Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate

George Washington slept here -- and so can you! Own a piece of history in Old Town Alexandria. It's been nine years since the City of Alexandria celebrated its Semiquincentennial (that makes it 259 years old, having been founded in 1749).

Residents and visitors alike know Old Town Alexandria for its art galleries, antique shops, great restaurants, lively nightlife on King Street, the George Washington Masonic Memorial on Shuter's Hill, the Potomac River, and cobblestone alleyways. At the eastern end of Old Town Alexandria lies the Torpedo Factory which was once an actual torpedo factory, now converted into artist's studios where they sell their crafts, paintings and sculptures.

Due to Old Town Alexandria's proximity to Washington, D.C., many trade associations, lobbying firms, and law firms have offices within the city's boundaries. Newer offices, hotels, shops, and restaurants have recently been built on the West End of Old Town Alexandria in the Carlyle area, around Carlyle Tower condos and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which relocated to Old Town in 2005.

Residential housing in Old Town Alexandria ranges from brand new condominiums and townhouses such as those found at the Prescott Condominiums and Potomac Greens to much older historic townhouses and single family homes.

Of the 198 homes currently on the market in zip code 22314 (which includes all of Old Town Alexandria), 24 are more than one hundred years old. And, of those, 13 were built before the Civil War! History buffs: Imagine owning one of these old homes that have obviously stood the test of time! They are available from $485,000 to over $3 million.

After purchasing a historic home in Old Town Alexandria, you'll want to trot down to Gadsby's Tavern built in 1785 and still serving food and operating as a tavern today, and explore the adjoining museum. Just down the street is the historic Lee-Fendall House also built in 1785 and operating as a museum and venue for private social functions.

Recent home sales data for Old Town Alexandria:

Given that December is traditionally a slower time for real estate sales than November, home sales in Old Town Alexandria seem to be holding up pretty well.

Own a piece of history -- take a look at some of the available historic homes:

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 2 Bedroom 1 Bathrooms $485,000 Built in 1815

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 3 Bedroom 2 Bathrooms $749,000 Built in 1840

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bathrooms $995,000 Built in 1818

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 4 Bedroom 3.5 Bathrooms $1,375,000 Built in 1816

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 5 Bedroom 2.55 Bathrooms $2,250,000 Built in 1770

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ON ALL AVAILABLE OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA HOMES

Brian Block RE/MAX Allegiance 703-626-0715

Looking for a maintenance free, resort style condo with great amenities, an amazing pool, and conveniently located near Old Town Alexandria, the Van Dorn metro station, I-95, the Capital Beltway, the Pentagon, and downtown D.C.?

Your search may very well end when you see what Watergate at Landmark Condos have to offer. Located in the West End of Alexandria in "Condo Canyon," the Watergate complex consists of 4 buildings: 203 Yoakum Parkway, 205 Yoakum Parkway, 307 Yoakum Parkway, and 309 Yoakum Parkway.

Click here to learn more about the All Inclusive Lifestyle at Watergate at Landmark in Alexandria. The pool alone may have you dreaming about Summer during this cold mid-winter day. Not to worry, Watergate at Landmark also sports an indoor pool for your use year-round.

Current Inventory of Available Condos at Watergate at Landmark:

As of January 21st, there are 31 condos on the market comprising 13 one bedroom units, 15 two bedroom units and 3 three bedroom condo units.

Take a peek at some of the available inventory:

Watergate at Landmark 1 Bedroom 1 Bath $269,000

Watergate at Landmark 2 Bedroom 2 Bath $365,000

Watergate at Landmark 2 Bedroom 2 Bath $295,000

Watergate at Landmark 3 Bedroom 2 Bath $369,000

If you are thinking about buying a condo at Watergate at Landmark, now may be a good time. Condos there have been on the market an average of 124 days. The average listing price is higher than the average sales price for comparable units during 2007 (see chart below), so there is a good chance of negotiating a lower price.

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION INFORMATION ON ALL AVAILABLE CONDOS

If you are thinking about selling your condo at Watergate at Landmark, you will need to be realistic about pricing the unit for sale.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WATERGATE CONDO IS WORTH

Based on the disconnect between current pricing and recent sales, there should be a slight downward price adjustment on the units for sale at Watergate at Landmark.

If you have questions about any condos at Watergate at Landmark or elsewhere in Alexandria or Northern Virginia, please feel free to call me at 703-626-0715.

Brian Block Block Real Estate Group, LLC RE/MAX Allegiance

Much of the attention in Arlington, Virginia remains focused on North Arlington, particularly the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor, and with good reason. This span of Arlington centered around the Orange Line metro has been the scene of some smart redevelopment choices as parking lots turn into high-rise condos and restaurants, shops, and hip bars and nightclubs line Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard providing plenty of entertainment options for the young urban/suburbanites without having to head into D.C.

South Arlington, with its generally older residential neighborhoods and lack of metro line accessibility often gets tossed aside like the ugly stepsister at the junior high school dance.

Not anymore.

Welcome to Shirlington!

Crossing the 14th Street Bridge and traveling less than 5 miles from D.C., one finds the fascinating community of Shirlington right off of Route 395. Your senses will be overwhelmed with the smells, tastes and sights of the diverse group of American and ethnic restaurants clustered in the Village of Shirlington.

EAT:

Aladdins Eatery -- Middle Eastern delights and great soups
Aroma Restaurant -- Indian specialities
Best Buns Bread Company -- delicious fresh breads daily
Bistro Bistro -- European bistro
Capital City Brewing Company -- freshly brewed beers and good old American eats
Carlyle -- eclectic American menu
Extra Virgin Italian Cuisine -- Italian
Guapo's -- Mexican food
Johnny Rockets -- hamburgers and hot dogs
Luna Grill & Diner -- a little bit of everything
Maggie Moo's Ice Cream
Robeks Fruit Smoothies & Healthy Eats
Subway -- subs and sandwiches
T.H.A.I Shirlington -- good Thai food in inviting atmosphere

Many of these restaurants host lavish brunches every Sunday and gourmands pack the Village at Shirlington every night of the week.

PLAY:

With the Shirlington movie theater, billiards at Bungalow Billiards, live jazz at several restaurants, the newly opened Signature Theater, and the recent addition of Busboys and Poets, there's something for everyone's entertainment. Not to mention a bookstore and the Shirlington Library!

LOVE:

With all of these great eating and entertainment options, what's not to love? How about cakelove -- the store that delights with cakes from scratch? Convenient to D.C., Ronald Reagan National Airport, and the rest of the metropolitan area, Shirlington is also on major metro bus routes affording easy transportation for commuters. Shirlington also has its own wonderful Harris Teeter supermarket.

AND LIVE:

In addition to many rental apartment choices, there are several residential neighborhoods within walking distance to the amenities of Shirlington or at least a very quick hop in the car.

Some of those neighborhoods include the ever-popular Fairlington, Windgate of Arlington, Heatherlea Condominiums, The Arlington Condominiums, and Claremont.

Here are some samples of currently available homes near Shirlington:

CLAREMONT CAPE COD 3 Bedrooms 2 Baths $549,000

FAIRLINGTON TOWNHOUSE 2 Bedrooms 2 Baths $429,500

FAIRLINGTON TOWNHOUSE 2 Bedrooms 2 Baths $418,000

THE ARLINGTON CONDO 2 Bedrooms 1 Bath $324,500

WINDGATE OF ARLINGTON 1 Bedroom 1 Bath $305,000

START YOUR SEARCH FOR A HOME NEAR SHIRLINGTON TODAY

Brian Block RE/MAX Allegiance 703-626-0715

Happy Birthday!

Today marks 65 years since The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia was dedicated on January 15, 1943. For 65 years, The Pentagon has remained the largest office in the world. Over 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support persons work in this massive five-sided building just across the Potomac River from Washington D.C.

Take a look at the image below to get an idea of the size of this 6.6 million square feet office building.

U.S. Military personnel from all around the world often get the chance to relocate to work in the Pentagon. All branches of the military have offices in this headquarters for the Department of Defense.

Pentagon employees choose to live throughout the metro-D.C. area. There's even a sophisticated system of cooperative transportation to and from the Pentagon called slugging (with its own etiquette, rules, and official or unofficial commuter stops).

An entire infrastructure of residential neighborhoods, restaurants, and shopping have developed around the Pentagon area. Across Army-Navy Drive from the Pentagon sits one of the area's largest shopping malls, The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, anchored by Macy's and Nordstroms. More recently, Pentagon Row was developed adjacent to The Fashion Centre and includes many outdoor eateries, a gym, spa, and a Harris Teeter grocery store.

Many options exist for housing when you are part of a military relocation to The Pentagon. Bus routes, and the Metro subway lines all lead to The Pentagon, and there are also many carpooling options, making living further out from Arlington a possibility for Pentagon employees. Arlington, Virginia itself is quite a hot market still for real estate sales (Read All About It: Arlington Virginia Housing Market a Hot Spot for Sales).

For help with your Military Relocation to The Pentagon and the Northern Virginia or D.C. area, contact Brian Block at 703-626-0715 and visit our Northern Virginia real estate website.

MILITARY RELOCATION TO THE PENTAGON? START YOUR HOME SEARCH TODAY.