Area Museums and Historical Sites

Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens is the oldest national historic preservation organization in the country, and it has always been in the forefront of the restoration field. Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America and is open 365 days a year. Mount Vernon was the home of our first President George Washington. The grounds are well-preserved as is the home itself. Alexandria Lyceum is a grand hall built in the late 1800's to provide a place for lectures, scientific experiments and quiet reading. Since that time, it has been a Civil War hospital, a private home, an office building and the nation's first Bicentennial Center. In 1985, The Lyceum became Alexandria's History Museum, providing exhibitions, school programs, lectures and concerts, volunteer opportunities and space for rental functions for the community. The Lyceum Museum Shop carries a wide variety of maps, books, note cards and special items related to Alexandria's history. The present-day Lyceum Company serves the museum as a membership and fund-raising organization. Walk to Old Towne! Old Towne is filled with historic landmarks, carriage rides and walking history tours. Just a few miles down George Washington Parkway is the nationally renown collection of museums called the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is a wonderful zoo. Civil War enthusiasts might want to inspect Fort Willard just as President Lincoln did. Fort Willard has long since abandoned its military use and is now a quiet park like Fort Hunt. If you are interested in architecture and local history visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House or the Woodlawn Plantation. The Collingwood Library and musuem is dedicated to providing information about our national heritage to the American Public. Collingwood is available to anyone who cares to learn of the heroic efforts made by American Patriots, particularly members of the Masonic Fraternity, in founding and developing this, the greatest nation on earth. Collingwood is a resource as a local library but also interesting place to visit in it's own right.   For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.

The Art of the Price

Pricing is an art form that requires experience, a delicate touch and an understanding of what sets the price in your condominium community. If you need to sell your condo quickly: don't reach for the highest price you could expect. Aggressive prices rarely sell quickly. On the other hand, there is no need to panic or become desperate. Don't price too low and walk away from your equity. Price is very important, but if there is no market for your condo, you won't get more market by giving away your equity. In a slower market, it's a good idea to remain patient. Your Condo Alexandria agent can help you price your condo right. It's true that price is often is the biggest differentiator in a tight market. But, your Condo Alexandria agent has proven strategies to move your condo quickly if you need to pull out in a hurry.  

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For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.

What is a home inspector?

home inspector Bob I like experts who speak in plain English that's easy for a layman to understand. That's why Bob Murphy of Camelot Inspections is one of my favorite home inspectors and I've recommended him to many home buyers.

What is a Home Inspector?

I recently asked Bob to describe a home inspector to me. He said, "A home inspector is generalist with a trained eye. They are required to have some knowledge of every system in your home. Those systems include structure, plumbing, electrical, Heating and A/C, etc. The term 'house detective' is a very fitting description. We look for little clues that add up to a big picture called 'whole house phenomenon'." People hire home inspectors because, "A buyer needs a home inspection to give them some knowledge of what they are buying before it becomes theirs. This includes knowledge of defects, upgrades, and maintenance cost." As you might expect, Bob is pretty passionate about home inspection. He says, "The home inspection should be a required part of the transaction.  The appraisal,title search, and even termite inspection are required. Why?? To protect the lender!   So who is there to  protect the interest of the buyer?"

Alana, meet Bob

Lana LadyRecently, Alana H. was referred to me by a prior client and frankly she was one of the nicest clients I've ever had the honor of serving. After her purchase was negotiated she requested a home inspector so I recommended Bob's services. Alana was a first-time home buyer, so she wanted Bob to give her new home the once-over. Bob told her, "Food for thought....You cannot buy a car and register it without an inspection. That is a matter of public safety. "So why then is the public permitted to make the biggest purchase of their lives without an inspection?"

Bob meets the house

bob w/flashlightBob has seen many immediate safety issues in all types of houses. Bob met Alana and I at her new townhouse in Reston VA. He immediately unpacked his gear and began to go to work. Like any good home inspector, Bob started with the exterior and checked out the house from the foundation to the roof. He checks downspouts, guttering and any potential problem or maintenance issues. After getting inspecting the home's interior Bob goes to work on the interior. He pulls out the flashlight and pokes around in dark corners, in the attic and in the crawl space. As he works Bob shows the homeowner what he's doing and where potential problems can hide. electrical home inspection As part of his general practice Bob pulls the electrical box, checks the plumbing and applicances. He checks out major systems like the heating and air conditioning. home inspection Bob is especially helpful with the first-time home buyer. As a first-time buyer, you'll find out what systems need attention. If you have and questions, ask Bob, he's there to help. home inspection When all is said and done, Bob will prepare a report tailored to your home, so you'll know exactly where you stand. He supplies a helpful book with tips and answers to some of the questions you might not even remember to ask. home inspection It's always good to learn that the home is in good shape! Bob is available to inspect houses, townhouses or single family homes in Maryland or Northern Virginia.

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Will Nesbitt About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Nesbitt Realty and maintains Condo Alexandria. 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.

What to Expect From a Real Estate Agent

Your real estate agent is there to represent your best interests. Make sure you read any contracts before you sign them so you know exactly what to expect but the following tips should give you a general idea of what to expect. Sellers agents should be aggressively marketing your property, including running advertising and holding open house events. Nesbitt Realty and Condo Alexandria place a special emphasis on Internet marketing because we believe that's the future of real estate sales and the most effective way to find your home's buyer. As a home buyer, you should expect your realtor to listen to your needs and your budget, and show you properties that fit your criteria. For busy buyers who don't want to worry with the details we offer additional services such as helping to set up utilities, recommending services such as carpet cleaners, and other extras. Most agents will ask you to sign an exclusivity contract for a set period of time, but if you are uncomfortable with the terms don't hesitate to ask the agent for a shorter period of exclusivity.

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For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.

Places of Worship

Ekerö church Are you looking for proximity to a particular house of worship? Whether you are seeking a church, mosque, synagogue or temple---yes, alphabetical order is intentional---Fair Housing Laws pretty clearly state that houses of worship locations are not the purview of real estate professionals. These rules were written in another era when segregation, even by denomination, was more common in America. While it is true that some neighborhoods have a few more folks from this religion or that, I'm not aware of any neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that are exclusively or even mostly a certain religion. I personally thinks it make sense to investigate the schools in an area to make sure they suit your needs. As realtors we can provide information about schools. By the same token, I think many folks would like to know that there is a nearby house of worship that serves up their preferred flavor of faith-based teachings, but this is outside the realm of the research I can perform for you. Oni SynagogueWhen we speak of religious matters, it must be understood that this information is not intended as an endorsement of or an attack upon any particular religion. Nor should it be implied from this information that any particular creed or religion is favored by our brokerage. But I do think it's sad that I have to write that, because it should be understood by implication.    

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Will Nesbitt 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.

What is a short-sale?

A short-sale occurs when the individual selling the property is selling the property for less than what they owe for the property. This means that after the seller agrees to the price, the lender must also agree to the price. Despite what anyone might try to tell you, that's the only difference between a short-sale and a normal sale. Unfortunately, there are many selling agents who work with the notion that there is a different set of rules for short-sales. These misguided agents are souring the market for everyone. (See Pitfalls of a Short Sale for more  information.) In Northern Virginia, below a certain price-point nearly half of the properties for sale are short-sales. In some neighborhoods, more than a third of the properties for sale are short-sales. So, short-sales are almost unavoidable. If you are considering purchasing a short-sale, you should learn more about the pitfalls and drama associated with short-sales and deal with an agent who has experience sorting through these complicated matters. Check here for tips for buying a short-sale.
Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria. About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Nesbitt Realty and maintains Condo Alexandria. 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.

Pitfalls of a short sale

Here are some of the many pitfalls of a short-sale.

Time to close

Short-sales take a long time to close. Although lenders are getting better in short-sales, they are notorious for making slow decisions when negotiating. I had a client last year who agreed to pay cash and purchase a short-sale in 3 days.  The seller accepted the offer, but the lender took 4 months to agree to the offer. When buying a short sale, you have to act quickly. After you act quickly, you often have to wait a long time.

Multiple offers

Short-sales often involve competitive buying. That is to say, there are multiple offers on the property. Despite what you may have heard about this being a buyers' market, there are ALWAYS buyers who are interested in something for nothing. In addition the Northern Virginia economy has not been affected the way places like Detroit have been by the recent economic news. In Alexandria, in Arlington and anywhere near the metro, there are many folks who want to buy homes. Homes that are nicely priced, in good condition and in good locations are selling quickly.

The property isn't available

Fully two-thirds (maybe more) of the short-sales listed for sale right now ... ARE NOT AVAILABLE. This is perhaps the most maddening part of short-sales as a considerable portion of my day is spent sorting through properties that are listed as ACTIVE in the MLS but they are in fact not on the market. Why are these properties listed for sale when they are active? The simple and sad answer is that many agents who are selling short-sale properties don't understand there aren't any special rules for short-sales. If a property is offered for sale, the agent has a duty to the public in addition to his/her duty to the client. His duty to the public and Fair Housing Laws requires that he promptly present any offers to purchase to his client. If the client agrees to the offer, but the caveat that the contract must be approved by the lender, that contract should be listed in the MLS as under contract with a kick-out. Most agents these days leave the property as active, wasting the time of buyers and agents everywhere. Often, a selling agent continues to list the property as active because it is not uncommon for a short-sale buyer to back out after the purchaser finds out just how much hell he'll have to suffer to get a bargain.  The selling agent might not be aware that listing this property as active in the MLS is unethical, but the selling agent certainly does not care if you waste your time trying to buy a property that has already been sold. The unethical selling agent wants to continue to market the property even though the property is under contract.  This way the selling agent can get a couple of back-up offers in case the first contract blows up.

The stick-up

The last and worst part of a short-sale is what I've come to call "the stick-up".  The "hold-up" occurs when the seller changes the terms of the deal at the final hour. I'll call it a "stick-up" or "hold-up" because I find this selling tactic contemptible, unethical and a form of stealing. There are no guns involved, but the net effect of the change is not much different from a stick-up or a hold-up. The stick-up occurs come after the buyer has invested a lot of time and effort negotiating the deal. The change is simple: when you get to the final hour, the buyer finds out that the property costs more than what agreed upon. These changes come after the buyer has invested money in inspections and appraisals. These changes come after the buyer has given notice that he/she is moving or after the buyer has sold his existing home. Not long ago, I was only the phone with an agent who was clearly very experienced selling short sales. The terms of the deal changed at the final hour to require an additional sum of money from the buyer: a sum of the buyer simply did not have. When I asked her by what rights she thought the deal could be changed, she told me with a straight-face: "This is a short sale. Short sales are different." She informed me that she had sent me an email saying the price had changed after the deal was done. I told her that she could send me all the emails she wanted, that doesn't give you the power to change a signed contract. She seemed truly baffled by my stance. The contract stated that the contract had to be approved by the lender. And, the lender had approved the contract.  But now, the lender had changed their approval. This agent, well-experience with selling short-sales, thought that was standard practice, and she thought the bank was acting in good faith. We ended up with a happy ending for the buyer, but there was a lot of drama and tears and fighting before it closed. I still get a knot in my stomach when I think back at that one. For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.

Tips for buying a short-sale

kitchen in need of repair
Some kitchens need a little TLC.
Knowing the problems of short-sales, I have developed a strategy to avoid some of the worst of the pitfalls. If you're in a hurry don't even consider a short-sale. Short-sales work best for investors who have no emotional attachment to a property. Short-sales work well for investors who won't need to live in the home. Short-sales don't work well for home-buyers who are on a schedule. If there are multiple offers on a property, walk away. If you make an offer on a property with multiple offers there are only two possible outcomes:
  1. You waste your time pumping up the price for someone else;
  2. You paid more than anyone else. If you paid more than anyone else, you didn't get a bargain.  If you paid retail for a short-sale, you paid too much.
Find out if there are multiple offers or worse yet contracts before you even look at the property. It's maddening and I wish the associations would do something, but too many properties that are listed as "active" aren't really active.  There is no sense looking at something that isn't for sale. Walk away from unethical, unprofessional agents, as these are the agents who are most likely to sanction last minute contract adjustments that cost you money.  Here are some clues you'll find in the listing that might indicate that the agent is unethical or ignorant:
  • The remarks contain very basic English spelling and grammatical errors.
  • The remarks solicit a specific title company. Agents and brokers don't make money off title companies. It's against the law for us to make money from title companies. It is inappropriate for us to solicit
  • a particular title company.
  • The remarks talk about agent commission. It is inappropriate for an agent to talk to the general public about what we make.  I couldn't care less if you know what I make, but if an agent puts commission notes in the remarks the agent clearly is ignorant or unethical.
  • As a member of the buying public you cannot see the commission, but your agent can see what the stated commission is. If the commission is listed as 50% or 50/50, then you're probably headed for trouble.  MLS rules require that the seller state his commission when offering the property for sale.  An agent who sanctions flexible terms is an agent who believes in the idea of flexible contracts.  The very reason for a contract is to establish the terms: not to leave the terms open so that one party can change them at the last minute.
What can we do as agents?  I now report every bogus listing to Compliance. Every single property listed as active that is not active, I send to MRIS.  Every single title solicitation: I report to compliance. Every flexible commission I report to Compliance. It's a royal pain to complain and report, but I take the time to do this because I take serious my duty to the public.  I really wish an authority figure would take the time to clean-up the mess, but until then I will do the best I can with what I am given.

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For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.

The Beltway

Beltway at Eisenhower The Capital Beltway is interstate I-495. It circles Washington DC by way of Virginia and Maryland. The Beltway crosses the Potomac at two points. South of DC the Beltway crosses the Potomac via the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. North of DC, I-495 crosses the Potomac just south of Great Falls on the American Legion Bridge. The bridges are area choke-points and often snarl traffic at the bridge approach. The sign above is 5.5 miles south of the drawbridge at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Beltway narrows When construction or problems narrow the flow of cars, traffic starts to back up. Beltway But often the Beltway is like any other interstate in America---any other interstate that is 10 lanes wide and circles the capital that is. To search for a home near the Beltway or to find a residence that will fit your commute check with Condo Alexandria.    
About the Author: Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria / Nesbitt Realty in Alexandria VA. He specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne.

Choosing the right condominium for you.

Condominiums are found all over Northern Virginia. From quiet communities along Fort Hunt Road at River Towers and Belle View to glamorous high-rises like Carlyle Towers or the Eclipse to urban luxury in Rosslyn, there are plenty of choices in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax County. A condominium is usually a housing unit or apartment in a multi-unit building in which each unit is individually owned, while common areas and the property in general is jointly owned by the residents and the owner of the building, or all of the residents together. Some people choose to purchase and live in a condominium because some condos are less expensive than a traditional single-family house. Additionally, many condo's have added amenities and facilities. Before deciding to purchase a condominium, it is important to do your research into both the legal and practical aspects of owning a condominium. 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 condo's 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 on-site at the condominium. And whether your buying from a condominium owner or a condo office, it's a good idea to take a guided tour of facilities and the units that are available for purchase. Of course, many new condominium offices have staff that act as sales agents. Potential condominium owners can make an appointment to meet with a staff sales agent to discuss interest in condo ownership. However, when you're in the market for a condo, it's a good idea to employ your own real estate agent rather than rely on the services of the condominium staff. Your real estate agent will have an understanding of the condominium ownership structure and the condominium documents and the real estate agent can explain what this means to you. Although there are various types of condominiums, the most common legal arrangements involve individual ownership of each unit, with joint ownership of the communal or common areas by all of the residents in the building. You might be surprised to learn the variety of sizes found in condominiums. Condos range from studios and one bedroom apartment, to a four bedroom penthouse apartment. Even condominiums with the same number of bedrooms can have different floor plans and different numbers of bathrooms and half-baths. While some condominiums are located in large multi-unit buildings, others may be detached form each other and be located in a gated or planned community. Some condominiums may be located in resort or vacation destinations. Besides total cost of the property, you should also inquire as to the annual homeowners association costs. These fees are usually charged in order to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the common areas. Owning a condominium can be one of the largest investments you make, so make sure that the one you choose can accommodate your specific needs. Purchasing a condominium can be a great way to buy a property in the location you really want with all the amenities you seek.

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For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.