Follow this link for the most accurate market information regarding Tysons Corner, Virginia provided by Zillow.   http://www.zillow.com/local-info/VA-Tysons-Corner/r_248061/

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millennium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

 The biggest difference between a condo and a house is that a condo usually has less square footage. Therefore, when you decorate a condo, think about how to make the space seem bigger. Most condos have one “great room” rather than a separate living room and family room. This room is often rather small, even though the name of the room indicates otherwise. To make the room seem bigger, try installing some mirrors on the walls. If you can install a mirror opposite a window, the mirror will reflect the window and bring more light into the room, making it feel larger and brighter. A mirror over a fireplace also has the same effect. In any small room, not just the great room, limit window treatments to very light, sheer curtains or even nothing at all. Instead, hang a blind that can be pulled up, and install molding around the window to frame it. Painting the walls in a light, neutral color and the ceiling one shade lighter also will open up any small room.

Make it Unique use some unusual decorating techniques to make your condo stand out from the others in your building. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use ceiling molding, wainscoting and chair rails on the walls. Install wainscoting a third of the way up the wall, top it off with a chair rail and then paint the area above it. Then, install molding around the edges where the walls meet the ceiling. Alternately, choose one wall and wallpaper it with a light-colored but sophisticated print. If you know a carpenter or are handy with wood, build yourself some built-in bookshelves around a fireplace or doorway, then paint them to match the wall.

Victorian style is a very popular style used in a lot of homes but isn’t commonly used in condos. Decorating your condo in a Victorian style would make your condos stand out from the rest. To create a Victorian style condo try adding dark reds and grays similar to the Victorian time. You also need to consider the home décor aspect of it and the furniture. For your decoration you can use paintings and pictures from the Victorian times as well as antique vases. Before attempting this design make sure you have a large room because all the darker colors and big furniture can make a room seem a lot smaller than it is.

Fung Shui is another great decorating idea for your condo. If you choose to decorate your condo Fung Shui style make sure that you concentrate on blending light and dark colors. Make sure all your furniture faces east because this is supposed to bring you good karma. Things like a bonsai tree or a waterfall will make your condo a hit with all your guests. This design plan should make your condo feel a lot more open and subsequently larger. Make sure that your condo isn’t really big or else this design will make your condo seem vast and empty.

 For more creative ways to decorate your condo, contact

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

The time has never been better to buy a bank-owned home. They’re available, they’re cheap and banks are more likely to assist with financing. Your job? To do your homework and make sure the deal is worth the effort.

Where to get started? How about right here, with these tips!

Lay the groundwork. Don’t go into a bank-owned home purchase scenario with blinders on. Sure, banks want to get such homes off of their books, but they are, after all, banks, and won’t just give them away. Banks have been known to trigger bidding wars for bank-owned homes, which they can do now because of an increased demand for cheaper homes.

Know what the deal will be. Buying a bank-owned home isn’t the same animal as buying a home from a private seller. That’s primarily because banks have better lawyers than private sellers. Consequently, expect your new home contract to include untraditional home-buying stipulations, like buying the home “as is” or making you pay for the seller’s costs. Your plan of action? Hire your own lawyer who can navigate – and negotiate – the fine print.

Watch out for a “contingency” trap. With bank-owned purchases, buyers may have to agree to accept an appraisal contingency. In plain English, that means you better have a good handle on your bid for the home. The appraisal contingency is usually standard for bank-owned home contracts. If, for example, you commit to a bid of $240,000 for the home, but the appraisal comes in at $200,000, guess which price you’ll pay? And the only way out is to give up your original deposit and walk away from the deal.

Bring your contractor. One way around the contingency trap is to bring your own seasoned home contractor along with you to inspect the home. Obvious damage may be disclosed by the bank before a sale. But under-the-surface issues that could negatively impact the value of the home – like the absence of a French trench drain to thwart chronic flooding – may not grab your attention.

Bid low – but not too low. The prices for bank-owned homes are low enough that you likely won’t be the only bidder for a home. As a result, you want to bid low, but not so low that other parties will easily trump your bid. Your best bet? Find out the market value of homes in the neighborhood (using real estate value Web sites like Zillow.com or RealtyTrac.com), and then target your bid at 20% below the market value figure.

Other key tips include making sure you’re pre-approved (bank-owned homes tend to move fast) for a loan, working with a realtor experienced in bank-owned homes and planning for a quick inspection turnaround (it could be seven days instead of the usual two-to-three weeks).

Make no mistake. There are plenty of good bank-owned home deals on the market right now. But know that the rules are different with banks so prepare to expect the unexpected.

Above all, play to win. Because that’s exactly what the bank will do.

For additional information please contact:

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

The in heart of FairFax County lies Tysons Corner. It is Virginia’s largest office market and one of the leading business centers in the nation with 26.3 million square feet of office space. Office buildings are typically mid-rise or high-rise in design. There are a few smaller structures and townhouse office condos around the periphery of the submarket. The largest business parks are Tysons II, West*Gate, West*Park and Westwood Corporate Center.

Fairfax County’s 1 million citizens are diverse and well-educated.

Residential Real Estate

Fairfax County and the Washington metropolitan area boast a broad variety of homes, locations and prices. Housing is available for individuals seeking an urban, suburban, small town or country feel. High-rise apartments, condominiums, single family homes and townhouses are plentiful.

Fairfax County’s major residential communities offer a broad spectrum of choices for the home-buyer or renter. The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors maintains a list of agents in northern Virginia. Real Estate assessment information for homes is available by address or tax map reference number on the Fairfax County Government Web site.

Metro Area Housing Affordability

*County states provided by Fairfax County Economic Development      Authorityhttp://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/demographics

For additional information regarding Fairfax County history and facts, contact

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

As you plan your next vacation, take five minutes to review these simple, yet often overlooked home safety practices that deter burglars from breaking into your house. Your home will appear to be lived in whether you are away for only a weekend or for weeks at a time.

Give a Neighbor A Spare Key
Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case anything happens to your house while you are away, or in case you get locked out. It’s usually not a good idea to leave a key hidden outside your house, especially in more urban areas.

Change Your Locks
It is usually a good idea to change the locks on your new home when you move in. You never know who might have keys to your house. If your new home does not have deadbolts on all ground-level doors, consider installing them. If a sliding glass door is easily accessible, it is a good idea to put a strip of wood in the lower tract.

Protect Your House Keys
Don’t give repairmen a key, and don’t give people fixing your car your whole set of keys. Your house keys can be easily duplicated and your address can usually be obtained from your license plate number.

Lock Doors And Windows
Keep your doors locked, even if you step out for just a few minutes. Especially remember to lock all doors at night and when you go on vacation. Similarly, keep your windows locked. Check that all windows have locks when you move into a new house. If they don’t, install them or replace the window.

Make Your Home Appear Lived-in
Install automatic timers to turn lights and radios on and off at appropriate times. Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail, or have it forwarded it to the post office. Contact your local newspaper to stop delivery and consider having someone mow your lawn and water the flowers. Lower the sound of your telephone and answering machine so they cannot be heard from outside and make sure your outgoing message does not imply that you are away.

Consider Installing An Alarm
You may also want to install an alarm if the house doesn’t already have one. If you move into a new house with an alarm, make sure you get accurate (written) directions on how to operate it.

 For additional information on keeping your home safe, please contact:

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

WATER CONSERVATION AND LANDSCAPING  

Common Areas/Buildings

• Landscaping Committee. Does your condo association or apartment building have a building and grounds committee?  Attend a meeting or two to find out more about how your landscape is managed.

• Review landscaping contract, and recommend that the contractor:
  • Use native plants,
  • Minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides,
  • Leave some grass trimmings on the grass for natural fertilizer (grasscycle),
  • Recycle leaves and plant trimmings (if feasible),
  • Take care with lawn watering, allowing the lawn to go dormant during droughts.
• Use the rainwater.   Direct downspouts to planted beds or lawn areas, so that the rainwater from the building can irrigate the plants. 
• Collect rainwater.   Consider installing rain barrels or cisterns to collect and store rainwater for gardeners to use, or for dry periods.
• Use the landscape to help manage stormwater.   If you have areas that are very wet from runoff from a building or parking lot, consider installing a raingarden to help absorb the stormwater.  Green roofs are another option to absorb stormwater runoff from a building’s roof, and also help insulate and improve energy efficiency in the building.  If you are replacing pavement or sidewalks, consider permeable paving stones or other materials that allow some of the water to drain into the soil, and reduce runoff.

Individual Unit Owners

As many condominium units are not individually metered for water use, unit owners may not know how much water they are using or if they have a leak.

• Toilets and laundry are the major water users in most homes (view statistics on average water usage).
• Encourage unit owners to install low flow toilets, or the flapperless toilet model, to help conserve water.  The association could consider a bulk purchase of toilets to offer residents a reduced cost.
• Choose Energy Star when replacing a clothes washer to save water and energy.
• Check pipes and faucets for leaks.  Even small leaks can waste significant amounts of water. Water leaks are not only a waste of water, but also of the energy needed to heat the water.
• Turn off the water when brushing teeth or shaving.
• Try to keep your shower to five minutes or less.
• Install low flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Look for ones that use no more than 2.5 gallons per minute at maximum flow (for showerheads) and 2.2 gallons per minute maximum flow (for faucets).
• Check the toilet for leaks. Leaks inside a toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day. Toilet leaks can be detected by taking the tank cover off and placing several drops of food coloring in the tank. You have a leak if you see the coloring in the bowl after a few minutes. Most leaks involve the rubber flapper or shut off valve found in the tank. Repair as soon as possible.
• View other water conservation tips.

For additional information on making your condo green, please contact:

Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com

                           TYSONS CORNER

The Dulles Metrorail and Interstate 495 HOT Lanes projects are moving full steam ahead, and the traveling public in Virginia will reap the rewards of these significant transportation additions by 2013.

Hot Lanes are a system that will provide new travel choices for a faster and more reliable trip.

Work on five new Metrorail stations is underway, with four in Tysons Corner and one in Reston.  Trains are expected to begin servicing these stations in late 2013.

Both of these projects will increase transportation options in Northern Virginia. In the mean time, there are numerous delays. To ease these impacts, Virginia Megaprojects created a traffic management plan (TMP) to offer alternatives to lane closures and detours.

This plan includes three new bus services: Tysons Connector, a free shuttle serving Tysons Corner at lunchtime during the week; Tysons Express, a Woodbridge to Tysons Corner commuter bus with free Wi-Fi; and a Loudoun County express bus to Tysons Corner to launch in fall 2010.

Find more information about transportation alternatives and construction at www.VAmegaprojects.com. Drivers can sign up for an e-mail alerts and track the progress of all Megaprojects: Dulles Metrorail, Interstate 495 HOT Lanes, Fairfax County Parkway extension, Interstate 95 widening and Telegraph Road Interchange.
Find more information about transportation alternatives and construction at www.VAmegaprojects.com. Drivers can sign up for an e-mail alerts and track the progress of all Megaprojects: Dulles Metrorail, Interstate 495 HOT Lanes, Fairfax County Parkway extension, Interstate 95 widening and Telegraph Road Interchange.

 Progress as of June 21, 2010

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Tysons Area Construction

Courtesy of Jeff Wu

Neighborhood Specialist

Route 123 will be closed at the Beltway from 9:30pm tonight (Friday) until 5:00 am Monday. All traffic in and out of Tysons Corner will be detoured. The old Beltway bridge is being demolished and traffic is moved to a new bridge over Route 124.

When you leave the shopping areas, you will have to take Route 7. If you’re coming from McLean, you will be directed to Route 193 (Georgetown Pike).  Expect serious delays!

 The following ramps will be closed:

• I495 north to Route 123 south
• I495 south to Route 123 north
• Route 123 south to I495 south
• Route 123 north to I495 north

 The following ramps will be open:

• Route 123 north to I495 south
• Route 123 south to I495 north
• I495 south to Route 123 south
• I495 north to Route 123 north

If that isn’t enough, crews will be working on the Dulles Metrorail guideway piers over the Beltway, and the  Orange Line between East Falls Church and West Falls Church will be closed this weekend. The stations will be closed Saturday, June 12 at 7am and reopen on Monday June 14 at 5am. Traffic will be moved between the stations by shuttle bus. If you plan to take the shuttle bus, allow an extra 30 minutes to your travel time.

 Inbound traffic should plan to park at East Falls Church station and ride Metro from there. Parking is free on weekends.

 For more information on the metro project check out MetroOpensDoors.com.

Courtesy of Jeff Wu, Neighborhood Specialist

 Want to know your home’s value?  

For more information on homes in Tysons, McLean, Reston and the surrounding area,  contact Jeff at Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com,

 Cell: 240-994-7938, Office: 703-556-4222