Will is the principal broker of Nesbitt Realty and Condo Alexandria. He is licensed in anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but focuses on those communities found in and around Alexandria, Arlington, Mount Vernon and Springfield/Franconia.
Will has been involved in real estate management, sales and investment for more than twenty years. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army. While in the army, he studied Russian at Monterey's Defense Language Institute. He is also a "veteran of the dotcom wars" and built most of the sites associated with NesbittRealty.com
Will currently resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Old Town, overlooking New Alexandria. He is a former president of the Mount Vernon Youth Athletic Association and founded the Alexandria Fun with Friends Group. Will is the author of BattlestorM, a tabletop fantasy game, which was published by Ral Partha Publishing in the late '90's, and Arthur's Realm, a boardgame available at the Gamecrafter.
Victorian style architecture
Victorian architecture dates from the second half of the 19th century, when America was exploring new approaches to building and design.
Example of a Victorian Home
Advancements in machine technology meant that Victorian-era builders could easily incorporate mass-produced ornamentation such as brackets, spindles, and patterned shingles. The last true Victorians were constructed in the early 1900s, but contemporary builders often borrow Victorian ideas, designing eclectic "neo-Victorians." These homes combine modern materials with 19th century details, such as curved towers and spindled porches. A number of Victorian styles are recreated on the fanciful "Main Street" at Disney theme parks in Florida, California, and Europe.
1800 Old Meadow Rd #211, McLean Real Estate Dispatch
How Much Do Mid 20th-Century Others Cost At Regency in 22102 in Fairfax County? Will Nesbitt works real estate all over this area but has special expertise in 22102 and residences like 1800 Old Meadow Rd #211. Check out the prices and pictures of this home at 1800 Old Meadow Rd #211. Not to mention,…
1800 Old Meadow Rd #405, McLean Real Estate Update
Looking at Listings At Regency? Ponder This Condo. Should you make an offer buy 1800 Old Meadow Rd #405? Sometimes, the answer to a question is more questions. Are you seeking a 3-bedroom Traditional-style condo in 22102 in Fairfax County? Can you afford $660,000? Is it actually worth $675,000 or $625,000? Do you need 2…
What shape is the house, overall? Rectangular and symmetrical: National, Colonial, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, Italianate Square and box-like: American Foursquare L-shaped: Folk and National styles Complicated and asymmetrical: Queen Anne and other Victorian styles, Chateauesque Rounded corners: Pueblo, Art Moderne Single story or 1½ story: Cape Cod, Ranch, Craftsman, Cottage styles Does the roof have…
Washington Square in Old Town Alexandria VA
Washington Square is a 235,000 square foot Class A mixed-use office/retail complex developed on a two-acre site along Alexandria's main street, North Washington Street, in historic Old Town Alexandria. Washington Square features twin four-story buildings with brick and cast stone exterior façades and glass curtain walls overlooking a spacious courtyard. Tenants are attracted by the property's 3-story atrium lobbies, fitness center, concierge service, 600 space parking structure and computerized energy management system.
Washington Square serves nearby condos at Port Royal, Alexandria House, Liberty Row, Watergate of Alexandria, Abingdon Row and more. Many residents from greater Alexandria, Crystal City and Fairfax County visit Washington Square because of the popular grocer Trader Joe's which is located here.
In addition to Trader Joe's, Washington Square tenants include Talbots, FedEx Kinko's, Starbucks Coffee, and Chevy Chase Bank.
At the 2009 Alexandria Art Festival
This weekend Julie and I went to Old Town with the Alexandria Fun with Friends Group to enjoy the Alexandria Art Festival. The Art Festival occurs every year around this time and features artists and craftsmen from around the area.
2009 Art Festival in Old Town Alexandria
King Street closes to vehicular traffic and artists set-up stalls in the street. It's an easy way to enjoy lots of art from lots of folks. The weather was very co-operative, neither too hot nor too cold.
2009 Old Town Alexandria
This 12 foot tall image of a koi caught my eye, as did many smaller pieces.
Arts Festival in Old Town Alexandria
I found that my camera was drawn to the larger pieces, but this is probably because I knew they would photograph well. There were many smaller items for sale too. However, many of us felt that this year's festival seemed to offer more pieces that would be welcomed in a restaurant or hotel lobby than usual and a few number of the smaller pieces that look nice in a home.
Harpist
There were several musicians playing up and down the street. This harpist sang like an angel, but I have to admit that my favorite was the steel drum player.
People walking King Street during Art Festival
We walked all the way up to Washington Street before turning around and making way back to the Potomac. After some discussion the group voted to eat at the Charthouse. At the Charthouse, the ladies had a little wine and we enjoyed some relaxed conversation and then dinner. For my part, I think the food at the Charthouse is good, but not great. Even though it's a little pricey, it's worth it because of the pleasant views of the Potomac that are offered.
About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria and Nesbitt Realty. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County.
Wow! I just got this from Jeremy W. This really makes me proud to work with Nesbitt Realty.
Howdy Mr. Nesbitt--
Entrance to Belle View condominiums
I wanted to take a moment to highlight the exceptional service I received from one of your agents, Ben Fornshell. Within a few hours of emailing Ben, we made an appointment to meet the following day in order to tour Belle Haven. After meeting up at your office, we walked along the well-kept streets while Ben shared some of his experiences with the community; calmly strolling through a neighborhood on a sunny day while viewing properties is not a typical experience when searching for a new home. After touring several, I stepped into one particular unit and realized I was home. Ben walked me through the particulars before we parted. Later that day, he met with me a second time, well after working hours, to show the unit to my skeptical wife.
She eagerly concurred and five days later, we signed the lease--beating out several other applicants largely because of how well-prepared our package was. Ben's relaxed and informative approach was a sea-change to the aggressive apartment-pushers usually lurking in real estate and is a great credit to your business and profession.
Further, his stance made it more than clear that he wasn't merely looking to push someone into a vacant unit: he was assisting a new neighbor.
Please convey my very great appreciation for his hard work and dedication. If you'd like to post this message anywhere online, please feel free; I only ask that you omit my last name for privacy.
Sincerely,
--Jeremy
For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.
Summertime in Alexandria is loads of fun. Tourists descend on our fair city, but we're glad to have them as our guests.
At the Torpedo Factory and Potomac in Old Town
One of the places that you have to visit when you're in town is also a favorite spot of residents: the Alexandria waterfront. The docks behind the Torpedo Factory Art Center are always bustling with activity. Every few paces you'll find a street musician, street magician and other entertainer. There are numerous restaurants here: most of them quite nice.
Admiral Tilp offers river tours in Alexandria VA
If you're looking for a little fun on the water, you might want to take a cruse on the Admiral Tilp. The Admiral Tilp is docked here at the end of King Street and Union Street. The Admiral Tilp departs on the hour, so if you miss her, she'll be back. The Admiral Tilp offers a narrated tour under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, past National Harbor and down to Jones Point. The on-board guide provides a historical and contemporary context to what you will witness on board.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.
No.
But here's the question you really want to know:
Why can't a property manager refund the background fee?
Let's start with some background facts that many renters (and some agents) don't understand. Nesbitt Realty (and most property managers) don't make any money from background checks. Nesbitt Realty buys a background check. Once that money is spent. It is spent. Nesbitt Realty doesn't get anything from that background check and we simply can't afford to pay for background checks for people who aren't accepted.
Because we don't make any money from background checks, we're not interested in doing background checks, except as required. When are we required to pull a background check? We're required to pull a background check when an application is submitted. Fair Housing Laws won't allow us to pick and choose which applications to process. We process all submitted application so that we can present them to the landlord. All applications are presented to the landlord.
Some of the applications we process are submitted by our agents and some are submitted by agents from other companies. We cannot guarantee that your application will be accepted if you apply through us. But we can guarantee that your application will be properly submitted. Slow approvals and rejected applications are often caused by not properly submitting the application in the first place.
We do not give preferential treatment to applications submitted by our agents on properties that we manage. Because we will be managing the property, it's much more important to find the most qualified applicant than it is to make a few dollars from a rental commission. Here's some of what we look at when we make a recommendation to a landlord:
Criminal History
Rental History
Credit History
Income
Debt to Income Ratio's
Offer (some applicants offer more or less than the rental amount)
Pets
How to avoid wasting your background fee
Most importantly self-assess your application based upon the criteria above. If you think your application will fall short on one or more of these criteria ask us (or ask your agent to us) if you will be accepted with certain criteria. By disclosing potential problems before the application is submitted you can avoid wasting money on an application that has no chance.
If you want to offer less than the asking price, it's important to understand that is extremely unlikely that a landlord represented by Nesbitt Realty will agree to lower the rent until they know something about the tenant. Some landlords won't accept poor credit or pets under any circumstance. Some will ask for extra deposit but will consider such an application.
Lastly, remember that if you're asking for a special situation or special allowance, Nesbitt Realty (and most property managers) will not be able to go forward unless and until the landlord accepts the special circumstance. That can delay your application process. In the meantime another renter who is not asking for any special allowance (or who is offering more rent) might make an application.
Nesbitt Realty manages a lot of real estate and that means we list a many rentals. We intentionally list our properties at bargain prices because our landlords want to rent property quickly. We want to rent things as quickly as possible too, but renters (and agents) will sometimes ask us, why does it take so long to process an application?
Incomplete Application - It's not uncommon for rental applicants (or their agents) to turn in rental applications which are missing basic information. The application cannot be processed until the application is complete. In addition to filling out the entire application, the application must have supporting documentation such as proof of income.
Verification of Rental History - Nesbitt Realty can pull credit pretty quickly, but we have no control over how long a previous landlord will take to respond. Many landlords will respond quickly to our rental history requests. Some landlords respond very slowly. Some don't respond at all. This can cause a rental application to be delayed for days to a week.
Landlord Approval - Once we have an application fully processed the landlord reviews the results. Many of our landlords are out-of-state, overseas or in far away and/or secure or dangerous locations. They don't always respond instantly. We especially need landlord approval if the applicant is offering less than the asking-rent.
Holidays - Landlords, prior landlords and office workers (like the rest of us) take time off during major holidays. It is unlikely that we will get an answer about a rental application on Thanksgiving Day. Major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and 4th of July often involve some travel before or after the holiday. It's difficult to get in touch with previous landlords for verification of rent when they are traveling. It's difficult to get approval from a landlord on a rental application while the landlord is on a beach or airplane.
Weekends - Most property managers won't pull credit on the weekends or during non-business hours. They won't pull credit because they know that most likely they cannot complete a verification of rental history on a weekend.
Rush Job - From time to time, we receive applications from people who need housing immediately. Experience has shown us that people who are suddenly homeless are often the riskiest tenants for a landlord. Even when a tenant is coming out of an eviction or foreclosure, there is some notice given. We meet people who need to move by Saturday and they put in an application on Thursday. Sometimes those people are victims of improbable circumstances. Often those people are trying to rush the application process so that the landlord overlooks a problem with the application.
It's important to understand that property managers and landlords aren't standing by like fighter pilots waiting to scramble because a rental application has been turned in. If you desperately need a loan or a mortgage, a bank won't open over the weekend to make that loan. Property managers tend to be more accommodating than banks but they have limits to what they can and will do.
What can a tenant to do make the process go quickly?
Fill out the application and provide all documentation. - Write "n/a" in blanks that don't apply. Don't assume the person processing the application will understand.
Let your prior landlord know to expect a call.
If you really want a particular rental, don't offer less than the asking-price. Don't ask for unusual terms.
If you really see the value of a particular rental, offer more than the asking price. Even five bucks will get the landlord's attention.
Holidays and weekends happen. Plan ahead.
Don't wait until the last minute to start looking. When unexpected circumstances happen you still have time to make a change if you look before the need is urgent.
Alexandria is an independent city (Virginia cities have no county affiliation), which derives its governing authority from a charter granted by the Virginia General
Assembly. Changes in the structure and powers of the City government are made by amending the Charter. This requires action by the General Assembly, usually upon the request of the City Council, following public hearings. The present City Charter was granted in 1950; it was amended extensively in 1968, 1971, 1976, 1982, and 1983. By referendum in 1921, an overwhelming majority of the voters approved the adoption of the council-manager form of city government, which went into effect in September 1922. This form of government centralizes legislative authority and responsibility in the elected City Council.
Administrative authority and responsibility are held by the City Manager, who is appointed by the City Council. The City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council members who are elected at-large for three-year terms. Any in-term vacancy is filled by a special election unless the vacancy occurs within six months of the end of the term, at which time a judicial appointment is made. The Mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over meetings of the Council and serves as the ceremonial head of government. The Mayor does not have the power to veto Council action. Council members traditionally choose the person receiving the most votes in the election to serve as Vice Mayor. In the absence or disability of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor performs the mayoral duties. The Mayor receives a salary of $30,500, and other Council members receive a salary of $27,500 per year.
Council determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be
provided by the administrative branch of the City government. Under Alexandria's Charter, the Council has power to:
Determine policy in the fields of planning, traffic, law and order, public
works, finance, social services, and recreation;
Appoint and remove the City Manager;
Adopt the budget, levy taxes, collect revenues, and make appropriations;
Appoint and remove the City Attorney;
Authorize the issuance of bonds by a bond ordinance;
Appoint and remove the City Clerk;
Establish administrative departments, offices, and agencies;
Appoint members of the Planning Commission, and other City
authorities, boards, commissions, and committees;
Inquire into the conduct of any office, department, or agency of the City
and make investigations into municipal affairs;
Provide for an independent audit; and
Provide for the number, titles, qualifications, powers, duties, and compensation of all officers and employees of the City.
Council meetings are shown live on cable channel 70 and repeated at a later time. The council meetings can also be viewed via computer on streaming video. Past sessions of Council meetings can be watched via computer or on videos available from the Office of Citizen Assistance.
From time to time the city issues press releases which Condo Alexandria posts here.
Alexandria is an independent city (Virginia cities have no county affiliation), which derives its governing authority from a charter granted by the Virginia General
Assembly. Changes in the structure and powers of the City government are made by amending the Charter. This requires action by the General Assembly, usually upon the request of the City Council, following public hearings. The present City Charter was granted in 1950; it was amended extensively in 1968, 1971, 1976, 1982, and 1983. By referendum in 1921, an overwhelming majority of the voters approved the adoption of the council-manager form of city government, which went into effect in September 1922. This form of government centralizes legislative authority and responsibility in the elected City Council.
Administrative authority and responsibility are held by the City Manager, who is appointed by the City Council. The City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council members who are elected at-large for three-year terms. Any in-term vacancy is filled by a special election unless the vacancy occurs within six months of the end of the term, at which time a judicial appointment is made. The Mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over meetings of the Council and serves as the ceremonial head of government. The Mayor does not have the power to veto Council action. Council members traditionally choose the person receiving the most votes in the election to serve as Vice Mayor. In the absence or disability of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor performs the mayoral duties. The Mayor receives a salary of $30,500, and other Council members receive a salary of $27,500 per year.
Council determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be
provided by the administrative branch of the City government. Under Alexandria's Charter, the Council has power to:
