For nearly 65 years, Arlington County Board members rang in the new year with a Jan. 1 organization meeting.
Often drawing large crowds and extensive media coverage, the event was a chance for county leaders to lay out their priorities for the coming year after first voting in a chair to serve for the 365 — sometimes 366 — days ahead.
Of the two Arlington squads that played in the annual eight-team George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament, the host Wakefield Warriors placed highest.
The boys high-school basketball team (8-2 overall) ended up in fifth place with a 2-1 record, playing in three close games in the popular 23-year-old holiday event, the only one of its kind in the county.
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: Does the cost of renting a home in Arlington increase at a similar rate as the cost of buying a home in Arlington?
Answer: The cost of renting and buying a detached home increases at a similar rate, but the cost of renting a condo has outpaced the cost of buying a condo.
Condo Rents Rising Faster than Condo Prices
Since 2020, the cost of renting a detached home in Arlington increased at a similar rate as the cost of buying a detached home; 26% and 28%, respectively.
However, the cost of renting a condo increased significantly faster than the cost of buying a condo; 21% and 6%, respectively.
Sale Price to Rental Rate Multiple Shifts with Interest Rates
The table below shows the average price and $/SF of buying a detached home or condo relative to the average annual rent for a detached home or condo, in Arlington. Higher multiples show that buying is becoming more expensive relative to renting.
Takeaway: Condo buyers are more rate sensitive than detached home buyers and are more likely to rent (higher rental demand = strong condo rent appreciation) than buy (weakened purchase demand = low condo value appreciation) when interest rates increase. Notice how quickly the sale price to rental rate multiple drops from 2020/2021 to 2022/2023 (rates skyrocketed spring/summer 2022). (more…)
NYE Road Closures — “The Arlington County Police Department will implement road closures and parking restrictions in Clarendon on New Years Eve to help ensure public safety and accommodate the expected increase in foot traffic related to nightlife activity.” [ACPD]
Metro Changes in 2026 — Expect weekend closures of the Crystal City Metro station, starting in February, as a result of construction on the second station entrance project. [NBC 4]
DOJ Sues Virginia — “The Justice Department sued Virginia on Monday over its policy of granting unauthorized immigrants in-state financial aid at public colleges and universities, saying that the assistance violates federal law because it discriminates against U.S. citizens living in other states.” [NYT, Reuters]
More Kennedy Center Woes — “More musicians have canceled their upcoming concerts at the Kennedy Center after its board voted to rename the performing arts venue to include President Donald Trump’s name. The canceled performances to date include shows previously promoted for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 14.” [Associated Press, NBC 4]
Bad Flu Season — “The United States is seeing a massive surge in flu cases this winter, many of them attributed to the so-called “super flu.” An unprecedented rise in flu cases comes as other sicknesses — such as the “winter vomiting bug,” COVID and whooping cough — are slamming the United States this winter.” [Axios]
It’s Wednesday — Expect flurries and a slight chance of snow before 7am, followed by mostly cloudy skies becoming sunny later, with a high near 39 and southwest wind gusts up to 21 mph. Wednesday night brings more flurries and a low around 26, while New Year’s Day has flurries until noon, sunny skies, and a high near 33 with gusts up to 28 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Jason Gooljar
The Rosslyn Farmers Market brings fresh, locally grown food to the heart of the neighborhood on Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. beginning on May 6. Located at Central Place Plaza (1800 N Lynn St) and operated in partnership with FRESHFARM, this thoughtfully curated mid-week market connects the community with regional farmers and food producers offering seasonal produce, baked goods, ready-to-eat items, and other local essentials.
Just steps from the Rosslyn Metro station, the market is a convenient destination for Arlington residents, commuters, and visitors searching for a farmers market near Washington, D.C. From farm-fresh vegetables to artisanal breads, the Rosslyn Farmers Market makes it easy to restock your pantry or fridge with dinner-ready staples right in the middle of the workweek.
Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 30, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect flurries and a slight chance of snow before 7am, followed by mostly cloudy skies becoming sunny later, with a high near 39 and southwest wind gusts up to 21 mph. Wednesday night brings more flurries and a low around 26, while New Year’s Day has flurries until noon, sunny skies, and a high near 33 with gusts up to 28 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“In order to write about life first you must live it.”
– Ernest Hemingway
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Join us in remembrance and celebrate our community at the City of Falls Church’s 44th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival on Monday, May 25, 2026. Honor our nation’s fallen heroes and our country’s rich history while marking the 250th anniversary of the United States of America!
Monday, May 25, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is New Year’s Eve, and at ARLnow we’re continuing our countdown of this year’s most-read stories.
Stories #11-20 included a mix of heavy and lighthearted coverage, with a couple surprises thrown in.
An unusual set of administrative circumstances has led to confusion over how many students are allowed at a private school in Lyon Park.
The Arlington County Board earlier this month extended an existing use permit allowing Tyndale Christian School to operate with a maximum of 40 students. It did so even though the school at 716 N. Barton Street currently has an enrollment of 80 students.
It might not have snowed Wednesday morning, but there’s another chance of wintry weather Thursday morning.
An early New Year’s Day snowfall is possible, prompting Arlington County to apply brine to main roads. More, below, from the National Weather Service.
Arlington County will begin its yearly post-holiday collection of Christmas trees starting next week.
A special pickup of the expired evergreens will begin next Monday, Jan. 5 and continue through Friday, Jan. 16.
A restaurant serving up spicy fried chicken is closing its doors in Rosslyn after three and a half years.
Hot Lola’s, which opened at 1501 Wilson Blvd in the summer of 2022, announced the closure in a social media post earlier this month. The initial plan was to close on New Year’s Eve, but the restaurant’s signage has already been taken down as of today (Tuesday).
Local rising kindergartener, Phin, has advanced to the Top 5 in his group in the national Jr. Ranger Contest, a competition that celebrates children who are passionate about nature, wildlife, and exploration. After making it through earlier rounds with strong community support, Phin is now in 4th place and working toward the top spot needed to move on to the quarterfinals.
The contest encourages kids to engage with the outdoors and highlights their curiosity and love for learning about the natural world. For Phin and his family, this experience has been both exciting and meaningful, made even more special by the encouragement from friends, neighbors, and the broader community.
