March to the Verizon Center to Enjoy Some “Madness”

Whether your favorite sport is football, hockey or baseball, everyone agrees that the month of March is basketball season. The reason, of course, is the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament or, as it’s more commonly known, March Madness.

Sixty-eight teams were invited to the Big Dance this year and eight of them will be heading to Washington, D.C. for the tournament’s opening round.

And while most people associate the NCAA Tournament with heading to bars or watching multiple games on their work monitor, watching in person is without a doubt worth it.

This is the first time the Verizon Center’s hosted the opening round since 2008. In 2006, they also played host to a regional final. If history holds true to form, attendees are likely to see some underdog teams that may make a deep run in the tournament.

In 2008, Xavier used its opening games in D.C. to make a run all the way to the Elite Eight. In 2006, local school George Mason played its third and fourth games of the tournament at the Verizon Center, using the hometown boost to make the school’s first Final Four.

So who is playing here on Thursday that’s worth the price of admission? Well, the games kick off with last year’s tournament darling and a local favorite.

In 2010, the Butler Bulldogs rode a No. 5 seed all the way to the championship game, losing only when a last-second half-court shot went just a bit long. This year, the team earned a No. 8 seed. At 12:40, they tip off against Old Dominion University. The ODU Monarchs, from Norfolk, Virginia, received a No. 9 seed by beating out Virginia Commonwealth University in the finals of CAA Tournament.

After that game ends, one of the tournament’s top seeds, and a favorite to make it to the Final Four, takes the court. The Pittsburgh Panthers, the Southeast Region’s No. 1 seed, take on the University of North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs, who won a play-in game on Tuesday night. No No. 16 seed has ever beaten a No. 1 seed, so expect Pitt to play on Saturday against the winner of Butler-ODU.

Also playing on Thursday, but in a different regional, the West, is one of the tournament’s most accomplished teams ever. On Saturday night, at 7:20, the No. 3 seeded Connecticut Huskies play the No. 14 Bucknell Bison, from Pennsylvania. Two years ago, Connecticut went all the way to the Final Four. But before you assume that the Huskies will winl, it was just five years ago that Bucknell, again at No. 14, took down an accomplished No. 3 team, the Kansas Jayhawks.

Thursday’s full day of basketball closes with the No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats taking on the No. 11 Missouri Tigers. That game starts 30 minutes after the Connecticut-Bucknell game ends.

The winners of all four games will then be back at the Verizon Center on Saturday to play, with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line. Game times for those matchups will be announced on Friday.

Tickets for the tournament are still available on Ticketmaster. A ticket for any of the three sessions (Thursday afternoon, Thursday night or Saturday) starts at $84 a ticket, or just $42 per game. If you’d like to attend the whole weekend, tickets for all three sessions start at $240.

While that’s expensive, it’s a good price to pay to check out an event that only comes to town every few years.

-David

Washington, DC – Market Report 3/16/11

Looking at the Washington, DC housing prices in comparison to this time last year – everything seems to have increased.  Total Sold Dollar Volume is up 4.65%.  Average Sold Price is up for February to $465,272.  I don’t like to see the Days on Market increase, but this maybe seasonal.  Washington, DC encompasses the stately homes of Georgetown and the Gold Coast to the not so affluent areas interspersed throughout the city.  Looking at these Real Estate Statistics hardly tells the whole story.

Come and see all of Washington, DC yourself.  What better place to welcome Spring than the nation’s capitol.  The famous cherry blossoms burst forth in early spring and are celebrated with numerous activities including a parade and crowning of the cherry blossom princesses. Daffodils blooming along the Potomac River and the parks were a gift from Lady Bird Johnson when she was first lady.

There is so much to see and do in Washington, D.C it would take volumes to describe, but when you are here, don’t miss the museums and art galleries on the mall, the White House and the Capitol where government can be seen in action.  Capitol Hill and the Eastern Market, the southwest waterfront with its abundance of restaurants, and Georgetown with its cobblestone streets and gas lights reminiscent of bygone times are all landmarks of this great city.  Take it all in and see there is much more to DC than Real Estate Statistics.

Market data and commentary provided by Kathy Fleskes, Managing Broker, Rockville Regional Office.

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

Arlington County Market Report – 3/14/11

The 2010 year end statistics for Arlington County show an upswing over 2009 and the outlook going forward seems to be positive as well.

The total number of units sold was down about 2% but the average sold price was up 4.25%. The average time to sell these units dropped by 14%. This reflects a slight decrease in inventory which of course, causes prices to go up.

2011 began very strong with solid numbers in January, and February continued to show improvement.

Based on the number of pending sales it appears that as we begin the Spring Market the increased activity in February will bear fruit in March and April, and as the weather warms up the real estate market will also heat up. With inventory shrinking and prices going up, take advantage of the still low interest rates and find your dream home in one of America’s most vibrant cities.

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

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

Washington Ways to Celebrate an Irish Holiday

Today marks one week until one of America’s most celebrated holidays, a day when just about everyone claims to have a little Irish in them — St Patrick’s Day, of course! And while the best way to celebrate would be to hop on a plane to Dublin, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the holiday locally.  St. Patricks’s Day might be known best for boisterous revelry, but it can still be fun for everyone, young or old.

St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated March 17^th every year, honors the memory of St. Patrick, who according to legend brought Christianity to Ireland. He passed away on March 17^th, over 1,500 years ago, and people have been celebrating on that day ever since.

One of the most common family-friendly ways communities celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is by hosting a parade, and there are plenty all over the area to kick off the festivities.

In Maryland, for starters, you can attend the Gaithersburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  This year it will be hosted by two Irish artists: Alice McDermott, an author who won the 1998 National Book Award for Charming Billy and Danny Costello, a musician. The parade will be held at the Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday, March 12^th .

On the other side of the Potomac River, in Manassas, Virginia, there is the Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade, also on Saturday. It starts at 11 a.m., at the intersection of Quarry Road and Prescott Avenue and winds south through the town. The parade prominently features bagpipe bands, an homage to Irish culture. Among the many different bagpipers playing at the Manassas parade are the Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Coalition Pipes and Drums.

If music is your idea of a good time, but bagpipes aren’t to your liking, there is always Shamrockfest. Held annually on the grounds around RFK Stadium in D.C., Shamrockfest is one of the area’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Going on all day this Saturday, Shamrockfest is an eclectic mix of famous artists, from the popular Irish punk rock band Dropkick Murphy’s to Jersey Shore’s infamous record spinner, DJ Pauly D. Tickets start at just $24.95 (plus a five dollar fee) for nearly nine hours of music featuring over 50 acts.

Of course, all these events occur before the holiday. So if you’d like to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the actual day, Thursday the 17^th, the best way to do so is to head to any of the area’s numerous Irish bars.

In Fairfax City, Virginia, one of the more popular pubs is Auld Shebeen, on Chain Bridge Road, right in the middle of town. All day and night the bar will have authentic Irish dancing and music. If you’d like to join in the festivities, be sure to get there early, the bar gets crowded quickly.

Closer to the city, but somewhat off the beaten path, is the small and charming Kitty O’Shea’s in Arlington. While the area has plenty of Irish bars, like RiRa and the Four Courts, Kitty O’ Shea’s remains under the radar. Located on Wilson Boulevard, between the Clarendon and Courthouse Metro stations, Kitty O’Shea’s is the perfect place to tip back a pint of Guinness and pretend for the evening that you are just a little bit Irish.

After all, everyone is on St. Patrick’s Day.

-David

Alexandria, VA Market Report – 3/9/11

Old Town Alexandria is a year round tourist area and the showcase of the city. As you leave the city on the south end and follow Route 1 you pass through diverse neighborhoods leading down to Ft. Belvoir.

Leaving the city going north brings you to Crystal City, and going west towards I-95 will bring you to The Mark Center at Seminary Rd. I mention these other locales in that they are all part of the Army’s BRAC program, the base relocation program that will bring more than 20,000 jobs to that area.

With the City of Alexandria right in the middle of it all, it offers the best of all worlds for those seeking shorter work commutes and all the fine amenities of an All- American city. The early part of 2011 shows an improved market condition from the previous year and a continued upward trend in prices.

Of the 116 units sold, only 15 were single family detached with an average sales price of $755,880. The remaining 101 were attached housing with an average sales price of $400,301. So the townhouse/condo market is seeing the most activity for now.  Interest rates are still very low so now is a great time to take advantage of an opportunity to find your home in a vibrant location near world-class shopping and dining. Spend your summer evenings on the Alexandria waterfront and visit your favorite night spots before your short drive home.

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

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

Frederick County, MD 3/8/11

The Median Sold Price for Frederick County, as a whole, for last month was $249,743. This number dropped from $258,476 in 2010.  This -3.38% Sold Price change has many wondering what will happen this spring.  Have prices finally fallen to the bottom?  Is the Frederick Real Estate Market ever going to stabilize? These are questions we all would like to have answers to.

Looking at the Average for Frederick County does not accurately show the Good News – that I am happy to report in many areas.  New Market (zip code 21744) has an Average Sold Price of $287,682, Middletown (21769) Average Sold Price of $312,000, Dickerson (20842) $855,000 and Jefferson (21755) $870,000 have a lot to be proud of.   All of these numbers are well above the average for the county.  I see a very productive spring and summer ahead for 2011!

Downtown Frederick, named a Great American Main Street by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has a lot of historic charm,  and is home to Carroll Creek Park.  Shop for gifts, antiques and more or dine at the city’s share of more than 200 eateries countywide.   Sports enthusiasts can catch a Frederick Keys game at a home stadium that’s the envy of other minor league baseball teams.

If you enjoy the open spaces Frederick County has several award-winning wineries or take in the natural beauty of a 78-foot waterfall at Cunningham Falls. Hike the C&O Canal towpath.

Interested in History? Then explore Frederick County’s deep-rooted Civil War history by visiting the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, the Barbara Fritchie House or Monocacy Battlefield.

Market data and commentary provided by Kathy Fleskes & Serena Toro, Rockville Regional Office.

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