22304: Seminary Valley in Alexandria VA ~ 2013 Real Estate Market Review - 02/24/14 05:54 AM
2013 Market Report for
Seminary Valley in Alexandria, VA
2013 will be remembered as a good year for homes in Seminary Valley real estate in Alexandria, VA.  The number of homes sold and average sales price increased, while both days on market and seller subsidy fell.
 
Seminary Valley, which is also called Brookville, is located just east of I-395 in Alexandria City and is mainly comprised of single family homes in cape cod, rambler, and split level varieties. 
If you are considering selling your Seminary Valley home, please contact me to get the latest information on real estate happenings … (8 comments)

22304: Snow Day in Northern Virginia - 12/08/13 06:28 AM
The first measurable snow of the year fell in Alexandria, VA today... with about an inch combined snow and sleet turning everything slick & slippery.  What to do on a day like today... build a snowman of course!
                                 
It took more work than you think; with just about an inch on the ground there is a lot of rolling to do.  Ultimately, we used a few other creative ways to bulk up Mr. Freezy (all natural of course!) and if we get the freezing rain that is … (5 comments)

22304: Polk Elementary “Back to School Picnic” in Seminary Valley, Alexandria - 09/06/13 05:32 AM
TGIF!!!
At times it may not have seemed likely… but the students & teachers of James Polk Elementary School in Seminary Valley of Alexandria made it through the first week of school (we’ll talk about the parents later!) and to celebrate there is a picnic this evening on the playground!  It is an opportunity for parents to connect with the parent’s of their child’s new BFF and meet the Polk PTA that works with the teachers and administration so hard to enrich the education of the students.
It’s funny how the two groups of parent’s dealt with this first week of … (6 comments)

22304: First Day of School for the Class of 2026 in Alexandria, VA - 09/03/13 02:13 AM
First Day of School for Alexandria, VA Public Schools
This morning was a beautiful, as the class of 2026 made its way to the bus stop for the very first time.  The list of supplies had been purchased, the clothing had been laid out the night before, and a last minute debate over what to pack for lunch as preceded the 1 minute walk to the bus stop at the corner.  There was already a small crowd waiting as we arrived, so there was extra time for the kids to tell each other what teacher they had and while the parents … (5 comments)

22304: It’s all about Inventory… or Actually the Lack Thereof - 02/23/12 04:04 AM
 
Here in the close-in Northern Virginia market, (which is composed of Fairfax & Arlington Counties and Alexandria, Fairfax & Falls Church Cities), the lack of quality inventory is THE story now.  This is particularly true in the $500K-$300K and <$300K price ranges, where available inventory is down (19%) & (37%) respectively, but new contracts for January came in at 1% & (12%) respectively.  The drop in contract activity is believed to be related to the lack of desirable listings at this point, as opposed to a reduction in the desire to buy.  Open house attendance for the Arlington office of … (19 comments)

22304: Thoughtful Thursday - 02/16/12 04:49 AM
I had previously written about an EMT of the Alexandria Fire Department that died last week in the line of duty, Tribute to Fallen EMT at Fire Station 206 in Alexandria.   His memorial service starts in about 15 minutes and a huge turnout is expected.  We live just around from Station 206 where Joshua was stationed and I took a short walk to do some thinking at lunch.   
Those attending the service and coming from I-395 onto Seminary Road Eastbound will be greeted by this sight.
 

 
That flag hanging from the tower trucks in a light rain, reminds me … (2 comments)

22304: Traffic Alert ~ Funeral Service for Joshua Weissman EMT ~ Seminary Hill Area - 02/15/12 09:36 AM
Tomorrow the City of Alexandria and family, as well as firefighters from around the country, will says good bye to Joshua Weissman.  Joshua is the EMT that perished in the line of duty last week Tribute to Fallen EMT at Fire Station 206 in Alexandria while responding to an emergency call on I-395 and fell from the highway into Four Mile Run. 
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The memorial service is scheduled to begin at 1pm and will be held at Beth El Hebrew Congregation at 3830 Seminary Road, but with 200 fire vehicles expected for the procession and potentially over a thousand attendees, the out … (0 comments)

22304: Tribute to Fallen EMT at Fire Station 206 in Alexandria - 02/10/12 10:32 AM
              
This is the scene at Fire Station 206 at the intersection of Seminary Road & N Pickett St in the City of Alexandria, which is located just around the corner from our home.  The ambulance draped in black, along with flowers and a photo are all in tribute to Paramedic Joshua Weissman, who passed away on Thursday after suffering injuries in the line of duty the previous evening.
                 
According to the Fire Department and numerous news sources, Weissman's EMT unit was responding to a car fire in the HOV lane near the intersection of I-395 and Glebe Road around 6:30 pm … (10 comments)

22304: Thanks for Holding Open Houses on Sunday ~ They Are Effective! - 02/07/12 09:33 AM
There have been quite a few posts in the couple of weeks regarding the efficacy of doing an open house, if you do one at all, that really brought a lot of comments. I'll get to that later, but most of all I want to say THANK YOU to the several agents in the Alexandria & Arlington real estate market that held open their listings on Super Bowl Sunday and helped me help all my buyer clients at once.
Let me set the stage for my thank you....
I am currently working with several buyers and like most well qualified buyers … (5 comments)

22304: 2011 Brookville / Seminary Valley, Alexandria Market Report - 01/16/12 04:32 AM
Seminary Valley had a very good year for real estate sales with 22 homes reaching settlement, especially when compared to the 5 year average of 17.6 home sales per year. This is the highest number of sales in the past five years, driven by an increase in affordability and interest rates at or near historical lows. More importantly, average net sales prices have held very stable since the low reached in 2009.  The general trend of purchasing homes in close-in locations versus larger & newer homes in the ex-burbs that we’ve seen over the past 3-4 years appears to be getting … (0 comments)

22304: Restaurant Week in Alexandria, VA ~ January 13-22, 2012 - 01/15/12 10:52 AM
Alexandria City is in the midst of Restaurant Week, which continues until January 22nd.  This gastronomical event has something for everyone and is the perfect excuse to get out of the house for dinner to try a new eatery.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Participating restaurants are offering either a $35 fixed price 3 course meal or a $35 meal for two.  You can use the link below to see which places are participating, whether they are offering the 3 course $35 meal or the $35 dinner for two, and the menu each has created for … (2 comments)

22304: The Fickle Northern Virginia Weather - 01/09/12 01:22 PM
Things have been on the wild side with very fickle weather here in Northern Virginia, leading to a huge swing within less than 24 hours.  We went from the warm & coatless weather with ice cream cones of yesterday ...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to snow angels, snowmen, hot cocoa & mittens in less than 24 hours!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
One thing that shouldn't be fickle is your representation in a real estate transaction.  For consistently professional & great service on … (2 comments)

22304: The Secluded & Secure Plaza in Alexandria - 08/18/08 11:35 AM
The Plaza in Alexandria is a refuge from the daily grind, with a secluded 2-acre, professionally landscaped interior courtyard to relax in.  Sitting on N. Howard Street between Duke St and Seminary Road, this fantastic community flies under the radar of most agents here in Northern VA, though it shouldn't be!
 
Built as a quadrangle with a fully enclosed courtyard that hosts the outdoor pool, gym, his & her sauna/locker rooms, community room, and walking path, this community provides the best value proposition in the area.  For those that commute on the Metro-rail, the Metro bus stops directly in front of the building and wisks … (0 comments)