Just a few miles outside the gates of Fort Belvoir visitors and residents of Fairfax County can find some of Virginia’s finest historic homes and our nation’s treasures.  For their time these homes were the envy of the neighborhood and the owners most certainly among the richest families in Fairfax County.

Sitting on the best piece of property that any colonist could have imagined is Mount Vernon the home of George Washington. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture the prominent colonist in the 1770’s sitting on the back porch watching the large mast ships headed into the docks in Alexandria. With the distinguished white frame home, stone fences and outbuildings wandering through the grounds is a great way to get a feel for how life might have been like so long ago.

 


Just a short hop down the road you will enter the gates to Woodlawn Plantation. Looking at this stately brick home built between 1800-1805 you have to be amazed by the construction and architecture that created a home that has stood for 200 years. Built for George Washington’s grand-daughter Nelly Custis-Lewis on a 2,000 acre site, the property the home is a beautiful example of the Federal style popular with mansions at the time. Designed by the same architect, William Thornton, who created the US Capitol the home was furnished with many of the original pieces from Mount Vernon. Situated at the top of a hill known as Gray’s Hill the back porch of the home has a view of the Potomac River and is the first property owned by the National Historic Trust formed in 1951.

If you live close to Fort Belvoir stop by and check out the homes of your famous neighbors.  The doors are open most of the year and they are always happy to have you stop by for a visit. 

This afternoon to take advantage of a break from the rain and real estate we grabbed our camera to take a walk in the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge next to our house.  Though the trees and grassy areas are mostly still bare from the winter, the Osprey nests in the refugee were everywhere. 

The Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge is made up of 644 acres of land that was reclaimed from the government after an Army research site closed down in 1994 directly on the Occoquan River.  About 50% of the land has been reclaimed as a natural wetland and has become a wildlife refuge for a number of species the most obvious being the Osprey.

We noticed at least 8 pairs of Osprey building their nests in the trees and the roosts which have been developed for them to use.  Throw in the sounds of a few dozen geese, blue herons, woodpecker and a variety of smaller birds and you can sense that spring is in the air.  In fact the refuge is home to 220 species of birds, abundant wild tailed deer and 65 species of butterflies have been documented within the refugee.

Since we live next door ito the refuge in Belmont Bay we have the privilege of watching the Osprey glide past our window and grab nesting material with their talons without stopping.  Occasionally they pass by with a fresh fish on their way back to their nesting areas.

The foresight of Prince William County planners to set keep this valuable property out of the hands of developers means that residents from around the area can see how valuable the conservation of the Occoquan River is to our area.  If you live in the Woodbridge area check out this often overlooked refuge just off Route 1 at the end of Dawson Beach road.  Walk along the waterfront and through the wetlands and enjoy the sounds of spring.

Even though the deadline for the completion of the move of upwards of 21,000 jobs in Northern Virginia is still 2 years away the evidence of the upcoming changes can be seen.

At the Army Engineering Proving Grounds in Springfield the new headquarters for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is rising on the horizon.  The Engineering Proving grounds are considered "New Campus East" and the cost of the building and infrastructure will top $1.7 Billion.  When the project is done the NGA will consolidate an estimated 8,500 employees in one location.

Just down the road at Fort Belvoir the new DeWitt Hospital is underway.  The new DeWitt will not be a single building but a complex.  Featuring state of the art technology eliminating the need for hand carrying of medical records from one facility to another, top of the line clinic services and more inpatient services the hospital will rival any top of the line private hospital. 

In Alexandria ground has broken at the Mark Center for the buildings to accommodate the remaining "BRAC 133", a consolidation of a number of Defense Department level positions.  In total an expected 6,400 jobs will move to the area at the intersection of I-395 and Seminary Road.  Originally scheduled to be at either Fort Belvoir or at government property at the Springfield Metro it was decided that the impact on traffic in the area would not accommodate the additional jobs.

Even though all of these jobs are shifting under Fort Belvoir as part of BRAC it does not mean that there are going to be 21,000 new arrivals to the area.  In fact approximately 96% of the incoming jobs are held by personnel already stationed in the area.  There may be some who need to make a change in their residence but for the most part the housing market will not see a significantly influx of new home buyers due to BRAC.

The influx of personnel to the area is putting a new face on Fort Belvoir and the surrounding area.  Watching it all unfold to meet the imposed Fall 2011 deadline will be interesting. 

Are you looking for a way to spend the $8000 first time home buyer's incentive?  Then you might want to consider the all brick townhouses in the Charlestown neighborhood in West Springfield to use your piece of the incentive.

You don't find many neighborhoods that have been as well maintained as this one. With an HOA that does all of the outside maintenance including a three year paint schedule, roofing, sidewalks, brick courtyard walls and front landscaping it means that you can have your weekends free to enjoy all of the nearby activities.

While the neighborhood is primarily made up of three level townhouses there are a scattering of two level homes mixed in to the 500 plus homes that make up the community. For first time buyers who want to be close to shopping, public transportation and recreation activities Charlestown has all three covered.

Express service to the Pentagon runs through the neighborhood, the Fairfax Connector offers service to the Springfield Metro and Fort Belvoir is an easy drive.  In fact from my experience having owned and lived in the neighborhood all you need to do is step out to Forrester Blvd and you will be offered a ride into town. Shopping at multiple grocery stores is within walking distance and the back entrance to Lake Accotink Park is within a mile.

If you are thinking that now is the time to take advantage of low interest rates, lower house prices and the $8000 tax credit then give me a call. Let's get together and talk about your options. No hassle, no pressure, just straight honest talk about our market and what is right for you.

Floor plan illustrative of the Hermitage Floor Plan.
Large 3 bedroom and den with aproximately 2500 square feet.

The landlord didn't say a word but the notice tacked on the front door said it all.  The mortgage wasn't being paid and the bank was giving notice of the pending foreclosure action.

It isn't a new a new phenomena, in fact I first wrote about this back in October 2007  when one of my clients experienced the shock of a foreclosure move.  Fast forward and the notices are still arriving on door throughout Northern Virginia.  Along the way I've learned a few things to try and help my rental clients avoid this mid-lease move or protect their credit rating when the notice does arrive. 

Ask to see a copy of the last three mortgage statements from the prospective landlord to show that they are current on their payments.  It doesn't mean that they are going to keep paying but at least you know they are paying now.   If they aren't willing to share this information with you, be a bit suspicious as to why not.  Check the MLS to see if the property is also listed for sale.  On more than one occasion I've discovered a rental property listed for sale as a short sale.  That's a big red flag.


If the tenants see the foreclosure notice, have them "hold" the rent and deposit it with an attorney.  Don't stop paying rent because your landlord is going to foreclosure.  There could be an implication on your credit, however advise the landlord that the rent will be held by an attorney until they can provide documentation that they are current on their mortgage payments. 

If the property is being professionally managed contact the management company to let them know of the impending foreclosure.  They often don't know until a tenant calls them that the landlord is in financial trouble. 

Though these steps may not help everyone I have found that they have made me look closely at rentals before I suggest a tenant sign a lease.  It has saved at least two of my clients thousands of dollars on "lost" rent when they discovered the landlord was headed to foreclosure. 

Remember that the chances are slim that a tenant will get back their security deposit on a foreclosed property.  Having the rent held by an attorney means that even if they end up having to turn some of it over to the landlord they may be able to hold on to an amount equal to their security deposit to use towards their next property.

The PCS orders have arrived! The phone has been ringing as military families around the world have gotten the word that their next duty station is in the Northern Virginia area. The first few days after the PCS orders arrive all the questions about housing, schools and transportation can lead to sleepless nights. Don't worry it is easy to find your way through the maze of options and get you settled in the area in no time.

Most military personnel headed to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or any of the Military District of Washington installations often chose to live in  Fairfax, Prince William or Stafford Counties .  Whether you are going to buy or rent there are plenty of neighborhood options for you to choose from. If you are thinking of buying a home, the current Northern Virginia market provides you the chance to find a good value on homes in neighborhoods scattered through out the area. Military personnel are dusting off their VA Certificate of Eligibility and checking with local lenders about the options available to use their VA loans. If buying is the plans make sure you have talked to a lender prior to making your house hunting trip. Knowing what monthly payment you are comfortable with is important for looking at homes in neighborhoods that meet your price criteria.

There are a number of neighborhoods in Northern Virginia that have always been popular with military families stationed throughout the area including Cardinal Forest, Belmont Bay, and Westridge are just a few of the choices. The options are as varied and there is something for everyone in a wade range of prices.

If you have school age children starting with information on local schools through the Fairfax County or Prince William County or Stafford County school sites or the Great Schools website will also assist you in determining the right neighborhood for your family.

The final big piece of the puzzle is how do I get around the area? If you are coming from a smaller more laid back part of the country then driving around the roads in Northern Virginia can be a bit intimidating. The good news is there are loads of transportation options for you to consider and there are plenty of families that find they can get by with one car. With the price of gas at an all time high learning the ins and outs of our public transportation options is critical.

The best way to get through the maze is to call a Realtor® who has been through numerous military moves and is a native of the area. I’ve lived through the best and worst military moves and know how to help your family learn about Northern Virginia and find a neighborhood that you will want to call home during your tour of duty. My military relocation network is at your fingertips through my on-line resources, on the phone and in person. Don’t lose sleep over your orders just give me a call at 703-346-2213. I’m here to help you with a smooth transition! 

If you are headed to Fort Belvoir and are looking for a reasonably priced townhouse community where the developer left green space and clustered courtyards then check out Springfield Oaks in Fairfax County.

Situated on 18 acres of wooded and gently rolling terrain the 382 townhouses in Springfield Oaks are only 5 miles from Fort Belvoir. The community is also within 5 minutes of the Lorton Station VRE, about 15 minutes to the Springfield Metro or you can catch a Fairfax Connector or Metro bus at either entrance to the community

Having owned a townhouse myself in Springfield Oaks I knew how well the association worked to keep the neighborhood up to date and they have recently completed a brand new tot lot. The neighborhood is divided into two sections crossed by Alban Road. Both the upper and lower sections of the neighborhood share services including twice a week trash pickup, community leaf cleaning and snow removal.

Every year the community sponsors events to bring the neighbors together including ice cream socials, Easter egg hunts and Halloween parties. If you need a lesson on Oak tree species all you have to do is drive through the neighborhood and look at the street names including, Blue Oak, Chapman Oak and Pin Oak to realize how many types of Oak trees there are.

If you are headed to Fort Belvoir check out www.militaryrelocationnews.com or Fort Belvoir On-Line Relocation Guide for more information. Give the Cindy Jones team a call at 703-346-2213 to chat. If you are in the area we can meet for coffee and talk about about whether this is the right time for you to buy a home.  No hassle, no pressure, just straight talk about the home buying process property in today's market.

The rumors continue to fly that during the HOT market sellers were not accepting VA or FHA loans due to tougher appraisals and inspections.  So I decided to take a look through some data in the MRIS to see if the rumors be supported by the data.

The first caveat to the data is that the accuracy of the data in the MRIS is up to the listing agent to enter when a sale is complete.  With that in mind the following data compares the month of February from 2006-2009.  Unfortunately the data was not available to make a five year analysis.

It was surprising to see for this one month comparison that February 2008 was when Fairfax County saw the largest number of FHA and VA loans used to purchase homes.  The total sales volume is not that much lower in February 2009 so the difference could be considered significant.  However you can see that in 2006 and 2007 when sales volume were at their highest point that FHA and VA loans were significantly lower than conventional financing.

The numbers did support the "rumors" that the easiest way to buy a home a few years ago was with conventional financing.  It was surprise not to see more FHA or VA loans this year.  With the lowest interest rates that we have seen in years if buying a new home is in your future give the Cindy Jones team a call at 703-346-2213.  We can look at what is the right loan program for you to take advantage of lower prices and lower rates.  No hassle, no pressure, just straight talk about whether now is the right time for you to buy a new home.

Just a few minutes from the main gate of Fort Belvoir is the quiet neighborhood of Harbor View.  If you are looking for a Lorton neighborhood with mature trees, large half acre (or more) lots and no cookie cutter homes then Harbor View is a neighborhood you want to check out.

The community offers something unique in Northern Virginia.  For boaters the neighborhood features a boat launch ramp and storage facility in the community.  With direct access to the Occoquan River from Massey Creek the boat launch is a popular place for residents to gather.  Harbor View Recreation Club works to keep the channel to the river open, which has required dredging on more than one occasion.  Recent improvements to the tot lot and addition of fire pit means residents have even more reasons to head to the recreation area during every season. 

Besides easy access to Fort Belvoir the neighborhood is also conveniently located to the Lorton VRE station and I-95 for access to DC and the Pentagon.  Enjoy an afternoon at the Accotink Wildlife Refugee or historic Mount Vernon.

If you are headed to Fort Belvoir consider Harbor View as one of the many great close by neighborhoods in the area to consider.  If you need help finding a new home while you are stationed at Fort Belvoir or anyone of the military installations in the Northern Virginia or DC area give the Cindy Jones team a call at 703-346-2213.  Let our experience with military relocatation help you find the right place to call home.

This guide is geared towards "new" Lorton. Lorton neighborhoods have been around a long time. In fact the Lorton area has plenty of history that goes all the way back to our early famous neighbors, George Washington and George Mason. There are older neighborhoods which are just as popular today as they were when they were built in the 50's, 60's and 70's. Over the last 10 years a "new" Lorton has emerged which has brought a renewal to southern Fairfax County.

Most of the "new" Lorton growth came about when the Lorton Prison Complex was ordered closed in 1998. With just over 3200 acres the prison complex gave Fairfax County developers an opportunity to create an entire new vision for the land and its usage. With a Virginia Rail Express Station already in place in Lorton (1994) the area was poised for growth.

On the west side of I-95 multiple neighborhoods were carved out of the prison grounds, along with parks, schools, golf course and arts center. The largest of the neighborhoods, Laurel Hill has 700 homes built by Pulte or Centex Homes. In addition to Laurel Hill, other neighborhoods that have grown out of the redevelopment of the old prison land include Laurel Crest, Laurel Highlands and the over 55 community of Spring Hill.

To the east of I-95 a new town center Lorton Station has grown up around the VRE station. Currently featuring multiple restaurants and a pharmacy more stores are slated to open next year. Just down the road Lorton Market offers a large Shoppers Food Warehouse, UPS store, emergency medical center and banking. All of shopping options make it easy for homeowners to stay in the neighborhood for just about everything they need.

In 2006 the new South County Secondary School opened and the Laurel Hill Elementary School will be open in fall 2009. The Laurel Hill Golf Course an 18 hole championship course operated by the Fairfax County Park opened in 2007 and with a 9000 square foot club house it has become a terrific place for Lorton residents to gather. Bike paths and walking trials connect different sections of the community and also connect with the Fairfax County Cross County Trail

The jewel of the redevelopment is the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center. Officially opened in September 2008 the site has retained the old brick Lorton Prison buildings and revamped them into a blend of artist's studios, classroom and performing arts center. Proposed new stores and restaurants will round out the neighborhood making once was depressing area the newest "it" place in Northern Virginia.

With it's convenience to Fort Belvoir, easy access to I-95, community VRE station and community amenities it is easy to see why the "new" Lorton has become a re-development success in Fairfax County. If you are interested in learning more about relocating to the Lorton area give me a call. We can meet up for coffee in Lorton Station and talk about about whether this is the right time for you to make a move. No hassle, no pressure, just straight talk about the home buying process property in today's market.