Fcnp-summer-real-estate

Special Edition

Real Estate

Summer 2015

A Wooden Revival

After a home designed with Gothic-style,19th-century wood carvings fell into disrepair, an overhaul restored its beauty and preserved its historic antique features.

See page RE-8

ALSO INSIDE The ‘Solarize’ Movement Comes to The Little City Page RE-2

Upgrading Your Home For the Future Page RE-4

Home Sales & More: ‘By the Numbers’ Page RE-11

R EA L E STATE

PAGE RE-2 | SUMMER 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Solarize Falls Church Program Ends on June 30

by Patricia Leslie

Falls Church News-Press

Attention, Falls Church residents! This program is not too good to be true. And it ends June 30.

It’s Solarize NoVA, the energy program, with a free energy audit, a solar site evaluation, and discounts up to 20 percent.

Plus, if a system is up and running by the end of next year, homeowners can claim a federal tax credit of 30 percent.

And then, there’s the competition with Vienna.

In an energy race, Falls Church Mayor David Tarter and Vienna’s Laurie DiRocco are competing for the most homeowners to sign up for a check-up before June 30.

The losing mayor has to take the winner to dinner.

The latest count shows Falls Church running behind Vienna, 96 to 133 since the program launched on Earth Day, April 22 this year, said Angela Hopgood, outreach coordinator for the Local Energy Alliance Program.

She calls Falls Church’s 96 “a really great number,” but Vienna “is hitting the ball out of the park.”

The goal for Falls Church is 300. “We are always hopeful,” Hopgood said.

It’s easy to sign up on the website, solarizenova.org, and read all about Solarize which lists approved, area vetted contractors

who offer discounts.

No Falls Church contractors applied for the program, perhaps, Hopgood theorized, because the approval process is long and exhaustive.

The free 90-minute home energy inspection is the first step, and it alone can save homeowners $70, said Robert W. Lazaro, Jr., the director of regional energy planning for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, a partner with Hopgood and Local Energy Alliance Program.

One Falls Church resident who has already had her energy inspection is Nancy Hartman who lives off Arlington Boulevard.

The energy auditor spent a lot of time at her house studying and giving her tips on insulation.

“He looked in the crawl spaces, the attic, around the house, [studying] how it was insulated.”

He evaluated the condition of the roof, and gave Hartman a verbal estimate on the costs to “go solar.”

(For goodwill, he brought her a power strip and light bulbs, too.)

Hopgood said Admirals Bank has penalty-free and interest-free solar loans for up to 18 months.

Average Falls Church solarize prices run between $12,000 and $30,000, before the federal tax credit, Hopgood said (the website has financing examples), and three “models” are available, from a Ford to a BMW model,

ROBERT W. LAZARO, JR. HAD SOLAR PANELS installed on the roof of his Purcellville home in the image above last December. He said that his electrical bill this April was zero and that he expects the same for May. Lazaro is the director of regional energy planning for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, which is partnering with the Local Energy Alliance Program for the Solarize Northern Virginia initiative. (Photo: Courtesy of Robert W. Lazaro, Jr.) buyer’s choice.

The work is warranted, and Dominion Power comes out to inspect the contractor’s work.

FALLS CHURCH RESIDENT Nancy Hartman said she is seriously considering signing up for the Solarize Falls Church program and getting solar panels installed on the roof at the back of her house. As of press time, no one in has signed a contract since the program launched in April. (Photo: Patricia Leslie/News-Press)

Lazaro had solar panels installed at his house in Loudoun County last December and his electrical bill for April was zero.

Zero?

He expects the same for May. (Last year the Lazaros’ utility bill ran about $45 for April and $80 for May.) The Lazaros used fewer kilowatt hours than their new solar panels produced, credits which “roll over” to the next months.

Lazaro expects a “balance due” on his Dominion Power account once his home’s air conditioning starts to hum.

It’s true that Falls Church’s plentiful trees can present solar barriers requiring satellite rooftop evaluations, but “we don’t want people cutting down trees,” Hopgood said.

But aren’t those solar panels eyesores anyway?

On Lazaro’s house, their appearance is absorbed by the roof. And Lazaro said, “My neighbor loves it.”

Hopgood said solar panels are “not as bulky or distracting” as they used to be.

“They don’t attract attention,” and a solar system can lead to faster real estate sales since solar increases a home’s value. Jeff Wu,

who sells homes in Falls Church, agreed: “Solar panels add value in functionality and return on the energy they bring back, plus it’s a forward thinking green feature that many buyers will find very appealing. I would definitely call it a positive in today’s real estate market.

People want to feel good about their home, and their impact – or lack thereof, on the environment.”

Solar panels on a rooftop are “definitely a way to show your participation” in environmentally friendly practices, Hopgood said.

Going solar is “green, environmentally and financially,” echoed Lazaro.

Unlike Maryland and the District of Columbia, Virginia has no state subsidies “to sweeten” the deal, Hopgood said.

Nancy Hartman seems about sold on signing the contract for solar.

The contractor gave her a verbal estimate. She’s just waiting on paperwork.

After signing, the lead time is about six weeks, but installation is expected to only take one to two days, she said.

R EA L E STATE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

SUMMER 2015 | PAGE RE-3

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5/29/15 3:54 PM

R EA L E STATE

PAGE RE-4 | SUMMER 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Smart Tech Innovations Bring Convenience to Homes

by Liz Lizama

Falls Church News-Press

There is no doubt emerging smart home technologies have transformed real estate as we know it today.

A recent Coldwell Banker survey of 500 agents revealed nearly 64 percent of associates agreed buyers are more interested in homes with smart home features and technology than they were two to five years ago.

From security and safety to temperature control and lighting, technology is changing the way we live and connect with our homes. Smart TVs introduced new avenues of entertainment while smart appliances not only offer convenience but are energy efficient as well.

Although hiring engineers to rewire an entire home can run up to $5,000, there are many more smart home upgrades that cost under $300 and still offer a great return on investment with energy savings, security and convenience.

“It all depends on your budget,” said Manuel Avalos, a Falls Church Home Depot sales associate. At $49.99, the Wink smart home hub is “the most basic, bottom line thing you can buy,” he said.

“With everything that you buy, you’re always going to need a hub,” said Avalos.

The hub connects to a home’s wireless router and allows you to interact with your home and control smart home devices.

While there are hundreds of systems on the market, the Wink hub sold at Home Depot works with different brand products you can control in a single app on your smartphone.

So regardless of where in the world you might be, you can still control your home’s lights, locks, thermostats, blinds and even your washer and dryer.

In his experience, Century 21 real estate agent Will O’Connor said he’s seen homeowners focus particularly on security upgrades.

“I have a few folks that have done things mostly to their security system where they have their security system connected to their phones and they are able to do everything from regulate the heat to, of course, monitor what’s going on inside their homes with camera surveillance systems,” he said.

Kwikset offers a smart lock, available at Home Depot for $219, which your smartphone can use to open and close your door.

HOME DEPOT IN FALLS CHURCH has several smart technology upgrades for homes that cost less than $300, like the motion sensor lighting systems seen in the image above, which also sense daylight and only turn on when needed. According to Manuel Avalos, a sales associate at the Falls Church Home Depot, the Wink smart home hub is “the most basic, bottom line thing you can buy.” The hub connects to the the wireless router and allows users to control smart home devices and allows users to control all of their smart homes devices, regardless of brand, with a smartphone app. (Photo: Liz Lizama) It also sends notifications of any activity so that you can monitor your home from anywhere.

Owners can send an electronic key to family, friends or visitors via the smartphone application, so they can use their phone as a key.

For further security, many surveillance monitor systems are available like the Dropcam Pro camera, which sells for $199.

Those looking to control room temperature and lighting also have many options. The Nest Learning Thermostat costs $249 and automatically programs temperatures according to your schedule. Users can also control the thermostat via a mobile application.

Leviton, GE and Phillips are just a few of the companies producing energy efficient lighting options compatible with wireless hubs like the Wink.

In addition to convenience

and savings, these products also offer color lighting options to suit your mood and can easily be controlled from your mobile device.

Though not as popular as security, lighting and temperature controls, smart appliances are slowly making it into homes as well. Whirlpool makes a washer and dryer that can be controlled from anywhere. LG’s refrigerator with Smart Cooling Plus technology helps keep food fresher and longer as it reacts automatically to humidity and temperature levels.

With an outfitted smart home to your liking, cars of course couldn’t be left out of the equation.

“Nowadays, you get some automobiles – at one time you could obviously open and close your garage door – but now with some of them you can program

from the car to turn the lights on when you pull up, adjust the heat, open and close the doors,” said O’Connor.

The Chamberlain MyQ Garage retails for $129.95 and allows one to open and close the garage door anywhere with a mobile device.

With push notifications to your smart phone and a safety feature to alert anyone in the garage that the

door is closing, the safety features offer users peace of mind.

Whether looking for security, comfort or convenience, these smart home enhancements add energy and cost savings and increase resale value.

According to Coldwell Banker’s survey, one in three agents reported that smart homes sold faster than homes without the upgrades.

R EA L E STATE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

SUMMER 2015 | PAGE RE-5

Real Estate is heating up in Falls Church City!

Are you ready to make a move?

McEnearney ®

Call Kathy at 703.534.4630

COMING SOON IN FALLS CHURCH CITY! 4 Bedrooms 3 full, 1 half baths 612 Oak Haven Drive Falls Church City Offered at $949,000

3 Bedrooms 2 full, 2 half baths

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$925,000 New listing in idylwood. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Beautifully landscaped yard and gardens. Convenient to Metro, Tysons, Mosaic, I-66. Spacious living with open kitchen, family room, large master suite. 2376 Whitestone Hill Ct 22043

SU OP N EN D AY H , 6 OU /7 S • E 14

With over 25 years’ experience helping her clients buy & sell, and in the top 1% of Fairfax Realty’s 400+ agents, Kathy Szymanski is ready to help make your real estate dreams come true.

ASSOCIATES, INC. REALTORS

Brian siebel

703.851.0979 www.Briansiebel.com Mls# fX8651630

355 James Street Cherry Hill Townhouses Falls Church City Mid $500’s

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$1,289,000

New construction by EMW Properties.

5 bedrooms, 5 baths, 4,100 SF. 1st floor study with attached bath. Generous appliance package with Decora cabinets.

Professionally designed kitchen and bathrooms. ½ mile walk to WFC Metro.

RECENT SALES Representing Buyers

Matt Williams

202 Patterson St, Falls Church City 305 W Columbia St, FCCity SOLD price: $1,175,000 SOLD price: $1,095,000

The Spectrum, #625, FCC SOLD price: $510,000

703.798.4649 www.MattWilliamsProperties.com Mls# fa8630031

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$519,000 Easy living in “the city!” Surrounded by windows, expansive 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo at the Spectrum. Large open kitchen, dining and living rooms.

Just an elevator ride from shops and restaurants. Priced to sell!

703.534.4630 Office • 703.408.7089 Mobile • KathyS@mris.com Fairfax Realty, Inc. • 703.533.8660

stacy hennessey 703.395.4868 www.stacyh.com Mls# fa8627862

‘Dapple Hill’, 73 Fir Court, at The Waters at Lake Anna Mineral VA 23117 - Price $1,175,000 Beautifully landscaped WATERFRONT property! The spacious open floor plan and oversized windows flood the interior with light. Four bedrooms with en suite baths, enormous game and gathering room, professional grade billiard table, gym, an exterior fireplace, sun deck, screened in porch, boat house and lake deck.

The Waters at Lake Anna has a community pool and clubhouse, beach, day slips, tennis courts, and athletic field completed and available for use by residents.

$565,000

Enjoy all fcc has to Offer! Bright and spacious with built-ins and bay windows.

Open kitchen with newer appliances, updated baths and hardwoods on upper.

Rec room on lower with wood burning fireplace, ½-bath, storage and laundry.

Natalie Garcia 703.717.6332 laura Nunley 703.795.8667 www.lauraNunley.com Mls# fa8649224

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$689,000 5 Blocks to Beach #2 in lake Barcroft.

3 bedrooms, den/4th bedroom, 3 updated full baths, large eat-in kitchen, hardwoods, 2 fireplaces, daylight lower level and generous room sizes. Corner lot with mature landscaping and garage.

Tranquility Farm, 1351 Spring Rd., Mineral VA 23117 Price: $849,900 Summer haven, cozy, wonderfully warm and livable winter sanctuary. Historic house dating back to 1730 but completed with up to date systems and conveniences, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, wrap-around porches and decks, 25,000 gallon pool with cleaning system and cabana, 5 stall barn.

Easy drives to Richmond, Fredericksburg and Charlottesville.

Connie McMaugh, REALTOR ®

G 3 ON D E AY I S! N

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carol, tracy & leslie Wilder and chris fries 703.717.6360 www.3wilders.com Mls# fX8645516

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PAGE RE-6 | SUMMER 2015

R EA L E STATE A Falls Church News-Press Advertorial

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Meet Falls Church’s Real Estate Experts B������ T��� S������

Bonilla Tree Service is a company that specializes in all of your tree services needs. Since 1988 we have been serving the community in Virginia, Washington, and Maryland. We offer a number of tree services including: TREE REMOVAL: if a tree needs to be removed, we will carefully remove the tree.

Tree removal may sound like a simple job, but you have to know how to remove a tree without damaging surrounding structures and trees. We do a clean up of all the debris after the removal. We use our chipper shredder machine to dispose all of the limbs of the tree.

ELEVATING: we remove lower limbs and branches, giving the tree a taller appearance. Elevating trees also helps avoid hazardous zones around the tree due to limbs and branches that may fall.

STUMP GRINDING: we have the right equipment to do the job, big or small. Stump removal can be an easy task for small trees, which can be done sometimes with a few hours of work by hand, or it can be done with a stump grinder.

We are an insured and licensed company and we are ready to serve you.

Bonilla Tree Service 2905 Summerfield Road, Falls Church, VA 22042 703-533-0667 • bonillatreeservice.com

B������ E����, L��� � F����� R��� E����� Bethany is a hard-working, ethical and detail-oriented expert in Northern Virginia real estate. For the past four years, she has been the Top Individual Sales Agent at her Falls Church office where she continues to own and operate a highly successful business. And the trend for 2015 continues!

Bethany is a full-time agent who will communicate with you and do whatever it takes to ensure a smooth transaction. Throughout the entire process, she will deal with any hiccups while valuing your input. From your first meeting until closing, Bethany will ensure your experience is enjoyable and seamless. Bethany’s goal is to build a long-term relationship with her clients so she can help you, your friends and your family, for years to come.

Bethany also has direct access to lenders, home inspectors, settlement groups and many various vendors.

If you are looking to find a new home, sell your current home, or need answers to any real estate questions,

please contact me.

Bethany Ellis, Long and Foster 6299 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22044 703-307-7003 • buyandsellwithbethany.com mikecastorina.lnf.com

M����� K����, K����� W������� R����� Real estate is not the same everywhere. You need someone who knows the area, someone who has up to date information, someone you can trust.

As an expert in the NOVA area, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate here. My Accounting/Business MBA graduate degree, plus extensive work experience in different sectors give me an edge in understanding the residential real estate process, from contracts to market conditions and from first-time homebuyers’ needs to seasoned investors. Along with being a member of the Greater Merrifield Business Association, I actively support the PTA for my neighborhood schools and participate in sponsoring families at the “Our Daily Bread” organization.

My company, Keller Williams Realty, is the largest real estate franchise in the world, and Training Magazine has named Keller Williams the #1 training organization across all industries.

Here are some of the things I can do for you: Find Your Next Home – You need someone who knows this area inside and out! I can work with you to find the right home at the right price for you, including all the neighborhood amenities that matter – not to mention the essential criteria you have for your ideal home.

Sell a Home – When it’s time to move, you need someone who will advertise your home, show it to prospective buyers, negotiate the purchase contract, arrange financing, oversee the inspections, handle all necessary paperwork and supervise the closing.

I can take care of everything you need, from start to close.

Consult on Home Selling Tactics – Often times, buyers don’t visualize living in your home the way you do.

I can make your home attractive to its ideal audience – which can help you get top dollar. Things like staging the home, making repairs or minor improvements, or even simply painting the walls can be the difference between a home resting on the market and one that’s sold fast.

Monica Kumar, Keller Williams 6820 Elm Street, McLean, VA 22101 571-317-1750 • mozaichomes.com

J����� L�����, K����� W������� R�����

I truly enjoy working with clients wanting to buy, sell & invest in resale homes, new homes and land in the Northern Virginia area. First-time home buyers, multihomeowners, investors, seniors retiring, up-sizing or down-sizing – I have helped them all. I have special training as a Certified Residential Specialist, Seniors Specialist, Buyers Rep., and in Short Sales & Foreclosures. I mainly serve Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County & Prince William County. I also have contacts if you are relocating to other states or countries. I listen to my client’s needs & desires and strive to get the best outcome for their home sale or purchase. The finest compliment I can ever receive is a referral from friends, family and clients. I have a great business from referrals but also enjoy meeting new contacts. I give the same quality service to all.

I’ve been a bookkeeper, office manager, personnel director, pawn shop owner & have additional knowledge in home construction. I enjoy ballroom dancing, silk flower arranging, cooking & entertaining.

I’m a member of Family Moose Lodge & Elks Lodge to help raise funds or various causes & am a supporter of Friends of Homeless Animals, aka FOHA, a no-kill shelter in Loudoun County. If you have a special cause, I am willing to donate part of my commission on your behalf.

I look forward to hearing from you and earning your business.

Jeanne Little, Keller Williams 8133 Leesburg Pike, Suite 800, Tysons, VA 22182 703-973-7742 • jeannedreamhome.com

T��� M�K�����, K����� W������ R����� From City Hall to Concert Halls and through the Halls of Your New Home, Tori McKinney moves with purpose, an abundance of energy and positive outlook. “It’s a matter of making the most of every moment,” declares Tori.

“When you put your heart and soul into everything you do, you get more out of life!”

A resident and community volunteer of Falls Church City since 1998, she has helped countless teachers and city employees and officials buy and sell their homes over the past 10 years. As a realtor, first in the Boston area, she has been helping clients find their way home since 1986. Tori took a rhythmic journey from 2000-2007 by

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

owning and operating a concert promotion and public relations firm. Working with New Orleans bands and local musicians, she promoted and produced shows and tours on the East Coast. When returning to Real Estate in 2005, she brought the ROCK STAR with her. Tori promises “ROCK STAR Service” to all of her clients.

As a devoted mother and tireless charity fundraiser, Tori believes that a sense of community requires active participation. She actively supports Falls Church City events,organizations, schools, and cultural and creative initiatives including: Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, Creative Cauldron/Falls Church Arts, Falls Church Education Foundation, FIRSTSFriday/Art-a-Lot, Tinner Hill Blues Festival and Taste of Falls Church. She also is Vice Chair of the Housing Commission, Chairperson for the Business in Education (Falls Church City Public Schools), and was just voted Best Real Estate Agent for the third consecutive year!

Tori McKinney, Keller Williams Realty 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201 703-867-8674 • torirocksrealestate.com

C����� M�M����, D������� R����� �� L��� A��� “Listen, do you wanna know a secret?” As a former senior intelligence officer and former decades long resident of Falls Church City, let me tell you that there are secrets I can share, and some I can’t. Here is Virginia’s well-kept secret: Lake Anna!!! Just a couple of hours south of home you can enjoy the beauty, fun and relaxation of gorgeous Lake Anna.

Leave “the rat-race” in northern Virginia behind and come on down to the Lake. Just imagine relaxing and entertaining family and friends all year round in the great outdoors. Centrally located between Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and Richmond, Lake Anna offers something for everyone: wineries, antique haunts, and historic site day trips for the whole family. Homes are available in every price range! No kidding!!!

Waterfront, water view, water access... rent or find one of your very own. Is full-time lake living at option in your future? Don’t wait any longer...the secret is out! Come to Lake Anna. I can show you a wide range of home options and get you on the water in one of Dockside’s boats.

Call me, text me, e-mail me, Connie McMaugh; I understand the northern Virginia lifestyle and can address your wants and needs while making your dreams of a vacation home come true. My business is your pleasure! Psssst, it’s okay to share this secret with friends!

Connie McMaugh, Dockside Realty of Lake Anna 4634 Courthouse Road, Mineral, VA 23117 540-907-6784 • docksiderealty.com

R EA L E STATE A Falls Church News-Press Advertorial

N�� D���������, I��.

At New Dimensions Inc. we build custom homes to meet your needs and to create a space that is truly home.

NDI is an award-winning, build-on-your-lot homebuilder in Northern Virginia with over 1,500 to our credit since 1988.

We are a family-owned company, and we make the process personal. Founder Scott Alderson’s two children, Jennifer Landers, NDI President, and Adam Alderson, Construction Operations Manager, lead the company along with a dedicated staff, many of whom have been with NDI for decades.

When you’re looking for a homebuilder, there are lots of things to consider. The builder’s reputation, the types of homes the company builds, price, materials offered, and quality of construction. At NDI, we build homes that fit the needs of your lot, quality construction and a personal approach to the process.

NDI’s home building process walks you through all of the stages, from selecting the model to site development to making selections. Our team guides you through each step, taking time and care to make sure the final product is a home you love.

NDI offers an extensive catalog of home designs that you can personalize to suit your lot, lifestyle and budget.

If you don’t see a design that meets your needs, bring your home plans to NDI and we will work with your design.

Visit our website and check out our galleries and extensive floor plans. Read the President’s Blog for the behind-the-scenes scoop on what goes into building NDI homes.

New Dimensions, Inc. 800-406-8555 • newdimensionsinc.com

K���� S��������, F������ R����� Are you considering Buying or Selling Real Estate this year? If so, give Kathy Szymanski a call and benefit from her 25 years of personalized service and keen knowledge of the local market.

See what some of her clients are saying: “Thank you again, and again. I just can’t say enough about what an excellent adviser you have been. It will be a real pleasure to recommend you to anyone seeking to buy, sell or rent.

Working with Kathy was the smartest move we’ve made in a long time.”

“Your expertise, professionalism, patience and understanding of this market fit my needs perfectly!

I appreciate your response to every detail whether it was curiosity or a serious financial decision. Your integrity, honesty and character make you stand out in this market.”

“Thank you for your patience. As first time home buyers, we needed our hand held. You seemed to

SUMMER 2015 | PAGE RE-7

know when to hold it and when to let go so that we made the decision on our own, but with valuable input and background gained from all the houses we looked at!”

“Kathy is an exceptional Realtor. We’ve worked with her three times, buying and selling. She’s an expert. She works superbly in a time crunch, which is helpful to those – like us – moving overseas, or just returning from overseas.”

“I used Kathy when I was looking for an investment condo in Arlington...Kathy provided me with more due diligence than I’d even hoped for. I love her way of presenting information and asking questions to lead me into making the right decision for me. It was a joy working with Kathy and I’ll call her again in a heartbeat.”

Give Kathy a call. You, too will be glad you did. Call 703-534-4630.

Kathy Szymanski, Fairfax Realty 7611 Little River Turnpike, Suite 101 W., Annandale, VA 22003 703-534-4630 • kathysellsvirginiahomes.com

P�� T������ � M��� T�����, L��� � F����� R��� E����� Pat Tierney is a career Realtor who began working for local condominium developer IDI in 1976 selling the award winning condominium communities of Watergate and Porto Vecchio in Alexandria. She moved to general brokerage in the mid 1980’s and has helped scores of buyers find just the right home in neighborhoods all over Northern Virginia. She listed and sold properties for sellers from small pied-a-terres to million dollar estate homes.

Clients will appreciate her dedication to personal service, high professional standards and a friendly nopressure attitude. She is committed to helping buyers acquire their ideal home or investment property and she will work diligently for sellers to sell a property in the shortest amount of time at the highest market price possible.

Mary Taylor is a Residential Specialist in Northern Virginia. Her knowledge of the real estate market and professional dedication to her clients’ interests make buying or selling your home a smooth and successful transaction. Mary’s previous careers in sales, marketing and new homes construction gives her an edge over the competition. She prides herself in professional service and honesty. In addition to the services she provides, Mary has direct access to lenders, investors, appraisers, developers and title insurance specialists.

Mary Taylor and Pat Tierney, Long and Foster 400 King Street, Alexandria, VA 2231 703-785-5619 • marytaylorrealtor.com

R EA L E STATE

PAGE RE-8 | SUMMER 2015

THIS LAKE BARCROFT HOME was built in the 1950s by owners who were inspired by a set of handcrafted 19th century antique wood carvings from France. (Photo: Courtesy Photo)

Lake Barcroft Home Listed At $1.875 Million Houses History

House Built Around 19th Century Antique Wood Carvings

by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

When Victoria and Luis Fernandes first saw the Lake Barcroft property that they ended up buying around 1997, they had different interpretations of what they saw.

“I saw a house that needed TLC,” Victoria Fernandes said.

She said that the house reminded her of the house where she grew up in Northern California. “But my husband was not as excited as I was because he saw every weekend for three years working on the house.

“I saw a house that was a home, so basically that was our impression. I knew that we had a rough gem on our hands and we basically redid everything.”

The only thing that they kept, she said, was the exterior of the house.

She said that they redid the plumbing and drywall, opened up walls, finished the bedroom and renovated the bathroom on the third floor of the house, installed pella casement windows in the rear of the house and added air conditioning and heat to parts of the house that didn’t have it, among other updates.

But one thing that the couple found and actually wanted to preserve were Gothic-style, handcrafted antique wood carvings that can be found throughout the interior and on the front door of the house.

Actually, the couple that built the house in the 1950s, the Nelms, were so inspired by the carvings they bought from an antique shop in Georgetown that they had designed the house as a French Chateau to go along with the carvings.

Peter Colasante, owner of L’Enfant Galerie, recently examined the carvings and determined that they date to the 19th century and believes that they are of French origin, from either the Normandy or Brittany region. He recently gave a talk at the house, in which he spoke about the carvings and his reaction to seeing them.

“When I saw this...I said this is unbelievable...I said ‘How is this possible?” Colasante said during the talk. He said the carvings, which line an opening of the house that looks out over Lake Barcroft, are replicas of the types of carvings found in stone structures of French nobles and royals.

“I don’t know anywhere else,

outside of a museum of a specific Gothic house in this country, where you could find this amount and this type of Gothic design,” Colasante said while pointing to the carvings.

Fernandes said that she and her husband both have an appreciation for antiques and that she has a special affinity for handcrafted items.

She said that she loved learning the history of the carvings from Colasante.

“Both of us love antiques.

When we had more time and before the house was full, we’d go out and travel around buy antiques,” she said.

“So we respect anything that is old and is handcrafted because of the time involved to create that…I do some woodwork, I do stained glass, I do a lot of arts and crafts and so I have a full understanding of what it takes to create something from block of wood or some pieces of glass.”

After the initial few years of renovation and repair and nearly two decades of stewardship of the home, Victoria and Luis have put it on the market.

The house, which is being offered by Ken Trotter of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, is listed at $1.875 million.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Trotter said that the story of the Nelms designing the house around the carvings is remarkable.

“As a realtor, it was really quite remarkable that you could take a small thing like some antique carvings that you find at an antique store in Georgetown and use that as a vision to create an entire house,” he said.

“And here we are 60 years later, sitting in what was inspired by these carvings. I think it’s a testament to inspiration and what one can do when they’re inspired to create something truly beautiful and to build upon the past.”

He said that he was impressed by the Nelms’ desire to build upon the past and merge modern with old.

“And that the current homeowners carried on that legacy was impressive to me and the fact that that was significant enough to them to maintain all of this for all these years,” Trotter said.

“They’ve lived in this home for almost 20 years and they can now pass on the legacy to whoever the new future homeowners will be.

So there’s a connectivity not just between generations, but centuries and continents.”

Trotter deferred monetary appraisal of the value added to the home by the carvings to Colasante, who was not available for comment before press time, but also said that he does not like to focus on the monetary value of the carvings.

“It’s the romanticism behind it, it’s the intangible quality that it inspired,” he said. “How do you put a price tag on the quality that was inspired by the carvings themselves? The carvings themselves could be removed and put in a museum somewhere or sold in a collection and you could ascribe a value to them.

“But the fact that the entire house is built around and inspired by them makes them a priceless addition to the house and it’s about finding a buyer or person who appreciates that.”

According to Trotter, there have already been offers on the house, one of which came from a fellow antiques collector. He said he thinks they are drawn into the house by its ambiance.

In order to lure in potential buyers, the marketing brochure and the advertising for the house prominently feature the home’s antique wood carvings.

“It’s about trying to find the right buyer through successful imagery and successful descriptions that accurately portray what’s here,” he said while sitting in the house.

Fernandes also expressed a desire to find a buyer who appreciates the continuity of history that the house and the carvings inside the house represent.

She said that it’s going to be difficult letting go of the house but that she’s interested to see how its future owner or owners carry on the legacy that her and her husband have carried through to today.

“That was our baby. We both put so much time and energy into it. That’s why it’s important to me that someone carries on with it,” she said. “Now if they want to open up walls or whatever, that’s their prerogative, but I hope – and I think – anyone who’s attracted to that style of house is going to keep the [feeling] of the period that the house represents….

“It’s difficult, but I’m also excited because I think...a house has its own personality and it’s interesting to see how each buyer can interpret what that house means to them.”

REAL ESTATE AGENT KEN TROTTER shows off some of the handcrafted 19th century antique carvings from France that inspired the design of the house. The carvings were purchased at an antique shop in Georgetown by the couple who built the home. (Photo: Drew Costley/News-Press)

R EA L E STATE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

SUMMER 2015 | PAGE RE-9

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PAGE RE-10 | SUMMER 2015

R EA L E STATE 速

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

R EA L E STATE

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Real Estate

SUMMER 2015 | PAGE RE-11

Top Falls Church Home Sales

March-May

#3 $1,290,000 #1 $1,545,000

#4 $1,200,000 #2 $1,380,000 Top 5 F.C. Home Sales March 1, 2015 - May 31, 2015 Address

BR #1 2157 Royal Lodge Dr. 4 #2 6614 Gordon Ave. 6 #3 523 Great Falls St. 6 #4 2300 Highland Ter. 4 #5 3116 Sleepy Hollow Rd. 5

FB

HB

4 5 5 3 4

1 1 1 0 1

List Price $1,580,000 $1,399,900 $1,299,900 $1,300,000 $1,299,900

Sale Price $1,545,000 $1,380,000 $1,290,000 $1,200,000 $1,200,000

Zip 22043 22046 22046 22046 22042

Date Sold 5/26/15 4/10/15 4/17/15 3/30/15 5/12/15

Source: MRIS, Inc.; Photos: Falls Church News-Press

#5 $1,200,000

R EA L E STATE

PAGE RE-12 | SUMMER 2015

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Falls Church Area Housing Market — 1st Quarter 2015 Report Zip Code

Area

Average Price

Number of Homes Sold

Average Days on Market

22046

Falls Church City

$721,254

50

54

22041

Bailey’s Crossroads

$378,061

54

65

22042

Sleepy Hollow

$494,026

76

59

22043

Pimmit Hills

$548,441

58

46

22044

Lake Barcroft

$474,683

30

42

Home Sales Vs. 1 Year Ago

Home Prices Vs. 1 Year Ago

Change in # of Homes Sold: 1Q ‘15 vs 1Q ‘14

Change in Average Home Price: 1Q ‘15 vs 1Q ‘14

+25.00%

Change in Falls Church City (22046)

+17.73%

Change in Falls Church City (22046)

+5.88%

Change in Bailey’s X-roads (22041)

+17.46%

Change in Bailey’s X-roads (22041)

+5.56%

Change in Sleepy Hollow (22042)

+10.30%

Change in Sleepy Hollow (22042)

+1.75%

Change in Pimmit Hills (22043)

-2.89%

Change in Pimmit Hills (22043)

Change in Lake Barcroft (22044)

+7.94%

Change in Lake Barcroft (22044)

0.00%

Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. Copyright © 2015 Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc.