The Mango storefront at the Fashion Centre in Pentagon City (staff photo)
A new European clothing store is now open at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
Spanish fast-fahion retailer Mango opened this past Wednesday, July 24 on the mall’s second level near Haggar. Mango has clothing for adults and kids in addition to home decor, though the Pentagon City location mostly sells women’s apparel.
Mattie and Eddie's at Westpost in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Irish pub Mattie and Eddie’s is expected to close next week at Westpost in Pentagon City.
The food-focused pub — which opened in 2021 and replaced Siné, another Irish pub — was a labor of love for chef, restaurateur and Dublin native Cathal Armstrong, who named the new establishment after his grandparents.
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…)
ARLnow on a mobile phone (photo illustration by ARLnow)
The main theme of ARLnow’s promotion of our email newsletter is that it allows you to get all of the headlines, without intermediation by algorithms.
Large online platforms like social networks and search engines are great, but they will generally only surface a fraction of the local stories you might be interested in reading, unless you actively seek them out. And many of us have settled into being more passive scrollers than active seekers when it comes to news.
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.
Sunset in Clarendon over Joyce Motors (Flickr pool photo by Brian Gannon)
Pushback on APS Phone Proposal — “Efforts by Arlington school leaders to put in place for the start of the school year a temporary, district-wide policy on student phone use brought criticism before it even had been formally unveiled. School Board members on July 18 heard criticism of the nascent proposal from representatives of both the County Council of PTAs (CCPTA) and Special Education Parent-Teacher Association of Arlington.” [Gazette Leader]
Best Egg Sandwiches in Arlington — According to Washington Post food critic Tim Carman, some of the best egg sandwiches in the D.C. area can be found in Arlington at Taco Bamba, Ruthie’s All-Day, Colada Shop, and Hog Haven Farm stands at local farmers markets. [Washington Post]
Uncertainty About Quincy Site — “The county manager said he planned to do everything he could to avoid using the Quincy Street site for the bus fleet over the long haul. But, he added, ‘I’m not going to make a promise to that. I’m not saying [a future electric bus parking lot is] going to be on Quincy, but it has to be somewhere.'” [Gazette Leader]
Beyer Expected at Union Picket — “Representative Don Beyer, who represents Arlington County in the U.S. House, has pledged support for the workers of the Hyatt Regency Crystal City. Congressman Beyer is expected to speak in support of the Hyatt workers ahead of the picket this Saturday, July 27.” [Press Release]
New Amazon Fresh Now Open — “Amazon Fresh opened in the Potomac Yard Shopping Center today at 3801 Richmond Highway — four years since the former Shoppers Food Warehouse closed.” [ALXnow]
More Speed Cameras in Fairfax — “Get ready for more speed cameras in Fairfax County school zones. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave its support this week for the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) to move ahead with the installation of 50 additional speed cameras in school zones following the success of its speed camera pilot program.” [FFXnow]
Silver Line Anniversary — “On this day 10 years ago, Metrorail arrived in Tysons and Reston, connecting two growing communities in Fairfax County to D.C. by train for the first time… While ridership remains below even 2014 levels, usage of the Silver Line Phase 1 stations has steadily increased since 2022, reaching an average of 7,405 weekday riders so far this year, as of July 17.” [FFXnow]
It’s Friday — Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high close to 85 degrees and a northeast breeze around 7 mph. Overnight, the sky will remain mostly clear, as the temperature drops to around 67 degrees. [NWS]
Expect mostly sunny skies today with the temperature reaching a high close to 85 degrees and a northeast breeze around 7 mph. Overnight, the sky will remain mostly clear, and as the temperature drops to around 67 degrees, the wind will reduce to about 5 mph before calming in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napoleon Hill
RiverHouse in Pentagon City at sunset (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The Arlington County Board has re-approved the Pentagon City Sector Plan, restoring a document that a state court declared void for procedural reasons earlier this year.
The Board’s unanimous vote on Tuesday reaffirmed the county’s original February 2022 decision to plan for substantial Pentagon City development in coming years, particularly at the RiverHouse apartment complex. Developer JBG Smith proposes to build over 1,500 new units on the expansive property, across from the Westpost shopping center and home to three apartment towers.
Tap water in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Poor regional coordination and outdated technology led to inconsistent messaging during Arlington’s boil water notice earlier this month, county staff say.
Confusion began after D.C. Water was the first to issue a boil water notice the night of July 3, due to potential contamination caused by algae blooms in the Potomac River.
The MidnighTreats kiosk in Ballston Quarter (staff photo)
Monster-sized sweet treats are coming to Ballston Quarter’s food hall later this summer.
MidnighTreats, a regional bakery selling giant vegan cookies, is expected to open by mid to late August, owner Jemal Mahdi tells ARLnow. It will occupy the former kiosk of District Doughnut, at the entrance to Ballston Quarter Market.