Cathy Baumbusch (cathybREALtor)

When someone asks me for my professional real estate opinion about where is the best place to live in the DC area, I never hesitate to tell them the unrefuted truth: It Depends.

Truthfully, "best" is subjective. I'll leave the rankings up to the professional statisticians who do that sort of thing. For my part, I can only report on what I know based on experience, or the experiences of those that I have worked with or who have been my clients.

I would be remiss if I did not mention my own neighborhood of West Springfield, Virginia as one of the best places to live in Northern Virginia.

West Springfield started to be developed in the late 1950s. Springfield, Virginia grew out of growing demand from Soldiers assigned to nearby Fort Belvoir, and "beltway bandits" wanting to get away from the city.

In 1854, the recently completed Orange and Alexandria rail station at Backlick Road was named Springfield. It was named as such because there were numerous natural springs around the station. The population started to grow slightly, but students in Springfield still went to school in Alexandria until about 1911, when the first school opened there.

Springfield was not developed until the 1950s and 1960s, when demand for housing from GIs and government workers began to grow after WWII.

In the early 1950s, Burke, just west of Springfield was earmarked to be the site of a new airport. However, citizens united and in the end, the airport was built in Chantilly (now Dulles airport.)

In 1947, Vernon Lynch created the subdivision of Springvale. That same year, Edward Carr built Lynbrook and Yates Village. Several builders came into the area in the 50s and 60s and built homes in these "bedroom communities" about 12 miles southwest of the District.

West Springfield was built up during the 1960s. The houses were somewhat larger than the original homes built in Springfield. These communities included pools and other family-related amenities.

Today, West Springfield is a bustling suburb. The schools are top-rated. There are a variety of shops and restaurants to enjoy like The Burger Joint, Austin Grill, and The Afghan. There is of course a Starbucks, Einstein Bagels, and Panera Bread.

We have Whole Foods, Giant, and a variety of fast food as well.

West Springfield has its own Government Center, located at 6140 Rolling Road. It houses the offices of the Springfield District Superviser as well as police, fire and rescue.

There are numerous parks to enjoy, including Hidden Pond Park, which has a small museum and activities for kids, Pohick Stream Valley Park, and Lake Accotink Park, which has miniature golf, paddle boats, and a carousel. Several miles of the Fairfax County Trail runs through a great portion of West Springfield.

The newest addition to West Springfield is the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency offices, built on the old Ft. Belvoir Engineering Proving Ground, now known as Ft. Belvoir North. This development has secured West Springfield as a premiere neighborhood in Northern Virginia and in the DC Metro region.

Homes in West Springfield range from one bedroom condos starting at $125,000 to townhomes in the $200-300,000 range, to a six bedroom new construction for $1.1 million. There is a home for any one with any budget.

If a move to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, or NGA is in your future, please do not hesitate to give me a call!

As a real estate professional in the worst area in the U.S. for commuters (worse than Los Angeles) I often get asked, "how long will it take me to get to work from here?". The answer to that question is never easy. In a place where distance is measured in minutes rather than miles, commute times can vary with the weather, construction projects, and the dreaded fender-bender.

The first thing I tell my clients, especially out-of-towners, is that 16% of workers in our area travel over an hour to work. I let this sink in for a moment, and add that since that is an average, it means that depending on where they live and work, their commute might be less, or it could very well be more.

MANY COMMUTING OPTIONS

I also explain to them, that in general, the closer in to DC that they live, the higher the home prices will be. Fortunately, commuting options are many. Here are a few:

• VRE and MARC
• Metro
• Buses
• Traditional carpooling
• "Slugging"
• Guaranteed Ride Home

VRE AND MARC. Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and Maryland Rail Commuter Service (MARC) are the two commuter trains that take workers from the outlying DC suburbs into the city. VRE has two lines entering into the city, one originating from the Manassas in the West, and one in Fredricksburg in the South. The MARC train network is much more extensive, having service on their Brunswick Line from Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Frederick, MD, to their Camden Line to Baltimore, and the Penn Line which goes to Baltimore and on to Perryville, MD, (near Harve de Grace.) Both commuter lines offer monthly packages which include discounts when used together with DC Metro. Many firms as well as the Federal Government offer "Smart Benefits" a program where employers give employees a fixed dollar amount to cover commuting expenses every month. These benefits can be applied directly to the employees "SmarTrip" cards on the web.

METRO. DC Metro is run by the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA). Although recently plagued with controversy over high prices, it is still the only choice for thousands in the area. Metro runs 5 (Orange, Blue, Yellow, Green and Red) lines to and from the city. A new Silver Line is currently being built and will take commuters to and from DC to Dulles airport and points in between, including Tyson's Corner, a major worksite for many government contractors. Metro service is more abundant in Maryland with seven terminal stations to Virginia's current three.

All three rail options have connecting bus services from WMATA, county lines, municipal service and commuter bus services like Omnibus and MTA Commuter Bus.

If bus and rail aren't your cup of tea, traditional carpooling might be the answer. Virginia and Maryland both have RideShare programs that serve workers in and around the Metropolitan area. Commuters who worry about having to leave work for an emergency, or having to work late can rest assured if they employ a service called Guaranteed Ride Home. The service is free, however, it is limited to 4 times per year.

SLUGGING. Lastly, there is "slugging". Slugging is a form of non-traditional commuter transportation that can best be described as "anonymous carpooling", or "legal hitchhiking". The major commuting routes of Interstates 66 and 95 in Virginia have what are known as HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes that can only be used by 2 and 3 persons per vehicle respectively, during morning and evening rush hours. I-66 between the Beltway (I-495) and downtown DC is HOV-only in ALL LANES during commute times. The fines begin at $125 for a first offense. Thus was born the slug-lines.

No one really knows when the first slug-line came to be. But most people agree that slugging was born out of the oil embargo in the 1970s, the government's efforts to reduce oil consumption, and the construction of the Shirley Highway and HOV lanes. Early sluggers were passengers waiting for buses who were picked up by drivers wanting to use the HOV lanes to get to the Pentagon and needed to fill their empty seats. Today, slugging is a normal part of life here. Thousands of strangers carpool together every day.

So, how does slugging work? In the morning, workers drive to one of over 20 commuter lots around town, park their cars and wait in lines behind signs designated for their respective destinations- Pentagon, L'Enfant Plaza, 14th Street, etc. Drivers pull up to the lines and the first people in the line fill up the vehicle and all go on their way. The driver drops of their passengers at the destination and goes on to work. It works the same way in reverse. The driver picks up passengers (rarely the same ones as in the morning) at a slug-line in the city, and then returns them to where they came from that morning.

Slugging is encouraged by city, county and state governments. Transportation offices even subsidize signage at the various commuter lots around the area. Its free, its efficient and most importantly, its safe. I myself was a slug-driver for a few years before I got into the real estate industry. So I can personally attest to its ease of use and safety. In 35 years, there has never been an incident involved in slugging. Slugging is organized and there is even a slugging "etiquette" for those who might be venturing out for the first time.

Although started in Virginia, a few Maryland slug-lines have popped up. You can find a map here.

MEDIAN HOME PRICES AND COMMUTE TIMES

Realtor.org recently launched an interactive map that shows the median home sales price and average commute times for your area. Zoom in on the map to show your area. Its a great tool to use if you are considering moving to an area you know little about.

A little known program is out there that helps prospective home owners find a place to live where they work. Called the "Live Where You Work" program, it offers buyers no-interest loans up to $5000 for down payment and closing costs if they are purchasing a home to eliminate or reduce their commute. State and local governments have grants and other incentives, for example, Arlington County offers up to $25,000 under their Homestride program.

CONTACT A REALTOR

There are many websites that consumers can access to find out information about commuting and home prices. A website is good for general information, but a good REALTOR really has the knowledge on the ground to give to consumers. Find one that knows the area well and can give you the skinny on what is happening locally.

Many of my friends and colleagues know that I am singer in addition to being a REALTOR. As expected, the DC area is host to numerous commemorative concerts and performances in the coming days. I am happy to be a part of one of them. I've invited guest blogger C.H. Dulmage to write about our upcoming concert. I certainly hope those of you in our area can make it.

Local Artists Join Forces to Mark the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11

By C.H. Dulmage

As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 draws near, we will be no doubt inundated with the images of that day through television, newspapers and commemorative editions of popular magazines. Our collective consciousness remembers the tremendous loss of life, yet since that day, has continued to seek meaning and hope out of the tragedy.

In that same spirit of hope, The Choralis Foundation of Falls Church, Virginia opted to bring together the talents of its several choral ensembles, local composer Gary Davison, and renowned local bugler Sgt. Major Woodrow “Woody” English, to present a moving concert-- In Search of Peace.

The centerpiece of this concert is an original work of choral music that The Choralis Foundation commissioned from Davison specifically for this occasion. Choralis’ founder and Artistic Director, Gretchen Kuhrmann, and the Choralis Foundation Board approached Davison to write an original choral piece that would express the emotions of 9/11, but also hopefulness for the future. Davison, in collaboration with local poet Margaret (Peggy) Ingraham, who penned an inspiring text, composed a piece entitled “Shadow Tides” for orchestra, soprano soloist, and adult and children’s choruses. The work premiere on Sunday, September 11^th, at The National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. at 4 p.m.

Davison is excited to be hearing his work come off the page as he attends the choral rehearsals led by Maestra Kuhrmann. "I wanted Shadow Tides to trace the emotional journey that 9/11 set in motion," says Davison, the Organist and Choirmaster at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, MD. "Peggy's poem so movingly portrays this path by using the seasons as metaphors for what is ultimately a cycle of grieving, individually and corporately. The work begins with Summer, idyllic and somewhat complacent. Autumn begins with the natural changes of the fall season, only to turn quickly to the unnatural changes – and fall – wrought by the terrorist attacks. Winter's static state ensues, a parallel to the shock of the unspeakable horror and loss. Inevitably, as we experience each year, Spring comes at last and the process of rebirth takes place as it must, and not seldom by dramatic means. As a conclusion, I've used Isaac Watts' incomparable hymn, O God, Our Help in Ages Past, which sums up so perfectly Peggy's sublime poetic text and our collaborative vision of hope."

Maestra Gretchen Kuhrmann and composer Gary Davison review a section of Shadow Tides.

“Gary has great sensitivity for setting text, which perfectly captures the mood and emotional impact we wanted to achieve. He employs the treble choir, which will be placed in the balcony at National Presbyterian, to great effect, and brilliantly contrasts the children’s sound with the haunting soprano solo lines,” Kuhrmann noted.

When thinking about the flow and content of this concert, Kuhrmann had no doubt that one element would be a given: the playing of Taps by well-known U.S. Army Band (“Pershing’s Own”) bugler Sgt. Major (Ret.) Woodrow English, who has been called upon to play Taps for many high-level memorial services, including those for Ronald Reagan and Ted Kennedy. Indeed, his haunting rendition of Taps has been recorded for use whenever an Army bugler is not available to perform in person. English, who was a member of the U.S. Army Brass Quintet, performs in local brass ensembles and free-lances as an orchestral trumpeter, and has a long history of performances with Maestra Kuhrmann and Choralis. He was eager to participate in this commemorative event, citing the symbolic significance of mourning not only the lives of the military and civilians lost on 9/11, but the nearly 6,000 military personnel who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since.

The In Search of Peace concert will be rounded out with Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings as well as additional choral offerings including the Dona Nobis Pacem from Bach’s Mass in B Minor. In keeping with the tone and goal of a concert titled In Search of Peace, the program will include readings from a variety of spiritual and philosophical perspectives.

Choralis at the Music Center @ Strathmore, March 2011. (Cathy Baumbusch is 8th from the right)

“We wanted to create a choral gift to the DC community through this performance,” said Kuhrmann, “and our hope is that the overall effect will be reverent, peaceful and healing.” Through the Pentagon Memorial Fund, The Choralis Foundation is offering 300 tickets to area organizations and individuals with personal connections to the 9/11 attacks, including families and survivors from the Pentagon and first responders from local police and fire departments, as well as veterans and their families.

For tickets, go to www.choralis.org or call 703-237-2499.

I just had these three questions posed to me today:

Q: Can a house be sold without an appraisal?

A: A buyer cannot secure a loan without an appraisal. The appraisal assigns a value to the home. This value is what the lender will use to determine how much and if to loan the purchase money to the buyer. The appraisal is ordered by the lender and paid for by the buyer during the loan application process. In the case of a cash buyer, they can still order their own independent appraisal if they wish. After all, an investor or purchaser would not want to pay more for a property than what it is worth right?

Q: Can a house be sold without a surveyor coming by to make sure the lines are correct?

A: Yes a house can be sold without a survey. However, it is the buyer's choice whether or not they want to order a survey. The survey is ordered by the title company (settlement company) and paid for by the buyer. If there are boundary issues, the buyer may ask for the Seller to rectify the problems. If they are not rectified, then the buyer, if he chooses to go forward with the sale, would inherit the boundary issues. A survey will also tell you where any easements are on the property. This includes public easements and utility easements. Easements are portions of the property that are being used by these parties for access to something on or beyond the property or for wires, sewer lines, etc.

Q: Is a title search also required before selling a house?

A: Yes. A title search is required to determine whether there are any "clouds" on the title.

1- is the person selling the property actually the person on the title and the one allowed to sell the property? Are there any other owners on the title? If so, you will need all parties' consent and signatures or properly executed powers of attorney to go to sell the property.

2 - Are there any liens or is there legal action against the property, or has the owner declared bankruptcy? It is part of the due diligence on the part of the buyer. The seller must present "clear and marketable" title in order to sell. If there are too many clouds on the title, the title may not be insurable (the buyer can't get title insurance) and the buyer may not want to buy the property. After all, who do you know that would willingly inherit problems?

The countdown continues. As of this writing (1:44pm), it seems that the debate hinges on one thing: funding for Planned Parenthood. Democrats are holding fast to continue giving Federal dollars to the organization and Republicans are holding fast to cut funding for it. A measure to keep the government running for another week, and the Pentagon until September would be vetoed by the President. Not sure I can blame him-- for what? Just to go through this all over again next week? No, for everyone's sake, they need to figure this out now.

But this was not intended to be an ideolgical posting. Whatever the hang-up is, the impact of the government shutdown will be far-reaching:

• As of yesterday, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival parade was under threat of being cancelled because there would be no National Park Police on duty to control the crowds. "So what ?" people might say. But then you might not have thought about the kids from all over the country in the many bands selected to perform in the parade, some already on their way here, whose dreams will be crushed. But about an hour ago, it was announced that "the show must go on". The parade will be re-routed and some grandstands will have to be moved and others removed altogether, but the dreams and hopes of the bandmembers will be preserved.
• National Parks shutdown. However, tourists can still go to and view the National Mall, and the cherry blossoms. The Washinton Monument grounds will be open, but you will not be able to enter and go to the top of it. The free admission Smithsonian museums, Natural History, American History, etc., will be closed, but there will be 12 other pay museums will be open.
• Some merchants will be providing food and drink discounts starting Monday.
• Truckers who make a living driving through this area will lose hours on the job because there will be no rush hour traffic.
• 800,000 federal workers will be furloughed.
• Restaurants and shops near large populations of federal offices will be adversely affected.
• The IRS will not process tax returns filed on paper. (The upside is that audits will not be conducted either.)
• DC DMV will not operate
• DC trash collection will cease (the President can exempt DC since DC is treated as a federal agency, but that is not likely)
• The Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which insures and guarantees loans for buyers, as well as rental and multi-family housing, will cease to operate. This means closings on home purchases could be delayed. Sure, private lenders could go forward, but without government endorsement, but they would be considered "not insured" until the FHA signed off on them. Like that's gonna happen! 30% of all mortgages are FHA mortgages (Source: Treas. Dept.)
• Roads operated by the Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service such as the George Washington Parkway and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway may be closed.
• The National Zoo will be closed.
• Metro will continue to operate, albeit with fewer rail cars
• The Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which insures and guarantees loans for buyers, as well as rental and multi-family housing, will cease to operate. This means closings on home purchases could be delayed. Sure, private lenders could go forward, but without government endorsement, but they would be considered "not insured" until the FHA signed off on them. Like that's gonna happen! 30% of all mortgages are FHA mortgages (Source: Treas. Dept.)
• Military members currently stationed in a war zone (this includes my nephew who left only a few days ago) will only receive 1 week's pay INSTEAD OF TWO in their next paycheck. Those stationed elsewhere will continue to earn pay, but will not get paid until the budget is resolved. They will receive back pay. If Congress approves back pay (which isn't likely) all unemployment benefits received will have to be paid back.
• All shuttered federal buildings will be inaccessible to everyone. Including the cleaning crews that regularly do their jobs after hours and on weekends.
• The George Washington Parkway Classic (10-Mile and 5K run) will be postponed until May 1.
• National Parks will be closed.

The good news (well, that's subjective):

• It was announced yesterday that furloughed federal employees may apply for unemployment. The benefit depends on where you work, not where you live. If you work in Maryland you are eligible after 1 day and the maximum benefit is $430/week. If you work in VA, you qualify after being out of work for a week, and the max benefit is $378/week. In DC, you are also eligible after one week, and benefits top out at $359/wk.
• The Cherry Blossom parade will still go on
• Federal retirees will still received their paychecks
• The IRS will continue to process electronically filed tax returns
• Airports will still operate
• Essential personnel such as air traffic controllers, federal law enforcement officers and prison guards will still go to work
• Federal lunch programs will remain up and running (kids will get fed).
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue operations

Eat, drink and be Merry:

• DC fast food chain Z Burger is offering free burgers to all federal workers
• Union Pub is offering congressional staffers 1 cent beers on weekdays from 5-6pm.
• At Lounge 201, martinis will be half price Tuesdays-Thursdays