Rachel Valentino - Atlantic Coast Connection in DC,VA,& MD

ALERT! Tax Credit Expires December 1, 2009 - Don't Miss Out

Tired of never catching a break? Then now is the time to get off the bench and into the game if you want to take advantage of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and catch a break in buying your first home. This unprecedented incentive is meant to lighten the burden for first time homebuyers while stimulating the economy.

A tax credit of up to $8,000 is still available for qualified first-time homebuyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. This tax credit provides an ‘Outstanding Opportunity' for those who qualify. Don't be the one who waits until the opportunity presented passes you by, leaving you on the sidelines of owning a home.

Frankly, it really doesn't get any better than this. $8,000 is a lot of money and could be considered a "windfall." That's a lot of incentive to close on your new home if you are a first time homebuyer. In fact, it's being compared to "Hitting the Jackpot." If you ever needed motivation to get you out of the renting cycle and into your first home, this is it!

But time is running out to take advantage of the $8,000 Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers. The window of opportunity is closing in to qualify for the first time homebuyer tax credit. All purchases must be completed by November 30, 2009 and that date is closing in quickly. So unless you love to take risks and gamble, now is the time to get going and finalize a contract so you don't miss out and risk losing this valuable tax credit.

If you wait too long, you could stand to lose $8,000 in free money. If you qualify, this is a sure bet so what are you waiting for? Realtor® Rachel Valentino suggests not waiting but getting started now. She says there is still time to get the legwork done and still qualify for the tax credit. By contacting her now, there is still time to find your dream home and gather your down payment. By starting now, you will also leave enough time to write an offer, finalize your financing and close before the deadline. Don't be the gambler who loses the farm by waiting till the last minute!

Don't Miss Out - Get the Details - Click Here to See if you Qualify and Read Frequently Asked Questions About the Home Buyer Tax Credit

Want to take advantage of this fantastic incentive? Then turn to greater DC's top real estate expert Rachel Valentino. Let her help you find and buy your dream home in time to take advantage of this great opportunity for first time home buyers. She's on top of DC's real estate scene and has the expertise to help you get it done and reach your home ownership goals before the December 1 deadline. Visit her website today or email her with any questions you may have.

For more details on this tax credit, it is suggested that you consult your tax advisor or accountant. This IRS link also provides additional answers to questions that you may have on The 2009 Home Buyer Tax Credit. Be a smart and informed homebuyer and hire a top real estate expert.

Centered in the heart of the metro area, is one of the most famous, affluent, and prominent districts within DC, known as Dupont Circle. With its deep rooted art culture, funky shops, and trendy bars and restaurants, Dupont Circle and its cosmopolitan flair combine to make this area one of the most sought after addresses not only in the DC area, but possibly the country. It is here, one can truly experience urban living at its finest, feeling the vibrant heartbeat of the city.

The circle itself is a gathering place, housing a lush green park with plenty of benches for socializing. The tall, beautiful Dupont Memorial Fountain marks the center of Dupont Circle's thriving commercial district. Here in this lively park, you will find others enjoying lunch, strolling, playing chess, people watching or just plain dilly-dallying as they find tranquility within this urban setting. In the photo at the left, trendy residents of Dupont Circle enjoying dog yoga in the park with their furry friends .If you want to explore by foot but don't know where to start, try this recommended tour.

Recently, Dupont Circle earned the distinction of being voted the best place in the DC area for people watching, in a NBCWashington.com contest held in April. The area won over Georgetown with a whopping 63% of the votes and was plugged on NBC on newscasts as the place to people watch and be seen in DC. So grab your lunch, head over to the park to settle in, enjoy the sun and take pleasure in watching fellow Washingtonians around you.

Further illustrating the wonderful benefits of living and working in the Dupont Circle area, retail stores, office buildings, cafes, restaurants, and cultural attractions surround the park. The area is home to Phillips Collection, one of the city's leading art museums and also Lambda Rising, the nation's most famous gay bookstore. Also contributing to the art community are the 22 Art on Call boxes in the area named The Dupont Circle Art on Call. This project presents original artwork by 22 local artists painted on antique call boxes showcasing the art and history of this vibrant area. These boxes can be enjoyed throughout the Dupont Circle area AKA walker's paradise.

Dupont Circle has long been a neighborhood that prides itself on its culture diversity opening its doors for those live alternative lifestyles. It also renowned as the preferred habitat for the wealthy diplomatic set, further boosting its cosmopolitan reputation. Although real estate and rental prices in the Dupont Circle area are among the highest in the city, the architecture, and urban ambience make living in this neighborhood worth every penny if one can manage the price.

Some argue that if money were no object, young adults moving to DC would always choose to live in Dupont Circle, the heart of the city. It's easy to see why, with its unbeatable location, the art and intellectual aspects, the lively culture mix, top-notch restaurants, and a raffish street life to boot. No longer just for those with old money or the nouveau riche, today Dupont Circle is home to artists, intellectuals and young professionals from all walks of life. Indeed, one can say that Dupont Circle is a cosmopolitan chalice that truly runneth over.

Can you imagine yourself with a Dupont Circle address? Then you need an expert you can trust to help you, someone who knows the area, has a proven track record and genuinely wants to help you make your home or condo ownership a reality. As one of the area's top real estate experts, Rachel Valentino is someone you will want working for you. Check out her Atlantic Coast Connection website to learn more about her and her connection to the DC area. Or email her today with any questions you may have.

Chinatown in Washington, D.C. is a small, historic neighborhood east of downtown, nestled in along H and I Streets between 5th and 8th Streets. Originally a German area, Chinese immigrants started to populate the area in the 1930's when they were displaced from their original settlement on Pennsylvania Avenue with the building of the Federal Triangle government complex. The new residents added decorative metal latticework and Chinese signage.

Spanning across H Street at 7^th, you are greeted by a glittering gold and tiled gate, the Friendship Arch, Chinatown's most visible and beautiful landmark. This arch is a traditional Chinese gate, and is considered to be the gateway to DC's Chinatown, prominently marking the neighborhood.

If you've been through Chinatown lately, you may have noticed the iconic Gateway Arch is all covered up. That is because work is currently underway to restore the arch to its original beautiful splendor and grandeur. The DC Arts Agency (DCCAH) who is spearheading this effort to repaint and replace the woodwork says to expect its completion by the end of the summer. What an exciting public art project this has been for the area! Anticipation is growing as the completion and unveiling date nears for this landmark makeover in an area where renovation is ongoing and inspiring.

This 4-block area may be a lot smaller than the Chinatown districts in New York or San Francisco, but it's still an authentic, colorful and charming community with its own merits. What DC's Chinatown lacks in size, it makes up for in character. Not only is this area revitalized and thriving, it is also one of the most unique and most recognizable communities in the DC area making it a historical area that is ultra urban cool and trendy.

Following a major renovation several years ago, this area has now become known withiin the urban scene as "hot, hip and happening". This giant renovation has revitalized the area into a bustling scene for nightlife, shopping and entertainment. It really is rare to find so much "America" in a place surrounded by Chinese signs, traditions, flavors,and smells - making DC's Chinatown a very unique and special place.

Since the recent renovations,many Chinese resdidents have moved to the suburbs, but the 20 or so Chinese and Asian owned restaurants and other small businesses are still very much alive within the district, but now they have new neighbors, sharing the streets with the new retail and residential developments. So from Starbucks to Legal Sea Foods and other national chains who hang their signs out front in Chinese, you really can have it all in this district. Here in Chinatown you will find everything from fine DC restaurants serving Chinese and diverse ethnic cuisine, to great museums, theaters and movie houses.

Also close by you will also find several breweries, restaurants and sports bars around the newly developed Verizon Center, a sports and entertainment arena. Home to the Capitals and Wizards, the arena is also a hot new concert venue bringing ardent sports and music fans to the area.

With so much going on, it's easy to see how this area has become so vital to the heart of DC.

But even among all of this new urban development, what didn't get lost is the colorful and charming feel of the area. You can still immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, aromas and tastes of Chinatown. You can still shop for teas and herbs at grocery stores. A steaming bowl of shrimp dumpling soup at Full Kee is still to die for. The chef still makes noodles in the window of Chinatown Express. And each winter, the Chinese New Year is still celebrated here in a dazzling fashion complete with a colorful parade featuring drummers, musicians, lion and dragon dancers and thousands of popping firecrackers.

While Chinatown is fun (and delicious) place to visit, it is also an up-an-coming place to live and work. In mid July, 2009, the 12 story LEED certified 700 Six office building, the greenest new development in D.C., opened at 700 6^th St. near Verizon Center. Nearby is Gallery Place, a mixed land use development that includes 192 condos amidst 250,000 square feet of restaurants, bars, and retail. Other popular new or renovated Chinatown-Penn-Quarter condos include the Clara Barton, the Lafayette, and Ventana Lofts.

Interested in learning more about potential home or condo ownership opportunities in Chinatown or the surrounding areas? Then you need an expert you can trust, someone who knows the area, has a proven track record and genuinely wants to help you make your home or condo ownership a reality. As one of the area's top real estate experts, Rachel Valentino can help find your dream home. Check out her Atlantic Coast Connection website to learn more about her and her connection to the DC area. Or email her today with any questions you may have.

Gyms and pools, low maintenance, and a community environment... Condos are a wonderful lifestyle choice, and in highly populated urban areas, may be one of the few homeownership choices. But make sure you understand what you are buying and what you are buying into. Buyers should think about the real differences between buying a condo and buying a single family home.

Any owner of single family home knows that repair costs and other home-related expenses add to the cost of ownership. Condo ownership brings it own set of unexpected costs. For this reason, Mortgagenewsdaily.com suggests that one of the first questions you ask is if the complex is you are interested in is professionally managed? If it is, ask for the number of the Management Company. If it isn't, ask for the name and number of the head of the Home Owners' Association (HOA).

Since condo owners share responsibility for certain expenses, you need to know if the HOA is involved in any lawsuits. Condo owners may end up in litigation with the developer, the manufacturer of building products used in the development, or with an individual homeowner. This may cause you to think twice about purchasing a specific property with high liabilities.

Needless to say, you will want to know what to expect in upcoming years. No crystal ball comes with the keys, but you should ask about major maintenance, improvement projects, or planned special assessments over the next one - three years. Are there enough resources on hand to cover these needs?

If you are buying a newly built condo or one that will be built in the future, extra caution is necessary. It is almost never a good idea to buy a home that you have never actually seen, though it happens all the time. This piece of advice was found on buyingacondo.org: "Those great developments that promise a better lifestyle with all the amenities attached, but aren't built yet, tend to be bad buys. Why? Believe it or not, developers do not actually have to sell you the condo that they show you in the brochure." If you are buying a home in an unbuilt complex, you'd better check out the builder's track record of completion.

Even when you look at a model, you are seeing a showplace where any flaws in finishing have been masked, and where there are often many upgrades. Upgrades come with a price tag, but be sure to sure understand what is standard and what is an upgrade, as what is included varied by price and by builder. If you're not going to be happy with the bare bones model, you will need to choose if you want to pay the asking price for the upgrade. In some situations, you or agent can negotiate to have upgrades included at minimal cost. You might find that your desired place with the upgrades prices out like urls in a more expensive building that includes the upgrades you want as part of the standard package.

A final piece of advice: your condo offer should, of course contain all of the contingencies you would put into one on a single family home including the need to pass a home inspection. This may seem unnecessary for new condo, but it could be worth it if the inspector uncovers something not covered by your warranty.

Condos can be great homes if you know what you are getting into. However, if you don't bother to ask questions and do your homework, you could end up with a lot of costly home repairs - or a home that looks nothing like you thought it would. With so many things to think about, consider all your options carefully and do your homework before deciding which D.C. area condo to purchase. After all, it is you, the buyer, who will be calling it home.

Rachel Valentino is a condo specialist in the D.C. area. She will help you exercise due diligence when you are condo shopping and can you point to the best D.C. condo values in just the right neighborhood for you. Check out her Atlantic Coast Connection website to pre-shop your dream home.

The Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. currently draws in crowds of people daily (and nightly) to its jazz clubs, restaurants, boutiques, and cultural attractions. Once the site of free slave encampments, the area became the center of African American intellectual and cultural life in the late 19^th - early 20^th century, before Harlem took that role around 1920. Duke Ellington came out of Shaw. Howard Theological Seminary (later Howard University) was established there. Many of the great figures of the Harlem Renaissance like Langston Hughes and Alain LeRoy Locke frequented the cafes and jazz clubs still on U Street.

Shaw is located in the northwest quadrant of the city between N Street NW to the south, New Jersey Ave. NW to the east, Florida Ave. NW to the north, and 11^th St. NW to the west. Areas such as Logan Circle, Cardoza, and the circleless Truxton Circle were once considered a part of Shaw but are separate now. It is east of Dupont Circle and south of Adams Morgan.

Like Columbia Heights, Shaw was the scene of riots after the death of Martin Luther King but appealing housing stock, a central location, and stable housing prices in D.C. made it a target for gentrification in the last 15 years. In 1986, a major city building, Reeves Center, was built at 14^th and U. This triggered renovations of boarded-up commercial buildings and construction of more than 2,000 upscale residential condominiums and apartments between 1997 and 2007. The result is a more diverse population in one of the most lively neighborhoods in D.C.

"Lively" does not come cheap; according to Trulia.com, the average listing price for homes in late June was $829,436, with a median sales price of $399,000. Based on what I am currently listing in this neighborhood, you can find a nice 2 bedroom condo for considerably less. Rentals in the neighborhood run over $2,000 for a 2 bedroom, which gives you a comparison figure to play with when you are deciding if you want to rent vs. buy a place of your own.

So what is so compelling about Shaw?

The Music Scene - Once known as "Black Broadway," the area is home to Lincoln Theatre, Howard Theater, Bohemian Caverns, and other clubs and historic jazz venues. An older , more affluent crowd tends to patronize these clubs in contrast Georgetown. The area is also home to great live music spots like the 9:30 Club, the Black Cat, and the Velvet Lounge.

The Food - Noted for its soul food and African cuisine (especially in the Little Ethiopia region of 9^th St. NW between U and T Streets), the area boasts a variety of low to medium price ethnic restaurants: Ben's Chile Bowl, the Florida Avenue Grill, Etete, Negril ....the list goes on with great places frequented by politicians and neighborhood folks alike.

The Galleries - High end exciting contemporary art galleries are located on 14^th Street, including the Adamson Gallery, Irvine Contemporary, and Curator's Office present the work of both well known and less known artists and photographers.

The Shopping - The boutiques on U Street offers trendy "funky" clothing and accessories from lesser known designers that offers an exciting alternative to many of the button-downed shops in other parts of the city with stores like Blink Optical, the Circle Boutique, Nana's, and Redeem.

The Cultural Attractions - The roots of neighborhood are honored in such treasures as the African American Civil War Memorial, the Lincoln Theater, and the Thurgood Marshal Center, constructed as a YMCA, designed by preeminent black architect W. Sidney Pittman, and frequent destination of the former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marhall.

Interested in locating in the Shaw area of D.C? Visit Rachel Valentino's Atlantic Coast Connection website for a rundown of available listings and the scoop on the D.C. neighborhoods where you might like to live and play. For a full rundown on what's happening in Shaw, see http://wikitravel.org/en/Washington_(D.C.)/U_Street_Corridor.