Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Trends come and go, especially in home design.

Remember shag carpeting? While many of the new home construction that we see is customized to the client, we do see trends in most new homes that are consistent. As we begin to close out this decade, we are sharing trends we’ve seen really take over the past several years.

• Wide Open Spaces: Open Concept. It’s been a popular design preference by many homeowners over the past several years. We like to be in one area of the home, and still be able to keep an eye on everything else that’s going on. The kitchen tends to be the center of the household, so having open lines and views from this room is the most desired when designing a home.
• Smart Technology: There are so many options these days to help make your home a Smart Home by installing new technology, helping to make it efficient and easy to operate — even when you’re not home! Let’s face it, busy lifestyles can lead us to forget to turn off the lights before we leave the house every now and then. With new smart technology, you can control almost anything from an app on your phone! Turn the heat down, lock or unlock the doors, turn off the lights, the list goes on.
• Low Maintenance & Sustainable Materials: When choosing the materials you want to finish your home with, many are looking to the types that can last years without needing any updating, and that have a reduced impact on the environment during production. This includes countertops, hardware and paint — select finishes that can be cleaned easily and don’t require maintenance. Sustainable flooring options include bamboo and hemp, made from durable plant fibers.
• Master Suite Oasis: While we seek an openness on the main level to live and entertain in, sometimes we just want somewhere to escape to. Enter — the Master Suite. Most new construction homes feature a large spa-like bathroom with a large soaking tub, shower complete with multiple shower heads and wide dual-sink vanities. This oasis is the perfect relaxing space to start and end your day.
• Gas Fireplaces: A fireplace can really set the mood for a room, adding a coziness factor that is enjoyed by so many. The days of finding firewood and kindling, stacking the logs just right and taming to the roaring fire all night are behind us. We can still get that cozy feeling (and heat!) from a gas fireplace. With the click of a button, you can easily turn the fireplace on or off, providing heat much more efficiently and quickly!

If you’re interested in new home construction going into the new year, we would love to help you find your dream home, or dream lot to build on! We’ve worked with many builders and new construction clients, and we’d love to be a part of your journey. Give us a call to schedule a consultation today! (571) 429-7670 or [email protected].

Below is a list of new homes in the Falls Church, Vienna, McLean and Tysons area:

• 914 Myers Circle SW, Vienna — $1,580,000 — 6,728 sq. ft.
• 303 Meadow Lane SW, Vienna — $1,649,000 — 5,450 sq. ft.
• 408 Yeonas Drive SW, Vienna — $1,639,888 — 6,286 sq. ft.
• 519 S. Spring Street, Falls Church — $1,499,900 — 5,540 sq. ft.
• 2122 Boxwood Drive, Falls Church — $1,828,000 — 6,030 sq. ft.
• 7534 Lisle Avenue, Falls Church — $1,249,700 — 3,829 sq. ft.
• 1838 Dalmation Drive, McLean — $1,695,000 — 4,952 sq. ft.
• 1849 Macarthur Drive, McLean — $1,795,000 — 5,254 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Do You Need A Home Inspection For New Construction? 

If you’re in the process of building or are looking to purchase a new construction home, you may wonder if getting a home inspection is worth the money — especially since the home is brand new, right?!

Well, not so fast. While we would like to hope that a brand new home has been built perfectly, it is important to have a certified third party do a full inspection of the home to ensure everything is operating and built correctly. Some common issues found in new construction inspections include structural defects (foundation cracks & improper grading), window leaks, HVAC issues, plumbing issues and incomplete projects.

If you’re in a situation where you are working with a builder to build a custom home, you could have the opportunity to have three inspections:

Pre-Pour Inspection: Done before the foundation is poured, you can get an inspection completed to make sure the excavation and grading was done correctly. Once that concrete is poured, it’s tough to go back and make changes so this could be an important one to go through.

Pre-Drywall Inspection: This is done before any of the drywall or sheetrock go up inside the home. This allows the inspector to take a look at beams, posts and other structural items that can’t necessarily be looked at once the walls are up. This is also an opportunity to look at electric wiring and plumbing.

Final Inspection: Once the home has been completed, you can get the standard home inspection that most would get for any home they are about to purchase. This is to ensure that the home is safe to live in. If any issues arise during any of these inspections, it is important to talk with your builder as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about the building or buying process of a new construction home, our team is here to help. At Three Stones Residential, we have worked with clients building, selling, and buying new homes and can provide guidance for each step of the experience. We are happy to share our expertise with you and help you through the process. Please contact us at (571) 429-7670 or [email protected].

Below is a list of new homes currently on the market in the Tysons, Falls Church, Vienna and McLean areas:

• 6251 N. Kensington Street, McLean — $1,995,000 — 5,930 sq. ft.
• 7316 Reddfield Court, Falls Church — $1,674,999 — 5,770 sq. ft.
• 7687 Morris Street, Falls Church — $949,900 — 2,602 sq. ft.
• 1804 Gilson Street, Falls Church — $1,399,000 — 7,044 sq. ft.
• 215 Elm Street SW, Vienna — $1,599,000 — 3,700 sq. ft.
• 303 Branch Road SE, Vienna — $1,499,900 — 4,674 sq. ft.
• 701 Ware Street SW, Vienna — $1,695,000 — 5,549 sq. ft.
• 7127 Merrimac Drive, McLean — $1,924,995 — 4,471 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

New construction is a fun process, but it can be a more complicated and stressful journey than buying a typical resale home. For this reason, we recommend following these three steps to make your experience a bit more smooth and enjoyable.

Find the Right Builder 

When deciding on which builder you are going to work with, there are a variety of things to consider during the selection process. You’ll want to make sure the builder has a range of layout options to select from since the lot will determine what you can do with the space.

It is also smart to see how many Non-Standard Options (NSO) the Builder offers. If these NSOs are limited, it may mean you aren’t able to do as much “customization” as you originally planned, and rather are required to make selections from pre-determined materials the builder has already selected for a broader scope of projects.

Have a Design Plan 

Know what you want your home to look like and what features you want to have at the beginning. It is important to make these decisions up front when going through the design process as making these changes during construction can not only cause delays, but cost you big bucks.

Agent Advisor Partnership 

Working with an experienced agent as your advisor is critical throughout the entire process. Your advisor can help find the lot for the best price, select the right builder for you and avoid pitfalls that can come with the building and designing process.

Your advisor should have experience working with new construction homes and a strong understanding of builder contracts so they can help navigate you to get what you want.

At Three Stones Residential, our agents are well versed in the new construction process. We’ve worked with a number of builders and can help you decide who may be the best fit based on your needs and expectations. Being natives to the area, we are local marketplace experts and will guide you in finding the best location for your new home at the best price.

Additionally, we have a solid understanding and experience of builder contracts and will bring to light all the details you need to focus on to avoid delays and additional costs down the road. To learn more about new construction homes, contact us at [email protected] or (571) 429-7670.

Below is a list of new homes currently on the market in the Tysons, Falls Church, Vienna and McLean areas:

• 6251 N. Kensington Street, McLean — $1,995,000 — 5,930 sq. ft.
• 2001 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church — $1,150,000 — 3,656 sq. ft.
• 7301 Pimmit Court, Falls Church — $1,499,900 — 4,028 sq. ft.
• 7601 Foster Road, Falls Church — $1,479,000 — 5,397 sq. ft.
• 10614 Hunter Station Road, Vienna — $1,775,000 — 7,090 sq. ft.
• 902 Kramer Court SE, Vienna — $1,475,000 — 6,346 sq. ft.
• 504 Kibler Circle SW, Vienna — $1,398,750 — 4,809 sq. ft.
• 6812 Broyhill Street, McLean — $1,795,000 — 5,723 sq. ft.
• 6803 Old Chesterbrook Road, McLean — $1,744,900 — 6,500 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Quick Ways To Make Your Home “Smart”

New construction homes are popping up everywhere in Northern Virginia.

These homes are beautiful and updated with all the bells and whistles of “smart-home” technology, but may not be the perfect fit for everyone. To help your home compete against the new construction in the marketplace, there are a few simple upgrades to make your home smarter, safer and more efficient.

• Ring Doorbell: This motion activated video doorbell system allows you to view your front doorstep while you are away, or even speak to visitors remotely, all through the app. Keep an eye on packages that have been delivered, or who comes to your front doorstep while you’re not home.
• Smart Light Bulbs: These Wi-Fi enabled LED light bulbs allow you to access the lighting in your home from anywhere using an electronic device or smart speakers. Forgot to turn that kitchen light off before leaving? No problem — turn it off from your phone!
• Smart Speakers: Smart devices like Google Home or Amazon Echo can sync to your smart electronics via Wi-Fi letting you control them with your voice. Turn off your lights or the heat up hands free!
• Nest Thermostat: Installing this sleek new thermostat in your home is not only visually appealing, it’s convenient! Control the thermostat remotely from your smartphone using all the Nest technology features. The device will eventually learn the climate of your home and automatically adjust the temperature when conditions change.
• TP-Link Smart Plug: If your appliances don’t have Wi-Fi, you can use this adapter to easily control them from an app. Turn on your coffee maker before you even get out of bed!

Having these tech-savvy upgrades will not only bring your home to the 21st century and boost it’s value, it will give you peace of mind knowing you have security in place for when you’re out of town.

It could also help save money, if you forgot to turn off your lights or turn down the heat, it is now just an easy click away from your smartphone. If you have any questions about these upgrades or your home’s market value, please contact us at [email protected] or 571-429-7670.

Here are some current options for buying new homes in the Tysons area:

• 1911 Prout Place, Falls Church — $1,479,000 — 6,032 sq. ft.
• 519 S. Spring Street, Falls Church — $1,599,900 — 5,540 sq. ft.
• 7534 Lisle Avenue, Falls Church — $1,277,000 — 4,000 sq. ft.
• 502 Meadow Lane SW, Vienna — $1,699,900 — 6335 sq. ft.
• 916 Cottage Street SW, Vienna — $1,649,000 — 4,270 sq. ft.
• 1508 Linden Hurst Avenue, McLean — $1,850,000 — 4,460 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

When you’re buying a home, you have to make lots of decisions — where you want to live, what type of house you want to look at, and most importantly, deciding between moving into an older home or building a brand new one.

There’s no getting around it: up-front costs of building a new home are more expensive than buying one that already exists. However, the average home sales price continues to climb in the Northern Virginia region. In July, the average home sales price was $619,082, up 1.58% from July 2018.

But just because the sticker price of an older home is significantly less doesn’t mean that there aren’t additional hidden costs associated with it. Older homes can potentially come with a barrage of problems, which requires extra cash to fix.

So, should you buy a new home — and can you actually afford to do it? Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about buying a new home versus an old one, plus the logistics of securing a loan.

Weighing The Pros And Cons

When trying to determine if you can afford a new home, it’s important to know all of the pros and cons before you buy. Here are some things to consider:

Additional Maintenance: An older home may be fine today, but eventually there will be maintenance that you’ll have to take on.

Warranty: An old home doesn’t always come with a warranty like a new home will. In many states, including Virginia and the District of Columbia, home builders are legally required to provide a home warranty for at least a year on workmanship and materials.

Age of Appliances: An older home may come with new appliances or may not. The average cost of replacing appliances can range between $350 and $8,000.

Renovation Costs: Not every room in an older home will be your taste, which could cost extra money for renovation. A new home can be designed exactly to your specifications.

The Logistics Of Buying A New Home

Buying a new home has a slightly different process than buying an existing home. Here’s what you need to know:

You’ll need to secure a construction loan — A construction loan is needed to pay for the work to be completed on your home. You can secure a stand-alone construction loan and then get a regular mortgage later, or a construction-to-permanent loan (which combines the two).

A construction loan requires a bigger down payment because it is considered “riskier” for the lender, and the interest rates are typically higher than a traditional home loan.

You may need a jumbo mortgage — Because new builds are more expensive, you may need a “jumbo mortgage,” or a home loan that is bigger than the conforming loan limits (a fancy term for the maximum amount Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae is allowed to loan). To qualify, you’ll need a credit score of at least 680 and a debt-to-income ratio of 43% or lower.

Here are some current options for buying new homes in the Tysons area:

• 1911 Prout Place, Falls Church — $1,489,000 — 6,032 sq. ft.
• 519 S. Spring Street, Falls Church — $1,599,900 — 5,540 sq. ft.
• 711 Frederick Street SW, Vienna — $2,175,000 — 7,850 sq. ft
• 2316 Trott Avenue, Vienna — $1,789,000 — 6,174 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about buying or building a brand-new house?  Three Stones Residential specializes in matching homeowners with the right builder and lot location. If you have any questions about new homes or builders, please email us at [email protected] today to get into your dream home. Let us help you love where you live.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Deconstruction vs Demolition

What is the difference between Deconstruction and Demolition?

When a home is demolished the waste is simply torn down and then hauled away to a dump. Deconstruction is when a certified company takes apart the home carefully and attempts to reuse or recycle every part of the home possible.

What are the main benefits of Deconstruction vs Demolition?

• Reduce the environmental impact of the demolition process and reduce the carbon footprint of your new home
• Significant tax benefits in the legal write offs allowed by the federal and state governments
• Mentoring and on-site training by licensed general contractors for non-profit organizations for individuals seeking employment in the construction field who often don’t have access or intro level opportunities

How much of a tax benefit do I receive through the deconstruction process?

There are upfront costs associated with deconstruction that aren’t applicable in a simple demolition, however, the tax benefits can be upwards of $50,000 dollars for a 2000 sq. ft. home (based off of a 38-40% tax bracket).

While it may cost $25,000 to deconstruct, if you save $50,000 on your taxes your net is approximately $25,000 in savings overall. This doesn’t include the positive environmental and social benefits either!

If you have any questions about deconstruction and some local companies that work within this field please email us at [email protected].

Without further ado, here are some current options for buying new homes around the Tysons area:

• 1911 Prout Place, Falls Church — $1,499,000 — 6,032 sq. ft.
• 2316 Trott Avenue, Vienna — $1,789,000 — 6,174 sq. ft.
• 1200 Allendale Road, McLean — $2,195,000 — 5,952 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

While life continues on at other parts of Commons of McLean, a residential complex between Tysons East and Pimmit Hills, a collection of buildings at the southernmost point of the property are being reclaimed by nature as they await reconstruction.

The property was separated from the other residences at the Commons of McLean when it was purchased by Toll Brothers.

Mark Simms, the vice president of land development at Toll Brothers, said the property is planned to be converted into 211 townhomes and condominiums. The new properties are planned to be offered for sale starting spring 2020.

Currently, the area is a Chernobyl-like clearing of empty homes and litter dropped by people using the homes as a cut through. Weeds have started growing up to knee or waist height in front of some of the buildings and birds are nested in the cutaways for appliances in the sides of former homes.

Ashley Hopko contributed to this story

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Deciding to build your own custom home does not need to be scary, nor does it have to be stressful. However, it does mean you will have to make a ton of decisions from insulation type to lighting fixtures, door trim, and dozens of other areas.

That is why finding the 3 “R” are critical to success and happiness when building a new home: Right Builder, Right Time, Right Lot.

Here are five reasons to build, not buy, your next home:

1. Get What You Want — When you build your own home, you are involved from the ground up, choosing the style, colors, size of your home, the number of bedrooms, etc. to create the home you have been dreaming of.
2. Walk Into Equity — When you are able to find your own lot and hire a custom home builder with an average profit margin, you typically walk into immediate equity in the home once it’s completed.
3. New Home Smell And Warranties — Nothing beats the feeling of driving a car nobody else but you have owned, with that new car smell. The same applies for a house: building a new home typically means less repairs and maintenance which can save both time and money.
4. Green Features — Homes that are more than 10-15 years old did not always have features that took the environment into mind. When you build your own home, green features could be added easily, and with some builders come standard.
5. Location, Location, Location — The most important term in real estate! When looking to build your own home, it is generally easier to find the location or neighborhood you want to live in, and build the home you want.

Without further ado, here are some current options for buying new homes around the Tysons area:

• 1905 Griffith Road, Falls Church — $1,249,999 — 4,781 sq. ft.
• 7534 Lisle Avenue, Falls Church — $1,279,000 — 4,001 sq. ft.
• 313 Cabin Road SE, Vienna — $1,474,990 — 4,840 sq. ft.
• 1309 Altamira Court, McLean — $2,650,000 — 6,250 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Three Stones Residential specializes in matching homeowners with the right builder and lot location. If you have any questions about new homes or builders that you’d like us to highlight please email us at [email protected].

Ten acres of vacant St. Paul’s Lutheran Church property at the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Idylwood Road could soon be redeveloped into a residential neighborhood.

A zoning application to the Fairfax County Board from developer Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company requests permission to build 67 residential units — a mix of 39 single-family and 28 multi-family units.

St. Paul’s facilities at the site were built between 1954 and 1967, but have been vacant since Lutheran Social Services moved to the primary St. Paul’s building.

The church property sits at one corner of a busy intersection, requiring transportation improvements in the project application. Approval of the homes would require frontage improvements to Idylwood Road, a dedicated right-of-way along Leesburg Pike for a future right turn lane and a few other local road connections.

“Collectively, these road improvements will mitigate the impact of the vehicle trips generated by St. Paul’s and the Proposed Development, and will provide greater benefit than the previous commitments,” the developer said in the application. “The applicant proposes an eight-foot asphalt trail along Leesburg Pike, an eight-foot concrete sidewalk along Idylwood Road, and a bus shelter at the corner of Idylwood Road and Leesburg Pike.

The deal would allow St. Paul’s to finance a long-planned family life center. The facility would increase the overall size of the church from 17,196 square feet to 27,928 square feet.

According to the application:

The purpose of the approved expansion is to create a new family life center for use by the congregation and the community. Since the approval of the family life center… in 2005, however, St. Paul’s has been unable to construct the building due to financial constraints and the significant cost of the project. As a result, St. Paul’s has entered into an agreement with the Applicant to sell a portion of the property… which will provide the funding necessary for St. Paul’s to achieve its long-term goal of developing the family life center.

The project is tentatively planned for a Planning Commission hearing on Sept. 25, with a Board of Supervisors hearing to be determined.

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

First, we need to understand who the top builders and influencers are that are reshaping our communities…

Deciding to build your own custom home does not need to be scary, nor does it have to be stressful. However, it does mean you will have to make a ton of decisions from insulation type to lighting fixtures, door trim, and dozens of other areas. That is why finding the 3 “R” are critical to success and happiness when building a new home.

Right Builder, Right Time, Right Lot. Let’s continue to meet some of the top builders in NOVA with experience building quality homes for clients every year.

Meet The Builder: Matt Rzepkowski of MR Project Management.

What differentiates you from other builders? 

When you build a home with MR, you build a home with me personally. I live in the area and I visit every room of every house every day. We’ve built over one hundred homes in the Arlington, McLean and Falls Church areas, the vast majority of which were built using the same subcontractors with whom we’ve partnered with for over a decade.

Consistency, attention to detail, and personal customer service are the hallmarks of MR.

How many homes have you completed in the last 12 months? 

We built 27 spec and custom homes last year. The business has grown steadily since its inception and we attribute that to providing a great home for our clients and also providing over the top customer service. We have done limited marketing over time and almost all of our custom clients and sales come from existing customer referrals.

How long have you been building homes and how many people work on your team? 

I am a third generation home builder and both my dad and grandfather were custom homebuilders, so at some level I have been building and working in the industry my whole life. After college I worked for a national homebuilder and went through their training program for a couple years before moving over to the custom home side.

Today, the MR team consists of eight people and almost everyone on the team I have known or they have been working with me in some capacity since I started building custom homes fifteen years ago.

What counties have you built in?  

Arlington and Fairfax County, but within Fairfax we really just build in McLean and the Falls Church area. We try to keep all of our projects to about a five mile radius so that we can visit each project multiple times a day and spend most of our time onsite and with clients as opposed to in the truck driving between projects.

What is the most popular model you build?

Everything we build is custom for each individual client and site and we do not have standardized models. However, there are certain design and build concepts that carry through to all of our homes including detailed craftsman trim work, a great kitchen design, spectacular master bedrooms and spa like baths, large rec rooms in the basement and a flex room on the main floor that doubles as a home office, playroom or additional bedroom.

Here are some current homes that MR Project Management has on the market:

• 1860 Patton Terrace, Mclean — $1,999,000 — 6,049 sq. ft.

Three Stones Residential specializes in matching home owners with the right builder and lot location. If you have any questions about new homes or builders that you’d like us to highlight please email us at [email protected].