column

Biz Talk: OxiWear, revolutionizing oxygen measurement from the heart of Arlington

By Sponsor
OxiWear is an Arlington-based company

This article is sponsored by Arlington Economic Development’s Business Investment Group.

In the dynamic world of medical technology, innovation thrives where necessity meets opportunity.

OxiWear, an Arlington-based company, is leading the charge in preventing silent hypoxia — dangerously low oxygen levels that often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Founded by Shavini Fernando, a pulmonary hypertension patient who experienced the life-threatening risks of undetected oxygen drops, OxiWear is committed to providing a life-saving solution through its continuous oxygen monitoring wearable device.

Pioneering Medical Innovation in Arlington

OxiWear’s wearable device is a game-changer in health technology. Unlike traditional pulse oximeters that offer intermittent readings, OxiWear ensures continuous oxygen tracking with real-time alerts, offering peace of mind to individuals at risk of hypoxia. The company’s recent FDA clearance as a prescription medical device marks a significant milestone, paving the way for widespread adoption and transforming patient care.

Why Arlington is the Ideal Launchpad for MedTech Innovation

Arlington Economic Development (AED) plays a crucial role in fostering innovation, providing businesses like OxiWear with unparalleled access to resources, talent and opportunities. Arlington’s thriving healthcare and technology ecosystem, bolstered by top-tier universities, research institutions and a vibrant entrepreneurial community, creates an environment where groundbreaking ideas become reality.

Proximity to Washington, D.C. offers a strategic advantage, enabling direct engagement with national healthcare organizations, policymakers and regulatory bodies. AED’s support through international business development, government funding resources and networking opportunities have been instrumental in OxiWear’s growth and success.

Expanding Horizons: What’s Next for OxiWear?

With FDA clearance secured, OxiWear is set to revolutionize the medical landscape through strategic partnerships with organizations like the COPD Foundation, expanding its reach to patients with pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease across the U.S. Future plans include collaborations with major healthcare distributors, ensuring accessibility through hospital networks, home healthcare providers and online platforms.

Beyond the medical sector, OxiWear is exploring applications in fitness, aviation and high-altitude sports, offering continuous oxygen measurement to athletes, climbers and professionals in high-risk environments. As the company scales production and enhances its technology, Arlington remains the cornerstone of its journey.

Arlington Economic Development: Your Partner in Innovation

OxiWear’s story highlights how AED empowers businesses to innovate, grow, and thrive. If you’re looking for a dynamic environment to bring your groundbreaking ideas to life, Arlington is the place to be. Contact Arlington Economic Development today to discover how we can support your business journey.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: February 19, 2025

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price 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: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of February 17, there are 106 detached homes, 28 townhouses and 137 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 19 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

920 Patrick Henry Drive

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 internet is wrong, the DC market is not crashing

By Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored 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 Eli@EliResidential.com.

Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

Question: I have seen multiple posts online that the D.C. area market is getting flooded with inventory and is crashing, is that accurate?

Answer: I was planning to do a lovely post this week on 2025 design trends (maybe next week?), but social media exploded over the weekend with posts about the D.C. area market being flooded with homes for sale and crashing due to the DOGE/Trump government cuts. After about 20 different people texted me about it, I figured I’d use this week’s column to correct the misinformation hitting so many of your newsfeeds.

Short Answer: The D.C. area market is not currently showing signs of a crash or being flooded with unseasonably high numbers of homes for sale.

For a longer response, I’ll share and respond to a handful of the posts/stats that have gotten the most exposure on social media…

“Everything is being put on the market”

The post screenshot below kicked off the frenzy (11M views in 36 hours) of people-on-the-internet making false claims of a D.C. area market crash/inventory flood. One would think that somebody by the name of Darth Powell (64,000 followers) whose bio states they are a “housing market savant” would surely know what they’re talking about, right? Sadly, no.

Darth Powell post on X

What Darth Powell is suggesting is that the visual of so many listings in Coming Soon status suggests that everybody is suddenly putting their home up for sale.

For context, the reason a seller would enter their home into the MLS in Coming Soon status is because they get the benefits of massive marketing exposure (reaches all agents in the MLS and syndicates to all consumer-facing sites like Zillow) without accruing “days on market” before they are ready to “go Active” and start showing the home and hosting Open Houses (note: the MLS restricts and enforces a ban on showings while in Coming Soon status).

(more…)

Statutes of Liberty: How many immigration lawsuits are there now?

By Sponsor

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 Taryn Druge, 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.

As we predicted, the new Trump administration has launched a broad-spectrum attack on various aspects of our immigration system. As we further predicted, many, many lawsuits have been filed in response.

The purpose of this advertorial is to give our readers a broad sense of the landscape, both in terms of the Executive Orders and what the administration’s foes have done to challenge them.

The Court of Chancery Considers (Yet Another) Request for an Injunction

Executive Action: End Birthright Citizenship

We discussed the Trump administration’s attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order in our last explainer. It isn’t going well for the administration. As we predicted, lawsuits were filed — nine of them, in various federal district courts — and, so far, the Justice Department is getting its clock cleaned. In State of Washington, et al., v. Trump, et al., a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction against the executive order, which is currently on appeal at the Ninth Circuit. Don’t expect the injunction to be lifted.

Executive Action: Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion

The Trump administration, on January 20, 2025, issued an executive order stating that, (1) the United States is currently being invaded, within the meaning of Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution, and (2) that the President is therefore exercising his inherent Article II power to suspect the physical entry of all aliens involved in an invasion into the United States until further notice. On February 3, immigrant advocacy organizations sued and sought an injunction. That complaint is still pending. They’ll get their injunction, trust us.

Executive Action: ICE Enforcement in Houses of Worship

The Trump administration announced that, in a reversal of previous policy, ICE may now conduct immigration enforcement operations in locations previously considered sensitive — prominently including schools and churches.

We predict that this lawsuit will eventually fail. There is no Statutory or Constitutional right to be free from arrest or detention based on location

Executive Action: Expedited Removal Policy

The Trump administration has expanded the scope of expedited removal — which ordinarily only involves recent entrants to the United States caught near the U.S. border — to the entirety of the United States. The policy targets undocumented immigrants nationwide.

People apprehended by ICE who cannot prove that they are U.S. citizens, or that they have permission to be in the United States, or that they have been in the country continuously for at least two years, can be summarily deported. The ACLU and allied organizations have filed suit, contending that this new policy violates the Fifth Amendment, the Immigrant and Nationality Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

We predict that this suit will succeed on procedural grounds, because DHS published a Federal Register Notice purporting to create a regulation on the same day that the E.O. was announced — on January 21, 2025.

Executive Action: Expanding Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay

The Trump administration has announced that it will be ramping up operations at Guantanamo Bay, and plans to detain up to 30,000 migrants there. The administration has already began sending migrants there in small numbers.

The ACLU has sued, alleging that the Trump administration has now effectively deprived those detainees of the right to counsel, and is seeking an injunction guaranteeing, at a minimum, that lawyers will be able to contact their clients while in detention.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin has replied, in a statement to NPR, that “[i]f the AMERICAN Civil Liberties Union cares more about highly dangerous criminal aliens including murderers & vicious gang members than they do about American citizens — they should change their name.” (Capitalization in original.)

We predict that this suit will succeed, and we predict that Tricia McLaughlin will be promoted.

These are just some of the Trump administration’s immigration orders! We’re working as quickly as we can to address them in print for our readers. As always, we are grateful for your questions and comments, and will do our best to respond.

Small Business Focus: Your experience matters, let’s build what’s next!

By Sponsor
Steps to Start a Business | BizLaunch

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Arlington is home to a wealth of talented professionals, and for those looking to take their expertise in a new direction, entrepreneurship offers an exciting opportunity.

At BizLaunch, we’ve helped countless federal employees turn their skills and experience into thriving businesses, guiding them toward success. While entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, if you’re considering launching your dream business, BizLaunch and SCORE have the tools and resources you need to succeed.

On February 7, we partnered with SCORE for a special webinar designed for the federal workforce, covering the essential steps to launching a business and building a strategy for success.

The first step for many entrepreneurs is to develop a business plan. In our previously recorded webinar, Dr. Ebony Grey, a certified SCORE mentor, outlines the necessary elements of a successful business plan and the mindset required to be an entrepreneur. While a solid business plan is essential, entrepreneurs often need support in other key areas as well.

That’s where SCORE comes in. SCORE offers free training through its Small Business Essentials Series, provides industry-specific mentorship opportunities, and offers free business plan templates to help you get started.

Beyond planning, understanding business regulations is crucial. BizLaunch Director Tara Palacios breaks down the Small Business Checklist in the webinar to ensure entrepreneurs comply with local, state and federal regulations. BizLaunch also offers unique programming and one-on-one counseling to support new business owners at every stage.

Take advantage of this free recorded webinar to gain valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey. From there, if you’re ready to take the next step, schedule a free one-on-one consultation with a BizLaunch expert today.

For more information about BizLaunch and to be notified about future opportunities, sign up for our newsletter by visiting www.bizlaunch.org.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: February 12, 2025

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price 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: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of February 10, there are 102 detached homes, 27 townhouses and 139 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 17 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

6576 Williamsburg Boulevard

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: Elimination of government workforce & contracts effect on local real estate

By Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored 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 Eli@EliResidential.com.

Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

Question: Are the current and future cuts to government jobs and contracts by Trump/Elon Musk/DOGE negatively effecting real estate values and demand?

Answer: With recent announcements of government workforce and contract cuts, led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, and the Trump administration, many are wondering how these changes impact the local D.C.-area real estate market. While uncertainty looms, making forecasting difficult, here’s what I’m seeing on the ground and what it could mean for buyers and sellers in 2025 and beyond.

I’m not going to rehash what’s happening in the federal workforce and contractor space because it’s 90% of the news cycle and you can find more detailed and current information across many news outlets, but personally, I’ve followed the excellent coverage of Arlington-based Axios.

Market Remains Strong…

I’ll cut to the chase — so far, in most sub-markets, my team and I have not seen many signals of demand dropping enough to have a measurably negative effect on real estate values. We have been involved in (on the buy and list side), and been privy to, numerous sales with competing offers, escalating prices, and stripped down/out contingencies that have all become the norm during the Q1/Q2 market. These examples have shown up across the Greater D.C. Area, in different property types (single-family detached, townhouse, and condo), and at various price levels (more on this later).

…Despite Less Market Demand & Intensity

During Q1 of each year, I look closely at the intensity of competition, not just the existence of competition. I define intensity by the percentage of properly marketed and priced homes that are getting multiple offers, the number of offers coming in (this is critical, especially for forecasting the Q2/Q3 market), and how much contract prices are escalating over prior year pricing. The structure of the real estate industry makes this difficult to measure accurately early in the year because it’s more anecdotal than scientific, but I get a feel for it by late-January/early-February and this year market intensity is down from this time last year (and the last five years). It’s hard to say how much of this can be attributed to persistently high interest rates vs the federal workforce cuts.

(more…)

The Nose That Knows: Prioritizing craft over recognition

By Sponsor

This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@arrowine.com.

In Burgundy’s complex landscape of prestigious vineyards and celebrated winemakers, some of the most compelling stories come from dedicated vignerons who prioritize craft over recognition.

Laurent Pillot exemplifies this tradition, rarely leaving his village over two decades to ensure he never missed a crucial moment in his vineyards.

Now joined by his sons Romain and Simon, the Pillot family continues their meticulous approach to winemaking, earning a reputation for extracting exceptional quality from their parcels. Their 2023 Bourgogne Pinot Noir showcases the vintage’s much-praised characteristics: immediate charm, fresh fruit expression, and elegant structure.

The wine displays a deep ruby color and offers fragrant aromas of strawberry tarts and Bing cherries, accented by delicate violet notes. On the palate, it presents concentrated red fruit flavors balanced by subtle notes of toasted nuts, spice, and cherry pit. While immediately appealing, brief decanting reveals additional depth and complexity.

Wine critics have praised 2023 as an outstanding vintage for Burgundy’s entry-level wines, delivering both immediate pleasure and aging potential. The Pillots’ bottling, aged in stainless steel to preserve freshness and purity, exemplifies these qualities.

Available now at Arrowine, this release continues the Pillot family’s tradition of producing expressive Pinot Noir that punches above its price point. Previous vintages have consistently sold out within hours of release.

Close up of a glass of Pinot Noir red wine on a table (Photo by the blowup on Unsplash)
Shop The 2023 Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Legal Insider: Federal employees weigh options with federal employment resignations

By Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq

With the deadline approaching today (February 6, 2025) for federal employees considering whether to take up the administration’s offer to resign and get paid through the end of September (“Fork in the Road” email), many still have questions.

There have been multiple changes to the offer and proposed settlement terms over the last few days so employees accepting the deferred resignation are facing risks as to whether or not the program will work as planned.

Many federal employees offered the deferred resignation opportunity could benefit from it, but one of the problems is that the program has been rushed out too quickly. With the speed that the program was put in place, most federal employees have been confused about how it applies, whether they will have to do any work during the resignation period and whether it is binding. Most agency administrators have been unable to properly advise subordinate federal employees on what type of work they will have to do during the resignation period and many other questions.

One version of the Fork in the Road email suggests that vacations are an option, which is likely not the case. Federal employees can expect to work to some degree (or perhaps full time) from home if they accept the deferred resignation offer. We just don’t know what will happen.

The Reality of the Resignation Offer

We are advising federal employee clients to seriously consider the risks before accepting OPM’s deferred resignation offer. While the offer is appealing to many, it involves a leap of faith. If something goes wrong with the resignation offer in the courts, such as it is found to have not been appropriated correctly by Congress, or whether it complies with the Administrative Procedures Act and other laws, individuals could be left without any option to challenge the agreement. We wrote about these issues when it first came out.

(more…)

Arts Focus: The time to explore Arlington’s vibrant visual arts scene is now!

By Sponsor
1/3

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Arlington’s visual arts scene is thriving, with a growing array of galleries, maker spaces and museums showcasing diverse and thought-provoking works. From sculptural movement pieces and historical photography to a tribute to a pioneering fashion designer, local exhibitions reflect Arlington’s dynamic arts landscape.

Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington County’s Arlington Economic Development Department, delivers unparalleled public arts programming for Arlingtonians, visitors and beyond. Our mission is to create, support and promote the arts, connecting artists and the community to reflect Arlington’s diversity.

Current Exhibitions

Nothing Personal: A Collaboration in Black and White 

January 31-May 3 | Mason Exhibitions Arlington | Virginia Square

This exhibition explores Nothing Personal (1964), a book collaboration between writer and Civil Rights activist James Baldwin and photographer Richard Avedon. The work juxtaposes celebrity culture with capitalism and racism’s corrosive effects.

Patrick Kelly: Nothing is Impossible 

Now through March 8 | Cody Gallery | Virginia Square

This exhibition celebrates Patrick Kelly, the late 1980s designer known for joyful, boundary-pushing fashion. Dubbed the “male Black Lucille Ball,” Kelly infused humor and playfulness into his work. The Cody Gallery presents more than 20 of his creations, courtesy of the Shaw-Holmes Collection.

Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington: Come Together in Movement and Light

Wednesday, February 12 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Innovation Studio + Store | National Landing

During her residency, Negar Ahkami will develop Y’All Go Rhythm!, an interactive installation inspired by Persian architectural patterns and the exuberant dance traditions of Iranian-American gatherings. Visitors are invited to move and dance within the space.

Bennie Herron: All of the Pieces Are Women 

Through March 1 | Fred Schnider Gallery | Virginia Square

Poet, painter and social advocate Bennie Herron explores identity and emotion through bold, fractured busts in his latest work. His paintings serve as an extension of his poetry, reflecting on the paradoxes of existence.

Explore Arlington’s galleries and experience the power of visual storytelling. For a full calendar of visual and performing arts events, visit arlingtonarts.org.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: February 5, 2025

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price 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: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of February 3, there are 100 detached homes, 30 townhouses and 127 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 14 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

912 S. Quincy Street

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: Arlington’s 2024 single-family market review

By Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored 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 Eli@EliResidential.com.

Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

Question: How did Arlington’s single-family detached market perform in 2024?

Answer: Starting this week, you can find some of my upcoming pre-market listings at the end of my article. For more information about these listings or more pre-market listings, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].

With even less available inventory in 2024 than in 2023, low supply levels drove the average price of a single-family detached (SFD) home in Arlington up by 6.8% to an average price of more than $1,450,000 while the median price increased by 5% to nearly $1,280,000. Despite the strong gains, this is the first time since 2019 that condo prices outpaced SFD prices. Last week we did a deep dive into the 2024 condo market, so this week we’ll dive into Arlington’s 2024 SFD market…

The data below looks at Arlington’s SFD market last year and the trends over the past five years. Most real estate data sets look at numbers based on the year a home sold/settled, but I prefer to look at data based on when a home went under contract because it gives a more accurate reflection of what was happening in the marketplace at the time the deal was agreed to. In past analysis, I have used “net” prices (sold price less seller closing cost credits), but due to MLS data changes, this data does not net out closing cost credits.

Supply Down, Prices Up

The available supply of SFD homes in Arlington continues sinking to new lows since 2022, putting immense upwards pressure on prices, despite lower demand. The result is an increase of 25.6% and 28% in the average and median price, respectively, of SFD homes in Arlington over the past five years.

  • The average price of a SFD home increased by 6.8% to over $1.45M. Removing new construction from the data, the average SFD resale price increased by 6.8% to nearly $1.33M.
  • The median price of a SFD home increased by 5% to over $1.28M
  • The average buyer paid 0.4% over the seller’s original asking price across all SFD homes, but for homes purchased within the first ten days on market (59% of all sales), the average buyer paid 4.2% over the seller’s original asking price
  • New builds sold for an average of $2.365M, 8.3% more than last year, but just a bit higher than in 2022
  • Just 6% of SFD homes sold for less than $800,000 and many of them will be torn down and replaced with a new home
  • 17% of homes sold for over $2M, while just 14% sold for $1.6M-$2M
  • In 2020, almost half of the homes sold were $800k-$1.2M, in 2024 just over 1/3 fell within that range
  • Homes with 3-5 bedrooms make up more than 84% of the homes sold
Single Family Market Review 2024
Distribution Of Single Family Detached Prices 2020-2024
Bedroom Count As Percentage Of Total Sales 2020-2024

(more…)

View More Stories