Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). This week’s Guide is written by Arash Tafakor of Dominion Wine and Beer.

On Friday May 3 at 5 p.m. our friends at Väsen are releasing their canned beer for the first time!

Väsen Brewing started making their brew in Richmond, Virginia in 2017. Since then they have focused on “combining the experimental spirit that defines American craft beer with the rustic and funky flavors of Belgian farmhouse and sour ales.”

Their inaugural run of three beers will be available Thursday at the brewery — first spot to retail is right here at Dominion on Friday. The ultra-fresh new cans, days young, dropped at our door!

Available in cans by mid afternoon Friday are:

Nörse Double IPA

“This double-dry-hopped 8% ABV DIPA was conditioned on Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo hops to produce a complex, well-rounded hop character with hints of grapefruit, tangerine and pine. Traditional Norwegian Kveik yeast from a farm in northern Norway contribute complex aromas of orange peel, peach and white pepper, which combine with rich brown sugar and honey to balance this moderately bitter farmhouse-style ale.”

Guava Otter 

“A Virginia Craft Beer Cup award winner. This funky, 5.5% ABV sour ale was conditioned on guava to impart bold tropical flavors. Salty. Sour. Delicious.”

Läger 

5.1% ABV, malty, smooth and delicious. Our European-style lager combines the finest malts from the U.S. and Belgium with noble German hops to create a refreshing golden draught with a remarkably clean finish.”

On tap Friday by 5 p.m. All 3 can release beers, plus:

• Northern Equinox Hazy IPA
• Hefeweizen
• Mango Tango Otter Mango/Tangerine Gose
• Whiskery Walrus Buffalo Trace BA Stout

Come out Friday, grab some ultra fresh cans, enjoy a great list of drafts and hang for happy hour or dinner! We’ll be the exclusive retail spot with these cans through the weekend. Cheers to Väsen and their inaugural canning run!

For more info on Väsen, check out their Facebook page and website.

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

If you’ve been waiting to buy because the market is just too hot, now is a good time to put your toes in the water.

The market has softened just a bit and inventory has increased. This week saw 241 new homes come on the market in the Tysons area (McLean, Vienna, Falls Church, Great Falls). Inventory in Fairfax County is up almost 50% from this time last year. It’s still a seller’s market but it’s a bit friendlier to buyers going into May than it was going into April.

I’m often asked about new builds in the Town of Vienna. Vienna is a great place to live. It’s walkable to many shops and restaurants and features family activities throughout the year. The new build homes are becoming quite expensive though.

Depending on where you live (Vienna is divided into quadrants), a new home can cost $1.5M to nearly $3M. Homes that are just a bit older sell for considerably less. Craftsman and Farmhouse style homes are very popular but Colonials are still a staple for the D.C. metro area.

If you want to live in Vienna and live in a home with considerable size, consider a home just a few years older. This colonial is in the Town of Vienna and features nearly 6,000 sq. ft. on 3 levels:

1003 Cottage Street SW Vienna (Reduced $59,800)

Check out all this week’s Luxury for Less listings here:

• 737 Ridge Drive McLean (Reduced $30,000)
• 1003 Cottage Street SW Vienna (Reduced $59,800)
• 10420 Van Patten Lane Great Falls (Reduced $45,000)
• 8702 Old Dominion Drive McLean (Reduced $70,000)
• 7004 River Oaks Drive McLean (Reduced $300,000)
• 2050 Crossing Gate Way Vienna (Reduced $50,100)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

This Saturday, May 4, is the opening weekend for the Vienna Farmers Market at the Community Center.

The market opens at 8 a.m. and goes until noon. Remember that dogs are not allowed at the market unless they’re service dogs. The market has fruit, veggies, meat, fish, flowers, eggs, pastries, breads and prepared foods. Usually on hand are also musicians with live music, a face painter and sometimes even the Vienna Singing Princesses.

You can buy breakfast and watch some baseball games at Waters Field, head into the community center and play some basketball, or even walk over to the Vienna Elementary playground and let the kids run around.

If you’re looking for another way to support local businesses and do some shopping, the Vienna Mom’s group is hosting a Vendor Fair at the community center from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. I will be there if you want to come meet me in person, or visit one of the other retailers listed in the graphic below.

On Friday, May 3 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. you can stop by the McLean farmers market which opens for the season as well!

The market is held at Lewinsville Park and you can find a full list of vendors here. Only service dogs are allowed here as well. Lewinsville Park has a bunch of fields, when not being used by soccer or baseball, there are also basketball and tennis courts.

Don’t forget the Falls Church farmers market is also Saturday morning from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. year round. You can find a full list of vendors here, but a huge shout out to the almond croissants at this market! So good!

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

We represent employees in Virginia who have been fired from their employment. Sometimes, our representation involves claims against the employer and/or negotiations and other times it involves the issue of how they obtain a new position in light of their termination.

The following are 7 tips to consider if an employee ever finds themselves in this particular situation.

Handle Termination Day Calmly

When an employee is terminated, it can be an extreme shock. Sometimes the reasons are known, sometimes the employee is specifically informed about the underlying issues, and other times they really cannot figure out why. In any case, it is very important to handle termination day with as much grace as possible.

Be calm, follow any reasonable instructions and be polite as you leave. Doing so will help the former employee in the future when they are applying for other work. We have represented many employees where termination day ended up badly and the employer made additional notes in their personnel record or even contacted the police.

If Wrongful Termination is Potentially Involved, Obtain Legal Advice

When an employee has been fired, it is important for them to consider all of their options. If there has been a potential illegal action taken by the employer against the employee (e.g. firing the employee for whistleblowing or based on illegal discrimination) it is important to get legal advice about whether or not to pursue any legal options about the termination.

If a wrongful termination exists, there may be ways for an attorney to resolve the matter with the company in a way that makes the employee more readily employable.

Where Appropriate File for Unemployment Compensation

If an employee is terminated unjustly, it can be worth it for them to apply for unemployment compensation while they are finding a new position. Sometimes, employers decline to object to compensation or fail to show up at such hearings. In many cases, employees can be awarded unemployment compensation even if they have been fired.

Prepare an Updated Resume

When an individual who has been fired starts the job search, it is important to work on their resume. Even though the individual has been terminated, it is important to update their resume and list all of their experience and any skills or education gained from the past employer. The sooner this is done, the quicker the ability to rebound becomes.

Write a Note to the Former Supervisor

While this may be difficult, writing a thank you note to a former supervisor can go a long way to mitigating what they may say to another employer. This can be difficult, especially if the employee was treated unfairly, but it can pay significant dividends in terms of future employability. Many supervisors, even if they fire an employee will feel some guilt in doing so.

If an employee responds with a kind letter to them, it can go a long way in mitigating any bad feelings. I find that when terminated employees take this step, many former supervisors will provide them recommendations when they apply for other positions.

Use Other Contacts as References if Needed

Sometimes a supervisor will not provide a reference for your prior employment. In that case, it is important to find others who can potentially vouch for an employee’s service during their prior employment.

For example, sometimes a former supervisor who is no longer with the employer is willing to provide a positive recommendation. In other instances, former co-workers can sometimes provide a recommendation as well.

Practice Job Interviews

When trying to get a new position after being fired, it is important to practice interview skills. It is also particularly important to be able to explain the termination if need be, and to provide other references. It is usually good advice to stay away from sounding defensive or vindictive toward the former employer in explaining the reasons for termination.

A calm and neutral explanation of the termination is usually the best strategy. However, practicing the delivery is very important.

Take an Interim Job if Necessary

Sometimes, when a termination is based on difficult facts for the former employee, it can be important to take a less than ideal employment position to bridge the gap from the termination.

Basically, in this type of situation, the employee takes a position that either doesn’t pay as much as they are used to or where they are overqualified in order to have a current position on their resume as they apply to their ideal position later. This often alleviates or minimizes future concerns from the prior termination.

Conclusion

If you are in need of employment law advice or representation, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

The following local properties have upcoming open houses this weekend.

2275 Idylwood Station Lane, Falls Church
2 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Cranford & Associates
Listed: $595,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

6315 Crooked Oak Lane, Falls Church
3 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $609,900
Open: Saturday 12-3 p.m.

9835 Marcliff Court, Vienna
6 BR/4 BA
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $915,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

9600 Brookmeadow Court, Vienna
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $1,598,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

7006 Eastern Red Cedar Lane, McLean
3 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: RE/MAX West End
Listed: $1,025,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

10308 Dunn Meadow Road, Vienna
5 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $930,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

2765 Centerboro Drive #158, Vienna
2 BR/2 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith LLC
Listed: $405,000
Open: Sunday 12-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

The following properties were recently listed in the Tysons, McLean, Vienna and Falls Church areas.

• 8350 Greensboro Drive #226, Mclean, VA — $680,888
• 6020 Woodland Terrace, McLean, VA — $2,599,999
• 8501 Cottage Street, Vienna, VA — $625,000
• 8001 Snowpine Way, McLean, VA — $1,198,000
• 6535 Mulroy Street, McLean,VA — $750,000
• 8630 Brook Road, McLean, VA — $1,930,000

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

Spring break is over and everyone is getting back to the grind and our annual countdown to summer.

This also inevitably brings the hustle and bustle of the spring market back to the real estate world as everyone tries to get their housing affairs settled before trips to the Outer Banks and Ocean City commence. Since this area is pretty much a ghost town for spring break, there are many great homes that had price improvements last week.

The most drastic price improvement I saw last week was on this extravagant home in the Peacock Station neighborhood in McLean. 952 Towlston Road has seen a $1 million price drop from its original list price. This impressive estate features over 13,000 finished square feet, a separate caterer’s kitchen, both a dry & steam sauna, cinema and game rooms, and a large bar fit for a great party.

If over the top luxury is what you are looking for, this home is for you. If you decide to buy 952 Towlston, please don’t forget to invite your favorite realtor over for a spa day and drinks. I like cabernet.

You can see more of this buzz worthy home here: 952 Towlston Road

Check out all this week’s Luxury for Less listings here:

• 6125 Old Dominion Drive McLean (Reduced $55,000)
• 1791 Clovermeadow Drive Vienna (Reduced $76,000)
• 3301 Slade Run Drive Falls Church (Reduced $100,000)
• 6113 Franklin Park Road McLean (Reduced $200,000)
• 608 Utterback Store Road Great Falls (Reduced $20,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Val Sotillo, Northern Virginia-based Realtor and Falls Church resident. Please submit your questions to her via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: What is an Escalation Addendum and when should I use it?

Answer:  With so much competition for hard-to-find homes that have just come to market, it’s critical for buyers to understand the purpose and risk/reward of using Escalation Addendums (EA) in their offer.

An EA allows you to make an offer at a starting price while agreeing to increase your offer to a higher price if another offer is higher than yours. It includes a maximum escalation value and an escalation factor, the amount your offer will increase by, over the next highest offer.

The contract allows for the seller to execute a purchase contract (ratify) at an escalated value, without the buyer having to agree to the new price. However, to protect buyers, the seller is required to deliver the next highest contract that was used to escalate your offer.

That other offer must also be materially similar, meaning the other offer cannot include seller credits or a material difference in contingencies (e.g. the other buyer has to sell a home before buying this one).

EAs carry a lot of risk and reward, so be sure to understand them before including one in your offer.

Understand The Risks

The obvious risk in using an Escalation is that buyers are exposing their maximum purchase price and some sellers may ask for that max, regardless of whether or not another offer allows them to get there contractually. There are strategies buyers can use to prevent a seller from doing this and, in my experience, most sellers use Escalations as they’re meant to be used.

The other not-so-obvious problem is with non-financial differences between two contracts. The Escalation Addendum says nothing about differences in settlement date, contingencies and other non-financial terms that make a material difference between contracts (e.g. no Home Inspection Contingency vs full Inspection Contingency is treated equally in the Escalation Addendum).

When To Use An Escalation Addendum

Escalations are best used when there are multiple confirmed offers and the seller has set a deadline for “best-and-final” offers. It’s important for buyers to establish expectations with the seller before they include an Escalation Addendum to maximize the benefit and reduce the risks.

This is where having an experienced agent working for you can be the difference between making a smart decision and irresponsible one or securing a home and helping somebody else secure it.

Proper Communication Is A Win-Win

I strongly believe that with proper communication between sellers and buyers, Escalation Addendums benefit both parties by allowing the seller to draw out the highest available price for their home and allowing buyers to confidently maximize their chance of securing a home. Improper communication leads to a lack of trust and a lack of trust will almost always earn sellers less and may keep the most motivated buyer out of the home of their dreams.

It’s Not Always About Price

Being the winning offer amongst multiple offers isn’t always about price. Buyers need to focus on non-financial terms as well to set themselves apart and it’s important to understand how you can increase the strength of your offer without taking on excessive risk, but that’s a topic for another day.

If you’d like more information, or would like a question answered in my weekly column, please reach out to [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon.

Val Sotillo is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, 703-390-9460.

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

The following local properties have upcoming open houses this weekend.

1808 Old Meadow Road #1114, McLean 
2 BR/2 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $389,900
Open: Saturday 12-3 p.m.

7974 Vigne Court, Vienna
4 BR/4 BA
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $859,995
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

1450 Pathfinder Lane, McLean
6 BR/5.5 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith Realty, LLC
Listed: $1,550,000
Open: Sunday 12-4 p.m.

2777 Knollside Lane, Vienna
3 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $529,999
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

1221 Kelley Street SW, Vienna
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,424,999
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

8296 Elm Shade Court, Vienna
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: RE/MAX Allegiance
Listed: $1,199,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

301 Park Street NE, Vienna
3 BR/3 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates, Inc
Listed: $849,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). This week’s Guide is written by Arash Tafakor of Dominion Wine and Beer.

Rosé wine sales in the U.S are increasing year after year. Why this change? Simply put, quality and affordability.

After decades of Americans categorizing any pink colored wine with the sweet White Zinfandel variety, the U.S wine consumer has discovered the light, dry, crisp and perfectly fruity rosé wine. Winemakers, instead of using excess red wine grapes to make Rosé, they are now growing those quality grapes specifically for rosé wines.

As winemakers start off with the intention of making rosé from the beginning, the quality of these wines has improved dramatically.

What makes rosés pink? A true rosé is not a blend of white and red wine. Instead, like red wine, rosé wine is made from red wine grapes. But instead of leaving the wine in contact with the pressed grape skin to ferment with the juice for an extensive period, rosé producers keep the skins in contact with the juice for only a brief period of time.

Then the pinkish juice is drained from the skins, resulting in a color ranging from a pale pink to a deep salmon or coral. Winemakers make rosé from the red grape varieties traditionally grown in their particular region, grapes best suited to the local soil and climate.

Rosés from the entire world typically display a range of colors, textures and flavors. Yet all rosés have some common characteristics: they tend to be bright with great acidity, fresh, crisp and dry. The most popular rosé producing region in the world is Provence, France. There, rosé is a part of everyday life, widely embraced as the best lunchtime, seaside and all occasion wine.

This spirit of Provence lifestyle has started to catch on. Wine makers from around the world are making more rosés than ever before as part of their wineries. Amazing dry style rosés are also being made from California to Virginia, and all at a great affordable price. With the spring and summer here, this is a great time to come in and try a fresh 2018 vintage dry rosé for any occasion.

Rosé food pairings: Rosé’s versatility really comes out when it comes to food pairings. You can almost drink a dry rosé with any meal.  For international cuisines, rosé pairs well with spicy Asian dishes, Mexican, Italian pizza, sushi and even Indian curries.

American fare, rosé’s go well with burgers, salads and even soups and stews. With meat you can pair a rosé with any BBQ as well as ham, steak, turkey and veal. Fish and seafood; grilled fish goes extremely well with rosé as well as steamed fish and lobster.

Here are a two new 2018 vintage Rosé wines we recommend at Dominion Wine and Beer

Commanderie de la Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix en Rosé Provence, France 2018

The 2018 vintage Rosés from Southeast France were grown in ideal weather conditions according to the Vins De Provence association. This Rosé from a benchmark producer of the delicious, dry rosé for which Provence is famous, the Commanderie was founded by the Knights Templar in the 13th century, and is home to a proud viticultural tradition with more than 160 acres of sustainably grown vineyards. 91 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Wölffer Estate Summer in a Bottle Rosé Long Island, NY 2018

Easily our best-selling Rosé the past few years, Summer in a Bottle not only comes with a catchy name but also a beautiful package making it great for a wine for a picnic or an elegant dinner party.