Veteran's Day is coming up in just one week. It's an important time to pause and say thanks to those who have served our country so valiantly.
To honor our United States veterans, some local restaurants will be providing free meals on Veteran’s Day (November 11th) to current and former service members. Bring an ID card, DD Form 214, or something else identifying you as a Veteran (VFW/American Legion membership card).
Here's some info on the free deals:
Applebee's(even accepting an old picture in uniform as proof of service)
Proof of Service: US Uniform Services ID Card, US Uniform Services Retired ID Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Veteran's Organization Card (VFW, American Legion), Photograph in uniform, Wearing uniform, DD214, Citation or Commendation.
The McCormick & Schmick's Veterans Appreciation Event is offered to veterans defined by the Veterans Administration, Title 38 US Code 101, which is "a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable."
Please present proper identification to your server when you are seated. Proper ID includes VA card, VFW card, American Legion card, discharge papers, DD214 or other Veterans ID.
Note that in an effort to accomodate as many Veterans as possible, restaurants will not be able to seat parties larger than 6.
Golden Corral:The Military Appreciation Monday dinner will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner.
Lowe's: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 6 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards.
Home Depot: The Home Depot is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 between November 6 and November 12, 2008, at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center locations.
Thanks you for your service and Welcome Home!
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Here's some information about the most expensive home sales in Northern Virginia (Arlington County, Alexandria City, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, and Falls Church City) for October 2009. All information was obtained through MRIS.
Overall, there were 55 Northern Virginia home sales topping $1 million during the month of October 2009, on pace with the 54 sold in September but down from 76 in August 2009.
Currently, there are 798 homes on the market in Northern Virginia with list prices topping $1 million down from 845 that were on the market last month.
OCTOBER'S MOST EXPENSIVE SALES
Single Family Detached Homes:
8105 Spring Hill Farm Drive -- Sold on October 1st for $3,668,000 This brand new construction home in the Spring Hill Farm neighborhood of McLean has 6 bedrooms, 6 full and 2 half bathrooms.
1159 Crest Lane, McLean, Va 22101 -- Sold on October 26th for $3,500,000 While it sold for almost $900K under the asking price, this 1999 home features breathtaking views of the Potomac River and is located on 2.4 wooded acres. Besides 4 bedrooms and 5 full bathrooms, the home has a domed rotunda foyer, first floor master suite and floor to ceiling windows.
7687 Ballestrade Court, McLean, VA 22102 -- Sold on October 8th for $3,300,000 Built in 2006, this home sold for nearly $1 million under the asking price. Comprising 10,500 square feet of living space, the McLean home has a movie theater, 5 fireplaces and a 3 car garage. Located in The Reserve in McLean, this home has 5 bedrooms and 6 full and 2 half bathrooms.
214 River Park Drive, Great Falls, VA 22066 -- Sold October 30th for $3,000,000 This custom residence built in 2008 has over 11,000 square feet of space, hand made cabinetry, wide plank walnut flooring, and designer tiles. With 6 bedrooms, 7 full and 3 half baths, and 5 fireplaces on 1.72 acres, there's room to roam.
605 Deerfield Pond Court, Great Falls, VA 22066 -- Sold October 9th for $2,200,000. Situated on 1.75 acres, this home has fantastic views of landscaped grounds and multi-level terraces. The 4 level, 14,000 square foot interior features an elevator, indoor pool, and main level owner's suite. The room count weighs in at 6 bedrooms, 8 full and 2 half baths and 7 fireplaces!
225 N. Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on October 22nd for $1,149,000. Located on Queens Row, this home built in 1998 sold for asking price. It has an expanded gourmet kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel high-end appliances and about $200K in upgrades throughout the townhouse. Right in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, this one sold quickly.
1545 N. 22nd Street, Arlington, VA 22209 -- Sold on October 28th for $1,130,000. Palisades Park townhouses sell quickly and this one was no different spending a mere 8 days on the market. This home features Potomac River views from all 4 levels, 3 bedrooms, 3 full and 2 half bathrooms, and 2 gas fireplaces.
468 S. Union Street #9B, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on October 27th for $1,100,000. Another Old Town Alexandria home in the Harborside waterfront community. This townhouse has an elevator to all 3 floors and the chef's kitchen has a Thermador 6 burner gas range. The Master suite has a deluxe bathroom and Jacuzzi and custom walk-in closets.
228 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on October 19th for $1,025,000. Also on Queens Row in Old Town Alexandria, this townhouse was built in 1998 and has 2 off-street parking spaces (a premium in Old Town). The home overlooks the Potomac River and Founder's Park.
1101 S. Arlington Ridge Road #516, Arlington, Va 22202 -- Sold on October 23rd for $895,000. Located at The Representative condos near Pentagon City, this 3 bedroom 3 bathroom condo has 2,512 square feet of space and a terrific panoramic view of Washington D.C. With 2 garage spaces and a 378 square foot wrapped balcony, this is a great condo.
1023 N. Royal Street #307, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on October 26th for $835,000. Right in Old Town Alexandria, this two level 3 bedroom 3 bathroom condo has a private top floor terrace, 1,633 square feet of space and 2 full sized garage parking spaces.
1530 Key Blvd. #906, Arlington, VA 22209 -- Sold on October 30th for $830,000. Another 2 level condo, this one at the Atrium Condo in Rosslyn features a panorama view of Georgetown, the Potomac River, and Key Bridge.
1050 N. Stuart Street #900, Arlington, VA 22201 -- Sold on October 6th for $830,000. This corner penthouse at Ballston Park is another 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo comprising 1,984 square feet. It has 2 balconies with views of Georgetown. It also has a large den, marble foyer, and marble floors in the kitchen and baths.
Contact Brian Block, Managing Broker, REALTOR/Attorney, RE/MAX Allegiance: Licensed in Virginia & WashingtonD.C. 703-626-0715.If you are interested in purchasing or selling a property in Northern Virginia including Arlington County, Alexandria City, Annandale, Burke, D.C., Fairfax County, Falls Church City, Great Falls, Lorton, McLean, Springfield, Washington D.C., contact Brian today.
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Here are the winners of the contest and their winning photos:
1st Place -- Jay Matsueda, Los Angeles, CA. Congratulations! Jay wins an iPod Shuffle.
Jay submitted several photos from Halloween in California. Jay's a musician and a musical photographer. He's photographed some famous musicians and bands live at their concerts and for promotional shoots. Check out Jay's work on his Facebook page.
2nd Place - Lori Schleinkofer, Waterford, NJ. Congratulations Lori! Check out this spooky house:
3rd Place -- Debbie Malone, Lynchburg, VA. Debbie's a RE/MAX REALTOR in Lynchburg. Here's her photo:
Today is Halloween! Happy Halloween to you and the kiddies.
Time to bob for apples, dress up in scary costumes, get some candy, and wait for the Great Pumpkin!
Most of all, it's time to trek around the neighborhood Trick-or-Treating.
It's the one time of year, that it's considered okay to knock on stranger's doors (and they'll actually open them) and peek inside their homes. On all other days of this year, this would be considered trespassing, and depending upon which state you live in, you might be staring at the other end of a loaded shotgun when that door opened.
Yes, tonight you'll get to peek inside other people's homes. That's what I do just about every day as a Northern Virginia REALTOR. It offers you a glimpse inside other people's lives. It's interesting. It's fascinating. Sometimes it's educational. Sometimes it's downright scary!
Perhaps you want more than just a peek or glimpse. Maybe you're ready to make the move to purchasing a new home. If that's the case, and you live in Northern Virginia, give me a call once you've finished making the Halloween rounds, eaten your candy, and removed the scary mask.
The location is Great, but I have to be honest, the house is Second-Rate.
Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to selling homes (or anything else in life for that matter.)
So, here it is. I'm asking you to buy this house.
And while President Ronald Reagan asked Mr. Gorbachev to "Tear Down This Wall" (referring of course to the Berlin Wall), I'm taking it a step further, don't just tear down one wall, but
Mr. or Mrs. Buyer: TEAR DOWN THIS HOUSE!
Located at 309 Plum Street SW, Vienna, VA 22180, this Rambler was built in 1954. The location within West Vienna Woods is terrific -- less than 1/2 a mile to the Whole Foods Market in downtown Vienna. The home is just over a mile from Route 66, and an easy walk, bike or car ride to all the shops and restaurants of Vienna. It's just down the road from Tysons Corner.
The house sits on almost 1/3 of an acre -- and it's a corner lot. It's priced at just $425,000 which is a steal for this neighborhood!
NOT A FORECLOSURE NOR A SHORT SALE, it's just a house that needs a lot of work as you'll see from the pictures below. While solid, intact, and livable, it's outdated, outmoded, and needs some repairs. Oh, and it does have a 2 car detached garage.
Other re-builds in the neighborhood are selling in the $800Ks+. This house and lot is primed for the same.
Here's a photo of a typical re-build home in the Vienna Woods neighborhood. This one's right across the street:
If you want to live in Vienna and you're ready for a project, this house at 309 Plum Street SW may just be for you! And at a price of just $425,000, it can't be beat!
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If you're registered and you're coming, you're in for a treat. If not, you can always follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #rebcdc
Hey Real Estate Paparazzi!Don’t forget to bring your cameras, iPhones, Flip Video cameras, etc. There’s going to be some serious real estate celebrities at REBarCampDC!Some of these folks are traveling far and wide to come to DC (or rather Herndon, VA).It’s time to roll out the red carpet.
Here’s a short list of some of the great guys and gals who will be attending (and many will likely be leading sessions).As they say on Dancing with the Stars, in no particular order (except alphabetical):
Brian Block@blockrealestate – Brian’s a RE/MAX Broker and co-author of Profit from Technology (one of the sponsors of REBCDC).You may’ve seen him as the Desperate REALTOR on YouTube (Nearly 15,000 people have!) or on the Neil Cavuto Show on Fox News.He’s been to several REBarCamps including the first one ever in San Francisco 2008. Most recently he taught Real Estate Blogging to a standing room only crowd at NVAR’s Convention.
Bobby Carroll@rewebcoach – Bobby and his son Brad run Dakno, a premier provider of websites and blogs to the real estate industry.He’s a veteran BarCamper having lost track of the number that he’s attended.He’s always quick with helpful advice, enjoys livestreaming the conferences and hails from Raleigh, NC.Bobby is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.
Jim Duncan @jimduncan – Jim’s a longtime real estate blogger who has been blogging before most people could spell blog.He’s a partner in Nest Realty, which this year was named the Inman Innovative Brokerage of the Year.Jim joins us from Charlottesville.
Heather Elias@hthrflynn – Heather is the Queen of the BarCamp.If you’ve read about a real estate event, chances are Heather attended or spoke there.Her blog LocoMusings was recently cited by Forbes as an example of an excellent hyper-local blog.Heather teaches a very popular Facebook webinar, is the mother of 4, and still finds time to actively sell real estate in Loudoun County. She’s also last year’s Virginia VARBuzz Blog Brawl Winner.Yeah Heather!
Pamela Ermen – Real estate instructor extraordinaire – that’s the best way to describe Pam.She got her real estate license at age 18 and by age 24 she was a full-time managing broker!She teaches REALTORS how to build successful teams and was selected as the 2006 Virginia Real Estate Educator of the Year.She joins us from Virginia Beach.
Allen Hainge – If you’ve been around real estate for any length of time, you’ve heard of Allen Hainge and his CyberStars.We’re lucky to have Allen, one of the country’s top real estate trainers, right here in Reston.Talk to Allen… you’ll learn something. Guaranteed.
Ray Hwang@VideosByAddress – Ray is a real estate video evangelist.Not those flying picture vids, but real videos.In fact, Videos by Address, a sponsor of REBCDC, is the only video company approved by MRIS, and just recently got approved for use on REALTOR.com.Look for Ray behind the video camera.He can get you on YouTube in no time.
Bill Lublin@billlublin – Successful REALTOR.Uber-smart guy.NAR bigwig.Says it like it is, Philadelphia-style, that’s Bill Lublin.CEO of Century 21 Advantage Gold and an active blogger in many places including AgentGenius, Bill is also the founder of the Social Media Marketing Institute.If you want to challenge yourself and learn from experience, spend some time hangin’ with Bill.
Ben Martin@bkmcae – Virginia is for Bloggers!Learn from Ben Martin who’s helping Virginia and the Virginia Association of REALTORS pave the way for social media in real estate.Ben’s the VP of Marketing and Communications for VAR and the brains and behind the VARBuzz blog.He regularly speaks to REALTOR groups and other associations.He also does a mean Axl Rose impersonation but only breaks it out once in a while.
Matthew Rathbun@mattrathbun-- This guy’s a regular genius, an Agent Genius, that is.Matt has just about every real estate designation under the sun!He was also selected as Virginia’s Real Estate Educator of the Year in 2007.He’s a full-time real estate educator and Director of Education for the Fredericksburg Association of REALTORS.Matt writes his own blog at TheAgentTrainer.com
Margaret Rome – Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome!She’s been using that slogan for years but that’s not the only reason why she’s one of the top real estate professionals in Baltimore, MD.She recently published Real Estate the Rome Way.Let’s just put it this way, Margaret knows her way around real estate.
Daniel Rothamel@RealEstateZebra – He’ll likely be wearing his trademark funky blogging jacket.Daniel is the Inman News Community Manager.He combines his passions for basketball refereeing, selling real estate, and discovering new technologies on his blog, The Real Estate Zebra.Him and his wife Kari are about to have their own Little Zebra.Daniel travels the country speaking on real estate and technology topics.
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Welcome to the 1st ANNUAL BLOCK REAL ESTATE GROUP HALLOWEEN HOME DECORATING CONTEST!
Are you decorating your home for Halloween?
Some people go all out for Halloween. Do you remember growing up that there was always at least one home on the block that was really decked out for Halloween?
Let's see your pictures. Whether it's your house or another in your neighborhood.
Everybody wants it. Whether a score on a test, an enthusiastic thumbs up or pat on the back, or just a simple acknowledgement, it's human nature to want feedback.
Hence, the question "How was it for you?" Sometimes if you need to ask that question, it's not really worth asking because you may not like the response.
When it comes to the practice of real estate, listing agents promise their clients that they're going to get feedback from the other agents who visit their home. After a rush of weekend showings, listing agents hit the phones calling up the hordes of agents who brought clients through the door on Saturday and Sunday.
There's just one problem. After driving all around town with their buyers, agents' minds often turn to mush. The homes blend together, particularly when they are all 4-5 bedroom colonials in the same price range. When they get the call on Monday or Tuesday after a busy weekend of viewing 8-10 homes, most of these buyer agents can't give intelligible feedback. Certainly not when put on the spot by the listing agent who invariably says "but you must remember our home -- the one with the fireplace and the wood floors."
One step above is the e-mail feedback software that's available. At least that allows agents to respond on their own time, their own schedule and usually includes reminder photos of the home.
I've been on both sides of the table and I've learned one thing: If buyers are interested in the listed home, the buyer's agent will call the listing agent. It happens every time.
In other words, don't call me - I'll call you.
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Today is Monday. Monday in McLean. That's got a nice ring to it!
To celebrate, I looked at some of the real estate data in McLean, Virginia.
Specifically, I was interested today in homes that have been on the market for a long time. A very long time. 365 days or more. If you've ever sold a home before, you know that 5 weeks can seem like a long time, especially with trying to keep the place clean, constantly preparing for showings, leaving the home when buyers come around in the evenings and on the weekends.
Now imagine a full year, or two, or yikes -- 3 full years on the market, as one home in McLean (8521 Georgetown Pike) remains.
Of the 332 McLean homes on the market, 56 of them have been on the market for a total of 365 days or more. Let's look at some statistics about these homes, their prices, their price reductions, and then compare the data with the McLean homes that have been actively listed for less than one year.
McLean Homes on the Market One Year or More:
56 homes
Average days on market - 654
Average current listing price - $2,990,167
Average original listing price - $3,359,169
Current listing price as percentage of original listing price - 90.88%
Average price reduction - $369,002
McLean Homes on the Market Less than One Year:
276 homes
Average days on market - 124
Average current listing price - $1,635,731
Average original listing price - $1,690,504
Current listing price as percentage of original listing price - 96.76%
Average price reduction - $54,773
Overall analysis: It's not rocket science. The statistics prove what common sense dictates. The more expensive homes in McLean Virginia are staying on the market longer. The longer the time on the market, the larger the price reductions. If you're in the market for a McLean home, you can likely get a pretty good deal with a home that's been listed for a while.
Yes, the majority of homes on the market over one year are in the upper price ranges, but there are a few lower priced ones too.
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This Thursday, I'm going to an all-day conference focused entirely on Twitter.
Are you serious? That's what a bunch of people have asked me.
So, if you follow along (on Twitter, where else?), you'll know what 100s of people are having for lunch that day.
All kidding aside, I'm attending TWTRCON DC 09. What to know what this is all about? Here's a description from the conference website:
Join the Real-Time Revolution
Twitter is transforming business, government and the non-profit world. At TWTRCON DC 09, a one-day conference focused entirely on the business use of Twitter, you’ll see case studies and learn best practices from leading organizations that are using the real-time web to deliver measurable results.
Learn how to use Twitter to listen and respond to customers and stakeholders
Find out how micro-blogging can influence opinions, increase organizational collaboration and create new business opportunities
Network and share ideas with leading business, marketing, media, PR and government executives, key Twitter developers and social media experts
Here's a partial screenshot from the TWTRCON website:
I'm excited to learn how people in all different industries are using Twitter and am sure to learn things applicable to my chosen field of real estate. This conference is being held at the Grand Hyatt in D.C. and the featured speakers list includes people from a Who's Who of corporate America including the following companies and government agencies: The NHL, Craigslist, Pepsi, Dunkin Donuts, The Wall Street Journal, Intuit, USA Today, Sodexo USA, FDA, Washington Post, AOL, Sprint Nextel, The Air Force.
The sessions include such topics as: Twitter for Business 101, Real Time Brands, The Brandividual, The Real Time Organization, Twitter and Recruiting, Twitter and Advertising, Real Time Response, Geo-Location and Mobility, The New Rules for Real Time Business.
Plenty of people are paying $595 to attend this conference. I luckily got a huge discount by applying through the standby program.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Home Depot: The Home Depot is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 between November 6 and November 12, 2008, at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center locations.
OCTOBER'S MOST EXPENSIVE SALES
Most of all, it's time to trek around the neighborhood Trick-or-Treating. 
When it comes to the practice of real estate, listing agents promise their clients that they're going to get feedback from the other agents who visit their home. After a rush of weekend showings, listing agents hit the phones calling up the hordes of agents who brought clients through the door on Saturday and Sunday.
Posted by 
Specifically, I was interested today in homes that have been on the market for a long time. A very long time. 365 days or more. If you've ever sold a home before, you know that 5 weeks can seem like a long time, especially with trying to keep the place clean, constantly preparing for showings, leaving the home when buyers come around in the evenings and on the weekends.
;)
;)
