Is your team eliminated from the MLB playoffs? Did your team fail to make the playoffs?
If you answered yes to either one of these questions, please keep reading. I am a supporter of a team no longer in the quest for another championship, because they have been eliminated from contention. This will not end the season, for me. I love baseball and I love the ups and downs of not only the regular season, but the playoffs as well. To watch my team go down was not fun and it never is either. I have, however, come to some realizations over the years supporting my team, the Cardinals and I will share some with you now.
First of all, it's almost acceptable to not continue on to the World Series every year and it's also okay to not get upset because of being eliminated. How can I say this so calmly, even though I have a crazy passion for my team? The answer is simple, but a bit complex for some people to accept. I've had this talk with young and old people alike from different cities, states and countries. I've even had the talk in different countries with sports fans and it seems there are people all over the fence on this subject.
I love my team. More than that, I love the game of baseball. The game continues on and will do so, with or without my input and participation. Since this is the case, I would much rather be involved and take sides all the way to the end of the last game of the World Series. Only one team will win, no matter what happens during the season, this will not change. The odds of winning it all are very slim. Accepting this makes it easier for me to deal with being ousted from contention.
My support, as of today, is with one team that is from a city that I love and I loved visiting. This team is actually in the league that I prefer and they are playing a team that I don't particularly support, because they are from the same division as my favorite team. I am supporting the New York Mets and I hope they go all the way. It's been a number of years since they hoisted that beautiful trophy and I hope they enjoy the feeling again. In 1969 they were called the Amazing Mets (or 'Mazings if you prefer). The fans of the team are getting enthralled once again, expecting big things.
No matter who I pull for, when watching or listening to the games on the MLB app, at least I still have the fun stress of the games to feel and I love it. This time of year has many sports in their regular seasons, but for me, baseball is still here - for a bit longer.
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Midtown Alexandria StationI received the following email from a landlord whose property we manage at Midtown Alexandria:
"We would like to consider listing the condo for sale at Midtown, maybe for 6 month periods. It would have to be an investor type due to the current tenant lease. The price I have in mind is $425k. On top of that would be your commission added. I know it is pricey in comparison to what exists but I would just like to get an idea of interest. Perhaps putting it on the market from time to time would be one strategy. Let me know your thoughts."
Here was my reply:
I honestly can't see how it would do you a bit of good and I'll tell you why.
But first I should let you know that I work with a number of investors who make purchases with me from time to time. I've been telling several of them that Midtown is a GREAT place to buy right now. I think it's a great place to buy for an investor because the prices at Midtown are way below what I think the actual value should be. There are a number of reasons compounding on each other to create the valuation problems of Midtown Alexandria Station:
- Many owners bought at the height of the market. Some of them bailed out through short-sales and foreclosures. Many are holding on for dear life and when they see the slightest possibility of escape they do so. Every bit of demand at Midtown is swamped by owners who would love to bail out.
- They've recently built a number of large apartment buildings in close proximity to Midtown. Many Midtown buyers are first-time buyers who are weighing the choice of renting vs. buying. As long as there is a glut of rental options, rents stay low. As long as rents stay low, there are a number of buyers who will prefer to rent rather than buy. Lower demand for buyers means lower prices for sellers.
- The rental competition mentioned above keeps rents low. Most investors look at cash flow when they invest. Appreciation is something they hope for, but they do not count on. When you look at the rent vs. the cost to purchase at Midtown the opportunity does not look appealing. There are a number of options that are nearby where the ROI is much higher than Midtown. A low ROI means a lot of risk. If there is no appreciation the investor has tied up a lot of money for no good reason.
The condos at Midtown Alexandria Station are located at the Huntington Metro Station.
That said, I have told a number of investors that I think now is an excellent time to buy at Midtown. The reason is because I think the pressures I listed above have compounded to the point that the price at Midtown is I think below the value at Midtown. I think an upward swing in value is about 2 years out. Here's why:
The National Science Foundation will be completed soon. The reason all those apartments were built is to take advantage of the increase in demand that will follow the NSF. Once the NSF is complete and the apartments start to fill up, I think the apartments will jack up their rents.
This will have a cascading effect on values at Midtown. When area rents go up, then the idea of purchasing at Midtown makes more sense for a first time home-buyer. When the rents go up then the property makes more sense for investors. These both increase demand.
At the same time there is a big redevelopment project slated for Huntington and as that phases that will have a huge impact on the perceived value of Midtown. Right now Midtown is a nice newer condo directly on the Metro, but in kind of okay but grungy neighborhood. In the future Midtown will be smack dab in the center of a new exciting neighborhood.
Midtown offers a convenient location and an outstanding value.
For this reason I think Midtown is going to see a lot of appreciation and I am encouraging investors to buy here. That said, the reason investors should buy here is the reason that selling is a bad idea for you. Let me start by saying investors want the absolutely cheapest available opportunity. If you are priced high, it doesn't matter what your view is or if you have renters, then there is NO chance an investor will take interest.
If you are priced low there is a chance that investor will take an interest, but the investor is only going to buy if he can talk you down from that low price. In other words, I don't think there is any chance that any investor would be interested in your property.
Home buyers who are buying a primary residence sometimes buy a higher priced unit. It is true that a homeowner will pay a few thousand more for the floors they like or the view they want or to be close to a particular amenity. But home buyers are only interested in properties that look great. They are turned-off by properties with renters. So, I think there is only a very small chance that any home buyer would have any interest in your property.
So all that is to help you explain my position when I tell you that I don't think you do yourself a bit of good by listing the property for sale right now and I think you actually hurt us a bit because we'd have to do work that I don't think would have even a hope of getting us any money. If this advice finds you in a mood where you still believe that listing the property for sale at $475k is a good thing to do at this time, then I would offer to list it for you for a flat fee.
Normally we would charge a 6% commission. Instead I would list it for you for 3% plus $500. This is a savings to you of about $14,000. 3% is payed to the selling agent (most likely another company) if/when the property sells. $500 is paid to us when we list the property, whether the property sells or not. We would still perform all the services we normally perform. That $500 would include the cost of professional photography (which is about $250) to list the property.
No, I don't think the property will sell. I understand why you want out and I empathize with your position. Although we cannot do anything to change the market I do think there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.
Pumpkin Carving got you Stumped?
Driving around the Fairfax County area over the last couple of weeks, I have seen many pumpkin vendors on the side of the road. They are also being sold at the big box stores and in front of the mom and pop gas stations. This could mean only one thing: Halloween is almost here. Just as festive as Halloween is for pumpkin displaying, Thanksgiving is as well. Many Halloween and Thanksgiving displays in the front yards of holiday lovers incorporate the usage of pumpkins. Not only do they use pumpkins in the raw, whole, straight off the vine form, but also the decorative, carved out version.
Gone With the Wind Pumpkin (pri.org)
Seeing some of these displays can be a wonder to the eye and a bit intimidating. Ever wonder how carving up these masterpieces is possible or do say to yourself, "No way can I do that?" Well, I believe that you can do it. Having a display in the front yard with bales of straw and whole pumpkins can look festive, but interspersed with a work of art in the pumpkin form, it can really be a head turner and you can make this happen.
There are only a couple of tricks of the trade, along with a bit of determination and patience to make this come true. First of all select a pumpkin, making sure to select a good size and color for the project and decide on a subject matter - anything at all. Do you like sports? Select your favorite teams' logo. Do you prefer musicals or famous paintings? Whatever it is that gets you going, make the call. Next step is to decide if you will use a template or draw your design free handed. When you decide this, the first step is to get this drawn on your pumpkin.
You will need some tools for the next steps and they include: A pumpkin scraping tool, a knife, an exacto knife and a small scraping set. These are all available at either a hardware or wood working store. If you prefer, the internet can provide you with these as well.
Now, using the knife, cut out the lid of your pumpkin, making sure to make it big enough to fit your hand and angling the cut to the middle, so the lid won't fall in when you want to put it on the pumpkin. Next, pull out all the seeds and stringy pumpkin guts and scrape out the inside to about the thickness of one inch on the wall. The next step is to put a flashlight on the inside, turned on, and get to scraping out your design. The deeper you scrape, the brighter the line will be.
You can preserve the pumpkin raw portion by spraying cooking oil on it. This will lock in the juices for a longer period of time than it would have on its own. Take your time scraping, you can't glue pieces back on and make it look good. Follow the drawing you made and your project will come alive and leave your friends and family members amazed.
Are you fond of the afterlife?Ghost tour guide
Have you always been curious about the time after this life and what really happens? Do you crave interesting anecdotes and stories about ghosts? If any of these was answered with a positive, I have an activity that I think may be interesting for you. In Old Town Alexandria, Virginia you can, on a nightly basis, schedule a fun evening outing on Alexandria's Original Ghost and Graveyard Tour.
I had the opportunity to experience the tour about a month ago. It was especially interesting for me, because I was so very new to the area and anything I could learn would help me. I didn't know Old Town at all and to see it close up and in the dark was fun. One aspect that simply is impossible to enjoy about old towns like this one during the day, is simply the lighting, or lack there of. The streets and sidewalks have a different feel to them with the sun long since over the horizon. With the authentic gas lamps adorning the streets, flames dancing continuously, lighting the walkways, our tour was a visual cornucopia of days gone by.
When I decided to go on the tour, I had no idea what to expect. I only knew that the idea of ghosts and the afterlife makes me smile and immediately gets me interested. We, my cousin's son Aubrey and I, arrived on the street at the starting point of the tour just as two tour groups were gathering. The streets were pretty packed anyway, but the addition of the tours told me that this place was 'alive' and I liked it.
We all split up into groups of about twenty and headed off, following our guide, who was decked out in authentic colonial garments. What I learned right away is that this was going to be a casual stroll around the streets taking in stories about the area and its past. We listened as we carefully walked the sidewalks of cobblestone to the tour guide and he regaled us with stories of past commoners, the elite and lovers' misfortunes in their last moments alive. He also gave interesting facts about the area and some of the buildings that were currently unoccupied, giving some detail as to why this may be the case.
Old Town Alexandria, VA
We didn't go in any of the buildings or businesses that he spoke of on the tour, but did end in a graveyard with yet another surprising story that the tour guide experienced. This story drove home to us, not only how much he believed in what he was doing, but also that the tour itself was worth the time. Want to hear his story? Call and set up your own ghost tour. You won't be disappointed:
703-519-1749, or email [email protected]
An interesting trend that I have noticed here in the Alexandria, Virginia area, since recently moving here, is the existence of walls along the roadsides. These walls that I refer to are the thick greenery keeping the details of what lie on the other side a secret. I've seen this used in a couple of other places in this country, that I recall and it's a telling feature. It either says to me that there's something beautiful on the other side or just someone who wants a bit of seclusion.
I completely understand the desire for these barriers and they actually possess a bit of beauty themselves, if they are maintained properly. They can be either appealing visually or otherwise. No matter what they look like, their function to conceal what is on their backside, is usually achieved.
In the Ladue and Town and Country neighborhoods of St. Louis county, these adorn many a road side. The chateaus just beyond are a visual treat and only minimal amounts of what is actually on the other side is revealed, peeking over the tops of the hedge or tree wall. These dividers are also used in between property lines on the side yards to create a permanent barrier.
Here in Alexandria, I have seen not only the thick dark and light green hedges used as these walls, but also many different types of trees. Another use for barriers here is that of a flowering shrub. The difference of color between these, truly bring out personality in what could be otherwise very dull and not too creative visually, but still very much effective. The effectiveness of this landscape addition, truly is the most important aspect of it. But, knowing that there are so many different options when it comes to selecting this type of wall, makes this kind of fun.
Are you worried that you'll never have the privacy that you long for soon enough? Are you thinking - it'll take 30 years to get what they have? Well, that's just not true. Some of these landscape additions will grow as fast as 3-8 feet high - each year. The growth in width will vary depending upon selected type. This speedy growth includes such plantings as dense hedges, colorful shrubs and trees that aren't all trunk, but those that will provide actual wall-like privacy all the way to ground level.
Are you ready to add this type of feature to the edge of your property or anywhere else in the yard? Did you know you can order this right now as you sit there on your couch in your pajamas? If even you are just a bit curious, here is the address to a site chocked full of ideas and solutions:
www.fast-growing-trees.com/willowhybrid.htm
What does Playoff Time Feel Like?
I am a huge baseball fan and I love rooting for my team, The St. Louis Cardinals win or lose. I count down the days until Opening Day every off season and absolutely love the tradition involved with the scene at Busch Stadium every year on Opening Day, watching the Clydesdale's and motorcade of players. This time of year, however, is quite different than any other in the world of sports.
Fan expression of opinion (2006)
Hockey and football are well underway and the playoffs just started for major league baseball. It is quite an awesome feeling I get when my team clinches the division championship, which has happened three years in a row now. The feeling after winning a World Series and going downtown to watch the parade in the streets of St. Louis can't be beat by anything. But, the ride itself is special. The 162 game marathon with it's nuances is entertaining, to say the least. I don't say this just to throw out phony alternative feelings to the high I get being a fan of my team, but the road to the playoffs is genuinely thrilling.
The highs and lows that are thrown at us as fans of the game are at times almost too much to swallow. The feeling that is thrust upon us when our favorite player is helped off the field because he just crashed into the wall and hurt himself, maybe severely is not something that can be manufactured. These guys that I root for I will never know as friends, but they sure feel like it after all these years.
K Michael Nesbitt at the game
I have the shirts, bobble heads and ticket stubs to display proudly proving, yeah - when we lost in 2004, I was there. The extreme emotional swings that this ride takes me on is what it's all about. Knowing that somewhere out there in this vast world there is another fan thinking just as much about their team hoping they beat us tonight it - well - awesome! I love seeing all the opposing teams shirts, jerseys and pennants with all of their different color schemes. I don't hate the other teams at all. I used to have those feelings towards the opposite teams and their fans, but years ago I figured it all out.
Without the other teams, we simply wouldn't have the sport and more importantly my team. The importance of fans and their support can never be fully appreciated. Fan support in baseball is directly related to the success of the franchise and vice versa. It is also directly related to the level of effort at times of the home team. Crowd support at home and quality upper management of the team's funds make a team either successful or otherwise. I am extremely lucky and happy at the same time that I have an ownership group in charge of my team that is so tirelessly in tune with improving this team. Year in, year out, the squad is ready to go.
This season is a perfect example of how things can go with the right amount of support from a fan base and ownership group. The crowds that packed Busch Stadium this season and enjoyed many an evening at Ball Park Village, just over the left field wall, have put this franchise, once again, in a great position financially for next season. Options that otherwise wouldn't exist simply have become normal for this team. If we need to make a big splash to acquire a free agent, if he has proven himself worthy, we can. If we need some help from down on the farm, we have youth ready to come up and contribute to the big league squad. This point is well appreciated when I see a season like this past one go by. The amount of severe and repeat injuries to key players this season was unbelievable. What's more unbelievable is the success that we enjoyed in the standings, despite this. Wonderful control of the day to day operations of the team by the ownership group has allowed this to happen. What's more, we still have a chance to win. The players who took the spots of integral regulars in the lineup, make this franchise the success that it has been for years. Because of this, the team is poised to be just as successful for years to come.
All of this, the ownership preparation and fan support is focused on getting to today, the playoffs and a battle with a divisional foe looking to change their history - forever. Tonight is game four of the NLDS and the Cardinals have their backs against the wall, a familiar spot for us. If we get past tonight successfully, game five at Busch will be tense for sure. If the opposition wins out this evening, I will tip my cap and congratulate them. This game is one constant in my life and I'm happy to embrace it as I have. The love of the game was given to me by my parents at an early age and it's not going away any time soon. Are you playoff ready?
Here in Alexandria, I have seen not only the thick dark and light green hedges used as these walls, but also many different types of trees. Another use for barriers here is that of a flowering shrub. The difference of color between these, truly bring out personality in what could be otherwise very dull and not too creative visually, but still very much effective. The effectiveness of this landscape addition, truly is the most important aspect of it. But, knowing that there are so many different options when it comes to selecting this type of wall, makes this kind of fun.
Are you worried that you'll never have the privacy that you long for soon enough? Are you thinking - it'll take 30 years to get what they have? Well, that's just not true. Some of these landscape additions will grow as fast as 3-8 feet high - each year. The growth in width will vary depending upon selected type. This speedy growth includes such plantings as dense hedges, colorful shrubs and trees that aren't all trunk, but those that will provide actual wall-like privacy all the way to ground level.
Are you ready to add this type of feature to the edge of your property or anywhere else in the yard? Did you know you can order this right now as you sit there on your couch in your pajamas? If even you are just a bit curious, here is the address to a site chocked full of ideas and solutions:
www.fast-growing-trees.com/willowhybrid.htm
