About Springfield's Daventry

Cindy have you lost your mind? You can't walk to the Pentagon from Daventry in Springfield (VA). It's 20 miles. You will be arrested as soon as you set foot on I-395 aka Shirley Highway. What is wrong with you?

Alright already but you can walk to the direct Pentagon Slug Line at the entrance to the Daventry neighborhood. From there you will be whisked safely down the highway to the drop off point at the Pentagon. If you aren't familiar with the term "slug lines" in relation to Northern Virginia commuting don't panic. It is a unique and legal way to hitch-hike your way to the Pentagon, State Department, World Bank or many other locations in DC.

A free ride isn't the only reason that Daventry is a popular neighborhood in Springfield. The community offers a community pool, community center, tennis courts, four tot lots and access to walking paths connected to the huge Fairfax County Park Authority network of trails and access to Lake Accotink.

Daventry offers a variety of housing including 512 townhouses most with garages, 212 single family homes and Ramblewood at Daventry offers 160 condominiums. In addition to the ease of commuting to the Pentagon using the slug line, it is also within 5 miles of the Springfield Metro Station accessible by driving or taking the Metro or Fairfax County Connector Bus also located at the entrance to the community.

Multiple shopping centers are close by featuring Giant Foods, Trader Joes and Whole Foods. You can find plenty of places to eat including Mikes American Grill, Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Austin Grill,

If living in a neighborhood where you can "walk" to the Pentagon sounds appealing then give me a call at 703-346-2213. Let me show you how to take advantage of the slug line and all of the other great benefits of the Daventry neighborhood.

If you are headed to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or any of the Military District of Washington installations stop by CJ Realty Group to learn more about the Northern Virginia area.

For anyone looking to buy a home in Springfield Virginia you will hear the term "school pyramid" used to describe the schools that feed into the four local high schools.

West Springfield, Robert E. Lee, South County Secondary School and Lake Braddock Secondary School are the four high schools at the top of the pyramid for children living in Springfield neighborhoods. There are multiple elementary schools that feed each of these schools. There are also elementary schools in the Burke Centre community that also feed to Lake Braddock and South County as well.

The following chart shows you the current schools assigned to each the top schools in the pyramid.

Lake Braddock and South County both have middle schools as part of their "campus" and do not have a separate feeder middle school. Detailed information about each of the schools can be found on the Fairfax County Schools site. You can also input the address of the Springfield property you are considering purchasing and find out which school is associated with that address.

If you are interested in learning more about homes for sale in Springfield call Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group at 703-346-2213.

It is that time of year when military families start to plan their summer moves. The weather can be very dangerous to anyone moving in the heat of the summer with a pet. First of all many pets just don't take well to travel of any kind but add 90 degree temperatures on top of that and the combination can be deadly.

If you are getting ready for a cross country move you need to make sure that you have checked with the hotels along your route to make sure that they can accommodate your animals. Yes, I know if you have a cat you can sneak them in just about anywhere but if you plan to stay more than one night what are you going to do when the maid arrives to clean your room? Put the cat in your sweltering car? Don't think so.

Second tip is do not let any pet, either a dog or cat run loose in your car while you are driving. As much as you would like to hold "fluffy" on your lap if you are in any type of accident or need to make an unexpected stop they could go flying through the air. Just as children need to be in the right type of safety seats so should your pet be secured as well.

Make sure that you have all of your pets shot records on board with you in case of emergency. You may even want to compile a list of emergency vets along the way just in case your pet becomes ill on the trip. The ultimate safety tip for traveling with your pet is to consider having an identity microchip implanted before you go. Every year dozens of dogs and cats bolt and the easiest way for a vet or shelter to reunite you with your pet is to be able to scan for the chip.

Remember your pets are part of the family and their safety during your move is just as important as yours. If you have orders to the Military District of Washington, Fort Belvoir, Pentagon or Quantico this summer give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. Let our personal experience with military moves help you with a smooth transition.

My phone continues to ring and questions hit my email from military families about eligibility for the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP).

One of the pressing questions recently has been about whether if a home was rented would it still qualify as a principal residence. The answer is YES. I have two new listings coming on the market next week from families who rented their homes before the DoD HAP benefits were fully approved.

I put together this quick video for other Northern Virginia (or former Northern Virginia) military families who might have the same question about DoD HAP benefits.

In addition to this video here are a few other posts I've written about the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program( HAP) and homes I sold in Northern Virginia in 2010. If you are a military family who has left the area and need assistance in working with your tenants and getting your home sold in 2011 please give me a call at 703-346-2213 to talk about your options.

DoD HAP and Short Sales
A Sold Sign in the Yard is Reason to Celebrate
Military Families-Options if You Are Upside Down on Your Mortgage
Homeowners Assistance Program is Working For Military Families