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West End’s Alexandria Overlook Condominiums

Built in 1974, Alexandria Overlook condominiums can be found at 5160 Maris Avenue in the West End of Alexandria VA just a few minutes away from the intersection of North Van Dom and Seminary. Its location is just the ideal spot for accessibility to Old Town, Arlington, DC and Shirlington. This garden style Alexandria Overlook Condominiums is pet friendly and thus residents can enjoy their homes with their faithful companions. The community is elegantly landscaped and parking spots are assigned for each resident. Each unit does have extra storage space for convenience and everyone has access to the party room.

Condos for sale at Alexandria Overlook

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USMC Memorial is in Rosslyn VA

The Marine Corps War Memorial
“In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775.” The Marine Corps War Memorial can be found on Marshall Drive between Route 50 and the Arlington national Cemetery in Rosslyn. Every single name and date of every principal Marine Corps. engagement is burnished onto the base of the statue along with the inscription “In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775”, in honor of the fallen U.S marine Corps members. News photographer Joe Rosenthal witnessed and photographed 6 men raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The picture won the Pulitzer Prize, and then later on became the symbol of the war effort in the Pacific that was used by the American government to sell war bonds and to promote the war effort. It was Felix DeWeldon who later on created a life size model of the photograph, casted into bronze and brought to Washington D.C in September 1954.

Homes for sale in Rosslyn near Fort Myer

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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

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Not Just Your Traditional Multi Unit Condo – The Mosby

Del Ray in Alexandria features a luxurious boutique condominium built by neighborhood resident Brian Thomas. And with the help of local architect Gavier Nichols and landscape designer Linda Hostetler, The Mosby became a successful creation out of a simple single family house. The Mosby was actually an old single family house that was turned into a boarding house and then abandoned after a number of subsequent owners. The Mosby was actually named after a 120lb Golden Retriever a popular neighborhood fixture and most of all, Brian Thomas’ faithful companion. The Mosby consists of the 3 units in the main level and 1 unit - the Penthouse. Main Level:
  • 3 units on the main level
  • Each have their own garage
  • Smallest unit is 1,550 square feet in floor space
  • Large Pergola covered deck
  • Small side patio
  • Private back porch
Penthouse or the 4th Level:
  • Without a garage, but with on site parking
  • 2,300 sq feet in floor space
  • Vaulted ceilings
  • 2 master suites
  • Large windows  on all 4 walls
The original house was taken apart by hand and thus preserved the original hardwood flooring and cast iron claw foot tubs. The basement was dug out by hand as well. A formal garden also graces the landscaping of The Mosby Condominiums. With box woods, white hydrangeas and lovely white roses. A flagstone walk along with stone pillars of the front of the building offers a warm welcome to owners and visitors. A large Japanese maple at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Alexandria Ave compliments the structure.

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

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Bottles of Wine and Pounds of Coffee at Grape + Bean

Opened in 2008 by David Gwathmey and Sheera Rosenfeld in Old Town, this wine retail shop / coffee shop / wine tasting bar carries the name Grape and Bean or just simply Grape + Bean. This Alexandrian treat is a part of what makes Old Town ultimately special. Providing exceptional service and excellent quality products, the place is also cozy, warm, comfortable and charming.
Grape + Bean = Cozy and Charming
Wine is offered by the glass and coffee by the cup along with cheese plates and coffee treats. Grape + Bean carry a food menu that is created for sharing.
Bottles of Wine and Pounds of Coffee
Wine is sold by bottle and coffee by the pound and serves as excellent gift baskets with a personal touch.

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)

Pending Home Sales Drop as Expected

Following a surge driven by the home buyer tax credit, pending home sales fell with the expiration of the deadline for qualified buyers to sign a purchase contract, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, dropped 30.0 percent to 77.6 based on contracts signed in May from a reading of 110.9 in April, and is 15.9 percent below May 2009 when it was 92.3. The falloff comes on the heels of three strong monthly gains as home buyers rushed to take advantage of the tax credit. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. However, many closings have been delayed recently from a rush of buyers into the system and slow processing of short sales, in addition to the heavy volume and a more thorough loan underwriting process. As many as 180,000 buyers who signed contracts by April 30 may have missed the June 30 closing deadline for the tax credit. However, Congress passed legislation yesterday to extend the deadline for delayed contracts and President Obama is expected to sign. NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, “Consumers are rational and they rushed to meet the tax credit eligibility deadline in April. The sharp decline in contract signings in May is a natural result with similar low levels of sales activity anticipated in June,” he said. “Surprisingly, though, some local markets such as Portland, Maine, and Jacksonville, Fla., actually experienced an increase in contract signings from a year ago without the tax credit." Congress also reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program. Many lenders were hesitant to approve mortgages on homes needing flood insurance without congressional action and numerous sales have been on hold. The action is retroactive to a temporary authorization that expired May 31, and also is expected to be signed by the president. Yun noted the tax credit has broadly stabilized home prices. “Without the tax credit, there will be more aggressive price negotiations between buyers and sellers. The key test on whether the housing market can stand on its own without stimulus medicine will depend critically on private sector job creation in the second half of the year. We’ll also keep a close eye on market conditions on the Gulf Coast.” Through May of this year 495,000 net private sector jobs have been created; NAR’s forecast for employment growth is about 1 million additional net new jobs over the balance of the year and another 2 million in 2011. “If jobs come back as expected, the pace of home sales should pick up later this year and reach a sustainable level of activity given very favorable affordability conditions,” Yun said. “In most areas of the country there will be no sharp snap back in home prices in the upcoming years, although some local markets have experienced double-digit gains this year,” Yun said. NAR forecasts the national median home price to rise only 4 percent cumulatively over the next two years. “One factor that could lead to price acceleration in upcoming years for some markets is if the very low levels of new-home construction were to persist for another year or two,” he added. The PHSI in the Northeast fell 31.6 percent to 67.0 in May and is 14.8 percent lower than May 2009. In the Midwest the index dropped 32.1 percent to 70.8 and is 20.2 percent below a year ago. Pending home sales in the South fell 33.3 percent to an index of 82.5, and are 14.4 percent lower than May 2009. In the West the index declined 20.9 percent to 85.3 and is 15.1 percent below a year ago. Source: NAR

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  • Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services

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Renting Can Be a Good Option for Sellers

Home owners who have been trying to sell their properties for a year or more might consider lease or a rent-to-own option. A lease option agreement gives the tenant the option to buy at a predetermined price for a rent that is slightly higher than market. In a lease purchase, a buyer commits to buying the property. In exchange, the seller credits a percentage of each payment toward the purchase price. Either arrangement is likely to attract serious renters who would like to buy the property if they can. In exchange, they’ll take good care of it. Negotiating these agreements can be tricky, and the owner should always get help from a real estate professional. Property management is a business in and of itself. If you are seriously interested in investing in real estate, but you don’t want to be a property manager, the solution is really quite simple: employ the services of Nesbitt Realty. Our family-run business is experienced in the managing of day-to-day operations of properties just like yours. We manage residential properties including homes, condos, and townhouses. [Learn more now.] Our agents can locate your ideal house thanks to their expertise and local knowledge.