DC United: A D.C. Franchise That Doesn’t Disappoint

Sports teams in this town have a bad reputation for losing. The big four, the Redskins, Nationals, Capitals and Wizards, haven’t won a championship since 1991. And in the two decades since, those teams have combined to make the playoffs fewer than 20 times.

What is unfortunately ignored is that this city does have a perpetual winner, a sports team that has recently won championships and routinely makes the playoffs. And it is one that, as this season draws to a close, is making another charge toward the postseason.

It’s unfortunate because this team has the cheapest tickets in town and its games are easily the most fun and energetic event you can go to in this city.

DC United is the Washington franchise of Major League Soccer, the MLS, which began after America’s success while hosting the 1994 World Cup. Since the league was founded in 1996, DC United has won four MLS championships, made it to the postseason nine different times and produced some of the greatest players in MLS history.

Not bad when compared to the lack of success around this area.

This season, United, after a slow start, is making a strong push for the playoffs. With three home games remaining in the season, you can be there to cheer them on.

And why not go? It’s only the most fun you’ll have at a sporting event all year.

It begins with prices. Tickets to a Redskins game can easily run in the hundreds of dollars. And with the Capitals’ latest success, their prices have also skyrocketed. Not so with DC United. The cost to attend an MLS game is much lower. Tickets for the lower sections of their stadium run as cheap as $23 and go only as high as $60.

You’re also probably very familiar with the stadium United plays in: it’s only everyone’s favorite venue in the entire Metro area. United has commandeered venerable RFK Stadium, filling the void from when the Redskins moved to FedEx Field. And it’s just as you remember it.

The parking grounds are still vast, perfect for tailgating. Gates for United games open early, and parking costs just $15. You’d be hard pressed to find a price like that at any other local arena. With the small attendance for games, the lots are wide open, allowing people to set up, grill, toss a Frisbee and prepare for a match.

Once inside the stadium, if you’ve never attended a soccer match, you’re in for a whole new experience. While a ticket gets you a seat, try heading to the East side of the stadium, where Barra Brava, DC United’s ardent fan base, sits. Although sits is not the proper word, since no one takes their chairs during the match. Instead, rabid supporters with faces painted and hair dyed wave gigantic United flags, bang large kettle drums and chant some of the most creative cheers you’ve ever heard. Their section is in an older part of RFK, in the seats that used to shake and rattle during Redskins games. They still do for United matches, with hundreds to thousands of supporters jumping in a fervor for 90 straight minutes.

Any ticket allows you to stand with Barra Brava, but if you aren’t interested, take your seat and get ready for an exciting match.

DC United’s past two games have been thrillers, with the team missing a penalty kick in the last seconds of a tie with Chivas USA, and then with their star forward Dwayne De Rosario scoring an astounding three goals in the first half of their match against Real Salt Lake to lead the team to a resounding win.

The team’s next three home games are Saturday, Oct. 15 vs. the Chicago Fire; Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. the Portland Timbers and Saturday, Oct. 22 vs. Sporting Kansas City. And with their playoff hopes heating up, now would be the time to support the DC team that’s least likely to let you down.

- David

Montgomery County, MD 9/28/11

Montgomery County, Maryland is made up of many zip codes – the part of the county that I have chosen to focus on today is the 20853 area.

The Rockville neighborhoods that encompass the 20853 area are:

Aspen Hill Park,  Aspen Knolls, Bel Pre Woods,  Brookhaven, English Manor, Flower Valley, Manor Lake, Manor Village, Manor Woods, Norbeck Estates, Norbeck Manor, North Creek Village, North Creek Place, Park Terrace, Rock Creek Manor, Royal View, Smalls Nursery, Stoney Brook Estates, Sycamore Acres, Wheaton Woods, and I am sure there are few I have left out.

These neighborhoods are conveniently located near Rockville, Twinbrook and Shady Grove Metro Stations and are close enough to the center of Rockville to enjoy the Rockville Town Center which is built adjacent to the Montgomery County Courthouse.

You will find a wide range of housing opportunities in this ZIP code from condos, rental apartments and townhouses to large country club estates and luxury homes on several acres.

Visit one of these delightful neighborhoods in Rockville and you may just decide to stay.

The current population for this portion of Montgomery County is 27,142 with a total number of households at 9,304.

Here is what the Real Estate Market looks like in comparison to this same time last year:

Rockville 20853

AUG 2011 vs. AUG 2012

What Sells a Home in Rockville (20853) in Today’s Market?

Looking at these statistics, the market is not what it once was. You must be realistic about what selling in today’s market means. You value your home, but it may not be “worth” as much today as it was yesterday, last month, or last year.

It’s a common misconception that location is the leading factor of whether or not a home sells. It is, instead, price. Think about this scenario. You have a home located in a prestigious and sought-after neighborhood, yet the list price is tens of thousands of dollars over the comps for the area. No one will be interested. This same property priced just below the competition will fly off the market.

An accomplished, knowledgeable agent can be your biggest ally during the selling process. At Avery-Hess, Realtors our Agents know the latest market trends and have built a network of agents and contacts to whom to market your home. With an arsenal of marketing tools available, from video tours and webcasts to brochures, websites, and MRIS listings, this should be an important part of your selling strategy.

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

Warren County/Front Royal Market Report – 9/26/11

The market shows signs of improvement for Front Royal and the surrounding county.

The total revenue dollars and the average sales price is up significantly from the same period last year and continues to grow from the previous month.

Today, FHA 30 year fixed rates fell below 4%.  Banks have great 203K renovation loans. It’s a great time for first time homebuyers and investors to be purchasing now.

Rates should continue to stay low for the next several months. If you’ve been waiting, now is the time.

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

Smithsonian’s Museum Day Takes The Fees Away

School has been in session for almost a month and with that, opportunities for parents and kids to participate in educational activities has dwindled.

Saturday presents the best chance for not just families, but everyone, to experience the wonderful museums Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas have to offer.

September 24^th is the Smithsonian’s Annual Museum Day. Everyone from here is familiar with the Smithsonian Institute, the bright red-brick building on Jefferson Avenue, as well as its accompanying numerous exhibits. What people probably also know is that the Smithsonian, forever and always, has been free to visit. And to honor that, this Saturday, Smithsonian Magazine is offering free admission to nearly every museum in the country.

In Washington, D.C., 26 museums are partaking in the event. While a few are Smithsonian affiliates that are always free, some places with steep admission are opening their doors free of charge.

All three of D.C.’s major art galleries are participating. At the Corcoran Gallery, near the White House, art lovers can skip the $10 fee and see their gallery’s collection of American modern art. Up in Dupont Circle, the Phillips Collection, which houses a number of famous Impressionist artists, is waiving an $8 entry fee. Along with those two, the Kreeger Museum, on Foxhall Road in the Palisades, which houses some of D.C.’s only Picassos, Van Goghs and Monets, is free instead of $10.

In lieu of art, in Penn Quarter, The National Museum of Crime & Punishment, $20 to visit on a regular day, is participating as well. Visitors to the three-story museum see an ode to criminal science, where they can view a crime lab, the studios where America’s Most Wanted is filmed and an FBI shooting range.

Civil War aficionados may gladly pay the $12 visit to see President Abraham Lincoln’s cottage but with Museum Day, there’s no need.  On Saturday, seeing where Honest Abe lived for part of his presidency, and where he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, is completely free.

In D.C.’s sister city to the north, Baltimore, many other American history museums are participating in Museum Day. The Star Spangled Banner House tells the story of Mary Young Pickersgill, who sewed the flag Francis Scott Key saw while drafting our National Anthem. Also in Baltimore is the B&O Railroad Museum, a must for any fan of 19^th century America and the Industrial Revolution.

Across the state, in Frederick is the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which highlights the work of doctors and nurses from one of the bloodiest conflicts this country has ever seen.

To the south, in neighboring Virginia, Revolutionary-era houses are also participation in the event. Gadsby’s Tavern, a house that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson frequented, is opening its doors. To the west, in Chantilly, the Sully House, home of Robert E. Lee’s father, is free to see. It was built in 1799 and is one of the oldest buildings in Fairfax County.

So how does one participate in the free offering? Simply visit the Smithsonian’s website and enter your address. One ticket is good for two people to visit any of the museums on the participating list. It’s only valid for one museum though, so choose wisely from the numerous choices. And then enjoy a Saturday seeing history or culture free of charge.

-David

Manassas, VA Market Report – 9/20/10

The City of Manassas is an independent city located in the heart of Prince William County, and it is the original County Seat of Prince William County, much as the City of Fairfax, an independent city is the County Seat for Fairfax County. Much of county government still functions within the city limits.

The City has a rejuvenated and revived Old Town section, with many new and diverse restaurants offering a selection from handmade hamburgers to gourmet and ethnic foods. It’s a great place to visit.  Click the link to learn more http://www.visitmanassas.org/camera/

Let’s take a look at the stats for August:

This a very small community that realized a huge number of foreclosures and short sales in 2010, hence the great difference in the median and average sold price for these 2 years.  Now, the market has stabilized and numbers fall more in line.  Much as Prince William County has recovered so has the city of Manassas.

Jim Agnew, Managing Broker, Avery Hess, Realtors, Dulles Regional Office

Boyds, MD Market Report – 9/16/11

Let’s Talk about Boyds, Maryland (Where?)

Boyds is an unincorporated bedroom community in northern Montgomery County.  This small community is not well know and is often confused with Germantown.

Despite its unknown name, Boyds, during the market upswing saw a large population growth mainly due to the new construction of large housing developments.  Boyds is bordered by Clarksburg and Germantown and is also home to Black Hill Regional Park and Little Seneca Lake.  The town of Boyds is also served by the MARC railroad.

Here is what the housing market did last month in Boyds, Maryland – Zip Code 20841:

As you can see the market is down approximately 50% in every category with exception of Active listing.  So sales are down and listing inventory is up what do we do now?

That can only be your decision but my advice is to stay put if you can, buy if you can and like the majority of Americans, believe it or not, owning a home continues to be the bedrock of the American Dream.  Homeownership is viewed positively by the vast majority of Americans.   Are you a buyer who has been sitting on the fence?   Bargain home prices and affordable interest rates could be your ticket to the American Dream.

Here are a couple of good First Time Home Buyer options in Boyds, Maryland:

Click the following URL to see the listings:

http://mrislistings.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?k=2351027XNIGK&p=DE-149192547-627

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

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