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Sun Gazette VOLUME 40
GREAT FALLS McLEAN OAKTON TYSONS VIENNA
NO. 25
MARCH 21-27, 2019
Fairfax Home Sales, Prices Up in February Increases in total sales and average sales prices helped push the Fairfax real-estate market volume up 5.3 percent in February from a year before, as the market began its transition from winter to spring. A total of 781 properties went to closing last month, according to figures reported March 12 by MarketStats by
ShowingTime. That’s an increase of 1.7 percent from the 768 transactions of a year before. Average prices also rose not only overall, but across the three legs of the market: • The average sales price of single-family homes was up 3.5 percent to $726,880.
• The average price of attached homes, such as townhouses and rowhouses, was up 5 percent to $392,082. • The average sales price of condominiums was up 2.8 percent to $289,937. Overall, the average sales price of $553,457 was up 3.9 percent from a year before.
A total of 53 properties went to closing for more than $1 million, and the total sales volume of $430.6 million for the month was up 5.3 percent. Homes that went to closing garnered 98.3 percent of listing price, up from 97.7 Continued on Page 18
RELATED: Amazon’s arrival may be causing more investors to hop into Northern Virginia homes market • See coverage, Page 4
Legislators: Near-Parity Was Benefit in Richmond BRIAN TROMPETER Staff Writer
Because Republicans now hold just slim majorities in the state Senate and House of Delegates, this year’s General Assembly session led to some breakthroughs long sought in Northern Virginia, local legislators told the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce March 14. “We had a very productive session,” said state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31st). “We actually got a lot done that really moved the needle for the quality of life,” agreed Del. Mark Keam (D-35th). In the education realm, lawmakers approved 5-percent salary increases for teachers and allowed the hiring of support personnel who will use behavioralintervention methods to disrupt what some call the “school-to-prison pipe-
ONLINE
Del. Mark Keam speaks to members of the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce, while state Sen. Barbara Favola, Del. Marcus Simon, Del. PHOTO BY BRIAN TROMPETER Kathleen Murphy and Del. Rip Sullivan listen to his remarks.
line,” Favola said Other passed legislation will require school systems’ family life education programs to provide strategies to prevent human trafficking, she said. Favola, citing the dictum that legisla-
tors never should fall in love with their own bills, lamented that lawmakers had killed some of her legislation, including a bill authorizing the provision of contraceptives without insurance co-pays. The General Assembly passed a bill
regarding coal-ash cleanup, but killed ones pertaining to solar power and firearm safety, she said. Del. Marcus Simon (D-53rd) noted Continued on Page 18
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