Every week the Eli Residential Group scours our network for off-market and pre-market homes to give home buyers and investors access to properties they can’t find anywhere else online. If you are interested in a property you see here or have specific needs you cannot find on the market, please reach out to us at [email protected] to talk to a real person, not an automated response system.
If you are a homeowner, investor, builder or agent who would like your off-market or pre-market property featured for a half million local readers on PoPville, ARLnow or Tysons Reporter, please email us at [email protected].
Below is one of our favorite off-market properties from 2018.
Newer Townhouse in Mosaic District
2900 Block Penny Lane
Fairfax, VA 22031
Description: 4 BR/3.5 BA four-level 1,600 sq. ft. townhouse with beautiful finishes in Mosaic District. Built in 2014 and includes large rooftop deck, garage parking, open floor plan and ample guest parking. Situated on quiet street and surrounded by open space for tons of natural light. Available 2019.
Price: Upper $700’s
To view all of our off-market or pre-market properties, visit the off-market section of our website. We add new properties every week.
The Eli Residential Group is a real estate team with RLAH Real Estate, (703) 390-9460, operating in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland. Contact the team directly at [email protected].
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
I asked the Vienna Moms group for an idea they’d like me to explore. No surprise at holiday time, I was tasked with finding opportunities for volunteering, especially kid-friendly options.
While there are no shortage of deserving and worthwhile causes, I did focus on events that welcome kids. There are many, many great organizations that’ll help match you with a cause you find worthwhile. I’ve included links to those below if none from my list fit your needs.
Power Pack Program (P3) — Food for Others and BritePaths
Did you know that there are many kids in our area will have little to nothing to eat over the weekend? The Power Pack allows elementary aged students to bring home a pack of food to eat.
The pack contains 2 items for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 snacks and 2 drinks. You can help by creating these using ZipLock bags at home or by organizing a larger group drive (the preschool my kids go to have done this and it was a huge success).
You can donate the bags to their Merrifield warehouse Monday through Friday from 2-5 p.m. (call 703-207-9173 first to confirm a delivery time). You can also download their food drive kit here.
Capital Area Food Bank
Sign up for a 3 hour time slot to help sort and pack donations. Ages 12 to 17 are welcome to volunteer with an adult.
They have a location in Downtown D.C. or Lorton, both with volunteer opportunities. They also have a marketplace opportunity (outdoor). Search their opportunity calendar to find what fits your time.
The Nature Conservancy
Not a Holiday related opportunity, but a good one for the family to remember. The Fairfax County Watershed Cleanup helps keep trash and debris out of waterways that feed the Chesapeake Bay.
There are many locations, registration opens March 1 and the events occur in April starting at 9 a.m.
The Scott’s Run Nature Preserve spring cleaning in McLean is April 13. A full list and details can be found here.
Fairfax County Animal Shelter
To volunteer here, you must be 18 years old and able to lift 20 pounds. If you’d like to help with dogs, cats and other small animals, sign up for volunteer opportunities when they need help. Those opportunities can be found by checking their Facebook page for announcements.
If you’re looking for other opportunities, try one of these websites:
Wishing you a very Happy Holiday season!
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.
More common types of federal agency “adverse actions” (more serious discipline) include removal, demotion, reduction in grade or suspensions of greater than 14 days. Some types of “disciplinary actions” (lessor discipline) include letters of warning, letters of reprimand, oral or written counseling or suspensions of less than 15 days.
Federal Employee Rights in Disciplinary Cases
If a federal employee is issued a proposed disciplinary action, the proposal will normally include a description of the alleged misconduct and the type of charge against the employee (e.g., insubordination, theft, conduct unbecoming, lack of performance, etc.).
Federal employees in adverse action matters (suspensions of 15 days and above, and demotion matters) and in some disciplinary actions (suspensions of any length (usually 14 days and below)) have the following rights: (1) right to an attorney; (2) right to respond to the proposal in writing or orally, and (3) the right to review all of the materials relied upon in the issuance of the Proposal.
We recommend that employees involved in proposed disciplinary or adverse action always request from the agency all of the materials that it is relying upon to propose discipline. Sometimes disciplinary actions will not be drafted properly and reviewing the materials relied upon can help in responding to the discipline.
Present Both a Written and Oral Response
We also usually recommend, in most cases, that a federal employee present both a written response and an oral response to the deciding official (the decision maker on the disciplinary action) in a proposed disciplinary or adverse action.
The oral response portion of a federal employee’s response can be extremely important and usually follows the submission of the written response.
Typically, when we assist federal employees in this regard, we obtain a full statement of facts from the federal employee involved and prepare a full written rebuttal to the allegations. We also contact the deciding official in the personnel action and request an appointment for the oral response.
In these types of cases, we respond to both the merits of the alleged conduct and argue for mitigation under the Douglas Factors. Douglas Factors typically are mitigating reasons as to why a particular disciplinary penalty should be reduced (i.e., based on years of successful performance, no prior disciplinary actions, lack of clarity about the rules at issue and other reasons why a disciplinary penalty should not be so harsh).
Conclusion
If you are in need of assistance in the federal employee discipline process 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.
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!
On this Christmas Eve, I want to take just a quick moment to wish you a happy, safe and memorable holiday season.
I hope this season ends on a joyful note and continues into a positive and prosperous New Year for you and your family. Thank you for visiting this column and for submitting your questions. I am excited to be back in the New Year, bringing you more creative, informative and exciting posts!
Above are some of my favorite Christmas light displays. How did your neighborhood do?
I would love to see what other homes around Tysons did so feel free to send me photos of the best lights in your neighborhood to [email protected].
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all from the team at Eli Residential! Cheers to a cold season as you cozy up in the comfort of your warm home.
If you would like to discuss your Real Estate plans for 2019, or you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, please send an email 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.
Every week the Eli Residential Group scours our network for off-market and pre-market homes to give home buyers and investors access to properties they can’t find anywhere else online. If you are interested in a property you see here or have specific needs you cannot find on the market, please reach out to us at [email protected] to talk to a real person, not an automated response system.
If you are a homeowner, investor, builder or agent who would like your off-market or pre-market property featured for a half million local readers on PoPville, ARLnow or Tysons Reporter, please email us at [email protected].
Tysons-Area/Merrifield 1 BR Newer Condo
Halstead at the Metro: 2655 Prosperity Avenue
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Description: 700+ sq. ft. 1 BR/1 BA condo in 2005 building with tons of amenities including outdoor pool, indoor basketball court, fitness center and daily on-site staff. Blocks to Dunn-Loring Metro, walkable to restaurants & bars and minutes to Mosaic District & Tysons. Low condo fees, one parking spot.
Price: Low $300s
Courtesy of RLAH Real Estate
To view all of our off-market or pre-market properties, visit the off-market section of our website. We add new properties every week.
The Eli Residential Group is a real estate team with RLAH Real Estate, (703) 390-9460, operating in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Contact the team directly at [email protected].
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: We just bought our first home a couple of weeks ago. How can we tough out our first winter as homeowners and avoid weather related problems?
Answer: Winter is coming and you’re not too late to get your home ready for it. Hopefully you had a home inspection before buying your house and all the systems are working properly or you’re aware of any issues that need attention.
Whether you’re a new homeowner or have been one for a while, there’s always something you can do to avoid home maintenance issues and save some money.
Exterior
- Clean up the remnants of fall and check for any signs of wear to the exterior of your home.
- Check your rain gutter downspouts. When gutters backup, they overflow and water runs down your home. Keep the gutters clean and make sure water is getting moved away from the home. Add downspout extenders if necessary.
- Make sure the soil around your foundation hasn’t settled, creating areas for water to pool at your foundation. If you find a low spot, simply fill it in with some soil. Saturated soil around a foundation can create a problem when it freezes and thaws throughout the winter months.
- Always disconnect garden hoses before winter arrives. Drain garden hoses or freezing water will split them open and you’ll have to replace them every year.
- Keeping your home’s pipes warm and insulated is key to avoiding the expensive mess of a frozen and burst pipe. Treat any existing water leaks and cover any exposed pipes with insulation. Winterize your outdoor faucets to prevent them from freezing, which can lead to a burst pipe and spray hundreds of gallons inside the house.
Interior
- A high-tech thermostat (Nest is ideal and it makes a great gift for homeowners!) can do wonders for managing your energy bills, but even a regular programmable thermostat can lower your bills significantly. While you might prefer your home to be a toasty 72 degrees, it costs money to keep the temperature that high throughout the day. So while you’re at work, set it to something like 65 degrees and push it back up when you get home. While the savings might not seem like much in one bill, you’ll definitely notice at the end of the season.
- Change your filters and have the system inspected by a reputable HVAC contractor.
- If you have a few rooms you rarely use, just close those vents and shut the doors so that you’re only heating the rooms you do use.
- Did you know if you replace your old water heater with a new Energy Star-qualified heater, you could save up to 50% on your heating bills? That huge savings can help your new water heater pay for itself. Hot water heaters typically are set at 140 degrees. Lower the temperature on yours to 120 for fuel savings. You’ll reduce the chance of accidental burns and the water still will be plenty hot for bathing, washing clothes and doing dishes.
- Set fan blades to move clockwise in winter, and run fans slowly. This will lift cool air to the ceiling and push heated air down where you can enjoy it. Now set the thermostat a bit lower and enjoy the warmth.
- By properly insulating your home and sealing up your basement and attic, you can save up to 10% on your annual energy bills.
- Look for air leaks. Things like winter-weather stripping and draft stoppers are easy to install and even easier to remove when warmer weather rolls around. Only use your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans when you absolutely have to — they pull hot air out of your home and can represent a small increase in your heating bill.
Don’t Forget The Attic Read More
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
It’s cold. The days get darker, earlier. The kids are off from school and daycare and you’re about to go stir crazy!
Oh wait, maybe that’s just me.
If you’re in the same boat, let’s talk about indoor play. There are so many places around the DMV area that offer indoor options for kids of all ages, sizes and interests. The list below are some of my favorites within a 25 minute drive (or so) from Tysons.
Make sure you check their individual websites for hours (some require reservations), height or age restrictions and costs. Many offer coffee or snacks and free wifi if you want to squeeze in some work, others offer drop-off play hours and some require a caregiver to stay at all times.
As always, if you have suggestions for other places, drop a note in the comments! Let’s show some support to our local business owners along with some of the larger chains. Listed in no particular order:
- Nook (Mosaic District) — Ages 0-5, brand new, basic play without over stimulants. My kids loved the ball pit (my 4-year old jumped into it with reckless abandon a good dozen times). Cost is $20 a day per child (free parent admission) while siblings under 3m are free.
- One Upon A Dream (Vienna) — An open play space with various themed areas, free wifi, snack bar and drop-off options as well as camp options. $10 per child & $10 per adult, $5 second parent while under 9m is free. Price is for 2.5 hours of play.
- Mobu Kids (Falls Church) — Recently reopened, brand new play space for the under 5 crew. Soft play surfaces, open play and drop-off options. $13 per day.
- Diamond Heroes Batting Cages (Mosaic) — You can “rent” a batting cage lane online in 30-minute increments. Will require someone to feed a ball into the machine but it’s a great option for your baseball enthusiast who is itching for spring! $40 per half hour or $60 for 1 hour.
- Oak Marr Rec Center (Oakton) — Indoor pool open swim (check calendar availability).
- Spring Hill Rec Center (McLean) — Indoor pool with open swim option.
- Flight (Springfield) — Trampoline park with open jump hours, including toddler jump. Pro tip, reserve online ahead of time and sign the waiver to avoid waiting in a long line.
- Town of Vienna Community Center (Vienna) — Indoor basketball courts free for use. You can bring a ball of your own or borrow one. Check the schedule.
Worth The Drive:
- Cub Run Leisure Pool (Chantilly) — Indoor pool with small play structure, slides, big water slides, whirlpool and a hot tub. Pro tip, make sure you call ahead and verify the pool is open. We got there one day to find out the pool was closed that day for an “accident”.
- Chibis Indoor Playground (Ashburn) — Great for the under 4 crowd, huge play structure to climb, bounce house, cars to ride, kitchen, trains, etc. They have a snack and coffee bar. $8-10 per child depending on mobility.
- Kid Junction (Chantilly) — Another great play space for the under 5 crew with indoor slides, toddler area, arcade and a cafe. $8 for kids under 2 and $11 for kids 2-9.
- Zava Zone (Sterling) — Indoor area better for the older crowd (5+) that includes high ropes course, trampolines, zip line, low ropes course, pole walk and more. $20 for 1 hour, $34 for 2 hours, etc. Pro tip, reserve your space online and sign the waiver online as well.
Also, don’t forget about old favorites like Chuck E. Cheese in Fairfax, Dave & Busters in Springfield or bowling (there’s one in Falls Church or Fairfax). You can sign up at Bowl America for their Kids Blast Pass which lets kids bowl up to 2 games per day for free (online this says summer only, but you may want to call them for info).
Every week the Eli Residential Group scours our network for off-market and pre-market homes to give home buyers and investors access to properties they can’t find anywhere else online. If you are interested in a property you see here or have specific needs you cannot find on the market, please reach out to us at [email protected] to talk to a real person, not an automated response system.
If you are a homeowner, investor, builder or agent who would like your off-market or pre-market property featured for a half million local readers on PoPville, ARLnow or Tysons Reporter, please email us at [email protected].
Belle Haven Renovation with $5,000/Month Income
6000 Block Arkendale Road
Alexandria, Va 22307
Description: Unique investment or future owner-occupant opportunity in one of Alexandria’s top neighborhoods, Belle Haven. High-end gut renovation in 2017 with existing two-year lease for $5,000/month in place. Investors can collect great rent and sell in two years with excellent appreciation driven by Amazon HQ2. Owner-occupant can secure today’s pricing and pay down mortgage through remainder of lease. 4 BR/3 BA, open floor plan, massive 2+ car attached garage in this open floor plan home.
Price: $1,050,000
Courtesy of RLAH Real Estate
To view all of our off-market or pre-market properties, visit the off-market section of our website. We add new properties every week.
The Eli Residential Group is a real estate team with RLAH Real Estate, (703) 390-9460, operating in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Contact the team directly at [email protected].
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: I’m looking to buy a remodeled home but I’m afraid of buying a bad flip and wondering if you have any tips for spotting them during showings.
Answer: Whether or not a home has been recently renovated for sale by an investor or homeowner, it’s important for you to do as much digging and inspecting as possible to verify the quality of the work and materials.
Never assume that because a home has been professionally remodeled and looks new that you do not need to perform an inspection. A home inspection is most valuable when buying a flipped property because you’re paying a premium for it being/appearing new.
However, inspections take place after entering into a purchase agreement and cost money, so I’ll highlight some things you can look for before making an offer that will give you an idea of the quality of the work.
Exterior
- Driveway — Repaving a driveway is expensive and often ignored in cheap flips. Look for cracks or other damage in the driveway. If the driveway has been redone, that’s a good sign.
- Roof — You don’t need to be a roofing expert to know whether a roof looks to be old and damaged or in new or good condition.
- Downspouts — You want to see water runoff extending away from the home by 8-10 ft. Not being dropped right next to it, which is often overlooked by inexperienced or cheap investors.
- Lawn — Grass takes time and money to look good so if the lawn is in good condition, that’s a great sign.
- Windows — Windows are very expensive and you can tell a lot about an investor by the windows they install. Are they good quality? Did they replace none, some or all of them? Do they have a warranty?
Interior
- Floor Plan — Did the investor make decisions that leave you scratching your head like a shortage of kitchen cabinets, awkward toilet placement or tiny clothes closets? It’s not easy to redesign a floor plan and novice remodelers almost always make mistakes.
- Plumbing — Turning on faucets will also signal if there are issues with the water pressure, or in some cases, if the hardware hasn’t been hooked up to a water source at all.
- Look Under the Cabinets — House flippers often focus on the cosmetic appeal of the home rather than the functionality. Look under the kitchen sink. If you see that the drain lines, disposal and wiring have been spray painted, it’s a sign the flipper or contractor is covering up a dated disposal.
- Electrical — Look at the inside of the panel door to see if it’s been labeled and if there is a signed/finalized permit sticker.
- Furnace — Does the exhaust pipe have a constant positive pitch leaving the unit until it reaches the exterior (note: this should also be the case on a gas water heater)?
- Door Frames/Shoe Molding — Are the frames around the doors and shoe molding along the floor new or painted over? New frames/molding looks clean and smooth while originals with paint over top look clumpy and damaged. If it’s original frames/molding, you might be looking at a quick, cheap flip.
Other
- In Virginia, sellers are not obligated to provide detailed property disclosures, but you can still ask the current owners for a written, detailed report of all the changes they’ve made to the property.
- Receipts — Try to confirm who did the work. Are they licensed, bonded and insured? Don’t be afraid to talk to the contractors who did the work and see how much they’re willing to share about the materials and crew they used.
- Days Since Last Sale — Look up how much time has lapsed between the investor’s purchase of the property and the completion of the remodel. The timing of the work should align with what the seller is claiming to have done and the time it takes to get the permits.
Check this link for a list of renovations and additions that need a permit in Fairfax County.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
Winter break for Fairfax County starts after school on Friday, December 21 and students don’t go back until January 7!
That’s a long time with nothing to do, except a holiday if you celebrate. If you’re looking for camps for your kids over winter break, please read this list of suggestions. If you have an option I might have missed, please comment below and let our readers know.
Day Camps
Adrenaline Dance Studio — 6 Options for full day or half day camp, ages 3-14.
Stemtree — Grades K-6 is one group, and then Grade 7 and up is another. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
MyGym of McLean — Camp is for 3-9 year olds, hours are 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Enshin Karate — Day camp from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Once Upon A Dream — Ages 3-10, Each day has a theme, offering all day option (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) or half day (9 a.m. to Noon, or 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.)
The Old Firehouse Center in McLean — Offers daily trips for 5th through 9th graders. Examples include Dave & Busters, Zava Zone, Indoor Go Karting and more.
The TEA Center — Preschool through 8th grade, 6:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
I’m also going to share my sanity saving local tip:
Sign up for Our-Kids.com. They send a weekly email with all of the activities for the upcoming week so you don’t have to scour the internet for something to do. It’s neatly packaged by location (DC, VA, or MD), by day, and time. Red Tricycle does something similar.
