Art Festival in Old Town
In 1669 John Alexander bought the land that became Old Town from an English ship captain. John Alexander paid the tidy sum of 6,000 pounds of tobacco. Almost twenty years later, the town of Alexandria was formally established in 1749.
Today, visitors, tourists and travelers alike come to Alexandria VA to taste the quaint colonial and historical feel of this city not far from Washington DC. It's a place frequented by historical figures like George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Even for those like me, who were born in Fairfax and who have lived for many years in Alexandria, one never tires of the rich heritage of Alexandria.
Maybe that's because there's always something to do in Alexandria. A bike ride or a stroll along the Potomac Waterfront is pleasant, or perhaps a boat ride on the river. There are more than a hundred restaurants in Old Town
Cherry Blossom sternwheeler
alone. Standard favorites such as seafood, steak or Italian are here, as well as ethnic cuisine from around the world. For a taste of the colonial try Gadsby's Tavern, where George ate.
Alexandria is easily accessed by Metro and free trolley. The King St. trolley passes antiques shops, art galleries, boutiques and shops. Take a walking tour of Alexandria, or visit the Ramsay House to get a feel of Old Town.
With the new US Patent & Trademark Office, Alexandria's proximity to the Pentagon and DC and it's easy access to Fort Belvoir and Bowling AFB, every day more people discover why this is such a great place to live and work. I work, play and live in and around Alexandria VA. I'd love to help you find a place but doubt I can top the deal that John Alexander got when he paid 6,000 pounds of tobacco for his homestead. Today, that much tobacco might set you back $9000!
USPTO in Autumn
The good news is that 6,000 pounds of tobacco will cover your closing costs for most condos in Alexandria!
Most of the bars and restaurants in Old TownAlexandria are located on Union St. and King St. There are a few that aren't on King St. or Union St. like Overwood for example, which is on North Lee. The restaurants and bars in Old Town Alexandria feature a wide spectrum of cuisines and atmospheres. There are hole in the wall bars (O'Shaughnessy's pub), karoake bars (Flying Fish), bars on the water (Fish Market, Union Street Pub, Chadwick's), and everything in between.
Union St Pub in Old Town on a weekday evening; if it were the weekend this bar would be jammed full of people from wall to wall
The nightlife at Flying Fish in Old Town during the weekend
The night life at the Rock It Grill Bar in Old Town
About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office.
Oronoco Bay Park is a 4.5 acre Alexandria City park is located on the Potomac River at 701 North Lee Street. It has many entry points, the most obvious of which are at either the Madison or Pendleton Street entries or from the Wythe Street Plaza. The plaza entry is approximately in the center of the park, and there is also a sidewalk entry with trees and turf area between the Sheet Metal Workers of America building and the United Way building.
Oronoco Bay Park
The park was once known as "Texaco Bay" and before that it was owned by Standard Oil Company which was owned by John D. Rockefeller; however, the City acquired the property (and changed it to Oronoco Bay Park) in the early 1980's. Historically, the Alexandria area was inhabited by Indians when Captain John Smith sailed up the Potomac in the mid 17th Century.
The park hosts several festivals and events including the annual "Red Cross Waterfront Festival"---the largest Red Cross fund raiser in the United States. Private concerns may reserve and rent the park for their events as well.
walking path along the Potomac Oronoco Bay
This park is part of the linear park system along the Potomac. People can walk, jog or bike along the river path and enjoy the many sitting and picnic areas. There are wooden sun decks out into the river and a wooden boardwalk path that connects the path to the point where the bay and river meet near the Rowing Facility building.
Old Town Alexandria waterfront at Oronoco Bay
I-395 in Arlington VA near the Pentagon and Crystal City.Interstate 395 doesn't have Metro train service but it carries a massive load of traffic none-the-less. In addition to its 8 to 10 lanes of traffic, 395 has an extra 3 lanes of HOV that switch direction depending on the hour of the day. 395 leaves DC between the Pentagon and Crystal City (both in Arlington) and on the way out to I-95 and the Beltway at Springfield, I 395 passes Shirlington, Landmark, East Falls Church and other neighborhoods. Traffic on 395 is nearly always heavy but only slows during rush hour. Along the I-395 Corridor:
The number of listings on the market increased 2.36 percent in March from the previous month — possibly an indication that sellers are becoming more willing to put their homes on the market as asking prices increase, according to housing data from realtor.com.
While the data shows a month-to-month inventory increase, inventories are still down 15.22 percent compared to last year.
The median age of the inventory continues to drop year-over-year by 12.35 percent, the amount of time homes are sitting on the market has fallen by 20 days since February, according to realtor.com. The median age of inventory of for-sale listings was 78 days in March.
“The next three months will be significant in determining the impact of the recovering housing market,” says Steve Berkowitz, chief executive officer of Move Inc.
Median list prices have increased year-over-year in a greater number of the 146 markets realtor.com tracks. California continues to show the greatest increases, as well as the largest drops in inventories as well. Denver, Detroit, and Seattle are also showing some of the biggest improvements in its housing markets too, according to realtor.com.
Source: “Sellers Becoming Confident in the Housing Market, Providing an Optimistic Outlook for the Housing Recovery,” RISMedia (April 10, 2013)
Home Prices In Arlington Continue To Hike
The housing market in Arlington County is getting more and more expensive as potential buyers continue to have fewer homes and condos to choose from.
Inlet Cove is alongside Route 1 This neighborhood of townhouses is near grocers and eateries Inlet Cove is close to Fort Belvoir, Alexandria, and Potomac Mills shops, in the city of Woodbridge Interior to these properties are multilevel Inlet Cove is serene
Pending home sales increased again in March, affirming that a surge of home sales is unfolding for the spring home buying season, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March, rose 5.3 percent to 102.9 from 97.7 in February, and is 21.1…
Some of the best housing deals are on high-end homes, many over $1 million. Some of them need TLC or they aren’t in the most-coveted locations. But there are plenty of desirable properties and lots of sellers who are getting impatient. Buyers with cash have the best opportunities. Buyers who need a mortgage should move…
The National Association of Realtors recently did a study about the characteristics of home buyers. Some of the findings might surprise you. Thirteen percent of buyers purchased a home with one or more parents and grandparents together with adult children. There were several reasons given for purchasing a multi-generational home. Cost savings; Children over the…
With shrinking inventories and more competition, buyers are finding they have less negotiating power in today’s market. CNNMoney recently highlighted some of the following tips to help home buyers be more successful in their purchases this spring:
1. Lowball offers are a waste of time: “The days when you could scoop up a house for 20 percent less than the list price are long gone,” the article notes. Homes are selling much closer to their asking price nowadays, surveys show. Michael Murphree, a real estate professional in Birmingham, Ala., says he advises his clients that if homes are selling below the list price in an area but are still being sold in less than two months to make an offer that is no more than 2 to 3 percent below the asking price. If homes are selling above the listing price, Murphree advises clients to make their first offer at the full asking price.
2. How to win a bidding war: To do that, agents say come with a higher price and fewer contingencies, and be flexible with when you can move in. In some transactions, the sellers could be left trying to find new housing for themselves, so some real estate professionals suggest leaving the closing date blank on the contract and allow the seller to fill it in, or be willing to negotiate a leaseback if the seller needs more time to vacate.
3. Shop around for financing: Credit unions and small banks tend to offer the lowest rates and may even be less strict about their underwriting, Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, told CNNMoney. Cecala recommends getting a good-faith estimate from one lender and then showing it to other lenders to see if they can beat it.
Source: “Housing Is Back! Best Moves for Home Buyers,” CNNMoney (April 8, 2013)
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
Here's a great picture and story from a client who purchased a home near the Belle Haven Marina in Fairfax County VA.
Sunrise in Early Spring near New Alexandria along the GW Parkway in Fairfax County VA
The sunrise over the Potomac this morning! If I could tell myself a year ago, or even a few months ago that I would be running 3 miles every day at sunrise, I probably would have laughed at the idea, eaten a cookie and then taken a nap. But here I am! One week from Saturday doing my first 5k! --- Holly L.
A couple of quick nuggets of trivia for those who are interested in real estate agency law in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Nesbitt Realty is licensed in Virginia.
Pat is a licensed agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia who sells, rents and manages real estate for others for a fee. Pat contacts a homeowner named Al in an attempt to obtain a listing for Al's property. When must agency disclosure be provided to the Al and his wife Jane?
Agency disclosures must be made when there are substantive discussions about a specific property. In this case, agency disclosures must be made at the time the Al and Jane agree to list the property because there will be substantive discussions when or if the seller agrees to list.
Tom is Pat's broker. A prospective buyer named Omar enters Tom's office. Omar is directed into the conference room. Tom sits down and discusses finances with Omar to financially qualify the buyer. Tom then hands Omar off to Pat. Omar and Pat begin to review the available property that is within Omar's financial limitations and also meets the wants and needs of the buyer.
When is the agency relationship disclosed?
When Omar expresses an interest in a particular piece of property, agency disclosure is required. This is correct because Virginia regulations state that disclosure is required before substantive discussions about a specific property.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.
Architectural detail
As with any home purchase, location, size and price are important. With a condominium you'll also want to understand the ownership scheme. This type of information is found in the "condo docs" or condominium documents. Most states, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, require condo doc disclosure before any purchase contract is finalized. The condo docs will contain detailed information on the ownership and property rights of the condo and its owners. The rules of the homeowners association are generally explained in the condo docs in plain English and not in legal jargon. It's important to read the condo documents to understand the annual maintenance and upkeep fees, as well as to obtain a full understanding of exactly how much control the association have over the regulation of the property.
Condominiums can be found all over the country, with more being developed each year. Condominiums are quite common in Northern Virginia and the National Capitol area. Some condos are new construction and a few are apartment buildings that were rental apartments before making the switch. In newly constructed condos, it's common to find a sales office onsite at the condominium.
Q. Oh my goodness! what
a mess! Ok here it goes. My husband and I moved to Las Vegas from WI,
and we were in contact with the landlord by email.Well she sent us pic and we looked at them it seemed good on "line" that is. Well in her emails she stated the house needed painting but she did not have the "money" as of yet " But she did say would paint "later" So my not so smart hubby, sent her $2600 and she faxed the lease .When we arrived 4 days later and she met us at the property @11pm! When we went in the house it was not at all what it was on line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so peeved! I TOLD HER I WANT THE $2600 BACK!She said she did not have it & I thought i was going to have a nervous breakdown! She had the nerve to say we were too picky at the moment I could have dropped kicked her!!! NO paint!, carpet coming up and dirty!holes in walls because of nails! dirty , and too top it off BIG ASS COCKROACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So my son & hubby took me aside to come me down!In the least we were to "maintain" the bug pest controll "Maintain" Not come into a house thats Infested! SO anyways to make a long story shorter... "LOL" we were mislead from the beggining , and she took off$700.00 and we painted only part of the interior... We did not look at the lease "date and she did not pro rate "She has march 1st
-april 1st . and we got there march 27th .So we have had nothing but
problems w/her and now our refrigerator does not work and we have told her time in and time out and she has never sprayed for bugs and she
never has painted and she has done absolutely nothing!!! And since
march we have been paying rent , its now aug and in july I got a hold
of legal aid and explained to them our situation .That told us STOP
PAYING RENT SEND HER A LETTER TELLING HER THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE!So we did and she came back with a nussinnce" letter of what we wanted done ! She said un authorized dogs which is a lie she knew about it!and refrigerator,and carpet. We went to court and the landlord started to talk about the rent &the judge said thats not what you have here!
Nothing about the rent! The judge said if you want the money you need
to sue! Then the judge said but it would be in your best interest not
to ,because there are alot of things you did not do!!! Then the judge
says to us why don't you just move.. And we said we are aug 21 2008. So
thats what we are doing. But now we were served small claims court! I
need to know what do i do now??
I won't attempt to answer this question in this blog, rather I submit the letter as a general lesson about what can happen when you choose to work without professionals.
The questioner is well aware of the many mistakes the landlord made,
but she is blind to the mistakes that she herself made. The landlord is
convinced that the tenant is the problem. The judge knows the truth:
both parties are in a mess, and both parties made serious mistakes. The
best thing would be for these two to part ways as quickly and
unceremoniously as possible. Small claims court will sort out the
left-overs to see what rent if any is due.
So what's the best/safest way to find a rental?
The goal is to find the rental that suits all of your needs, most of
your wants and fits your budget. What's the most effective choice to
realize that goal? You can: Do it yourself; or Enlist the services of a
rental agent.
If you do it yourself, then you are in effect your own rental agent.
That means you must rely on your own personal knowledge of the area and
your own contacts to find your perfect rental. Of course, you could
change your own oil, put in your own stitches and you could cut your
own hair, too. The only difference is that you have pay for these
services and a rental agent's services are totally free to the renter!
Worse still, if you don't have a professional doing the work, you may
have a botched hair-cut, engine problems or a tale like the lady with
the rental question.
What does a rental agent do?
A rental agent's job is to listen to your needs and then help you
identify rentals that meet your needs. Rental agents typically have in-
depth knowledge of the community, and they are often aware of market
rates. It's not uncommon for a "connected" rental agent to know of
rental opportunities that are quietly listed and generally unknown to
the public.
A rental agent's fees are paid by the landlord, so there is no expense to the renter. It really is in the renter's best interests to employ the services of a trustworthy rental agent.
Finding the right rental agent.
The problem is many rental agents really only work for one landlord
and thus only support their employer's building(s). Any agent at an
apartment complex will only show properties at that complex or at
another complex owned by the same landlord.
Further, many realtors and real estate agents won't deal with renters. Here's why.
After all the fees are paid, a rental agent generally makes about
one eighth of a single month's rent for a rental. For a typical one
bedroom apartment in the DC area the rental agent is often paid a
paltry $160. (No withholding and no benefits.) So it's tough to find a
rental agent who cares about your needs. Additionally, many renters are
oblivious to the benefits of professional assistance and don't really
take best advantage of the rental agent's expertise.
No charge to you ... but not FREE!
When you find a quality agent who is willing to help with your
search, it's a good idea to maximize your productivity before the agent
loses interest in your problems. Most rental agents (like most people)
are good people and they care about their client's needs. At the same
time, there comes a point where the rental agent has to consider
his/her own self-interests. Because the pay-off is so small for the
agent, even the best rental agent loses interest very quickly if the
renter has unrealistic expectations or if the renter isn't ready to
make a decision.
So, it's in the renter's best interest to take advantage of the rental agent's expertise, but it makes sense to budget your time with the rental agent. For example, rather than using the rental agent's gas or time to figure out what the renter wants, a smart renter approaches the rental agent with an idea of wants and needs, and then uses the rental agent's expertise to secure the best possible residence.
I personally have gotten to the point that I am very picky with
accepting rental clients. I make sure that I explain to them upfront
what my service is and is not. If you're looking for a rental in
Alexandria and parts of Arlington please give me a call.
About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office.
Interstate 395 doesn't have Metro train service but it carries a massive load of traffic none-the-less. In addition to its 8 to 10 lanes of traffic, 395 has an extra 3 lanes of HOV that switch direction depending on the hour of the day. 395 leaves DC between the Pentagon and Crystal City (both in Arlington) and on the way out to I-95 and the Beltway at Springfield, I 395 passes Shirlington, Landmark, East Falls Church and other neighborhoods. Traffic on 395 is nearly always heavy but only slows during rush hour. Along the I-395 Corridor:
