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.
8380 Greensboro Drive Unit 412, McLean
3 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $614,900
Open: Saturday & Sunday 1-3 p.m.
3804 Whispering Lane, Falls Church
3 BD/1.5 BA
Agent: Compass
Listed: $605,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m. & Sunday 2-4 p.m.
3113 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church
5 BD/4 BA
Agent: Optime Realty
Listed: $849,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
901 Westwood Drive NE, Vienna
4 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $825,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
322 Park Street NE, Vienna
4 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $1,300,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
2714 Earls Court, Vienna
3 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $739,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
1303 Scotts Run Road, McLean
6 BD/5.5 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $1,775,000
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].
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.
- 6069 Dreher, Falls Church — $709,999
- 7222 Knapp Court, Falls Church — $629,999
- 8415 Rainbow Road, Vienna — $1,225,000
- 901 Westwood Drive NE, Vienna — $825,000
- 322 Park Street NE, Vienna — $1,300,000
- 6105 Still Water Way, McLean — $1,550,000
- 7400 Churchill Road, McLean — $899,900
- 1625 Seneca Avenue, McLean — $825,000
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.
As we head into the holidays, there are few homes on market to be reduced and everyone is focusing on getting ready for their family celebrations.
There are still a few great homes on market and this week’s feature is convenient to metro and close to both Tysons Corner and Washington, D.C. This 4-level townhome has an open floor plan and plenty of space to stretch out. The owner’s suite features a gas fireplace, sitting room, two walk-in closets and large bathroom with soaking tub. Just reduced by $25,000, this home is a great price!
To see this beautiful home or any of the other homes on the market in the D.C. area, please contact Brandy at [email protected] or 571-263-0206.
7449 Carriage Hills Drive McLean (Reduced $25,000)
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 1441 Crowell Road Vienna (Reduced $75,000)
- 814 Polo Place Great Falls (Reduced $114,000)
- 519 S. Spring Street Falls Church (Reduced $50,000)
- 8507 Redwood Drive Vienna (Reduced $50,000)
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 is a sponsored column by 3Summit Investment Management, LLC based in Vienna, VA. 3Summit designs custom, modern investment portfolios and has unique expertise in managing investment risk.
By Dan Irvine | Principal, 3Summit Investment Management
Most people would jump at the opportunity to improve the long-term performance of their investment portfolio by 20%, 30% and maybe even more than 50%.
The good news is this type of performance improvement from your investment portfolio is possible and does not require picking the best mutual funds or finding the next hot stock. To achieve significant performance enhancements, you must master the one skill that separates the very few GREAT investors from the masses of simply ordinary investors… the art of patience. All great investors have one behavioral trait in common, they focus more energy on patience than they do looking for the next great investment idea.
While the quality of your investment portfolio certainly has an impact on your investing success, once you have a good investment strategy, great results can only be achieved by having the patience to stick with your investment strategy for the long-term. Total conviction in your investment strategy and a willingness to wait a decade or more to find out if your patience will pay off is required.
We can look at a hypothetical portfolio to see how profitable patience can be. The chart below shows how a portfolio that invested $10,000 in January of 1995 in the lowest risk stocks in the market (dark blue line) compares to a portfolio that invests $10,000 in an S&P 500 index fund (light blue line) over the same time period.
The low-risk stock portfolio turned the $10,000 initial investment into $136,939 compared to the S&P 500 index fund portfolio, which turned the $10,000 investment into only $90,545 over the same time period. The low-risk portfolio generated 464% higher compounded returns, which resulted in 66% more wealth for the low-risk portfolio investor compared to the S&P 500 index fund investor!
The low-risk investment portfolio clearly was a good investment strategy (learn more about low-risk investment portfolios). However, just looking at the chart and the returns of both portfolios understates how difficult it is to actually realize results like the low-risk portfolio achieved and why only the most patient investors will ever have a chance to attain this level of investing success.
Investing, at its core, is the art of navigating uncertainty. No investor has any idea how financial markets will perform in the future, which is what makes investing so hard. A fundamental truth about being human is that uncertainty makes us all uncomfortable and therefore we all have adapted some illogical behaviors that make us bad investors by default.
The behavioral tendency most responsible for preventing investors from being patient is called anchoring. When confronted with uncertainty, investors consciously and unconsciously, tend to look for reference points (“anchors”) to help them make decisions, regardless of the anchor’s relevance to their investment portfolio.
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!
Happy Holidays!
As another holiday season approaches, I want to take just a quick moment to wish you happy, safe and memorable holidays. One of the real joys this holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you for reading this column. May the holiday season end this year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year.
Here are some tips for keeping your home safe during the holidays:
Keep Your Tree Well Hydrated and Away From Heat Sources
The U.S. sees about 200 Christmas tree fires per year and they tend to be more life-threatening than other home fires when they do occur. Prevention centers around two factors: keeping your tree well-hydrated and away from heat sources. Make sure your tree has fresh, green needles when you buy it, cut off about 2 inches before putting it in the stand and water it daily. Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways
Lights
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, December is the deadliest month for electrical fires. Make sure both the lights and any electrical cords you’re using are marked for outdoor use, be sure to inspect the strands to make sure there aren’t any frayed cords or cracked lamps. Always buy lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, such as UL, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and maintenance.
Mixing and matching lights can create a fire hazard, so keep outside lights outdoors and inside lights indoors. Don’t overload indoor outlets and use power strips sparingly before you string lights on the house or the tree. Turn everything off before you go or use light timers on indoor and outside decorations.
This tip saves you steps and helps hold down the electricity bill. And it’s a good idea to review how to use a fire extinguisher and make sure yours is accessible and unexpired.
Test the Alarm
Test your smoke alarms monthly to make sure they work, and be sure to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of your home, especially near sleeping areas.
Have your fireplace inspected and cleaned before the season. Stockings and other combustible decorations, such as pine garlands, can present a serious fire hazard, so be sure to remove them before starting a fire in the fireplace.
Frying a Turkey?
Turkey fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil across a large area. Use your turkey fryer only outdoors on a sturdy, level surface well away from things that can burn. Make sure to have a “3-foot kid- and pet-free zone” around your turkey fryer to protect against burn injuries. Make sure to follow all U.S. Fire Administration turkey fryer guidelines.
Seasonal Plants and Decorations
Keep potentially poisonous plants — mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis — away from children.
Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to kids or pets.
Avoid Mistletoe & Holly. Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems.
If You’re Going Away
Notify a trusted neighbor and ask them to keep an eye on your house and report any suspicious activity. You’ll also want this neighbor or a house sitter to keep your walks cleared of snow and to pick up your mail. Make sure your house looks like somebody is home to deter a burglar. Motion sensors, smart lightbulbs and other home automation devices are great ways to do this.
The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, as long as you stay safe during them. Be sure to take the precautions you need in order to fully enjoy the season.
Here’s wishing you Happy Holidays!
Val Sotillo is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite #10C Arlington, VA 22203, 703-390-9460.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
Working parents, parents with daytime commitments, or just parents who have stuff to DO!
There’s nothing worse than a sick kid and having to negotiate who has a busier day and the stress it can take on people trying to figure out a plan. My husband and I have even traded half days to make things work… but there’s no backup option for a sick kid. However, since we’re headed into winter in Fairfax County it inevitably means snow days, delays and more stress of navigating child care on a whim, I thought it might be useful to have a list of backup child care options on snow days.
Luckily for those of you who need to get the kids into somewhere safe that’ll also keep them happy, there are backup childcare options on the days where schools are closed. When schools are closed, so is SACC (unlike teacher work days where they stay open all day). If you’re looking for a daytime, drop in option for snow day care, consider one of the following options.
Remember you may need to call and/or email for information as this isn’t always listed on their websites.
- STEM Tree Vienna — Science, technology and engineering program
- Lifetime Fitness (Fairfax or Reston) — Call each location for availability
- Fairfax County Snow Day Camp (Oak Marr or Spring Hill) — Only begins on the 2nd day of 2 snow days in a row
- Tiger Den (Vienna or McLean) — Fencing and other activities
- Enshin Karate (Vienna) — More than just Karate, they have laser tag, field trips, games and activities and are open on most snow days
- Mt Kim Martial Arts (McLean and Vienna) — Call for availability
- Bright Horizons Back Up Care at Tysons Corner
- Hunter Mill Country Day School (Oakton) — Also offers space on teacher work days
- One time nanny options — Nanny Poppinz, White House Nannies
I’ve reached out to a few other locations to confirm if they provide options but haven’t heard back in time to add them to this publication. If you run a snow day program, please email me or leave a comment below!
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.
8380 Greensboro Drive Unit 412, McLean
3 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $614,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
7011 Falls Reach Drive Unit 105, Falls Church
2 BD/2 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Capital Properties
Listed: $455,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
2852 Fairmont Street, Falls Church
4 BD/3 BA
Agent: Re/Max Executives Llc
Listed: $699,900
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.
3160 Ravenwood Drive, Falls Church
4 BD/2 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $649,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
417 Mill Street SE, Vienna
3 BD/3 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $550,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
1712 Beulah Road, Vienna
5 BD/4.5 BA
Agent: Re/Max Preferred Prop, Inc
Listed: $1,389,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
2714 Earls Court, Vienna
3 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $739,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
1303 Scotts Run Road, McLean
6 BD/5.5 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $1,775,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 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.
This week we’re featuring an excellent value home. 501 Arnon Ridge Court Great Falls (Reduced $50,000) is situated on a two-acre lot and offers main level living. At nearly 3,000 sq. ft., this home provides plenty of space to spread out. If you’re looking for a great value with plenty of land, 501 Arnon Ridge Court is a great option.
If you’re seeking a large lot with a home to expand, Arnon Ridge is surrounded by multi-million dollar homes so the sky is the limit! You can pop top, add an addition, or even build your dream home.
To see this beautiful home or any of the other homes on the market in the D.C. area, please contact Brandy at [email protected] or 571-263-0206.
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 7221 Arthur Drive Falls Church (Reduced $20,000)
- 10241 Forest Lake Drive Great Falls (Reduced $20,000)
- 9909 Chappell Lane Vienna (Reduced $20,000)
- 932 Dead Run Drive McLean (Reduced $49,000)
- 1116 Laurelwood Drive McLean (Reduced $25,000)
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.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
McLean and Vienna are not HOA heavy areas, in my opinion, as compared to areas out in Loudoun County.
We have a short list of neighborhoods that have mandatory participation, which is the main difference between a civic association and an HOA. An HOA has a mandatory fee you have to pay if you buy a property within that area, which also means you have to obey the rules and regulations of that neighborhood. A civic association may also have a fee, but it’s strictly optional if you want to participate, and usually it’s very small.
Now some people like the rules of an HOA so they can keep the neighborhood looking “clean,” for example if a neighbor’s lawn gets too long, or there’s a bunch of trash/old cars in a yard. However, the downsides to an HOA are that any changes you want to make on the outside require approval (usually). Adding a shed, renovations, a pool, etc. all require review and approval. With a civic association, you can usually do whatever you want and only have to adhere to Fairfax County regulations.
The other big thing to know is that when you’re buying or selling homes within an HOA community, the seller is required to provide a copy of all of the bylaws, budget, meeting notes, etc. to a purchaser who has a 3 day review period, during which they can void for any reason.
Want chickens and the HOA documents say no? Void the contract without a penalty. A civic association is not subject to this 3 day period since participation is optional. However, it still might be nice to know what the civic association does. It might give insight into neighborhood parties, events, resources, etc.
Some example of civic associations are:
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.
A common concern for security clearance holders and applicants involves foreign influence.
A significant portion of security clearance appeals typically focuses on this very issue. With respect to foreign influence, the Government is chiefly concerned with an individual’s loyalty or ties to another country over those to the United States.
The rules regarding foreign influence and security clearance cases are set forth in Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (SEAD 4), Guideline B, which discusses the foreign influence concerns that could lead an individual not obtaining or in losing a security clearance.
Examples of Foreign Influence Issues
Some brief examples of issues that might come up to cause the Government concern in potentially denying a security clearance follow:
Example 1 — U.S. citizen was born in India. She has recently inherited a home worth $75,000 and other assets of $50,000 in India. The individual’s parents and family also still live in India.
Example 2 — U.S. citizen born in Taiwan has family that still lives in Taiwan and extended family in China. The individual also has received health benefits from Taiwan in the past.
Example 3 — U.S. citizen’s brother is a general in the Iraqi forces. The risk of having a close relative in such a high foreign position causes a significant security concern for the U.S. Government. See DOHA Case.
Example 4 — U.S. Citizen had 6 relatives in the Philippines. The large number of relatives in the Philippines caused security concerns for the individual in their security clearance matter. See DOHA Case.
Specific Security Concerns Involving Foreign Influence
There are numerous examples of foreign influence issues that can arise when seeking a security clearance. According to SEAD 4, Paragraph 7 the guidelines define serious foreign influence issues as involving the following types of issues:
7(a) contact, regardless of method, with a foreign family member, business or professional associate, friend, or other person who is a citizen of or resident in a foreign country if that contact creates a heightened risk of foreign exploitation, inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion
(b) connections to a foreign person, group, government, or country that create a potential conflict of interest between the individual’s obligation to protect classified or sensitive information or technology and the individual’s desire to help a foreign person, group, or country by providing that information or technology
(c) failure to report or fully disclose, when required, association with a foreign person, group, government, or country
(d) counterintelligence information, whether classified or unclassified, that indicates the individual’s access to classified information or eligibility for a sensitive position may involve unacceptable risk to national security
(e) shared living quarters with a person or persons, regardless of citizenship status, if that relationship creates a heightened risk of foreign inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion
(f) substantial business, financial, or property interests in a foreign country, or in any foreign-owned or foreign-operated business that could subject the individual to a heightened risk of foreign influence or exploitation or personal conflict of interest
(g) unauthorized association with a suspected or known agent, associate, or employee of a foreign intelligence entity
(h) indications that representatives or nationals from a foreign country are acting to increase the vulnerability of the individual to possible future exploitation, inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion
(i) conduct, especially while traveling or residing outside the U.S., that may make the individual vulnerable to exploitation, pressure, or coercion by a foreign person, group, government, or country
