Have you noticed your child wanting to interact with others in public?
Does it seem as if your child’s curiosity is growing every day? Is “Me do” becoming a regular phrase in your child’s vocabulary? Has your child begun to show an interest in being social and independent?
At Children’s House Montessori School (CHMS), children develop and practice social skills with classmates and Montessori Guides. CHMS students share stories at circle time, make music together, and collaborate on Montessori lessons they can proudly complete.
Children organically engage with fellow classmates and Montessori Guides during individual and small group lessons throughout the “Montessori Work Cycle”. This peaceful classroom routine fosters a safe and encouraging environment where friendships blossom.
Not only do Montessori classrooms encourage social interaction, they also create opportunities to act independently. CHMS students have freedom within limits to follow their interests and learn at their own pace. Our learning environments are specially created to allow children to easily select and practice exciting Montessori lessons. At CHMS, children experience the value and joy of being a more responsible and self-sufficient community member.
CHMS is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
Discover the vibrant CHMS community at the newly renovated Del Ray campus!
This week’s Q&A column is written by David Howell, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, of McEnearney Associates Realtors®, the leading real estate firm in Alexandria. You may submit your questions to McEnearney Associates via email for response in future columns.
Question: How was the real estate market in Alexandria for the first half of 2024?
Answer: This week we look at market activity for the first half of 2024 compared with first half of 2023 for the City of Alexandria and South Alexandria (Fairfax County portions of Alexandria).
The charts below show average available monthly inventory, new listing activity by price range, contract activity by price range, contract activity by property type (condos, attached homes, and detached homes), and the average days on the market. Higher interest rates and low inventory continue to be primary factors influencing our local market.
If you are interested in more information, every month on our website we profile the most important market indicators for Northern Virginia — contract activity, interest rates, inventory, affordability, and the direction of the market — in an easy to read and digest summary followed by supporting charts and data.
Just Listed highlights Alexandria City properties that came on the market within the past week. This feature is sponsored by the Jen Walker Team (Licensed in VA) of McEnearney Associates REALTORS®.
Jen Walker here with The Jen Walker Team! We have been recently lauded with the #1 Real Estate Team in Virginia — based out of Alexandria, Virginia. I, along with my rock-star team members, Sue Kovalsky, Micki MacNaughton, Adrianna Vallario, and Nancy Lacey, have more than 40 years of experience in real estate and sold over $145 million in 2023.
Fabulously updated Del Ray charmer! This 2 bed/2 full bath townhome in Del Ray truly has it all. From the charming front porch to the expanded kitchen, this home can’t be beat.
Walk up the path to the front porch — perfect for afternoon lemonade or working from home on cooler days. Enter into the living room — the open floor plan flows easily into the dining area and kitchen — great for entertaining or everyday living. The kitchen has been updated with beautiful countertops and crisp, shaker-style cabinetry. There is plenty of storage and counter space to make a gourmet meal or bake to your heart’s content. a door from the kitchen leads to the rear yard — a great space for a grill!
Head upstairs to two bedrooms and a shared, fully-renovated bath. The primary bedroom has nice closet space and room for a large bed plus dressers. The second bedroom could double as an office. Two mini-split units provide for additional air conditioning to help you stay cool on the hottest summer days. The lower level has a recreation room and full, renovated bathroom. The utility room has closet space for storage and laundry, plus a convenient exit to the rear of the home. The basement level was previously used as an Air B&B and could easily be used as a recreation room, a guest room or home office space.
Enjoy walking to Metro, shops, restaurants and more and easily commute into D.C. via the GW Parkway or I-395. You will love living in Del Ray! Welcome Home!
Open House: Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14 from 1-3 p.m.
In our highly competitive Alexandria market, the Jen Walker Team has the insider knowledge to connect you with homes that are not even public yet. With more than 40 years of experience, the Jen Walker Team has the expertise to answer questions, calm fears, and streamline your transaction. Want to see other homes not featured in this article? Contact our team today!
Please note:While The Jen Walker Team provides this information for the community, they may not be the listing agents of these homes. Equal Housing Opportunity.
McEnearney Associates Realtors®, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 #WeAreAlexandria
This week’s Q&A column is sponsored and written by Hope Peele ofThe Peele Group andMcEnearney Associates Realtors®, the leading real estate firm in Alexandria. To learn more about this article and relevant Alexandria market news, contact The Peele Group at 703-244-6115 or email [email protected]. You may also submit your questions to McEnearney Associates via email for response in future columns.
Question: When downsizing, who do I need on my team?
Answer: When you’ve lived in a home for years — decades even — there comes a time when many decide to pare things down. This is something that is always better to start on sooner, rather than later. The downsizing process can feel overwhelming, but The Peele Group likes to create a team of professionals who do this all the time and can take some of the burden off of you.
Here are some examples of who we recruit to help!
Organizer — After living in a home for years of holidays, vacations, and memories, there is bound to be a ton of things you’ve accumulated that you might not necessarily need in the next stage of your life. Perhaps you have a passion for artwork and it fills the walls of your current home. If your next home is smaller, you will need to choose which items to keep and which to pass along. A professional organizer can help you make decisions about what is important to you. They should never make you feel judged, and will work with you to establish goals as well as a pathway to get there!
Estate Sales — Many of my clients are collectors of some sort, or at the very least have a collection of beautiful things they have amassed over the years. An estate sale company will be able to assist in valuation and then go over various routes of resale, based on both the value and number of items.
Junk Removal— Once you’ve decided what to keep and what could be sold, sometimes it’s easiest to hire a company to come and haul away everything else. They should have all of the same equipment and methods as movers, keeping the home completely protected. Some companies will also go through what they gather and donate what they can. Many of my clients prefer ones that do, so that they know their things are going to a good home, plus the added benefit of avoiding the landfill as much as possible!
Mover — Sure, we all have friends and family who might offer to help us move. But in my experience, it is always worth it to hire insured, professional movers. They not only have the equipment but also the know-how on the best way to pack up your belongings efficiently and safely. There is also a recourse process if, in the worst case, anything should happen while your items are in transit. Some movers will even hold onto your things if you don’t know your final destination quite yet.
Stager — Whether you’ve decided to empty your entire home, or begin showings while you are still living there, a stager is very helpful in deciding how to give the best impression possible. Most people think of stagers as bringing in all of the furniture and creating an entirely new set-up. While this is one of the services they offer, many will also work with your existing living space. They can advise on which art pieces to show, and where, and how to best arrange the things already in your home.
Realtor — Getting this entire team together is one of the many services that we provide at The Peele Group. Engaging with your real estate agent early in the process, maybe even before you’ve fully decided on a timeline, can make everything go more smoothly. We frequently work with sellers who are planning on downsizing in the next five years or so and would like us to work with them to create a timeline that works for them.
For more information on downsizing, and to meet and hear top tips from the professionals listed above, RSVP to our Downsizing Seminar — July 13th at James Duncan Library from 2-3:30 p.m. at [email protected] or reach out for a private consultation.
Downsizing Seminar
Hope Peele is a licensed real estate agent with McEnearney Associates, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia. She grew up in Old Town and currently lives in Del Ray. As a partner with The Peele Group, Hope is dedicated to guiding her clients successfully through the many-faceted process of buying or selling a home. Contact Hope at 703-244-6115.
Hope Peele
If you would like a question answered in our weekly column or to set up an appointment with one of our Associates, please email: [email protected] or call 703-549-9292. McEnearney Associates Realtors®, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. www.McEnearney.com Equal Housing Opportunity. #WeAreAlexandria
On the eighth of March, 2024, a Texas federal judge struck down a rule of the United States National Labor Relations Board. In a momentous blow to the United States National Labor Relations Board, a Texas federal judge has blocked a contentious rule that would have allowed contract and franchise workers to be able to work for different companies at once. They would also be able to bargain with and be represented by worker unions.
Issued back in October 2023, the law took effect on the 12th of March 2024. The next section highlights how this came to be and why the law was struck down in court.
This week’s Q&A column, sponsored and written by McEnearney Associates Realtors®, the leading real estate firm in Alexandria, is a bit of a departure from our usual format. To learn more about this article and relevant Alexandria market news, contact us at 703-549-9292. You may also submit your questions to McEnearney Associates via email for response in future columns.
Question: What resources are available to help me become a homeowner?
Answer: Summer is a time for graduations, weddings, and dreams for the future. Officially June is National Homeownership Month, the time when Realtors® and housing advocates promote various pathways to homeownership, a goal for those who want to build generational wealth and create a place to call their own. It may now be July, but these goals don’t become any less important.
The truth is that buying a home in 2024 is challenging, and it is harder for some groups to take that first step to homeownership.
According to Realtor.com research, low-income earners are 22% more likely to be denied a loan, LGBTQ+ are 25% less likely to own a home compared to all Americans, one in four Hispanic individuals complete the home-buying process entirely in Spanish, seven in 10 veterans are unaware they qualify for a zero-down home loan, and the gap between Black versus white homeownership is worse today than in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act was passed.
The Census Bureau’s quarterly report for Q1 2024 showed the latest homeownership rate is at 65.6%, down 0.1 percentage points from Q4 2023 and the lowest rate in two years. On May 31, the Biden administration issued a Proclamation on National Homeownership Month 2024, calling upon “the people of this Nation to safeguard the American Dream by ensuring that everyone has access to an affordable home in a community of their choice.”
Put simply, the proclamation states, “Whether they rent or buy, Americans deserve a safe place to call home.”
Some of the proposed initiatives to make homeownership more accessible include:
A tax credit of $5,000 per year for the next 2 years for any family earning under $200,000 — money they can put toward a mortgage when they buy their first home or trade up for more space.
My plan would also provide first-generation homebuyers with $25,000 for a down payment.
A pilot program run by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to make it more affordable to refinance a home by eliminating title insurance fees on certain federally backed mortgages, which would save buyers $1,500 at closing.
The FHA is now considering positive rental history when making decisions about creditworthiness — ensuring that the people who could qualify for mortgage financing receive it.
Advancement in fair housing practices, including by rooting out bias in the home appraisal process, which keeps too many Black and Brown families from enjoying the full financial returns of homeownership.
Just Listed highlights Alexandria City properties that came on the market within the past week. This feature is sponsored by the Jen Walker Team (Licensed in VA) of McEnearney Associates REALTORS®.
Welcome Back!
Jen Walker here with The Jen Walker Team! We have been recently lauded with the #1 Real Estate Team in Virginia — based out of Alexandria, Virginia. I, along with my rock-star team members, Sue Kovalsky, Micki MacNaughton, Adrianna Vallario, and Nancy Lacey, have more than 40 years of experience in real estate and sold over $145 million in 2023.
Welcome to 401 Tennessee Avenue — a beautiful Cape Cod home in Beverley Hills!
The charming porch greets you as you walk from the driveway to the front door. This home has 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, and its versatile layout makes it easy to customize to your needs! Enter into the living room, currently used as a music room, this space features a wood-burning fireplace with a beautiful mantle and easily flows into the living room (which could also be a formal dining room!), which is separated by custom shelving to ground the room. Continue to the rear of the home and you will find a spacious, bright family room, large breakfast area and the kitchen. Oversized windows allow for tons of natural light and high ceilings add to the airy feel.
The family room overlooks the wrap-around deck and huge backyard — the lot is nearly 10,000 square feet! Ideal for entertaining or everyday living, the family room opens to the deck — great for hosting parties or weekend barbecues! Upstairs are two bedrooms and a shared hall bathroom. The primary bedroom can easily accommodate a king-sized bed, and the closet space in both rooms is larger than your average Beverley Hills home. An attic with pull-down stairs allows for ample storage. Head down to the lower level, and you will find an additional bedroom/recreation room and full bath plus laundry and utilities. Whether you need to utilize the basement as a guest suite or an office, the walkout access to the rear yard makes this room not feel like a basement at all.
Need more space? The current owner has plans for an addition! Easily build off the rear of the home to add a third bedroom and bathroom upstairs — or do more. The large lot allows you to enjoy the home now and do an addition to accommodate you in the future. The location of this home cannot be beat. Situated on a very quiet street, you will love the Beverley Hills community — walkable to “the Pit” park and Del Ray, and a short drive to Shirlington and Old Town. This location is amazing. Easily accessible to I-395 and the express bus to the Pentagon, this is a commuter’s dream!
Open House: Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30 from 1-3 p.m.
In our highly competitive Alexandria market, the Jen Walker Team has the insider knowledge to connect you with homes that are not even public yet. With more than 40 years of experience, the Jen Walker Team has the expertise to answer questions, calm fears, and streamline your transaction. Want to see other homes not featured in this article? Contact our team today!
Please note:While The Jen Walker Team provides this information for the community, they may not be the listing agents of these homes. Equal Housing Opportunity.
McEnearney Associates Realtors®, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 #WeAreAlexandria
This week’s Q&A column is written by Darlene Duffett of McEnearney Associates Realtors®, the leading real estate firm in Alexandria. To learn more about this article and relevant Alexandria market news, contact Darlene at 703-969-9015 or email [email protected]. You may also submit your questions to McEnearney Associates via email for response in future columns.
Question: I’m thinking about buying a home. Where do I start?
Answer: Buying your first home is an exciting milestone, but it can also be a daunting process filled with unfamiliar terms and important decisions. As a real estate agent, I’ve guided many first-time buyers through this journey. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the home buying process smoothly and confidently.
First off, homeownership offers a multitude of benefits that extend beyond merely having a place to call your own. Financially, it provides stability as owning a home shields you from the unpredictability of rising rent prices, allowing for more consistent monthly budgeting.
Additionally, making regular mortgage payments can act as a credit amplifier, enhancing your credit score over time. Unlike renting, homeownership grants you the freedom to customize and renovate your living space to match your personal tastes and needs, truly making it your own. Moreover, there are significant tax benefits, such as deductions on mortgage interest and property taxes, which can lead to substantial savings. As you pay down your mortgage, you build equity in your home, which can serve as a valuable financial asset and provide a sense of security for the future.
Now The Process
Find a Real Estate Agent
Finding the right real estate agent is crucial to navigating the home buying process with confidence and success. Start by seeking recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who have had positive experiences with local agents.
Just Listed highlights Alexandria City properties that came on the market within the past week. This feature is sponsored by the Jen Walker Team (Licensed in VA) of McEnearney Associates REALTORS®.
Welcome Back!
Jen Walker here with The Jen Walker Team! We have been recently lauded with the #1 Real Estate Team in Virginia — based out of Alexandria, Virginia. I, along with my rock-star team members, Sue Kovalsky, Micki MacNaughton, Adrianna Vallario, and Nancy Lacey have more than 40 years of experience in real estate and sold over $145 million in 2023.
Wait until you see 905 Eldon Drive! Beautifully done renovation/build by renowned local builder Morris Construction, this 6-bedroom, 5 bath home features over 4,200 square feet in the main home plus an additional bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and laundry in the 426 square foot guest cottage/ADU.
With thoughtful touches like custom trim work and built-ins to designer lighting and tile — this house is a dream! From the moment you drive-up, you will be charmed. With window boxes, custom wood shutters and shaker siding, this house has fantastic curb appeal. Enter into the foyer, and you will find the dining room on your right and bedroom/study to your left. The dining room features board and batten trim work and a sleek gold chandelier. The office has custom built-ins and is wrapped in a soothing gray paint — making this room fun and cozy at the same time. Just off the office is a screened porch, which is perfect for working from home or sipping morning coffee. The office has access to a full bathroom with green square tile, a wood vanity and gorgeous lighting.
Head to the rear of the home, which is truly the heart of this space. The kitchen is both functional and beautiful and features shaker-style cabinetry with gold pulls and knobs plus an oversized island — ideal for entertaining or everyday meals. The 48-inch range with wood hood is a chef’s dream! Off the kitchen is a family room with built-in window seats, a gas fireplace and easy access to the rear screened porch and deck — great for indoor/outdoor living and hosting friends and family. Rounding out the main floor is a convenient mudroom with lockers for storage that is located off the side entrance/driveway.
Head upstairs to four bedrooms and three full baths plus laundry. The primary suite is a fabulous retreat — airy and spacious, this room boasts a walk-in closet with custom shelving and a spa-like ensuite bathroom with a soaking tub, large shower and a double vanity with great storage. The second bedroom has another ensuite bath with a shower, and the two front bedrooms share a hall bath. The laundry room has fabulous, fun tile and has a utility sink plus cabinetry for storage.
On the lower level, you will find a recreation room with built-ins, guest room with full bath, gym area and utilities/storage. Great for overnight guests or movie night! To the right of the home is a sweet guest cottage — thoughtful touches like a TV cabinet that opens behind a mudroom nook make this tiny home functional. A full kitchen plus living area are on the main floor. Head upstairs via wood spiral stairs to the bedroom level that has a full bath plus laundry!
The backyard is flat and fabulous! Fully fenced – the yard is a great play area or gardener’s dream. Located in the Beverly Hills neighborhood — a gem in Alexandria with access to parks (including the Pit Park!), just minutes to I-395, a short walk to the DASH bus to Pentagon, 7 minutes to Reagan National Airport and close to Fairlington, Shirlington, Del Ray and Old Town, you will love living at 905 Eldon. Welcome Home!
In our highly competitive Alexandria market, the Jen Walker Team has the insider knowledge to connect you with homes that are not even public yet. With more than 40 years of experience, the Jen Walker Team has the expertise to answer questions, calm fears, and streamline your transaction. Want to see other homes not featured in this article? Contact our team today!
Please note:While The Jen Walker Team provides this information for the community, they may not be the listing agents of these homes. Equal Housing Opportunity.
McEnearney Associates Realtors®, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 #WeAreAlexandria
Noteworthy: Top-to-bottom stylish renovation, practically a brand new home, overseen by a local professional architect.
Buffered from King Street by a steep hill/retaining wall — 5-bedrooms/4 full bathrooms, 2500+ square feet on 3 levels in Seminary Hill. Option for a 3rd bedroom upstairs (6 total) for a modestly increased price.
Noteworthy: Beautiful 2 BR/2 BA corner-unit with loft and garage close to Shirlington.
This rarely available 2 BR/2 BA top floor, corner unit with loft has a semi-private garage and provides 1,550 square feet of sunny living space over three levels. This condo lives like a townhouse!
