From four star generals and admirals to combat pilots and coast guard commanders to privates and warrant officers, they are all part of a great legacy.

To honor that legacy, Christ Church Alexandria celebrates Veterans Day in very special way.

A “wall of heroes”  - photos of those who have served, past and present  - is put up for all to see.  Parishioners are invited to add photos of themselves or family members; a program and reception is presented between services; and a guest preacher offers the sermon.

Past speakers have included Secretary of Veterans Affairs Togo West, Gordon Sullivan, Chief of Staff of the Army, Ron Nessen, a war correspondent and press secretary to former president Gerald Ford.

Rev. Michael Pipkin

Today’s speaker, former Navy Chaplain and rector of the Falls Church Continuing Congregation, brought his very recent experiences in Iraq and at Bethesda Naval Hospital to a welcoming crowd.  Rev. Pipkin noted the wall of heroes even as he spoke of the horror and inhumanity that is war and how he remains forever changed by his experience.

 My Vietnam days

Thank you to all who have served and thank you to Christ Church for honoring its veterans.

Michael

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As it stands now, this is what we can expect:

First time home buyers - a credit of ten percent of the purchase price of a primary residence, up to a maximum of $8,000. First time home buyers are defined as people who have not owned a home in the previous three years.

Repeat buyers - a credit of ten percent of the purchase price of a primary residence, up to a maximum of $6,500, for repeat buyers who purchase between Dec. 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010.  Repeat buyers must have owned their current home for at least five years.  The credit can not be used for houses costing more than $800,000

Deadline for qualifying: purchase agreements must be signed by April 30, 2010 and closings must be final by June 30.

Military deadline: is extended by a year for members of the military who have served outside the U.S. for at least 90 days between Jan. 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010.

Income limits: Individuals with annual incomes up to $125,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full cre2009 and May 1, 2010.dit. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

Stay tuned, as we get complete news on the extension of the home buyers tax credit for 2010 you’ll see it here with all the details.

Michael

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Several weeks ago, the Washington Post ran a great article on creating chic style from flea markets, thrift stores and Craigslist.

Author Betsy Lowther noted that DYI (do it yourself style) was often defined by one style - classic, country, maybe modern.  You could pick a few key elements, repeat them throughout every room and voila, you were done.

Now though, home owners  are combing elements to create a style that is both personal and easy on the pocket book.  Start with a few vintage pieces and then re-purpose them in unexpected ways.

Where to find these pieces for your chic style?

Let’s begin with the flea market.  You can visit the Reston-based Web store, Three Potato Four or make your own trip to the best market in the area, the Georgetown Flea Market.  Best Advice:  “Don’t get discouraged.  It only takes one really great booth to make it a good day.”

Thrift stores - you just never know what you’ll find or where you will find it (again).  For instance, the Red Barn Mercantile in Old Town Alexandria offers a mix of new items and second hand finds - some purchased at another shop just up the street! Best advice:  “Always think outside the box on how to use an item.  In fact, don’t even think about what it was made for; think of what it could be instead.”

Craigslist is the perfect anecdote for those who do not want to leave the comfort of their homes and have no intention of kicking around a thrift store or flea market.

The trick here is to be as specific as possible  in what you are looking for.  Use specific decorator terms and check often as turnover is high.  Best advice: “Everything can be redone.  A coat of bright paint, new upholstery or adding trim or gilding can dramatically refresh an older piece.”

Inspired to create your chic style?  For more, click here.

Michael

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Inventory also remains low in Alexandria with a slight increase in new listings and houses under contract.  Arlington is showing an increase in both listings and new contracts but with a slightly less dramatic decrease in inventory.  For more information about each of these areas, check the direct links below:

Alexandria

Arlington

Fairfax County 

Washington, DC

Keep in mind too that DOM or days on market is a sensitive marker with buyers.  Before making an offer, buyers are keen to know how long a home has been on the market.  If a house has been on the market for only a few days, buyers tend to make offers at the full asking price or just slightly below.

The opposite is true however if the house has been on the market for over 30 days - buyers often see it as less than desirable and will make a lower offer - the assumption being that the owner will accept less because they are anxious to sell.

If the days on market is very high, some buyers will not even consider a property, thinking something may be wrong with it.  Educated buyers know what is probably “wrong” is the price was set higher than current market values and they that to their advantage in negotiating lower offers.

Sellers need to be aware of days on market for two reasons.  First, the more time their home is on the market, the lower the offers will be from buyers.  This is why properties almost always sell at their highest price in the first days of exposure to the market, especially in depreciating markets when prices are falling.

Second, sellers need to consider average days on market for the brokerage company they choose to represent them.  Coldwell Banker has lower average days on market because we assist sellers in positioning their home to sell in the first days of exposure, resulting in the highest possible price in the current market.

Market reports are a great way to get a feel for what is happening in Alexandria and Northern Virginia but for a more detailed analysis of your neighborhood, give me a call at 703.927.4554 or email me at michael.bergin2@verizon.net.

Michael

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Each is relatively small but together they form a linear line some two miles in length and are anchored by the Mt. Vernon Bike Trail.   Each one carries a marker denoting its hours, size and historical identity.  Today we will visit Tide Lock Park.

Tide Lock Park

Tide Lock Park consists of 6.70 acres that are completely accessible to the waterfront and takes its name from an old canal that existed in the 1800’s.

The remains of the canal were discovered during the construction of an office building and were incorporated into the design.

These artificial waterways were used to move goods and materials to and from sea going ships. The goods were then transported by canal barges up and down the canal which were controlled by huge wooden locks. The last of the Alexandria canals were destroyed by floods in the early 1820’s and were never re-built because the railroads were beginning to take over.

Today there is a replica of the lock and canal which uses many of original canal wall stones and is an integral part of the landscape for the Trans Potomac Canal Center/Savage Fogarty which maintains this property with permanent public access.

Tide Lock Park also includes quiet spots for sitting, an outdoor amphitheater, water features and examples of Greco Roman sculpture.  Truly a tiny gem, Tide Lock is a green respite for workers, visitors and residents and one of the things that makes Alexandria a great place to live.

Michael

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Just like folks have destination weddings, trick or treat hopefuls have destination Halloween locations.  And in Old Town Alexandria that means only one thing - Lee Street.

An old fashioned block party in the best sense of the word, the Lee Street Halloween extravaganza stretches for six blocks between Gibbon and King.

With cooperation from the Alexandria police, the street is open only to foot traffic.  The party starts as early as 5:00pm, for the little ones, and goes as late as 10:00pm.

What makes Halloween on Lee Street so much fun is that every one gets in on the act.  Houses are decorated, costumed homeowners are waiting on the doorstep (no having to ring the doorbell here) and adults, children and dogs join in on the party.

Of course some of the adults have secret liquid “potions” that they only share with other adults!

No small venture, one Old Town resident told us they have to buy so much candy - some 3000+ pieces - that they order it online to get the best price!

Like we said, Halloween on Lee Street in Old Town Alexandria is a destination spot and folks come from miles around.

See you next year.

Michael

P.S. - just double click on each picture to “supersize” them.

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Our block in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood hosts a chili “cook off” every year. It is very informal, open to all and operates primarily by word of mouth.  Some years it’s a grand, busting at the seams affair, other times, it’s small and just an excuse to get together.

But let me have neighbor and uber chili organizer, Laura Fries tell you more:

“Yesterday was the Chili Cook-Off.  Yes, the day with the driving rain and wind coming down hardest just when the cook-off was supposed to start.  The host families were talking of canceling - we had given it a good shot but the weather, for a second weekend in a row, wasn’t cooperating.

The we looked out into the yard and there, huddled under the tent, were at least half a dozen residents of the group home from the next block.  They had made a pot of chili.  They weren’t leaving.  Some had walkers, others were in wheelchairs and, despite trying to stay under the tent, they were getting soaked.

It was clear the show had to go on.  We put on rain coats and boots, grabbed some umbrellas and brought out our pot of chili.  We figured that even if there were just two or three entries to taste, it would make the group home people happy. Then something really amazing happened.

People started showing up.  Lots of them.  They came with different umbrellas, pots of chili and corn bread, cakes and pies.  People went from tent to tent tasting eight different kinds of chili - two vegetarian and one with duck and rabbit!  Nobody seemed to care about the rain and a few neighbors new to the experience couldn’t stop raving.

There was something happening here.  As he does every year, the Sheriff of Alexandria, Dana Lawhorne, came by to count the ballots.  (Yes, we have official ballots and everything.)  It had stopped raining by then and we lit a fire and sat around on hay bales waiting for the announcement, the moment of truth had come.

Turns out, the Wicked Wizards, the group home contestants who ran their wheelchairs through the mud and hung out all day in the rain, won first prize for their pot of chili.  I cannot adequately express their joy.

The supervisor of the group home accepted the homemade award on their behalf and it almost brought the whole crowd to tears.  He talked about how people with physical and mental challenges always feel on the outside of everything and that today they were winners and a true part of the neighborhood.  It was one of the best cook off’s ever.”

And that my friends, is how the 2009 Del Ray Chili Cook Off brought smiles to a very special group of Alexandria residents.

Michael

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The City of Alexandria will receive $7.7 million from the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) for home buyer assistance.  The grant will help make home ownership more affordable for individuals who live or work in the City of Alexandria.

Funding is being provided through VHDA’s Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) Program.  Households with annual incomes of up to $102,700 for a family of four will benefit most directly.

This is a significant step towards ensuring the continued turn in the housing market while making housing affordable for City workers.  For more, click here.

Michael

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A true home grown event, the Del Ray Halloween Parade is a chance for everyone  - dogs, parents, babies, etc.  - to put on a costume, or at least a funny hat, and make their way down Mt. Vernon Avenue.

And if you didn’t want to “parade” it was perfectly acceptable to simply observe.

The really smart folks grabbed every available table at outdoor dining spots along the parade route which made it a great day for all of Del Ray’s businesses.

Capping the night off - the Spooky Bean Halloween sponsored by Bean Creative on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

A special shout out to Gayle Reuter, the driving force behind the Del Ray Halloween Parade.  It wouldn’t get done without you!

Michael

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Stay tuned for pictures of today’s Del Ray Halloween Parade -

Michael

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