Archive for the ‘Loudoun County’ Category
September 8, 2008
Inova Loudoun Hospital
- The West Wing, Inova Loudoun-style. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
- Play to Win gets the thumbs-up. [Leesburg Today]
- Leesburg Tomorrow has a great entry about the tough budget choices lying in wait for the BOS.
- I’m really surprised by this…the Loudoun County Planning Department has recommended that the BOS approve the controversial Broadlands hospital. [Loudoun Extra]
- Leesburg Town Council members were optimistic about the town’s future when they met for the annual strategic planning session. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
September 2, 2008
Photo credit
- More good news about Loudoun’s inventory levels. [Loudoun Stats]
- Meet the Principals: Three new elementary schools are opening in Loudoun this week. [Loudoun Extra]
- A Tarara Winery white will be featured at Slow Food Nation’s Sustainable Wine Bar in San Francisco. [LoudounTimes.com]
- Even the principals get graded in Loudoun. But is it on a 7- or 10-point scale? [Our Loudoun Schools]
- More on one of Loudoun’s key assets, its schools [WashingtonPost.com]:
August 30, 2008
There weren’t too many price reductions from which to pick this week. One thing I noticed was an uptick in the number of townhomes priced in the $200s. While that’s not great news for some sellers, it is welcome news for buyers (especially those first-timers). It’s also good news for the market, because townhouse turnover is crucial to increasing single family sales.
ASHBURN FARM
20681 Southwind Ter, 20147
3 bd/2.5 ba; 1868 sq. ft.
Reduced from $310,000 to $285,000 (Original Price: $379,000)
Days on Redfin: 222
43105 Gatwick Sq, 20147
4 bd/3.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Reduced from $319,900 to $285,500
Days on Redfin: 98
ASHBURN VILLAGE
20953 Killawog Ter, 20147
3 bd/2.5 ba; 1648 sq. ft.
Reduced from $295,000 to $276,000
Days on Redfin: 121
43919 Afton Ter, 20147
3 bd/2.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Reduced from $249,900 to $229,900
Days on Redfin: 101
BELMONT COUNTRY CLUB
19912 Mizner Ter, 20147
4 bd/2.5 ba; 2798 sq. ft.
Reduced from $575,000 to $555,000 (Original Price: $595,000)
Days on Redfin: 52
20460 Greymont Ter, 20147
2 bd/2.5 ba; 1696 sq. ft.
Reduced from $319,900 to $299,900 (Original price: $349,900)
Days on Redfin: 92
BRAMBLETON
42513 Magellan Sq, 20148
3 bd/3.5 ba; 1950 sq. ft.
Reduced from $369,900 to $365,000
Days on Redfin: 106
BROADLANDS
22043 Avonworth Sq, 20148
3 bd/3ba; 2116 sq. ft.
Reduced from $390,000 to $385,000
Days on Redfin: 68
21388 Shady Wood Ter, 20148
3 bd/3.5 ba; 2229 sq. ft.
Reduced from $359,900 to $349,900 (Original Price: $384,900)
Days on Redfin: 62
LANSDOWNE
19190 Greystone Sq, 20176
4 bd/4.5 ba; 3965 sq. ft.
Reduced from $575,000 to $550,000
Days on Redfin: 33
19208 Skinner Sq, 20176
4 bd/2.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Reduced from $570,000 to $550,000
Days on Redfin: 99
August 26, 2008
I wrote a few months ago that 2004 is the magic number for Loudoun. If you bought during or before 2004 and you need to sell your house now, you should still be able to walk away with a profit. Those of you (and by that, I also mean me) who bought in 2005 or later might want to sit tight for another year or so.
But for some homeowners, waiting another year could be problematic. Why? Because so many buyers in 2005 and beyond bought their homes at the peak of the market using a 3/1 ARM, and their mortgage clocks are running out. And even though mortgage rates are still very low, they are high enough now that those buyers might not be able to afford the reset mortgage payments.
It took me a while to piece this together. To be truthful, I can’t take credit for recognizing this trend, because a friend actually brought it to my attention. She had some friends who were putting their house up for sale after living there less than 3 years because they had decided the house was “just too big”. My friend laughed at this and said, “Right. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that her 3/1 ARM is running out.” I didn’t think much about it at the time, and filed it away in the recesses of my overtired brain. Last month, however, I noticed that 7 houses on one street in my neighborhood came on the market on the same day. It was odd enough that it caught my attention, and when I did a past sales search, there it was: Every single one of those homes had been bought in mid-to late-2005. What was also noteworthy was that the list price of each home was way too high (by about $100,000), which usually means that the seller is trying to recoup at least some of the original sales price. Within weeks, each of the homes had gone into short sale.
What does this mean for Loudoun’s real estate market? I stand by what I’ve said recently, that there are definite signs the market is stabilizing and properties are starting to move again. But I also think that we won’t see a real shift until the middle of next year, when we’re another year out from the 2005 peak and the number of resetting 3/1 ARMs starts to dwindle. One compounding factor is the sense that the Fed may raise rates early next year, which might put a damper on a burgeoning real estate recovery. Let’s just hope that any increase isn’t significant enough to scare off those buyers who have been biding their time, waiting for the right time to invest in a home in Loudoun County.
August 25, 2008
Dulles Rail rises again; and this time, it looks like it’s going to stick. [WashingtonPost.com and Easterner.com]- High levels of bacteria in one of Raspberry Falls’ wells have led to voluntary watering restrictions. [LoudounExtra.com]
- Here’s a recent list of approved development projects in the county. [LoudounExtra.com]
- Loudoun County’s School Board seems to be more willing to look at changing to a 10-point grading system. [Our Loudoun Schools]
- Starting Sept. 2, Ashburn Farm residents will have the option of catching a shuttle to the Dulles North Transit Center park and ride lot. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
- Loudoun’s Sheriff’s Office wants to help you have a smoother commute. [LoudounExtra.com]
Image: Passengers disembark at the Dulles North Transit Center park and ride lot in Ashburn. Photo courtesy of Loudoun Times-Mirror.
August 22, 2008
The Norris House Inn is on the market.
I can’t believe there are only two weekends left until school starts. (For those of us with kids, it is the most wonderful time of the year – or maybe that’s just me?). I’m actually surprised at the amount of open houses in 20148 and 20176 (11 and 10, respectively; 20147 only has 3), but maybe that’s just the result of a final push before Labor Day.
It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful (albeit, hot) weekend, but if you plan on using some of it to house hunt, you might find something below that peaks your interest. You can see all the open houses by clicking on the ZIP; I’ve pulled out the least and most expensive open houses for your perusal. If nothing else, be sure to check out the priciest property in 20176; it’s the Norris House Inn in historic Leesburg, a bed and breakfast that appears to be on the market as a residential. Have a great weekend!
20147 (ASHBURN)
21366 Twain Ter.
Price: $399,999
3 bd/3 ba; 2992 sq. ft.
Community: Farmwell Hunt in Ashburn Farm
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 1 to 4
19973 Hazeltine Pl.
Price: $794,900
5 bd/4.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Community: Belmont Country Club
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 1 to 5
20148 (ASHBURN)
21388 Shady Wood Ter.
Price: $359,900
3 bd/3.5 ba; 2229 sq. ft.
Community: Broadlands
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 1 to 4
23077 Oglethorpe Ct.
Price: $1,180,000
7 b/6.5 ba; 7774 sq. ft.
Community: Brambleton
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 1 to 4
20176/20175 (LEESBURG)
18290 Tupelo Ridge Ter.
Price: $385,000
3 bd/3.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Community: Northlake
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 1 to 4
108 Loudoun St. SW
Price: $1,750,000
6 bd/6.5 ba; sq. ft. unavailable
Community: Historic Leesburg
Open: Sun. 8/24 from 12 to 4
August 21, 2008
The town of Leesburg has made it easy for you to check the status of development and construction in and around town. [Leesburg Tomorrow]- Loudoun has the second highest foreclosure rate in the state. [Loudoun Times-Mirror]
- Once again, GMU is looking to establish a campus in Loudoun; this time, in Brambleton. [Ashburn Today]
- Here are the latest sales stats for all of Loudoun. [Loudoun Extra]
- Play to Win Sports is moving full steam ahead with its plans to build a sports complex on Belmont Ridge Rd. [Ashburn Today]
George Mason enjoys the scenery at GMU.
August 15, 2008
Normally, I don’t cover news stories that are more than a week old, but I can’t resist covering this one. I found it several weeks ago and meant to write about it, but kept putting it off. I think that was partly because I got sidetracked by other news, and partly because I was ruminating on what exactly I wanted to say on the topic.
According to this Washington Times editorial, D.C. United has failed to show a profit in any of its 11 seasons at RFK Stadium. Photo credit: Getty Images.
The story is this: DC United appears to be looking to establish a “presence” in Loudoun. Although that in and of itself is not exactly breaking news (word first leaked out about a year ago), what is noteworthy is that discussions are still ongoing. Here’s a clip from The Loudoun Times-Mirror:
“…Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (I-at large) mentioned that he recently spoke with DC United President Kevin Payne. But about what, York told me that he was “not at the liberty to say.”I got the same response from DC United. “We can’t comment,” said team spokesman Doug Hicks, who did confirm that Payne and York spoke.
[text snipped]
So, are professional soccer matches in Loudoun’s future? Well, maybe scrimmages.
One person with knowledge of the conversation between York and Payne, who asked to remain nameless, said DC United is looking to create “a presence” in Loudoun, perhaps in the form of a training facility, similar to Redskins Park in Ashburn.
[text snipped]
Allowing area youth teams use of any future field(s) in Loudoun was also discussed, the source said.
But where is the team looking and what is its time frame? Sadly, I have no idea.”
As you can imagine, reactions from inside and outside DC are markedly different. Loudoun residents love the idea (and I’m sure Fairfax and Prince William County residents don’t exactly mind it, either); DC residents (and those who live nearby) are livid. The team, after all, is named DC United.
I completely understand why city residents are appalled at the idea of their team being relocated. That makes perfect sense. If the team were called “Loudoun United”, I wouldn’t want it moved to Arlington or Montgomery County. But I am bothered by the completely misinformed comments made about Loudoun. Although Baltimore has also been named as a possible new home for the team, there seems to be a special snarkiness (did I just make up that word?) reserved just for Loudoun County. I came across this DCist.com blog entry (entitled, “Say Hello to Loudoun County United”, even though it also mentions Baltimore) from last year, and here are some of the comments:
“It would be hard for me to imagine DC United moving to Loudoun. It would be a strange choice for a sports franchise that surely depends upon a large number of foreign-born supporters. Huntington or Hybla Valley I can imagine. Wheaton I can imagine. Even one of those vacant parcels along Route 1 near Woodbridge. But Loudoun? Something about that seems incongruous.”
“Your headline is misleading. There’s no talk about a Loudoun County stadium. It’s not only wrong, but not even humorous. No sane person would consider a DC United stadium in Loudoun County. Why are you trying to sensationalize this issue?”
My very favorite line from the comments above has to be the one implying that the team would be lacking foreign-born support if it moved out to Loudoun. Anyone who lives in Loudoun automatically knows why I find that comment really, really funny; but it is so off-the-mark that it also borders on offensive. It’s obvious the commenter did not mean to be offensive, but remarks like that are incredibly representative of the many misperceptions about Loudoun County.
This post is at high risk of turning into a rant, and I’ll save that for another day. So, let me just say this: If you are reading this and are ticked off that your team could be moved waaaay out to the ‘burbs, I don’t blame you. But if you are worried that the team might not survive if it’s relocated to Loudoun, I can put those fears to rest. In particular, Eastern Loudoun is a highly athletic community; there are so many sports teams that playing field availability and quality are huge issues. You can trust me when I say there will be no lack of support for the team – foreign-born or otherwise.
NOTE: If DC United does leave the city, they won’t be the first MLS team to do so. The L.A. Galaxy plays in the suburb of Carson, CA, and both Seattle and Portland are considering building soccer stadiums outside their borders.
August 8, 2008
I wrote several optimistic posts last month about the direction in which Loudoun’s real estate market has been headed, but I have to say it’s extremely satisfying to see it in black and white. The past sales searches I ran today yielded results I somewhat expected, but it was still surprising to see it contrasted against the data from a month ago. (By the way, the number of properties on the market in 20176 is now down to 546. That’s the lowest number I’ve seen since I moved here in May of 2006.)
In case you don’t remember, here are the numbers from my last sales analysis to jog your memory. (The search covered 6/1 through 6/15.)
| ZIP |
Sales |
Average
Sale Price |
Median
Sale Price |
| 20147 |
43 |
$457,494 |
$420,000 |
| 20148 |
12 |
$598,355 |
$638,453 |
| 20176 |
13 |
$546,991 |
$535,000 |
Here’s what I found for 6/15 through 7/15 (to be consistent, I broke out the sales from 6/15 through 6/30, in order to properly show the increase from the first half of the month):
| ZIP |
Sales |
Average
Sale Price |
Median
Sale Price |
| 20147 |
116 sales (65 from 6/15 through 6/30) |
$424,085 |
$416,000 |
| 20148 |
40 sales (22 from 6/15 through 6/30) |
$532,745 |
$526,050 |
| 20176 |
128 sales (77 from 6/15 through 6/30) |
$425,943 |
$369,950 |
It’s interesting to me that while prices in 20147 held relatively steady, both 20148 and 20176 experienced significant drops. It’s not surprising, though, since substantial price decreases were needed in order to get the market moving. Also not surprising is that 20148 continues to bring in the highest sale prices; I guess Washingtonian Magazine knew what it was talking about when it named 20148 one of the Top 50 ZIPs in terms of price consistency this past year.
I’m featuring the least and most expensive sales in all 3 areas below. You can view the entire results from each search by clicking on the ZIP.
20147
Least expensive property sold:
43860 Hickory Corner Ter., Unit 111
Type: Condo
Community: Ashburn Village
Sale price: $70,000
Closing date: 6/19/2008
Most expensive property sold:
20257 Medalist Dr.
Type: Single family
Community: Belmont Country Club
Sale price: $1,202,372
Closing date: 7/10/2008
20148
Least expensive property sold:
22641 Blue Elder Ter., Apt 103
Type: Condo
Community: Ashburn Village
Sale price: $232,000
Closing date: 7/07/2008
Most expensive property sold:
43078 Lago Galleric Ct.
Type: Single family
Community: Belle Terra
Sale price: $900,000
Closing date: 7/11/2008
20176
Least expensive property sold:
66 Adams Dr NE, #85
Type: Condo
Community: Heritage Square
Sale price: $60,245
Closing date: 7/2/2008
Most expensive property sold:
18680 Riverlook Ct.
Type: Single family
Community: Lansdowne
Sale price: $3,199,000
Closing date: 6/30/2008
August 2, 2008
The selection of open houses has picked up a bit, which is somewhat surprising given that August is typically the worst month to sell real estate. Click on the ZIP to see the full list of open houses for Sunday; I pulled out a few to highlight that have also recently had their prices reduced. Weather-wise, it looks like a great day to go house hunting, or head to the pool – or both. Have a great weekend!
20147
ASHBURN VILLAGE
43998 Downington Ct
Reduced from $509,999 to $499,900
4 bd/3.5 ba; 3197 sq. ft.
Days on Redfin: 78
Open: Open: Sun. 8/3 from 12 to 3
20148
MORELAND ESTATES
42456 Corro Pl
Reduced from $799,333 to $779,000
5 bd/4.5 ba; 5892 sq. ft.
Days on Redfin: 91
Open: Sun. 8/3 from 1 to 3
BROADLANDS SOUTH
21510 Tithables Cir
Reduce from $659,000 to $649,000
4 bd/4.5 ba; 4828 sq. ft.
Days on Redfin: 57
Open: Sun. 8/3 from 1 to 4
20176
NORTHLAKE
18404 Mill Run Ct
Reduced from $725,000 to $699,999
4 bd/5.5 ba; 6000 sq. ft.
Days on Redfin: 258
Open: Sun. 8/3 from 1 to 5
