News

Arlington County is hoping to launch part of its digitized permitting systems next month.

Starting September 9, residents and businesses will be able to apply for some permits online, as well as ask questions and check on the status of pending applications, in what officials hope will be a “welcome relief” for local businesses.


Feature

Welcome to New Homes, a biweekly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Driving through the neighborhoods of Arlington may look a bit different than it did than just last year, with new construction homes popping up on older lots.


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Welcome to Kami’s Korner where we’ll take a deep dive into Arlington’s condominium market by focusing on what’s coming next. From emerging developments to shifting trends, this space will spotlight the opportunities and insights shaping the future of condo living in Arlington.

To understand where the market is today, let’s look at how the condo market has changed. What began as an affordable housing alternative for first-time homebuyers has become the pinnacle of true luxury urban living typical of a world-class city. Let’s explore the 20-year evolution of new condos in Arlington.

Early 2000s: Affordability Focused. Condominiums in the early 2000s were aimed primarily at first-time homebuyers. Affordability was key and this type of housing in Arlington wasn’t glamorous quite yet. The market was steady and interest rates, at just under 7% in 2001, were deemed attractive. Most buildings had 100- 200 units and the average size for a new condominium in Arlington was 950 sq ft.

Mid-2000s: Market Heats Up. In 2003 the market began to pick up speed, fueled by the abundance of financing and essentially loans that required no documentation or proof of affordability. During this time Ballston saw several apartment to condo conversions. Condo units were generally designed as apartments so unit sizes were smaller among all unit types. Finishes were acceptable but not great. This is when granite countertops became the epitome of quality.

New builds like Liberty Center in Ballston shifted the average size down while finish quality and livability of design improved. It was probably the best building of that generation. Like many others at that time there was a rush to buy and buildings were very successful in pre-sale. (more…)


News

(Updated 12:45 p.m.) The landscape of Crystal City is being reshaped as office buildings are built or renovated ahead of Amazon’s arrival.

Over the stretch of a few blocks in Crystal City, several buildings either currently built or to-be-constructed have been highlighted by real estate company JBG Smith as temporary Amazon workspaces. For the past few months, the area has been ringing with the sounds of demolition and construction, which picked up since Amazon announced it had selected “National Landing” — the combined area of Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard — for its HQ2.


Event

Online event (see link)

Since 2005, Mamistad has helped 1000’s of first-time moms find their new mom tribes. Let’s connect you with yours! Join us for a quick FREE virtual call and you’ll be all set to join your group – sometimes even the same day!

When you’re expecting or just had your first baby, you can be blindsided by all the newness that comes with it. All those feelings you’re having are normal – it’s NOT JUST YOU! Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for – mainly the changes YOU will go through as a mother.


Opinion

Despite only being a few miles apart as the crow flies, some residents of Arlington and D.C. are reticent to date people who live in the other jurisdiction.

For some, it’s the perceived differences among people who live on opposite banks of the Potomac. For others, it’s more practical concerns: the distance makes Metro travel slow and Uber travel pricey.


News

An under-construction home caught fire this morning, prompting an emergency response that closed part of N. Glebe Road during the morning rush hour.

Video from the scene shows smoke coming from the top of the home, at the intersection of Glebe and 33rd Street N., just north of Washington Golf and Country Club.


News

County Releases Statement on ART Crashes — “We are incredibly thankful that no one was seriously injured in these incidents, which the County and ART take very seriously. ART’s number one priority is the safety of our riders and others on the road.” [Arlington County]

More I-395 Nighttime Closures — “Motorists should expect significant lane closures on the general purpose lanes along I-395 North this weekend, August 9-11, from Duke Street (Exit 3) to past Pentagon City/Crystal City (Exit 8C) for bridge rehabilitation work along the I-395 corridor.” [Press Release]


News

A county facility that serves people with developmental disabilities was spray painted with “an array of racial and gender slurs” earlier this week.

Staff members at the Woodmont Community Integration Center on the 2400 block of N. Fillmore Street discovered the hateful graffiti all over the building and a vehicle early Tuesday morning. Police were called and are still investigating the incident, an ACPD spokeswoman said.