For those of you who like to get from Point A to Point B faster than your feet can take you then you might be ready to get your bike out of storage and pedal your way around Northern Virginia. Though not as bike friendly for commuters as other cities, the recreational rider can cover a lot of territory with a variety of trials and places to stop along the way

Back in the mid 90's my son and I cycled 300 miles through the Loire Valley in France for 6 days and you can get a bit spoiled by pedaling for a few hours taking in a Chateau or two and ending your evening at French café. You won't get Chateau's in Northern Virginia but you can get national monuments, wonderful parks and a water views. If you plan it right you can also get a nice evening in a Bed and Breakfast at the end of one of the trails as well.

For those of you who just want to take a short ride you might want to head over to Burke Lake Park just off of Route 123 in Burke VA and ride around the 4.7 mile dirt path.

If you are a bit more ambitious and want to enjoy a view of the Potomac River and National Monuments in DC then consider heading to the Mount Vernon Trail which runs 18 miles (one way) from Mount Vernon to Teddy Roosevelt Island just across the River from DC.

Once you have explored Teddy Roosevelt Island you might want to use this as the starting point for your next ride. When you are ready you can head out on the W&OD trail that runs run north to Whites Ferry in Loudoun County. This 75 mile (one way) trip is all on paved paths that make up both the longest and skinniest park in Virginia. Maintained by the Northern Virginia Park Authority the trail runs along the old rail tracks from the Washington and Old Dominion train system which was created in 1859. Once you get to the end of the trail you might want to spend the night at the Norris House voted the best B&B in Loudoun County.

Finally for those with true grit and gel seats there is the 184 mile Chesapeake and Ohio Canal path that starts in Washington DC and ends in Cumberland Maryland. The towpath is rough made primarily of crushed stone and this is not a trail to tackle if you aren't in shape. You can take shorter trips along the trail if you just want to enjoy some of the local sites and I recommend that if your are just out for the day that you stop by and take a look at Glen Echo Park.

So park your car and enjoy a ride around Northern Virginia. You can be as ambitious as you want to be and if you want to pretend you are in France then chill a bottle of nice bottle of Champagne before you go.

Enjoy Earth Day!

Recently I’ve found myself answering a number of calls from around the country about the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP).  The issue?  Rumors that it will take 6 months to close a deal, that HAP has to ratify the buyers contract, that active duty military families buying a HAP listing get extra incentives and so many more.

Now the real experts on the DoD HAP program are the real estate specialists in the 4 regional offices throughout the country.  However after working with a number of military families in the Northern Virginia area list and sell their homes I’ve gotten a solid education on the process and an appreciation for the hard work that the staff at the regional offices are doing to process thousands of files.

So here are the answers I’ve learned in working with the program to help dispel some of the rumors and innuendos:

In the beginning before the program was fully approved and funded it did take 6 months to close a deal.  Today with funding, staff and processes in place my deals have been closing in a 60-75 day range.  This may vary depending on where your home is located and the date of your PCS orders but for my deals it seems to be a solid estimate.

NO-HAP does not ratify the contract.  The seller ratifies the contract. HAP processes the application and benefits.  There are eligibility requirements for the program that a seller must meet and the home must be sold at Fair Market Value.  The seller’s lender is not required to approve the sale as the loan is paid in full at settlement.  All within 30 days of them first contacting me about the program.

NO-there are no special incentives for another active duty family to buy a home being sold with HAP benefits. 

NO- military families do not pay tax on the amount of the benefits they receive.  This was removed as an amendment at the end of 2009.

NO-HAP sales are not short sales.  If a family sold their home as a short sale prior to the program implementation they can apply to HAP for retroactive benefits.  Consult your HAP region to discuss the process.

I’m sure other agents across the country may also have answered a number of these questions and more.  If so please add your information to the list.  Please no more rumors and innuendos.  The HAP program is working and more military families need to know that it exists and not have their sales derailed by incorrect information.

Recently a Prince William County family that had their home under contract as a short sale for 6 months contacting me about the program.  They were frustrated and visible upset by trying to get their short sale approved.  After talking over their situation they learned they were eligbile for HAP benefits,  a buyer  expressed interest in the home and the sellers ratified the contract.  We learned this week, 30 days after submitting the application, that the property will settle in May. 

If you are a military family living in Northern Virginia and qualify for DoD HAP benefits give me a call at 703-346-2213.  Let me show you how I’ve helped multiple families in area get their homes SOLD with the assistance of HAP benefits.



Note:  The Department of Defense HAP program is administered by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.   The program was expanded as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to include PCS families, wounded warriors and surviving spouses.

Greentree Village is what you might expect to see in a community in Fairfax County, Virginia. Located in West Springfield, the neighborhood seems typical of many in the area. Brick front townhouses backing to trees and grassy islands slow traffic down for the kids to be able to play safely. Across the street from the neighborhood is one of the 380 parks maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority. A Fairfax County Connector bus stop is at the entrance to the neighborhood, within 15 minutes is the Springfield Metro, the Rolling Valley and Sydenstricker Slug Lines are all close by as well. Multiple shopping centers add to the appeal as well as being in the West Springfield HS Pyramid.

However the neighborhood also contains a little mystery as well. Tucked behind the basketball court protected by a wrought iron fence are three gravestones from the 1800's. One has the name Addison Keen and another one with the name Clarintine V. Close by you can also see a broken headstone for W. Keen. Unlike other historic graveyards in the area there are no markers to explain how these final resting places ended up in this location.

Anyone who drives through Springfield knows the main road is called Old Keene Mill and Greentree Village lies at an "L"to Old Keene Mill and Keen Road. So what part of the history of the area did the Keen family bring to this particular area? First of all there was a mill on the Pohick Stream that runs through the area and records show it was owned by William Keen. An 1850 census of the area shows that William Keen was 35 years old, married and his occupation was miller.

In 1855 William Keene was convicted of murdering another local man. Local history reports disagrees as to whether William Keen was legally convicted of the murder but he was sentenced to death by hang. Over the following years additional information came forward that perhaps there had been jury tampering which led to his conviction. In 1858 his death sentence was commuted to 10 years in prison by the governor of Virginia. However it is unknown what actually happened to him. Prison records were lost when parts of Richmond was burned during the Civil War. It is not known whether William Keen died in prison, was released or walked out along with all of the other prisoners in 1867.

Whatever the story it makes living in one of the 124 townhouses in Greentree Village just a bit more intriguing. So as you are wandering through your neighborhood in Fairfax County take a closer look around. There is an amazing amount of history tucked in very unusual places.

If you have PCS orders to Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon or any installation in the Military District of Washington, Greentree Village is one of the Springfield neighborhoods you should consider.  Give me a call at 703-346-2213. Let me help you find the neighborhood that is just right for your needs. No hassle, no pressure just straight talk about whether now is the right time for you to buy a new home.

We don’t always get to decide who are neighbors are going to be. We take our chances when we see new houses going up around us. Deciding to put out the welcome mat often helps pull your new neighbors in and makes them feel welcome. And this is the case with Fort Belvoir and Kingstowne.

Another Northern Virginia military family has gone to settlement with the assistance of the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP).

When their home in the Port Potomac neighborhood in Prince William County went on the market we were less than 24 hours away from the second major snow storm in the Northern Virginia area. The buyer who knew the neighborhood viewed the on-line tour of the Port Potomac townhouse and wrote an offer without stepping in the front door. The deal was smooth from start to finish and the representative from HAP arrived at the closing table with the funds to complete the deal.

For military families in Northern Virginia the HAP program means the difference between coming unintentional landlords or facing the process of a short sale.  The program is designed to help:

Active Duty Military Personnel with PCS orders who are upside down on their mortgage (home contract or purchase prior to July 1, 2006)
Wounded soldiers who must relocate due to medical conditions (wounded after 9/1/2001)
Surviving Spouses (death of military member after 9/1/2001)

As with any home sale the HAP program requires documentation and gathering the paperwork required prior to putting your home on the market is key.  Fortunately most Northern Virginia military familes can easily find what they need and if you have lost some of the required documents related to the purchase of your home there are ways to find it locally that I can assist you with. 

For more information on the qualifications for the program you can review the eligibility requirements at the US Army Corps of Engineer website.  If you are a military family in the Northern Virginia area stationed at Fort Belvoir, Quantico, the Pentagon or any installations part of the Military District of Washington give me a call at 703-346-2213.  Let my experience in helping multiple Northern Virginia military families settle their home sales using the DoD HAP program work for you.