Adm. & Mrs. R~,

This is an update on your condo for sale at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria VA. I'm giving you this status report publicly. Don't worry, I'll never share privileged information in a public forum such as this---that's why I'm withholding your name above. But, my experience has shown that this publicly reporting this sort of information will increase your condo's Internet profile and will raise awareness among potential buyers.

Let me start by saying Richard Blaine completed the updates in the kitchen and bathrooms. I went by to inspect as soon as he was completed. The new appliances are installed. The new floor in the kitchen looks especially good. He also completed all the painting. After my inspection, I found some spots in the master bedroom that needed a second coat, and Richard had no problem with heading back for a correction.

He claimed it was a little dark for him to see in that bedroom (more on that later) and I told him to buy some shop lamps. He purchased the lighting he needed so that won't happen to him again and then finished up the work. If you'd like to take a look at the place, you can find a virtual tour online here.

After Richard was done, he cleaned the place, but it wasn't quite to a military standard---if you know what I mean. So, I contacted Nidea Cortez, a cleaning lady who has and continues to do excellent work for us. I put her crew to work in the place removing dust, washing baseboards, cleaning and shining. They charged me a couple hundred bucks and I'm glad to pay it. The condo now sparkles. I took most of the pictures you see in the virtual tour and a few more pictures for good measure.

Then, as fortune would have it, I had a family member pass away and on the way to the funeral I caught a mild case of food poisoning. (Never again McDonald's, no matter how much of a hurry I'm in.) It was a rough couple of days, but during that time, I put the listing in the MRIS. I contacted the Realtor who had heard rumors of our pending sale, and almost immediately her client and others started a flow of traffic. I feel that our marketing campaign and our price must be pretty close to right, because potential buyers are coming through the place.

But I received some feedback that the place "seemed dark". (Maybe this was why Richard missed a few spots in the master bedroom.)

As you know, I like this unit at the Torpedo Factory because it's so close to the Carlyle House and so close to King St. I like this condo because the patio will get a nice patch of shade in the oppressive summer months which will make that patio usable in Virginia's summer heat.

This condominium had never seemed dark to me, but I went by to re-inspect sometime as sunset was approaching. While I was there I realized that the condo has almost no overhead lighting. Most of it is designed to work from switched-plugs and lamps. I knew that someone was coming by to see the place the next morning, so I ran out an purchased a couple of standing lamps to place in the unit.

It took me a bit to assemble the lamps last night but I'm happy I did it then. While I was putting the second lamp together, a Realtor and client entered the property. I got the second lamp up and hustled out. I must mention that I really think the design of the lamps suits the condo.

BTW, while I was there I snapped the picture below to show others just how pretty the courtyard is at the Torpedo Factory after dark.

As you know, one my specialized areas of expertise is marketing real estate on the Internet. This post is one more drop in our tidal wave of Torpedo Factory information resources. Torpedo Factory dot com and Torpedo Factory dot info both prominently feature your condo. If a consumer uses Bing, Google or Yahoo to search for "Torpedo Factory condos" or "Alexandria condos" or any other of a number of searches, they will probably find your condo. I've also posted this listing at Postlets.com which plugs the listing into another tier of real-estate related Internet searches. One of the things you might notice at Postlets is that this condo scored a perfect 100 on its Walk Score. (Read more about Walk Score here.)

After assembling the lamps, I stopped on the way out to snap this night photo of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. I think it helps illustrate this condo's proximity to the waterfront.

In closing, I still can't promise with absolute certainty that this condominium at the Torpedo Factory will sell quickly. This is still a tough market for sellers. But I can say with complete confidence, that we're going to get noticed by the types of people who will be interested in condos like the Torpedo Factory. I can guarantee we will have interested buyers touring our place online and in person. We know this is a great property in a great location. We feel the price reflects the discounts that have hit the entire market. And, at this time of this posting, we're also the most affordable unit for sale at the Torpedo Factory.

November and December are always slower sales months because of the holiday, but I think our outlook is bright. I will not be surprised if we end up with competing offers on this condo, and I'll keep you apprised of all offers. Enjoy your trip overseas and I hope the family is all doing well. We look forward to your safe return.

About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo 1 Alexandria and Will Nesbitt Realty. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County.

I've prepared the following report for any condominiums in Alexandria VA. This report only includes mappable properties with valid prices and home sizes are included in the calculations. To run your own up to the minute market report or to see the map from which this report was calculated check Alexandria Condos.

Condo-Alexandria.com now allows users to search for property by "Walk Score". Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score promises to measure how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle---not how pretty the area is for walking. In reality,

What does a property's Walk Score score mean?

Each home listed for sale is given a Walk Score. That number is between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

• 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people can get by without owning a car.
• 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Walk Score isn't perfect ...

Home buyers need to be aware that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability.

For example, the Skyline communities of Falls Church generally have a higher Walk Score than the New Alexandria community of Belle View. River Towers has pleasant tree-lined walkways with easy access to neighborhood shops, parks, libraries, the Potomac. Skyline Square is convenient as can be, but broad and busy 4 lane roads make walking inconvenient, if not dangerous. But River Towers doesn't score as high on Walk Score as Skyline Square.

So, there are a number of factors that contribute to walkability that are not part of the algorithm used to calculate Walk Score:

• Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods. Not to fear: you can also search for homes near a metro station.
• Street width and block length: Narrow streets slow down traffic. Short blocks provide more routes to the same destination and make it easier to take a direct route.
• Street design: Sidewalks and safe crossings are essential to walkability. Appropriate automobile speeds, trees, and other features also help.
• Safety from crime and crashes: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are streets well-lit?
• Pedestrian-friendly community design: Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? Are destinations clustered together?
• Topography: Hills can make walking difficult, especially if you're carrying groceries.
• Freeways and bodies of water: Freeways can divide neighborhoods. Swimming is harder than walking.
• Weather: In some places it's just too hot or cold to walk regularly.

Thus, the tools on our site are a great starting point in your search for homes and neighborhoods of Northern Virginia, but there really is no substitute for your Condo 1 Alexandria realtor. We know the areas and neighborhoods where you want to live and we can really help you sort to the wheat from the chaff.

Northern Virginia's Most Walkable Homes for Sale

• $574,900 :: 325 Royal St N, Alexandria VA, 22314
• $266,000 :: 4517 Holmes Run Pkwy, Alexandria VA, 22304
• $485,000 :: 2400 Clarendon Blvd #105, Arlington VA, 22201
• $142,000 :: 1011 Arlington Blvd #514, Arlington VA, 22209
• $129,000 :: 4102203 Daniels Ave #203, Annandale VA, 22003
• $579,900 :: 320 West St S #102, Alexandria VA, 22314
• $625,000 :: 320 West St S #109, Alexandria VA, 22314
• $650,000 :: 320 West St S #106, Alexandria VA, 22314
• $450,000 :: 2100 Lee Hwy #238, Arlington VA, 22201
• $359,000 :: 1600 Oak St N #1731, Arlington VA, 22209
• $479,000 :: 1115 Cameron St #113, Alexandria VA, 22314
• $1,049,000 :: 1600 Clarendon Blvd #W205, Arlington VA, 22209
• $753,835 :: 3411 13th St. S., Arlington VA, 22204
• $350,000 :: 3800 Fairfax Dr #201, Arlington VA, 22203
• $735,385 :: 3409 13th St. S., Arlington VA, 22204
• $345,555 :: 2100 Lee Hwy #235, Arlington VA, 22201
• $429,500 :: 1050 Taylor St N #1-207, Arlington VA, 22201
• $389,000 :: 1021 Garfield St N #B43, Arlington VA, 22201
• $995,000 :: 1308 Hartford St, Arlington VA, 22201
• $510,000 :: 400 Madison St #907, Alexandria VA, 22314

Well, maybe ...

The properties listed above score very high on the Walk Score criteria and are thus featured here. Search for more walkable properties or contact us for tips and suggestions to fit any budget.

The Pie Social was a big hit with members of the Alexandria Fun with Friends group. Members pitched in to bring pies and a supporting cast of whipped cream, milk, coffee and teas. The group relaxed with a few games and chatted the evening away. I tried to taste them all but there were just too many and they were just too good. I definitely look forward to the next time around with this one.

The event was held at the River Towers Club Room, just outside Old Town near the Potomac in New Alexandria. About twenty locals, friends and new acquaintances, gathered to enjoy a little pie and some fellowship.

How about an evening of games and socializing with a few of your favorite nibbles?

Newcomers and old friends are welcome here for an evening of light-gaming and socializing. We're asking everyone to pitch in and bring something from our list. (Declare on your RSVP what you're bringing!) Here's what we'll need:

• Cheeses --- Cubed or sliced but nicely plated. We're going upscale this time!
  
• Fruits or Veggies --- Perfect for nibbling and healthy as can be.
  
• Meats or Cold-cuts --- Cube a salami or just bring a meat plate. Most of us are skipping dinner so make it nice!
  
• Crackers and snackers --- No bags of Lays and Doritos people! We're channeling our inner snobs on this one. It's culture for the uncultured and make it count with water crackers, gourmet crackers, or quirky crackers.
  
• Olives -- We're not talking about a can of olives not fit for a pizza. We want Greek and Spanish olives, pitted or unpitted as you wish. Dripping with oil and oh so tasty!
  
• Two tablecloths --- Okay, so you're not a foodie. You can't cut a cheese cube to save your life. Well guess what? You can pitch-in by classing up the joint with a paper tablecloth from your local grocery or party store! Yes, you're getting off easy, but make it up when you're here by taking out a trash bag and helping with clean-up.
  
• Get creative! --- Are you a cook? How about impressing us with a hot wing, or fried dumpling, or a savory pastry? Make it look nice but more importantly don't use us to experiment with your new recipe!
  
• Homemade dessert? --- It might be nice to finish off with some cupcakes or brownies. Don't bring us the "Oops we made too much" special from Safeway!
  

I know this list looks a little demanding, but we're trying to give you an idea of what we're shooting for. Bring your own drinks, and if your drinks are alcoholic, please drink in moderation. Keep in mind the RSVP's so you know how many people will be coming. Please update your RSVP if you can't make it. We're counting on you to make it nice.

Please bring a game and be ready to teach some others. We'll have fun and look forward to seeing you there!

The event is November 21st and all are welcome. Details and RSVP at Alexandria Fun with Friends.