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.
The pools are officially open and most people are more concerned with planning new traffic routes to the beach than buying real estate.
If you are considering buying a home in 2019, that makes this a great time to find a great home at a great price. I say it often but it’s worth saying, buying a home in summer or winter does get great results even if it doesn’t produce the most inventory. Since smart real estate tips are worth saying multiple times, I brought back a great house this week.
Craftsman style homes are still popular and farmhouse style homes are all the rage right now. The center hall colonial is still a great home despite its waning popularity though. It’s also a great opportunity to find a good deal. New homes in the Town of Vienna are selling for as much as over $3M.
The chances of even finding a sizable detached home in Vienna for less than $1.5M are getting smaller and smaller as more builders bring us the new, shiny homes with all the latest home trends. What if you want to live in Vienna and don’t have that budget? Don’t discount these colonials! The colonial style home is a staple in the D.C. metro area. It’s also a deal right now.
Today there are two colonials featured in Luxury for Less in Vienna. This one is priced below tax assessed value and has a new HVAC and a fully finished basement. Maybe it’s time to fall back in love with a colonial style home.
1003 Cottage Street SW Vienna (Reduced $59,800)
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 7024 Elizabeth Drive Mclean (Reduced $30,000)
- 1102 Ingleside Avenue McLean (Reduced $26,000)
- 6303 Long Meadow Road McLean (Reduced $30,000)
- 321 Moorefield Road SW Vienna (Reduced $100,000)
- 1458 Waggaman Circle McLean (Reduced $151,000)
- 10015 High Hill Place Great Falls (Reduced $300,000)
- 1003 Cottage Street SW Vienna (Reduced $59,800)
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.
1931 Wilson Lane Unit 102
2 BR/1 BA
Agent: Frankly Real Estate Inc.
Listed: $264,700
Open: Sunday 2-5 p.m.
2448 Shenandoah Street
4 BR/2.5 BA
Agent: Paula Jean J. Cole
Listed: $710,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
100 James Drive S.W.
5 BR/4 BA
Agent: Christina Z. Rice
Listed: $725,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.
9342 Campbell Road
4 BR/3 BA
Agent: Timothy D. Pierson
Listed: $900,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
8447 Amanda Place
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Mark R. Sirianni
Listed: $1,189,000
Open: Sunday 12-2 p.m.
8124 Sandburg Hill Court
5 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: William F. Hoffman
Listed: $1,219,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
1017 Gelston Circle
6 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Kevin E. King
Listed: $1,250,000
Open: Saturday/Sunday 2-4 p.m.
Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].
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.
- 2448 Shenandoah Street, Vienna, VA — $710,000
- 9342 Campbell Road, Vienna, VA — $900,000
- 1125 Laurelwood Drive, Mclean, VA — $964,900
- 8447 Amanda Place, Vienna, VA — $1,189,000
- 8124 Sandburg Hill Court, Dunn Loring, VA — $1,219,000
- 1641 White Pine Drive, Vienna, VA — $1,595,000
- 305 Old Courthouse Road NE, Vienna, VA — $1,950,000
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.
Spring market is officially winding down as we head into the Memorial Day weekend.
The real estate market will slow down as the school year ends, the kids go to camp, and families pack their cars for the long drive to the Outer Banks. This means it’s a great time to be a buyer. 83 properties have been reduced in price this week in McLean, Vienna, Falls Church and Great Falls.
If you plan to stay in the D.C. metro area for Memorial Day weekend and need a summer move, this is a good time to get out and see some homes.
This week’s featured home is a stunner in McLean. The home features a wine room & bar, a home gym and views for days. If you love to hike the Great Falls Park trails, this home is situated on just over 2 acres adjacent to Great Falls Park. The kitchen has a very modern feel and the living areas truly feel like home.
My favorite feature is the his and hers closets and bathrooms in the master. I’ve been seeing this trend more often in the past few years and am becoming convinced that his and her bathrooms are an important component to a harmonious marriage. I’m sure the $3M+ budget doesn’t hurt.
9165 Old Dominion Drive McLean (Reduced $245,000)
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 9165 Old Dominion Drive McLean (Reduced $245,000)
- 1515 Windstone Drive Vienna (Reduced $50,000)
- 6303 Dunaway Court McLean (Reduced $50,900)
- 8447 Portland Place McLean (Reduced $401,000)
- 3502 Pinetree Terrace Falls Church (Reduced $100,000)
- 10020 Windy Hollow Road Great Falls (Reduced $30,000)
- 1285 Ballantrae Farm Drive McLean (Reduced $399,999)
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: We are buying a home in a few weeks and one of the closing costs is an optional $1,500 for title insurance. Do you recommend buying title insurance?
Answer: Yes, I do recommend buying title insurance. It’s a one-time fee that protects your ownership in what is likely the most valuable asset you own and you cannot decide to add title insurance in the future.
I asked David Cartner, an attorney with Highland Title & Escrow, to provide a full explanation of the benefits of title insurance and some examples of when it would be used. Take it away David…
Do You Really Need Title Insurance?
It depends on what level of risk the buyer is comfortable taking. If a buyer does not purchase title insurance, he/she risks losing the entirety of the investment.
Why, then, do buyers question purchasing title insurance when the risk of loss is so high? I believe the reason is twofold: (1) buyers do not understand the benefits of purchasing it, and (2) title insurance is unlike other types of insurance in that it covers issues that have already happened.
What the buyer is hedging for are the unknown or hidden hazards that might jeopardize his or her ownership in the home.
Hidden hazards may include:
- Liens that were not revealed in title exam or made known to settlement agent prior to closing. A title exam reveals any liens on the property which need to be paid off and released prior to closing. If the title examiner overlooked a judgment, tax, or mortgage lien on the property or failed to note it in the title exam, the buyer would be liable to pay the lien incurred by the previous owner.
- Boundary line issues that an accurate survey would not reveal. For example, if a survey failed to note that a neighbor’s shed encroached on the purchaser’s property, title insurance would cover the cost of removing the shed and resolving any accompanying boundary line dispute.
- Forgery or lack of authority. If there was a forged signature on the deed in the chain of title, or a person or corporation signed a deed without authority to do so, the transfer of ownership to the buyer would be in question.
- An unknown heir of a previous owner came forth to claim ownership in the property. For example, suppose a seller passed away and his three children sold the house to a purchaser. If an unknown fourth child later came forth to claim his quarter ownership in the house, the purchaser’s title to the property is in jeopardy.
- Instruments executed under an expired power of attorney.
- Building permit violations. An enhanced version of title insurance is available that covers existing building permit violations. If a previous owner never obtained the appropriate building permits when remodeling a kitchen or bathroom or building a deck, enhanced title insurance would cover the cost of obtaining the appropriate permits.
- Mistakes in the public record at the county in which the property lies.
While lenders mandate that owners purchase lender’s title insurance (which only protects the lender’s interest in the property), homeowner’s title insurance is completely optional. It is a one-time fee that covers the owner for life.
Though there are certain factors that decrease the risk of an existing title defect, like having fewer previous owners of the house, a typical subdivided lot, or a recently constructed house, a buyer takes title to a house never knowing what title defect may already exist.
In this respect, title insurance is unlike other types of insurance in which the purchaser can mitigate risk.
Contact David Cartner (703-760-3300 or [email protected]), Settlement Attorney at Highland Title & Escrow, with further questions regarding title insurance or the real estate settlement process.
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.
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.
7996 Tyson Oaks Circle, Vienna
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $570,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.
2006 Meadow Springs Drive, Vienna
3 BR/3 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates, Inc
Listed: $699,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
8220 Crestwood Heights Drive #1209, Mclean
2 BR/2 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $725,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.
2024 Meadow Springs Drive, Vienna
4 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Select Premium Properties, Inc
Listed: $735,000
Open: Sunday 12-4 p.m.
1729 Burning Tree Drive, Vienna
4 BR/2.5 BA
Agent:Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $749,900
Open: Sunday
7914 Lysander Court, Mclean
5 BR/2.5 BA
Agent: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty
Listed: $924,888
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
1922 Byrd Road, Vienna
8 BR/8.5 BA
Agent: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty
Listed: $1,999,750
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.
Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].
Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.
Sometimes it only takes a brief moment to be completely transported to a beautiful memory.
The moment I saw Innsbruck, my mind immediately went to my days in the Army. There is nothing that makes up for your duty station in Ft. Bragg like being sent to Europe. MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation for my non-military readers) really knows how to put on a great ski weekend in Innsbruck.
The best part of being stationed in Europe? The ease of travel. I loved the wineries of Italy, the Christmas markets in Germany and the charm of the English cottages in the countryside.
This week’s feature has me in full nostalgia. 576 Innsbruck Avenue, Great Falls reminded me of my ski weekends in address then brought me back to England with its enchanting Cotswold Stone Manor style. Situated on 5 acres, you can be transported anywhere you want.
The lush garden is delightful and tranquil, perfect for a relaxing day to contemplate what brought you to the D.C. area instead of the actual English countryside. The décor of Innsbruck is impeccable but seriously, who cares.
Just grab a bottle of wine from the best wine cellar in Northern Virginia and head back out to the garden. With a $2.5 million price drop, this is a dramatic feature for this week’s Luxury for Less.
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 6600 Chesterfield Avenue McLean (Reduced $51,000)
- 576 Innsbruck Avenue Great Falls (Reduced $2,505,000)
- 9464 Coral Crest Lane Vienna (Reduced $66,000)
- 2007 Mayfair McLean Court Falls Church (Reduced $10,500)
- 1431 Waggaman Circle McLean (Reduced $75,000)
- 1201 Ware Street SW Vienna (Reduced $25,900)
- 2308 Westmoreland Street Falls Church (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.
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.
2200 Journet Drive, Dunn Loring
3 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $799,999
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.
501 Creek Crossing Road NE, Vienna
4 BR/3 BA
Agent: Fairfax Realty Select
Listed: $815,000
Open: Saturday 2-4 p.m.
8432 Hollis Lane, Vienna
4 BR/3 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith Realty, LLC
Listed: $815,000
Open: Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
8527 Minerva Court, Vienna
5 BR/3.5 BA
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $899,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.
2162 Westglen Court, Vienna
5 BR/5.5 BA
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $1,149,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.
2403 Sagarmal Court, Dunn Loring
4 BR/4.5 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith Realty, LLC
Listed: $1,300,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.
601 Park Street SE, Vienna
6 BR/6.5 BA
Agent: Pearson Smith Realty, LLC
Listed: $1,690,000
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.
- 2117 Hutchison Grove Court, Falls Church, VA — $600,000
- 8736 Wolftrap Road, Vienna, VA — $678,500
- 1360 Snow Meadow Lane, Mclean, VA — $959,999
- 7721 Lear Road, Mclean, VA — $1,050,000
- 2202 Harithy Drive, Dunn Loring, VA — $1,050,000
- 2054 Arch Drive, Falls Church, VA — $1,495,000
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.
Different experiences can put you in a certain mood.
Last Friday I was fortunate enough to tour the Sotheby’s Auction House in New York City. If you have never been to the auction house, it’s worth the trip. You are surrounded by the best and the experience is unparalleled. Much of the art we saw on Friday has been in private collections up to this point so the only opportunity to see the art prior to this auction has been in a picture.
On view last week were a number of Picasso paintings likely to sell for as much as $30 million, a bottle of whiskey expected to sell for up to $100,000 and a Monet painting that elicited audible gasps from my group that will likely sell for $75 million. All that beauty and the price tags associated with it put me in a mood for opulence.
This week’s feature is a magnificent home renovated by BOWA. The home has now been reduced in price by nearly $500,000 since it came on market. Check out the separate carriage house, yet another stunning yard and pool (this column officially has a trend), and the best gym in town. When you live in a home this lavish, you shouldn’t have to work out with strangers.
7301 Dulany Drive McLean (Reduced $250,000)
Check out the rest of this week’s Luxury for Less listings:
- 7913 Foxhound Road McLean (Reduced $61,000)
- 9998 Blackberry Lane Great Falls (Reduced $151,000)
- 2353 Chadlington Road Falls Church (Reduced $20,000)
- 601 Park Street SE Vienna (Reduced $59,000)
- 6928 Butternut Court McLean (Reduced $40,000)
- 1214 Kelley Street SW Vienna (Reduced $24,910)
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.
