Driving through the many diverse neighborhoods of Northern Virginia, it is interesting to see all of the different elements of architectural design that come into play. From neighborhood to neighborhood the styles transition in and out of Federal, Georgian, Cape Cod, Craftsman, Bungalow and even multiple styles of condominium.
When you are looking at buying a home, or doing remodeling, it is important to know your own style. What floats your stylistic boat? Are you a fan of the detailed overhangs and exposed trusses of the Craftsman? Are you drawn towards the neo-classical detail on the bricked in Federal with shutters and keystones? How do you even know what you are looking at when you’re meandering through these neighborhoods or clicking through pictures on the web? In Northern Virginia, you will see several architectural styles over and over, and in Arlington VA you will find that the styles get narrowed down quite a bit.

Here is a clear cut snapshot of the most popular architectural styles in Arlington VA to help you through your style identification:

Federal or Adam’s Style: Very low pitched roof line, typical fanlight over entry door, very symmetrically placed shuttered windows around door, can be multiple stories, generally red brick construction, curved architectural details on the inside of the home. It can be easy to confuse Federal and Georgian styles, but remember Georgian homes are more angular on the interior finish outs.

Georgian: Like the Federal style of home, there is a low pitched roof line. Very square and symmetrical homes quite similar in appearance to Federal styles. Shuttered windows frame the entry which will generally have larger paneled shutters framing the door. Rectangular homes, generally wood siding.

Cape Cod: Traditionally steep set roof lines, with centralized fireplaces (moved to one side of the home in the currently built Cape Cods), hardwood floors and sometimes gabled windows, Dormer windows and stabilized shutters adorn these homes. Generally either brick or wood siding, these one or two story homes were popular in the 1700’s in England and made a popular revival in the 1930’s in New England.

Craftsman or Arts and Crafts: Low pitched roof line with many overhangs and often larger covered entry porch with stone or wood support columns. Numerous windows, exposed trusses and wood beams, much architectural detail in artisan crafted wood detailing throughout homes. Exterior can be wood shingled, stone cobbled, or stucco combination. Very popular in the early 1900’s and widely seen as a movement of architecture based on using natural elements and skilled artisan laborers.

Bungalow: Typically, one and a half story homes with partially gabled roof lines, many built in cabinets and often hardwood floors. You will usually find a large covered front porch with very rectangular columns; Bungalow homes may appear very similar to some later Craftsman homes because of porch. These homes were made popular in the early 1900’s as families were moving out of apartments and into single family homes.

No matter what style or styles of architecture sing to you, it helps to know what you are looking at and know if you’d be happy living in a home whose stylized elements help to define you and where you live. If you’re looking for a home in Northern Virginia, check out our customizable search tools or give us a call. Our agents can help you learn about the various types of homes throughout the DC, Virginia and Maryland real estate areas.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 201. See more city of Arlington real estate.
(all data current as of 3/9/2010)

1. 
   115 Kensington St S, Arlington

   $615,000

   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
2. 
   2126 Emerson St N, Arlington

   $385,000

   3 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths
3. 
   3912 Military Rd, Arlington

   $929,000, 1,960 sq ft

   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
4. 
   4113 27th Rd N, Arlington

   $825,000

   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths
5. 
   4114 23rd St N, Arlington

   $659,000, 1,536 sq ft

   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Driving during rush-hour traffic in Northern Virginia is normally not the most exciting part of my day, but recently when I drove past the Bromptons at Cherrydale in Arlington Virginia, it certainly lifted my spirits and put a smile on my face. Rather than seeing the half finished building, which has become an eyesore of this Arlington neighborhood, I was pleasantly surprised to see that work had resumed.  I am sure most of you are familiar with the story behind this Arlington Condo building, but here is a short recap.  The Bromptons is located 3800 Lee Highway in the Cherrydale Neighborhood of Arlington. In 2006, Arlington County inspectors found significant structural violations at The Bromptons at Cherrydale. The County ordered the building be repaired or demolished.

Thankfully the developer decided to make the necessary building code ramifications, which I am personally relieved about as the thought of all the building materials and labor going to waste would have been tragic a grave disservice to the environment . I had the opportunity to speak to Ed Peete (the developer) and he hopes the Bromptons at Cherrydale will be complete by the end of 2010. The building exterior is close to completion and they are scheduled to start work on the interior around April 2010.  Currently Ed Peete’s plan is that the building will serve as Condominium homes, and he will provide me with further information closer to the project finish date, which in turn I will pass on to you.

The completion of the Bromptons at Cherrydale will be exciting news for Arlington Real Estate and  potential Arlington VA Homebuyers; this Arlington Condo building is situated in a great location, close to Clarendon and Courthouse and in a very walkable neighborhood with stores, restaurants, and public transportation on your doorstep.  Stay tuned for updated information on the progress of the Bromptons at Cherrydale, Arlington VA.

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I recently wrote about the resilient real estate market in Arlington Va.  I pointed out that worsening traffic to and from the suburbs is making life closer to DC more appealing.  I should have taken this one step further to explain that home buyers are not just moving to Arlington to avoid traffic they are also moving closer in to take advantage of a walkable life style.  Living in a walkable community allows residents to spend less money on automobile ownership, improve their health, reduce greenhouse gasses and enjoy modern conveniences at their doorstep.  While you’re at it… why not support your local businesses and expose yourself to the possibility of meeting new people?  It’s not a new concept.  In fact it is getting back to the traditional model of communities before people started becoming automobile dependent.

When recently preparing to list a condo in Clarendon for sale, I calculated the WalkScore and was amazed that it came back with a perfect 100 out of 100 “Walkers Paradise”.  We provide the WalkScore for every home we put on the market and I have never seen a perfect score.  The condo is in Station Square located at 1205 N. Garfield St., Arlington VA 22201.  Here is a summary of how WalkScore came to this perfect evaluation:

• Transit – Orange Line MetroRail .07 mi
• Grocery Store - Whole Foods .22 mi
• Restaurant - Restaurant 3 .03 mi
• Coffee Shop – Common Grounds .23 mi
• Bars - Ri Ra .12 mi
• Movie Theater – AMC Courthouse .12 mi
• Schools – Georgetown University .08 mi
• Parks - Quincy Park .73 mi
• Library – Arlington County .17
• Bookstore – Barnes & Noble .15
• Fitness – Potomac Crossfit .1 mi
• Drug Store – CVS .18
• Hardware Store - Virginia Hardware Center .13
• Clothing & Music – Kinder Haus Toys .05 mi

The top 10% of Arlington homes score an average of 96 out of 100.  The overall average for Arlington is 73 out of 100.

Check out how some of the other Arlington Va condos along the Orange Line score.

• The Residences at Liberty Center – 95
• The Continental – 89
• The Hartford – 98
• The Phoenix at Clarendon Metro – 94
• Clarendon 1021 – 98
• The Odyssey – 98
• 1800 Wilson – 89
• Wooster and Mercer Lofts – 89
• Turnberry Towers – 94
• The Waterview – 94
• The Westlee – 58

Because more and more Northern Virginia home buyers are ditching their cars for the convenience of walkable communities, we have added WalkScores to our free Northern VA Home Search tool.  Now you don’t have to flip between your home search and the WalkScore website.  You can see everything on one screen including Google Street View maps.

We have been told by our clients that even when looking for a home in suburban Fairfax County, the WalkScore report is helpful to find shops, schools and resources in the surrounding neighborhoods. Please give it a try and let us know what you think.

Just as the Finns were the first embassy in the US back in 2008 to receive the Energy Star compliance award, they are coming in first again with the unveiling of their sleek yet humble embassy in Washington DC just two weeks ago.  Originally built in 1994, the recent energy improvements have made the building entirely carbon neutral and are a great step in the right direction for embassy row.

The idea of incorporating natural elements into the design resonates with this building that melts away into the Washington dc hillside surrounded by towering trees and landscape. They wanted that feeling to resonate with the people who passed by and through this building. Ambassador to Finland, Pekka Lintu, notes proudly that the Finns support their local neighbors and global community by creating green jobs by utilizing local businesses, including the local LEED consulting firm who designed and implemented LEED certified embassy.

It was not only important to show the community that the embassy could integrate so well with the community by aesthetics, but also that the carbon footprint could be significantly reduced. The embassy’s impact on the environment through electricity consumption was decreased by over 50% and the gas usage by over 65%. Since 2008, the embassy has seen a very notable savings of more than $150,000 in energy consumption! This is incredible.

So,  Embassy Row is doing the ‘green’ thing! With the Finnish Embassy’s commitment to the environment and the community, they have certainly set a high standard for all others looking to prove their loyalty to our environment. The league of green embassies in Europe may also be paving the way; back in January of 2009, 28 embassies around the world dedicated their missions to to lessening their carbon footprint and spreading the word throughout their respective communities. Even the US embassy in Oslo has made the commitment. In a statement in July 2009, the US embassy at Oslo declared: “We believe that preserving the environment is a moral responsibility of each and every one of us, and advancing policy initiatives accomplishes little if we are unable to live in practice of these same goals.  The U.S. Embassy is taking that responsibility seriously and we hope our efforts will pay off and encourage others to do the same.”

As a global community, we appreciate the Finnish Embassy and League of Green Embassies’ efforts and commitment to sustainability and can only hope that the idea will make a solid global impact. Arbour Realty continues to stay on the path of their green commitment right here in Arlington as the first green real estate firm to service Northern Virginia.

It can be helpful to have zip codes at your fingertips when shopping for homes in specific areas.  Below are zip codes in Northern Virginia and Washington DC.  Feel free to bookmark this page for future reference.  You can use our free home search tool to find homes in any of the zip codes listed below.

Northern VA Zip Code Guide

20120 Fairfax

20121 Fairfax

20124 Fairfax

20151 Fairfax

20170 Reston/Herndon

20171 Reston/Herndon

20190 Reston

20191 Reston

20194 Reston/Herndon

22003 Annandale

22015 Fairfax

22027 Tysons Corner

22030 Fairfax

22031 Fairfax

22032 Fairfax

22033 Fairfax

22034 Fairfax

22035 Fairfax

22036 Fairfax

22039 Fairfax

22041 Baileys Crossroads, Falls Church

22042 Falls Church

22043 Falls Church

22044 Falls Church

22046 Falls Church

22066 Great Falls

22101 McLean

22102 McLean, Tysons Corner

22124 Fairfax

22150 Springfield

22151 Springfield

22152 Springfield

22180 Tysons Corner

22182 Tysons Corner

22201 Arlington, Clarendon

22202 Arlington, Crystal City

22203 Arlington, Ballston

22204 Arlington

22205 Arlington

22206 Arlington

22207 Arlington

22209 Arlington, Rosslyn

22212 Arlington

22213 Arlington

22214 Arlington

22301 Alexandria, Del Ray

22302 Alexandria

22303 Alexandria

22304 Alexandria

22305 Alexandria, Del Ray

22306 Alexandria

22307 Alexandria

22309 Alexandria

22310 Alexandria

22311 Alexandria

22312 Alexandria

22314 Alexandria, Del Ray, OldTown

22315 Alexandria

22331 Alexandria

22332 Alexandria

Washington DC Zip Code Guide

20001 Downtown, Ledroit Park, Logan Circle, Mt. Vernon Square, U St/Shaw

20002 Capitol Hill, Eckington, Ledroit Park

20003 Capitol Hill, Waterfront

20004 Downtown

20005 Downtown, Logan Circle, Mt. Vernon

20006 Downtown, Foggy Bottom

20007 Georgetown, Glover Park, Palisades

20008 Cleveland Park/Van Ness, Dupont Circle, Woodley Park

20009 Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Mt. Pleasant, U St/Shaw

20010 Columbia Heights, Mt. Pleasant

20011 16th St. Heights, Petworth, Riggs Park

20012 16th St. Heights, Takoma Park

20015 Chevy Chase, Friedship Heights

20016 Palisades, Tenleytown/American University

20017 Brookland/Catholic University, Michigan Park

20018 Brentwood, Brookland/Catholic University, Michigan Park

20019 Deanwood

20020 Anacostia, Hill Crest

20024 Downtown, Waterfront

20032 Congress Heights

20036 Downtown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom

20037 Downtown, Foggy Bottom

20064 Brookland/Catholic University

Arlington Virginia is the perfect county to live, work and play. I have talked in previous blogs in depth about Arlington Virginia’s Green Commitment and how Arlington neighborhoods are designed to be a walkable community. Additionally, Arlington County provides green building incentives, which has increased the amount of Green Homes available in Arlington VA.

To help Arlington residents keep up to date with environmental issues, Arlington County host monthly Green It Arlington workshops and green events.  These workshops and events provide local Arlington homeowners, Arlington condo owners and residents the opportunity to learn about home energy audits or the opportunity to build a rain barrel.  Arlingtonians interested in new green products and the ability learn new techniques for greening your life will be interested in the Green Expo!  The Arlington Green Expo is the perfect time to meet local green suppliers, and green companies.

Below is a list of the Arlington Green It Events for March, click here to see other green workshops later in the year.

All about Energy Audits.  For Single-Family, Condo Owners, HOAs, and Property Managers
Saturday, March 6, 2010.  10:30 AM – 12. Are you thinking about getting an energy audit, but having trouble getting the facts? Learn who should get an audit, what an audit should include, how to choose the auditor and approximate costs.   This workshop will have two simultaneous sessions focused on energy audits for single-family homes and condominiums/apartments.  Don’t miss this special event to learn from two local energy audit experts.
Location: Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 16th Street S., Arlington, VA 22204

Green Living Expo
Saturday, March 20th.  10 AM – 4 PM.Come to the Green Expo to see interesting new products and learn new techniques for greening your life!  See green suppliers, products from local and national businesses, exhibits and seminars from government agencies and nonprofits, and a free Going Green Guide for Apartment Renters!    The Green Living Expo is family-friendly and free and open to the general public.   Find out more on the web site, or call 703-228-6427.
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 4301 Wilson Blvd. in Ballston

Raingardens for Homeowners
Saturday, March 27  9:30 AM – 12:30 PM. Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground.  A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off street, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams and the Potomac River, a drinking water supply for the region.  Includes an optional rain garden tour at the park.

Workshop fee is $20. Please call ahead to register at 703.642.5173.  Find out more about this event on the web page. Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312-1428.  Co-sponsored by Fairfax County Park Authority – Green Spring Gardens Park

Earth Hour
March 27, 8:30 PM. On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations.  Learn more and make your commitment today!

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Like a sturdy oak tree, the Arlington real estate market remains healthy through this economic storm.  Prices on average are maintaining their position only taking a modest dip in most cases.  Demand remains strong and housing supply has never gotten out of balance.

As a Realtor you can hardly walk across the street without someone asking you how the market is doing.  Most expect to hear the worst, but when I describe the Arlington Va real estate market, people often look at me in disbelief.  They certainly don’t expect for me to tell them that our biggest challenge is finding homes for all the buyers we are working with.

So why is it that Arlington real estate has remained a blue chip investment during the worst economic conditions this country has seen since the great depression?  My theory includes three reasons:

1. Arlington Condos
2. Northern Virginia Traffic
3. Government Supported Jobs

During the peak of the real estate market I had some friends and clients decide to move out to Ashburn.  They wanted a bigger yard and a newer home.  Ashburn had the luxury of land and they could hardly build homes fast enough to keep up with demand.  That was until the demand for new homes across the country disappeared.  Builders were left with homes they couldn’t sell and the housing market was flooded with inventory in Ashburn and surrounding areas.

In contrast, when the housing market was building steam, Arlington didn’t have the land available for new sprawling neighborhoods.  The only option was to build upwards in the form of new condos in Arlington Va.  When home buying activity began to decline, developers converted these would-be condominiums into rental apartments.  The quantity of homes for sale in Arlington remained in balance.

You can argue that demand for homes in Arlington has actually grown.  Rising fuel prices and worsening traffic are making it less and less appealing to purchase a home that requires a substantial commute.  With the majority of jobs still drawing commuters into DC every day, buyers are often putting Arlington at the top of their home buying wish-list.  Arlington is not only within close proximity to DC, it provides a number of commuting options in and out of the city.  The most popular of those commuting options is obviously the metro rail.

The purpose of many jobs in Northern Virginia is to support the national government either directly or indirectly.  Because these jobs are less volatile in trying economic times, many local jobs were sheltered from the devastating bouts of unemployment.   In December 2009 the (not seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Arlington was only at 4% while the unemployment rate climbed to 10.6% for the U.S.  More people in Arlington kept their jobs and are therefore able to continue making their mortgage payments.   The result is fewer foreclosure properties dragging down the real estate market in Arlington.  Even with the few foreclosure properties that we have sold in Arlington, we are usually able to price them around market value without having to make major price cuts.

Everything is not rainbows and sunshine in Arlington.  There are homes that have been affected by the challenging economy.  The area is not impervious to the national economic challenges, but it has proven to be resistant.  The ideas above are my personal theories based on what I am seeing while living and working in Arlington Virginia.  I would love to hear any additional theories you might have yourself.

Below is a list of the most recent homes to come on the market in Arlington.  Please let us know if you would like to explore the Arlington community as your next residence.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 500+. See more city of Arlington real estate.
(all data current as of 3/9/2010)

1. 
   115 Kensington St S, Arlington

   $615,000

   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
2. 
   2126 Emerson St N, Arlington

   $385,000

   3 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths
3. 
   2050 Calvert St N #106, Arlington

   $349,900, 906 sq ft

   2 beds, 2 full baths
4. 
   5565 Columbia Pike #612, Arlington

   $103,900, 789 sq ft

   1 bed, 1 full bath
5. 
   3912 Military Rd, Arlington

   $929,000, 1,960 sq ft

   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Below is the most recent update from Christopher Barnes of Yellow Finch Farm. If you are interested in receiving 2010 deliveries, please contact Christopher at (804) 724-4720.

Hello Northern Virginia Yellow Finchers!

A number of changes will be coming to Yellow Finch Farm in 2010.  The first and most exciting of these is the addition of local goat cheeses (chevre, fromage blanc, feta) to your weekly shares, courtesy of Lovers Retreat Dairy in Saluda.  I’ve been a fan of Cindy Wilson’s wonderful cheeses ever since I first encountered her at the Irvington Farmers’ Market; her feta just knocked my socks off.  When she approached me this fall about providing cheese for the CSA next year, it was a no-brainer.  If you’ve had her products, you know why; and if you haven’t, you’re in for a wonderful treat.  We will sample a variety of flavors and preparations over the season, including such delights as her Herbes de Provence chevre, Honey and Ginger fromage blanc, and Sundried Tomato & Basil feta.  Cindy’s small herd of Nubian and Alpine goats graze in ample pasture space free of herbicides and pesticides, and they receive no antibiotics or hormones.  All of her cheeses are crafted from their rich milk using vegetable (not animal) rennet, making them a nice option for the vegan-leaning locavore.  It is a great pleasure to be able to share them with you.  Please visit Cindy at www.loversretreatfarm.com to learn more about her particular cheese varieties and her general operation—tell her Yellow Finch Farm sent you:-)

The second addition is the result of my frustration this first season with not being able to provide more fruit options for you folks.  That situation will improve somewhat as my berry bushes mature a little this year, but it will still be several seasons before they are producing anywhere near the volume I will need from them.  Enter Westmoreland Berry Farm.  This family-run farm in Oak Grove has been part of the Northern Neck for over twenty years and offers a wonderful variety of fruits and berries, including apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and cherries.  The Geyers are a wealth of information about fruit and berry culture and they take great pains to offer a quality product.  I’m looking forward to sharing some of their sweet delights with you this coming season.

The 2010 shares will also include periodic features from Garner’s Produce of Warsaw.  It was a great pleasure working with Dana and Lora this past season; they are such warm, friendly folks and they really strive to integrate sustainable growing practices into their operation as much as possible.  I will also feature some of Emmett Snead’s divine fresh asparagus from Snead’s Asparagus Farm outside of Fredericksburg at the very start of the season.

Around here, I will be shifting away from the Callao growing site, putting more in the ground in the back field in Heathsville.  It was a challenge last year to keep daily tabs on both sites due to the distance, so I will be utilizing the Callao site this year for the crops that require a little less constant attention during their growing period, such as sweet corn and melons.  If this past year was any indication, drought won’t be much of a problem, but just in case I will be adding some drip irrigation to the Heathsville field to nurture the water prima divas such as the tomatoes.  Against my better judgment, I’m going to give Irish potatoes one more shot: the potato beetles in Callao just about ran me out of town this past year, but I didn’t have nearly as much trouble in Heathsville, so I’m going to shift that crop down here this season.  I’ve found a source of organically derived pyrethrum that is NOT mixed with piperonyl butoxide, so that will also be an asset in my battle against the orange and black menace.  I’m also going to come well-prepared for the tomato blight in the 2010 season; I’ll be growing my ‘maters this year on red plastic and using a soap-shield spray throughout the season to keep the diseases at bay.  I’m not about to suffer the heartache of that crop failure again!

The lovely ladies will be gracing us with the fruits of their labors again in the 2010 season, god willing.  I’m adding 50 new girls (including 25 Ameraucanas—the blue-green egg layers) to the flock for the coming year (the chicks arrived just a week after the End-of-Season party), so that should keep the eggs flowing.  The girls have been laying like crazy this winter—I’ve been getting 5 to 6 dozen a day from them!

I wasn’t able to include as many herb features in the ’09 season as I would have liked—the herbs frankly got lost in the mad scrabble of preparation last spring—but I will remedy that situation in the coming season by including more frequent sachets of the essentials: parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, and sage.  Your newsletters will include tips on cooking with these seasonings.  I will also be investing in some new dahlia and gladiolus corms, and some wonderful new sunflower colors for next year’s bouquets; some beautiful new cosmos and zinnia colors will be features as well.

The 2010 season will run from mid-May to the beginning of November.  Shares will still be on an every-other-week basis, making for 13 delivery days in the season, but there will be a few changes to how the shares are delivered.  Adam & Sonia Gallegos have graciously agreed to host the shares at their Ballston business, Arbour Realty, a wonderful green real estate company.  Pick-up will now be consolidated to this single location.  Wednesdays will still be delivery days, but instead of being at the mercy of my schedule (and whatever traffic I might encounter on I-95!), you will now have a broader window of 12 PM – 5:30 PM to pick up your shares.  I will provide everyone with directions and further details as we get closer to the start of the deliveries, but in case you would like to look up the specific location in the meantime, Arbour Realty’s address is as follows: 875 Randolph Street, Suite C, Arlington, VA 22203.

The second final big change this season is the availability of a half-share in addition to the standard full share.  I’m adding this option in response to the feedback from some of you in single-person households that you had difficulty handling the quantity of goods you received.  The half share will feature all the vegetables included in the full shares each week, but the portions will be half the size to suit the needs of smaller households.  The half-shares will include 1/2 dozen eggs (a full dozen will be included in the full share size) and Lovers Retreat’s wonderful cheese, but will not include flowers, herbs, or fruit.  Half shares will be priced at $275 for 2010 season; full shares will be priced at $500.  If it is easiest, you are welcome to purchase your 2010 share in one lump sum; however, please know that I will also offer an installment option this year for the full share.  $200 will be due as a deposit at sign-up, followed by $150 on May 1st and $150 on August 1st.

I’m excited to be getting back into the swing of things and am really looking forward to the opportunity to see everyone again and share some goodies with each of you.  There will be a members get-together later in the spring to kick-off the season; I’ll keep you apprised of the details as we get closer to that.  If you’re interested in signing up for the 2010 season, please just drop me a message with your mailing address letting me know and I’ll get a contract and a schedule out to you ASAP.   And finally, if you have any friends, coworkers, etc. who you think might be interested in the program, please don’t hesitate to pass on my contact information.  I’m happy to answer any questions.

Thank you again for all of your kindness over the 2009 season.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I’ll look forward to talking with you each of you soon!

With the last deluge of snow melting away, the time for preparing homes for sale is rapidly approaching in Northern Virginia and across the nation. The real estate market ebbs and flows, but most of us know that Spring cleaning is the perfect way to get your house ready for sale. Typically, as here in Arlington VA, Realtors will see an influx of homeowners who want to get their home on the market by Spring for the coming Summer months, because they know that the garden will be budding out, the temperature will be perfect for house hunting, and they have gotten the Spring cleaning bug and are ready to tackle the task.

Whenever I was about to have important company over to the house, I used to say ‘let’s clean like we’re about to put the house on the market- clean.’  There is a certain level of deep cleaning that you will want to do to prepare the interior of your home for the market. It can often seem like a huge obstacle when you’re about to put your home on the market, but the truth is that the earlier you can get a jump on de-cluttering and general maintenance, the better! Make things more manageable for yourself by making lists of interior and exterior items which need to be taken care of and start crossing them off as you make progress. Your agent should let you know that it is much better for you to have your home ready for the market before you post it to the MLS.

NOVA residents and folks across the nation will begin the preparations for getting their home listed on the market. Statistics show that home buyers are looking more and more for home that are move in ready. Some people may like the idea of a fixer-upper, but when viewing a homes, they are still going to have an initial emotional reaction to a clean versus a dirty home and unfinished projects that may just need to be finished up to maximize your bottom line. There are plenty of ways to prep your home for sale without breaking the bank; it just takes a little elbow-grease.

Northern Virginia real estate agents will tell you that you should take a few days to remove items that you don’t immediately need for your day to day life; box any seasonal items and products up and store them out of site so that a  potential buyer can recognize the potential of your home. A thorough cleaning is always a good idea! No one wants to move into someone else’s mess, and getting your home clean before sale is of the utmost importance. Eliminating evidence of indoor pets and a child’s play things is generally a great idea so that potential buyers can imagine themselves and their lifestyle in the home.

Not only will potential buyers want to see a tidy home from the inside, but the ever-important curb appeal should be primped and preened as well. Making sure that the entry to your home is welcoming and accessible is imperative. You want for your home to be as inviting to a potential buyer as it was to you when you first purchased it!

Some people may even take preparing their home for sale a step above and beyond the de-cluttering and cleaning to the energy efficiency upgrades that so many homeowners are looking for. Even here in Northern Virginia, real estate agents are seeing a trend towards quicker sales on homes which are more energy efficient and have a healthy living quality. Studies have shown that homes which are high performance and can save a home-buyer money in the long run sell for a higher cost per square foot and in a significantly shortened amount of time.