Home Owners Still Love Their Houses

Despite declining home prices, 90 percent of Americans don’t regret buying their current home, according to a survey for Bankrate.com. Among the 9 percent who do regret the purchase, most say they are unhappy that they can’t sell their home and move elsewhere or they can’t afford their monthly mortgage. Some 79 percent of those polled say they have a fixed-rate mortgage on their homes. Among those making over $75,000 per year, 90 percent say they have a fixed rate mortgage. Source: Bankrate.com (07/12/2010)
  • Julie Nesbitt

    Julie Nesbitt
    Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.

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  • Enjoying Winkler Botanical Preserve

    We had a great time walking the trails. 

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  • Don’t take chances with real estate.

Yamazato Sushi & Spice

Who says Old Town has all the best restaurants?  West End has several gastronomic pleasures and one of them is Yamazato. Yamazato Sushi & Spice is a Japanese-style restaurant serving sushi and teryaki at 6303 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, VA 22312.  It's across the street from Grand Mart, a popular international grocery store that specializes in Asian cuisine and hard to find specialties.  The phone number at Yamazato is (703) 914-8877. Since the Grand Opening in April 2002, their commitment to innovative, outstanding food and service has won raves from critics and earned a strong loyal following from their customers. Yamazato has received favorable reviews from The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine and Zagat Guides. Most diners here are impressed not only with the sushi and sashimi,  but also with the generosity of the portions. My wife enjoyed the sushi. I had some tasty teryaki.

USPTO is in Alexandria’s Carlyle District

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is in Alexandria VA not far from the King Street Metro. This section of Alexandria is called "the Carlyle District".  While Old Town Alexandria is famed for its historic feel and colonial atmosphere, the Carlyle District is anything but historic and vintage. The Carlyle District is the home to new shops and restaurants, high-rises filled with condos and offices.  Carlyle District has is bustling but does not yet have that crowded and busy feel as the place is so new many of the homes and storefronts are still vacant.  None-the-less there is plenty to see and do right here in Carlyle District.  At the Carlyle Club and the Trademark Bar, you'll find upscale evening hang-outs. At places like Pizzeria Venti and Potbellies you can can grab a quick bite to eat.  A newly-built Wholefoods grocery store serves the neighborhood.  Of course, the real estate here is at a premium, but there is a price for convenience.  If you're looking for something a bit cheaper you might consider Huntington or New Alexandria. Both are nearby and both have plenty of choices in housing.
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The USPTO's glass cuts a striking profile in Alexandria's skyline.

Homes for sale near and in the Carlyle District

Around the Monuments and Memorials of Washington DC

Julie and I took these pictures during one of our downtown bike rides.

A walk through Huntley Meadows

Huntley Meadows is a natural treasure for residents of Northern Virginia. The park is over 4500 acres of wetlands, forest and meadows in urban Fairfax County. I recently took a walk through the park and snapped a few pictures.

Homes for sale near Huntley Meadows Park

Reduced Tax Assessment: Good or Bad?

Some home owners are finding themselves in the awkward position of wondering whether they should appeal a tax assessment because it came in too low. Many communities are reassessing in light of declining values and the amount of the reduction can be a shock to home owners who fear that it reflects an equal decline in market value. In many cases, though, that's not true, say real estate practitioners. They explain that tax assessments are done on thousands – even millions – of properties and each assessment can reflect a variety of factors unrelated to market value, include owners’ age, military service and health. As long as it doesn’t have factual errors in room counts, square footage, etc., they advise not worrying about it. Or better yet, if it is a really dramatic drop, consider asking the lender for a loan modification or restructuring. Source: The Wall Street Journal, June Fletcher (06/30/2010)