Arlington VA Homes Arlington VA Homes Report for Single Family Detached Homes - December 12, 2009 As of today it looks as if inventory is down by a full third for single family detached homes for sale in Arlington VA.  This is a snapshot of our MLS (MRIS) as of this evening. 212 Single family detached fee simple Arlington VA Homes for Sale - Active Listings 7 Single family detached fee simple Arlington VA Homes for Sale - 'Cntg/KO' 70 Single family detached fee simple Arlington VA Homes for Sale - 'Cntg/NO KO' 52 Single family detached fee simple Arlington VA Homes for Sale - 'Contract' For More Arlington VA real estate statistics please visit our website! *MRIS - Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format 12/12/2009

Arlington VA homes sale trends for November 2009 Arlington homea sales are very positive.  In this November 2009 we have finally matched the 230 number of Arlington homes sales from November 2005. This is a 76.92 % ubcrease over last years 130 home sales. While we are selling the same number of homes, please keep in mind that prices are less.  Personally I feel the sales are a very good things and the first part of a recovery.  Arlington VA homes sales are driven in large part by their great location.  Arlington has quick access to the Pentagon, METRO, and Washington DC.  Location, location, location! *MRIS - Real Estate Trend Indicator - <$100K to >$5M Format 12/12/2009

As of today Saturday December 12, 2009 there are currently 313 Arlington VA condos for sale. Arlington VA is a very sought after location because of its proximity to Washington DC, Metro, the Pentagon and it is located inside the 495 Beltway. Each condo unit and condo complex varies in monthly fees and amenities. Whether you are looking for a 1 room efficiency for sale, a studio, loft, or a 3 bedroom penthouse, you can find what you are looking for right here. SEARCH ARLINGTON VA CONDOS FOR SALE: Arlington VA Condos - Click Here ARLINGTON VA CONDOS Alta Vista Arbors Of Arlington Arlington Court Arlington Heights Arlington Village Astoria Atrium Condo Ballston Ballston Park Ballston Walk Barkley Condo Barton Place Bedford Park Bella Vista Belvedere Cambridge Courts Cardinal House Carlton... 12/12/2009

FRESHLY PAINTED!! Need More Space? Look no further. Welcome to Tower Villa and this one bedroom, one bath spacious condo. The gorgeous high-end remodel of the kitchen includes, natural cherry cabinetry, GE stainless steel appliances, and ebony pearl silestone counters. Check out the diagonally patterned ceramic tile floor that looks like slate. The oversized living room and dining room includes hardwood floors that were refinished in 2004 and continue throughout the condo. There is an extra area that is perfect for a desk/office space.The bedroom is roomy and includes two closets with ample space. The bath updates come complete with a new toilet and a newly installed medicine cabinet.The Thermo-Guard energy-efficient windows and sliding glass doors were installed in December, 2007. A la... 12/11/2009

I went to visit clients of mine who bought a few months ago in the Berkshire Oakwoodneighborhood. Down the street from them was the site of what I am sure will be a lovely new McMansion in Arlington. Here are some pictures: Then: Now: Which got me thinking…if you’re ready to demo a house, or reface/renovate a home in Arlington – what does it take? I would first talk to several local builders and contractors to find out the financial obligation and commitment before you ever start looking at properties. Many times, the builders will buy the land or existing house under their name for you and start building/renovating from there. Otherwise, spend some time getting familiar with the Arlington County Permits: When Is A Permit Required? Zoning Ordinance Fence or Retaining Wall Permit The co... 12/09/2009

I'm 9 days late in this post, BUT as of December 1st of this month, ALL of the Virginia restaurants and bars are now smoke free! The ban does permit smoking in private clubs and in places that have separately ventilated enclosed smoking rooms. Smoking may also be permitted in outside seating options in restaurants, provided they are not enclosed in any way. I can tell you that I already have noticed a difference in the past week from the smoking ban. There are a few places in Arlington that are notorious for being “smokey,” and I know many people dread going there as a result. It’ll be interesting to see how the venues who hadn’t previously enacted their own smoking ban is effected. If you want to check out a new restaurant or happy hour now that everywhere is smoke-free, the Washingto... 12/09/2009

Located at 12th North Court and Courthouse Road in Arlington Virginia, the Vista on Courthouse are townhouse condos stacked in a duplex-style that feature 213 condo units in a building that was originally known as Abingdon Heights. The condo units feature 2, 3 and 4 bedroom floor plans, as well as a host of specialized amenities such as spacious outdoor private terraces, hardwood floors, 9 foot ceilings, stainless steel appliances, and ultra-luxurious soaking tubs in the bathrooms. In addition, the units feature granite vanity countertops in the bathrooms, two-toned interior paint, recessed, energy-efficient lighting and pendant bar lighting, as well as granite kitchen countertops and other high-end advancements. The Vista on Courthouse condos also host a private fitness center, a thea... 12/09/2009

I was watching Good morning America this morning and they were reporting on some new housing statistics. The number of homes for sale in the hardest his areas is down 50% from this time last year. Good News. The reporter attributed this to the incredible interest rates, the lower home prices and the first time home buyer credit. IMHO alot of the credit goes to the credit. Alot of people that would not have bought were motivated by the credit. In some areas it's alot of money in others it's a small part part of the purchase but either way it's a serious psychological motivator. Who doesn't want a tax credit? I've certainly seen this come into play in my area (Arlington, Va., Mclean, Va, Falls Church, Va). I've already heard from people that are going to buy in the new year because of the... 12/09/2009

The Hyde Park Condominiums of Arlington, Virginia, are located at 4141 North Henderson Road and boasts that they are the Ballston communities' first condominium. After over a decade of discussion and debate regarding land use near the Ballston Metrorail's Orange Line, the Ballston Sector Plan was finally established in 1980; which ultimately set the framework for what is now the Ballston urban metropolis. Today, the Hyde Park Condominiums serve as an attractive and important gateway into Ballston's North Glebe Road intersection where the condos are conveniently located between both North Quincy and North Henderson Street. The Hyde Park condos can be conveniently accessed from Interstate 66 and Route 50 and are located directly next to a Harris Tetter grocery store and the Ballston Commo... 12/08/2009

In a word, terrible. Washington, DC, was recently named the second worst traffic city, right after Los Angeles. According to one study, drivers here wasted 62 hours in traffic annually. As a result, as you might imagine, property values tend to be higher in easy commute areas, or said another way, the closer you are to major employment centers, the more expensive the housing is likely to be. In particular, being close to a metro stop is likely to drive up home prices significantly. How can you investigate what your commute will be like once you relocate? Click here to continue reading the post. 12/06/2009

The Shirlington Report ~ November 2009 ~  It was a busy month for settlements of Shirlington real estate with 33 units reaching that milestone, presumably in part due to November 30th being the deadline of the original 1st Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.  New condo listings hitting the market in November were down by almost half from October at 18, the normal seasonal slowdown appears to on track, bringing total amount of active listings to 47 which matched the previous month's number.  New this month, contingent offers with unresolved contingencies have been separated from those units fully under contract.  Surprisingly, not a single unit in the market report area is in that full contract status; either it settled in November or is working with a relatively fresh offer, which further suppor... 12/04/2009

             The Arlington Report for YTD November 2009       Model      # Sold             Sales Range             Ave. Price      Ave. Subsidy     A  Lower        1                 $300,000              $300,000          $9,750     B  Upper        8       $260,000 - $295,000      $281,375         $3,795     C  Lower        6*      $275,000 - $293,000      $284,167          $1,667     L  Lower        1*                $345,000              $345,000           $ 0     M  Upper       4*      $300,000 - $311,000       $306,250         $4,831   *Excludes a short sale due to the distressed nature of the sale Data source: MRIS settled transactions 1/01/2009 - 10/31/2009, deemed reliable, but not guaranteed Compliments of AJ & Jodee HeidmannYOUR Resident Specialists for The Arlington The YTD N... 12/02/2009

The rental market in Shirlington appears to have entered it's normal fall/holiday slowdown versus the summer to early fall time frame.  It doesn't appear that an unusually large landlords are making the decision to sell, as absentee sales have not ticked up appreciably on a percentage basis in the past few months.  Due to the close proximity to Downtown DC and the restaurant & nightlife / cultural opportunities / shopping of the expanded Shirlington, the area remains a desirable area for those individuals looking for a rental home                                UNITS        APPLICATIONMONTH     RENTED       REGISTERED        ACTIVE       AVE RENT        RENT RANGE OCT            18                6                   22            $1,685        $1225-2400SEPT           17                ... 12/01/2009

I posted some October Statistics for 22205 a week or so ago. Here is some information from our neighbors in 22207. These statistics come from the multiple listing system so are only as accurate as the posted stats and will not include FSBOs or unlisted transfers. Total Sales: 2008-$17,862,476 2009-$28,749,242 This is a whopper of an increase of 60.95% Average sold price: 2008-$776,629 2009-$756,629 A relatively low decrease of 2.58% Median Sold Price: 2008-$709,000 2009-$662,500 A decrease of 6.56% 23 homes were sold in October of 2008, and 38 in 2009. An increase of 66.52% Perhaps a takeaway from this is that a modest decrease in prices has resulted in a significant increase in sales. At the end of October there were 161 active listings. 149 were residential houses and 10 were condos. ... 11/29/2009

The Federal Government just released a study showing a link between copper corrosion in home on pipes and wiring, and drywall imported from China during the housing boom.  The consumer product safety commission also found a possible link between higher-than-normal levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the wallboard coupled with formaldehyde, which is commonly found in new houses. Fortunately, there haven't been any instances of Chinese drywall being used in our area, but there are problems that have been reported in Northern Virginia. The suspect building materials, found mostly in new homes in the southern part of the country, have previously been found by state and federal agencies to give off "volatile sulfur compounds" and produce a rotten-egg odor. Homeowners have complained ... 11/24/2009

Of the thousands of condominiums located throughout Arlington Virginia, the Turnberry Towers stand apart as an ultra-luxurious, 25-story high rise condominium in the heart of downtown Rosslyn. The Turnberry Towers feature cutting edge security and privacy, direct entry elevators, a multi-level garage, and even private garages for cars and motorcycles both. The amenities at Turnberry Towers also set a new standard for condo dwellers in luxury, class and style.  These in vogue facilities include a cafe, a surround sound entertainment media room, multiple social rooms, private spa and fitness centers with an indoor swimming pool and a 24-hour valet, as well as a 24-houe concierge. Finally, Turnberry Towers boasts outdoor balconies, gourmet kitchens, 10 foot ceilings, custom made hard floor... 11/19/2009

Located at 3625 North 10th in Arlington Virginia, the Monroe was completed in 2007 and is located in the heart of Arlington's Ballston community; inset among several high-rise condos located a 1/2 block from the at Virginia Square Metro Station on the Orange Line near the Ballston Common Mall. The Ballston community in Arlington is an urban landscape that is home to a gamut of modern apartment and condominium complexes, the Ballston Common Mall, the Ballston business district, and a hip (if not commercial) variety of restaurants and bars to boot. Fitting in with the cityscape, the Monroe is a high-rise condominium building that has 79 units, some as large as 1,800 sq feet, and includes amenities such as a gym, a library and community room, rooftop deck, a courtyard, concierge and a full... 11/19/2009

Two words: Retirement Community. The Jefferson is a Sunrise Senior Living Community. It consists of two high-rise condominium towers within a block of the Ballston Commons Mall and Ballston metro, and as such they get plenty of hits from buyers looking for affordable options along the Orange Line in North Arlington. So why are these condos so cheap? First, you must be 55 or older to purchase there, and all units come with not only a condo fee (about $100-150/month for a 1BR), but a hefty Service Fee which is mandatory for all residents. Service Fees start at approximately $1925/month for a 1BR and can go up to over $3700 for a 2BR/den and even more for larger units. Continue reading the post here. 11/16/2009

The Bromptons Condominiums at Rosslyn, located at 1662 Quinn Street in Arlington Virginia, are large, brick-front residences located directly between the Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro Stations. The Bromptons condos can be found off of a quiet side street in Rosslyn compared to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding business district. Many of the units feature wall-to-wall windows as well as two large Bay windows, 10 foot high ceilings, granite kitchen counter tops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, a patio or balcony, and a fireplace! Each home features a two car garage and some homes have up to four complete floors with the master bedroom covering an entire level. In addition, the Bromptons is located within a few minutes (walking distance) of Key Middle School and Swanson ... 11/12/2009

This is my very first post.  I'm exctied to be joining such a wonderful community.  Thanks to my awesome coach, Jeremy Blanton.  He is a great guy, with the cutest little girl. I am a Coldwell Banker Agent in the Arlington office and will be mainly blogging about Arlington and it's neighborhoods. 11/11/2009