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northern virginia: "Snap, Crackle, Pop!" - Great For Selling Cereal. How About For Selling A House With Pergo Floors?! - 11/17/10 10:24 AM
"Snap, Crackle, Pop!" - Great For Selling Cereal. How About For Selling A House With Pergo Floors?!
I recently accepted an appraisal assignment up in the mountains. The house was new, but like many in the market area had recently been foreclosed upon. I didn't think very much about the noise I was making when I first entered it. Vacant houses tend to be noisy anyway. Rather, I was thinking about how cold it was and how it was going to get dark pretty soon.
I proceeded to inspect the house. I took notes and measurements. While walking around, though, I … (23 comments)
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northern virginia: The Canon Power Shot SD1400 IS - 06/28/10 09:17 PM
Picked up a new toy last weekend but have been too busy to test it out. It's a camera that fits in your front pocket. Wait a sec ... it's a camera that fits in the teeny change portion of your front pocket. It's small! Think James Bond...
Well, I tested it out today. Here are the results ... head to head vs. my 5D:
Power Shot 1:
5D 1:
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Power Shot 2:
5D 2:
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Power Shot 3:
5D 3:
Conclusion:
In the first set of shots, the photos … (5 comments)
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northern virginia: Barcroft - A Neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia - 06/24/10 10:40 PM
Barcroft, named after the same famous Civil War doctor who founded Lake Barcroft in Falls Church, is a small community of older, detached houses in South Arlington. Near Alcova Heights, Columbia Forest, and Forest Glen, Barcroft is convenient to Washington, DC, via Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard). The historic Barcroft Community House, built in 1908, serves as a meeting place for its residents.
Barcroft is bounded on the north by Arlington Boulevard, the east by George Mason Drive, the south by Columbia Pike, and the west by the Four Mile Run River.
… (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Rambler vs. Split-Foyer vs. Bungalow vs. Bi-Level vs. Raised Rambler: All of These Are Architectural Styles That Really Mean “Two Levels” - 06/24/10 10:01 PM
OK, this is really not that information to cover, but at first glance it seems a bit confusing. Real estate agents and appraisers, alike, blow these definitions all the time. And homeowners scream that hey, their particular style is better because of X, Y, and Z.
Well, I'm here to set the record straight. And somewhere in this office is an amazing reference on different architectural styles, but I cannot find it—and I don't feel like waiting any longer to write this, so bear with me as I solo this discussion as best I am able...
The “Rambler:”
This is … (7 comments)
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northern virginia: Great Falls - A Neighborhood in Fairfax, Virginia - 06/06/10 12:49 PM
Great Falls - A Neighborhood in Fairfax, VA
At the northwestern-most section of Fairfax County, Great Falls offers opportunities to explore both nature and history. Vast tracts of undeveloped or protected land, combined with the relatively large sizes of residential lots, make for its sparse population. Residents prefer this part of Northern Virginia for its excellent public school system. Great Falls is secluded yet convenient to Washington, DC.
Great Falls is bounded on the north and east by the Potomac River, the south by Route 7, and the west by the Herndon County line.
… (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Square Footage Comes to the MRIS ... FINALLY! - 05/25/10 09:49 AM
A couple of weeks ago I was looking at some comps in the local MLS (MRIS) and was surprised shocked to notice a new column item: Living Area.
Ever fearful of lawsuits, the MRIS is careful to lable it "Tax Living Area," so as to point the finger in case of any problems: "Hey, it wasn't me! It was those tax people..."
Nonetheless, I am happy to see this feature. I can't even imagine how agents did business before. It was such a pain to select the listings and then the tax button (and not always being able to return in … (2 comments)
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northern virginia: Brightwood - Madison County, VA - 05/15/10 11:15 AM
Brightwood is an unincorporated city in Madison County. Route 29 is the major highway leading northeast to Culpeper and Northern Virginia, and southwest to Charlottesville.There are some restaurants, lodging facilities, and industrial and farm businesses along Route 29, and single-family housing is common in neighborhoods north and south of it, but most of Brightwood, and indeed Madison, remains undeveloped.Local wine vinyards, such as Prince Michael, offer tourists some activities.Brightwood is bounded more or less on the north by Route 640, the east by Shady Lane, the south by Route 630, and the west by the Robinson River.
… (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Madison County, Virginia - 05/08/10 10:33 AM
Madison County, Virginia
I would be interested to hear from agents who live or work in Madison, VA. Madison is the area just beyond Culpeper, which is already thought to be "far out" by us city folk in the DC/Metro area. Madison (and Culpeper) by the way are quite beautiful. Vast, green expanses still untouched by development offer a nice escape for those in search of hiking, horse racing and polo, fishing, or my favorite recent past time: touring vinyards.
Yes, I used to be more of snob when it came to wine, preferring California, but Virginia seems to have gotten … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Dominion Station - A Neighborhood in Loudoun County, Virginia - 04/28/10 03:28 PM
Dominion Station - A Neighborhood in Loudoun County, Virginia
Dominion Station is a cluster of townhomes just off the Cascades Parkway in Sterling. Homes are newer and well built, and the streets proudly carry the names of train themes, Like Box Car Square or Caboose Terrace. The neighborhood is close to Claude Moore Park which offers hiking trails and fishing, and it is a short drive to Dulles Airport and historic Leesburg.
Dominion Station is bounded on the north by Nokes Boulevard, on the east by Claude Moore Park, on the south by Sterling Road, and on the west by Sully … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Sterling Park - A Neighborhood in Loudoun County, Virginia - 04/27/10 09:15 AM
Sterling Park - A Neighborhood in Loudoun County, Virginia
As an appraiser (providing residential appraisals in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC), I get to see a lot of different places. When I have time, I report on them:
Sterling Park is a community of older, two-level homes, existing in the forms mostly of split-foyer and bi-level styles, that have the unique feature of being attached to their immediate neighbors. That is, the city of Sterling labels them "duplexes."
The term "duplex" can mean a couple of things, including apartments that are on top of each other. And "semi-detached," is misleading as … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Springfield, Virginia - 04/24/10 04:52 PM
Springfield, Virginia
A real estate appraiser in Northern Virginia likes to hear that he's just received an appraisal order in Springfield. Springfield, maybe just behind Annandale, is among the most central of Northern Virginia locations. And now that they have FINALLY cleaned up the "mixing bowl" that is I-95 meets I-495 meets I-395 meets Franconia Rd meets the Springfield Mall, etc., etc., a great big party of intersections going on .... finally all cleaned up, Springfield is fun to see again.
Back in the 80s and 90s while at George Mason University, I avoided anything to do with Springfield. I remember … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Lake Barcroft (more) - 04/22/10 03:51 PM
Lake Barcroft - Falls Church - Northern Virginia
I found myself back in Lake Barcroft again this afternoon inspecting a modest, one-story rambler. Still, it had a funky, "contemporary" design with a split thrown in (extra sunken living room, maybe?) for good measure.
If you can't take "the city" (Washington, DC), and you can't handle Maryland (traffic police alone might be a deal killer for that state), and you are all finished with the hoopla of Arlington and Old Town, then Lake Barcroft is the place for you. Beautiful, hidden, serene, Lake Barcroft offers an escape within a half dozen … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Hume Springs - A Neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia - 04/22/10 07:03 AM
Hume Springs - A Neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia
Just beyond the northern edge of trendy Del Ray, Hume Springs is a pocket of older townhomes, all of them two-level-(no-basement)-styles, built in the 40s. Hume Springs used to have flooding issues back in the 1950s, as did many neighborhoods in Alexandria City and nearby South Arlington and Falls Church, but the completion of the Arlington Water Plan, a water treatment plant that also deals with storm water, has eliminated those problems. The neighborhood is in a stage of transition, and houses there have seen much recently in the way of improvements.
… (1 comments)
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northern virginia: Rolling Valley - A Neighborhood in Springfield, Virginia - 04/21/10 10:29 AM
Rolling Valley - A Neighborhood in Springfield, Virginia
Rolling Valley and its broader market area consist of older homes built from the late 1960s into the early 1980s. Typically, larger plots of land hold relatively smaller homes by today's construction standards. Split-level and rambler-style housing make up the majority of the houses in the area. Businesses and government offices are spliced throughout the area. Interstate 95 leads a short distance north to Washington DC.Rolling Valley is bounded on the north by Old Keene Mill Road, on the east by Rolling Road, on the south by the Fairfax County Parkway, and on … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Marumsco Woods - 04/12/10 08:44 PM
Marumsco Woods
A neighborhood of inexpensive rambler-style houses built in the 60s that sit on streets named after states, Marumsco Woods has a couple of marinas which provide access to the occoquan Bay.
Ikea by nespyxel of flickr.com
Marumsco Woods is roughly bounded on the north by Featherstone Road, the east by the Potomac River, the south by Rippon Boulevard, and the west by Route 1. it is a short distance to Potomac Mills Mall and Interstate 95.
"Into the Mist" by Hungry Hungry on flickr.com
Amtrack Regional Railway crossing the Potomac from Quantico Marine Base Corps Base. It's … (2 comments)
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northern virginia: Accessing Plats (Parcel Maps) in Northern Virginia & Washington, DC - 02/03/10 02:47 PM
If you need an appraisal in Washington, DC or Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, etc.), please head over to www.appraisalsguaranteed.com and order one from a certified residential appraiser.
With regard to parcel maps...
Often in residential appraisal reports the appraiser directs someone to the plat but then never supplies it. Or the appraiser describes the lot's shape as "irregular," when really it is rectangular, etc.
And, of course, many owners do not know where their plats are, or possibly they never even received them; so relying on the owner to supply a plat seldom works.
For a while now, parcel information … (0 comments)
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northern virginia: Appraisals Guaranteed -- Virginia Counties Covered - 04/16/09 10:38 PM
I run Appraisals Guaranteed, a real estate appraisal firm in Northern Virginia. Often I'm asked what is the coverage area. I'm posting the list here. Contact me at rickphillipsjr [at] gmail [dot] com or head over to www.appraisalsguaranteed.com
I'm based out of Alexandria, Virginia (Fairfax County); so, obviously, I hold more expertise there. On the flip side, I believe you have to take the far-away orders to justify receiving the close ones.
That, and, well, I enjoy driving out to Madison County every now and again. What it really comes down to is the amount of information I have. … (0 comments)
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Rick Phillips
Arlington,
VA
More about me…
Appraisals Guaranteed
Address: 4201 Wilson Blvd, Suite 110-514, Arlington, VA, 22203
Office Phone: (703) 459-8802
Cell Phone: (703) 459-8802
Email Me
Rick Phillips Jr. is a certified residential appraiser licensed in Virginia and Washington, DC. Living in Fairfax County with a location in Arlington, Rick appraises houses in all of Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Rick writes about real estate appraisals, appraisal issues, seller and buyer issues, local neighborhoods and market areas, real estate agent tips, steps to understanding a home's value, and much more.
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