And if there is something that needs adding, then please speak up by adding a comment and I will probably add a little more. A number of my clients met me here, so read through and then meet me.

1.So what is “Northern Virginia”? Northern Virginia includes Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties. The City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church, City of Fairfax, Manassas City, Manassas Park, Town of Clifton, Town of Vienna and Town of Herndon are included.  Some significant areas are Ballston, McLean, Reston, Tysons Corner, Occoquan and yes, The Pentagon.

2.Traffic is a common topic of discussion. “Rush hours” consume about eight hours of every day, which is to be expected in an area with two million people. Some highways have HOV restrictions meaning you need 2+ people in the car. There is a toll road from the Beltway (495) out to Leesburg (Route 267) and a pay-per-mile highway under construction within 495.Read more at Virginia Megaprojects (no joke). But know that there are many options including the George Washington Parkway along the Potomac River.

3.Education is a high priority. The Public School systems in Northern Virginia are recognized nationally for achievement and graduation rate. There are many private schools with excellent reputations too. There are four-year Universities like George Mason and Marymount, the Northern Virginia center for UVA and Virginia Tech in Falls Church, and programs at Northern Virginia Community College. It is also easy to reach other institutions in DC like Georgetown University or in Maryland, the University of Maryland. Overall, the area has a high percentage of residents with college and advanced degrees.

4. We demand a lot from our sport teams. The Washington Redskins play in Maryland, but their football training facility is in Ashburn, VA. The Washington Capitals play in D.C. at the Verizon Center (aka the Phone Booth) but practice at their hockey facility in Ballston. The Washington Wizards are our NBA team, and our MLS soccer team is D.C. United which plays at RFK Stadium in D.C. The newest team is the Washington Nationals MLB baseball team which plays in D.C.

5. Politics. It’s an easy photo-op for the White House, so expected to bump into a motorcade (or Congressman).

6. Northern Virginia’s population is very diverse. Since D.C. is an international destination, many immigrants have selected to move here thanks to a robust job market, excellent universities, the World Bank and easy access to flights “back home”. Virtually every nationality is represented.  Other benefits of this immigration are the multitude of authentic restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and cultural events.

7.There is plenty of  U. S. history to see. You can start along the Potomac River at Mt. Vernon in Alexandria to the Manassas National Battlefields. Did I mention that Northern Virginia is across the Potomac River from Washington, DC? There is also a Smithsonian Air and Space Museum next to Dulles Airport.

8.We have two major airports. Dulles International Airport offers direct flights around the world by virtually every international airline, and is a major United Airlines domestic hub. Reagan National Airport offers domestic flights and is the most accessible to D.C.

9.Public transportation systems continue to expand. The Metrorail System sends the Orange Line through Arlington out to Vienna, and the Yellow and Blue Lines to Reagan National Airport then to Alexandria and Springfield. Metro Bus, DASH, ART, Fairfax Connector and CUE Bus run through the counties. The “Silver Line” to Reston through Tysons Corner is under construction in 2012 with a late 2013 finish date. Virginia Rail Express (VRE) is an option from Fredericksburg or Manassas. Amtrak makes a stops in Alexandria and the AutoTrain in Lorton. (Union Station in DC is where the Northeast Corridor service begins).

10. We love being outdoors. The climate is excellent for people who like to garden or landscape, and for bike riders, runners and hikers. The W&OD bike trail runs for 45 miles from Arlington to Leesburg along an old rail line turned path which is heavily used by runners, bikers and walkers. Great Falls National Park in Virginia and C&O Canal National Park offer hiking along the Potomac River. There are also sports teams for any sport and age group imaginable. Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna is a perfect outdoor venue to see theater, concerts or the symphony.

11. Northern Virginia is famous for shopping. It may not seem exciting to everyone, but we have plenty of grocery stores including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Wegman’s, but there are plenty of weekend farmers’ markets, and roadside markets like Cox Farms. Tyson’s Corner is a regional super-shopping district with everything from L.L. Bean, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. There is simply too much to mention. There are excellent restaurants and hotels.

12. We experience all four seasons of the year. Winter usually features a cold snap when temperatures can be in the teens. There may be a foot of snow, total, for the season. There are many days when ice covers the roads (a traffic nightmare), and there may be a 20+” snowstorm every few years (2010 was an exception with three). Spring starts in March (cherry blossoms) and runs through June (70°’s and 80°’s). Summer begins July 1 and it can be hot (90°+) and very humid through mid-September. Fall begins in October with brilliant displays from our tall Oak and Maple trees.

13. Northern Virginia isn’t just Federal Government workers. Yes, there are plenty of Feds, but the economy is much more diversified than once was as many corporations have based themselves here thanks to a Virginia’s favorable business climate. hospitals, accounting firms, telecommunications, technology, Internet, hospitality, automotive, association industry, retail, real estate, defense and government contractors and many more.

Did I miss anything?

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October 2010 Tysons Construction Map

UPDATE October 15th: Route 123 in Tysons Corner is closed again to demolish a beltway overpass. It is scheduled to last until Monday at 5:00 a.m.

New Press Release

Original post

Just in case you missed the press release, Route 123 between McLean and Vienna VA will be closed June 12 and 13 as they demolish a 495 (The Capital Beltway) overpass. Yes sir, 123 will be blocked off with no realistic notice as to what your options are for detours.

This VDOT map of a detour plan looks like a nightmare to me, so here is where my local Vienna and McLean driving experience can help you.

Two Tysons Corner Detour Options

• Take International Drive in Tyson’s Corner which turns into Spring Hill Road, then turn right on Lewinsville Road.
• Take Route 7 and turn on Magarity Road to Great Falls Street.

When I am with some real estate clients this weekend, I think we will avoid the whole Tysons Corner area or at least give it a wide berth.

Like I have said, living in Northern Virginia requires you to have a driving strategy.

Any thoughts on this project? Leave a comment!

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An essential part of your housing search in Northern Virginia is a clear strategy for dealing with the traffic that you will encounter on a daily basis. I have to confess; I hear many things from clients but virtually everyone who visits here comments about the volume of cars they see on the roads all day long.

We need to discuss where you are going to work, if you have kids in soccer or who take piano lessons, local schools, where you like to go to the grocery store, and your willingness to get in the car and drive. Keep in mind that most of Northern Virginia’s master plan was designed using a classic 1960’s suburban design formula.

And the one constant in that Northern Virginia formula is the automobile.

Many of the roads have been improved over the past decade, like Beulah Road in Vienna or Braddock Road in Fairfax. The Wilson Bridge and Mixing Bowl projects are done, and the Fairfax County Parkway is ever closer to completion.

But bottlenecks still abound and that is why having a discussion about you lifestyle is essential. Again, living in Fairfax requires a car even if you take the Orange Line from Dunn Loring to D.C. like one of my neighbors does every day. She needs to get rolling by 7:15 to get to the parking lot or it will be filled. So it is essential to know that the Vienna Metro has two large parking garages, and Dunn Loring has a parking lot.

Interstate 66 has issues to and from the Beltway to Route 50 because they have not replaced the 1960’s overpasses at Route 123 and Jermantown Roads. This is a daily nightmare in either direction due to a predictable, documented high accident zone… so you need to get a handle on alternate routes.

The Dulles Toll Road will be a construction zone for the next three years, The Dulles Greenway is super-expensive, and the Capital Beltway or 495 from Tyson’s Corner in McLean to Braddock Road in Springfield will also be under the shovel.

And I hear stories from my clients about co-workers who overlooked this step when buying their “bargain” homes, and they pay the price everyday.

Fear not home shoppers… there are ways around the chaos!

Your success simply will require a little strategic planning when picking the right house.

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Traffic will be detoured onto Church Street… good luck!

Hey, they gave you a heads-up!

Dealing with traffic is a fact of life in Northern Virginia and there is one intersection on the Capital Beltway that is the heart of three major projects. It is the Tysons Corner interchange in McLean where I495 meets Route 123… which is the heart or nucleus of the area.

The construction of the HOT lanes, Metro Silver Line, and widening of the Capital Beltway that involves extensive bridge work, fly-overs, and an elevated rail line intersect at this one spot. Plus, we have 14-hour a day commuter traffic and 7-hours a day of rush hour!

If you want more specific details, look at this VDOT map.

They are closing the Beltway for half-hour intervals overnight on September 25th!

But please keep in mind that the future vision is clear and the Tyson’s Corner area is in full economic swing. On the Tyson’s Corner “big business” side, SAIC has just announced that it is moving its headquarters from San Diego, California to McLean, and Hilton Worldwide (formerly Hilton Hotels) just relocated here from Beverly Hills, California. So, compared to California, this traffic  is going to be easy.

On the real estate side, one of the nicest new luxury condo buildings that I have ever sold a home in is literally on-sale in Tysons Corner. A spectacular 18 story tower with views in all directions including Washington D.C. Spectacular 16′th floor club room and roof top pool, underground parking, soaring ceilings, penthouse homes, and all within a one minute walk to Starbucks or a gourmet Harris Teeter. Contact me now for details!

According to a report that I heard today on WTOP from the Washington Business Journal, the construction mess in Tyson’s motivated one business to move back to Bethesda. Danielson Associates, a firm that has been researching, consulting and investment banking for community banks since 1978 considered the traffic mess to be inconvenient for accessing many DC clients. One down for Virginia; one up for Maryland.

There was an amazing story from one of the utility contractors who was digging a trench and snapped a cable not identified on any utility map. As he pondered what to do, three Chevy Suburban’s with U.S. Government plates pulled up within 5 minutes to say “you snapped our cable”. The contractor mentioned that it usually takes days to determine who owns a cable.

These projects should help with our constant traffic and gridlock issues that have been growing pains of Tyson’s Corner since the 1980’s. Having a driving strategy has been an objective of most clients over the past ten years that influenced where they decide to live, but real estate appraisers overlook this “X-factor”. Commuting time remains a huge factor in maintaining values of real estate in Arlington, McLean, and Vienna.

The problem is I66 tapers down in both directions to get under the existing 1960′s era overpasses, and when rush hour hits or there is one lane blocked, it causes a classic sphincter effect that can last hours.

Here is the area thanks to The Google:

View Larger Map

Here is the #1 best projects that VDOT could do:

• Replace the Jermantown Road overpass

• Replace the Route 123 overpass, and re-engineer the 123/66 clover leaf

The annual number of delays caused by this 1960′s design is incredible. Anyone who is even thinking of living west of the Vienna Metro Station dreads the thought of driving on this part of I66 at any time of day, seven days a week. Solving this problem would virtually guarantee election to office.

What do you think, gov?

It is the smart people who factor that in when looking for a home to buy. And the reality is that paying an extra $250k may just save your sanity… okay, your way-of-life. It is simple to calculate if you have been a commuter for any period of time on I66 or I495 because you have to leave home before sunrise to beat the volume problems, and pray that WTOP hasn’t missed reporting on an afternoon slowdown before you adjust to Plan B.

Those smart people have a job, and then strategize over the routes to work. With this plan in place, it is time to consider communities and available homes for sale. In the long-run you will have time to see your kids, coach that team, hit a bucket of balls, or simply enjoy your life.

One client moved to McLean to give better access to family in Potomac. Yeah, they paid a lot of money but have extra hours in their day… priceless. Another moved to Vienna to be close to the W&OD bike trail so he could ride his bike to work in Ballston… brilliant.

It needs to be part of your plan if you ever plan to live happily in Northern Virginia.