Fall is also a great time to buy a house.  Don’t be discouraged by what you are hearing on the news.  Talk to a local real estate agent and get specific information about neighborhoods, prices, days on the market, financing, etc.  Don’t forget that all real estate is local, local, local. Call me at 703.927.4554, I’d love to help you.

Sept. 11-12  – Alexandria Festival of the Arts (Old Town)
Sept. 18-19  – Virginia Wine Festival
Sept. 19 – 1st Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon
Sept. 23- Oct. 3 – Virginia State Fair
Sept. 25 – National Book Festival
Sept. 25 – Historic Alexandria Homes Tour (Old Town)

Dec. 5 – Lessons and Carols, Christ Church Alexandria

It doesn’t happen  every year, but when it does it can come as quite a shock.  If you think your property has been incorrectly assessed, let’s look at some strategies for challenging a property tax assessment.

If the assessment is 10% of more higher than the true value of your home then the challenge probably makes sense.  If it is less than that then the challenge is probably not worth your time, or money.

To determine the actual market value of your property, contact a local Realtor® and ask them to run comps for your neighborhood.  Tell them exactly what you are doing and why.

Review the tax assessment for errors.  Do they have you listed for six bedrooms when you have three or do they think you have a swimming pool* in the back yard?  Unfortunately mistakes like this are quite common.

Check to see if you are eligible for reductions because of historical significance.

***Even if you do have a swimming pool, the condition of the pool should be considered.  The same thing is true with a leaky basement, clogged drains, broken steps, etc.

And when you are ready to sell your house, give me a call at 703.927.4554. We’ll make it happen.

Michael

Picture perfect skies and the advent of a holiday weekend made Mt. Vernon Avenue seem like one big street carnival.  Yoga demonstrations, wellness tables, doggie treats, balloons – you name it, we had it.

The real draw of course was the Taste of Del Ray at First Thursday.

Thirteen vendors served long lines of folks, all of whom waited with great good patience and then took the time to vote for their favorite.

Del Merie Grille

And the winner of the Taste of Del Ray Award for 2010? 

Del Merei Grille.

Micaela and Lucy

Ironically, the Del Merei Grille will close on September 24th, because of redevelopment at the Calvert.

Long time fans are keeping their fingers crossed that another Alexandria location is in the works.

Last year’s winner, Pork Barrel BBQ, was also on hand and announced that their Mt. Vernon Ave. restaurant will open in November.

Mike and Heath

Just to give you an idea of how much food was served tonight at the Taste of Del Ray, Pork Barrel BBQ brought 100lbs. of meat and barely had enough to finish the night!

The next big Del Ray event is Art on the Avenue, October 2nd.

See you there,

Michael

Occupying what was a former hardware store in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, specialty boutique Bellies and Babies is the creative genius of Dawn Luepke.

Dawn Luepke

Dawn, like many of our local entrepreneurs, was a Capitol Hill staffer before moving to HUD as a project manager.

Marriage, to event planner Tim Luepke, and two children  – a boy and girls 15 months apart – meant a lot of maternity clothes and a lot of baby clothes.

Not surprisingly it was also time to consider a career change – all of which culminated in  the idea for a great new business.

1913 Mt. Vernon Avenue

Located in the heart of Del Ray at 1913 Mt. Vernon Avenue, in a two story bungalow, the property is a perfect setting for Bellies and Babies Consignment Boutique.

A parking lot right next door and a fenced yard makes this destination easy and safe. Just look for the light green house at the corner of Mt. Vernon and East Howell.

Once inside, cool blue walls and crisp white trim invoke an instant calm.   A hand painted mural anchors a back wall and a fireplace and hardwood floors add to the feeling of being in someone’s home.

The idea behind Bellies and Babies is two fold.  In the downstairs area Dawn is offering select high end baby items at deeply discounted prices along with items made by local artists.  Think cloth diapers, onesies, knit booties, changing pads, tutu’s, etc.

Upstairs, Bellies and Babies has consignment items in three distinct rooms – Moms (maternity clothes), girls, and boys. Both the boys and girls rooms have play areas and a second floor bathroom has a changing table and potty seats.

In the Moms space there is a dressing room and a large full length mirror.  The bonus here is that Dawn is also offering high end maternity rentals for special occasions.  What mother-to-be isn’t going to love this!

And the consignment items are fabulous – with some carrying  original price tags.  There are also some furniture pieces including a miniature club chair and rug that almost left with me.

It’s not hard to believe that Dawn was a project manager.  In addition to the physical store, Bellies and Babies Consignment Boutique offers an online search capability through their Web site and inventory (especially consignments) is updated daily.  A Facebook page makes updates and news about special events a snap.

We love the concept, the setting is comfortable, and the clothes are wonderful.  But most of all, we love the personality and warmth that Dawn and her husband have brought to this very special business.

We know that you are going to love it too.  Stop by and visit or give them a call at 703.518.8908.

The you need to meet John Noelle.  John is the arborist for the City of Alexandria and is in charge of planting trees throughout the city.

Of course he’s responsible for a lot more than just planting trees but it’s a good place to start.

We met John last night at a gathering of neighbors in Del Ray.  Fox Vernon, local musician and blogger, organized the meeting and arranged for John to be with us.

There were several things we learned:

• only ornamental trees (crape myrtle, red bud, ivory silk tree lilac, etc.) can be planted below power lines,
• medium shade trees (Honeylocust, Goldenrain tree, Kentucky coffee tree, Chinese pistach, etc.) can be planted in areas without power lines,
• there is approximately 36″ of planting space between the curb and sidewalk,
• homeowners can request a particular kind of tree (within reason),
• the city is happy to buy and plant the trees but needs ‘good neighbors’ to water,
• the city will provide ‘gator bags’ to facilitate watering.

If you would like to know more about planting trees with the City of Alexandria, contact John online at the City of Alexandria Website or at his office, 703.746.5499.

Michael

Related stories:

17,000 Trees Damaged in Alexandria from Freak Thunderstorm

No problem.  Join us for Taste of Del Ray at First Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010.  This is the last First Thursday for 2010 and looks like it is going to be a doozy.

Eateries up and down Mt. Vernon Avenue will pitch their tents in the parking lot directly behind Virginia Commerce Bank from 6-9 pm.  (This is where folks park for the Del Ray Farmers Market.)

These updates just in:

• Tickets will be sold in two locations – at the Oxford Street entrance across from Dr. Stone’s and in the entrance between Cheestique and the School of Rock.  Everyone must have a ticket – $10 for adults and $5 for children.  All proceeds will got to Community Partners for children.
• Food will be served from 6:30pm to 7:45pm or as long as it lasts.
• Deadline to vote is 7:45pm (each ticket holder gets one vote).
• Winner will be announced at 8:00pm

Participating restaurants include:

• ACKC
• Bombay Curry
• Caboose Cafe
• Cheesetique
• Del Merei
• Evening Star
• Italia Di Sapore
• La Strada
• Monroe’s
• Pizzaiolo
• Pork Barrell BBQ (last year’s winner)
• Taqueria Poblano
• Thai Peppers

Seriously, no more excuses. Why even think about going anywhere else for dinner?

We’ll see you at Taste of Del Ray at First Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010.

Michael

She is also the reason I decided to become certified as a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and why it is important in today’s market.

Five years ago my mother-in-law decided to sell her house in
Florida and move to Goodwin House here in Alexandria.

She made the decision on her own time but very quickly and left little time for preparation. I found her a competent agent in Florida and her house sold within two weeks. We were very lucky.

But not everyone is.   Just going through the process with her and remembering what my own parents had endured long before I became an
agent, I decided that I would take the time to learn just what a Senior Residential Specialist can offer.

Consider this: my in-laws were products of the great depression and
did not believe in credit.  During their lifetime they built three different houses in three different states and they NEVER, EVER had a mortgage.

It was all done with cash and a handshake.  They probably never even used a real estate agent but simply bought their land directly from the owner – with cash and a handshake.

Just think how strange today’s transactions must have seemed to my mother-in-law.

SRES agents understand that this extreme downsizing is often done under duress or when the homeowner is not in the best of health, physically or mentally.  It may occur after the death of a spouse or partner with whom the client has shared a lifetime.  It may mean leaving friends and moving to another city or state.   Each of these components is difficult and taken together it is almost a tsunami.

SRES agents learn that a “team” approach is often helpful.  If needed, I will put together a team to include a social worker, health  care provider, investment counselor, family member, estate sale/moving  specialist, etc. etc.  Some of the members, like a health care provider and investment counselor, may have already worked with my client for years, but having everyone working together can make a huge difference.

SRES agents learn that patience is key.  Terms and conditions need to be explained and then explained again.  The client may ask the same question every day for weeks.  Patience.

SRES agents learn about communication.  And for me, this – and patience – are key.  In two recent listings I have done for senior clients, neither had computers, fax machines, or cell phones. One did not even have an answering machine.

Because of that, most of our conversations were face to face and I had to hand deliver documents.  It was definitely a change from the way I normally do business but you know what?  I kind of liked it!  Old-fashioned, simple communication at its best.

SRES agents are often the voice of reason between family members.  A SRES agent is a neutral entity, working in the best interests of his/her client.  It is a local SRES agent who understands the market and knows that pricing is key for today’s buyers, especially if the home is in need of repairs or has not been updated.

Can I help you or someone you know make the move of a lifetime? I understand why a Senior Real Estate Specialist is important in today’s market.

Call me at 703.927.4554 or email at michael.bergin2@verizon.net.

Michael

According to uber closet organizer Alison Lukes Teer, the hall closet is “the junk drawer of closets.  Because your hall closet is used every day. . . it tends to gather a lot of random junk.”  Teer goes on to say that a hall closet is valuable real estate and should contain only things you are using right now.

1. Use products to increase storage.  Hanging pocket organizers, hooks, clear plastic boxes, etc.
2. Use matching wooden hangers for everything and keep several empty ones available for visitors.
3. Mark your calendar to empty and sort twice a year.  Clear out the winter accessories in late spring and then pack up summer about mid September.
   

Our hall closet doesn’t get much use in the summer but the winter is another story.  So maybe if I get started now . . .

Michael