Thank You for a fantastic 2009!

Congratulations to The JOHNandJOHN Team's clients & customers. More than 70 of you either sold or bought a home in 2009 and most are capable of taking advantage of the Obama Financial Stimulation Program! Until April 30, 2010 this $8000 credit has been extended; along with $6500 for buyers who want a new home. Read www.irs.gov to check your qualifications.

Parkfairfax's beauty was nhanced by the recent 18" of snow. However, we're ready for spring!

Nov. 12, 2009--How much more luck can a 1st time homebuyer have in today Real Estate Marketplace!! Congrats to you all. This is from www.irs.gov. Congrats also to long term home buyers; there $$$ money for you in this new legislation.

1. 1st time home buyers: Buy a home on/before 4/30/2010 can close (settle) by 6/30/2010 for an $8000 tax credit available on either 2009 or 2010 taxes. (Only if you've NOT been a home owner for the last 3 years)

2. Long term homebuyer: Same dates as above, $6500 tax credit, must have lived in your principal residence for 5 consecutive years during the last 8 years.

3. Income limits: phases out between $125K-$145K (single people) or $225K-245K (joint filers)

Contact your accountant from further details. Call The JOHNandJOHN Team to find that next home. The HOLIDAY are the best times for buyers to pick up real estate bargains.

Summer 2009

Our Parkfairfax Real Estate market seems very stable. It seems the "hot-lane" situation has been halted. Local Resident's complaints along with lack of funding seem to have "done the trick". YEAH!!

For those of you who have waited for combined units to come up for sale (over 1500 square feet), you will soon be rewarded. Our combined units have more square footage than many of the detached houses in Beverly Hills and Braddock Heights. There's a lack of one bedroom units for sale at this time. Call us 703-820-9273.

In the Washington Post today was an article about the 2% increase in values in property during the previous quarter. We see a lot of buyers who haven't quite decided that "this is the time" to buy. This action tells Realtors with a lot of experience (been through hard times before) know "this IS the time to buy". Hard to believe that some properties in Parkfairfax drew multiple offers during the last quarter. The most renovated properties continue to sell most quickly; which means more money for the sellers.

Some appraisers have been horrors for buyers, sellers and Realtors in the past quarter; however, this is changing. We've had several good appraisals during the past few weeks, unlike the early summer. You wouldn't believe some of the prices appraisers were assigning to our precious Parkfairfax properties.

We look forward to hearing from those of you who want to sell and buy. We're here every day of the year! See you in the Shirlington hood at a Restaurant, a bar, the theatre or the grocery store in the next few days....or at one of the 3 Parkfairfax pools.

Wow! What a weekend. We had 4 open houses yesterday. It appears that 2 of those will get offers and one of them "multiple" offers. If you want to hold value, buy Real Estate!!! Like my Grandmother used to say when people wanted to buy her farm land. They're not making anymore land, but money they print every day! She wasn't a fan of stocks/bonds!! Fortunately, homes in Parkfairfax, close-in Alexandria and Arlington, along with D.C. have done acceptionally well. We're so fortunate to live here.

We had out of town guests over the weekend. We ate at Landini Brothers in Old Town Friday evening. It was a birthday event. We expected the typical tourist treatment; but were VERY pleasantly surprised. The service AND the food were exceptional and all 6 of us were happy we'd eaten there. The last time I was there was about 12 years ago at a Christmas party. Wow, what a difference. Sunday evening we ate at Arlington Thai in Shirlington. And they know how to make a Negroni. If you want to know what that is, shoot me an email. You know I have the recipe!

Sunday, May 17th

I hope a FANTASTIC weekend was had by all. Our sellers are celebrating since offers came in on 3 listings this weekend. Two Parkfairfax listings got 2 or more offers!! An absolutely amazing condo at The Representative in Arlington also went under contract. The "Rep" as we call it, has enormous square footage, balconies, and unprecedented monutment views! There are several more listings there. Call us if you want to view them. We can thank ourselves for living/working in the DC metro area where employment is better than most anywhere in the country. Homes continue to sell here. Talking about DC, we got a fantastic deal for one of our clients at The City View in DC, it a brand new building. For those of you looking at new construction; please call us before going. With The JOHNandJOHN Team representing you; you'll be $$$$'ly pleased!! We know how to negotiate with these builders' representatives. The reps are NOT working for you; only your buyer's agent IS working for you. And we have the sources to get you potentially better loan rates than the builders can.

Last evening we went to Busyboys and Poets for dinner at 6pm. It was CROWDED!!! Then to The Signature Theatre to see GIANT-all 3hours and 45 minutes (including 2 intermissions). It was WELL worth the time. See if before it goes to Broadway. Most of the actors are from Broadway productions.

Please refer your friends and co-worker who want to buy or sale real estate to The JOHNandJOHN Team. We're here for YOU!

Happy Easter. We are finding the $8000 stimulus and low interest rates are working. Our listings are selling and our sellers are excited about our results. Well maintained, very clean, and move-in condition homes are selling quickly. This means homes are selling very near or at the selling price. Parkfairfax, Fairlington, The Representative, The Continental, Jefferson Park, Beverly Hills, Country Club Hills, Lyon Village, Addison Heights are where our clients have recently bought or sold homes.

The JOHNandJOHN Team, Carter Hagen, David Lausier, John Meyer, & John Welch work 363 days per year and look forward to working for you, your family and your co-workers. Thanks in advance for referring us to them.

3/24/09 JW's been in continuing education courses all day. Good classes. Here's the best of what was taught: 1. Get the best accountant possible 2. Make certain your client is well taken care of-don't hesitate to recommend a Real Estate Attorney when questions are out of a Realtor's "paygrade"

And the most important item was: We have chosen this profession and we want the best education possible to help our clients. If we forget to ask for your business, then ask us "Do you want our business?" We are NEVER too busy for your referrals. If we forget to ask you to refer The JOHNandJOHN Team to your friends, co-workers and relatives, please know we want to help them, and work with them to help them achieve their goals.

If any one of the Team; Carter Hagen, David Lausier, John Meyer or John Welch asks for your business and the business of your people who want to move anywhere in the world, then we're doing what we should!!

3/19/2009-Blogging class today for John Meyer and John Welch. We learned that www.Parkfairfax.com and www.johnANDjohn.net get more hits that most every local Real Estate blog or website in NVAR. One of the reasons The JOHNandJOHN Team has been in the Top 20 Realtors in the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors since 2000. We sell properties in the detached home communitites of Jefferson Park, Beverly Hills, Braddock Heights, Aurora Hills, Lyon Village & Lyon Park where multiple offers continue. Go to www.JohnandJohn.net and view the photos of our new listing on Taylor Ave. listed for $749,999.

Condominium Communities in the Shirlington area are selling well. EZ commute to DC yet far enough to enjoy the greenery that spring (starting tomorrow) will bring. We specialize in the Condo communities of Parkfairfax, Fairlington, The Arlington, & Courtbridge. Since the Feds pumped new money into the monetary system yesterday, interest rates went down AGAIN. Add low interest rates with $8000 off your tax bill this year or next for buying a home this year (Dec 1. is the cutoff date). This should help buyers feel more comfortable with purchasing. Interest rates WILL increase. And since the stock market has gone up 1000 points from the low, smiles are brighter and spending is back. This evening The Settlement Group and Keith Livingston of Bank of America gave a wine and cheese party for RE/MAX Realtors.

Tuesday night we saw A Chorus Line at The Warner Theatre after eating dinner at Marc's Central Kitchen on Pennsylvania. The food was delicious, service professional, but the sound level was jacked up too loudly. Get the west coast raw oysters, any main course & bread pudding for dessert.

What do you think about a member of the House of Representative's proposal to give one $3500-$700 for your 8+ year old car if you buy a new car that gets 28+ miles per gallon?

For those of you who know John Meyer, he's progessing in physical therapy. The rotator cuff surgery will help him put those signs into the ground at a greater velocity! He's back at work and looks forward to helping you sell or buy your next property. Carter Hagen has just returned from showing a Parkfairfax home that we have "under contract". And David Lausier, our other Broker/Realtor is preparing an offer on a Parkfairfax home in the morning.

March 11th we had lunch with a new client from Denver at Willow on Washington Blvd. in Arlington, near N. Glebe Rd. Maybe we should have chosen another entree, but the substitute tuna sandwich for cod wasn't great.

Today, The Settlement Group, our preferred title company invited Bob Fredricks, their attorney to talk with the creme-de-le-creme RE/MAX Realtors from the Alexandria office, about contract language. I learned that when a foreclosure is sold, (like the one in Parkfairfax we put under contract) all liens are paid or forgiven, like taxes, condo fees, etc.

Look at johnandjohn.net for a new detached home listing in fashionable Jefferson Park. Rarely does one find a 4 bedroom/2baths upstairs home coming on the open market for sale. Sunday, March 22nd we'll have an open house.

Spring Market

Parkfairfax and The Shirlington area are where home buyers have interest. The forsythias have yellow buds just waiting for a warm day and the daffodils' stems have pushed through the earth.

Because of the garden-like communities and ease of transportation to DC via I-395, we see 15-30 people in each "open house" on Sundays from 1-4pm. High rise condos are not getting this same vibrant buyer visitation that results in selling homes. Properties are selling!

According to Realty Times, the Washington area is one of the "few" non-declining" real estate markets in the country....and Parkfairfax and The Shirlington area are maintaining values and selling VERY well. Come see us in Parkfairfax on Sunday. We'll have 3 open houses for you to view: a 3 bedroom (RARE), a 1 bedroom (with patio) and a new 2 level/2 bedroom (1st open). We look forward to seeing you.

Parkfairfax Update

2/16/09-Shirlington is bumping today. Had to park on the 4th level of the parking level just to get to the Hair Cuttery. I know, why should I go to get a haircut.....keeps me from having to clean-up the tiny hairs. And Hana is REALLY good. Same price as the barber shop in Bradlee; either of which are walking distance from Parkfairfax; but I was in a hurry. If you know of someone who wants a detached house, look at 1706 Crestwood Drive, $525K. It has 3 bedrooms/3 baths and plenty of room to add on. It needs a new kitchen. The basement is totally unfinished so "have your way" with it. We'll hold an open house there Feb. 22nd from 1-4pm. Come see us. Parkfairfax real estate is doing well. Only 6 available as of today. We put 2 "under contract" this week, maybe 3 after tonight. Let's celebrate and walk over to Shirlington for dinner sometime.

February 6, 2009In 2001, my husband Rob & I were first-time home buyers when we met John & John at an open house. By early Summer we were closing on 3738 Gunston Road, and our love affair with Parkfairfax had begun. It was a romance that would only last for 2 years, but it left a big impact on my life. The early months were filled with hard work, as we stripped paint down to beautiful plaster and demolished the kitchen walls. I learned a lot about home ownership and remodling, and that a girl can fall in love with a Viking range as easily as she can a GE. When the work started wrapping up and we came up for air, Rob & I were able to finally start appreciating the finer points of life in Parkfairfax. We had an easy commute to Alexandria and DC, the pedestrian bridge to Shirlington made for a nice stroll to dinner or a movie, and, as Spring rolled around, we began to enjoy nature awakening all around us. This is unexpected in Northern Virginia, that you could live a stones throw from 395 and still be surrounded by tall trees and beautiful gardens. I often think of my neighbor Trudy Gongorra's, and wish that I had taken the time to learn more about gardening from her. I also miss the azalea sale, and hope that it is still thriving. Rob & I have been living in Williamsburg for almost 6 years now, but we return to the area for work or to catch a show at the Birchmere. We drive through the neighborhood every chance we get. And we're happy to still count all of the John & John Team - John, John, David and Carter - as our friends. Alison Heittman

Feb. 5, 2009-Just finished speaking with Rob and Alison Heittman who designed www.Parkfairfax.com and www.JOHNandJOHN.net. Soon you'll see "google earth" and there will be " live voices" to accompany each listing's highlights. Despite the cold weather and dismal economic news, another JOHNandJOHN Team Parkfairfax listing went "under contract".

This weekend the 1st VERY nice 3 bedroom (RARE) is coming on the market for sale $414,999. See www.Parkfairfax.com for photos. With interest rates at historic lows, we expect many people on Sunday to view it. An architect made the enhancements to the kitchen and else where within the unit. Also, the best bargain of the week is coming up at Pavilion on the Park, a highrise condominium just off Duke St, near Landmark, 5340 Holmes Run Parkway #1115. $199,999 for 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and the views are vast, uninterrupted and green for miles.

Tonight is "The Little Dog Laughed" at The Signature Theatre in Shirlington. Several of us will be dining at Shirlington Thai, pre-theatre. If you're there, please drop by our table and say HI!

Yesterday on the icy roads, we had the opportunity for an appointment out Washington Blvd/Rt# 50 around lunch time. I'd read about The Great Wall Grocery Store, in the Gold's Gym shopping center on Gallows road. If you like unique items to eat, you'll enjoy this grocery store. Live fish are swimming in tanks. "Which one would you like, sir?' Fresh vegetables galore and fresh fruit of more varieties thaN is imaginable. While walking by all the live frogs, turtles, jelly fish, pig's feet, crabs....I spotted laquered ducks hanging behind a glass wall. Behind it was a huge pig on a meat hook (fresh bacon, pork chops). The laquered duck peaked our tastebuds. The woman "thankfully" asked if she could chop it into pieces for us. It WAS so beautiful, head-on. Duck soup tonight.

The Fairlington CVS on Quaker Ln, very near Parkfairfax/Shirlington has a photo enlargement machine. Saw Stan and Victor while there. Anyway, the photos of my brother and my parents and I on a vacation in Bermuda at Christmas-time WAAAAYYYY back when I worked for Delta(when I was MUCH younger) have been enlarged and are ready for Valentine's Day gifts.

1/27/2009-Paige (Jefferson Park), John & John (Parkfairfax/Shirlington) went to lunch at Majestic Cafe in Old Town today. Wow, was it cold. Paige said we had the 3 most attractive coats in Old Town. Her's was a fantastic designer suede with fur sleeves on the cuff and neck. And this fur was so unique....it was gorgeous. It was her Mom's. John M. wore a black suede and John W. wore a brown suede. (WHO CARES! WE DO! )What a good meal. Grilled scallop salad (JW), brot sandwich, with rosemary bread, 3 relishes (Paige) , and a cheese burger (JM). Very attentive wait staff, and VERY good food. The skylights add a glow that adds to the ambiance. There's a parking lot, metered, across the street...it was full, of course. So I parked in front of Arts Afire, the most attractive designer jewelry and glass store in the country. Joe Egerton, my dear friend is the owner. See them online at http://www.artsafire.com/, America’s Largest Glass Jewelry Gallery. We wanted to go in and shop, but Paige needed to get home to pick up Conrad, who's a star at George Mason Elementary. We talked much longer than we anticipated and enjoyed each others company! Soon, you'll see Paige's home for sale on http://www.johnandjohn.net/ And you'll want it!!

John Welch, originally from Dallas, GA, now from Alexandria, VA went to the dentist today for my 6 month check-up. Had the OPPORTUNITY to get a new "crown", which consists of a new computer-generated porcelain filling. No longer is a crown necessary. This was amazing technology. Let me know if you need a dental referral, will be happy to help.

Another Parkfairfax property went "under contract"yesterday, January 13th; a 2 bedroom/2 level "fixer-upper on Gunston. Actually, everything, to our knowledge was in normal working order. Congratulations to the new buyer who plans to renovate!!!

This was a grand weekend for Parkfairfax & walk-to Shirlington Real Estate. Several condominiums and detached home went "under contract" as a result of the pent-up-demand for real estate, the 37 year low 30 year fixed mortgage rates, and the "hope" generated by a new administration coming into political office and by being associated with The JOHNandJOHN Team. Being close to I395, Quaker Lane, Fairlington, Shirlington's shopping, library, metro, restaurants, and theatres make Parkfairfax in Alexandria and Shirlington in Arlington "must" place to live and work. Amazing how close Alexandria and Arlington is made by Shirlington-a 5 minute walk.

On a more personal note, our laptop computer that we use at home or while at open houses died. After determining $300 to repair. We decided to purchase a new one. The Sony Style shop in Pentagon City is where we went to look because they sold the Sony Vios, our current laptop. They were giving 25% off some floor models. Their customer service wasn't great, but Chris, our salesperson/computer genius was VERY knowledgeable. If you see us with our new RED (remember discount) computer, you'll know it!!