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.

Friday is the first official day of summer and the weather definitely decided to make an entrance this week.

This weather puts me in the mood for a glass of rosé so when I saw this estate featuring a 5,000-bottle wine cellar, I took note. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever kept 5 bottles of wine in my house before they were opened and enjoyed but I like to think if I owned this wine cellar, I would become a collector rather than an imbiber.

Great Falls homes seem to have a flair for the extravagant. The balcony on this home does not disappoint. If you want to feel like you are nowhere near Washington, D.C. when you go home, Great Falls is the place to be. The view at this home can’t be beat.

9110 Dara Lane Great Falls (Reduced $400,000)

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

• 7301 Dulany Drive McLean (Reduced $500,000)
• 2236 Whitcomb Place Falls Church (Reduced $99,999)
• 1741 Fairview Avenue McLean (Reduced $30,000)
• 2017 Woodford Road Vienna (Reduced $50,000)
• 1312 Skipwith Road McLean (Reduced $80,000)
• 604 Kingsley Road SW Vienna (Reduced $36,000)

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: I’m hoping to purchase a home this year and I’d like to know, how does a Home Inspection Contingency work and what’s reasonable to expect from the seller?

Answer: Most sales contracts include an Inspection Period for buyers to conduct various inspections of their choice on the property. Depending on how the contract is structured, buyers may have the right to negotiate for repairs or credits based on the findings and/or the right to terminate the contract.

What Is A Home Inspection?

Shortly after ratifying (signed by both parties) a contract to purchase a home, most buyers will (read: should) hire a third party inspector to inspect the entire home and produce a report of any issues, from foundation cracks to missing door stops.

Unless you’re buying a new home, you should expect the inspection to turn up at least a handful of items that you or the seller should address.

In most cases, the contract to purchase is contingent on the home inspection, meaning the buyer has the right to ask the seller to fix or replace anything and/or provide a cash credit to the buyer at closing. If the buyer and seller are unable to come to an agreement on these requests, the buyer has the right to void the deal.

What Should You Look For?

The goal of an inspection is to ensure that the seller is delivering the property in the condition both sides expected while negotiating the sale price. Generally, you can divide findings into big-ticket items that impact the value of the home and must be addressed and smaller punch-list items that shouldn’t cause much friction. The big-ticket items I look for during an inspection are:

• Structural flaws
• Water penetration
• Safety hazards
• Inoperability (e.g. air conditioning not working)

System Life Expectancy

You should also determine the age of major systems like the roof, windows, HVAC and water heater prior to making your offer, and verify these are accurate during the inspection. Make sure you’re clear on the expected life expectancy of these systems while you’re negotiating the sales price and factor this information into your offer.

You’ll have a tough time convincing most sellers they’re on the hook for crediting you the cost of a 17-year-old water heater if that information was made available prior to your offer, assuming the system is working.

What Should You Ask For?

You’ll generally be deciding between asking the seller to repair or replace something or asking for them to provide a credit at closing. Often times an inspection agreement includes both — a credit for some items and a request to fix/replace others. Sellers must use licensed contractors and provide works receipts for any work they do.

In general, if something you’re asking for involves personal preference or you want to have control over the quality of the result, it’s best to ask for a credit and handle it yourself.

For example, if the deck is falling apart and needs to be replaced, you don’t want the seller managing the design and construction of a new deck so ask for a credit for the replacement cost and make sure you’re getting the deck you want.

Additionally, if the A/C system needs to be replaced and the seller has a mid-grade system, but you’d like to install a top-of-the-line A/C system, it’s best to request a credit equal to the replacement cost for a comparable mid-grade system and invest in the extra cost of a nicer system yourself.

Inspections Don’t Need To Be Contentious

Inspections are one of the most common points of contention between buyers and sellers, but with the right preparation and expectations going in, it can be a smooth process that both sides are happy with.

Like the negotiations you had on the sale contract, the inspection period is also a negotiation.

If you’d like more information, or would like a question answered in my weekly column, please reach out to [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon.

Val Sotillo is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, 703-390-9460.

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].

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 Father’s Day weekend, consider buying dad something other than a tie.

Maybe a house? Okay, that probably isn’t going to happen. At least you can bring him to some pretty great homes this weekend if he’s in the market though. This week’s feature is another stunning home that whisks you away somewhere other than D.C.

This French Country estate truly takes you to the countryside and for a brief moment, you may forget where you are. This home in the Franklin Park neighborhood in McLean features every luxury you could want in a home. The main level master suite is a stunner and I’m a sucker for any home that features a room dedicated to drinking wine.

I always say that lighting can change a room. The Niermann Weeks designs in this home don’t disappoint. If you’ve never seen Neirmann Weeks furnishings, be sure to look up the family owned, Annapolis business. So, grab your toile throw and check out this great French Country estate!

6126 Franklin Park Road McLean (Reduced $400,000)

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

• 6303 Long Meadow Road McLean (Reduced $20,000)
• 10712 Milkweed Drive Great Falls (Reduced $50,900)
• 7213 Farm Meadow Court McLean (Reduced $51,000)
• 1006 Bryan Pond Court McLean (Reduced $155,000)
• 1412 Wynhurst Lane Vienna (Reduced $100,000)

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.

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. 

2508 Patricia Court, Falls Church
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $975,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

1571 Spring Gate Drive #6106, Mclean
1 BR/1 BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $295,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

2035 Pieris Court, Vienna
3 BR/3 BA
Agent: Compass
Listed: $685,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m

1915 Anderson Road, Falls Church
5 BR/4 BA
Agent: Optime Realty
Listed: $949,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

1809 Prelude Drive, Vienna
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Avery-Hess Realtors
Listed: $1,000,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

2010 Crofton Place, Falls Church
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,095,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

8816 Brook Road, Mclean
5 BR/5 BA
Agent: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty
Listed: $1,695,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 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.

• 2508 Patricia Court Falls Church, VA — $975,000
• 2711 Bellforest Court #307, Vienna, VA — $409,900
• 8421 Hollis Lane, Vienna, VA — $695,000
• 8526 W Oak Place, Vienna, VA — $849,000
• 1113 Laurelwood Drive, Mclean, VA — $1,399,000
• 703 Ware Street SW, Vienna, VA — $1,549,888
• 8119 Spring Hill Farm Drive, Mclean, VA — $3,995,000
• 7887 Jones Branch Drive #604, Mclean, VA — $3,396,000

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 the beginning of June and we are lucky enough to have April weather.

I know I’ll be enjoying the cool runs this week and will be taking the dogs for more walks than usual. If you see a lady with 3 feisty Pomeranians on the W&OD Trail this week, be sure to say hi!

Of course, nice weather also means a great opportunity to get out and see some great homes. This week, there is a great new construction home in the Town of Vienna now priced under $1.4M! The home was built by New Dimensions Homes and is situated on .35 acres backing to trees. This model features a main level bedroom with a full bath, perfect for multigenerational living. This seller is motivated!

1201 Ware Street SW is open this weekend on Sunday June 9 from 2-4 p.m. If you stop by, be sure to tell them you saw the home in Tysons Reporter!

1201 Ware Street SW Vienna (Reduced $49,100)

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

• 1203 Stuart Robeson Drive McLean (Reduced $100,000)
• 1655 Strine Drive McLean (Reduced $20,000)
• 9631 Maymont Drive Vienna (Reduced $104,000)
• 601 Park Street SE Vienna (Reduced $41,000)
• 6512 32nd Street Falls Church (Reduced $11,000)
• 9890 Windy Hollow Drive Great Falls (Reduced $51,000)

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: Can you tell me about some of the walkable neighborhoods you suggest living in around Tysons?

Answer: Tysons is more than a corporate district, or an upscale shopping mall. It’s a well-rounded neighborhood because it offers residents a suburban feel while gradually turning into a mixed-use urban city. Tysons is constantly changing, and I truly believe that it’s a great place to live, work and have fun.

Here are the top reasons that make Tysons an awesome neighborhood:

Location

D.C. is a 30 minute drive away; Fairfax, Arlington and Dulles Airport are roughly 20 minutes each. There are 3 Metro stations nearby (Tysons Corner, Greensboro, and Spring Hill) with the Orange and the new and expanding Silver line. Tysons is located off of 495, just a few minutes away from I-66, Route 7 and Dulles Toll Road.

Things To Do… Other Than Shopping

Of course shopping is fun and Tysons has the best! But if you think that’s it, you’re wrong.

Tysons has a great variety of international restaurants. From upscale Eddie V’s, and Nostos (amazing Greek food), to quick bites such as Super Chicken, to Leid Poke. The list is endless!

Tysons has great happy hour. All those corporate employees need somewhere to wind down after a long day at work so it’s a nice place to network and meet people who are career driven.

With the construction of The Boro, Tysons will be a more walkable neighborhood. Their signature park, Boro Park, will be over an acre of green space and will host different events, such as outdoor concerts, movies on the green, markets and festivals. Surrounded by retail, office, restaurants and a movie theater, the park is active day and night.

There are many dog park options, and if you’re outdoorsy you are just minutes away from Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Great Falls Park for hiking and amazing views, and a 45 minute drive to the mountains.

Housing Options

There are different options from detached homes, townhomes and condos. Within a mile radius from Tysons there are currently 63 properties for sale (including newly built condos at Verse, the newest building in The Boro), ranging from a one bedroom condo for $260,000, to a $2M 8 bedroom newly built Craftman home.

You can see all active listings here.

There are 47 properties currently under contract, ranging from a one bedroom condo at $230,000 to a 2 bedroom penthouse at $2.7 million.

In the past 6 months, 89 condos were sold for a median price of $352,500, 13 townhouses were sold for a median price of $689,000 and 19 single family homes sold for a median price of $891,000.

What’s In The Future

By 2050, Tysons will be transformed into a walkable, sustainable, urban center that will be home to up to 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs. Tysons is envisioned to become a 24-hour urban center where people live, work and play; where people are engaged with their surroundings; and, where people want to be.

Fun Facts

Some of the big names that have stablished their headquarters in Tysons include Capital One, Cvent, Freddie Mac, Gannett, Hilton Worldwide, Primus Telecom, Space Adventures, Sunrise Senior Living and USA Today.

A water shortage problem in Tysons will be very unlikely thanks to several reliable sources. Flowing through the community are Wolftrap Creek, Moomac Creek, Old Courthouse Spring Branch and Scott Run, which is a tributary of the Potomac River.

If you’d like more information, or would like a question answered in my weekly column, please reach out to [email protected]. I hope to hear from you soon.

Val Sotillo is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, 703-390-9460.

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

All of our crazy Northern Virginia weather has me walking around my house weekly to make sure there’s nothing new that’s damaged or needs attention.

Tree branches falling, birds nesting and constant rain working my sump pump makes me think to remind you about some things you may want to be aware of on your own home as we enter the summer months.

There are things you should do annually, of course, but here are some suggestions to keep your house in tip top shape this summer:

• Get your HVAC serviced. Summer months mean constant air conditioning and you don’t want to have to wait a week for service when the companies get booked! A routine check up could help avoid discomfort later.
• Cut back any overhanging trees and bushes. With the sudden increase in tornados, we’ve all seen many trees down!
• Clean your dryer vent — either with a long, flexible brush or you can hire someone to do that.
• Make sure all of your window screens are intact. If they have holes, you can either replace the whole thing or get them patched.
• Clean your kitchen appliances.
• Clean your drains — especially outdoor drains (such as the ones at the bottom of exterior stairs).
• Check on your outdoor playsets and decks — loose or popping up nails, splitting wood, etc.
• Dust off your ceiling fan blades and bathroom vents (you may also want to change the direction in which they turn to push cold air down).
• Check your attic for leaks or signs of water.

The warmer weather is also a great time for repairs you’ve been putting off. Things like chimney repair, skylights, deck, etc.

If you’re looking for a good contractor for a specific task, you can download my Vendor Guide here. It constantly changes as I’m adding and taking off people, so make sure you check for the current version.

You can always email me if you need something specific not listed 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. 

2508 Patricia Court, Falls Church
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: KW Metro Center
Listed: $975,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

1812 Olney Road, Falls Church
4 BR/2.5 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $659,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

2212 Reddfield Drive, Falls Church
4 BR/3 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $725,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.

2011 Magarity Court, Falls Church
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith Realty, LLC
Listed: $824,999
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

2430 Caron Lane, Falls Church
4 BR/3 BA
Agent: Howard Brock Realty Company, Inc.
Listed: $838,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

2001 Annies Way, Vienna
6 BR/5.5 BA
Agent: Avery-Hess Realtors
Listed: $1,100,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

1173 Foxhound Court, Mclean
6 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,150,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

1446 Harvest Crossing Drive, Mclean
4 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $1,750,000
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].