New to the Area?
This is an update on an old article I put together for people who are brand new to Northern Virginia. Because of the many employment opportunities and because of the pleasant nature of the city of
Alexandria, Alexandria often and consistently rates as one of the nation's best cities. If you're brand new to the area, it's hard to know where to start when looking for a home or residence. There are TOO MANY CHOICES.
Before you can find your house you have to find your neighborhood. Before you find your neighborhood you have to find your way around the city. For this reason, a quick description of the components of Alexandria is helpful.
Old Town
Old Town (sometimes called Olde Town, Old Towne or Olde Towne) is the heart of Alexandria. As the name implies, Old Town is the oldest part of the city. Alexandria was a port in colonial times owing to its location along the Potomac. These days Old Town is found just inside the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and then north toward Reagan National Airport. Old Town is served by the
King St. Metro and the King St. trolley. With over 100 restaurants, shops, boutiques, coffee shops, ice cream houses and more, Old Town has both a small
town, upscale and touristy feel. For most folks there is a bit of prestige attached to an Old Town address. There are two high rises near the waterfront at the
Alexandria House and
Port Royal. Old Town Alexandria has many townhouses, row houses and a smaller number single family homes. Click
Old Town
to search listings of properties in Old Town Alexandria.
Del Ray
Although its history doesn't stretch to the colonial days,
Del Ray is another relatively old neighborhood. Del Ray was founded in 1894 as a "streetcar suburb" to Washington, DC. Most of Del Ray was built from the 1890's to the 1950's and retains that small town charm despite being so close to the center of the universe. Quaint streets with brick or stone homes are found on streets that branch off from Del Ray's arteries.
At the heart of Del Ray is the main street: Mount Vernon Avenue. This where you'll find a hometown mix of shops, restaurants and hardware stores. Braddock Road metro serves Del Ray and condos such as
Colecroft Station are available here.
Click
Del Ray for a map of Del Ray and for listings of properties for sale in Del Ray. Or, click
Del Ray for listings for sale in the Del Ray subdivision of Alexandria.
Arlandria
As the name implies,
Arlandria at the border of Alexandria City and Arlington County. Arlandia is just north of Del Ray at terminus of Mount Vernon Avenue. Some residents also call this neighborhood Chirilagua. Arlandia has many small shops and restaurants. Click
Arlandria for a map of the general area and to search properties listed for sale in Arlandria.
Eisenhower Valley
The Eisenhower Valley describes the area found along Eisenhower
Avenue. At the western end of Eisenhower Avenue one will find
warehouses and businesses such as FedEx and UPS who appreciate easy
access to the Interstate. Click
Eisenhower West to search property at the west end of Eisenhower, near the Van Dorn Metro station.
On the east end, where Eisenhower Avenue approaches Old Town, you'll
find the United States Patent & Trade Office and the high-end high-rise neighborhood of the
Carlyle District. The USPTO is a complex of five buildings that accommodate more than 7,000 federal employees. Residents of the Carlyle District have easy access to the Hoffman Town Center at the
Eisenhower Metro. The Carlyle District is an intriguing place to live because it's so close to the charm and amenities of
Old Town, but is new and modern. Click
Eisenhower East to find properties listed for sale here.
West End
Like the Eisenhower Valley, the
West End of Alexandria is a mixed bag. Condos and high rises abound in "Condo Canyon"
near Landmark and Lincolnia. But development from the 1950's and 1960's is also found tucked on side streets and around unexpected corners. The homes around and near Seminary Road are regarded by many as stately and highly desirable. Another interesting neighborhood in the West End is Cameron Station. Cameron Station is a newer development of townhouses and condos, but the stylings and architecture imitate the best of Old Town. Cameron Station is relatively close to both Landmark Mall and Old Town.
The West End is well connected to Washington DC
via I-395. The West End is the newest and largest part of the city. The West End has a diverse selection of restaurants and shops as well as Landmark Mall and several fine hotels.
Fort Ward Park and Museum is found in the
West End of Alexandria. Click
West End for a glance at what's for sale and to see a map of the West End.
Properties in
 |
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. |
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, emails sent for the purpose of advertising real estate services must contain specified disclosures at the beginning or end of the message. Does that mean disclosures are required in all emails?
Let's look at the case of Earl and Brian. Earl lists his home for sale with an agent named Brian. Earl is a busy guy and doesn't like phone calls. Earl prefers email and thus he and Brian communicate regularly by email. Late one night, Brian replies to one of Earl's emails but includes none of the required disclosures!
Has Larry violated the rules of the Commonwealth of Virginia?
The answer is no. Earl is already Brian's client and thus these emails are not solicitations. Disclosures are unnecessary when dealing with existing clients and in any correspondence required by the ordinary conduct of business.
When you've picked out the house, townhouse or condo you want to make your own, it's time to write the offer. An offer is a written description of the terms under which you the buyer would purchase the subject property. If the seller accepts your terms the next step would be to proceed to closing and thus full ownership of the property. Although most Realtors in Northern Virginia use the standard Northern Virginia Association of Realtors contract there are many 
The trail follows the edge of the Potomac and is relatively quiet even though it's just off the George Washington Parkway.
The day was not so gloomy as these pictures turned out and it was very pleasant just off the trail.
There was a bird here and I tried hard to get him on camera, but he was much too quick. He would dive and then surface with a fish in his beak. We saw him eat at least six fish. I was amazed by how much one little bird could eat.
Foxy came with us and she trotted into the water to bark at ducks but didn't have the courage to take a swim.
.JPG "Will Nesbitt at the canal")
Start by creating a prioritized list of features you want in your home and the reasons why. Use it as your search guide, but remember that depending on your budget and funding, you will probably need to make some compromises.
Your Condo Alexandria real estate professional can you information about communities which fit your criteria. Of course, location is a huge part of any move. If you're new to the area, keep in mind the distance traveled during your commute is not so important as the time traveled. Traffic patterns favor some neighborhoods while some areas regularly suffer with gridlock. Your Condo Alexandria real estate professional can tell you about area amenities, culture and shopping.
Step 2: Figuring Out What You Can Afford
Now that you have an idea what you'd like, it's time to see how that marries up to what you can afford. Most people do this with the assistance of a mortgage professional. If you are considering a condo, make sure that you deal with an experienced lender such as 
