Jeff Wu

A few months ago we had two Circuit City stores in the Tysons Corner area. One by the Mall, Tysons Corner Center, near La Madeline. The other was farther down route 7 to the west. It sat next to Starbucks and Ethan Allen. Circuit City tried to get itself in a better place, and decided to close a bunch of stores across the country. We were to lose one store. So it began. There were men on street corners every day holding Signs. First it was 20% off, then 30, next 40. I think it finally got to somewhere around 60% off before everything was gone. They were even selling fixtures. That made me curious. I don't know why, but it did. Well I thought that was that.
I was wrong.
Circuit City wasn't able to right the sinking ship. They couldn't get in better shape, and they couldn't find a buyer to save them. Now there will be no more Circuit Citys anywhere. I saw in the news that it was over. And that day I saw the people with the signs near the store on route 7 that they'd left open. It's amazing how quick thos people appear with their signs. This will be one of the 567 (I believe that's the right number) of stores that will now shut their doors.
It just goes to show that although we are insulated, and certainly much better off that most of the country, we are not unaffected.
Goodbye Circuit City, and good luck to all who worked there.

We have so many choices: Giant Food, Safeway, Wegmans, Shoppers, Magruders, Harris Teeter, Food Lion (excuse me - Bloom) and more. Why do we shop for groceries where we choose? I would wager that the majority choose simply because of geographic convenience. Not all people enjoy a trip to the grocery store as I do. Hey, I like to eat! But even I know it takes time, time to drive there, time to pick out your stuff, time to pay, time to drive home, and even more time to put it away. That's the one resource we can't get back. So I too understand the time benefits of going to the closest grocery store to where you live. Well now Tysons Corner has a Harris Teeter. It's definately going to be the go to grocery for a lot of the condo and apartment dwellers in the area. And I'm sure some of the townhome and single family owners will check it out too.

The new Harris Teeter is in the ground level of the Park Crest Building. Basically behind the Galleria and down the hill from the Ritz. It's a good location. They'll tap into people who live in those buildings. And they'll probably get a good lunch business from all the local employers. Not everyone wants to go to P.F. Changs or The Daily Grill every day for lunch. This will be a good budget friendly option with variety for lunch.

The new Grocery store features: Farmer's Market (a self proclaimed "high standars and world wide variety" produce section), Fishermans Market ("quality verified"), Pharmacy, and more.

So check it out. Let me know what you think. Is this where you'll be shopping? As the title says, the Grand Opening is today!

In the 4th Quarter of 2008 there were 8 SOLD properties in the Rotonda. The majority of those, 5, were 2 bedroom 2 bathroom models. More data is below.


However as a whole the community averages for the 4th Quarter of 2008 are as follows =


- 94.8% Net Sold to List price ratio


- 132 Average Days on the Market


- $1,812.50 Average Seller Concessions





In the 4th Quarter of 2008 there was slightly more happening in the Rental market in the Rotonda. 9 properties were RENTED in that quarter. Unlike in the sales side, the majority of these, 6, were 1 bedroom 1 bathroom models.


The community averages for the Rotonda Rentals in the 4th Quarter of 2008 are =


- 93.5% Rented to List price ratio


- 51 Average Days on the Market

(data from MRIS)

There were two interesting decisions/approvals by the Town of Vienna and it's governing council:

1) A new building was approved, on 12/15/08, at 137 Church St, NW. The new building will house the YAS bakery, to include: it's main area, work room, lunch room, and a small office. The building will also have room for a few other renters/tenants. The new structure will bring improvements to the stormwater management abilities of the current site.

2) The Town Council also took vote to approve more defined restrictions on portable storage containers. These containers will be allowed, only in residential single family home areas, for no more than 30 days in a year period. They will also be permitted for no longer than 6 months on active construction areas. Mentions to limitations on the size of such containers, and a fee to the town, were also inlcuded in the ordinance amendment.

(source = Sun Gazette, 1-1-2009)

Although not directly part of Tysons Corner, The Town of Vienna borders it. The Town of Vienna is also chock full of great history and culture.

The Rotonda was significantly more active in terms of Real Estate transactions compared to most of ther other Tysons Corner communities for December 2008. There were 5 SOLD properties, and "x" RENTED properties.

Of the 5 SOLD properties this month, 4 were 2 bedroom 2 bathroom style, the other 1 was a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom. These 2 bedrooms averaged out to sell for $362,225 and in an average of 117 days on the market. The high SOLD price was $385,000, with the low SOLD price being $290,000. There was also an average subsidy, to the buyer, of $2,375.
The 1 bedroom settled at a price of $255,000 and gave $5,000 subsidy to the buyer. It was on the market for 111 days, and originally asked a price of $305,000.

The 0 (zero) properties reported RENTED in the Rotonda community this month are significantly off from the 6 that RENTED in December of 2007. There are also 17 properties available to RENT right now at the Rotonda. Recognizably, it's not the hottest time that people RENT around the changing of the year, but you would think that if priced attractively enough there would be one or two that got a lease signed.

(data from MRIS)