Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog, Carolyn Capalbo

With Amazon building a large Headquarters facility here in Crystal City Virginia, I am getting asked questions regarding home prices in the area.  One thing of interest, is that Crystal City is a predominantly commercial area with a few residential options here and there.  So most newcomers to the area and future Amazon employees may need to consider some nearby communities for their homes.  Pricing in Crystal City proper will range depending upon the size of the unit.  At time of this blog post, there are 3 condominiums available in the Waterford House building.  Pricing ranges from $450,000 for a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom with 935 square feet and a $727 per month condo fee to $1,650,000 for a 3 bedroom 3 bathroom 2817 square foot condo with a $2400 per

My favorite Northern Virginia bumper sticker is “Welcome to Northern Virginia, expect delays.” For those preferring a train over bumper to bumper traffic, finding a great location convenient to Metro or VRE will be best as both these rail options have direct access to Crystal City and Amazon's Northern Virginia Headquarters. The VRE rider may find commuting convenient from Burke, Bristow, Manassas Park, Manassas, Bristow, Woodbridge, Potomac Station, Stafford or even perhaps Fredericksburg. The Metro rider may find commuting convenient from Alexandria, Springfield, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Ashburn, Sterling, and McLean. Price and housing styles vary greatly.  Let's take a look at Manassas as a great place to live!

Manassas is a charming town that

Amazon is coming to Crystal City in Arlington Virginia. Why Burke Virginia May be a great place to live!

Burke offers a wonderful suburban atmosphere. Tree lines streets and several amenity rich communities such as Burke Centre, Lake Braddock, Cherry Run, Keene Mill Woods, to name a few are conveniently located near the Rolling Road or Burke Centre VRE  stations with service to Crystal City. Burke Centre is a large community which offers a wide variety of single family homes and townhouses. Multiple pools and miles of walking trails through wooded terrain makes this community special. Highly rated Fairfax County schools service this area. Burke Lake Park offers walking trails, fitness walks, par 3 golf, lake activities, and kids park with Carousel .....

With Amazon coming to Northern Virginia, many new jobs and opportunities will arise and with an estimated 25,000 high paying jobs, housing nearby will be in demand. The big question facing new Amazon employees is where to live. The obvious place to consider is Arlington County. Arlington County is full of beautiful tree lined communities with abundant charm and character. North Arlington is beautiful and pricey with older homes and infilled newly constructed luxury homes. Living in North Arlington enjoys great beauty and convenience. For those interested in the high rise or condo lifestyle, Arlington is chock full of options. One of my personal favorite communities is Fairlington. Stately condos and townhouses in condo ownership offer a more affordable

The Best Real Estate Agent in Aldie Virginia

I have been watching big tech become involved in advertising and steering buyers and sellers to sites that claim they will help you find The Best Real Estate Agent in Gainesville VA, or The Best Real Estate Agent in Haymarket VA, or The Best Real Estate Agent in Manassas, feel free to add any town or city of choice to the headline or search, if you please.  I am often invited to be featured on these conglomerate’s sites and listings as The Best Real Estate Agent in Bristow VA, for example, for a staggering fee or referral. Most consumers are unaware of the fees and payments made by agents to have the opportunity to obtain leads from these sources. These fees can be as high as 46% of the real estate

Is it time to sell or buy your rental property in Fairlington or other Arlington County  communities?  Here are some things to consider…

•          Can your return be higher elsewhere?
•          How do you take advantage of depreciation?
•          How do you take advantage of a Sellers’ Market?
•          How do you take advantage of the tax benefits of a 1031 exchange?

Based upon current rental rates in Fairlingon, the estimated cash on cash return for a one bedroom Fairlington Condo unit is between 3.5% and 4% before depreciation and repair expenses.  Taxes, insurance, management fees, and condo fees can add up in Fairlington.  I personally try to find a 6% cash on cash return on my investment properties before depreciation. 

Speculation abounds as to the new location of Amazon's second headquarters.  My gut says that Northern Virginia, particularly Loudoun County will be the choice for Amazon.  Loudoun County boasts highly rated schools.  Loudoun County has expanding public transportation; including multiple bus service, carpool services; and Metro Rail options.  Loudoun County is building and developing amenity rich, family friendly communities that are highly sought after.  Loudoun County has already attracted the best and brightest technology hubs and technology savvy talent.  Loudoun County enjoys fantastic medical facilities.  Loudoun County is home to Dulles International Airport.  There is also ample land available for Amazon to build their new Headquarters campus. 

One thing I love to do for our clients is host a housewarming party.  I love to cook for others and entertain.  This weekend, The Capalbo Team, is hosting a housewarming Barbecue for one of our clients that sold their home with us and bought their new home through us!  We are celebrating their new home with 30 of their friends and family!  I stopped by the peach orchards in Markham yesterday and picked fresh peaches for their homemade dessert!  On the menu…

• Hamburgers

• Hot Dogs

• Chips

• Homemade Potato Salad

• Homemade Pasta Salad

• Baked Beans

• Salad

• Homemade Peach Cake

• Beer, Soda, and Water

Interested in having me host a housewarming party at your home?  Give me a

Condominiums are a great choice of home and offer many conveniences.  Condominiums are typically a more economical entry into the housing market.  Land costs, the closer into Washington DC, are astronomical.  To be able to afford a home on a parcel of land will typically cost more than owning a condominium.  Condominium ownership is really a type of ownership versus a style of home.  Perhaps you are searching a high rise building or a townhouse styled condominium.  The facts remain that you are purchasing the interior space of the unit and not the exterior walls or grounds.  Since you are only committing to the purchase of the interior space of the unit, you will be required to be a part of the Condominium Association and pay significant fees and dues to

When you have no outstanding debts, life is quite liberating and much less stressful.  Do you dream of the day when you are debt free?  There is tremendous power and wealth building opportunities for those that are committed to removing debt from their lives and building passive wealth through multiple investment vehicles, including real estate.  Sometimes utilizing debt to remove debt can be a great strategy.  This is a unique debt consolidation strategy that uses a revolving equity line of credit to accelerate debt payment.  Here’s an example of how it works.  For your specifics, please reach out to me and we can come up with a winning plan for you.  This is a great strategy for those that wish to buy a new home and are not able to afford more or find a