The Birchmere - John Hiatt on March 15th & 16th

The Birchmere in Alexandria is arguably the finest venue in the country for a wide range of traditional and alternative musicians. And it is right on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Arlandria (that part of Alexandria that borders South Arlington). John Hiatt is going to be there on the 15th and 16th of March.

The seating is first come first served, and it is also one of the best places in Alexandria to get "comfort food." The performances are in a large room that sits about 500 people at long "communal" table. Everyone sits around talking and eating and sipping drinks until showtime. When the show starts, everyone gets to see and hear the act.

For most performances, if you go into the outer waiting area and order food before the kitchen closes, you can eat watching the show up on the big screen.

Just another one of the many reasons that people like living in Alexandria and Arlington.

Please email me at kay@kayblemker.com with your comments. Thanks!

Northern Virginia December 2009 Statistics

From the December 2009 NVAR Statistics, it is clear that for those selling homes this past December in Northern Virginia, the average sale price was up a smidge more than 12 percent over December 2008 numbers. And for our Greater Northern Virginia region, which extends west and north of Fairfax County, average home prices spiked more than 18 percent compared to the previous year.

Not bad in a year dubbed as the Great Recession. Still, we know it was not an easy year for many. In other parts of the country, quality of life approached that of the Great Depression. But not here in Northern Virginia, thankfully.

Preliminary data, which will be confirmed later in the first quarter of 2010, show that year-to-date average sales prices were down 5.5 percent in Fairfax, Arlington, Falls Church and Alexandria. And our Greater Northern Virginia region fared a tad better with a 5.3 percent average sales price decline. By many measures, this reflects a stable housing market, which will only inch upward as the tax credit continues to benefit first-time home buyers and home owners thinking about and deciding to buy another primary residence home.

Turns out that December data posted some declines that everyone is likely happy about: Days on the Market. In both Northern Virginia and Greater Northern Virginia, average time on the market was under two months, when last year houses took about 100 days, on average, to sell. Our region’s absorption rate dropped to about four months’ supply from 2008’s five month supply. This reduction could be a direct result of the tax credit first set in place this past February in President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009.

So what’s up for 2010? Based on the number of home sales, housing is doing reasonably well with brisk, encouraging pending sales activity in the pipeline in what is typically one of real estate’s slowest months. While the pending numbers are lower compared to December 2008, we anticipate that because of the extended tax incentives, sales activity numbers will remain brisk in early 2010.



Please email me at kay@kayblemker.com with your comments. Thanks!

Existing Homeowners Can Cash in on the Buyer Tax Credit - if they hurry!

Today’s affordable housing prices, historically low interest rates and federal home buyer tax credit have created one of the most attractive first-time buyer markets ever.  A recent expansion of the buyer tax credit has included current homeowners who want to move up - or just move.


If you've lived in your current home for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8, you may now be eligible to receive a $6,500 tax credit.

Not only will you receive a $6,500 rebate on any taxes that you might owe, you can also purchase in a time of depressed home prices and lower interest rates.

To qualify, the repeat buyer must have signed a binding contract by April 30, 2010 and go to settlement by June 30, 2010 on a home with a sale price of no more than $800,000. Income limits of $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples limit eligibility.

Existing homeowners don't have to sell their current home to be eligible for the $6,500 tax credit. But if that is the only way to qualify, it is critical that repeat buyers get their home on the market as soon as possible, or they might not be able to sell and find a new home by the April 30 deadline.


Please email me at kay@kayblemker.com with your comments. Thanks!