Archive for the 'Real Estate News' Category
Slaters Lane Shopping in Alexandria, VA
August 19th, 2010 Categories: Del Ray, Old Town, Potomac Yard/Greens, Real Estate News
I’ve tried really hard to find an official name for the row of shops on Slater’s Lane in Alexandria but to no avail.
So, we’re just going to call it the “Slater’s Lane Shopping Center.”
Except of course that it’s not really a shopping center and it’s not a strip mall either.
Instead, it’s a charming collection of shops at the entrance to the Potomac Greens and Old Town Greens townhouse development, across the street from the Old Town Crescent (condominiums) and half way between the Monroe Street Bridge and the George Washington Parkway.
Got it? In other words, it’s conveniently located for a lot of folks in North Old Town and Del Ray. Here’s what you will find at the “Slater’s Lane Shopping Center”:
- the Russian Gourmet
- Buzz Bakery
- Hairy Situations (dog grooming)
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe
- Rustico
- Periwinkle
- JonRic Salon
- Potomac Plaza Cleaners
- Domino’s Pizza
Want to know more about properties around this shopping area? Give me a call at 703.927.4554.
Michael
Related stories:
-
City of Alexandria Approves Potomac Yard Redevelopment and New Metro Construction
-
Station at Potomac Yards Celebrates Grand Opening
-
Potomac Yard Development Expands with New Fire Station and Sewage Pumping Station
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Ninth Annual Del Ray Chili Cook Off – Mark Your Calendar for Oct. 23, 2010
August 18th, 2010 Categories: Del Ray, Real Estate News
I know, I know, it’s only August but we want to give you a big head’s up and plenty of time to plan. So, mark you calendar for Oct. 23 and the Ninth Annual Del Ray Chili Cook Off.
Started, organized and planned every year by our neighbor Laura Fries, the Del Ray Chili Cook Off is about as unassuming and homespun as you can get.
Anybody can enter, it can be any kind of chili - beef, pork, turkey, venison, duck, rabbit, beans, no beans, chopped, sliced, diced, vegetarian, etc. - and anybody can win. Pretty simple isn’t it?
All you really have to do is pay a small “entrance fee”, make up enough chili to feed a lot of neighbors, make up a catchy name and come on down to LaGrande Avenue.
And if you aren’t up for the rigors of competition, well, we’re always looking for great side dishes and desserts.
Sheriff Dana Lawhorne is one of our regular judges and you never know what local musical talent may show up. Last year, driving rain (what’s new about that!) threatened to cancel the cook off but instead it turned into a very special night.
It’s some of the best fun you can have on a fall afternoon/evening in Alexandria so mark your calendars for Oct. 23 and the Ninth Annual Del Ray Chili Cook Off.
Stay tuned for details . . .
Michael
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Alexandria City Public School Registration Fall 2010
August 17th, 2010 Categories: Alexandria, Real Estate News
Alexandria City Public School Registration Information for Fall 2010.
September is almost upon us and that means school will be starting in the Alexandria City Public School system.
When to Register:
To register for kindergarten a child must be five years old on or before September 30 and must meet all documentation and health requirements.
If an eligible child is NOT registered for kindergarten, you must contact the school system in writing.
Parent of first graders should follow the same procedures for kindergarten.
Students transferring to Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) from other school districts school enroll as soon as moving to Alexandria – this is an on-going process.
When registering, parents or guardians must have two documents to prove residency like a rent receipt, lease agreement, current utility or land line phone bill or a personal property tax receipt.
Where to Register:
If the student speaks English and was born in the United States, registration takes place at your home school.
If the student is not a United States citizen or requires ESL services, you must register through the ESL office.
Questions:
What school serves my neighborhood?
What are the bus routes?
How can parents be involved?
Where can I find more information?
Moving to Alexandria or need to change school districts? Call me at 703.927.4554 and let’s get you and your family settled.
Michael
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Getting Organized – Family Photographs
August 16th, 2010 Categories: Real Estate News, Things to Do
Earlier this summer the Washington Post ran a great article on getting organized.
As a preface they talked to several professionals on the topic. A buyer at Amazon noted that more and more self help organizing books are being published and that “interest exploded with the coverage of hoarders . . . and the steady stream of DIY cable series starring professional organizers.
Gretchen Rubin, author of the Happiness Project, says ” . . . there is something about getting ahold of physical clutter that makes people feel energized, freer and happier. Order contributes to inner calm for most people.”
Make it all go away - Get Organized!
We’re going to break this down into a couple of different posts but for today we are going to look at getting organized – family photos.
- “Be ruthless when editing. Do not keep blurry photos. Do not keep photos of someone you don’t recognize or a vacation you don’t remember.”
- Save photos by having three backup files at all times: one on DVD or an external hard drive; one on your computer hard drive and one with an online digital sharing service such as Flickr, iPhoto, Piscasa or Snapfish.
- Keep photo organizing up to date. At least once a year, go through your latest digital photos and delete anything out of focus or duplicates. Add the rest to your online digital sharing service.”
Personally, I think #1 is the most crucial. How many of us hang onto photos “just because”?
Hope this will start you on your own organizing journey.
Michael
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Stairs Are a Stumbling Block to Aging in Place
August 14th, 2010 Categories: Real Estate News
For those seniors who are interested in staying in their home as long as possible, stairs are often a real stumbling block to ‘aging in place.’
Of course housing preferences vary by region with ranch homes predominating in the sun belt and the west. In the Northern Virginia/D.C. region however, two story colonials are almost standard.
How then to accommodate creaking knees and aching hips?
According to an excellent article in this morning’s Washington Post there are several ways to approach the step situation.
- Make existing stairs safer
- Ease the climb with stair lifts or elevators
- Provide for one story living even in a two story house
- Plan ahead (admittedly the most difficult)
But if what you really want is to move, give me a call at 703.927.4554 and let’s make it happen.
Michael
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Jim Morrison of the Doors Lived HERE in Alexandria
August 13th, 2010 Categories: Alexandria, Real Estate News
Did you know that Jim Morrison of the Doors lived HERE in Alexandria?
Jim Morrison lived here while attending GW High School (now GW Middle School) on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray
I promised not to divulge the exact address but let’s just say it is in a lovely neighborhood off Russell Road.
And now, for classic Jim Morrison and the Doors -
On a personal note – my lovely wife met Morrison back in the late 60’s and, although he was in head to toe black leather, she did not take him up on his offer of a backstage pass!
Michael
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Everything You Need to Know About Changing Your Address
August 12th, 2010 Categories: Real Estate News, Things to Do
A site called Change of Address has taken everything you need to know about changing your address and put it together in one place for easy reference.
In addition to change of address forms for the U.S. Post Office, they also offer change of address forms for government agencies:
- • The Internal Revenue Service – Download the Form
- • Social Security Administration Click Here
- • Social Security Administration: Supplemental Security Income Benefits Click Here
- • Department of Veterans Affairs Click Here
- • State Department of Motor Vehicles Click Here
- • U.S. Customs and Immigration Services Click Here
and lists of other people and organizations that may need to be notified:
Utilities
- • Electric company
- • Water company
- • Gas company
- • Sewer company
- • Trash/Waste company
- • Telephone company
- • Television (cable or satellite)
- • Internet provider
- • Pest control company
Financial Institutions
- • Insurance companies (your home, auto, medical, dental, life, etc.)
- • Banks or Credit Unions (wherever you currently have accounts)
- • Investment brokers (your IRA or other investment managers)
- • Lenders (car loans, personal loans, and more)
- • Credit reporting agencies (especially if you are rebuilding your credit)
Other
- • Your Friends and Family. See SmileBox for ideas.
- • Magazine Subscriptions Click Here
- • Daycare providers
- • Elementary, middle, or high schools
- • Your attorney
- • Doctors, dentists, eye doctor, etc.
- • Clubs you belong to
- • Professional associations
- • Church
- • Licensing and Certification boards
The magazine subscription box alone offers Web sites and 800 numbers for over 500 publications.
I only have one caveat. Change of Address makes money by offering home improvement/maintenance services and if you do not want to get on these mailing lists you will need to opt out.
Still, this site has the potential to make moving for any home owner just a bit easier – and that’s worth a lot in my book.
Everything You Need to Know about Changing Your Address.
Michael
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VIRGINIA – Our Most Historically Significant State
August 10th, 2010 Categories: Alexandria, Real Estate News
Ted Landphair is a long time Voice of America reporter and essayist. He also has a blog called Ted Landphair’s America and he writes about the thousands of places he has visited in this wonderful country of ours.
The Latin motto meaning “Thus Always to Tyrants!” — the same words spoken by John Wilkes Booth after he fatally shot President Abraham Lincoln — appears on the Virginia flag, in which the goddess Virtus (Virtue) subdues a Tyrant.
Today I was lucky enough to stumble across a recent piece in which he notes that VIRGINIA is perhaps our most historically significant state.”
“Not only an incubator of American independence and the cradle of American presidents — eight of them — but also the scene of ferocious, climactic battles of our great civil war.”
Ted’s look at Virginia Byways and Pieways is a rambling, slightly sardonic and always loving look at the the Commonwealth with tidbits like ” They (Virginian’s) are a rather refined lot . . . some Virginia men — mostly lawyers, of which there is an abundance — still wear white or seersucker suits and bow ties.” To which I say, what’s wrong with that!
In another piece called the Old Dominion, Ted takes on Alexandria, Centreville and some Civil War History. Both pieces are a joy to read, with some lovely photographs. But, for me, the real pleasure is in listening to the podcasts.
Enjoy.
Michael
The meaning of the motto on the Virginia flag, courtesy of Ted Landphair.
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10 Tools Every One Should Have in Their Home
August 9th, 2010 Categories: Real Estate News
Every once in awhile someone will write and ask to link up with GWSleptHere because of our wide audience.
Today we heard from a nifty site called Change of Address. If you are moving they make it possible to do almost all your change of address forms in one place plus they offer terrific advice on all sorts of home maintenance issues.
We particularly like this list of the 10 tools every one should have in their home.
- Tape Measure - A 25-foot (or more) self-retracting tape measure. Look for a strong a thumb lock and tape that’s sturdy enough to remain flat after being stretched out.
- Utility Knife – A reliable utility knife can cut through string, rope, nylon, boxes, packages, drywall and carpet. Typically, they lock in varying positions, allowing you to cut at the easiest and safest angles.
- Screwdrivers – Have either an assortment of screwdrivers in varying sizes, both flat and Phillips-style, or one screwdriver with interchangeable bits.
- Power Drill – Depending on the type of projects you plan to undertake, consider power capability, battery life and additional features – like whether or not it’s reversible. Be sure to purchase an accompanying set of drill bits.
- Pliers – There are three different types of pliers – slip-joint, lock-joint and needle or long-nose. Slip-joint pliers are useful for removing nails, and tightening and loosening nuts. Lock-joint pliers have large jaws that enable them to deal with large objects. Needle or long-nose pliers can grip small items.
- Wire Stripper – Although pliers can be used to strip wire, it’s much easier to use a wire stripper. It cleanly removes the plastic coating that protects the wire core. Some come with changeable teeth that accommodate different wire sizes.
- Adjustable Wrench – An adjustable wrench is capable of adapting to objects of varying sizes because of its movable jaw. It can tighten and loosen nuts of different household items. Some adjust automatically and tighten around objects without the help of their users.
- Claw Hammer – The claw hammer is perhaps the trustiest tool that you’ll own. It’s used for driving nails, force-fitting objects together and breaking objects apart; the claw end is used for removing nails. It should be roughly 16 ounces with a good grip – you don’t want to experience any painful or destructive mishaps.
- Level – The three types of levels most used are the torpedo, bull’s eyes and carpenter levels. Torpedo levels are small in size and aptly shaped like torpedoes. Bull’s eye levels are attached to the item. Carpenter levels measure whether or not an item is vertically plumb in addition to horizontally level.
- Electric Stud Finder – An electric stud finder is handy during projects that involve hammering objects into the wall of your home – like when you’re hanging shelves. It saves you from unsightly damage to your walls.
We can’t resist a good list so look for more like this in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, if you need a house in which to use the 10 ten tools every one should have in their home, give me a call at 703.927.4554.
Michael
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The Old Town Alexandria Summer Sidwalk Sale, Saturday August 14
August 5th, 2010 Categories: Old Town, Real Estate News, Things to Do
Love to shop? Love a good bargain but don’t like malls? Love to find that ‘must have’ item in unexpected places? Well, get ready.
The Old Town Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale is coming your way Saturday, August 14th.
This is a first for Old Town Alexandria and it’s shaping up to be quite an event. Participating merchants, from upper King Street to the waterfront, will showcase their products from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
Sidewalk Sale
Each participating business will host a unique event or promotion for the Summer Sidewalk Sale. Some retailers will offer deeply discounted summer merchandise while others will demonstrate their product lines or have some other special event.
So far 55 retailers have signed on, including our own favorite Diva Boutique. This is a great opportunity to shop, eat, stroll and visit with neighbors and friends. Don’t miss the first Old Town Summer Sidewalk Sale Saturday August 14.
And if you want to do some shopping for real estate, give me a call at 703.927.4554.
Michael
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