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

So this fall schedule of back to school, fall sports and oh yeah, the fall real estate market, has begun to really mess with my ability to plan for dinner!

I don’t own an instant pot, and I barely use our crockpot, so I’ve been looking for other ways to feed my boys (well, okay, one of them survives on air somehow but the other kid actually eats). I’ve put together some deals around town that offer a “kids eat free” option or a cheap incentive to bring you in. As always, if I have left something off the list, please drop it in the comments to share with other readers!

Falls Church

• Pizzeria Orso, Falls Church — Kids eat free Tuesday for lunch and dinner kids 10 and under get one free item from the children’s menu for each traditional or house specialty pizza ordered. Dine in only.
• Chevy’s Fresh Mex, Falls Church — Kids eat free all day Tuesday. Two free kids meals per regular priced adult entrée. Dine in only.
• Pizzeria Uno, Falls Church — Kids eat free on Tuesday.
• Liberty BBQ, Falls Church — Kids 3 and under free at Bottomless Brunch on the weekends AND on Monday nights, kids 12 and under eat free (Pulled Pork Sandwich, Pulled Chicken Sandwich, or a Hot Dog with a side of fries, fruit or tomato soup).
• Jason’s Deli, Falls Church — Kids eat free on Tuesday from 5-10 p.m. Dine in only, 1 kid’s meal per each adult entrée for kids 12 and under.

Vienna/Oakton

• IHOP — Kids eat free from the children’s menu everyday, 4-9 p.m. with the purchase of 1 adult entrée.
• Anita’s Mexican Grill, Vienna — Kids under 10 eat free all day on Tuesdays.
• Foster’s Grille, Vienna — Kid’s meals for 10 and under are 1/3 off the regular price with the purchase of an adult entrée. Dine in only.
• Ledo’s Pizza, Vienna — Kids eat free on Thursdays with 1 adult entrée.
• Dickey’s BBQ, Vienna — Sundays, kids eat free 12 and under if an adult spends at least $10.
• California Tortilla, Oakton — Free kid’s meal with adult entrée purchase.

McLean

• Lebanese Taverna, McLean — Kids age 12 and under eat free off the kid’s menu with adult entrée purchase on Thursdays 11 a.m. to close.
• Silver Diner, McLean — Kids eat free on Tuesday.
• Rocco’s Italian Restaurant, McLean — Kids eat free (1 per adult entrée), or 1 free kid’s meal with a medium pizza, or 2 kid’s meal with a large pizza over 25. Dine in only. Mondays and Tuesdays.

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. 

1911 Prout Place, Falls Church
6 BD/5 BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $1,489,000
Open: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

519 S. Spring Street, Falls Church
6 BD/6.5BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $1,599,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

802 Randolph Street, Falls Church
4 BD/3 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty Falls Church
Listed: $850,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

9700 Cinnamon Creek Drive, Vienna
4 BD/3 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $749,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

8600 Cottage Street, Vienna
3 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates, Inc
Listed: $695,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

6363 Old Dominion Drive, McLean
4 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates
Listed: $829,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m. & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

1734 Fairview Avenue, McLean
6 BD/6.5 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty Falls Church
Listed: $1,739,500
Open House: Sunday 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].

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.

Goodbye summer! Summer of 2019 really ended in such a beautiful way with weather so gorgeous I momentarily thought I was in California.

The market really slowed down in the last weeks of summer and as a result, we have a lot of recently reduced properties. I’m expecting a lot of new listings to come on this week so if you decided to step out of the real estate market this year because it was just too competitive, this is a good time to step back in and give buying a home a chance.

This week’s feature home is in Great Falls. Great Falls is a great place to find a lot of space, a lot of land, a lot of wow factor and a great price. I’ve featured quite a few wow homes in Great Falls and this one is no different. It has an amazing pool and cabana and is perfect for having a bit of privacy while still being close to amenities. Recently reduced $75,000, this one is worth seeing!

9998 Blackberry Lane Great Falls (Reduced $75,000)

Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:

• 116 Tapawingo Road SW Vienna(Reduced $50,000)
• 102 Tapawingo Road SW Vienna (Reduced $20,000)
• 1319 Calder Road McLean (Reduced $200,000)
• 2327 Dale Drive Falls Church (Reduced $36,000)
• 11714 Crippen Court Great Falls (Reduced $46,000)

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.

Virginia Tech has been making local headlines lately with the announcement of its Innovation Campus in the newly-designated neighborhood of National Landing.

While the new campus will help cement the university’s regional footprint, Virginia Tech has been quietly providing graduate education opportunities in the D.C. area since 1969.

Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business has offered its MBA programs in this region for decades and more recently made the decision to narrow its focus to working professionals in urban centers across the commonwealth.

“What we did at Virginia Tech a few years ago was to say that we really want to focus on the working professional — someone who wants to enhance their career or make a change in the direction of their career, but not at the expense of continuing to be a business professional,” says Pamplin Dean Robert Sumichrast. That allows those students to come into the classroom, he adds, “and use what they’ve learned as part of the experience of the MBA program.”

Falls Church is home to the nationally-ranked Evening MBA program, which is designed to provide maximum flexibility. Students can change their course load each semester to balance work and other commitments. They also have the option to focus their degree in one of 10 specialization areas, including traditional business topics like finance and management, and some more niche areas like healthcare information technology.

The Executive MBA program is an 18-month, cohort-based option with bi-monthly classes in Arlington. The curriculum is designed for mid-career professionals, with an emphasis on experiential learning modules that provide students with hands-on experience in topics like business analytics and leadership and governance.

The Professional MBA program is a 24-month hybrid option with once-per-month in-person classes that rotate between Richmond, Roanoke and Newport News.

Visit mba.vt.edu to learn more about Virginia Tech’s MBA programs, or register to attend an upcoming information session.

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

Pumpkin Spice is back, so that officially makes it fall, right? I know, I rolled my eyes too.

Despite the pumpkin spice craze, September does mean the beginning of my favorite time of year — Fall Festivals Around Northern Virginia. Whether you’re a family with children or a group of friends going out for some fun, you’ll find a little bit of everything.

Here’s a list of some favorites during the month of September. More to follow in October!

Cox Farms — Centreville, VA
September 14-15, September 21-November 5
Live music, cow milking, farm chores, hayride, tunnels, slides, swings, corn maze, goats, cider, donuts and their market! This is my favorite event all year and I actually hold my client appreciation event here in the fall. You really can’t beat a day in cooler weather walking around their farm!

Great County Farms — Bluemont, VA
September 30-October 31
Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival featuring pick your own pumpkins (also apples), wagon rides, pig races, Dino shows, Marshmallow roasting, cider pressing, live music, 5-acre play area, donuts and their market. Adult pro tip: Bluemont Vineyard and Dirt Farm Brewing are across the street and the views can NOT be beat.

Falls Church Festival — Falls Church, VA
September 14
Held rain or shine from 10-4 p.m., this is also the “Taste of Falls Church” with a beer garden, live entertainment, pony rides, child amusements, local crafters and sales.

Merrifield Fall Festival — Fairfax, VA
September 28
Held from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., the event combines a farmers market, beer garden, live music, kids activities and more at Mosaic. This event also includes an appearance by the Vienna Singing Princesses!

Vienna Cops and Kids Fun Run — Vienna, VA
September 22
A kids fun run with the local town police. The event runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and includes many fun things after the race. Usually a police helicopter will land on the field next to Vienna Elementary, there’s a dunk-a-cop dunk tank, face painting, bounce house, music, obstacle course, food, police motorcycles and car tours.

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. 

1911 Prout Place, Falls Church
6 BD/5 BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $1,489,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

3272 Rose Glen Court, Falls Church
5 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: RE/MAX West End
Listed: $619,900
Open: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

6940 Cavalier Trail, Falls Church
4 BD/4 BA
Agent: United Real Estate
Listed: $875,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

3005 Pine Spring R0ad, Falls Church
4 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Maple Realty Llc
Listed: $849,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

102 Tapawingo Road SW, Vienna
5 BD/4.5 BA
Agent: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty
Listed: $1,469,900
Open: Saturday, 12-5 p.m.

10116 Tamarack Drive, Vienna
4 BD/3 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $785,000
Open: Sunday 1:30-4 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.

• 6041 Brook Drive, Falls Church, VA — $949,888
• 102 Tapawingo Road SW, Vienna, VA — $1,469,900
• 7605 Marian Court, Falls Church, VA — $689,900
• 7127 Alger Road, Falls Church, VA — $499,000
• 2020 Highboro Way, Falls Church, VA — 742,000
• 1607 Charnita Court, Vienna, VA — $859,000
• 6060 Sugarstone Court, McLean, VA — $1,375,000
• 8220 Crestwood Heights Drive Unit 301, McLean, VA — $735,000

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.

It’s a slow week in real estate with school starting and the Labor Day weekend just around the corner.

This is a great time to enjoy the last week of the pools being open or take one last trip to the beach before we settle in to fall. There are still a few great homes to see before the weekend. Today’s feature is an Evergreene home in Vienna. I am often asked about Evergreene build homes in Vienna because while the small business custom home builders are building bigger and bigger, Evergreene still puts out a great home with a bit smaller footprint.

Vienna is seeing a surge of homes over 6,000 sq. ft. In some areas, homes over 10,000 sq. ft. are being built with buyers already lined up or even being built by the owner of a lot. Evergreene still builds homes below 4,000 sq. ft. above grade allowing them to sell homes at a lower price.

102 Sharon Lane NW is walkable to downtown Vienna and move in ready for anyone looking for a new build home in Vienna that feels cozy.

102 Sharon Lane NW Vienna (Reduced $5,900)

Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:

• 1118 Amanda Drive Great Falls (Reduced $10,000)
• 1625 Seneca Avenue McLean (Reduced $22,000)
• 9946 Vale Road Vienna (Reduced $150,000)
• 106 Smallwood Way Falls Church (Reduced $19,400)
• 1838 Dalmation Drive McLean (Reduced $15,000)

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 are closing costs in a real estate transaction? Who pays closing costs in a home sale and which terms are negotiable?

Answer: When it comes to budgeting for a home purchase or sale, you’ll also need to plan for closing costs, which are due at settlement day.

Closing costs vary by state and locality, but it is customary in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland for each side to cover the taxes and fees associated with their portion of the transaction and the seller to pay the commission to both the broker/agent representing them and the broker/agent representing the buyer.

Sellers pay about .25% of purchase price, plus the commission they’ve agreed to, in closing costs. Buyers pay about 2.5-3% of purchase price in closing costs.

Here are the standard closing costs on each side of a home sale for transactions in Fairfax. Virginia:

Sellers

All of the fees listed below are automatically deducted from the buyer’s payment so you do not pay any of these out-of-pocket, except for the resale package if your home is part of an HOA or Condo Association.

Commission: Sellers traditionally cover the commission for their representing broker/agent and offer a commission to the buyer’s representing broker/agent.

Title Fees: This covers the legal review and preparation of the sale documents and usually runs about $500-$1,000.

Transaction Taxes: The seller pays a transfer tax to the state, also known as the VA Grantor tax.

Prorations: You may owe or be credited for property taxes or HOA/Condo fees, based on the status of your tax payment.

Resale Package: If your home is in an HOA or condo building you are required to provide the buyer with a resale package including by-laws, reserve balance, Association inspection, etc. This fee varies by community but is usually $100-$300.

Buyers

All of the fees/taxes listed below are included in your costs due at closing, except the appraisal, inspection costs and in some cases a condo questionnaire, which are all paid out-of-pocket while you’re under contract.

Lender Fees: This includes the cost of processing your loan, any points paid to reduce your interest rate, appraisal cost and any other lender-related costs. These costs often total at least $1,000-$2,000+, plus any points purchased to bring down your rate.

Title Fees: These charges include lender-required title insurance, optional buyer’s title insurance, deed preparation, title abstract search, land survey and other general processing fees to prepare the legal and administrative side of your purchase. These costs usually cost $500-$1,500, plus the cost of title insurance (if required and/or opted for), which is usually about .25-.75% of purchase price.

Transaction Taxes: You’re responsible for a handful of state and local taxes, some fee-based like the deed recordation fee and others are a percentage of the purchase price like the state and county transfer tax. Expect to pay roughly .5-.75% of purchase price in Government fees and taxes.

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.

The majority of the original Vienna homes were built during the 1950s-1960s. The same is true for McLean.

Most of those original homes were red brick ramblers or split levels. Although some have gotten torn down in the recent years, many still remain. If you’re looking to spruce up your home, increase curb appeal and maybe even do some DIY projects, here are some ideas to update your home:

Paint! You won’t believe what a little paint can do. Obviously interior walls are the most obvious place to paint, but I have a few more tricks up my sleeve.

• For instant curb appeal paint your front door a pop of color. Try yellow, red, or even a slick coat of black. Same with shutters if you have them.
• If you’re tired of the red brick look, make sure all the brick is tuckpointed and paint the entire exterior. It’s an immediate way to get a brand new look. I personally love white, blue, or even gray. White houses with colorful front doors and sharp shutters — instant pop!
• Another trick: if you still have a bathroom with the old pink, green, blue, or yellow tile — did you know you can paint that tile? Oh yes! There’s an epoxy they can do to essentially paint the tiles and make it look brand new. Mostly I’ve seen white with a reglazed white tub. It’ll last for a while, but not forever, and I wouldn’t do it on the floor of the bathroom since that’ll fade quickly and might even make it slippery. This is a DIY opportunity but if you hate the way it looks, call in a pro to finish.
• Here’s an example of exterior paint before & after (they also added a garage but you can see the main house is the same).

Light fixtures! They make some really cheap light fixtures now that instantly make a new impression.

• Depending on the finish you want, you can use this $30 LED ceiling light to replace those old gold dome lights throughout your house.
• Or pick a modern dining light to make that old room look new. This one is just $34. It doesn’t have to be expensive to make a big impact. Just make sure you get one that’s big enough for the space.

Many of these ideas have come over the years from selling these homes and staging them. But truthfully if you plan on selling in the next few years, you might as well enjoy the fruits of your labor for a while. You don’t need to do it at all. Make a list of what’s most important to you and tackle it bit by bit. Over time, a little goes a long way.

Looking for more ideas? Or want an opinion on doing something for resale? Feel free to email me — I love a good before and after and don’t mind at all!