The region-wide Street Smart campaign, which runs from Monday, April 7 through Sunday, May 4, focuses on reducing traffic-related crashes and educating drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists about the law.
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: Why would anybody waste thousands of dollars each year on condo fees?
Answer: Most people associate paying condo fees with throwing money down the drain, but most people do not look at condo fees the right way.
In this June 20 article, the Wall Street Journal reported a study by Angi (formerly Angie’s List) that home maintenance and emergency repairs have increased by 85% and 175%, respectively, from 2019 to 2025.
By comparison, condo fees in Arlington increased by an average of just 32% from 2019 to 2025, making them a steep bargain for condo owners compared to other homeowners.
What Do Condo Fees Pay For?
For those who haven’t spent time studying condo budgets, some of the main expenses in a condo budget include:
Maintenance, Emergency Repairs, and Utilities: general upkeep and operations of the building
Reserves: a building’s savings account for major repairs or replacement of things like the roof, elevators, carpet, etc
Property Management/Staff: contracts for a property manager, front desk, janitorial services, and engineer
Master Insurance: this policy usually protects everything except your personal items and improvements within each unit
Clarendon Presbyterian Church at 1305 N. Jackson Street (staff photo)
A plan to redevelop a Lyon Village church as affordable housing for LGBTQ+ seniors has been canceled.
Clarendon Presbyterian Church and True Ground Housing Partners announced yesterday evening (Thursday) that a proposed 102-unit development at 1305 N. Jackson Street is “not financially viable.”
A damp spring day in Rosslyn (courtesy George Brazier)
Veto of Arlington Bill Upheld — The House of Delegates on Wednesday upheld Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto of the Arlington governance-change legislation patroned by Del. Patrick Hope (D-1). The measure aimed to permit referendums on the number of County Board members and how they are chosen. –Scott McCaffrey
Arlington Has Strongest Home Demand — Arlington had the best performance in Bright MLS’s monthly “T3 Home Demand Index” for March across the Washington region. Alexandria was second, DC third in the forward-looking ranking, which generates data down to the ZIP-code level looking at projected buyer activity. –Scott McCaffrey
More DCA Changes — “The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it may slow flight arrivals at Reagan Washington National Airport after a January 29 collision between a helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed 67 people. The FAA also said it is increasing operational supervisor staffing from six to eight and was reviewing air traffic control staffing figures.” [Reuters]
Daughter Donates Kidney to Dad — “In 2024, Mark Maggio of Arlington, Virginia, received news he figured might come soon but hoped it wouldn’t — testing showed he needed a second kidney transplant… Maggio, 65, saw his name added to a list of people in need of donations again, but it turned out a match would be found closer to home. His daughter, Carrie, stepped up and offered to be a donor.” [WTOP]
New County Grant Opportunity — “Arlington County is offering up to $500,000 in one-time funding to expand and enhance digital inclusion activities. This is the first cycle of digital equity grants that will be a cornerstone of the Digital Equity Initiative to promote community-driven solutions that address barriers to accessing and using technology. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on May 15.” [Arlington County]
Beyer Wants to Nix Stadium Tax Breaks — “Today, Congressmen Glenn Grothman (R-WI) and Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced the No Tax Subsidies for Stadiums Act, a bill that will end taxpayer subsidies for the construction of professional sports stadiums.” [Press Release]
Big Win for Local Startup — “Lennar Corp., one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, will purchase up to 1,500 geothermal heating and cooling systems from Arlington startup Dandelion Energy over the next two years for use in new residential housing units being built in and around Denver.” [WBJ]
Fiery Crash Downs Lines, Blocks Road — “Old Dominion Drive was blocked for hours after an SUV crashed into a power pole and caught fire in McLean this afternoon (Thursday). Police and firefighters responded to the Chesterbrook Shopping Center around 5 p.m. for the crash, which happened near the Starbucks store and brought down power lines, according to scanner traffic.” [FFXnow]
It’s Friday — Expect showers and thunderstorms with a high around 68 degrees and a north wind of 6 to 9 mph, with a 50% chance of precipitation. Friday night will also see possible showers and storms, with a low of around 55 degrees, an east wind near 5 mph, and a 50% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
Join us for a special Movie Night on the Pike as we transform Arlington Mill into an outdoor World Cup watch party!
Watch the FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals on a giant screen alongside neighbors from around the globe while enjoying the excitement, energy, and community spirit that make Columbia Pike one of the most diverse places in the region.
Expect showers and thunderstorms with a high around 68 degrees and a north wind of 6 to 9 mph, with a 50% chance of precipitation. Friday night will also see possible showers and thunderstorms, but with a low of around 55 degrees, an east wind near 5 mph, and the same 50% chance of precipitation. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
Northern Virginia Sun owner Howard Bloomer Jr. (photo courtesy Charlie Clark Center for Local History)
The term “blogger” didn’t come into the lexicon until the 1990s. But 60 years before, Arlington almost had the equivalent of one.
From 1935 to 1951, Howard Bradley “Brad” Bloomer Jr. was well known as a major player in Arlington civic life — and perhaps the only one to leave behind a large repository of facts and opinions about a crucial period in the county’s development.
Kids play with a Gatcha claw machine in New Jersey (via Gatcha/Facebook)
A Japanese-inspired arcade with plush toy prizes is coming to the Pentagon City mall in a couple months.
With games, claw machines and Japanese toys and anime figurines for sale, Arcade company Gatcha plans to open this June at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, a mall representative told ARLnow.
New signage is up for Andy's Pizza at 901 N. Pollard Street (staff photo by Katie Taranto)
It’s happening: Andy’s Pizza is opening in Virginia Square tomorrow (Friday), the pizzeria announced on social media last night.
After over a year in the making, the acclaimed D.C.-area pizza shop’s newest outpost — and first Arlington location — is ready for business at 901 N. Pollard Street.
