If you are just moving to West Springfield (VA) from another part of the country the term "slug line" make you go YUCK. However for anyone who has lived in the area for awhile the term "slug line" means a great way to get from a West Springfield neighborhood to the Pentagon or other major DC employment areas.

One of the questions that anyone relocated to the area asks is about public transportation options. Once newcomers understand the value of a slug line...it is FREE then they wonder if they can find a home within a mile of a slug line.

The good news is that the local MLS does give us the option to do a map search based on homes within a radius and it is easy to provide a list of available homes within a specified area. For example this map shows a one mile radius around four specific slug lines close to popular West Springfield neighborhoods.

1. Cardinal Forest Shopping Center/Shell Station
South side of Old Keene Mill Road

2. Daventry
Hunter Village Drive and Old Keene Mill Road

2. Sydenstricker Commuter Lot
Sydensticker and Fairfax County Parkway
Bus and Slug Line

4. Rolling Valley Commuter Lot
Next to Rolling Valley Shopping Center
9300 Old Keene Mill Road
Bus and Slug Line

If you are considering a move to West Springfield and need help look for a home close to a "slug line" or any other form of public transportation give the Cindy Jones team a call at 703-346-2213. Let our experience put you on the road to home ownership and maybe even find you a free ride to your office.

One of the things that many buyers consider when they are buying a home in a new neighborhood is where am I going to shop? If Lake Ridge in Prince William County one of the neighborhoods on your list the answer to that question is easy. Shopping centers are scattered throughout the community and there is the huge Potomac Mills Mall just a few miles away.

When you first enter the Lake Ridge area driving west on Old Bridge Road you will encounter Tacketts Mill Shopping Center. The Safeway grocery store is the anchor tenant in Tacketts Mill. One of the most popular spots is the drive through Dunkin Donuts where commuters can fuel up before grabbing the bus at the nearby commuter lot. You can also build your own dinners for the week at Dream Dinners or cheat and grab a sub at Quizno's.

Lake Ridge Commons is a few more miles west and has a Giant grocery store and the all important Starbucks. If you haven't found what you need at either of the first two shopping centers then stop at Festival Shopping Center and Bloom grocery store. While at the Festival Shopping Center you can also chow down on a Philly Cheese Steak at Jerry's Pizza and Subs and then work it off at Gold's Gym.

The last shopping center in Lake Ridge is the Glen at the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Prince William Parkway. Here shoppers will find a Super Giant, Panera Bread and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Having a selection of shopping opportunities that Lake Ridge offers within its boundaries is unusual. Add to these shopping centers you can go less than 10 miles in a number of directions and hit other shopping centers including a Harris Teeter grocery store and Wegmans too.

Check out Lake Ridge Information for school, recreation and commuting news.

If a neighborhood with all of these shopping options appeals to you then give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. No hassle, no pressure just straight talk about the Lake Ridge, Woodbridge and Prince William County real estate market.

Recently some clients of CJ Realty Group were trying to decide if buying a condo was in their future. As they were checking out various condominiums developments in Northern Virginia they quickly learned that the differences from building to building can be huge.

We aren't talking about condo fees, something every buyer needs to consider when they are looking at their budget but instead they were focusing on construction.

Many of the "garden" style low rise condos they looked at reminded them of their days in a college dorm. What they noticed the most was the noise! If they were looking at lower level units they could hear people walking around upstairs. They heard toilets flushing and when people walked by on the outside stairwells they could hear their conversations. The noise was a deal breaker and eliminated the garden style condos from their list.

Then they checked out highrise buildings and noticed how quiet they were. Buildings constructed out of poured cement and steel are far quieter than stick built construction. They also found what they labeled "hybrid" buildings. Stick built "mid-rise" condos with a thin layer of concrete poured over the standard sub-floor to help buffer noise between floors.

It made them realize that not all condos are built the same and looking beyond the glitzy kitchens and clubhouses was going to play a huge role in their decision process.

Now they are going back to each of their top three choices at night to listen for the neighbors. If they can hear them loud and clear then the condo is off their list. They can't afford a penthouse overlooking all of the DC monuments so they are being realistic but before you sign on the dotted line for a new condo you may want to follow their lead. Go back at night or on the weekend and make sure you can live with the noise levels in the development you are considering.

If buying a condo is in your future give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. Let our experience in helping buyers look under the covers at Northern Virginia condos work for you.

Want to save the mess in the kitchen for the 4th of July? Have a craving for a little bit of southern BBQ, cornbread or old sytle mac and cheese? Then head to Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge to get your fix.

Opened in Woodbridge in 1996, Dixie Bones is good old fashioned down home southern cooking. Everything you will order at Dixie Bones is made from SCRATCH even the buns for your BBQ sandwich. As soon as you walk in the door you know why the restaurant is a popular destination for the locals. Looking around the orange dining room you find the walls are covered with patches from law enforcement, fire fighters and military squadrons around the country. Friendly staff are quick to greet you and as soon as you sit down you can order a southern staple, sweet tea!

The owners of Dixie Bones originally hailed from Alabama which expains the great collard greens, muddy spuds and hickory smoked BBQ. You can get your BBQ in the form of ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket or chicken breast. Coleslaw on the top or on the side you choose. What makes Dixie Bones different is the choice of 4 homemade sauces that you can pour on top to get just the right mix for your taste. I enjoy a mix of the traditional based tomato sauce and a dash of the vinegar base for just the right mix for my pulled pork.

The only problem with eating at Dixie Bones is remembering to leave room for desert. Homemade pies are always available and trust me you don’t want to skip the chocolate, pecan, coconut cream or lemon chess pie. If you didn’t leave room, don’t worry you can buy a whole pie to take home.

If you really want to chow down head over on Sunday for the all you can eat brunch. Just bring the hand truck and a friend to help roll you out.

So if you are hankering for good southern style cooking don’t overlook Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge.

Thinking of buying a home in the Northern Virginia area? Wonder what the cost of owning that home and commuting in the area might cost you per year? Transportation and housing affordability are a big part of the buying process. The Urban Land Institute has developed a calculator to help show how these costs vary among different locations.

One of the first decisions that Northern Virginia buyers look at is whether they should buy a home "inside or outside" the beltway. Commuting is a big part of that decision. The calculator gives you a chance to play with the numbers and compare costs at a number of locations.

"The Housing + Transportation Calculator was developed to help individuals, households, planners, and municipalities understand the true costs of housing and transportation, as well as how these costs can vary from place to place."

As an example I ran two reports to compare costs.

ALEXANDRIA VA

WOODBRIDGE VA

These numbers were done for two condo's and may not reflect the numbers for your household size or the neighborhoods you select. It is a interesting tool to give you an idea of things to consider when you consider relocating to Northern Virginia.

If you find yourself relocating to Northern Virginia call Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group at 703-346-2213 to discuss how we can help make your move to the area as stress free as possible.