Archive for November, 2007
Holiday Shopping Opportunities at the W-L Annual Holday Bazaar
November 26th, 2007 Categories: Arlington Dirt, Local Events
The 48th annual Washington-Lee High School Holiday Bazaar will be
held on Saturday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be the last Holiday Bazaar in the existing W-L building, located at 1300 North Quincy Street.
The annual Bazaar has become a local community event that benefits the Senior Class of 2008, as well as other W-L clubs and teams.
Unique and handmade jewelry, fashion accessories, holiday gifts, home decorations and collectibles, as well as artwork, will be available for sale by artisans from around the local area. In addition, holiday greens and fruit will be available. A rich assortment of ethnic foods, that represent the diversity of W-L can be purchased as well.
W-L’s highly acclaimed “Madrigals” singing group and other student musical groups will perform throughout the day.
The event is free and open to the public. Ample free parking, with convenient access into the Bazaar, is provided in the I-66 parking garage.
Hope to see you there!
Happy Monday
Jennifer
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Happy Thanksgiving
November 22nd, 2007 Categories: Alexandria Dirt, Arlington Dirt, Falls Church Dirt, McLean Dirt, Northern Virginia Real Estate Dirt, Reston Dirt
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers. We have a lot to be thankful for – I’m thankful to live in the greatest city in the world (my opinion, of course)! Enjoy the day with your friends and family, as I intend to do with mine!
Jennifer
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Arlington National Cemetery - A National Treasure and A Moving Experience
November 18th, 2007 Categories: Area Attractions, Arlington Dirt
Yesterday I had the distinct honor and pleasure of visiting Arlington National Cemetery. My grandfather, who served in Korea and in WWII is buried there, as is my grandmother who preceded him in death by almost 30 years – so we went to visit their gravesite and take in a little history, too. It is a beautiful and peaceful place – the rows so precisely laid out, the beautiful fall colors around us and it was a gorgeous day. There is so much ceremony here and I thought I would share with you some of what we saw – both with some facts and some photos. First, you will see signs like the one to the left - and it’s nice - because it keeps the chit chat down and really serves as a reminder that we’re in a cemetery to honor those who have served our country.
There are veterans buried here from every war that has involved our nation – over 290,000 servicemen and their family members have been laid to rest here
About 24 burials are conducted every weekday
When the Civil War casualties flooded the hospitals and land in and around Washington DC there was a proposal to take 200 acres of the Lee family property and dedicate it for use as a cemetery. By the end of the Civil War, over 16,000 burials had already occurred on the grounds surrounding the Lee Mansion (aka Arlington House). 
Now, the cemetery covers 624 acres.
Just below the Lee Mansion lies the grave of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. His grave is surrounded by Cape Cod stones and the eternal flame.
There are many other memorials that have been constructed here on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery:
A Nurses Memorial, Spanish-American War to the present
The Mast of the USS Maine which sunk in Havana harbor in 1898 is here and marks the graves of sailors who lost their lives in that tragedy
A Memorial to the crew of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia
An Iran Rescue Mission Memorial for servicemen killed in the hostage rescue attempt
The Tomb of Unknown Civil War Dead holds the remains of 2,111 Union Soldiers
One of the most visited sites at the cemetery, though is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. Here a sentinel of the Third US Infantry maintains a 24 hour a day vigil over the sarcophagus of the WWI Soldier who was entombed here in 1921. There are also unknowns from WWII and Korea who lie in crypts flush with the paving.
Watching this soldier guard the tombs is a mesmerizing sight. He paces 21 paces down the mat, pauses for 21 seconds and then returns. He also maneuvers his rifle and claps his feet – it’s a reminder how rich our military is with ceremony and respect. The inscription here reads, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”
One final note – a funeral conducted with full military honors is a moving experience. An honor guard accompanies the American flag-draped coffin drawn by matched horses. A band plays solemn marches while muffled drums beat the cadence for the procession. A squad fires three rifle volleys and a bugler plays “Taps.” The flag is then folded and presented to the next of kin. I have attended such a ceremony and I can tell you that it is in fact a very special experience.
Here is my daughter at the gravesite of my grandfather:
May all of those who have protected us rest in peace.
Jennifer
| Discussion: 5 Comments »
Staging is all the RAGE!
November 15th, 2007 Categories: Alexandria Dirt, Arlington Dirt, Falls Church Dirt, McLean Dirt, Northern Virginia Home Selling, Reston Dirt
Staging is becoming a necessary component when thinking about listing your home for sale in today’s market. When I first meet with a prospective seller, we talk about preparing the home for market. This might include 
having a pre-inspection, an appraisal and certainly we have an important discussion about staging and condition.
There are several ways to go about the staging process. Options can range from hiring a professional stager who will bring rented furniture, plants, artwork, accessories, etc… and totally transform your home into something right off of HGTV! They might even paint a wall, or advise some re-carpeting, re-landscaping, etc… OR you can just get a staging consultation that will report on how to work with what you have to open up spaces, lighten and brighten up rooms and how to purge etc… A good realtor with some experience can also be a great resource.
You may be thinking “whoa, that sounds like a boatload of cash to plunk down” but in all honestly - it can get your property sold for a higher price even in a slow market. When your property is in it’s top condition, it becomes very easy for a prospective buyers to imagine themselves moving right in and gives the feeling that it’s really “home.”
I had the great fortune today to attend a staging event held in a real life house – we learned how to transform a room using some simple room layouts, learning about furniture, lighting and artwork that a client ALREADY HAS to turn boring into WOW! Just look at the before and after photos below:
before
after
Isn’t it amazing? Same furniture, same rug, same everything…
before
after
I believe staging is an important aspect of preparation to sell you home. Of course there are other components, like price and location. If you’re thinking of selling, please feel free to contact me for a consultation, my compliments, of course.
Alternatively, you can click here for a free home valuation report. Whether you’re in Arlington or anywhere in the Northern Virginia area, I’m here to help.
Happy Thursday
Jennifer
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
First Time Home Buyer’s Seminar - It’s FREE and YOU’RE INVITED!
November 13th, 2007 Categories: Alexandria Dirt, Arlington Dirt, Falls Church Dirt, First Time Buyers Club, McLean Dirt, Northern Virginia Home Buying, Reston Dirt
You, my dear reader, are cordially invited to a free, first time home buyer’s seminar being held in the Keller Williams Arlington Office in Courthouse.
When: Saturday, December 8 — 10am-11am
Where: 2101 Wilson Blvd, 11th Floor; Arlington VA 22201
What: Seminar conducted by Gleyde Schatz of Access National Mortgage and Jennifer Klaussen (me) and Afton McGhee of Keller Williams – Realtors extraordinaire! (and a light continental breakfast)
Who: Anyone who is a first time home buyer considering making a purchase - whether it’s soon or you’re just in the beginning stages of educating yourself about the market and what steps you’ll need to take to be prepared for your first home purchase
Cost: 0$ – Nothing – Zippo – Nada – FREE!!!
Space is limited, so please email me to secure your spot! I’ll look forward to meeting you there!
Happy Tuesday!
Jennifer – your Keller Williams Arlington Real Estate expert!
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
5 Fun (really!) Facts about Leaf Collection in Arlington County
November 9th, 2007 Categories: Arlington Dirt, Local News
O-K Arlingtonians – Leaf Collection has officially begun.
Don’t you love this time of year? Bright yellow, red and orange leaves adorn the trees and now has created a carpet of fall colors on the ground. All of these leaves need to go somewhere! Arlington County Environmental Services has leaf collection down to a science. Here are some fast (and fun) facts that might be of interest:
1. TWO Options for Leaf Collection:
Arlington County Environmental Services offers us two options: vacuum curb service, OR you may place leaves in the FREE biodegradable leaf bags that the county provides. The leaf bags will ONLY be collected during this leaf pickup time of year – and won’t be picked up again until the spring yard waste pick-up. Check the schedule to see when they will be in your neighborhood.
2. TWO months of collection:
Arlington County will make two leaf collection passes, one in November and again in December.
3. What do they do with all these leaves?
After the leaves have been collected, Arlington mulches them and makes the mulch available to residents.
4. How many leaves are collected?
Just a fun fact here. In 2006, so many leaves were collected in Arlington County that they could cover the Washington Wizard’s court 18 stories high with leaves! Now, that’s a lot of leaves!!
5. Dry Leaves Are FIRE HAZARDS!!!
Bet you didn’t know this – DON’T PARK YOUR CAR ON A PILE OF DRY LEAVES – One Arlington man learned his lesson the hard way when he returned to his car to find it engulfed in flames – so bear that in mind!
I think that about sums up everything and more that you’d ever want to know about leaf collection in Arlington County!
Happy Friday
Jennifer
| Discussion: No Comments »
Condo Focus - Colonial Village - Arlington, VA 22201
November 7th, 2007 Categories: Arlington Condos, Arlington Dirt
Today’s condo focus will highlight the quaint community of Colonial Village – nestled between Lee Highway and Wilson Blvd stretching almost the length between the Courthouse and Rosslyn Metros. Construction began on this complex was in 1935 and was completed by 1940 - it was one of the area’s first apartment complexes and really set the standard for garden styled apartments for the era. They are low brick buildings situated with appealing, landscaped courtyards and charming interiors.
Conversion to condominium began in the late 1970’s and by the late ‘80’s all 700+ units were totally converted to condominium. It’s a wonderful and desirable place for many to call “home.” There are many restaurants and bars in close proximity – and with the metro accessibility, combined with affordability, Colonial Village continues to gain in popularity.
Currently there are only 4 one-bedroom units available with an average list price of $282,000; there are just 2 two-
bedroom units available with an average list price of just $372,000. Over the last 6 months, 16 one-bedroom units have sold at an average net sales price of $279,000 (by net, I mean sales price less seller concessions). Similarly, over the last 6 months, 4 two-bedroom units have sold for a net sales price of $367,200.
If you’d like to check out Colonial Village or have more questions, I’d be happy to help.
Happy Wednesday!
Jennifer
| Discussion: No Comments »
October 2007 Sales Numbers for Arlington are in…
November 6th, 2007 Categories: Arlington Dirt, Market Stats
…and the name of the game is slightly rising inventories – steady sales in keeping with 2006 and a few markets actually tapering off a bit.
Here’s what October looked like:
What I notice are condo sales falling off a bit, as well as average selling prices, but remember, I’ve said this before - it’s VERY difficult, if not impossible, to do trending off of 1 discrete month of sales data – this is just a snapshot compared with the same time last year. So, for more solid trending data, let’s look at Year-To-Date info:
From this I can see that we’re ahead on condo sales in almost all aspects from 2006 – we’re lagging a slight bit (less than 2%) in Single Family Detached home sales over 2006, but holding strong in the 22207 zip code. However, Days on Market continue to plague us as we see longer averages than last year.
Now, for absorption rates – last month everyone was so excited by my graphics, I decided to give you a little treat today and here’s how the current absorption rates look for Arlington County…
These are all increasing – not at all surprising given the time of year; however, it just means that if you’re a buyer there’s more inventory - more to choose from and thus more negotiating power. If you’re a seller, it means you must be priced right, you must look good and you must be creative in your approach to get the right buyer in the door.
So there you have it, folks. The numbers for October. I’m optimistic – if you’re ready to talk real estate - give me a call!
Happy Tuesday!
Jennifer
| Discussion: No Comments »
Housing Trends for the DC Metro Area - 3rd Quarter 2007
November 5th, 2007 Categories: Alexandria Dirt, Arlington Dirt, Falls Church Dirt, McLean Dirt, Northern Virginia Real Estate Dirt, Reston Dirt
Today’s topic is a meaty one – the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems is OUR MLS service here in the DC Metropolitan Area. The President and CEO of MRIS, David Charron, has been recognized industry-wide for being one of the top 100 influential people in our community.
In any case, MRIS is always publishing wonderful information and today, released the Trends in Housing for the 3rd Quarter, 2007. This is a great report that is a compilation of data taken from a variety of sources that looks at housing sales data, job and economic job growth, construction starts, mortgage news and other regional information and then shares it in a way that makes sense for most of the rest of us!
Here are some of my take-always from this particular issue:
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“We expect the Washington Metro area economy to end 2007 on
solid footing. Although growth has slowed compared to the last 3 years, we predict conditions will improve over the next 2 years compared to 2007.” -
“The residential [housing] market remains in an adjustment phase at 3rd quarter 2007, though there are signs of creeping back toward equilibrium.”
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“But the gains are uneven, with desirable areas inside the Beltway showing strong price gains and shorter listings, while the reverse is generally happening as distance from Washington increases.”
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“Despite volume below the long-term sales rate, the Washington metro area housing market still showed strength in the 3rd quarter of 2007.”
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“Fluctuating interest rates and the Credit Crunch have affected the pol of buyers, causing the adjustment of the housing market to take longer than most experts predicted. By spring of 2008, we expect that consistent demand (generated by steady job growth, net migration, and a rising immigrant population) and a decline in construction will stabilize pricing, leading to an uptick in sales activity, with improvement in market conditions appearing by summer.”
Overall, I find this report to be very optimistic and interesting. There was also some great advice as to what to be thinking about if you’re considering a real estate transaction at this point:
For Sellers:
Recognize that today’s market is different from the peak a few years ago
Seek a sale at a reasonable price rather than clinging to last year’s prices
Present home in pristine condition
Offer credits for renovations or repairs you are unable to make
For Buyers
Research financing options with a lender or broker before entering the market
Be realistic about affordability limits, especially if credit is blemished
Maximize assets – down payments of at least 3% may reduce interest rates
Bargain with sellers on price and repairs
Buy a residence with an eye to the long term; plan to own for at least 5 years.
What’s interesting about this is that it highlights that you can be successful right now no matter which side of the real estate transaction you happen to fall on! So for all of you considering jumping in, what are you waiting for? Give me a call – I’m ready when you are.
Very Happy Monday
Jennifer
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
FALL BACK… DON’T FORGET
November 3rd, 2007 Categories: Alexandria Dirt, Arlington Dirt, Falls Church Dirt, McLean Dirt, Northern Virginia News, Reston Dirt
Just a quick reminder — Don’t forget that “the powers that be” decided to change the daylight savings clock re-set this year – so tonight – FALL BACK!
Wasn’t it strange having Halloween essentially begin in the daylight? I guess I’m glad for the extra daylight these last 3 weeks, but it does feel a bit odd.
Anyway, Happy Saturday –
Jennifer
| Discussion: No Comments »
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