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Americans Stand Ready: National Preparedness Month

By Carolanne Korolowicz

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Carolanne Korolowicz, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Carolanne in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach her directly at [email protected].

The 24/7 media circuit constantly reports national and worldwide emergencies and natural disasters. Arlington has had its fair share of emergencies over the decades, but there is a tendency when these disasters are in far-away lands to think – “that won’t ever happen here.” The reality is that emergency situations can happen at any time, to anyone. Rather than viewing from a place of fear, FEMA and other government agencies encourage this to be approached with proactivity.

Since 2004, September has been National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Americans Stand Ready.” Reflecting on what makes our nation strong – unity, resilience and resourcefulness– the goal is for every American to take the proactive steps necessary to protect themselves, households and communities when disaster strikes. There are three pillars to this year’s goal:

  • Americans stand ready to uphold our patriotic duty: When individuals are prepared and self-reliant, we can bolster the work our brave first responders do to help people on their worst day.
  • Americans stand ready to protect our family and friends: We know best how to keep our loved ones safe when things go wrong.
  • Americans stand ready to help our communities: Taking a proactive approach to get your community ready contributes to the nation’s resilience.

Ready.gov has created easy to follow graphics and resources to help prepare for an emergency, including when someone in the household or neighborhood may have disabilities, small children, elderly members, medical/dietary restrictions, or pets. The beginning steps to prepare a household are not complicated, but crucial if an event occurs. Here are easy ways to get started:

Sign up for Alerts: FEMA has a free mobile app that will send alerts and updates when an emergency strikes. Staying on top of what is happening allows for real-time decision making.

Safeguard Documents: Keep vital documents and policy information in a fireproof, waterproof, or bank deposit box. Consider sending copies to trusted family or friends. For electronic documents, secure on a flash/hard drive.

Know Your Home Insurance Policy: Do not assume “everything” is covered under your insurance plan. Research your policy and how to file a claim. Talk to your service provider if you think additional coverage (i.e. flood or earthquake) is necessary.

Secure Your Property:  Consider items in your home that may need repair or replacement. Powerlines, trees, outdoor structures, and furniture are all items that could cause danger during a natural disaster.

Emergency Kit: Creating in-home, in-car and in-work emergency kits are great ways to quickly act when time is of the essence. There are great checklists that make preparing easy, including ideas for individual circumstances (specific medical supplies, infant formula/bottles, pet food, etc.). There are also inexpensive ways to gather a majority of these items– yard sales, buy-nothing groups or thrift stores.

CERT Training: Join the Arlington Community Emergency Response Team. This volunteer group is an amazing way to help community members and first responders during crisis situations. The county provides free, in-person certification classes multiple times throughout the year. Training consists of eight classes, over four weeks. Previous situations where CERT volunteers made an impact in Arlington include passing out ice to residents during power outages, clearing snow off fire hydrants, and setting up food & water stations for first responders.

It is always hard to feel fully prepared for the unexpected, but knowledge and proactiveness are the necessary tools when facing an emergency. For more helpful tips and information visit Arlington’s Public Safety Communications & Emergency Management Department’s website.

New Forms with Tiny Changes, No Grace Period – Intentional Chaos

By James Montana

This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Victoria Khaydar, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.

This complaint about the quality of copper ingots has been rejected, because it was submitted on the a tablet of improper diameter. On on after 1750 BC, complainants must use the new tablet... Image is free for public use. Attribution here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ea-nir
This complaint about the quality of copper ingots has been rejected, because it was submitted on the a tablet of improper diameter. On on after 1750 BC, complainants must use the new tablet… Image is free for public use. Attribution here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ea-n%C4%81%E1%B9%A3ir

USCIS administers immigration benefits. In the time-honored tradition of government agencies since the days of Ur and Uruk, USCIS uses forms to collect, store, and interpret information. Immigrants complete these forms in order to obtain benefits. Most U.S. citizens have no idea what reams of paperwork these forms require. An ordinary green card application is comprised of ninety-seven pages of bare forms, which typically are supported by several hundred pages of supporting documents.

In better times, forms are a necessary evil. In the times we actually live in, forms are just another weapon with which to thwack your political opponents.

In the second iteration of the Trump Administration, USCIS has discovered a new, extremely petty way to make immigrants’ lives more difficult – by releasing new form versions which make utterly minute changes, and then decrees that yesterday’s official version is obsolete as of today.

The Office of Management and Budget, by the way, requires that all government forms have an ‘edition date’ and an ‘expiration date.’ USCIS evades this neatly by making the expiration date purely notional – the form can be valid after the expiration date, and it can be decreed obsolete at any time before or after the expiration date. (The edition date is notional, too – in the first months of the Trump Administration, USCIS persistently released forms backdated to January 20, 2025, seemingly just for the inaugural vibes.) The forms altered in the last two weeks are highlighted below.

  1. Form G-28. Four pages, stating that a lawyer represents you.
  2. Form G-28. Four more pages, stating that the same lawyer represents your spouse.
  3. Form I-130. A twelve-page biographical survey of you, the U.S. citizen.
  4. Form I-130A. A six-page biographical survey of your spouse.
  5. Form I-131. A fourteen-page request for permission to travel while the government thinks about whether to grant the green card application.
  6. Form I-485. A twenty-four pager. This is the green card application itself. It repeats all of the biographical detail from Forms I-130 and I-130A.
  7. Form I-693. A fourteen-page list of certifications concerning your health and fitness. (No, your family doctor can’t do it for you – you have to go to someone called a Designated Civil Surgeon.)
  8. Form I-765. A seven-page request for a work permit while the government thinks about whether to grant your green card application.
  9. Form I-864. A twelve-page contract in which you (the U.S. citizen) promise to repay the government for welfare benefits, if your spouse draws on them, and in which you further promise to keep your spouse above the poverty line. (more…)

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: September 2, 2026

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose prices have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: The properties featured here may be listed with other brokerages– but that doesn’t limit your options. Arlington Realty, Inc. is ready to represent you, arrange showings, analyze value, and negotiate the best possible terms on your behalf. We understand the neighborhoods, pricing trends and market timing — and we use that knowledge to your advantage. 

As of August 31, there are 175 detached homes, 60 townhouses and 249 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 42 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc. 

Ask Eli: The summer market felt slow. Was it?

By Eli Tucker

This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at [email protected].

Question: It seems like listings lingered on the market longer than usual this summer. Is that reflected in the market data?

Answer: The summer real estate market is usually slower than spring, but since late June, this summer has felt unusually slow compared with past summer markets. I analyzed Arlington homes listed for sale in July and August, going back to 2016, and found that we did indeed experience a historically slow summer market.

5-Bullet Cliff Notes

  • Summer 2026 was slowest summer market since 2016
  • Showing activity is down significantly
  • Listing supply (homes for sale) is up significantly
  • It is still a seller’s market, just more balanced
  • Too early to accurately observe impact on prices

Slowest Summer Since 2016

Fewer homes listed in July and August went under contract within the first ten days on market (my preferred measure of market pace) than any summer since 2016.

The condo market experienced the brunt of that slowness, with the percentage of condos under contract within ten days falling 17.9 points below the trailing ten-year average. Arlington’s detached/townhouse/duplex market, one of the most robust sub-markets in the country, was not spared either; falling 6.7 points below the trailing ten-year average.

Lingering Inventory

The clearest sign of a summer slowdown is the amount of inventory that remained unresolved at the end of August. 53% of the listings entered in July and August were still active, compared with about 31% in 2025 and 27% from 2023-2025.

Even among July listings, which had at least a full month to attract a buyer, 36% remained active: more than twice the recent three-year rate. As of Aug 30, ~25% of all active summer listings had accumulated at least 30 days on market, and 9% accumulated at least 60 days.

Showings Down, Active Inventory Up

Showing data shows that we have fewer buyers in the market, not simply more indecisive/deliberate buyers. In the week ending August 23, showings in Arlington were down 7.9% from the prior week and 26.4% from the same week last year.

There are also a lot more homes for buyers to choose from, with active listings (homes listed for sale) up 2% from the week prior and 21.5% from the same week last year. Buyers will take longer to make decisions when they have more choices.

The Arlington trends are consistent with other Northern VA/DC Metro markets as well. In the DC Metro, weekly showings dropped to five-year lows in late June and remained there during most weeks of the summer. At the same time, the week ending August 23 delivered the most new listings to the market of any year since 2021, for the same week.

Total active listings in the DC Metro have been above the same week in the prior year since the second week of January 2025.

(more…)

Free Movie Nights at the 2700 Art Space

By Sponsor
Image from Free Movie Nights at the 2700 Art Space

This fall, Arlington Arts is turning 2700 Art Space into an outdoor movie destination with a free film series celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Free Movie Nights at 2700 Art Space will bring together film, music, food and community on select Friday evenings from September 18 through October 16. The series features community-curated films highlighting Latin music and its powerful role in storytelling, culture and identity.

What makes the series especially Arlington is the community behind the selections. Each evening features a film chosen in collaboration with a local community curator, bringing different perspectives and connections to the monthlong celebration.

The series kicks off September 18 with We Like It Like That, curated by Leon City Sounds, exploring the history and enduring influence of Latin boogaloo.

On September 25, Arlington Food Assistance Center curates a screening of In the Heights, the vibrant film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical celebrating family, neighborhood, dreams and the Washington Heights community.

The series continues October 9 with Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends, curated by Jim Byers of WPFW’s “Latin Flavor Classic Edition,” bringing the sounds and history of mambo to the big screen. Director Mari Keiko Gonzalez will introduce the film.

The final evening, October 16, features Disney and Pixar’s Coco, curated by Encore Stage & Studio. The family-friendly film explores music, memory and the connections between generations.

But these evenings are about more than watching a movie. Guests are encouraged to arrive at 6 p.m. to enjoy food, music and time together before each screening begins at sunset, around 7 p.m. Bring a chair or picnic blanket, find a spot and settle in for an evening under the stars.

The series also offers another opportunity to experience 2700 Art Space, Arlington Arts’ creative space at 2700 S. Nelson Street, as a place for gathering, cultural exchange and shared experiences.

Fridays, September 18–October 16 | 6–9 p.m.
2700 S. Nelson Street, Arlington, VA

September 18: We Like It Like That — Community Curator: Leon City Sounds
September 25: In the Heights — Community Curator: Arlington Food Assistance Center
October 9: Mambo Legends: The Music Never Ends — Community Curator: Jim Byers, WPFW’s “Latin Flavor Classic Edition”
October 16: Coco — Community Curator: Encore Stage & Studio

Learn more at ArlingtonArts.org. 

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: August 26, 2026

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose prices have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: The properties featured here may be listed with other brokerages– but that doesn’t limit your options. Arlington Realty, Inc. is ready to represent you, arrange showings, analyze value, and negotiate the best possible terms on your behalf. We understand the neighborhoods, pricing trends and market timing — and we use that knowledge to your advantage. 

As of August 24, there are 172 detached homes, 57 townhouses and 260 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 33 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc. 

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