real estate

Listing of the Day: 6404 19th Street N.

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Address: 6404 19th Street N.
Neighborhood: Arlington-East Falls Church
Listed: $1,538,000
Open: Sunday, December 9 from 1-3 p.m.

Located across the street from the East Falls Church Metro station, this custom 9-home community by Classic Cottages has two homes left, both of which feature the popular Fairfax model. The Fairfax model home for the community is available for immediate delivery and for sale at $1,538,000.

Featuring 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, this spacious, modern home incorporates textural elements within every room.

The gourmet kitchen on the main level features an oversized, gray quartz kitchen island with room for 4-6 counter stools. Kitchen also features dual ovens, large stainless-steel sink, espresso cabinetry, grey quartz countertops, large windows, wood herringbone dropped ceiling, white subway backsplash and bronze and gold accent details. Combined, this modern kitchen encompasses cool and warm elements to achieve a neutral, sophisticated look.

Off the main kitchen is an expansive butler’s pantry with a separate butler’s pantry sink and walk-in pantry with plentiful shelving and a sliding barn door. A bright dining room meets the butler’s pantry and connects to the main foyer with large, natural-lit windows.

The family room offers a cozy, intimate feel with built-in shelving on either side of the wood surround gas fireplace which partitions the family room and the bonus room, allowing convenience and multi-purpose use.

On the second level, you’ll immediately find a welcoming loft space. There is one private en-suite across the from the loft space and two other bedrooms share a separate bath on the main hall.

Conveniently located on the second floor is a large laundry room with a stainless-steel sink and butcher block counter for folding. The spacious master suite features wainscoting details on all four walls set below the large bedroom windows. The master suite has walk-in his and her closets, dual vanities, make-up vanity, shower and freestanding tub.

On the lower level of this home you’ll find a fitness room, open entertainment area with wet bar and another bedroom with a private bath. This home features a mudroom on the main level that connects to the attached 2-car garage.

Furniture pictured is available for purchase with the home. Inquire for details.

Schools: Tuckahoe, Swanson, Yorktown.

Listed by:
Michelle Lynch
Classic Cottages LLC
1000 Pendleton Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
703-215-9161
[email protected]
www.rooseveltplace.live

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 licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

Well, here we are… in the middle of another roller coaster Virginia winter.

It was in the 60’s on Monday and it looks like Old Man Winter is here to stay for a bit, keeping us in the low 40’s for a bit. By now, hopefully your home is totally winter-ready. After all, we’ve been providing you with helpful tips for months now!

If you’ve procrastinated, there are still a few things you can do to weather (pun intended!) these frigid temps.

First, how’s that air filter looking? At a minimum, you should be changing it every 90 days. If you have a pet, make that 60 days. Diving deeper, how is your home’s insulation looking? If there are signs of deterioration in your attic (or wherever it may be), it may be time to hit the hardware store for some fiberglass batts.

And, finally, can you feel the wind coming in under your doors, windows, or any other outdoor gateway? That should not be happening, and your dough is literally flying out the door. Let’s get that fixed, eh?

As always, we’re here to help you GET MORE out of life here in Arlington County. And, when you’re ready to buy or sell, we’re ready to roll, too.

As of December 3, there are 148 detached homes, 25 townhouses and 159 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 12 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week.

Here is this week’s selection of Just Reduced properties:

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 Aaron Seekford.

Ask Eli: Remodeling for Resale vs. Personal Taste

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Rosslyn resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: I am interested in remodeling my home to better suit my family’s current lifestyle. How much should I consider resale value over our personal preferences?

Answer: I often say that the best way to ensure your home is a good investment is to find one that will suit you for a long time. Market appreciation and local development are never guaranteed, but eliminating one or two real estate transactions from your lifetime is a guaranteed way to generate value.

This is why many homeowners take on major remodeling projects instead of moving to a new home. Major remodeling projects often cost well into the six-figures so homeowners rightly question resale value.

To provide an insider’s opinion, I reached out to Caroline Goree, a Project Leader with BOWA, a local design build firm that specializes in luxury renovations from kitchens to whole-home remodels.

In Caroline’s role, she works almost daily with her clients from the design consultation through construction so she is intimately familiar with the challenges homeowners face when choosing between resale value and personal preference. The following is courtesy of Caroline:

Renovation Expert Advice

As a Project Leader, I am part of the remodeling process from beginning to end and there almost always comes a point during the design phase when clients ask “Will I ever get a return on my investment?”

How often do you buy a new pair of shoes or new tech and consider its return on investment? Taking on a major renovation allows you to stay in your neighborhood, extend the time you live in your home and customize to your lifestyle.

Some of these bonuses won’t show up in a financial model, so it’s important to remember that return on investment can be about more than money (like the one year old iPhone you just replaced with a newer iPhone).

Does Quality Pay?

“Buy well, cry once.” Getting value out of your renovation isn’t just about purchase price and resale potential. Appliances and other systems (HVAC, windows, roofing, etc.) vary greatly in maintenance costs, life expectancy, energy usage and more. Spending more up-front on design consultation and materials often pays off in the long run.

If maximizing resale value is more important than personal preference, talk with your Realtor about the appropriate level of finish for your home that will maximize your return on investment. I typically use appliance packages as an example.

You can purchase a GE Electric Range from Home Depot for under $1,000 or a custom built La Cornue for $25,000. Clients who choose the La Cornue are making a personal choice and should not expect to recoup much of the cost on resale, save the ultra-luxury market. Similarly, choosing a sub-$1,000 range in a $1M+ home is likely to hurt resale value by more than $1,000.

Be Design Specific

In Matthew Frederick’s book “101 Things I Learned in Architecture School” he highlights what I believe is the backbone to a great renovation project, saying “Being nonspecific in an effort to appeal to everyone usually results in reaching no one. Designing in idea-specific ways will not limit the ways in which people use and understand your buildings; it will give them license to bring their own interpretations and idiosyncrasies to them.” Most homeowners and builders are scared of doing something different but, I believe that “the more specific a design idea is, the greater its appeal is likely to be.”

Click here to see an example of a recently completely BOWA kitchen that does not follow the “all white everything” trend that has taken over (dare I blame Chip and Joanna Gains?!), but is absolutely stunning and certain to attract the most discerning buyer… at a premium.

If you and your renovation partner spend the time creating a thoughtful design that is functional and tasteful, there will be other buyers down the road who are equally as passionate about it.

Eli’s Perspective

Caroline, thank you very much for your insight! I’ll add that your decisions don’t have to be 100% for personal enjoyment or 100% for resale, it can be a blended decision.

To help you prioritize, think about how long you’ll live in the home after the renovation. If it’s less than five years, resale should be a higher priority. If you’ll be there for another 12-15+ years, personalize away!

Remodeling.com conducts annual studies on the resale value of popular renovation projects. Their studies found that most projects return 50-80% of their value upon resale. HGTV would have you think otherwise…

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, 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 Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

Houwzer Agents Are Saving Home Sellers Thousands

It’s been said that the 7 most expensive words in business are “this is how we’ve always done it.” Yet, remarkably, there are still a handful of billion-dollar industries plagued by an unwillingness to change.

For decades, residential real estate brokerages have enjoyed enormous profits while providing a poor customer experience, simply because consumers lacked options.

Not anymore.

Houwzer, a modern real estate agency, is offering consumers a better alternative by saving home sellers an average of $15,000 and providing home buyers a pressure-free experience with their top rated, salaried agents.

Here’s how they do it.

They slash the cost of selling a home in half.

In a typical real estate transaction, the seller pays a steep 6% of their home’s selling price in commissions — 3% to their listing agent and 3% to the buyer’s agent.

When you sell with Houwzer, you only pay their full service listing agents a flat $5,000 fee plus 2.5% to the buyer’s agent at closing. That’s a savings of $16,000 on a $600,000 home.

Many sellers are so happy with Houwzer’s service they decide to buy their next home with Houwzer and refer their friends. This is where Houwzer makes the bulk of their money.

They train salaried agents to improve the customer experience.

Unlike traditional commission-based agents, Houwzer Agents are full-time, salaried employees. This enables them to prioritize customer service over commissions.

Sean, a Houwzer client, said this was invaluable to buyers. “Houwzer is THE superior real estate company, because they are the only guys with salaried agents who go through extensive training. They are in it to get you the house you want, not to make commissions.”

After serving over 1,000 clients, their average review is 4.9 out of 5 stars.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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:

4957 N. Rock Spring Road
5 bed/5 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Washington Fine Properties LLC
Listed: $2,099,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2401 N. John Marshall Drive
6 bed/6 bath single-family home
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $1,199,000
Open: Saturday 1-4:15 p.m.

 

27 N. Fenwick Street
5 bed/3 bath, single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $998,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1111 19th Street N. #1503
2 bed/2 bath condo
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $735,000
Open: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

 

3600 S. Glebe Road 219W
2 bed/2 bath condo
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $599,000
Open: Saturday 12-2 p.m.

 

2903-C S. Woodstock Street #3
3 bed/1 bath, 2 half bath condo
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $474,800
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

1736 N. Rhodes Street 5-293
1 bed/1 bath condo
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $285,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

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 Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Arlington’s inventory of homes actively for sale is at a near all time low of only 350 homes. This is down 20-25% from typical levels in the summer and early fall.

Only 30 sellers put their homes on the market this week, while 43 buyers ratified contracts. The pace has clearly slowed but even at this snail speed, Arlington has only two months of inventory.

While prices are increasing slightly, the number of sales is declining. This is felt nationally as well. October saw a 2.6% drop over September, and a 6.7% drop from a year ago. This is the 10th straight month of sales decline nationally.

So what’s going on? Many factors, but economists point primarily at affordability. Prices and interest rates have continued to rise, but incomes have only marginally begun to increase. Low inventory is also to blame, as well as many new home buyers, aka millennials, are carrying significant student loan debt that delays their ability to buy a home.

Fortunately, interest rates did not increase this week but held steady at about 5% with no points for a 30-yr fixed rate.

Click here to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

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 licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

Don’t be fooled by our traffic or colonial buildings. Arlington County is a top-tier green community in the U.S.

According to a recent study by Commercial Café, Arlington County ranks No. 15 among the “Top 40 Sustainably Powered U.S. Cities.” The only other U.S. city on the East Coast to come ahead of us? Our neighbors in Washington, D.C., clocking in at No. 9.

Why is this important, you ask?

Well, beyond preserving our environment, it means quite a bit for locals. Compared to other cities, there are more energy options for everyday activities. There are also a number of electric vehicle charging stations.

And, as part of Commercial Café’s assessment, there is an abundance of biking and walking commuters, meaning we have top-notch transportation networks. As icing on the cake, Arlington ranked as No. 9 in the U.S. in terms of “U.S. Cities with the Largest Share of Green Buildings.”

In a nutshell: If sustainability and the environment are important to you, then you have options in Arlington County. And when you’re ready to explore those options, our team is ready to help you GET MORE out of your transaction.

As of November 26, there are 158 detached homes, 35 townhouses and 165 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 6 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week.

Here is this week’s selection of Just Reduced properties:

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 Aaron Seekford.

Ask Eli: Why Is My Neighbor Mowing My Lawn?

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Rosslyn resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: My neighbor is mowing a portion of the lawn I thought was mine, but my neighbor claims it is his. Is this something I can prove through my title work?

Answer: Clients often ask me whether or not they should purchase a property survey, which is optional, when they buy their home. I think that in almost every case it is worth the relatively small investment (usually about $300-$400 for a standard survey).

I was recently chatting with Liz Wasserman of Universal Title, one of a small group of excellent title companies in Northern Virginia (they also serve D.C. and Maryland) and one of the few I recommend to clients, and she shared a story with me about a client who did not order a survey and ended up incorrectly assuming that a section of land was theirs.

Given how frequently I am asked about ordering surveys, I thought it was a good opportunity for Liz to share the story and provide some reasons why it’s a good idea to order a survey when you buy a home.

Take it away Liz…

A new homeowner noticed a neighbor mowing part of her front lawn. When she asked the neighbor why he was mowing her lawn, the neighbor replied the property he was mowing belonged to him, even though the line of trees separating the two houses looked as if the property belonged to the new homeowner. She called her title agent and found out the neighbor was correct. “How can that be? Didn’t you search my property?”

Unfortunately, the new homeowner did not understand the difference between a title search and a survey and failed to purchase a survey. A title search confirms ownership of property, but it does not show the details of the property location.

A survey is a map of real property that shows where the property is located on the earth, the boundary lines of the property, the improvements on the land and access to the property.

FIVE GREAT REASONS TO PURCHASE A SURVEY

  • Undisclosed Rights and Easements: You may own your new home and its surrounding land, but someone else might have a right to use a portion of your property. A survey will show physical evidence of the rights of others to use your property for access, parking, utilities, and other situations.
  • Undiscovered Encroachments: A survey may be the only way to tell if a third party holds a claim to part of your property because their improvements such as a garage, fence, or swimming pool, are on your land.
  • House Built on Incorrect Lot: It may seem impossible, but sometimes a house is built on the wrong lot. A survey provides peace of mind by showing the exact location of the house you are buying.
  • Size of the Property: A survey shows the exact dimensions of the property’s boundary lines and how much land is included within those lines.
  • Adding on in the Future: Many residential platted lots have building restrictions known as setbacks which prohibit building anything within a certain distance from the boundary lines. If you are thinking of adding on in the future, a survey will help you determine if the property is right for both your current and future plans.

Liz, thank you very much for sharing this story and providing some good reasons for ordering a survey. I’d also like to add that you can order a survey at any time if you did not do so when you purchased.

If you are in need of a survey, planning to sell or purchase a home and would like to work with a great title company, or have title questions in general I highly recommend reaching out to Liz and her team of attorneys at Universal Title.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, 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 Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

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:

5608 33rd Street N.
7 bed/7 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $1,950,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2829 1st Road N.
4 bed/4 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Advon Real Estate LLC.
Listed: $1,264,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4018 N. Woodstock Street
4 bed/3 bath single-family home
Agent: Re/Max By Invitation
Listed: $1,015,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1800 N. Quantico Street
6 bed/4 bath single-family home
Agent: Xrealty.net LLC
Listed: $979,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1814 24th Street S.
3 bed/2 bath, 2 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Compass
Listed: $839,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

 

6916 N. Fairfax Drive #312
2 bed/2 bath, 1 half bath condo
Agent: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
Listed: $495,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

1931 N. Cleveland Street #409
1 bed/1 bath condo
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $317,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

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 Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Thanksgiving week always sees Arlington’s real estate market hit the pause button, and this week is no different. Only 20 sellers braved to list their homes this week. But 70 buyers ratified contracts, the most in several months. Amazon’s news has inspired home buyers and investors to take action.

We will continue to analyze the impact of HQ2 in the weeks ahead, but for this Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to reflect on what I am personally thankful for. And maybe it will inspire you to reflect as well…

  • My family is so awesome!!  My amazing wife, 3 kids, in-laws, brother, cousins…
  • My dog Tank who gives love and joy endlessly
  • My crazy menagerie of friends who tease and taunt and express their love a thousand ways
  • My colleagues at work who support, encourage and share laughter
  • Our clients who entrust us to handle the largest financial transactions in their lives
  • My country that provides a set of laws that aspire to treat all Americans equally
  • Our military forces that pledge their lives to protect us all from foreign harm
  • Our police, firefighters and EMT professionals who risk their lives daily to ensure our safety and health
  • Our dedicated local, state and federal governments that work diligently to provide us with the infrastructure to secure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

We should never take anything for granted. Complacency is the enemy of prosperity. We enjoy these benefits today because Americans who came before us fought for them. I cannot thank them enough.

Click here to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

Don’t Buy a Home Until You Know These 6 Things

Before beginning to search for a home, you need to know what to expect financially. Consult with a reputable lender to discuss:

  • What price range you should search within
  • How much money you’ll need to put down
  • How to shore up your personal finances for the best loan possible

Once you have your affordable price range, make a list of qualities you’d like your home to have.

  • Where would you like it to be located?
  • What type of home do you prefer — condo, townhouse, etc.?
  • What features would you like to see — hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen, etc.?

The next step is to begin researching homes that have sold in your desired location at your affordable price range and compare that to your expectations.

To learn more about home buying and meet top real estate agents, attend The Keri Shull and Orange Line Living Team’s free First-Time Home Buying Seminar.

In this class, you’ll learn:

  • The 8 stages of purchasing a home, and what to expect at each stage
  • How to qualify for the house you want
  • How to get out of your lease — you’re not stuck there!
  • The “4 C’s” affecting home price
  • How to negotiate a lower price for the home you want
  • How to avoid double-paying rent and a mortgage

Every attendee of our First-Time Homebuyers Class gets $1500 toward their new home.

When: Thursday, November 29, 5:30-7 p.m.
Where: 1600 Wilson Blvd #101
Parking: Free parking, walkable to and from metro
Cost: Free

We do have limited space, so register now at: https://kst.house/2FzNSnD

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