Prince William County, VA Market Report – 12/30/10

Prince William is still growing and has become one of the richest counties in the United States. Currently, with adjacent Fairfax County mostly developed, the eye is on Prince William to provide new business space.

With the eastern part of the county located on the I-95 corridor it gives a straight commute to Washington, DC and with the western part of the county located close to the Dulles Airport, the county remains very popular for reasonably priced homes.

Home to one of the most beautiful new buildings in the area, The Hylton Center for Performing Arts has been likened to the Sydney Opera House.

Prince William was one of the hardest hit counties in the area when the market took the turn for the worse and although new listings and closed sales are down from last year, the median sales price is up which is very encouraging.  Below is a snapshot of activity in our area for last month with a comparison to the year before.

November

Market data and commentary provided by Steve Mayes, Managing Broker, Avery-Hess, Realtors.

Search for homes in Prince William County, and all the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Maryland’s Magnificent Chicken

Many Washington, D.C. residents bemoan the fact that this area doesn’t have an indigenous cuisine to its name. Because of the transient nature of this town, it seems there isn’t a food for Washington to call its own.

That may be a blessing in disguise. Because of the constant influx of newcomers, the D.C. Metro area has a great number of ethnic restaurants.

From authentic Thai to fantastic Middle Eastern food, there is no dearth of meals from any different country.

The best though, might be in a little shop on a main drag in Wheaton, Maryland that channels the flavor of Peru.

El Pollo Rico serves just one dish, which reflects its nomenclature: the most delicious, decadent chicken in town.

The décor in the restaurant is sparse, with white vinyl floors, plain tables and chairs and bright walls, painted in red, yellow and green.

However, when one first walks into El Pollo Rico, the simple decorations are the last thing that people notice. Instead, it’s the overwhelming smell, a combination of sweet and savory spices that please the senses.

The scent comes from the store’s secret spice rub, which is heavily patted over the hundreds of chickens that are roasting in plain sight. Just behind the register sit large brick rotisseries. Sunk into the walls these ovens hold massive heaps of ashen coals, fires that have been going all day and are constantly being stoked.

Above them are approximately fifteen spits, all sitting on a giant wheel. Each is laden with ten to fifteen birds. Each row spins on its individual spit, while the entire contraption constantly rotates, bringing the birds to within inches of the scorching flame then whisking them away. It creates a crisp and crackling skin, but prevents them from being burnt.

These chickens are the only item on the menu and they come in only three portions. A quarter chicken, a half or a whole.

And while all those portions may seem large, the birds are too irresistible to stop eating. The flesh inside is thick and juicy, and a quarter chicken goes down faster than you think. With any order comes a choice of sides: a soupy coleslaw, steamed white rice or thick cut French fries.

Order the fries — they pair amazingly with the restaurant’s two wonderful dipping sauces.

The two sauces come complimentary with any order, and are an exercise in contrast. One is a thick, mayonnaise-based sauce; the other, a biting, vinegary blend of diced jalapenos. Stir the two together for the perfect match, a smooth, creamy yet spicy sauce that tastes wonderful slathered on top of fries or chicken.

El Pollo Rico has one other location in Arlington, VA. At either restaurant, be sure to bring cash. It’s not that the meals are expensive, fifteen dollars will get you a whole chicken and two sides, it’s that neither location takes credit cards.

And even if it requires a trip to the bank, it is worth it to enjoy an out-of-this-world bird.

-David

MyLife in Metro DC: Hectic Holiday Flying Tips

Holiday Travel.  Although some of us do our best to avoid it, there seems to always come a time when a tempting trip just can’t be passed up: a tropical Christmas in St. Thomas, a New Year’s ski trip to Aspen, or even just a long holiday weekend home to see your favorite relatives.  For me it’s the tradition of spending a “White Christmas” with my family in Maine – something I simply can’t pass up.

I left for Maine out of Reagan National Airport bright and early the Thursday before Christmas.  This was my first experience flying out of DC during the Holidays and with many of you gearing up to jet out for New Year’s Eve (I wish I was going to Miami for the Orange Bowl – Go HOKIES!) I wanted to pass along a few tips and suggestions I found useful.

While New Year’s Eve and other major holidays might not be quite as hectic as the Christmas travel I experienced, these suggestions should help you any time of the year.

Getting to the Airport –

Reagan National Airport (DCA) is conveniently located alongside the Potomac River; it is nestled right between Arlington, Alexandria and DC, and is one of the most easily accessible metropolitan airports I’ve ever seen.

If you choose to drive, there are hourly ($2-$3 an hour), daily (max $20 a day), and economy (max $12 a day) parking lots available.  While the hourly and daily spots are within walking distance from the airport, you’ll need to take a shuttle to the terminal from the economy lot.

The Blue and Yellow Metro lines stop directly in front of the concourse level of the B & C terminals and if you exit off the metro “street side,” you’ll find an airport shuttle that can give you a lift to terminal A.

And last but not least, you can take a taxi like I did.  To make sure I’d have a cab right at 6am, I called the day before to reserve one.  If you decide to take a cab, be sure to make your reservation early.  I had to call two companies before I could find one with an open reservation as they fill up fast around holiday/event weekends.  From Arlington to DCA my travel time was around 11 minutes (there was no traffic at 6am) and it cost me $18 dollars with tip.

Things to Expect when Flying During “Peak Travel Times”

-       TSA screening lines can be LONG. People traveling during the holidays seem to have more carry-on items and during the winter months they also have more jackets, scarves, and boots to remove before passing through the metal detectors and Reagan is no exception.  While this process only took about 18 minutes for me, I’d give yourself 30+ minutes to be safe, possibly even a bit longer if you are a family traveling with young children.

-       Standby can leave you Stranded.  After arriving at my gate I noticed a long line of standby passengers hoping to get on my flight.  I overheard the attendant telling them that flying during the holidays on a friends and family standby ticket hardly ever works – especially from a major airport.  She then, without hesitation, told them all the flights were oversold (which they were) and suggested they “try again tomorrow.”  Yikes. My suggestion – if you are trying to fly standby, I’d leave a few days before or after “peak” days to increase your chances of making it on a flight.

-       People HATE paying to check bags. And because no one wants to pay, everyone seems to have a large carry-on bag.  On my flight, passengers were asked to check their bags through to their final destination at the gate due to a lack of space in the plane’s cabin.  Some passengers were able to take theirs on, but if you are in one of the last boarding “zones”, be prepared to take out your iPod and book and put them in your pocket, because chances are you’ll have to check your bag.  The only good news – you won’t have to pay to check your carry-on bag at the gate!

-       Avoid Tight Connections. I dislike sitting around airport terminals waiting for flights as much as anyone but tight connections around the holidays have continued to fail me. This trip, I took my chances once again and had only 30 minutes to change planes in Philly.  So as soon as our flight from DCA was delayed, I knew my whole day was shot. Planes can’t afford to wait for passengers when delays are all around and they will leave without you.  I suggest giving yourself at least an hour between flights to account for minor delays.  Plus this gives you a chance to stretch your legs and grab the latest issue of People magazine to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip on your next flight.  :)

-       Be Flexible. Flying can be stressful and paired with the chaos of the holidays it can do a number on your nerves.  So the best piece of advice I can offer is to be flexible. Trust me, I know it can be hard but it will make the whole experience a lot less draining if you do.   If a flight is delayed, you just have to wait and hope for the best.  If a massive blizzard hits the entire east coast leaving you stranded and the next flight out they can get you is 4 days later, you just have to be thankful you were able to get a flight out at all (I write from experience as I’m sitting in my Dad’s office in Maine writing this post instead of in my office in DC).  Traveling by plane leaves a lot of variables out of our control and the best thing we can do is go with the flow.  When everyone gives a little, and smiles instead of yells, it makes a big difference to the overall flying experience.

So as I sit here waiting for my new flight home to metro DC ( I still have 2 more days), I hope that these travel tips reach you before your next plane departs.  Be sure to let me know if you find any tips or suggestions I’ve missed, I’m always looking for new ideas!  Safe travels everyone and Happy New Year!

-Kristin

PS – For those of you who didn’t experience the recent blizzard, this is the view from my house in Maine… that snowy area out front is where our driveway and neighborhood street should be!

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Stafford County, VA Market Report – 12/23/10

November was a very good month in the Stafford region!  While closed sales were down compared to this time last year, new listings were up ever so slightly, pending sales rose considerably, the median sales price increased and average days on market decreased!

October was a very slow month, which is typical right before an election, but we rebounded nicely in November.  Inventory is still way down and it is very hard for Buyers to find homes in good condition and in their desired locations.  The majority of homes on the market are still short sales, with foreclosures coming in second and regular sales coming in last.

While interest rates have been bouncing around, they are still extremely low and Buyers need to take advantage of them!  This is not the time to wait and see if prices are going to drop any more as the statistics below show that the median sales price in Stafford has increased by 6% from last year.  Even if prices do go down a little more, Buyers will not benefit from waiting if interest rates go back up.  Please read on for the latest statistical picture of Stafford County!

For November:

For Year to Date:

Market data and commentary by Amy Cherry Taylor, Business Manager and Realtor at Avery-Hess, Realtors.

Search for homes in Stafford, and the all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Ballston’s “sweet” New Spot

There are several different movements going on in the world today, and one local restaurant stands at the forefront of a couple of them.

Combining the best of the sustainable Earth movement and the healthy living push is salad restaurant sweetgreen, and luckily for people in the Arlington area, a new location opened up last month in Ballston.

Sweetgreen began in the D.C. area three years ago, and the Ballston shop is just the seventh restaurant the company operates.

The restaurants eschew pizzazz, instead favoring a sleek, simple design.  And the new Ballston location conforms to that mold.

The floor is sealed concrete and ceilings are nonexistent. Instead, sweetgreen leaves pipes and ducts to be exposed, drastically reducing the amount of building materials used.

The space is decorated with bright, reclaimed wood and uses plain energy-conserving fluorescent lights to give the restaurant a bright glow.

And that ethos carries throughout the salad shop. Sweetgreen is environmentally conscious in every element of its eateries. Every utensil and serving dish is 100% biodegradable and almost every ingredient in the store comes from a local source. A large chalkboard next to the register allows hungry patrons the opportunity to see exactly where their food comes from.

The farthest away an ingredient on a recent menu came from was southern New Jersey; and meats, cheeses and vegetables all come from a variety of local farms in the Washington D.C. area. The restaurant refuses to use preservatives, meaning every ingredient is as fresh as possible. That freshness helps create utterly delicious salads.

The restaurant also skips the typically back-of-house preparation for most ingredients, instead Sweetgreen lets its customers see exactly what’s going into their meals. Purchase sweetgreen’s version of a Cobb salad and one can watch as an employee cuts open a fresh avocado and scoops the green flesh directly on to waiting lettuce. Order a Caesar salad and marvel as the person behind the counter shaves fresh parmesan cheese from a large hunk straight on top of leafy Romaine.

All salads are prepared out in the open by friendly employees. And while sweetgreen offers eight suggestions, one can always pick and choose whatever they want in their meal.

After a healthy yet filling meal, sweetgreen offers a tasty, low-fat dessert right in the restaurant: a frozen yogurt bar, replete with numerous unique and different toppings: fresh blackberries coconut shavings, and granola are offered, along with typical staples like sprinkles.

The yogurt, just like everything in the restaurant, is all natural and amazingly good. And it leaves a patron feeling fantastic. Not just for having had a delicious meal, but for doing it with as minimal a carbon footprint as possible.

- David

Springfield, VA Market Report – 12/20/10

Although home sales have begun to exceed new inventory for several weeks, because of the excess inventory prices have not yet stopped declining. Should the sales trend continue we can expect prices to level off soon and begin to climb back up.  Most areas of Springfield have seen increased activity. Here is a snapshot of the November activity:

New Listings                               61

Active Listings                            179

Under contract                           128

Sold in November                       53

Average Sold Price                     $358.244

Average DOM                             72

Prices in this market continue to be on a downward trend indicating a strong buyer’s market. However as sales increase and inventory declines watch prices as the market transitions.

Market data and commentary by Charles J. Carroll, Managing Broker at Avery-Hess, Realtors.

Search for homes in the Springfield, and the rest of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com