home” and you’ll find plenty of advice on the topic, so I’ll include some suggestions I don’t see on most of those lists and also put my own spin on others that you have heard before.

Weighted Criteria

It’s easy to come up with 3-5 things that are most important to you, but challenge yourself early to come up with 12-15 things that are important to you. Then give yourself 100 points and allocate points to each based on how important they are to you and you’ll end up with a weighted criteria list to help you focus your search and objectively compare properties.

If you want to take it to the next level, bring your weighted criteria list with you on showings and score each house out of the total points allocated to it.

Length of Ownership

This is one of the most important conversations to have with yourself/your partner. You should focus on the following:

  1. Likely length of ownership
  2. Difference in criteria for a 3-5 year house vs a 10-12+ year house
  3. Difference in budget requirements for a 3-5 year house vs a 10-12+ year house

Appreciation is not guaranteed and difficult to predict, but the value of longer ownership periods is undisputed. One way longer ownership adds value is the potential for eliminating one or more real estate transactions, and the associated costs (fees, taxes, moving expenses, new furniture, etc) and stress that comes with moving, over the course of your lifetime.

If you have an opportunity to significantly increase your length of ownership by stretching your budget, it’s often justifiable. On the other hand, if your budget or future plans restrict you to housing that’s likely to be suitable for just 3-4 years (and buying now still makes sense), it’s generally better to stay under budget.

Influencers (not the Instagram ones)

Family, friends, colleagues… they’re all happy to offer opinions and contribute to your home buying process, but the input can be overwhelming and unproductive if you don’t set boundaries. Try to determine up-front who you want involved in the process and how you’d like them to be involved.

Think about how you’ve made other major decisions in life — what college to attend, what kind of car to buy, where to get married, whether to change jobs — and if you’re the type of person who likes input from your friends and family, you’ll likely do the same when buying a house. Plan ahead with those influencers so their input is productive.

Does Your House Exist?

Before jumping too far into the search process, spend a little bit of time searching For Sale and Sold homes on your favorite real estate search website/app to see if the homes selling in the area you want and within 10% of your upper budget are at least close to what you’re looking for. If not, spend some time adjusting price, location and non-critical criteria to figure out what high-level compromises you’ll need to make and then compare those compromises to your current living situation and/or continuing to rent.

(more…)


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:

1835 N. Kirkwood Place
4 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Ttr Sotheby’s International Realty
Listed: $1,995,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1881 N. Nash Street
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Washington Fine Properties, Llc.
Listed: $1,675,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

3311 20th Street N.
4 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,129,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

 

1418 Rhodes Street N. #115
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Compass
Listed: $980,000
Open: Saturday 3-6 p.m.

 

2126 N. Tazewell Court
3 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Cathedral Realty, Llc.
Listed: $795,000
Open: Sunday 12:30-3:30 p.m.

 

820 N. Pollard Street #603
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Century 21 Redwood Realty
Listed: $669,500
Open: Sunday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.


Big Jump in Local Home Sales — “The red-hot summer real-estate market that evolved out of the springtime COVID crisis showed no signs of abating in September across Arlington. If anything, the market last month doubled down – literally. Home sales across the county totaled 274, up 44.2 percent from the 190 transactions recorded in September 2019.” [InsideNova]

Dems Protest Outside Trump HQ — Democrats protested outside of Trump reelection HQ in Rosslyn yesterday morning, criticizing the president for not agreeing to a virtual debate with Joe Biden. They came with signs and a large “Baby Trump” balloon. [Twitter]

Photos: Outdoor Coworking Space in Rosslyn — “Like dining out and birthday parties, coworking is now an outdoor activity thanks to the pandemic. At least it is in Rosslyn. Today, the new O2 pop-up (short for Outdoor Office) opens in Gateway Park by the Key Bridge.” [Washingtonian]

Amazon Employees to Keep Teleworking — “Amazon.com Inc.’s corporate offices may not return to pre-pandemic staffing levels until the middle of next year, with some managers telling their teams that they can continue to work from home until summer 2021.” [Washington Business Journal]

Tonight: Town Hall with APS Superintendent — “Dr. Durán will be hosting a community virtual Town Hall on Friday, October 16, from 5-6 p.m., to address the Return to School Plan. The Superintendent will address questions already received and take questions during the live event using Microsoft Teams or Facebook Live.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Ballston Private School Tackles Racism — “The Sycamore School (TSS), an independent nonprofit school serving 5th-12th grades, has invested in a year-long contract with nationally regarded educator and trainer Dr. Deborah Stroman as part of their continuing commitment to address issues of systemic racism.” [Press Release]

ART Bus Ridership Down — “For the fiscal year ending June 30, the ART system – funded by the Arlington government but operated by a private contractor – reported an average daily bus boarding total of 8,224, down 12.8 percent from the 9,434 reported for the previous fiscal year.” [InsideNova]

ABC Stores Are Doing Just Fine — “From March to September, [liquor sales in Northern Virginia] were up almost 17 percent over the year before: an average of nearly $37 million per month. March remains the month with the highest dollar amount of liquor sales in NoVa, at $39.3 million. July wasn’t far behind, with $38.5 million.” [Washingtonian]


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.

I’m just going to go ahead and predict it… 2021 is going to be another crazy year for Arlington real estate! Strong demand heading into the fall is unlikely to falter, and the past 10 years seem to be indicative of what is to come.

I know, that’s not much of a prediction… It’s just more of the same. But hey, our real estate market is very strong and that is not a bad thing.

Have you noticed it can be hard to make money in the current environment of available investments?

The stock market has been swinging wildly recently. The potential for inflation is hurting the bond market. Savings accounts aren’t even paying one percent in interest…

Looking for a proven long-term investment?

Buy real estate! While real estate is not considered a very liquid investment, it does perform very well. It performs especially well in our area, and especially over time. If you’re wondering where to park a bunch of cash right now, you should seriously consider buying Arlington real estate. Additionally, Arlington real estate is some of the most liquid in the nation, with the ability to list, go under contract and get to settlement in about a month. The same low interest rates we keep hearing about for 30-year mortgages, these days starting with a 2, are a great way to leverage a difficult playing field when it comes to other investments.

Oh, and by the way, mortgage interest rates just hit their tenth all time low this year… 2.81% for a 30-year fixed rate.

This past week in Arlington, sellers listed some 88 properties for sale while buyers ratified 71 contracts. 34 of the ratified contracts were on homes listed just within the past week.

There are currently 542 homes for sale in Arlington, 13 more than last week. 140 are detached homes, 52 are townhouses/semi-detached and 350 are condos.

Average days on market (DOM) for currently available homes is 48 and median DOM is 29. The median list price of currently available properties is $592,500, while the average is $782,110.

Last year for the same week, sellers listed 62 homes and buyers ratified 45 contracts.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate — if you see a home you’re interested in purchasing, we’d love to help!

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight homes that are new this week that I think you might like to check out.


Address: 1315 S. Walter Reed Drive, #103
Neighborhood: Commons of Arlington
Listed: $299,000
Open: Sunday, October 18, 2-4 p.m.

Sunny 1 BR/1 BA condo makes you feel right at home! Foyer entry offers hardwood flooring, spacious coat closet and built-ins.

Gorgeous remodeled kitchen with top of the line appliances — Bosch dishwasher, GE Cafe Convection Range and French Door fridge, plus quartz counters, 42-inch cabinets and great sunlight. The living and dining rooms are open and also flooded in natural light. Living room walks out to a brand new balcony with composite deck. Bathroom is bright and remodeled, the hall has multiple closets, and the bedroom does, too.

Condo has great storage and a huge 6×9 storage unit in the basement. Don’t let the Walter Reed address fool you — the building is tucked away in a private courtyard — great space for pup walking and chatting with neighbors. Laundry is right downstairs in a room that also stores bikes. Arlington Commons is a lush, green community with a pool and gym.

Quick hop to Columbia Pike restaurants and bars, next door to Walter Reed Community Center and Basketball court, easy access to Pentagon and D.C., too. Condo fee ($353/mo) pays for water/sewer/trash; owner pays electric and internet only. Unreserved parking lots include 2 on 13th Road; plus lots of street parking in front.

Listed by:
Coral Gundlach
Compass-Arlington
703-200-3631
[email protected]
Sellwithcoral.com


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.

We’ve seen the heroes emerge time and time again through the pandemic.

Our doctors on the medical frontlines. Our grocery store folks being there to help provide us with nourishment. Our postal delivery folks, helping keep us connected to the things and people we need most. The list goes on and on.

And, among the vital folks that have been lifesavers — literally — are our emergency nurses. This is their week — it’s Emergency Nurses Week and today, October 14, is Emergency Nurses Day. Our team can only image what they see on a daily basis, let alone in the heart of a global pandemic. So, to those nurses out there, we thank you.

Through normal or wacky times and when you’re ready to embark on your real estate journey, the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. is here for you, too.

Now on to this week’s Just Reduced figures.

As of October 12, there are 178 detached homes, 55 townhouses and 368 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 61 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

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.


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: Last month you wrote about troubling signs in the condo market. Do you see things leveling off or getting worse?

Answer: The trends I wrote about last month — shifting demand in single-family housing out west and troubling signs in the Arlington/D.C. condo market — continued through September with the developing changes in the condo market being the most noticeable. Let’s take a look at what we’re seeing in the housing market through September…

Arlington/D.C. Condo Inventory Piling Up

The number of condos listed for sale in Arlington during September (261) ranks as the 2nd most in any month over the last 10+ years, trailing a record-setting April 2016 volume (268) by just seven. The last time we had this much active condo inventory on the market in Arlington was September 2017 and you have to go back to September 2016 for a month with higher Months of Supply (measure of supply and demand).

Our neighbors in D.C. blew past all-time highs over the last 10+ years with 969 condos listed for sale, well above the record set this past July (863). Three of the four months with 750+ condo listings in D.C. have taken place in the last three months. You have to go back to June 2011 for a month with more active condo inventory in D.C. and July 2012 for a month with higher Months of Supply.

(more…)


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:

2001 S. Arlington Ridge Road
5 BD/5 BA, 2 half bath single-family home
Agent: Neighborhood Real Estate, Llc.
Listed: $2,395,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2324 N. Quebec Street
5 BD/5 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Kw United
Listed: $1,700,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

3014 12th Street S.
5 BD/4 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $1,250,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

6224 Lee Highway
5 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $949,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1200 Crystal Drive #312
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Compass
Listed: $829,900
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

4712 Wilson Boulevard
3 BD/1 BA single-family home
Agent: Re/Max Allegiance
Listed: $699,000
Open: Saturday 12-2 p.m.

 

4650 31st Street S.
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $549,000
Open: Saturday 12-2:30 p.m.


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