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Katie Wethman, CPA, MBA, REALTOR® - Northern Virginia & DC Real Estate

The Jefferson at Ballston: North Arlington Condos for 55+

Two words: Retirement Community. The Jefferson is a Sunrise Senior Living Community. It consists of two high-rise condominium towers within a block of the Ballston Commons Mall and Ballston metro, and as such they get plenty of hits from buyers looking for affordable options along the Orange Line in North Arlington. So why are these condos so cheap?

First, you must be 55 or older to purchase there, and all units come with not only a condo fee (about $100-150/month for a 1BR), but a hefty Service Fee which is mandatory for all residents. Service Fees start at approximately $1925/month for a 1BR and can go up to over $3700 for a 2BR/den and even more for larger units. Continue reading the post here.

North Arlington Neighborhoods: Waverly Hills

About the Neighborhood

Waverly Hills (often misspelled as Waverley Hills) in North Arlington consists mostly of single-family homes that are primarily in the Cape Cod and Colonial styles, and one story bungalows. Bounded by Glebe Road , I-66, Lee Highway, and Utah Street, it is very close to Ballston metro and major commuting routes like I-66, Rt 29, and Washington Blvd.

The oldest and most significant building in Waverly Hills is the Glebe House, originally built in 1770. The Glebe House was established as a 500 acre farm and provided for the rector of Fairfax Parish, which included both Christ Church, Alexandria and the Falls Church. Built in 1775, it burned in 1808 and was rebuilt in 1820 as a hunting lodge. Subdivision of the Glebe lands began in 1846. The octagon wing was added about 1850.

Nearby neighborhoods include Willet Heights (often misspelled as Willett Heights), Waycroft, Woodlawn, and Ballston. Woodlawn Park is located nearby, and a stream runs through the park.

The neighborhood has a very active Civic Association. View the Waverly Hills conservation plan.

Neighborhood History

From the Arlington County website:

Throughout most of the 17th century all of Northern Virginia remained Indian territory until the restoration of King Charles II to the English throne in 1660. The majority of Waverly Hills was included in a land grant to James Brechin, rector of St. Peter's Parish in New Kent County in 1716. Brechin never lived on his Arlington holding and upon his death in 1721, Daniel Jennings, the surveyor of Fairfax County (in which Arlington was then included), purchased the land. A small portion in the northwest corner of the Waverly Hills area, was part of a grant in 1731 to James Robertson, a large landholder in what is present-day Arlington.  The lower part (the area south of 19th Street) grew in the period between World Wars I and II, while the area north of 19th Street was developed in the years immediately after World War II.

Waverly Hills was named a "Great Place to Live" by Washingtonian Magazine.

Homes for Sale

As of November 7, 2009, there is just 1 home on the market in Waverly Hills, a colonial priced at $975,000. In the past year, 10 homes sold with list prices ranging from $589,000 to $1.875 million (average sold price $881,560). Average days on market was 81. (Source: MRIS as of 11/7/09)

Looking to buy a home in Waverly Hills? I live nearby and keep a close watch on the listings in the neighborhood - contact me!

See Homes for Sale in Waverly Hills.

Are you getting ready to sell your Waverly Hills home? As an Arlington resident, I can help you best highlight all the positives of living here!

Not all agents are alike -- ask me about the services that I provide my sellers including professional photography, staging, and custom websites--after all, most buyers start their home search on the web and DEMAND high quality photos. For a free pricing analysis and comprehensive marketing plan, contact me or visit my Sellers Resource Center.

Sign Up for an Automated Market Summary of Waverly Hills at www.waverlyhillshomevalues.com

Other Arlington Neighborhoods:

Arlington Forest

Berkshire Oakwood

Colonial Village

Lyon Park

Maywood

Tara - Leeway Heights

Waycroft - Woodlawn

Westover

Up & Coming in Petworth: Chatting with Mayor Fenty

I happened to stop by a client’s new house today–a fantastic renovation of a rowhome in Petworth–and whom should I see walking down the street but Mayor Fenty himself! He was checking out the neighborhood, shaking hands, etc.–no doubt checking up on all the recent development in the area! He was very interested in the recent sales in the neighborhood, which obviously has been undergoing a lot of changes lately, so we chatted for a few minutes.

Read the rest of the post here.

Northern Virginia & Washington, DC, Real Estate Market Update - September 2009

This is the monthly market update I provide to my clients. To be added to the mailing list so that you receive these updates as soon as they are available, please email me.

The market doesn't seem to have slowed down very much this Fall.

There are plenty of buyers playing beat-the-clock, but the big news continues to be the lack of inventory in the greater NoVA area. The lack of homes for sale, primarily spurred by lower prices that are driving sales, is compounded by increasing new construction sales. KB Home has announced it intends to resume building in the DC area after curtailing operations in late 2007, as described in this article. The article notes that Toll Brothers has also started snapping up properties, now that listings for sale have reached their lowest level since January 2006.

Rumors abound about a potential extension of the $8000 tax credit currently scheduled to expire November 30, but no official word yet. Stay tuned. Given our lack of inventory, if the credit gets extended then we better hope that entry-level owners decide to sell or we will have even more frustrated buyers in our area.

On the lending front, FHA may be heading for problems. The agency, which is responsible for many purchase money loans given the current environment, recently announced its cash reserves will drop below its Congressionally mandated level. This sparked a number of program changes, including special appraisal rules, similar to the HVCC that was instituted for conventional loans a few months ago--so buyers and sellers should be prepared for even more appraisal headaches to come!

In other news, here are some good articles I came across this month: 7 New Rules for the First Time Buyer and Credit Scores: What You Need to Know.

As always, please let me know if I can do anything to help you or your friends with your real estate needs.

Free First Time Home Buyer Class - Arlington VA - September 2009

Are you one of the estimated 53% of buyers in 2009 who will be buying for the first time?

Then register for a free first time home buyer seminar at Arlington Central Library to be held Wednesday, September 16 at 7:15 pm.

As with our other classes, there is absolutely no cost or obligation to attend this one hour educational session where we will recap the current market conditions, discuss the future outlook, and provide an overview of the home purchase process.

We'll also discuss the impact of the banking system collapse and bailout, the home purchase process and common pitfalls, financing basics and a how to get started checklist.

Details and registration information can be found here.

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