August, 2009:
Gunston Cove in Lorton VA
Located just south of Fort Belvoir, Gunston Cove has ready access to Interstate 95, the Virginia Railway Express, and with its newly completed homes offer a rare chance at that zero mileage home. With two car garages, a fireplace, and luxuriously open floor plans you can easily feel at home in this new community. These new homes in Lorton range between 2400 and 3200 square feet. Gunston Cove homes are listing starting in the upper 400s.
| About the Author — Ben Fornshell is a licensed real estate agent with Condo Alexandria. To learn more about available rentals and purchases in the area check out our free search.
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Condominiums at Carlyle Square
The courtyard at Carlyle Square in Spring
The Condominiums at Carlyle Square are located in the Carlyle District of Alexandria, Virginia. Carlyle Square is long walk and a short drive to the Potomac waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. Carlyle Square is inside I-495 (the Beltway) with easy access to major commuter routes. Carlyle Square is a short distance to both the King Street Metro stop (blue and yellow lines) and Amtrak at Alexandria’s Union Station.
The courtyard at Carlyle Square is beautifully landscaped. Parking is tough in this neighborhood, but not for residents of Carlyle Square. Garage parking is available. The community is pet friendly. There is a concierge at the front desk.
Carlyle Square’s 145 units feature light-filled upscale interiors ranging from studios to 2 bedrooms with a den. Kitchens are Carlyle Square are state-of-the-art boasting stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, custom maple cabinets. The rest of the living space is equally nice with hardwood floors and unique lighting in the living and dining areas. The bathrooms at Carlyle Square were constructed with Kohler fixtures and porcelain tiles. Amenities include an outdoor pool and fitness center, but the pool and fitness center require an additional fee.
Winter at Carlyle Square condos in the Carlyle District
For a map of Carlyle Square and listings of homes currently for sale at Carlyle Square, click Carlyle Square.
Rose Hill
Rose Hill is situated along Franconia Drive west of Richmond Highway. Rose Hill is situated close enough to commute to DC, but unlike other real estate this close to the city it remains a suburb in layout and feel. Parking is unrestricted and ample, with wide streets and easy access. With improvements to the Telegraph Rd intersection with the beltway there are now two excellent and easy ways to get to the Beltway.
Real estate values in the Rose Hill area are already showing signs of growth making this both an excellent place for a new home, and for an investment. Click Rose Hill for a map of the area that shows homes for sale and area prices.
| About the Author — Ben Fornshell is a licensed real estate agent with Condo Alexandria. To learn more about available rentals and purchases in the area check out our free search.
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Quick Facts about the Representative Condominiums
The Representative Condominium is about an 8 minute walk from both the Yellow and Blue Metro Lines. It was built in 1976 and has 12 floors with a total of 206 units.
The balconies provide views of Rosslyn, Crystal City, Fort Meyer and other parts of Arlington. The back side of the building has excellent views of the Pentagon, the Potomac and the landmarks of Washington D.C.
These luxury condos are supported by street and surface parking as well as three levels of garage parking. Each floor has a laundry room and there are no fees to use the laundry.
There is a pool behind the building. The building has an excellent party room / meeting room facility. Each unit has supplemental storage space.
Alexandria Union Station serving Amtrak and VRE in Alexandria VA
Carlyle District as seen from Union Station
Union Station in Alexandria VA is a historic train station located between King and Duke Streets at the foot of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial. The station is within site of the USPTO and nearby Carlyle District. The station backs up against the King St. Metro, making it an excellent transfer point for riders of the VRE (Virginia Railway Express). Both Amtrak and VRE stop at the station and DASH and Metrobus lines stop at the King St. Station.
Alexandria’s Union Station shares a name with Union Station in nearby Washington DC. Locals usually refer to the station in Washington as Union Station and the station in Alexandria as Alexandria Station. Both stations were so-named because at one time they united several lines/companies. The Amtrak code is for this station is ALX.
The terminal itself was built in 1905 in the Federal Revival style. Although it has been renovated and improved the original 1905 terminal is still in use. The memorial before the terminal is dedicate to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Alexandria Union Station
110 Callahan Dr.
Alexandria VA 22314
Union Station in Alexandria backs to the King Street Metro
United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria VA
United States Patent and Trademark Office as seen from Alexandria's Union Station
Every day new products are invented, new uses for old products are discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce that strives to protect the economic interests of inventors and the welfare of the public. According to the USPTO, the purpose of these patents is to “promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution).”
The USPTO is one of the very few government services that is actually completely fee funded. This is as compared to the US Postal Service and Amtrak, which are both fee funded but run deficits requiring federal money.
The USPTO occupies five interconnected buildings in the Carlyle District of Alexandria, Virginia. This office employs over 7,000 full time staff to support its major functions—the examination and issuance of patents and the examination and registration of trademarks.
Every day young and old patent examiners move to our fair city seeking residence. Many prefer the new and sparkling appeal of the Carlyle District, while some enjoy the colonial feel of Old Town. While Old Town and Carlyle District are both closest, these areas are pricey. For those who want to live close to the USPTO but who are seeking bargains Huntington, New Alexandria or the West End are excellent alternatives.
 Will Nesbitt
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About the Author — Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria and Will Nesbitt Realty. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County. |
Cameron Station has houses, townhouses and condos in vintage stylings near Old Town Alexandria
Cameron Station is located just off Duke St. in Alexandria VA adjacent to Ben Brenman Park and near Holmes Run Park. The Cameron Station community has single family homes, townhomes and condominiums. The architectural style of Cameron Station calls to mind nearby Old Town and the historic 18th and 19th century buildings of that part of the city. At the same time Cameron Station is planned to function like an old-fashioned Norman Rockwell small town. The hallmarks of this community are broad avenues lined brick sidewalks, trees and colonial street lamps. Cameron Station has many assorted patches of greenery called “pocket parks”.
Cameron Station’s townhomes are stately and impressive.
The condos of Cameron Station include Carlton Place, Condominiums of Cameron Station Blvd, Main Street, Oakland Hall, Residences at Cameron Station and Woodland Hall.
There is rarely any traffic in Cameron Station.
Cameron Station has several neighborhood shops and markets. For a closer look at Cameron Station check Cameron Station Info or Cameron Station dot com.
For a map of Cameron Station and listings of homes for sale at Cameron Station, click Cameron Station listings.
The Representative
The Representative is located where Arlington Ridge Road terminates. The road here makes a hairpin-turn on a promontory overlooking I-395, Crystal City, Arlington, the Pentagon and Washington DC. This location gives the Representative superb views of the Potomac and Northern Virginia and puts the Representative near the heart of the action, and at the same time a little off the beaten track.
In the summer the trees and foliage fill the view with greenery and add to the charm of the Representative. If you’ve never seen the Representative, you need to put it on your list if you’re shopping near Crystal City, Fort Meyer, Rosslyn and Pentagon City.
The lobby is enormous, covered in marble appointed in grand style.
The building’s unique architecture and floor plans provide many interesting curves and corners. Click The Representative for a list of homes for sale and a map of the area.
How much is a view worth?
Pentagon City as seen from Arlington Ridge in Arlington VA
When you’re shopping for a home, how do you price a view? The view above is from a balcony at the Representative overlooking Pentagon City in Arlington County. Does this view make this condominium home more valuable? If so, how much more valuable?
Many condos at Montebello have excellent views.
Like the Representative, Montebello sits atop the ridge overlooking the Potomac. Much of the best property in Northern VA is found on this ridge, because the elevation provides excellent vistas of the Potomac and the city.
View of Masonic Temple and the shady streets of Old Town
The Alexandria House is not on the ridge, but down by the Potomac and surrounded by the smaller structures of Old Town Alexandria. Its balconies provide great views of the city and the river.
The Potomac River as seen from Port Royal in Old Town
Who’s to say what a great view is anyway? Some people like the city view. Some folks prefer a nature view. Some folks like the monuments. And others couldn’t care less about the view.
For myself, I never judge a view by standing at a window. Because when you live in a home, you don’t stand at the window. You pass through rooms and halls on the way to do life’s errands. I judge a view from the center of the room, or when seated at the couch. But in the end, it’s all subjective. A view costs more, on that we all agree. But the value of a view is only known when the price a buyer will pay intersects with the amount a seller will accept.
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About the Author — Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo Alexandria and Will Nesbitt Realty. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County. |
Washer and Dryer in the Unit?
This week I was in a condo selling for over a million dollars. It was a beautiful condominium home with excellent views, a state of the art kitchen and all the upgrades one might expect … except the unit didn’t have a washer and dryer.
Because my office is in River Towers, and we also serve Belle View, I often confront the question of a washer and dryer in the unit. (Neither River Towers nor Belle View has laundry in the unit.) I’ve talked to the older residents of River Towers about this and surprisingly many of them resist the idea of putting laundry in the unit. They like their laundry-rooms right where they are—thank you very much.
This might seem baffling to some of the younger generation, but laundry rooms have a number of distinct advantages:
- community — You get to know your neighbors in the laundry room. This creates a sense of community and you know who belongs in the secured areas and who is a stranger.
- maintenance — You don’t have to worry about buying a new washer when the old one breaks down. More importantly you don’t have to worry about your personal laundry flooding a neighbor’s condo.
- square footage — Laundry takes up space. You have more space in your unit if you have a community laundry room
- more washers — Many folks like to wait and do an entire week of laundry at one time. If you have a laundry room you’re not limited to one small washer. You have many washers available.
In a luxury community, most people don’t do their own laundry anyway, so they don’t care if the laundry is outside the unit. My tip to folks who are shopping for homes in Northern Virginia: don’t box yourself in. If you won’t consider a unit with a laundry room, you’re walking past some of the best neighborhoods in Northern VA.
