An All American Weekend in Washington D.C.

When enjoying America’s birthday on the Fourth of July, there is no better place to be than the nation’s capital.

Washington, D.C. and its surrounding areas take this holiday seriously, with a multitude of events and celebrations throughout the three-day weekend, culminating with many Monday night fireworks displays.

Kicking off the holiday weekend on Saturday, is one of the area’s more somber traditions, a concert and fireworks show held an hour-and-a-half northwest of the city.

At Antietam National Battlefield, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra holds its annual Salute to Independence. Antietam is the site of the deadliest one-day battle on U.S. soil, with over 23,000 people perishing on September 17, 1862. The Civil War historical site is open all day and visitors can arrive as they please. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and ends with a fireworks display at 9:45. It’s best to arrive early, as the show routinely attracts upwards of 30,000 people.

On Sunday, a unique opportunity occurs. Locals know that the annual “A Capitol Fourth” concert on the National Mall attracts massive hordes of people. This year’s concert, featuring singers Josh Groban, Little Richard, Jordin Sparks and Glee’s Matthew Morrison and comedian Steve Martin, will be no different.

What many people don’t know is that every July 3^rd, the day before, a rehearsal with all the same performers is held. It’s open to the public and free of charge.  At eight p.m., visit the stage located on the West Lawn of the Capitol, where you can see almost the full performance, minus the wave of people there to catch the fireworks.

On Monday, fireworks are what everyone wants to see. The biggest display is, of course, the one put on in concert with “A Capitol Fourth,” with fireworks exploding high above Washington, D.C.’s white marble monuments.

For the best view, head to the National Mall. There, it’s free to set up blankets, pack a cooler and spend the day reveling. Be sure to arrive early, because the Mall is easily the most popular place in the area to go. It fills up fast. If you do go, take the metro, because there are numerous street closures due to the event.

If heading into the city and fighting crowds isn’t to your liking, there are great spots outside of the district to catch the main display. All along the George Washington Parkway, especially at Lady Byrd Park near the 14^th Street Bridge, there are places to pitch a tent, fire up a grill and catch the show. Also in Arlington you can set up near the Iwo Jima Memorial, which provides perfect perspective. It’s also popular, so again, be sure to arrive early.

In Alexandria, the hill on the George Washington Masonic Memorial is also available to the public, with its high perch offering excellent views of the city below.

Because the mall is so far south in D.C., viewing options in Maryland for the Mall fireworks are limited. However, there are plenty of excellent displays north of the city to enjoy.

In Gaithersburg, at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, there is live music at 7:00 p.m. and fireworks at dusk. The same goes for Rockville, where entertainment also starts at 7:00 p.m. and the fireworks shoot off around 9:30 p.m..

Much farther north, in Annapolis, there is a fireworks display at the city’s main dock. A parade kicks things off at 6:30 p.m., music is played by the Naval Academy Band, and fireworks are sent into the sky around 9:15 p.m..

So whether you are in Virginia, Washington, D.C or Maryland this Fourth of July, opportunities abound to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

-David

Warren County/Front Royal Market Report – 6/29/11

You’ve all heard the real estate adage “location, location, location”. If you real want to know how the real estate market is today, it’s about location. And it’s also about perspective.

Let’s look at location first. What you hear and read in the news is generally more of a global outlook and although things look bad in Michigan, Florida, Nevada and other locales, relatively speaking it’s not too bad in the DC metropolitan area. However, it’s a lot better in Arlington than it is in Prince William County and certainly better than way out in Warren County. Statistically the market is not improving in the Front Royal area.

So the location of Warren County as a rural area has not been positive in the market recovery.  Let’s now look at perspective. Certainly for sellers the market has not been favorable as prices have decreased and days on market has increased. Given that, what a great opportunity for qualified buyers.

Interest rates and prices are both low making this a great combination for finding the right home. Historically, real estate remains the best long term investment. If you are buying now and plan to hold onto the property for more than a few years, you will most certainly see the value of today’s investment increase. If you wait for prices to drop more, an increase in interest rates will nullify any savings in price.

Market data and commentary provided by Charlie Carroll, Managing Broker, Avery-Hess, Realtors.
Search for Homes in Warren County, and all the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Spotsylvania County Market Report – 6/27/11

Summer is here and our market is HOT!  Buyers are out looking for just the right house and houses that are priced at market value, are in good condition and in good locations are selling!

Our May statistics are going to be a little “plastic” in comparison to this same time last year.  As you may recall, we still had the first time homebuyer tax credit last year.  It did make a big difference in our market and even though our market is very strong now, the statistics in most instances are down compared to this same time last year.

Don’t let the numbers throw you off too much because anyone who has participated in this market in the recent past can tell you that if you find the house you want, you need to move on it!  If you have a house to sell, price it right and it will!  Here is the latest:

If you notice, every number was down except for new listings!  I think this shows that some Sellers are now able to enter the market place when maybe they weren’t able to a year or two ago.

While median sales price shows a decrease, Spotsylvania ended 2010 with a slight increase.  While these numbers are interesting to contemplate, don’t put too much emphasis on any of them!  If you start following our monthly trends I do believe you will see the numbers continue to be steady and lean towards the favorable side of things!

Employment rates are above the national average in our area, sales prices are still down and interest rates are still LOW!  Rental prices are increasing and the availability of rental units are decreasing due to the demand.  Homeownership in our area is still a great investment and the opportunity has never been better!

Commentary and market stats provided by Amy Cherry-Taylor, Business Manager, Stafford Regional Office.

Search for Home in Spotsylvania County: www.averyhess.com

The Phillips Collection Impressionist Works Easily Impress

When people typically think of galleries and museums in Washington, D.C., they imagine the stretch of buildings flanking the National Mall, on Constitution and Independence Avenues.

While those are world-class museums, they are far from the only ones in the city. In fact, off the beaten path, some of this city’s greatest galleries are begging to be discovered.

Tucked away on tree-lined 21^st Street you’ll find the Phillips Collection, one of the area’s best collections of famous artwork.

Just off Massachusetts Avenue, in Dupont Circle, the Phillips Collection resides in Duncan Phillips’ former house. Phillips, an art collector, moved to Washington, D.C. right before the start of the 20^th century.

He took up residence in a red-brick Georgian mansion on the corner of 21^st and Q Street. There, he stored his burgeoning collection of famous art, occasionally showing it to the public. As the collection grew, he moved out of the house, leaving the artwork there for public display, and in 1921, the Phillips Collection was born.

While the mansion remains the focal point of the collection, the space itself has grown, as has its impressive list of artwork. The collection has undergone three additions, in 1960, 1989 and 2006 and now holds an astounding 3,000 works of art. The building now spans almost an entire city block.

A trip to the Phillips Collection costs $12, which gets visitors access to both the permanent collection as well as the rotating exhibits. Included in the price of admission is a free audio tour, which is accessed by cell phone. Selected works of art are marked with a code that you can punch into your phone and hear the Collection’s director, Dorothy Kosinski, discuss the history, style and criticism of the work.

Currently, the Phillips Collection is hosting two rotating exhibits, which have very different, but related styles. Both temporary exhibits are in the Goh Annex, a wing built during the 1989 renovation after a donation from a Japanese businessman, Yashiro Goh.

The first exhibit is titled “Kandinsky and the Harmony of Silence: Painting with White Border,” and runs from now until September 4^th. The exhibit showcases the works of the famous Russian modernist painter Wassily Kandinsky.

On display is one of his most famous works, Painting with White Border, as well as the sketches he created in the sixth-month period leading up to the final painting, demonstrating Kandinsky’s thoughts and motives behind his masterpiece.

Alongside the Kandinsky exhibit are the works of the American sculpture Frank Stella. Stella was strongly influenced by Kandinsky’s modernist ideas, but worked in an entirely different medium. Instead of canvas and paint, Stella created colorful, soaring metal sculptures, some up to 15-feet wide. Similar to the Kandinsky exhibit, the collection showcases miniature models of Stella’s work, with both exhibits focusing on the thought process of the artist.

While those two exhibits are wonderful, the gallery’s permanent collection is a must-see. The works span both the globe and centuries of time. Among the artists featured are famous European impressionists Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. The most well-known work is Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, which shows a group of young people enjoying a leisurely meal on the banks of the Siene.

The Phillips Collection is not limited to European painters. Among the American work they have are numerous pieces from Georgia O’Keefe and Kenneth Noland as well as an entire room dedicated to the abstract works of Mark Rothko.

The amazing list of well known talent is a very convincing reason to leave the National Mall and go view one of the best “hidden” art collections that D.C. has to offer.

- David

Washington, DC – Market Report 6/21/11

Looking back at the month of May, 2011; the real estate statistics for Washington, DC seem muddled.  With the Total Sold Dollar Volume at $325,048,359, showing a loss of -5.05% over this same time last year and up +16.95% over the month before.

I felt that something a little more visual would put things in perspective.

Washington, DC Median Sold Price

The Median Sold Price for May 2011 in DC is $429,000 this is up +11.57% over last year and up +7.52% over last month (April).  If you look at the chart above the Real Estate Market in Washington, DC has remained constant.  Despite all the negativity in the press – this does not look so dramatic.

Washington, DC New Pending Sales

New Pending Sales are not typically measured.  As you can see May 2011 was a very active month.  These Sales will close, typically, in June and July.  I expect the number of Sold homes to increase by the next time I report on Washington, DC.

With Interest Rates still at Historic LOWS – it remains an excellent time to purchase Real Estate in Washington, DC.

More about Washington, DC –

HHH (hot, humid, hazy) is how Washington is described during the summer, but don’t let the weather keep you from enjoying all that Washington has to offer.  There are fabulous museums and art galleries along the Mall that are free.  The Newseum is absolutely fabulous and one can spend days there checking out all the exhibits.

Take a refreshing walk around Rock Creek Park where even on the hottest days you can relax in the shade of the large old trees and picnic with family and friends.  A cool sail along the Potomac aboard the Odyssey is a wonderful way to spend an evening with dinner and dancing.

Any weather is fine for a show at one of the many theaters in Washington where both Broadway and local casts perform for you.

And don’t forget visiting the wharf along Maine street to buy fresh seafood including Chesapeake Bay crabs for that afternoon crab feast where even the heat is forgotten when friends get together to enjoy the area’s best known summer treat.

Whatever the temperature or weather conditions, don’t miss a trip to one of the many features Washington has to offer.

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

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

Congressional Country Club Plays Host to the U.S. Open

Professional golf has four major tournaments during its season: The Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

Two of those tournaments will never travel to our area. The Masters is permanently tethered to its home in Augusta, Georgia and the British Open is always held on a course across the pond.

That means only two of golf’s four biggest tournaments are in a nation-wide rotation, visiting courses across America. With thousands of golf courses across the country, it’s a very rare occurrence that one of these two tournaments makes it to the District.

The PGA Championship last visited the D.C. area in 1976. The U.S. Open was last played in here in 1997. It has been 14 years since Washington’s seen the world’s highest level of golf and its best players.

That changes today when the 2011 U.S. Open tees off at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

Congressional is the only course in the area to have held a major, hosting both previous events.

Located just outside the Beltway, at the intersection of 495 and River Road, Congressional is one of the few area courses that routinely ranks among nation’s best. Its Blue Course, which hosts the tournament, was ranked the 89^th best course in the nation in 2006 and 86^th in 2007.

Unfortunately, if you’d like to play it, your options are severely limited. It’s one of the most exclusive clubs in the area, with an approximately ten year long waiting list to join. And once you do, there’s still a two to three year period before you’re allowed to hit the links.

That means that the best way even get a glimpse of the swanky club is to head to the U.S. Open. Most of the golfers arrived Monday, prepping for the tournament with practice rounds on the course. The tournament lasts four days, from today until Sunday, with the 156 person field all playing the 18-hole course once on Thursday and once on Friday.

The field is halved after Friday and the remaining players take the course once again Saturday and then one last time Sunday morning. Lowest overall score wins.

The tournament’s typical biggest draw, Tiger Woods, is sitting out this year, but that doesn’t mean that the field isn’t full of famous golfers. Teeing off in Bethesda today are such former major winners as Phil Mickelson, and Ernie Els, as well as up and coming stars like Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler.

Predicting a winner this year is difficult. In the past ten major tournaments, a span of two-and-a-half years, there hasn’t been a single repeat winner. In ten tournaments, ten different people have won.

If you’d like to see who takes home the trophy this year, attending in person is less difficult then you think. Although tickets for the Open were sold out a long time ago, as with any sporting event this day and age, there is a healthy resale market online.

On StubHub.com, four-day passes are available for under $400 dollars, meaning you can attend the whole tournament for under $100 a day. Single day Saturday tickets are currently available for much less, at under $50 a pass. Sunday tickets, when the tournament is settled, are currently selling for much higher, at $160 dollars a ticket.

If you’ve never attended a golf tournament, all tickets are general admission. Your pass gives you access to the whole course. Fans typically watch in one of two ways. You can pick a spot on the course and watch every golfer pass by, or if you have a favorite golfer, you can walk the course with them, following along the entire round.

The price is high, but the U.S. Open is one of the four biggest golfing events of the year and likely won’t come back to the area for a good 10-15 years. So consider it a once in a lifetime splurge and head to Congressional.

-David