See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

2606 Arlington Mill Drive South
2 BD | 1 BA condominium
Herbert Riggs, Re/max 100
Listed: $355,000
Open: Saturday, May 18 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

3343 Wakefield Street South
2 BD | 2 BA condominium
Shaun Murphy, Re/max Allegiance
Listed: $459,900
Open: Sunday, May 19 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

5728 25th Street North
3 BD | 2 BA single family detached
Patricia Harris, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $668,000
Open: Sunday, May 19 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

2350 Queen Street South
3 BD | 2 Full BA, 2 Half BA townhouse
Barbara Wood, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $725,000
Open: Sunday, May 19 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

4710 Old Dominion Drive North
3 BD | 2 Full BA, 2 Half BA single family detached
Ann Wilson, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $929,000
Open: Sunday, May 19 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

5139 9th Street North
4 BD | 6 BA single family detached
Laura Biederman, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $1,099,000
Open: Sunday, May 19 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Highest Percentage of Commuters in U.S. — At 76.6 percent of its total workforce, Arlington County has the highest percentage of commuters in the nation. Arlington is even ahead of D.C. (71 percent) and New York City (69.5 percent). Nearly 150,000 people commute into Arlington on a typical weekday, and most don’t pay any county taxes. [Governing]

Taste of Arlington Road Closures — A number of roads in Ballston, including a stretch of Wilson Blvd, will be closed for most of the day on Sunday for the annual Taste of Arlington festival. As a reminder, the Ballston and Virginia Square Metro stations will be closed throughout the weekend and additional shuttle buses will be provided for festival-goers at the East Falls Church and Clarendon Metro stations. [Arlington County]

Rosslyn Outdoor Movies Start Tonight — The annual Rosslyn outdoor summer film festival starts tonight. The theme of this year’s festival is “Summer School” — films that use high school as a backdrop. Tonight’s flick is the 1985 classic The Breakfast Club. This and every other Friday showing through Aug. 30 starts at dusk at Gateway Park. [Rosslyn BID]

Tight Inventory in Home Market — Arlington’s residential housing market is still afflicted by a dearth of inventory. There are more buyers in the market than there are homes to buy. [Sun Gazette]

Photo via @BallstonBID. Disclosure: Ballston BID and Rosslyn BID are ARLnow.com advertisers.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Adam Gallegos of Arlington-based real estate firm Arbour Realty, voted one of Arlington Magazine’s Best Realtors of 2013. Please submit follow-up questions in the comments section or via email.

Question: We just put our house on the market.  In anticipation of finding a buyer we would like to prepare for the inevitable home inspection. Can you provide any advice?

A professional home inspector will go from room to room testing the heating, air-conditioning, plumbing, electrical, appliances and smoke detectors. He or she will also evaluate the structure, roof, interior and exterior of the home.  What the home inspector finds to be positive and negative about the home will greatly shape the homebuyers perception of the investment they are in the process of making.

Don’t forget that the standard home inspection contingency usually provides them with the ability to cancel the contract. Yes, this does happen regardless of the market. Even too many little things can spook a homebuyer because they consider them clues about the overall condition of the home.

It’s a lot easier to be proactive about preparing your home for a home inspection. You will avoid opening up negotiation over a laundry list of repair requests and/or monetary credits. It leads to a transaction that is likely to progress smoothly and it is likely to save you money.

One of my favorite real estate authors (Jennifer Allan) put together a home inspection checklist for sellers that I have borrowed from and added to over the years, resulting in the following:

• HVAC system — have it cleaned and serviced. If repairs are needed, make them. Make sure it has a clean filter.
• Clean heating and cooling registers and vacuum inside if needed.
• Make sure your windows open, close and lock.
• Check for leaks in faucets and under sinks.
• Make sure toilets flush properly and are not wobbly. If wobbly, replace wax ring and bolt down firmly.
• If warm enough outside, de-winterize hose bibs.
• Make sure all light fixtures and light bulbs are working.
• Ensure that sinks and tubs drain quickly.
• Clean gutters.
• Replace cracked or broken window panes.
• Caulk around tubs and showers.
• Clean out grime in faucet filters (to maximize water pressure).
• Ensure doors open, close and lock smoothly.
• Ensure drain spouts extend away from the foundation.
• Make sure anti-tip bracket is in place for the stove.
• Run all appliances if the house has been sitting vacant. Listen for odd noises and check for leaks.
• Inspect roof and make repairs as needed.
• Test electrical sockets for the correct polarity.
• Test smoke detectors.
• Provide receipts and warranties for recent repairs and servicing.

If you are living in the house, chances are you know of other fixes that should be made prior to the home inspection.  It’s always better to make the fixes upfront than to have someone else mandate how the fixes should be made.

I have not yet employed this strategy, but I have seen listings where the seller actually has a home inspection completed on the home prior to putting it on the market. The home owner can use the report as a guide to proactively making repairs. He or she may also decide to furnish the report to potential buyers if they think it positively reflects the condition of the home.

Inspections can range anywhere from $250 to over $700 (depending on the size of the home) so this is not an inexpensive endeavor. It will however, put you in the best position to catch all the fixes that will show up in a home inspection and offer a truly move-in ready home.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The annual tour is organized by NAIOP, a commercial real estate development association. This year the NAIOP Northern Virginia Bus Tour made stops in Arlington, Alexandria, and parts of Fairfax County including Tysons Corner.

“Considered to be one of the premier commercial real estate Bus Tours in the United States, NAIOP Northern Virginia’s 2013 Tour…  is a full day of information and news about our market,” said NAIOP’s website.

The tour involves multiple buses full of real estate professionals and local officials, and a sizable police motorcycle escort. Since it’s not very well publicized outside of the real estate community, locals didn’t seem to know what to make of it when it rolled by in Ballston, Clarendon, Rosslyn, Crystal City and elsewhere.

“Something weird is going on in Rosslyn,” said one reader, in a voicemail left for ARLnow.com. “There are cops everywhere.”

“A dozen or so ACPD motocycles, with sirens blaring, just escorted a number of buses, maybe 4 or 5, through Ballston,” said an email. “Any idea who was in the buses?”

“11 tour buses led by 30 cops on motorcycles riding through Clarendon… um what?” said a reader via Twitter.

“@ArlingtonVA PD has practically shut down Crystal Dr for the NAACP (sic) 2013 Bus Tour,” said another tweet.

The tour was scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.

Photos via @RosslynVA and @josephgruber

The Washington City Paper reports that Post publisher Katharine Weymouth told a real estate conference this morning that the struggling company would like the new office to be “cheap, and near the Capitol, near the courthouses,” in a building “that’s a little bit lighter, a little more air.”

The ideal option for the paper might be right here in Arlington. Thanks to easy access to I-395, Crystal City and Rosslyn are about 10 minutes from the Capitol via cab or personal vehicle, except during rush hour.

Both locations are also Metro accessible. Crystal City is 5 Metro stops away from Capitol South station via the Yellow and Orange/Blue lines, and Rosslyn is 9 stops away, without a transfer, via the Orange/Blue lines. Both are 6 stops away from Judiciary Square, with a transfer to the Red Line.

Office rent in Crystal City and Rosslyn is inexpensive compared to D.C.’s Central Business District (CBD), where the Post is currently located (in an aging, monolithic building at 1150 15th Street NW). The average asking rate for office space in Crystal City is $39.43 per square foot, compared to $50.97 in the Washington CBD. The average asking rate in Rosslyn, which hasn’t been hit as hard by BRAC closures as Crystal City, is $42.32.

Outside of D.C.’s CBD, the NoMa and Capitol Riverfront submarkets might be desirable for the Post, but both are more expensive than Arlington, with average asking rates of $45.27 and $43.15 respectively.

Thanks to a vacancy rate of 21.8 percent in Crystal City and 16.4 percent in Rosslyn, the Post should have plenty of light and airy offices to choose from. Plus, offices that are currently under construction could be customized to the paper’s needs. Such buildings include 1812 N. Moore Street in Rosslyn, soon to be the tallest building in the D.C. area, or the renovated 1400 Crystal Drive in Crystal City.

Construction could begin on Arlington’s largest office building by floor space, 1900 Crystal Drive in Crystal City, should it secure an anchor tenant like the Post.

A spokeswoman for the Rossyln Business Improvement District says the organization does not know if the Post is looking at potential offices in Rosslyn, but says the neighborhood would be a good fit for the 135-year-old institution.

“Rosslyn would a perfect location for The Washington Post, given its close location to Washington, D.C,” said Lisa Rabasca, the BID’s Director of Communications and herself a former newspaper reporter. “It is a quick cab or metro ride to Capitol Hill, the White House, and other major D.C. locations.”

“Rosslyn is already a media hub with three other large media companies — POLITICO, Washington Business Journal, and WJLA/ABC 7 and NewsChannel 8,” Rabasca continued. “We would welcome the addition of The Washington Post.”

Crystal City Business Improvement President Angela Fox said Crystal City, which itself has gone through a period of reinvention and rebranding, would be a fitting place for the Post.

“They’re obviously an institution that’s finding ways to reinvent themselves and look at their business… we would love to be a strategic element in such a reinvention,” she said. “They’re really thoughtful about their costs and the environment their employees work in, and Crystal City would have a lot to offer in that regard.”

Fox said she also has not heard anything about the Post looking at Crystal City. A Washington Post spokeswoman declined to comment on the company’s headquarters search.

If the Post were to move to Arlington, it wouldn’t be the paper’s first office here. For about a decade starting in 2000, the company’s internet staff — responsible for washingtonpost.com and other websites — was based in a 80,000 square foot office at 1515 N. Courthouse Road in Courthouse. The staff was later merged into the Post‘s D.C. office.

Disclosure: The Crystal City and Rosslyn BIDs are ARLnow.com advertisers.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Adam Gallegos of Arlington-based real estate firm Arbour Realty, voted one of Arlington Magazine’s Best Realtors of 2013. Please submit follow-up questions in the comments section or via email.

Question: I found your last article about the Arlington real estate market helpful.  I’m in the market for a home along the Orange Line.  It sounds like everything is selling pretty well right now, but can you tell me which ones are at the top?

Based on what I am seeing out there, these are the neighborhoods with the most action along the Orange Line, broken down by condo, townhouse and single family house:

Condo – Clarendon 1021 (1021 N. Garfield St.)

Clarendon 1021 is one of the largest condominiums on the Orange Line with 417 homes.  Therefore it also tends to have the most homes available, which works to its advantage during an inventory drought like this one.  Four homes have already sold so far this year and eight more are under contract.

The biggest attraction to Clarendon 1021 is the location.  Walk out the front door and you are within two blocks of Clarendon Metro.  You’re within easy walking distance of Arlington’s most popular bars and restaurants.  Within the same radius are a number of conveniences including shopping, groceries, fitness facilities, banks, car/bike share, drugstore,  etc.  Because of its size, Clarendon 1021 is able to offer a full array of amenities (including rooftop pool and 24×7 front desk) while keeping condo fees relatively low.

Other popular options along the Orange Line are The Phoenix, Station Square, Liberty Center and Wooster & Mercer Lofts.  I would also keep an eye on the Courthouse area.  There is a lot of new retail space being developed, which will include new shopping and dining options.  I expect the Courthouse area to become a great second choice to Clarendon.

Townhome – Clarendon Park (near Fillmore and 11th)

Clarendon Park shares a similar location to Clarendon 1021.  You may find bigger, newer and more extravagant townhomes along the Orange Line, but none with such a sought after a location.  Already this year, we have seen sales in this neighborhood escalate from $26,000 to $68,000 over list price.  Only the smallest model seems to have any trouble selling quickly.

Clarendon Park offers street and park views.  The most popular homes have large front porches that face the park.  Typical of urban style townhomes, they include a rooftop terrace in lieu of a yard.

Clarendon Park is a great option if a central location is important to you.

Another popular option along the Orange Line is Courthouse Hill where the average number of days-on-market in 2013 is only three.  Of the four homes that have sold this year in Courthouse Hill, two have sold the first day!

Single Family House – Ashton Heights

Depending on where you live within Ashton Heights you are either an easy walk or bike ride to Ballston and Virginia Square.  You also have direct access to DC via route 50.

If you are looking for conformity, Ashton Heights is not the place for you.  The homes range from the traditional colonials to more contemporary Craftsmans and Bungalows.  There is also a wide range of prices.  Thus far in 2013, we have seen homes listed from $650,000 to $1,629,000.  What is consistent is the speed at which the homes sell.  Homes are only taking eight days on average to sell.

The Ballston area has a lot of conveniences within close proximity and I expect the area to continue growing in popularity.

Lyon Village would have been the easy choice for this category, but there really has not been much available in Lyon Village so far this year.  Some homes in Lyon Village are selling before they even hit the market.

Though it is important to understand which neighborhoods are performing well during this market, I think it is also important to research how they performed during the weaker market we just emerged from.  Please feel free to contact me for additional information about a specific neighborhood or neighborhoods you are considering.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Trolley Pub Launches Without Alcohol — Despite assurances by Arlington County Police that it met the letter of the law, the plan to launch an open-air, pedal-powered party trolley in Arlington has hit a snag. Virginia ABC has told the operator of the Trolley Pub that riders cannot bring their own alcohol with them on rides. Instead, the Trolley Pub has launched without alcohol, as a sort of “pub-crawl conveyance.” [Washington City Paper]

The Most Arlington Photo Ever? — A photo of four ACPD officers on Segways talking to the driver of the Trolley Pub in front of Fire Works Pizza is gaining some attention for being, perhaps, “the most Arlington photo ever.” Wrote the Clarendon Nights blog: “All we need is someone in the background in a popped collar eating cupcakes and doing Crossfit to complete every Arlington stereotype!” [Clarendon Nights]

NSF Staying in Ballston for Five Years — The National Science Foundation has renewed its lease in Ballston for the next five years. The agency is still looking for an office that offers lower rent. The General Services Administration is currently reviewing offers for a 15-year-lease. [Washington Business Journal]

Metro Lines and Median Income — A new infographic shows the median income along the Washington area’s Metro lines. The highest median income among Arlington’s Metro stops was East Falls Church, at $142,486. The methodology for the infographic is unclear — a median income of $113,567 was listed for Arlington National Cemetery. [Urban Turf]

Arlington Among the Highest-Earning Cities — Arlington has placed 16th on a list of cities and suburbs with the highest percentage of $100,000+ household incomes. In Arlington 50.3 percent of households earn more than $100K, according to census data. [Nerd Wallet]

See our real estate section for a full listing of open houses. Here are a few highlights:

2929 Woodstock Street
1 BD | 1 BA condominium
Peggy Parker, Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $256,000
Open: Sunday, April 28 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

4640 36th Street South
1 BD | 1 Full BA, 1 Half BA condominium
John Mentis, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $327,000
Open: Sunday, April 28 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1800 Wilson Boulevard
1 BD | 1 BA condominium
Sonia Gallegos, Arbour Realty
Listed: $415,000
Open: Sunday, April 28 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1821 Ohio Street
3 BD | 3 BA single family detached
Bradley Winkelmann, Re/max Allegiance
Listed: $674,638
Open: Sunday, April 28 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

4815 Little Falls Road
4 BD | 3 BA single family detached
Natalie Caprano, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Listed: $969,000
Open: Sunday, April 28 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Editor’s Note: This video tour is sponsored by Arbour Realty.

A 2BR/2BA condo is for sale at the Residences at Lyon Hill (2801 Lee Highway).

Listed at $799,900, unit No. 302 features large windows, exotic wood floors, Italian marble, custom maple cabinetry, custom drapes, granite kitchen counters/island, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, built-in flat screen TVs, two parking spaces and additional storage space.

Built in 2006, the luxury Residences at Lyon Hill building is just five minutes away from D.C. and a short walk from Clarendon.

The video tour above is conducted by the listing agent, Adam Gallegos of Arbour Realty. Anyone interested in the condo can contact Adam at 703-627-1255 or Adam@ArbourRealty.com.

If you’re a real estate agent and you’d like to showcase a condo, townhouse or single family home in Arlington, contact us.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Adam Gallegos of Arlington-based real estate firm Arbour Realty, voted one of Arlington Magazine’s Best Realtors of 2013. Please submit follow-up questions in the comments section or via email.

Question: I’ve heard that the Arlington real estate market it is in full rebound.  Is that the case for the entire Arlington market or just certain price ranges or types of homes? 

Personally, I’ve been experiencing a high amount of activity in every segment of the Arlington real estate market since the start of 2013.  In order to answer your question I am going to dissect the actual sales data from the local MLS for the first quarter of 2013.

First I am going to break down the various price points by the number of sales that occurred, average days on market (DOM) and the average list price to sales price ratio.

Some observations based on this data:

• The heaviest concentration of sales lie below $700,000. This is not a surprise.  This is the portion of the market that is affordable to the greatest number of home buyers in Arlington.
• The price ranges with the fewest average days on market are $300,000-$400,000 and $600,000-$700,000.  These two price ranges are the “sweet spots” for newer 1 and 2 bedroom condos along the Orange Line.  It’s a portion of the market that is on fire right now.
• It’s amazing to me that the average sales price to list price ratio is above 99% for homes between $300,000 and $800,000.  If you are entering the market as a buyer, set your expectations accordingly.

A common misconception among people new to Arlington real estate is that 1 bedroom condos are going to be a lot harder to sell than 2 bedroom condos.  This simply is not the case. It’s true that more people would prefer 2 bedrooms, but fewer people can afford them.  The result is that they both do pretty well.

• You can see that 1 bedrooms just barely edge out 2 bedrooms on the number of sales.  I think this delta could be larger, but there are simply not enough 1 bedroom condos on the market to satisfy demand right now.
• 1 Bedroom condos are selling a little quicker on average, but the sales price to list price ratios are almost identical.

Another comparison is between condos, townhouses and single family houses (SFH).

• Though the number of condo and SFH sales far outnumbered townhouse sales, townhouses are selling in 3 weeks on average.  They are also selling within a 0.5% of asking price on average.  That’s great news for townhouse owners, but not so good news for anyone in the market for a townhouse.  No wonder Ballston Green is selling out so quickly!
• Only in Arlington would the highest house sales price be tied with the highest condo sales price ($3,600,000).

To answer your question, the higher you go on price the longer it is taking homes to sell and the more negotiation room you may find.  That said, the entire Arlington real estate market looks pretty healthy.

Please reach out to me if you interested in more information about particular niche of the market.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.