Summer is drawing to a close, but there is still plenty of time to introduce the younger members of your family to something new and exciting. Here are a few places you can check out without having to drive too far.

Imagination Stage in Bethesda is one place I wish I’d known about as a kid. This theater company not only has a full and active, year-round play season; they also offer after-school programs, seasonal camps, and classes for kids from 12 months old up to grade 12. Their Early Childhood program is particularly impressive, focusing on each age group’s developing skills. It is Imagination Stage’s goal to be accessible to everyone, regardless of what difficulties they might face: for example, they offer scholarships based on financial need, and there are ASL interpreters for specific performances of each play they produce. August 14 is the last performance of their highly-praised adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. Their next play, Aladdin’s Luck, runs September 23 – October 30, and promises to be a wonderful lesson for kids about the value of being yourself. Check out their great website here.

As the nation’s capital city, DC is renowned for its collection of museums. The Smithsonian Institution is unrivaled for the comprehensiveness of its collections, spanning topics from American History to taxidermy. The area is also home to a number of smaller niche museums, less impressive in their collection sizes but fascinating in their focus. The most unique museum I have encountered so far is the National Pinball Museum. Located in The Shops at Georgetown Park, the building hosts about 300 machines, displayed in rotating featured exhibits that highlight iconic artists and eras of the game’s history. If you have older kids, the museum offers classes in pinball machine restoration, designing machine art, woodworking, and pinball electronics. These classes are only available to kids 15 and up, but the museum is a great place for parents to share their childhood memories with kids of any age. The Pinball Museum is being relocated soon, but you can take advantage of their lowered prices at their current location through September 5. Visit their website here.

The Children’s Science Center is a place to keep your eye on for the future. It has not yet opened, but planning for construction is underway, they already have a well-established internet presence, and they have booths at local events to engage the community. Their website allows and encourages community participation, so you and your kids can contribute ideas for what kinds of exhibits you would like to see. The museum is already listing exhibits they would like to include, such as an Outer Space area, a Chesapeake Bay exhibit, Environmental Science, and a Surgery Simulator. You can also get involved by having your family participate in Operation Firefly, observing and tracking local firefly populations. Their website is here.

Bethany Fuller
The Mike Webb Team, LLC

Unfortunately, the lasting changes made so far may not have the kind of impact we have been hoping for.

In an effort to limit government involvement in lending and to regulate risk taking in the loan industry, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Both the name of the bill and the underlying intention of this legislation sound positive. However, the measures being taken to reduce the risk of default will have massive repercussions. Down payments for the proposed Qualified Residential Mortgages are jumping from the current 3.5% to as much as a staggering 20% – payments that will only be affordable to people already in the more affluent community and therefore less likely to default on their payments. Non-QRM loans will have lower down payments but much higher interest rates.

What this means for the market is that, in the long run, home prices are likely to drop to accommodate what buyers can afford, meaning owners will make far less off the sale of their homes. This means equities will decrease as well.

Another change we must prepare for is that on October 1, government-backed loan limits will decrease from $729,750 to $625,500. According to the Washington Post, the government had temporarily raised the limit to lower borrowing costs, and this is a return to prior practice. Allowing the cap increase to expire is part of the effort to limit government involvement in the market and to “lure the private sector back to the lending arena.”

Unfortunately, the increased cap has not lasted long enough to see the market stabilize. Builders have been taking advantage of the higher limits and constructing more expensive houses. This will put added pressure on pricier areas, where owners are already having a hard time selling their homes.

With these two factors combined, it appears that both sides of the market will be negatively affected. Homeowners will be forced to sell for far less than they had hoped, or risk not being able to find a buyer at all. Most buyers will either have to save an average of nine to fourteen years to afford their down payments, or resort to suffering high interest rates on non-qualified loans.

 Turkish Festival

 Voted 2011’s Best Festival in DC, the American Turkish Association’s Turkish Festival brings the culture ofTurkey to the streets of DC. Browse and haggle in an authentic Turkish Bazaar. Drink dark Turkish coffee and have fortune tellers read the grinds at the bottom of your cup. Watch artists perform traditional music and folk dancing. This year’s festival is on October 2, from 11 am to 7 pm. Metro accessible and with free admission, this is a perfect opportunity for the whole family to have a rich, educational experience in the nation’s capital. Read more here.

Fiesta Asia!

 Fiesta Asia! is a month-long event that takes place each May throughout the DC metropolitan area. The different events, starting with the Fiesta in Silver Spring and ending with their famed street fair on Pennsylvania Avenue, cover fashion, music, film, traditional art and dance, martial arts, food, and much more. Kids’ activities include crafts such as henna painting, origami, and sari tying lessons. The festival encompasses all of mainland Asia, South Asia, thePacificIslands, and theMiddle East. Check it out here.

Festa Italiana

This October 9, help recreate WashingtonDC’s old Little Italy on 3^rd Street NW. Every festival features cultural food created by street vendors and cuisine crafted by Italian chefs, such as gelato. Enjoy traditional and contemporary music and dancing, as well asItaly’s finest cars. Admire artisans while they give impressive trade demonstrations. Learn about this year’s educational topics: Risorgimento, the Italian unification, and Italian immigrants inAmerica. There is even a family circus! Visit the festival admission-free, a block from Judiciary Square Metro stop. Learn more here.

 Sweet Charity

 Sweet Charity is probably my favorite charity event so far. Participating chefs use donated chocolate to make any number of confections, from truffles to cakes to dessert sauces, in any creative way they can imagine. There is a silent auction that uses a huge number of donated items, such as jewelry and time shares. There is even a fashion show that showcases models wearing the chefs’ more out-of-the-box creations. The funds raised by this event go to the Heart of America Foundation’s Books from the Heart. This charity – commended by figures such as the Dalai Lama, Barbara Bush, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu – collects unused books and donates them to the libraries of schools in depressed areas, as well as to the children of impoverished families. Check out Sweet Charity and the Heart of America here.

  National Capital Barbecue Battle

 Voted a “Top Ten BBQ Event” by the Travel Channel and Discovery.com, the National Capital Barbecue Battle is taking place this year on June 25-26 on Pennsylvania Avenue. With major barbecue competitions, a sampling pavilion, cold beer, local celebrities and a huge entertainment tent, the Battle is considered by many locals to be a “must not miss” summer activity. The proceeds from the Battle go to benefit the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Clubs, which provides programs – in categories such as leadership, the arts, life skills, and sports – to help children develop into productive men and women. Learn more at www.bbqdc.com.

 Taste of Arlington

 Over 40 local restaurants participate in Taste of Arlington every spring. Held in the streets of Ballston, this festival showcases local flavor and entertainment. Patrons purchase tickets that can be redeemed for “tastes” of food and drink from participating restaurants, which compete in the categories of best Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert. A pet friendly, easy-to-access, and Green event, the festival is truly in the spirit of the Arlington community. Some proceeds of the 2011 event were donated to theVirginia Hospital Center, Phoenix Houses of the Mid-Atlantic (an addiction treatment and counseling organization), and the Arlington Community Foundation. For information about the participating restaurants and entertainment for the 2012 Taste of Arlington, click here.

Artisphere

With concerts, galleries, a theatre, film festivals and classes, the Artisphere may be one of Arlington’s most valuable resources for the arts. It is open long and late and has reasonable ticket prices (averaging $15, with many free events). Their mission is to “Connect people to the fun and wonder found in creativity, celebrate diverse human expression, and advance art that explores the ideas and issues of our time.”

What is going on right now? There is a Woody Allen film festival throughout the month of June. An ecological art exhibition called “Contain, Maintain, Sustain” investigates creative ways in which we can create a more sustainable environment for ourselves. Use a giant Etch-a-Sketch to create stereoscopic 3D images. Use special scanners to translate numbers on packaging barcodes into music.

For more information, visit www.artisphere.com.

National Book Festival

Held in September on the National Mall, the Library of Congress’ annual event celebrates authors, readers, and the worlds of imagination accessible through books. With pavilions and presentations in the categories of Children, Teens & Children, Fiction & Mystery, History & Biography, Contemporary Life and Poetry & Prose, readers will find something interesting for them no matter what their favorite genre. There is a sales pavilion run by Borders, featuring books selected by the given year’s featured authors. There is also a Pavilion of the States, honoring each US state’s literary tradition.

For more information, dates, and a list of featured authors, visit www.loc.gov/bookfest/.

Filmfest DC

Simply a festival for people who love movies the world over! 2012’s festival will be held April 12-22 in theatres throughout the District of Columbia. Films featured participate in juried competitions for various awards, ranging in topic from social justice and popularity to humanity and films deserving of increased recognition.

Check out www.filmfestdc.org to see if the festival will be running a film that might inspire you.

Donnie Darko – Frank The Bunny Costume

In the hit movie “Donnie Darko” inhabitants of his mad world might ask “why are you wearing that stupid human suit?” In the real world people will look at you in this Deluxe Adult Costume and say “Look at that person wearing the awesome “Frank the Bunny” suit!” This classic piece of cult movie memorabilia is a collectors dream. Wear it at your next party, special event or simply showcase it as a one-of-a-kind collectors display piece. This officially licensed costume is a one piece jump suit that fits adults up to 200 pounds, the gloves are also included. Top it off with the main focus – the “Frank the bunny” mask featuring the grimace known and beloved by cult fans the world over. Remember Donnie’s warning: 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds…

Michael Jackson “Beat it!” version

Smiffy’s

You may not need to buy this if you still have it from the first time you bought it when it was cool. Don’t forget the glove. Whatever you do don’t forget the glove…

Captain America

Captain America Classic Costume Adult X-Large 42-46

The movie is coming out and you get a cool shield…nuff said.

Darth Vader

Deluxe Star Wars Darth Vader Adult Plus Size Costume with Helmet

This is a classic stand by. Don’t be the goffball that gets the wal-mart one. This one is legit and quality. Costume features jumpsuit with chest piece, eva collar, flowing cape, belt and boot tops. Injection molded helmet as included. Join the darkside!

Super Deluxe Black Spider-Man Costume

Super Deluxe Black Spider-Man Costume – Mens 42-46

WARNING!! BE IN SHAPE BEFORE YOU BUY THIS!! No one wants to see a chubby Spiderman. This suit will be the talk of the party. Sure it is a pretty penny, but imagine the looks on all the faces of all the plain spiderman’s at the party. You’ll want have to imagine to hard due to thier lame masks.

Iron Man Super Deluxe Costume

Iron Man Super Deluxe Adult Standard Costume

Fused with metal and elite engineering, Iron Man is a force to be reckoned with! When you want to bring home superhero antics, give this super guy a try! Super Deluxe Adult Iron Man Costume comes in a burgundy jumpsuit with gold metal details and sewn-in muscles! This also comes with burgundy gloves and shoe covers and even a matching helmet with gold face detail!

Predator Costume

Predator Costume

A great new version of the movie came out this year! So it is current and it’s a quality costume. This features a black and white jumpsuit, EVA chest piece, shoulder, arm and leg guards, belt with attached thigh guards, black necklace, predator hands and mask. This is the officially licensed Predator costume from the movie, Predator.

Deluxe Buzz Lightyear Costume

Deluxe Adult Buzz Lightyear Costume

This is a great time to bust out this costume. The final to story movie came out this year making this a popualr choice. Be prepared to fight off the other Buzzes to get to Jesse at your Halloween party.

Sweeney Todd Costume

Sweeney Todd Costume

Rather than screaming, how about a little singing to a favorite musical? You can dress as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who murders his customers using a straight razor and turns their remains into meat pieces. This Adult Sweeney Todd Costume comes with an easy to wear vest with an attached shirt, and sports a period piece dickie. The costume also includes a coordinated pair of pants and a scarf.

Avatar Deluxe Jake Sully Costume

Rubie?s Costume Co Avatar Adult Deluxe Jake Sully Costume And Mask

This is a pretty good looking costume. Avatar is still hot. grab a dragon and head for the party!

source: http://theskinnynewsdaily.com/top-ten-halloween-costumes-2010

Northern Virginia Real Estate

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source: mris.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_E._Bitts

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By: Robert Earl The Earl of Real Estate

Just because the credit market is suffering doesn’t mean you have to. You can still buy Northern Virginia luxury homes despite the decline in housing markets. Northern Virginia homes for sale are being sold at affordable prices in various counties.

While searching for an ideal Northern Virginia homes for sale you should look something which is just above your price range. Quoting a reasonable price which is slightly lower than what you had budgeted for the home will benefit you as well as the seller. There is nothing wrong in making an offer which you believe as fair. Later in you may find that your instincts were correct after all.

Typically the seller will appreciate the fast offer you made and chances are, the offer will be accepted at the suggested price. This strategy will benefit you because you will be able to stay with in your budget, and get a better house with more features then you had expected to get. As long as you have a clear picture of the things you want in your head, searching for Northern Virginia homes for sale is very simple.

There are hundreds of real estate agents throughout Northern Virginia that would be glad to help you find Northern Virginia homes for sale. There are many Northern Virginia luxury homes that are also for sale at bargain prices. Loan agents will be glad to help walk you through the purchasing process and get you pre-approved for a mortgage, at which point you can focus on finding the right home for you in Northern Virginia.

Virginia is a beautiful state with endless gifts to offer. Stunning mountain vistas and charming cities make this area truly feel like home. For this reason, more and more people are rushing to buy in Northern Virginia. However, because the market is continually fluctuating, the benefits are with the buyers. Now is the time to buy an affordable and spectacular house that you and your family will cherish.

Values of Northern Virginia houses may be temporarily falling, but will soon rise again. Wouldn’t you like to invest in an amazing house that is guaranteed to make you money down the road? A good way to determine how much your house is worth is to do a search online for housing prices in your area. This way, you will know exactly what price to offer for the home in which you are interested.

source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Northern-Virginia-Homes-For-Sale-In-Today-s-Market/210959

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Powell

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Les Goss

Multifamily executives must constantly evaluate new technology hardware and software products at the same time they are integrating current tools, upgrading legacy systems and training staff to take advantage of underutilized components of programs they already have in place. As quickly as things are changing in this area, it can be a real challenge to keep up.

Social Media

It can be difficult to know exactly how social media like Facebook and Twitter contribute to the bottom line in apartment communities. Many apartment managers and owners feel obligated to maintain Facebook fan pages simply because all their competitors have one. But is it as critical as a clean pool, nice landscaping and a friendly, knowledgeable staff? According to a large survey of apartment residents conducted by J. Turner Research, only 8% had ever visited a community’s fan page.

On the other hand, many apartment managers are using social media to improve their rankings in the search engines at the same time they’re slashing their print advertising budgets. Plus, the only cost associated with a Facebook page is the staff time to create it, and occasionally update it. A small price to pay for an online presence that never goes away.

Mobile Phones

There are now more Americans with cell phones than either internet access or cable TV, and an estimated 70 million of us regularly use mobile web browsers. Google recently released Android, a software package for mobile devices, and on February 16, 2010 they announced that 60,000 cell phones with Android are shipping every day. Apple recently marked their 4 billionth app download, so as you can see, mobile devices are here to stay.

UDR, a Colorado-based REIT that owns 45,000 apartment units nationally, says that 9% of its web visitors in 2009 used phones for access, viewed over 400,000 pages and created 97 mobile leases. No doubt these numbers will continue to grow.

UDR was also the first to create an “augmented reality” app for multifamily. A potential renter can point their phone’s camera at an apartment and see pricing and availability data superimposed over the live picture. After launching in September 2009, UDR had over 125,000 downloads by the end of the year. Other firms have already created similar proprietary apps and more are sure to follow.

Web Portals

Another large and growing trend among apartment communities is the development of integrated websites that serve tenants and free up staff for other duties. Already, residents can pay rent online and submit work orders. Some properties even send out lease renewals with incentives for renewing early online. Freed from these mundane and time-consuming tasks, onsite personnel can spend more time showing apartments and performing other duties that increase resident satisfaction.

As you can see, technology is beginning to rapidly change the world of apartment management. I’m sure that apps for the iPad are already in development that will continue to accelerate this trend for the foreseeable future.

Les Goss is a real estate investor and syndicator in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Les_Goss

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Ramaswamy Sundaram

The housing markets of US are plagued by multiple problems – foreclosure crisis, delinquencies and defaulted mortgages, stagnation in sales of residential as well as commercial properties, piling up inventories of unsold homes, tightening up of qualifications for home loans, and home buyers sitting on the wall – skeptical about the way the housing market is heading. The fluctuation in the market, with regard to number of properties available for sale, including foreclosure distress sale, is considerable.

So it would be worthwhile to keep a watch on the current market trends and here are the statistics pertaining to Austin, Texas housing market, updated till last week.

While a lot of housing markets are struggling with declining prices of residential properties, Austin renders comparatively good news for home sellers, who are distressed by the real estate news of US. Austin has popular neighborhoods that are actually attractive to buyers by their location, amenities, conveniences and comforts nearby, such as – Steiner Ranch; Zilker; Downtown; South River City; Hyde Park and Bouldin.

According to reliable real estate sites, in respect of properties listed for sale from all the above neighborhoods, during the period taken for review namely February 10 to April 10 there is an upward trend in median sale prices. In this quarter, the median sale price of homes was $233,538 – which is an increase by $12,838 or 10.6 percent, compared to the earlier quarter.

Compared to last year, there is an increase of 9.9 percent overall. What is so encouraging is selling prices of homes have appreciated by 20.8 percent, taking into consideration the trend of last 5 years at Austin, irrespective of the foreclosure crisis, short sale hassles and other problems distressing home owners.

The listing price of homes for sale in MLS is another criterion to measure the market trends. On that count also, Austin homes show progress. Statistics collected on a weekly basis reveal that for the week ending May 5, 2010, the listing price of Austin homes was $440,135 – an increase of $8,370 or 1.9 percent compared to the previous week and compared to the week ending 14th April, this is an increase by $2,957 or 0.7 percent.

Ramaswamy Sundaram is Indian. Senior Citizen. Retired Personnel Manager. M.A. English Litt., Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management; Diploma in Commerce; Typewriting and Shorthand. He is certified expert author at this site. He is undertaking writing assignments from service buyers online, specializing in US Real Estate foreclosure. Having written more than 1500 write ups on various subjects, a majority of them about US Real Estate, he possesses the expertise to write on any subject with due research. You can contact him for your writing jobs through mail at sulosundar03@gmail.com and get quality deliverables at competitive cost.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ramaswamy_Sundaram

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Glen Crozier

How much sense does it make to go out and borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars (or millions) to buy a property that has been going down in value over the last three years? The National Association of Realtors wants everyone to believe that “now is the perfect time to buy”. Surely prices can’t keep going down, right? Do you really want to gamble on that? Banks are just now starting to unload their vast inventory of foreclosures on the market. What happens when supply exceeds demand? Yep, prices tend to go down. It doesn’t matter what a talking head or “guru” says, the market is always right and the only way to know what the market is doing is by looking at the price action. Everything else that anyone says or believes is mere speculation. Prices don’t lie, people do.

Now, I understand that due to the illiquid nature of real estate it is quite difficult to time the market very well at all. Also, you can’t exactly go short on a house like you can a stock. However, let me give you a few ideas that can help you make sound buying decisions when you decide to take another try at making money in real estate.

For starters, I would never buy something in a declining market unless it was steeply discounted to the point of being lower than the long-term price trend in any particular market. You’ll never time the market well at all, but an awareness of the price trend will help you to at least not fly blind. How do you know real estate price trends? Take a look at zillow.com and you’ll see how to pull up price charts for your local housing market. The graphs are very helpful and they’re free.

Now, how do you make buying decisions with this information? Here’s a couple of pointers: 1. Wait for a well defined uptrend in your market if you’re goal is to make money from appreciation. 2. Why not tie up some housing with options to purchase in a few years. You could sublease the property while you hold onto the option to purchase. Wouldn’t be such a bad idea when the California market decides to come back. There are plenty of other strategies. Do some research and you’ll learn several others. I’m making it sounds simple, but these sorts of strategies can quickly become as refined, scientific, and complex as you want to make them by utilizing more information and experience. This is where you can really define your edge in your market place.

There are still some good investment deals out there if you know where to look. If you need assistance in locating some of these, please feel free to visit our website at http://www.invesco.info and leave your contact information so we may respond to your request.

Here’s another idea: Pool some money with some friends and family and buy some houses at your county auction. Not as easy as it sounds, but definitely a money maker once you learn the rules of the game. Buy a course or two on the subject and you’ll quickly learn how to mitigate the potential risks.

Virtual Banking Companies Unlimited LLC is a Private Placement Trading Program that works closely with INVESCO, a Portfolio Selection Agent company. Together the two combined companies search for solid and stable investment deals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_Crozier

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Brendan Kottenstette

In Chicago home prices are down, home sales are up but foreclosures continue to flood onto the market even as the inventory of unsold homes is clearing. What does this housing market trend and the Chicago real estate news mean for those looking to buy or sell their home this year?

In Chicago home sales were up more than 71.6 percent in November 2009 over the same period last year, says the Illinois Association of Realtors. Median Chicago home prices, however, have fallen 10.1 percent in the past year, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index. This paints a very mixed picture of the health and recovery of the residential Chicago housing market.

The first thing to remember about the Chicago real estate market is that all of these figures are year-over-year, meaning they are compared to the same period of the previous year, which is when the recession hit hardest. The current housing market trend in Chicago show sales of existing homes were at record lows and sellers were holding out for prices comparable to the height of the housing bubble. In Chicago, specifically, many condo developments were still pouring into the market with new properties. Thousands of homes went into foreclosure or were listed as short sales at greatly reduced prices to avoid foreclosure. This all contributed to driving home prices down.

However, the double digit rise in Chicago area home sales in November marked the fifth consecutive month of rising home sales. This end of the year push was in part due to the original November deadline for the Federal Housing Tax Credit. As a result, rising sales have cleared out most of the inventory of distressed properties, which was the driving force behind falling home prices.

“Until those foreclosed properties work their way through the system we won’t have a price recovery that will match the sales recovery. Most people are seeing the foreclosure peak occurring in 2010,” states economist Geoff Hewings, director of the University of Illinois Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL). This, combined with the annual rise in home sales in the spring, should pave the way for a rise in Chicago house prices in the first half of 2010.

Other influences on housing market trends are the continued low interest rates and the extension of the Federal Housing Tax Credit until April 30, 2010. The tax credit has expanded to include current homeowners and those with a higher income than in the original First-time Homebuyer Tax Credit. Many expect interest rates to rise as soon as signs of recovery are evident in the housing markets, but probably not until the second half of 2010.

The real Chicago real estate news is that, if these indicators are correct, both home prices and sales volume will rise in the early part of this year. However, most analysts agree and the national housing market trend indicates that improvements in the residential Chicago housing market will taper off over the summer and probably fall again in the third and fourth quarters of 2010.

Bottom line: Sellers can expect the best Chicago house prices and most buyer interest in their homes in the first half of 2010, before April 30. Though it is still a buyer’s market, if you plan to sell anytime in 2010, the spring is the best opportunity. For home buyers, based on Chicago housing market trends, expect to see a wealth of new properties enter the market earlier than usual this spring. This will increase the selection on the market as well as the competition.

Brendan Kottenstette is a real estate broker with DMD Chicago Realty

DMD specializes in discount broker services and doctor loans for medical residents and new doctors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brendan_Kottenstette

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Blake Dale Ratcliff

The U.S. projects growth from a current 310 million to an anticipated 430 million over the next 40 years. This trend closely parallels Europe from 1950 to 1995. What conclusions can we draw for U.S. real estate from this?

Europe grew from 527 million to 728 million from 1950 to 1995. This 38% increase almost identically matches the U.S. optimistic projection for the next 40 years. This fact offers great financial risk to following old assumptions and great returns for recognizing potential new implications.

Today when you drive around Europe, limited construction typifies the landscape. The work underway tends to tilt heavily toward improving existing structures, increasing efficiency, improving utility, modifying use. Buildings 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 years old cloak the landscape. Interestingly, if you look at the current United States inventory, required new inventory for housing and for commercial office space is potentially very limited. Assume an increase in housing density driven either from more persons under the same roof or more persons per household and projections can quickly conclude no additional inventory is required. The same conclusion is easily supported for office space as well. Considering a steadily increasing amount of telecommuting and using existing available capacity infers little need for additional space.

The exceptional office and housing cases for U.S. real estate will be some emerging communities and potentially large population shifts developing from other driving factors. These will focus around some emerging major industries in midsized markets, major government driven shifts, and education center related development.

Also, commercial warehousing and distribution will grow dramatically supporting the demands of the emerging economies and subsequent increased global trade.

Opportunistically, smart investment capital needs to adjust due diligence concerns to adapt to these emerging trends. Many investors are failing and will fail to comprehend that the days of inventory growth based real estate investing suddenly is much more risky. Moreover, many aren’t considering that in general investing return assumptions are based on this concept and therefore are flawed. Investors who recognize and adjust their debt and capital management plans accordingly stand to achieve significant gains.

Where will the best gains develop?

• Commodity distribution and development based real estate stands to see steady and large gains through the end of the century based upon emerging economy development and global population trends.
• High value locations in well developed well positioned markets will see tremendous gains as much longer horizon ownership trends develop in place of the highly marketed and over marketed “buy and flip” principals.

Investors focusing on the principles developing in the face of these new trends will reduce risk and realize outsized gains over their less flexible counterparts.

Blake Ratcliff (US Naval Academy Graduate & Marine Officer, Serial startup entrepreneur, COO/CEO, multifamily / residential investment founder, and property manager).

Blake’s crafted 100+ business plans, prepared and delivered 1000+ investor presentations, and is an expert financial modeler. A deeply experienced real estate business person and startup business expert, Blake hones your Business plans, reports, and presentations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blake_Dale_Ratcliff

Northern Virginia Real Estate

Getting the lowest interest rates possible makes a refinance more beneficial for a homeowner. Mortgage rates have been low most of the year. However, I predict things will change in 2010. Here are my mortgage rate predictions for the rest of 2009 and 2010.

While the housing market is in bad shape right now, mortgage rates are low to encourage activity in the market, and help homeowners save their home from being lost. With rates as low as they are, homeowners can usually refinance their mortgage into a better, cheaper, more affordable monthly payment. This helps prevent the housing market from getting worse, and spurs activity and interest in existing home loans, and for new home buyers. However, I do not think the housing market will get any worse than it is right now, and that is why my mortgage predictions for 2010 call for an interest rate hike.

While this mortgage rate increase will not be major enough to seriously discourage homeowners from getting refinancing, they will be noticeably higher. Right now, a typical fixed rate mortgage can be had for around 5.15%. This rate is extremely low, and not too much higher than the lowest rates have been all year. However, I believe that around April of 2010, things will change, and interest rates will rise slightly. I predict that mortgage rates in April of 2010 will rise to around 6.2% due to a recovering housing market, and a promising economy. These mortgage rate increases will represent progress being made in stabilizing home values for homeowner everywhere across the country. Although it seems small, this would represent a lot of money over the course of a home loan.

Homeowners who can, should take advantage of the lowest mortgage interest rates possible when they decide to refinance their mortgage. In my opinion that time is right now, as I predict interest rates to rise. However, each homeowners situation is different, and the time to take action may be too. While there is no proof mortgage interest rates will rise, the housing market has pretty much bottomed out, meaning the only way to go is up. Decide for yourself what is best, but these are my mortgage rate predictions for 2009 – 2010.

At my site I will teach you how to properly refinance or modify a home mortgage saving you thousands of dollars, or even your home. A lot of Greedy Mortgage Lenders will try to suck you dry if you let them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?2010-Mortgage-Interest-Rates&id=3264125

Northern Virginia Real Estate

If you are looking for your first mortgage or if you are considering refinancing a loan on your current home you are in for some interesting challenges. Mortgage rates haven’t been this low since Nixon was in the Whitehouse. On the other hand, banks have never been stingier with their money. Having been clobbered with defaults (thanks to their loosey goosey policies of the past) banks are more interested in keeping good loans than risking a loss on new loans. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a loan at the interest rate you want, it just means you have to do a bit more work.

1. Know what the score is

The score of course is your FICO score and while it’s based on your credit history you have to buy it to find out what it is. Your credit report however, is free and has to be provided to you by the three main reporting companies thanks to federal law. Get your report and the report of your spouse and go over it. Over 70% of the reports have errors or missing information.

2. Know what you can afford

Do an honest assessment of what you can afford for a total mortgage payment including loan rate, taxes and insurance. Track down your real living expenses for the past three months and then subtract that from the income you earned in the same time. From that number subtract your current rent expense and that will leave you with an absolute maximum that you can afford each month.

3. Be prepared as a first time homebuyer

Gather together your “presentation package” which should include last year’s tax return, copies of any other loans that you may have outstanding and proof of other assets like savings, 401k, stock or other land holdings. Having this ready before applying makes the process less daunting.

4. Shop until you drop

The objective is to get pre-qualified for a loan you can afford so you are in a stronger negotiating position when dealing with a home seller. However, all mortgage lenders are not the same. Shop rate and terms, particularly early payment penalties and closing costs before you decide to apply.

5. Good Credit But No Equity – No Problem

If you are trying to refinance your home to take advantage of the incredibly low interest rates that are available, but you discover you’ve lost equity because your home has dropped in value in this market, Fannie Mae has a program for you. The Fannie Mae Refi Plus program will provide you with a mortgage regardless of your equity standing as long as you are not upside down more than 5%. You still have to credit qualify and jump through the application hoops but your good credit can help you drop your monthly payment dramatically.

6. Bad Credit But You Have A FHA Loan – No Problem

If you have a FHA loan and your credit is less than stellar there is still a solution for refinancing and getting the lower rates. The FHA Stream Line Refi program will allow you to refinance your loan at no cost providing you have not been more than 30 days late in payment and that has occurred no more than twice in a 12 month period.

7. Facing Foreclosure – Problems But…

If you are looking at a foreclosure remember that the last thing you want to do is nothing. The federal government is pressuring banks, particularly the ones who got TARP money, to modify loans that are in trouble. This can take the form of lower rates, longer terms and even outright forgiveness of part of the loan. The trick here is you should use a broker who knows how this works. Doing it yourself usually results in a non-responsive attitude on the part of the bank.

Mortgages and loan rates are at record lows and the best way to take advantage of them is to keep yourself informed of the options and be ready to move on them quickly.

Business expert Mark Polman keeps his eye on mortgage rates not only in the US but in Canada as well. Different economic conditions and regulations can have a real impact on loan rates in Canada. If you live in the great Maple Leaf country and you’re looking to refi then you need to visit Mortgage Canada Rates.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Polman

Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Joseph B. Smith

Buying foreclosures for sale is not something that you should do right away, especially if you do not have any knowledge of the real estate foreclosure investing market. This type of investment needs research and planning to make sure that you are buying the right foreclosure property that can give you profit in the future.

A little research on the types of foreclosure properties that are available in the market would come a long way in helping you make an informed buying decision. So take down some notes for a profitable investment and a secure financial future.

Pre-foreclosure Homes for Sale:

Pre-foreclosure homes are distressed properties sold by homeowners who want to avoid the trouble of foreclosures. You get to negotiate directly with the homeowners to allow you to negotiate for a better price. Before you meet with the homeowner, make sure that you have arranged your finances to give you a leverage during bargaining. Distressed homeowners are desperate to dispose of their homes, thus giving you an edge over other offers to buy.

However, when buying foreclosures for sale during pre-foreclosure, make sure that you have done some research on the financial record of the property that you want to buy. Know if there are some unpaid taxes or any other liens. Also, hire a home inspector to give you a professional opinion on the condition of the house. Some major structural problems are discernible only to the expert eyes of home inspector.

Auction Homes for Sale:

Auction laws vary by state so it is important that you do some research on foreclosure auction laws in the state where you plan to buy a property. In some states, winning bidders are required to pay in cash while in others, you only have to pay 10 percent of the amount plus a letter from the bank.

Also, some states allow you to transfer to the house immediately after the auction while others still give a certain time for owners to pay for the foreclosure cost before they will allow you to take over the property. Buying foreclosures for sale is a risk-free task if you do your homework first.

Joseph B. Smith has been educating buyers on the finer points of Buying Foreclosures for Sale at ForeclosureDeals.com for over ten years. Contact Joseph B. Smith through ForeclosureDeals.com if you need help finding information about Buying Foreclosures for Sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_B._Smith
Northern Virginia Real Estate

By Joshua Martindale

If you are looking for a good deal on a house, buying a foreclosure at auction is something you should consider. Whenever a homeowner is no longer able to pay for a home, the mortgage company takes possession of the home. Sometimes, in order to recoup some of the money that was lost, the bank will sell the house at an affordable price at a government auction.

There are many advantages to buying a foreclosed home. For starters, you will save a lot of money. Instead of going through all of the trouble to obtaining a mortgage for a new home, why not buy one at an auction? According to statistics, the average home buyer saves up to 40% when buying a foreclosed house or property.

You can profit from buying foreclosed property as well. If you do not want to live in the home yourself, you can rent it out for income. The rent money you receive each month can help you pay your own mortgage on a newer home. You could also fix the foreclosed home up and sell it for a huge profit!

At least some good is coming out of the depressing economy. With all of the home foreclosures these past few years, it is nice to know that there are still ways to make money. Even if you are unsure about buying a foreclosure at auction, you can still check out some of the homes for sale.

You can obtain a schedule of upcoming auctions by looking through your local newspaper listings or on the internet. Sometimes notifications are listed in newspapers whenever a home is foreclosed. If you find a home you are interested in, notify real estate agents and attorneys in your area. You can learn more about the home.

Before buying any property, however, bring an inspector with you. Inspect the property to ensure that it is in good condition. Sometimes, when people find out that they are about to lose their homes, they will make a mess before they leave or remove all the appliances. Make sure this has not happened to the house you want to buy. Many foreclosed homes are sold “as is” for this very reason.

In addition to inspecting the property, you should also determine the ownership. Make absolutely certain that there are no existing liens on the house. Conduct a title search just in case there are any ownership problems. You don’t want to spend money on a foreclosed home only to find out that there is a lien or judgment on it.

Determine how you are going to finance the property. Is the current loan assumable? Will you have to pay cash? Will you be able to pay with credit? Different jurisdictions have different laws in regards to purchasing foreclosures at auctions. Since the legal proceedings can be confusing, make sure you are able to grasp at least the basics before going forward with your purchase.

Are you interested in Florida real estate? If you want to learn about the Florida market quickly, be sure to visit my St. Augustine real estate blog and my Daytona Beach real estate blog for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Martindale

Northern Virginia Real Estate

A young American squad, led by three olympic veterans all scoring goals on the great Canadian goaltender Marty Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) including defenseman Brian Rafalski (Detroit Redwings), Chris Drury (New York Rangers), and Jamie Langdenbrunner (New Jersey Devils), fought off a Canadian side that tied the game twice and stayed close throughout the game.

Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) made 42 saves in a lights-out performance that included a bevy of incredible stops, including the save of the tournament in flurry of the dying minutes while the Americans were hanging on to a 4-3 lead before Phil Kesler (Vancouver Canucks) whacked in the game-clinching goal on the empty net.

The Canadians seemed to be cruising through the first two periods, content with turning on the burners when they had to in order to tie the game through Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes) and again through Danny Heatley (San Jose Sharks), who leads the tournament with 4 goals along with USA’s Rafalski, who netted two in this game.

The Americans led at every intermission, 2-1 after the first period and 3-2 after the second, but the viewer always felt that the depth of talent on Canada’s roster suggested they could turn on the pressure whenever they wanted to.  Unfortunately for them, it came too late.

Canada began the third period needing to kill off three consecutive penalties and the U.S. capitalized making it 4-2 with just under 13 minutes left.  The Canadian’s finally kicked into gear and the firing squad escalated on U.S. goalie Miller.  While one goal by Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) did slip by, Miller was up to the task, however, and made several amazing saves to preserve victory for the red, white, and blue.

This border matchup was sure to be a bruiser and it didn’t disappoint as the two squads made up entirely of NHL players left it all on the ice.  There was hard skating, huge hits, and immense passion on display as the teams battled for the top slot in Group A.

The spoils of the game for USA, are a first round bye in the playoffs where they will meet the winner of a game between Switzerland and Belarus.  Canada will face Germany for the right to face another arch-rival; the Russians.

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Round 4, Pick 5 (103): Perry Riley, Linebacker, LSU (6’1″, 239 lbs.)
Pick Analysis: The Redskins pick up a stout linebacker in Perry Riley to add depth to their linebacker corps. As an instinctive player with good awareness, Riley gives Jim Haslett a versatile player to line at one of the inside linebacker spots in their new 3-4.

Round 6, Pick 5 (174): Dennis Morris, Tight End, Louisiana Tech (6’2″, 265 lbs.)
Pick Analysis: Morris is a tight end that the Redskins will play at fullback. He’s a blocking tight end that will be their lead blocker in the zone running scheme that Mike Shanahan implements. He figures to compete with Mike Sellers for playing time.

Round 7, Pick 12 (219): Terrance Austin, Wide Reciever, UCLA (5’11″, 172 lbs.)
Pick Analysis: The Redskins made clear before the draft they were interested in acquiring some more depth at the receiver position, and Austin helped himself during the pre-draft process with an impressive pro day. Austin does not have the size typically preferred by Mike Shanahan, and is extremely thin, but he can potentially earn a roster spot if he shines as a slot receiver or returner in training camp.

Round 7, Pick 22 (229): Erik Cook, Center, New Mexico (6’6″, 318 lbs.)
Pick Analysis: The Redskins grab an interior offensive linemen that has good size and is a natural knee bender. Unlikely to make an immediate impact, Cook has the ability to develop into a versatile contributor in the future for coach Mike Shanahan.

Round 7, Pick 24 (231): Selvish Capers, Offensive Tackle, West Virginia (6’4″, 308 lbs.)
Pick Analysis: The Redskins came into the draft looking for help at offensive tackle, and after drafting Trent Williams fourth overall, they add Capers in the seventh round. Capers is a great value in the seventh round, and will compete for a spot at an area in which Washington is very thin — right tackle.

Claudia webb RE/MAX Allegiance
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Claudia webb RE/MAX Allegiance
Northern Virginia Real Estate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLUwsd4rd98

By: David

The Mike Webb Team: www.NorthernVirginiaHouses.com

Claudia webb RE/MAX Allegiance
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

David’s Mock Draft:
1. St. Louis Rams – QB Sam Bradford (Oklahoma)
2. Detroit Lions – DT Ndamakah Suh (Nebraska)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DT Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma)
4. Washington Redskins – OT Russell Okung (Oklahoma State)
5. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Trent Williams (Oklahoma)
6. Seattle Seahawks – OT Bryan Bulaga (Iowa)
7. Cleveland Browns – S Eric Berry (Tennessee)
8. Oakland Raiders – OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland)
9. Buffalo Bills – QB Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars – LB Rolando McClain (Alabama)
11. Denver Broncos - WR Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State)
12. Miami Dolphins – LB Sergio Kindle (Texas)
13. San Francisco 49ers – CB Joe Haden (Florida)
14. Seattle Seahawks – RB C.J. Spiller (Clemson)
15. New York Giants – DT Dan Williams (Tennessee)
16. Tennessee Titans – LB Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech)
17. San Francisco 49ers – OG Mike Iupati (Idaho)
18. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Demaryius Thomas (Georgia Tech)
19. Atlanta Falcons - LB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri)
20. Houston Texans – S Earl Thomas (Texas)
21. Cincinnati Bengals – TE Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma)
22. New England Patriots – DE/LB Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida)
23. Green Bay Packers – S Taylor Mays (Southern Cal)
24. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State)
25. Baltimore Ravens – DT Jared Odrick (Penn State)
26. Arizona Cardinals – DE Brandon Graham (Michigan)
27. Dallas Cowboys – OT Anthony Davis (Rutgers)
28. San Diego Chargers – RB Ryan Matthews (Fresno State)
29. New York Jets – DE Everson Griffin (Southern Cal)
30. Minnesota Vikings – CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers)
31. Indianapolis Colts – C Maurkice Pouncey (Florida)
32. New Orleans Saints – DE Jerry Hughes (Texas Christian)

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Known as the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule requires the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning.  This new law affects a wide range of people including contractors, homeowners, property managers (landlords), Realtors, and training providers.  For more information, view the EPA website.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington launched on Wednesday the Capital Area Foreclosure Network, a group funded by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that will work to prevent foreclosures in the Washington area.

The group, comprised of local governments and nonprofits, as well as larger organizations such as NeighborWorks America, plans to conduct marketing and outreach campaigns and support existing nonprofits and coalitions that work with residents at risk of foreclosure.

CAFN released preliminary data from the Urban Institute that found a 2.9 percent foreclosure rate in the region, where foreclosure rates range from 1 percent in Arlington to 6 percent in Prince George’s County.

The institute found that 9.5 percent of all area mortgages were 30 days delinquent or more.

The Urban Institute plans to conduct further research of legal services, housing counseling and social services in the area to help the CAFN better connect at-risk residents to services.

The group will co-host an event May 6 with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Fannie Mae about new federal protections for renters whose landlords have gone into foreclosure.

It also plans to host an event with Freddie Mac about working with loan servicers.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Last year’s starting quarterback in Washington, Jason Campbell, has signed a $3.1 tender with the ‘Skins, taking him off the market as a restricted free agent but opening up the possibility (or probability) of a trade.  He has stopped attending voluntary workouts with the team.  Other franchises that are rumored to be interested include the Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, and Buffalo Bills.

The Redskins are also exploring opportunities to trade highly paid defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.  The former Titan signed a huge contract with the Redskins as an unrestricted free agent last year but has not seen eye to eye with coach Mike Shanahan and his staff.  Albert has made public his disappointment with the teams decision to tranform into a 3-4 defense, as he has always played in a 4-3 scheme, and has also refused to show up for voluntary work outs with the team.

Though it is believed he would report to mandatory camps, the situation seems to have built up too much tension to be resolved soon.  Shanahan is trying to change the culture of players being too empowered at Redskins Park.  Haynesworth is also said to have a strained relationship with many of his teammates and removing him would endear the head coach to his new squad and spread positive chemistry throughout the locker room.

The only team likely to be a suitable trade destination would be his former team, the Tennessee Titans.  However, the Redskins would probably want some return on the $21 million bonus they paid to Haynesworth last month.  The Titans are not historically the kind of team to throw around money and that may be too rich for their blood, but something might be able to be worked out since Shanahan has a good relationship with Titans coach Jeff Fisher.

The NFL Draft is April 22 and the Redskins biggest needs are an offensive tackle, developmental quarterback, and nose tackle.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Looking to fix up your house? Here are the 10 tax breaks for going green,
via Forbes.

1. If you fix up your house. $1,500 off your tax bill – a 30% credit for the first $5,000 you spend in 2009 or 2010 for improvements to your house energy efficiency. (for further reading: Energy Efficiency Home and Vehicle Tax Credits)

2. Buy a new refrigerator. States are rolling out $300 million worth of rebates for home owners who replaced their clunker apps with new energy-efficient models.(check out Department of Energy approved Energy Efficiency Rebates)

3. Get hot water from the sun. Solar hot water system to heat your shower or radiators (not hot tub or pool) qualify for a 30% federal credit with no dollar cap.

4. Install a solar energy system. Uncle Sam will give you a tax credit equal to 30% of the price of a solar system you install to generate electricity in your home. For a $60,000 system, that’s a whopping $18,000 off your taxes.

5. Take the bus. Bus, train, subway, and van-pool commuters can now get equal tax benefits with those who drive solo to work an pay to park. (up to pre-tax $230 for employers sponsor plans).

6. Buy a Ford hybrid. Taxpayers stuck paying the AMT can finally claim the credit for hybrid cars purchased in 2009 or 2010, but only if they buy Ford motor hybrids. (FYI: Honda and Toyota no longer qualify). Check out Alliance to Save Energy for Vehicle Tax Credits for more info.

7. Plug In a Chevy Volt… slated later for showrooms in November with projected price of $40,000, qualifies for federal tax credit of $7,500. Nissan Leaf coming out in December, should also qualify for the credit.

8. Bike to work. A new law lets your employer reimburse you $20 a month for bicyle commuting as tax-free fringe benefits. Can’t take both with train, it’s one of the other.

9. Dig for heat. Uncle Sam will give you a tax credit for 30% of the cost of geothermal heat pump system that feeds off the warmth in the ground to heat your home.

10. Put a windmill in your yard. A basic residential windmill runs $40,000, but you can get a federal tax credit equal to a full 30% of your windmill cost.More on tax tips “How to Save Money on Going Green” and watch video on ‘Tax Tips for 2010.’

For further reading you can check out few sites:
Alliance to Save Energy: Energy Efficiency Home and Vehicle Tax Credits
Energy Savers Rebates, Tax Credits, Financing: Approved Energy Efficient Appliance Rebates
Virginia Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program
Maryland: Residential Incentives and FY 2010 Comprehensive Program Guide
Green DC: Energy Star Appliance Rebates
DSIRE: Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Coach Bruce Boudreau and his squad have learned over the past two seasons what the playoffs are about.  And after playing back-to-back seven game series last year, eventually going out at the hands of the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins, they know how important a good start is in order to stay fresh and have some gas in the tank in the later rounds.  They will want to smother the Canadiens early.

First Round Schedule (Home Team, Date, Time, TV Network):
Game 1: @ Washington, Thu. 4/15, 7 p.m., TSN & Versus
Game 2: @ Washington, Sat. 4/17, 7 p.m., TSN & Versus
Game 3: @ Montreal, Mon. 4/19, 7 p.m., TSN
Game 4: @ Montreal, Wed. 4/21, 7 p.m., TSN
Game 5*: @ Washington, Fri 4/23, 7 p.m., TSN & Versus
Game 6*: @ Montreal, Mon. 4/26, 7 p.m., TSN & Versus
Game 7*: @ Washington, Wed. 4/28, TBD, TSN
* = if necessary

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Homes on the Market = 835
Foreclosures on the Market = 168
Average Listing Price = $632,518 (-$5,469 or -.09% from last week)
Average Price per Sq. Foot = $381 (+2.4% from Mar. 2009)

Popular Neighborhoods = Highland Park – Overlee Knolls, Yorktown, High View Park, Donaldson Run, Cherrydale, and Rock Spring

Statistics found on Trulia Real Estate Search

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Stanley Cup
Awarded to: NHL Playoff Champion
Holder: Pittsburgh Penguins
Prediction: Chicago Blackhawks

Prince of Wales Trophy
Awarded to: Eastern Conference Playoff Champion
Holder: Pittsburgh Penguins
Prediction: Washington Capitols

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl
Awarded to: Western Conference Playoff Champion
Holder: Detroit Red Wings
Prediction: Chicago Blackhawks

President’s Trophy
Awarded to: Most Points in Regular Season
Holder: San Jose Sharks
Winner: Washington Capitols

Hart Memorial Trophy
Awarded to: League MVP
Holder: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitols)
Prediction: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitols)
Also Running: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres), Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)

Vezina Trophy
Awarded to: Best Goalie
Holder: Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)
Prediction: Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres)
Also Running: Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix Coyotes), Martin Broeduer (New Jersey Devils), Craig Anderson (Colorado Avalanche)

James Norris Memorial Trophy
Awarded to: Best Defenseman
Holder: Zdeno Chara (Boston Bruins)
Prediction: Mike Green (Washington Capitols)
Also Running: Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks), Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings), Chris Pronger (Philadelphia Flyers)

Calder Memorial Trophy
Awarded to: Best Rookie
Holder: Steve Mason (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Prediction: Tyler Myers (Buffalo Sabres)
Also Running: Matt Duchene (Los Angeles Kings), John Tavares (New York Islanders), Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)

Jack Adams Award
Awarded to: Best Coach
Holder: Claude Julien (Boston Bruins)
Prediction: Dave Tippett (Phoenix Coyotes)
Also Running: Joe Sacco (Colorado Avalanche), Terry Murray (Los Angeles Kings), Cory Clouston (Ottawa Senators)

Lady Bing Memorial Trophy
Awarded for: Sportsmanship
Holder: Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Redwings)
Prediction: Brad Richards (Dallas Stars)
Also Running: Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning), Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks), Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks)

Conn Smyth Trophy
Awarded to: Playoff MVP
Holder: Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Prediction: Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)

Art Ross Trophy
Awarded to: Points Leader
Holder: Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Leaders: Henrik Sedin – 107 (Vancouver Canucks) and Alex Ovechkin – 106 (Washington Capitols)

Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
Award to: Most Goals
Holder: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitols)
Leaders: Alex Ovechkin – 48 (Washington Capitols), Sidney Crosby – 48 (Pittsburgh Penguins), Steve Stamkos – 47 (Tampa Bay Lightning)

NHL Plus-Minus Award
Awarded to: Highest +/-
Holder: David Krejci (Boston Bruins)
Leaders: Jeff Schultz – +44 (Washington Capitols) and Alex Ovechkin – +43 (Washington Capitols)

Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award
Awarded to: Highest Save Percentage
Holder: Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)
Leaders: Tuukka Rask – .930 (Boston Bruins), Ryan Miller – .928 (Buffalo Sabres)

William M. Jennings Trophy
Awarded to: Team Least Goals Against
Holders: Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez (Boston Bruins)
Leaders: Martin Brodeur – 186 (New Jersey Devils) and Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask – 194(Boston Bruins)

Not Listed: Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, Dedication), Lester B. Pearson Award (Outstanding Player as voted by Players Association), Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward), King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian Leadership), NHL Foundation Player Award (Community Service), Mark Messier Leadership Award (Leadership), NHL Lifetime Achievement Award, Scotiabank Fan Fav Award (Fans’ Favorite Player)

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

This event will offer one-stop shopping for a wide variety of home improvements.  Admission is free as well the parking and shuttle at Arlington Career Center just minutes away.

You can learn a lot about remodeling kitchens and baths, finishing or waterproofing basements, replacing windows and doors, as well as flooring, siding, gutter, and paving solutions, security systems, insulation, landscaping, shelving, decks, and more.  There will be information on how to make your home more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

There will be more than 50 exhibitors offering advice and services to add beauty and value to your home, as well as Realtors, local banks, Master Gardeners and Tree Stewerds, and Arlington County representatives to answer questions regarding permits, zoning, and inspections.  There will also be free classes available on a variety of subjects that would be of interest to homeowners.

Look on the Arlington Home Show & Expo website for more information.

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Northern Virginia Real Estate

McNabb, the number two overall selection by the Eagles in the 1999 NFL Draft, had a very successful career in Philadelphia; playing in five NFC Championships and one Super Bowl in 11 years, while being named to six Pro Bowls.

McNabb joins a crowded Redskins team under center, who already have three year incumbent Jason Campbell and Rex Grossman; another quarterback with Super Bowl credentials, formerly of the Chicago Bears.  The Redskins have also been scouting quarterbacks before next month’s draft, where they sit at number four overall, including Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, who is scheduled to visit with the team on Tuesday.

It’s reported the McNabb chose the Redskins over the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills, who also made offers.  The Eagles also rejected an earlier offer of highly paid defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from Washington.

The Eagles were disappointed in McNabb’s performance last year after he missed several weeks early in the season due to a cracked rib and poor displays in losses to the Dallas Cowboys in both Week 17 and the Wild Card playoff game.  Philadelphia seem to be comfortable going with youngster Kevin Kolb, drafted out of Houston in 2007, and the electrifying former Atlanta Falcon, Michael Vick, who is attempting to revive his career after a conviction on charges related to dog fighting and his subsequent prison stint.

Donovan McNabb leaves as the franchise leader in yards passing (32,873), completions (2,801), attemps (4,746), and completion percentage (59.0) and with a 92-49-1 record as a starter.  He has the third highest winning percentage among active quarterbacks behind the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning and the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady.  He holds many other NFL and franchise records.  He will now hope to help coach Mike Shanahan lead the Washington Redskins back to the playoffs and beyond.

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Northern Virginia Real Estate

April 2: Cherry Blast: A Night of Comtemporary Art + Music

April 3: Fireworks Show

April 4: Lantern Lighting Ceremony

April 8: Gala Dinner and Cruise aboard the Odyssey

April 10: National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

April 10: Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival

April 11: Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run

You can find out more about these events here or view a more exhaustive list of events here.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

The Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program includes opportunities to modify or refinance your mortgage to make your monthly payments more affordable.

In February 2009, the Obama Administration introduced a comprehensive Financial Stability Plan to address the key problems at the heart of the current crisis to get our economy back on track. A critical piece of that effort is Making Home Affordable, a plan to stabilize the housing market and help struggling homeowners get relief and avoid foreclosure.

The Home Affordable Modification Program provides eligible homeowners the opportunity to modify their mortgages to make them more affordable. Over one million homeowners have already gotten help under the program.  The program is on track to help 3 to 4 million homeowners by 2012.

On March 26, the Obama Administration announced expanded flexibility for mortgage servicers to assist more unemployed homeowners and homeowners who are underwater through the program.

The Second Lien Modification Program (2MP) offers homeowners a way to modify their second mortgages to make them more affordable when their first mortgage is modified under the Home Affordable Modification Program.

The Home Affordable Refinance Program gives homeowners with loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac an opportunity to refinance into more affordable monthly payments.

The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program provides opportunities for homeowners who can no longer afford to stay in their home but want to avoid foreclosure to transition to more affordable housing through a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

For more information visit www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Research done by realtor Brian Block shows that most homes under contract in Arlington and Alexandria have been on the market for less than 60 days.  In some price ranges, it’s as low as 36 days on average.

The only price ranges to average more than 60 days are $700-800 thousand and homes listed at over $1 million.

Of the 1,223 active listings in the MLS in the Arlington and Alexandria only 441 have been listed for more than 60 days, accounting for just 36%.

Virginia Housing Trends
Northern Virginia Real Estate

The festival, being held between March 27 and April 11 this year, includes activities such as the Opening Ceremony on March 27, a fireworks display April 3, and a parade and Japanese street festival known as Sakura Matsuri on April 10.  Other events include a 10-mile run, arts and crafts, kite festival, and other perfomances and events.  You can check dates, times, and locations on the National Cherry Blossom Festival website.

About 700,000 tourists visit Washington D.C. annually during these weeks of celebration.

Among the interesting facts about the cherry trees are that the United States government responded with a gift of dogwood trees to the people of Japan, the festival was suspended during World War II and resumed in 1947, 3,800 more trees were accepted in 1965 by Lady Bird Johnson, Japanese horticulturists took clippings of the trees in Washington D.C. in 1981 to replace Yoshino trees in Japan that had been destroyed in a flood, and in 1999 plantings were made from clippings of a famous tree in Gifu Prefecture believed to be 1,500 years old.

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Penguins forward Jordan Staal tied the game at three with 3:06 remaining in the third period. After the five minutes of 4-on-4 overtime hockey failed to produced a result for either team Pittsburgh then went up 2-0, off the sticks of Kris Letang and superstar Sidney Crosby, in the ensuing shootout.

Russian duo Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin deked Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to net the goals that tied the affair before Mike Knuble scored his first career shootout goal giving the Caps their second straight win. He was 0-4 in the extra time situation before last night.

The excitment down the stretch was intense as the Caps overturned a 2-1 third period deficit due to a shorthanded goal by Semin and a deflected goal by Eric Fehr less than two minutes apart.

The game’s three stars included Semin and Staal who were joined by Capitols goalie Jose Theodore who came away from the game with 39 saves in 65 minutes and a .929 save percentage. The game was Theodore’s seventh straight win and also extended his regulation unbeaten streak to 19 games, going 17-0-2 in that span.

Washington now has a chance to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference with a New Jersey Devils loss to the New York Rangers in their meeting Thursday.

Scoring Summary:
1st:
None

2nd:
[Washington - 1:02] Knuble (26) A: Backstrom, Ovechkin
[Pittsburgh - 2:21] Talbot (2) A: Orpik, Adams
[Pittsburgh - 14:39 - PPG] Guerin (19) A: Crosby, Ponikarovsky

3rd:
[Washington - 5:36 - SHG] Semin (34) A: None
[Washington - 7:32] Fehr (21) A: Green, Belanger
[Pittsburgh - 16:54] Staal (21) A: Kunitz, Leopold

OT:
None

SO:
[Pittsburgh] Letang (Goal)
[Washington] Backstrom (Save)
[Pittsburgh] Crosby (Goal)
[Washington] Ovechkin (Goal)
[Pittsburgh] Guerin (Save)
[Washington] Semin (Goal)
[Pittsburgh] Kunitz (Save)
[Washington] Knuble (Goal)

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A normal or balanced inventory is 6 months of houses on the market. If there is more than six months it favors the buyers, who have more options. Less than six months favors the sellers, who will see more interest from buyers.

Right now there are around 635 houses for sale in Arlington County. In the last six months there have been 1,182 home sales. Therefore, Arlington County has only 3.2 months of inventory.

This means that it is a seller’s market, and if you have been thinking about selling your house or moving now is the time and the market is just right for you to get a bigger offer on your home.

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Plug in your address or the address of a home you’re thinking about buying.

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Every year I fill it out the day after Selection Sunday when teams are chosen for the “big dance” and over the next few days I make changes, mold it, shape it, until it is a piece of art.  Then the games begin and my friends and I compare our predictions to the final outcomes.

The games start in about an hour and I’m posting my final selections:

National Champion: Kentucky

Runners-Up: Kansas

Final Four: Duke, Syracuse

Elite Eight: Ohio State, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Kansas State

Sweet Sixteen: Maryland, Georgetown, Temple, Marquette, Texas A&M, Villanova, UTEP, Xavier

First Round Winners: Northern Iowa, Michigan State, Tennesse, Georgia Tech, Texas, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Clemson, California, Siena, Baylor, Richmond, Gonzaga, Murray State, Pittsburgh, BYU

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For many, St. Patty’s is a day for celebrating Irish heritage, wearing green, and drinking Guinness.  It’s day where “everyone is Irish” and an excuse to get fall-down drunk without consequences.  But the real reason behind the holiday is much more subdued.

Celebrated every March 17, St. Patrick’s Day began as a Catholic holiday but evolved into a more secular celebration of all things Irish.

St. Patrick was the most commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland.  He was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16.  He later escaped back to Britain and became a priest, returning to Ireland to convert it’s people to Christianity.  According to folklore, he used the shamrock to teach about the holy trinity.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by people of all ethnicities and religions all over the United States.  Boston has the longest-running parade, dating back to 1737, while Chicago uses vegetable-dye to color it’s river green, and Seattle paints the traffic stripe green along the parade route.  Several professional baseball and basketball teams, notably the Boston Red Sox and New York Knicks, have special green jerseys they wear in games around the holiday.

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School (Seed/Region)

Georgetown (3rd/Midwest):  The Hoyas will play Ohio in the opening round.  They were ranked #22 in both the AP and coaches poll after finishing 23-10 (10-8 Big East).  The Hoyas have been coached by John Thompson III since the 2004-2005 season.  He is the son of John Thomspon Jr., the first African American head coach to win a major collegiate championship when his Georgetown Hoyas won the NCAA Men’s Division-I Basketball Championship in 1984.  Georgetown lost to West Virginia in the final of the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Maryland (4th/Midwest):  The Terrapins will play Houston in the opening round.  They were ranked #19 in both the AP and coaches poll after finishing 23-8 (13-3 in the ACC).  The Terps are led by senior guard Greivis Vasquez, averaging around 20 points and 6 assists per game.  Vasquez is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the country’s best point guard.  Maryland lost in the quarterfinal of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament to Georgia Tech.

Richmond (7th/South):  The Spiders play St. Mary’s in the opening round.  They head into the tournament unranked, finishing 26-8 (13-3 A10).  Richmond lost to Temple in the final of the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Old Dominion (11th/South):  The Monarchs play Notre Dame in the opening round.  They head into the tournament unranked, finishing 26-8 (15-3 CAA).  Old Dominion won an automatic berth by winning their 2nd Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Championship.

Morgan State (15th/East):  The Bears play West Virginia in the opening round.  They head into the tournament unranked, finishing 27-9 (15-1 MEAC).  Morgan State won an automatic berth by winning their 5th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship.

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Members are cautioned to advise their seller clients to remove all jewelry, valuables and prescription drugs from their homes and to double check cabinets and drawers for those items prior to Open Houses.

This past weekend, two local Realtors® hosted a Fairfax County Open House and observed suspicious behavior by a visitor. One of the agents remembered this house hunter from a past Open House where prescription drugs were stolen. He observed the person looking into the medicine cabinets after requesting to be alone in the bathroom “to make a call.”
The alleged suspect is a white male, about 5’11″, approximately 180 lbs., with light-colored hair, shoulder-length in back. His vehicle was a late model F150 royal blue pick-up truck, with “4 x 4” in white letters on the back end.

Should you come across this person, it is advised that you do not attempt a confrontation.  Please call police authorities immediately.

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The 66,395 square foot Italian mansion includes a staff wing, indoor theater, gym, lounge, game room, billiard room, two bowling alleys, two tennis courts, two squash courts, a handball court, a basketball court, and a 17,000 square foot garage large enough to hold 100 vehicles.

The property is estimated to be worth around $203 million.

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The first headlines came Thursday when the Redskins made room on their roster by releasing wide reciever Antwaan Randle El, cornerback Fred Smoot, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin, kick returner Rock Cartwright, guard Randy Thomas, quarterback Todd Collins, and running back Ladell Betts.

Offensive tackle Chris Samuels retired this offseason, leaving Derrick Dockery the only offensive lineman left on the roster among last years opening day starters.

With no salary cap this year, owner Dan Snyder should open up the purse strings this offseason, as he usually does.  It being an uncapped year, he has no ceiling to worry about as far as player salaries go.  The team has already signed Artis Hicks, an offensive guard from the Minnesota Vikings.  Hicks is 31 years old and began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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I found out that the 22204 zip code’s population in 2009 was 52,189, an increase of 4.6% since 2000.  The cost of living is 29.53% higher than the U.S. average.  Public schools spend $9,270 per student while the national average is $6,058, and there are 11 students per teacher.  The unemployment rate is 4.4% (national average is 8.5%), while job growth is up .9%.

The medium home cost is $358,600 and home appreciation was -16.8%.  The average age of a home is 46 years (national average 27).  Interestingly, only around a third of the homes are owned by the occupants and the property tax rate ($8.53) is well under the national average ($13.28).

More information on Arlington (22204) can be found here.

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The Capitols picked up a familiar face in defenseman Milan Jurcina, coming back from the Columbus Blue Jackets just 6 weeks after being traded away with former captain Chris Clark for Jason Chimera.  The Caps were also talking to the Carolina Hurricanes much of day, acquiring right winger Scott Walker early in the day and later sending the rights of blue-liner Brian Pothier and minor-leaguer Oskar Osala in exchange for those of Joe Corvo, another veteran defenseman.  Finally, Washington brought in center Eric Belanger from the Minnesota Wild, adding depth down the middle of the ice.

While the Capitols were expected to bring in a veteran, shutdown defenseman they instead ended up adding attack minded blue-liners to their already potent offensive roster while not sacrificing too much in the process, a few fringe players and late round draft picks aside.

My Buffalo Sabres, currently sitting in fifth place, ended up standing pat for the most part, although they did bring in forward and power-play threat Raffi Torres from the Columbus Blue Jackets, who immediately becomes the leading goalscorer on a defensive roster that boasts Olympics MVP goalie Ryan Miller.  The Sabres sent oft-scratched defenseman Nathan Paetsch and a second round pick to Columbus in exchange.  The acquisition of Torres made the services of underachieving Clark MacAurthur no longer necessary, and he was traded away to the Atlanta Thrashers for a third round draft pick next year.

The Sabres general manager Darcy Regier feels pretty comfortable with the players he currently has and a day that ends up with basically a swap of MacAurthur for Torres can be seen as a significant upgrade.  While they didn’t add any depth, the front office feels that several youngsters at minor league affiliate Portland are close to contributing on the big stage.

Puck Daddy’s 2010 NHL Trade Deadline Report Cards

The two teams met last night in a hum-drum game in which Washington won 3-1.  None of the new faces were in their sweaters just yet and many of the players that were on the ice still seemed to be on vacation after coming off the Olympic break.  Mike Green scored the winning goal midway through the third period and the Sabres were finished off by an empty net goal scored by Boyd Gordon.  Ryan Miller looked fresh, however, after getting a break against the Pittsburgh Penguins last night in a 2-1 loss in which Patrick Lalime played in goal.

With around 20 games remaining for both teams, the final stretch of the regular season begins and once they get their skates under them and the postseason looms closer things will get pretty exciting on the ice in these two cities.

By: David

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