About Fairfax County, VA

I am at the point where I just have to laugh with all the snow that we have had this year in Virginia--otherwise I would cry! The Washington D.C. metro area, which includes suburban Virginia and Maryland, usually gets a couple of light snows, but rarely anything like what we have gotten this year.

The evidence is anecdotal, but it seems to me that the years that we purchased or upgraded our snow blower were years that we got little or no snow

So here is a list of things that you should do to prepare for NEXT winter. I can almost (but not completely) guarantee that if you do all these things, you will notice a significant reduction in the amount of snow we see next season:

1. Buy the biggest, strongest snow blower that you can find
   
2. Buy extra engine oil for the super strong snow blower
   
3. Keep the gas can stocked and in a safe place
   
4. Stock up on snow shovels; all types. Replace any shovel that looks at all decrepit or prone to breaking.
   
5. Buy one of those plow-style snow movers (they look like a big, square plastic sled with wheels at one end).
6. Find one of those nifty ice-choppers (I just used one to break up the 2 inches of ice that had settled on my driveway). A friend from Buffalo told me about it and it has been a god-send!
   
7. Keep plenty of pet-safe ice melt around
8. Always keep plenty of hot chocolate available
9. Get that emergency generator that you have been coveting (and see #3)
   
10. Make sure you have a battery operated radio (and spare batteries)
11. Have flashlights on hand with batteries to put in them
    
12. Keep extra windshield wiper fluid on hand to restock after a storm
13. Check the pet food and make sure you have enough on hand
14. Don't let prescription medications get below one weeks worth of medication
15. Make sure all family members are outfitted with warm, well-fitting coats, snow pants, boots, scarves, mittens/gloves and hats. Check them in October and buy them then for best selection in both color and fit.
16. Buy a variety of sleds and saucers so that you can have fun in the snow, too!
    
17. Get your cars in for service, check tires and battery, and make sure they always have gas before a possible snow storm.
    

Most years in the D.C. Metro area will not require any of these items...except maybe the warm coat, hat and gloves. This winter we have used them all and gone out for restocking once or twice. I am sure I have left things off of the list, but those were the items that came to mind this morning as we prepared for our latest snow storm.

All kidding aside, next fall when supplies are plentiful, consider purchasing the items on my list. If you stock up early, besides being well-prepared for any snow emergency, you will almost ensure that the rest of us don't have to deal with a snow storm next year. And we will all thank you!

Stay safe and warm!

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 2010. All information was obtained through MRIS.

Overall, there were 48 Northern Virginia home sales topping $1 million during the first month of 2010.

Currently, there are 633 homes on the market in Northern Virginia with list prices topping $1 million just up from the 627 that were on the market in December.

JANUARY 2010'S MOST EXPENSIVE SALES

Single Family Detached Homes:

• 1030 Aziza Court, Great Falls, VA 22066 -- Sold on January 4th for $2,800,000
  After a long time on the market, this home built in 2008 sold for $800,000 under the listing price of $3.6 million. With 6 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms, and 8 fireplaces, this Great Falls home features luxuries such as an elevator, sauna, home theater and 4 car garage.
  
  
• 1317 Kurtz Road, McLean, VA 22101 -- Sold on January 4th for $2,285,000
  Sold in just 13 days for 96.2% of the listing price, this home in Salona Village of McLean was built in 2008. In addition to 5 bedrooms and 5 full bathrooms, this custom designed home has outdoor fireplaces and porches offering vistas of parkland. The home has a gated entry, 6 fireplaces, and a 3 car garage.
  
  
• 2373 N. Fillmore Street, Arlington, VA 22207 -- Sold on January 27th for $1,825,000
  Green house! Not the color, but the whole house is 5 star Energy Star Certified. This 6 bedroom, 6.5 bathroom house is in the Woodmont neighbrohood of Arlington. It sold for just $100K under the asking price.
  
  
• 1911 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 -- Sold on January 5th for $1,636,500
  After a price reduction of $200K, this custom built home built in 2004 recently sold. With almost 6,900 square feet of living space, this home also has a heated pool, custom hot tub, and lush professional landscaping.
  
  

CLICK TO SEARCH FOR AVAILABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Townhouses:

• 18 Franklin Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on January 29th for $1,225,000
  January's most expensive townhouse sale was in the ever-popular Fords Landing area in Old Town Alexandria. This 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom townhouse also has a 2 car garage.
  
  
• 1448 Harvest Crossing Drive, McLean, VA 22101 -- Sold on January 14th for $1,125,000
  Located in McLean's premiere gated community, this Evans Farm townhouse has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms on 4 levels. With an open floorplan and high-end kitchen, this home sold for $125K under the listing price.
  
  
• 231 N. Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on January 29th for $1,050,000
  Right in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, this all-brick townhouse built in 1998 features 2,745 square feet of living space, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, tall ceilings, and wood floors.
  

SEE AVAILABLE TOWNHOUSES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Condominiums:

• 1600 Clarendon Blvd. #W305, Arlington, VA 22209 -- Sold on January 28th for $1,700,000
  Wooster and Mercer Lofts in Arlington often make the list of most expensive condo sales. This is the most expensive sale there in quite a while. 3 bedrooms plus an open loft and 3 bathrooms providing a total of 3,000 of living space! This corner unit has views of Courthouse and allows the new owner to easily walk to the Metro.
  
  
• 1401 N. Oak Street #605, Arlington, VA 22209 -- Sold on January 8th for $1,400,000.
  Over in Rosslyn, this condo at The Weslie provides 1,778 square feet of space, 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths on 3 levels! The awesome view of D.C., the Potomac River and the monuments make this spacious condo a great place for entertaining.
  
  
• 11776 Stratford House Place #1104, Reston, VA 20190 -- Sold on January 29th for $1,060,000
  This huge 2,850 square foot condo at Stratford House in Reston has 2 master suites and a third bedroom. All the way from Reston, there are great views of Tysons Corner and the National Cathedral!
  
  
• 828 Slaters Lane #406, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- Sold on January 29th for $940,000
  This penthouse condo at Old Town Crescent offers almost 2,200 square feet of space throughout 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. While close to D.C., this condo is right by the Potomac River and biking and nature paths. The condo has two master suites, 2 parking spaces, and a jacuzzi.

SEE AVAILABLE CONDOMINIUMS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Contact Brian Block, Managing Broker, REALTOR/Attorney, RE/MAX Allegiance:
Licensed in Virginia & Washington D.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.

Where to go for Dulles Light Rail Progress to Reston and Herndon

Sam: Are the pictures you have included designed to take my mind off urban transportation?

Steve: Yes Sam. Public transportation is a good thing but it is more pleasant to be in the mountains of West Virginia.

One of the best places to see pictures and "man around town" updates on Dulles Corridor MetroRail project is Railroad.net's Forum.

This spot tends to be more fun than the REAL official sites:
http://www.dullesmetro.com/

Dulles Transit Partners is the rail line's contractor:
http://www.dullestransitpartners.com/pages/aboutus.aspx

Great Architectural photos of our current metro system:
http://www.american-architecture.info/USA/USA-Washington/DC-015.htm

Overview of the Washington DC area's total transportation system:
http://dc.about.com/od/transportation/a/DCPublicTrans.htm

The Washington Post has an excellent Ride Guide.

Thanks for stopping by. To set up your own home search for Reston, Herndon or anywhere in NOVA check out search Like an Agent below.

Steve: Freda, probably the most popular place for REALLY LONG ADVENTURES is the Washington and Old DominionRailroad trail. It is around 40 some miles long and even has parts where you can ride horses safely.

You can check it out at:Old Dominion Park as well as Trail link (you can find other local places for adventure on this site)

Friends of ours will routinely ride from Reston into Vienna, with ones in really good condition riding all the way in to the Potomac River across from DC.