Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

Now that the fried food and carb overload of the Super Bowl are behind us, we can turn our attention to the sweets and chocolates of Valentine’s Day.

There are many ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day whether you’re shopping for a significant other, child, galentine or someone else you love. Many of our local stores have things to enjoy this weekend. Remember most will require advanced notice if you want something custom!

How about ordering flowers from Karin’s Florist or some food from Bobby’s Bagel Café in Oakton. They have heart-shaped everything — bagels, cookies, chocolate-covered Oreos and strawberries! Check their website for details.

You can also find more sweets at Cocoa Vienna or Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates, a local nonprofit that employs young adults with special needs. They have a large shop to order from, but you can also find some of their products at Vienna Vintner. Because chocolate and wine. Why not? Maybe you even add a trip to Mesmeralda’s Gifts in McLean, The Artisans or Craving for Chocolate.

My husband and I usually give a stuffed animal or book to our kids on Valentine’s Day, which means a trip to Bards Alley this week.

Vienna and McLean are filled with local little shops to support. Remember most have curbside pick-up, so shop small, support local.

Hoping you have a great Valentine’s Day!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

It’s Beer Consumption Day in America — I mean, it’s Super Bowl Sunday this week! It’s also looking to be a Pandemic Sunday where we get three to five inches of snow in the DMV area.

All of that makes it hard to throw a big Super Bowl party this year, but there are other ways to celebrate. It happens to be one of my favorite days of the year, even as a long-suffering Eagles fan.

As is common in my posts, I’m going to throw out some takeout ideas to save you from cooking:

• Mama Tigre: They have this amazing looking platter available that includes queso, chips, guacamole, spicy masala queso, chicken wings, flautas and more.
• Bear Branch: Wings! Both fried and grilled are available.
• Foster’s Grille: Wings, burgers, fries, onion rings… Order early — they often sell out!
• Caboose Commons or Tavern: Fried pickle chips (so good!), wings and burgers
• Maple Ave: Crème fraîche wings
• Red Apron: One of my favorite local burgers — they have so many great options for watching football.
• Taco Bamba: Their wings! And nachos!! They have a “big game platter” option.
• Fermented Pig: Ribs, chicken, sides… all the barbecue your heart could want.
• Pizza: We are lucky to have so many good pizza options around town. Try Church St, Union Pie (gluten-free options!), Tony’s, Pizza Roni, Santini’s, Luciano or Mod.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

The Washington Post did an article back in October about safety tips when visiting a playground. They also talked about how important getting outside is for kids during the pandemic. Move their body, get creative, maybe even see other human beings — even if from afar.

I have two boys who need to be moving constantly or they start trying to get stimulation by annoying each other, so I’m a big fan of sending them outside to move. Maybe you’re new to the area, maybe you’re just looking for an escape, but here are some great resources on playgrounds around Northern Virginia:

• A map of playgrounds within 15 minutes of Vienna — created by a very generous Vienna mom. This includes the elementary schools, preschools and public playgrounds.
• Instagram Account: @PlaygroundsofNOVA
• DC Area Moms put together a list of their favorite DMV playgrounds.
• Northern Virginia Magazine wrote up a list of 50 parks.
• If you’re looking more for parks than playgrounds, then try this list from TripSavvy.

If you find a hidden gem we should all know about, please share it in the comments below!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

Based on my predictions for 2021, you now know that we’re in a fast-moving real estate market that’s very seller friendly. With low inventory, our marketplace is fast and furious with new properties that hit the market.

What you don’t see is the months of work that go into getting a seller ready to sell or a buyer ready to buy. In this market, if you’re not prepared, you’re immediately at a disadvantage. So to help you prepare if buying or selling a house is on your 2021 goals list, here are my top five things to do now:

1. Speak to a lender.

This is critical. Rates are really low — below 3% — but knowing how much you can afford is critical. Even more important: If you have a house to sell, you MUST know if you need to sell that house first before you can buy, or if you can buy without selling. Knowing the order those must happen in will drive your entire process. A good real estate agent will lay out options for both scenarios, based on your risk aversion, and come up with a plan on how to move forward.

2. Ask colleagues, friends, and neighbors for referrals for a real estate agent.

Talk to a real estate agent earlier than you think you need to. Some of my clients have been shocked by how little they really need to do to get a house ready to sell or what small items will make a bigger impact than they expect. Going room by room with a plan and prepping early will have big returns. Maybe you want to explore staging your home — find out how much that is. Information is power — power for you to make decisions that are right for you. Remember when picking a Realtor® you’ll be working closely with that person for months, so make sure you trust them!

3. Prep your home to sell using trusted contractors.

Changing lighting fixtures, painting some walls, deep cleaning, etc. Whatever your agent suggests (and you’re comfortable doing!) to prep your home, make sure you have trusted contractors to help get the projects done. You can always download my vendor guide for free.

4. Write a must-have versus nice-to-have list.

This is for the buyers, especially when there’s more than one buyer. Make sure you’re on the same page with what you’re looking for. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people argue over a house. It’s TOTALLY NORMAL. It happens all the time. But that doesn’t make it better. House hunting is stressful, so anything you can do to minimize the additional stress is key!

5. Scout the areas.

Figuring out where you want to live is hard when you’re not familiar with the neighborhoods. Do you want Metro access? Do you want an HOA with a pool? Do you want land and no neighbors for miles? This goes hand-in-hand with the must-have list. Drive around. Ask your real estate agent for suggestions on where to start. If you have specific needs (e.g. one-mile radius of a Metro), those are very easy searches for us to run online for you. It gives you a place to start. Realtors are bound by fair housing rules, so we can’t always tell you if the neighborhood is family friendly etc. I recommend stopping to chat with neighbors out walking. They’ll be the best able to answer questions on the neighborhood.

BONUS: If you’re thinking of building, this is a bonus for you.

You MUST talk to a construction lender to understand the process, and you MUST start interviewing builders. Are you going with a design/build company, which is a one-stop shop? Are you going to hire an architect and then a builder? Do you know what lot size you need and elevation? All of that is SO critical in looking for lots. Often times lots don’t always hit the open market, so knowing which way you plan to go with a builder must be in place.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

I heard it snowed in Texas this weekend but not here!

While it’s cold, we’re having a pretty mild winter for the Northern Virginia area. I remember the one two-hour snow we had in December and how much fun my kids had playing in it.

So with that in mind, if you’re thinking of a day or weekend trip to go skiing, snowboarding, tubing or just to be a snow lodger, here are some suggestions for local ski resorts to visit from Northern Virginia:

• Massanutten (Massanutten, Virginia) — Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, waterpark, golf and more. About a two-hour drive.
• Wisp Resort (McHenry, Maryland) — Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, mountain coaster, ropes courses, golf (and P.S. in the summer they have whitewater rafting, kayaking, pontoon boat tours and more). About three hours away.
• Liberty Mountain Resort (Fairfield, Pennsylvania) — Skiing, snowboarding, tubing and golf. About 90 minutes away, great for a day trip.
• Whitetail Resort (Mercersburg, Pennsylvania) — Skiing, snowboarding, tubing and golf. About an hour and a half to two hours away, also great for a day trip.
• Bryce Resort (Basye, Virginia) — Skiing, snowboarding, tubing and ice skating. About two hours away.
• Timberline Mountain (Davis, West Virginia) — Skiing and snowboarding. About three hours away.
• Blackwater Falls State Park (Davis, West Virginia) — Sled run, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing — a little different than some of these resorts. Sled run requires appointment. About three hours away.

Don’t forget to check COVID-19 instructions. Pennsylvania requires a negative covid test 72 hours before entering the state. You can also check out ski schools but most require advance reservation — same with ski tickets.

You can also explore rentals at Sun & Ski Sports in Falls Church, which may be cheaper than renting at the mountain.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

Happy New Year!

Those of us with Q1 birthdays are the last to experience a pandemic birthday. I’m trying to remember what we did for my husband’s April birthday, and when I couldn’t remember anything (oops), I decided it was time to give some options to make sure next year I remember.

Everyone still has different levels of comfort, so some of these ideas are really simple and others are more extravagant. Some are great whether you’re an adult or for kids. Remember: Birthdays are also calorie free — so don’t forget about splurging on food!

1. Card My Yard

2. Private Rental

• Angelika — You can watch a current movie or bring your own Blu-Ray or game to watch on the big screen.
• Cinemark (Fairfax) — It has reclining seats. Enough said. Sit back, relax and watch a current movie.
• Reston Ice Skating — You can rent the entire rink for 1 or 2 hours.
• Rent out a restaurant — like Bazin’s Next Door for your “bubble.”

3. Private Class

• Chocolate-tasting/making with River Sea Chocolates
• Cooking class (virtual) with Chef Jonathan Krinn of Clarity or private dining at your house — you have to follow him on Facebook for details.

4. Visit from the Vienna Singing Princesses

5. Visit from the Vienna Police or Vienna Fire Department

6. Paint your own pottery at Kiln and Co. or All Fired Up

7. Outings

• Head to Top Golf.
• Play Oak Marr Mini Golf, or hit the driving range.
• Take a hike.
• Explore a new restaurant.
• Go for a drive.

8. Petting Zoo

• My Pet Alpaca — a visit with two fluffy alpacas.
• Ponies Plus — Pony rides and petting zoo

Regardless of how you celebrate your birthday or those of your loved ones, wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year with countless birthdays ahead!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

This week marks a week of favorite traditions for some and a sad week for others. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, everyone seems to have their own idea what makes this week unique and memorable. I’m sharing some ideas for those who want to change or add what they do this week.

Let’s start with giving back.

The restaurant Medium Rare is making 3,000 meals that’ll be delivered this week to those in need. They have locations in Cleveland Park, Bethesda and Arlington. They are looking for people to help deliver 10 meals at a time. You pick a location and a time, and upon your arrival are given 10 drop locations and the food. I’m signed up to deliver today and tomorrow, and I’m bringing my kids with me. Delivery is contactless. Sign up online.

“Winter Mitzvah Day” at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church: Christmas Day is always a day of giving back at the temple but will be scaled back this year, obviously due to COVID-19. Some ideas of ways they’re giving, and you can join: Winter coat drive in front of the school entrance, food drive collection box at the temple, buy a “McLean Cares” meal for $10 plus a $1.50 tip from a McLean restaurant to help feed low income families. Learn more about each option.

Now let’s talk food.

Whether you’re looking for a take out meal for brunch on Christmas morning, or a full dinner to feed your family, many local restaurants are doing take out.

Oh, and if you want Chinese food? There’s plenty of that, too.

Some restaurants to check out for take out:

• Clarity in Vienna
• Bazin’s in Vienna
• Caboose in Vienna
• Founding Farmers in Tysons
• Café Renaissance in Vienna
• J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood
• Assaggi Osteria
• Aracosia McLean
• Capri Ristorante Italiano
• Wildfire
• Eddie V’s
• Nostos Restaurant
• Randy’s Prime
• Patsy’s American
• Red Apron in Mosaic
• Northside Social
• China Wok
• Peking Gourmet
• Lotus Garden

Finally, what about entertainment?

If your tradition usually includes going to see a movie on Christmas Day and you’re not comfortable going into a theater of random people, did you know you can buy out a theater? For around $100 you can rent out a private screening for up to 20 people.

• Cinemark at Fairfax Corner
• Angelika Mosaic

Regardless of how you spend the week — wishing you and yours a safe and healthy holiday.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

As we wrap up the 2020 calendar year and a very strong real estate market, I want to share with you my predictions for how 2021 will go.

What makes me qualified to speak on the market? I’ve been selling real estate full-time since 2008, I have a master’s in applied economics from Hopkins, and I’m one of the top agents in the D.C. metro area according to every poll out there (Washingtonian, Northern Virginia Magazine, The Wall Street Journal America’s Top 100).

Here’s what I know to be true today:

The real estate market for detached homes has literally exploded all over the Northern Virginia area as people try to get more space. Fueled by low inventory and high demand, we naturally enter into a seller’s market, which favors competition, great contract terms and higher prices. In fact, in Fairfax County through Q3, the average house was only on the market for 23 days, which is down 16.5% from last year. The average sales price is up 10.9% from last year. Summary: higher prices, faster sales.

The same can’t be said about the condo market. The condo market is oversaturated with inventory, which is slowing sales and dropping prices. It’s a great time to buy a condo as an investor — except the rental market is also oversaturated and slow. My personal theory is that Covid is ever-present in a condo — wear a mask in the elevator, wear a mask in the hallway, wear a mask just to throw out your trash, etc. There’s nowhere to go and no way to escape it. Would-be buyers and/or renters moved home to mom and dad and took the opportunity to save money. I have no statistical proof of that — just my own theory.

Now how does that position us for a new presidential term, potential post-vaccine world as adults return to the workforce in person?

I expect the real estate market to continue to be strong. I expect sales to continue and inventory to still be low, but I’m hopeful the spring market will be very strong as maybe potential lost sales from 2020 who postponed, actually do sell their homes. I also expect prices to continue to climb.

Interest rates will remain low throughout the year. I had a client lock in a 2.5% interest rate last week. 2.5%! If you have a mortgage with anything over 3.25% right now, you should look into refinancing if you plan to stay for at least a year. With rates remaining low, buyer demand will continue to be strong. Don’t know who to call? Email me for lender referrals.

I expect condos to be slow for Q1 to Q2 in 2021, but I’m hopeful that once the virus is contained more, you’ll see sales start to pick up again.

I do think the demand for detached homes will continue to be the greatest, as it has been for years. But I also see there’s a potential for more work-from-home routines to be established as Covid changes behavior patterns, which changes a buyer’s needs, like the need for a dedicated home office space.

Do I think there will be foreclosures and short sales as a result of all the job loss? Not really. Perhaps in the price ranges under $400K, but even that market is strong, and those who are having trouble affording their homes can still sell at a profit and avoid the financial hit.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

Each year I put together a list of the “must-see” holiday light displays around Vienna.

These vary in offerings from lots of inflatables to light shows choreographed to music. The list changes from year to year as some houses go dark, new ones are added and others scale back.

I took my kids on nightly drives around town to find some of these, but the majority came from the Vienna community when I asked on multiple forums for people to suggest homes. If you are part of the Vienna Virtual Community Page, Vienna Moms or Vienna VA Foodies, I’m sure you saw my post asking for nominations. In return, I promised to put together a map of the houses/streets I thought were ones you should definitely drive by.

My favorites on the map include:

• A Very Grinchy Christmas is located at Walker Street SW/Drake Street SW.
• Oakton Park Court is a small cul-de-sac that’s about 85% decorated with two special homes that went very Clark Griswold! They are also collecting donations to help feed the food insecure through the Vienna VA Foodies group.
• Who doesn’t love ice skating penguins?! Head over to Antioch Circle.
• The “peppermint house” located at Talahi Road SE/Glyndon Street SE has beautiful decorations.
• On Hillington Court, you’ll find two homes with tons of blow-ups and decorations — plus it’s a two for one visit.
• And of course… the Ni Family Lights.

Please make sure you check some of the notes on the points on the map for more details. Some destinations will take longer to visit, like the Ni Family Lights and The Vine Church, so plan accordingly!

If I missed any, please email me at [email protected], and I will add it to the map for others to enjoy. If you’re looking for larger scale light events, don’t forget these:

• Meadowlark Winter Walk of Lights (Note: Advance tickets are required.)
• Bull Run Festival of Lights (Buy tickets online.)
• Leesburg Animal Park Christmas Village (This event is only Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and advance tickets are required.)

You can also find more lights to visit at FairfaxChristmasLights.com. Enjoy!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

This past holiday weekend kicks off some of the most treasured traditions around McLean and Vienna as we enter the holiday season. Even with the pandemic, the towns are finding ways to keep old traditions alive and create fun new ones.

I’m including some highlights around town, dates and places, but also pages to follow on social media to stay up to date if new ones pop up. Also, stay tuned next week for my list of must-see holiday light displays!

#WhereIsSanta Scavenger Hunt

Each Tuesday at 12 p.m., the town will announce a new clue to find Santa through December 22. Each location will qualify for an entry for a $50 Amazon gift card. Tag @TownofViennaVA and use #WhereIsSanta on social media to be entered. The clue can be found on the town website or the Facebook page.

Vienna Tinsel and Tacky Holiday Attire Contest

Categories for entry include Best Duo/Group, Best Adult, Best Kid and Best Pet! You can enter online. You must submit your application and photos by Friday, December 18, and the winners will be announced on Monday, December 21.

Zoom with Santa

This FREE event requires tickets, so you must register on the Vienna webtrac system. Many slots are already full, so sign up soon for December 9.

Light Up Vienna

This is a town-organized porch parade for decorated homes AND businesses! You must enter by December 7 and vote by December 16. Find more information on Vienna’s website.

McLean Volunteer Fire Department Santa Tracker

Santa and his elves begin their journey to visit residents TOMORROW! Follow the Facebook page for neighborhood schedules, and the website has the tracker.

McLean Gingerbread House Decorating

Order a pre-built gingerbread house with a variety of candy decorations. Share your work of art on social media with #MCCGingerbreadHouse.

Photos with Santa at MCC

Families with children ages 2 to 8 can get contactless, outdoor photos with Santa. This is also an opportunity to donate new and unwrapped toys to their Toys for Tots Campaign.