Ring in 2012 with a Local New Year’s Eve

Many people insist the best way to spend New Year’s Eve is to go to Times Square in New York City. But why leave Washington, D.C. when there’s plenty to do here!

In the greater Washington, D.C. area, there are many unique ways—different from what you may be used to—to ring in 2012.

One of the most all-encompassing celebrations, with plenty of entertaining events for adults and kids, is First Night Alexandria, which occurs all throughout Old Town Alexandria and includes scavenger hunts, live music and a ball drop at midnight.

The party begins at 1:00 p.m. on December 31^st with the third annual Fun Hunt, a search throughout Old Town that all attendees are eligible to participate in. Clues take you around the area and lead to answers on quiz sheets everyone is given. The hunt runs until 4:45 p.m., but only takes around an hour-and-a-half to complete, so scavengers can maintain a leisurely pace.

Anyone that completes the hunt correctly is eligible for the prize drawings, with first prize taking home an overnight stay at the Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town, free personal training sessions, gift certificates galore from many of the shops in Old Town and passes for a cruise on the Potomac. Second and third place also receive bounties, with overnight stays at other Alexandria hotels as part of the prize packages.

After the Fun Hunt, the party really gets started. All across the city, restaurants and bars will host live bands. One of the most popular acts performing is Curtis Blues, an interactive one-man blues band. He will be playing half-hour shows every other half-hour at Bittersweet, on King Street, from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.  For kids, at Nickells & Scheffler, on Duke Street, 16-year-old sensation Keira Moran will play half-hour shows as well.

At midnight, after all the events are over, participants at First Night Alexandria gather on the lawn of the George Washington Masonic Memorial for a ball drop, which includes over 6,000 inflatable balls, and a dance party that lasts until 12:30 a.m.

Tickets for First Night Alexandria cost $20 per person and allow admission to all events.

If you’re looking for another way to share New Year’s with your family, but can’t expect your children to make it all the way to midnight, then Maryland Science Center, in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the place to go. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Center hosts its annual Midnight Noon celebration, where, when the clock strikes 12:00 p.m. on December 31, the Science Center’s ball drops and kids celebrate with noisemakers and balloons.

The entire Maryland Science Center is open during the exhibit, which means that alongside celebrating the New Year, kids can visit the great exhibits. Among the most popular are “Dinosaur Mysteries,” which includes full scale models of many dinosaurs and “Newton’s Alley,” where hands-on physics exhibits are geared toward kids.

Admission to Midnight Noon is free with paid admission to the Science Center  - $15 for adults and $12 for kids under 13.

For a more adult celebration of New Year’s Eve, Glen Echo Park, in Maryland, has just the event. The New Year’s Eve Swing Dance, held at the park, is a throwback to celebrations from America’s Big Band Era. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. with lessons for beginners, so when the Tom Cunningham Orchestra takes the stage at 9:00 p.m., everyone will be ready to roll and have a swinging New Year’s. Tickets for the dance are $25 per person.

So this New Years, instead of the typical party and midnight ball drop, head out of the house and try something totally different.

- David

Centreville, VA Market Report 12/28/11

The Centreville market is divided into 2 distinctive markets 20120 located North of Lee Highway and 20121 which is South of Lee Highway.  The Southern zip code has enjoyed more stability in sales, average sales price and days on the market.

The 20120 zip code, which suffered in 2010 from a huge number of foreclosures and an exaggerated drop in average sales price has now begun to recover but still lags 8% behind the more affluent 20121.

The last time we visited Centreville in September, the market was beginning to catch up with the average sales price of Fairfax County, it now lags nearly 28% behind.

Earlier projections of a recovery of the Centreville Market in 2011 have dimmed due the continued of consumer confidence.  We started 2011 with pending sales at a very low level, and then they doubled in the 2^nd and partly through the 3^rd quarter then fell back to nearly the level of November 2010.

Information obtained from statistics supplied by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, and analysis and comment by Jim Agnew, Managing Broker, Avery Hess, Realtors, Dulles Regional Office.

Hanukkah Holiday Happenings

This past Wednesday marked the beginning of one of Judaism’s biggest holidays. Hanukkah is an eight day-long event, celebrating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. The holiday typically occurs anytime from late November to late December, and this year it comes at the far end of the spectrum, running until December 28^th.

Around Washington, D.C., there are numerous ways to enjoy, with events in Maryland, Virginia and the District.

The biggest, literally, is the National Hanukkah Menorah, which sits right outside the White House Grounds. The Menorah symbolizes the miracle that happened in the 2nd century BCE. The story tells that when many Jews were trapped in their temple due to a revolt, they worried that they only had enough candle oil to last one night.  The oil, however, managed to last eight full days, enough time for the people inside the temple to prepare new oil.

The lighting ceremony of the main candle of the National Hanukkah Menorah, which stays lit throughout the celebration, took place on the Mall on Wednesday. But each night for the rest of the holiday, a lighting ceremony will take place for each new candle.

While it’s a symbolic way to celebrate, the National Menorah is far from the only way to enjoy this holiday season. There are plenty of activities for adults and children alike.

One of the largest celebrations is a gala aimed at the younger crowd. For 25 straight years, the Society of Young Jewish Professionals, and more recently JDate, have paired up to present the MatzoBall.

Geared toward singles under the age of 50, the MatzoBall is a nationwide event that gives young Jewish people the opportunity to mingle and network. This year, galas are being thrown in New York City, Miami, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. In our own town, the MatzoBall is on Saturday, December 24^th. It runs from 8:00 p.m. all the way until 3:00 a.m. and tickets cost $30.

For a more relaxing celebration, on December 25^th, revelers can head to Old Town, Alexandria, for the Hanukkah Festival of Old Town, hosted by the Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington. Chabad Lubavitch is Hebrew for Brotherly Love, and their Northern Virginia branch throws a free celebration worthy of that moniker. At the Crowne Plaza Hotel, on North Fairfax Street, the group will light a six-foot tall menorah, hold free raffles, host live bands and cook hot potato latkes.

Across the river, in downtown Bethesda, the Chabad Lubavitch of Bethesda-Chevy Chase will be holding a kid-friendly celebration, Thursday, December 22^nd, at Bethesda Row. Chanukah in Candyland is free to attend, and has numerous activities for kids of all ages. The perks of Chanukah in Candyland are a magic show, free souvenir dreidels, cotton candy and popcorn and a sight that is sure to wow just about every child: a menorah, which will be lit at the end of the festivities, made entirely out of jelly beans. That’s right, a jelly bean menorah.

It’s a fun way, among the many other options, to celebrate the enjoyable holiday that is Hanukkah.

-David

Damascus, MD Market Report – 12/19/11

Damascus is an unincorporated area in northern Montgomery County.  Although there is a large population grown and urban development, Damascus still retains its small town feel.

Damascus has seen significant new housing growth in recent years.  Housing costs in Damascus are among some of the highest in the nation, however the real estate prices don’t compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Maryland.

Here is the latest Real Estate Data on Damascus, MD:

20872 Damascus, MD

Damascus High School is the only high school in the greater Damascus area and is well-known for strong academics and championship athletic teams.   Damascus also benefits from a large, well-funded youth athletic program, the Damascus Sports Association.  Damascus High School is one of the few schools in the State that still holds its graduation ceremonies on the school’s football field.  In 2000 the commencement speaker was General Colin Powell.

Damascus has many types and styles of homes for sale and the community offers many events of interest and amenities that are unique to the area.  The town has many outdoor activities to enjoy and has a family friendly atmosphere about it.

Market data and commentary provided by Kathy Fleskes & Serena Toro, Rockville Avery-Hess, Realtors Office.

Holiday Light Tours Brighten Up Your December

Literally. Lights. In the last month of the calendar year, cities, towns and counties brighten up, giving visitors and residents alike the chance to see their locales like never before.

Throughout the Metro area, places are stringing together awe-inspiring displays of lights, fantastic works of art in their own right. Almost every town has a light tour that’s worth seeing, but some of the most popular in the area are absolutely deserving of a visit.

One of the biggest shows is also the most popular. ZooLights runs from now until January 1^st, every day of the week. Hosted by the National Zoo up in Woodley Park, the event starts at 5:00 p.m., when dusk settles in and runs until 9:00 at night. The event is an elaborate showcase for the zoo, with an array of events for everyone. There are the intricate lights, which are shaped into realistic animal figures, but there’s also a synthetic ice rink, where kids can rent ice skates and glide on a surface that, while it feels like ice, is actually a polyurethane mat. Also during ZooLights, several of the animal houses are open, so if you need to warm up, or just want to chat with an orangutan, you can pop in. Admission to Zoolights is $9 for Friends of the National Zoo, and $12 for non-members.

About 30 miles west of the Zoo, in Centreville Virginia, is the Bull Run Festival of Lights, one of the most intense light displays you’ll find around Washington. Running from now until January 8^th, the Bull Run Festival of Lights incorporates nearly 40,000 lights into its presentation. Visitors drive a 2.5 mile loop and the cruise is set to music (visitors tune to a station on their way in). While driving through the park, tourists see lit up animated penguins, snowmen, deer and toy soldiers. Admission for the festival is $15 per car on weekdays, with the show running from 5:30- 9:30 p.m. On weekends, the price is upped a bit, costing $20 per car, although the loop stays open a half hour later, until 10 p.m. Also at Bull Run, from the 15^th until January 1^st, is a carnival featuring rides and games for kids and adults alike.

Across state lines, Maryland features two great festivals this December. First is the Winter Lights’ Festival in Seneca State Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The light tour has been open since the beginning of December and runs through the New Year. The ride is a mile longer than the Bull Run and cost less, just $12 on weekdays and $15 on weekends. The hours are a bit shorter, open from 6-9 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday and 6-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On the car trip, riders will see nearly 70 animated displays, with the drive separated into different sections like Teddy Bear Land, Penguin Cove, and the North Pole.

The biggest display of the year goes to the Gaylord National Harbor, and their month long festival, ICE!, which runs until January 8. It’s the most expensive of the bunch, with tickets ranging from $25-35, but it’s without a doubt the most put together. Ticket buyers can experience an entire carved ice village, hosted inside a massive refrigerated tent. The display is so intricate, it takes a month of work in advance, and so immense, it uses nearly two million pounds of ice.

This year’s theme for ICE! is the Dreamworks movie Madagascar, and popular characters from the animated film will be on hand to tell the story of how Santa Claus inadvertently crashed on the island of Madgascar and how the animals of the tropical oasis must figure out a way to save Christmas.

It’s perfect fun for the family, as is every event here, wonderful ways to make December sparkle.

-David

Prince William County, VA Market Report – 12/13/11

Prince William County homes sales are an interesting story to tell right now.  If you ask sellers they will tell you that there is more activity on their listings than in previous months.

This activity has helped pending sales rise 15.63%.  In contrast, less sellers entered the market, pushing inventories down 17.39%.  If this trend continues, we could start to see a shift in the real estate landscape in Prince William.

Conversely, we are seeing buyers stepping into the market due to record low mortgage rates and affordable prices making homeownership more attractive than renting.   These prospective buyers are being very cautious with their decision to purchase, not allowing themselves to rush into a contract.  With low inventories we are hearing buyers say their home choices for quality inventory is low.  Nice, well-maintained homes are going under contract quickly, hence the rise in sales contracts mentioned above.

Prices gave back some ground. The Median Sale Price decreased 2.20 percent to 250,000. Days on Market increased 25.58 percent to 54 days.

All in all, it’s a safe bet to say that a seller with a good condition, well maintained home can expect a well-priced house to sell in a reasonable amount of time.  Purchasers know a good home and correctly priced home when they see it and are reacting quickly to get the home under contract.

If this trend continues the Prince William market is poised for a fantastic first Quarter 2012.

Market data and commentary provided by Maryanne Moyers, Managing Broker, Avery-Hess, Realtors.

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