Real estate blog entries tagged with brian block by Brian Block, Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance, Managing Broker/Branch Vice President)

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brian block: Don't Kick Yourself in 2 or 3 Years - 03/15/09 07:44 AM

If you're thinking about purchasing a home, you may wish that you had a crystal ball. You want to know when the market will reach a bottom. When will it start going back up again? What happened to the value appreciation that the real estate market experienced from 2000-2005? Is now a good time to buy a home?
Sure, it may have been a good move to purchase a home before the boom. But you didn't. Are you kicking yourself now?
Today's real estate market offers lowered prices and extremely low -- record low -- interest rates. While the answer to … (8 comments)

brian block: Let's Work Together to Help Millions of Kids - 03/14/09 03:21 AM

There are so many wonderful charities that do great work to help those that are not blessed with all of the advantages of life that you and I enjoy. Whether you decide to donate time and money, they are a multitude of organizations that can use your help. The needs of charity are even greater today during a tough economic time when many more people have less and less to give.
I'm a big proponent of charity. You can read more about my charitable efforts here: Giving Back to the Community -- More Than Just Money. Recently our real estate brokerage, … (7 comments)

brian block: Maxim: Babes, Beers & Now Brian - 03/02/09 05:33 AM

Maxim Magazine: That celebrated men's magazine known for its scholarly articles on babes, beer, and bands.
Now it features Brian. No, they didn't call me to display my fantastic six-pack abs. Rather, they wanted my real estate expertise. With a twist.
As REALTORS, we're used to providing a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to determine the appropriate selling price for a client's home. Maxim Magazine thought it would be interesting to have a real estate professional opine on the values of real estate... in video games.
I painstakingly analyzed the pros, cons, and selling points of about a dozen video game castles … (13 comments)

brian block: Anyone for Poker? Meet Me in Vegas - 02/25/09 11:32 AM

Vegas Baby Vegas!
Unlike some of those bank executives who accepted TARP money and cancelled their trips to Las Vegas, I'm heading out there this Sunday for a week. No bailout money for me. Fortunately with three closings this week, I'll have a few bucks to wager at the tables.
What's happening in Las Vegas, you ask?
The RE/MAX International Convention is being held at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino from Monday March 2nd through Thursday March 5th. I'll be in town from this Sunday through next Saturday.
I'd love to meet any Active Rain members attending the RE/MAX conference, … (18 comments)

brian block: Won't You Be My Neighbor? Homes for Sale Near The White House - 02/18/09 05:40 AM

Do you want to live near The White House?
Imagine the President's motorcade being an everyday occurrence. Catch glimpses of the Marine One helicopters as they take up from The White House lawn. If you're a political junkie, a Barack Obama White House aide, or just want to be in the center of all the action, here's some news for you.

As of today, there are 60 homes in Washington D.C. on the market for sale within a 3/4 mile radius of The White House, priced from $134,900 to $1.15 million. The average price to … (9 comments)

brian block: Has Your House Lost Almost 42% of Its Value in 9 Months? - 02/17/09 10:21 PM

Unless they just discovered toxic radioactive waste underneath your front porch, you're likely to answer this question in the negative.
How about the stock market?
Well, 9 months is enough time to have a baby. In the last 9 months, this baby has gone down a whopping 41.8%. Since reaching 12,968.79 on May 16th, the Dow has plunged to 7,552.60 as of the closing bell yesterday!

Since October 1st, the Dow is down over 30%, and in the last 46 days alone, the DJIA has lost over 16% of its value.
Your home value may have decreased over the past … (10 comments)

brian block: Read 'Em Their Rights -- Miranda Rights for Home Sellers - 02/03/09 10:58 AM

As anyone who watches Law & Order, CSI, or any other television show or movie featuring policemen, knows, criminals are entitled to be read their Miranda rights before being carted off to jail. Having studied this in my criminal law class back in law school, I know that this stems from a 1966 U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Miranda v. Arizona (does your REALTOR or even your attorney know this?)
After reading Poinciana Florida real estate broker extraordinaire, Bryant Tutas' post, Desperation Creates Depreciation!!!, which details what can happen when a hapless or naive home seller follows buyers and their agents … (25 comments)

brian block: January's Most Expensive Sales - 02/03/09 09:37 AM

Are you wondering about Northern Virginia real estate and pondering what has sold recently?
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 January 2009. All information was obtained through MRIS.
Overall, there were 23 sales topping $1 million during the month of January 2009. This is less than 1/2 the number that sold in December 2008, indicating that the current state of the economy, and uncertainties about layoffs and other economic issues is definitely starting to impact the luxury market in the D.C. metropolitan … (2 comments)

brian block: A Genius? Who, Me? Aw, Shucks... - 01/30/09 11:49 AM

"There's a fine line between eccentrics and geniuses. If you're a little ahead of your time, you're an eccentric, and if you're too late, you're a failure, but if you hit it right on the head, you're a genius"
-- Thomas J. Watson, Jr., former CEO of IBM
"The function of genius is not to give new answers, but to pose new questions which time and mediocrity can resolve"
-- H.R. Trevor-Roper, British historian

While I did score 780 on my math SAT back in high school, graduated 5th in my high school class, graduated from an Ivy League University, … (10 comments)

brian block: Sex Sells in Old Town Alexandria - 01/09/09 04:19 AM

Everyone knows that Sex Sells!
Old Town Alexandria:
Known for historic homes, cobblestone streets, the Potomac River, vibrant tourism, and a busy real estate market Old Town Alexandria just got a whole lot sexier!

Last year, I reported that Alexandria was selected as the "Most Romantic City in the U.S.A." -- read Proud to Be the Most Romantic City in the U.S.A.

What better way to live up to that reputation than the opening of a brand new sex store in the center of
Old Town Alexandria!

According to ABC7 News, … (9 comments)

brian block: Inauguration Mess -- I'm Skipping Town! - 01/08/09 12:09 AM

Inauguration Week is less than 2 weeks away. For people who supported Barack Obama, January 20th will bring exhiliration, excitement and optimism. For those who voted for McCain/Palin, this month's Inauguration will likely bring about different feelings.

For anyone who lives in the D.C. area, one thing is for certain, Inauguration Week will bring frustration, confusion, and traffic jams!

Top and center, today's Washington Times reported that for security measures, the Secret Service made the unprecedented announcement that they will shut down all bridges crossing from Virginia into the District of Columbia and establish a "security perimeter that closes … (15 comments)

brian block: December's Most Expensive Sales - 01/01/09 02:07 AM

Are you wondering about Northern Virginia real estate and pondering what has sold recently?
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 December 2008. All information was obtained through MRIS.
Overall, there were 50 sales topping $1 million during the month of December 2008. Despite the economy, there are still people in the D.C. metropolitan area with money to purchase their dream homes.
DECEMBER'S MOST EXPENSIVE SALES
Single Family Detached Homes:
10015 High Hill Place, Great Falls, VA 22066 -- Sold on December 2nd … (6 comments)

brian block: BECOME A HOME INSPECTOR FOR JUST $49! WHAT? - 12/27/08 12:02 AM

The highlighted message screamed out to me today from the classified ad section in the back of Popular Mechanics. My wife purchased this subscription for me in an attempt to raise my home handiness quotient. You see, except for the simple lightbulb change, most repairs around the house require a call to our trusted handyman.
Among the ads for various do-it-yourself projects, machine tools, and business opportunities, was this beauty:
BECOME A HOME INSPECTORFOR JUST $49! FREE INFORMATIONCALL 24HRS
I don't know about you, but I don't want a $49 home inspector scrutinizing the biggest investment of my life. Will that … (19 comments)

brian block: Alexandria Virginia Real Estate Market Snapshot Mid-December 2008 - 12/19/08 08:00 AM

Before you head off for a weekend of holiday shopping or traveling, here's a snapshot of real estate sales in Alexandria, Virginia for the last 30 days.
Alexandria, Virginia Home Sales:
Active homes for sale: 617 (includes 129 new listings in the last 30 days) Homes sold in last 30 days: 112 Average Sales Price: $444,907 Median Sales Price: $409,910 Average Days on Market: 67 Average Sales Price/List Price: 94.6% Search Homes for Sale in Alexandria

Contact Brian Block, REALTOR/Attorney, RE/MAX Allegiance: Licensed in Virginia & Washington D.C. Cell: 703-626-0715. Specializing in helping buyers and sellers in Alexandria, … (2 comments)

brian block: Boy Have Times Changed! - 12/17/08 09:53 AM

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes(turn and face the strain)
-- David Bowie
There's no doubt in anyone's mind that the real estate market has changed. It's different today than it was 6 months ago. It's different from a year ago. And, oh boy, the real estate market is really different from several years ago.
As a real estate broker, a large part of my job is informing people about the realities of the real estate market. It is always up to the client to determine how much they want to offer for a property or whether they wish to have a home contingency inspection. My … (2 comments)

brian block: A Potential Bright Spot for Sellers in Northern Virginia - 12/15/08 05:46 AM

If you are trying to sell your home in Northern Virginia or planning to do so, it may seem like the perfect storm has formed to prevent you from doing so. Between the bailouts, the sour economic news, the media hype, and the foreclosures down the street pushing your price down, you may be wondering if your home will ever sell.

Then someone like me comes along and publishes a post entitled Sellers Don't Despair... June is Just 6 Months Away. Note to Buyers: Buy Now! That's like breaking open your Chinese fortune cookie in mid-winter only to … (5 comments)

brian block: The Tale of a Near Death Accident, a Bank Robbery, a Washing Machine & the Completed Short Sale - 12/11/08 12:59 AM

Reality really is much stranger than fiction!
In a well-worn cliche, that summarizes my clients' day yesterday.
All they wanted to do was buy their first home together. They got married this past summer and we excitedly searched for their marital abode. In the lovely community of Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, we found it. A great end unit townhouse at a great price. Just one problem...
It was a SHORT SALE. (Cue scary music -- Dun. Dun. Dah.)
I warn all of my buyer clients about the perils of getting engaged in the short sale purchase process. Between the delays, the … (20 comments)

brian block: Meet McLean, Virginia: The Fourth Most Affluent Community in the U.S. - 12/09/08 12:28 AM

According to Forbes, McLean, Virginia ranks as the fourth most affluent community in the United States based on a median household income of $156,292. The Forbes website states that "[t]his Washington, D.C., suburb is favored by government insiders because of its upscale homes and easy access to the Dulles Technology Corridor, the Blue Ridge Mountains and upscale shopping mecca Tysons Corner Center."

In garnering the fourth spot on this list, McLean was bested only by Los Altos CA, Darien CT, and Southlake TX.

Being an affluent community translates directly into expensive housing prices.

McLean truly is … (1 comments)

brian block: D.C. Area Homeowners: Ready to Relocate to Warmer Climates? - 12/07/08 02:11 AM

While I love Northern Virginia and the D.C. area and spend a good amount of my time encouraging people to move, settle in, and purchase a home in this great region, sometimes people do decide to leave. In many cases when someone departs the Washington D.C. area, it is for a warmer climate.
As the winter quickly approaches, I thought it appropriate to repost this introduction (originally written one year ago) to five lovely ladies who can assist you with all your real estate relocation needs and have your thoughts of snow and chilling weather become distant memories.
Yes, Virginia -- … (7 comments)

brian block: November's Most Expensive Sales - 12/03/08 05:14 AM

Are you wondering about Northern Virginia real estate and pondering what has sold recently?
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 November 2008. All information was obtained through MRIS.
SPECIAL ALERT: This month, I am proud that one of my sales made it to the list -- the second most expensive townhouse sold in Northern Virginia in November!
Overall, there were 42 sales topping $1 million during the month of November 2008. Despite the financial crisis, there are still people in the D.C. … (5 comments)

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