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I have been in the real estate industry for years and have a wide variety of experiences to help you sell or find the commercial real estate you need in Northern Virginia. My background is in finance and real estate investment. I graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor's degree in Finance.

Tysons Corner Center, already one of the nations largest malls and the regions largest has proposed a new development plan that will expand the shopping mall into its own "self-sustained" city. The proposed plan will double the mall in size by adding more than 5 million square feet, or more than twice as much as the Empire State Building! The project is a mix of mid-rise buildings containing hotel rooms, offices, retail space and condo's and would add 2 million square feet of office buildings, 600 apartments, and a 120-room hotel and a few shops.
The project faces at least two obsticles. First, it mucst win the approval of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. However, the Board would like to create a traditional downtown at Tysons Corner, and this plan would move that vision closer. The plan would also merge the now seperated buildings into something more like a city block. However, they will have to face vehement opposition from homeowner groups about traffic problems and the effects of even more buildings, cars and people. One resident of McLean commented on the proposed plan and said " We'd like to be able to drive from McLean to Vienna in less than a day!" The plan would add some community aspects to the Tysons area including an outdoor ice skating rink.

Here is a Link to a VERY reliable loan officer. I have worked with Jimmy personally on several occasions and would Highly recommend him for any upcoming purchase, commercial or residential. Contact Jimmy at

https://www.americanhm.com/MyPage.aspx?lo=jcorv

2780 Skypark Drive Suite 200
Torrance, CA 90505
310-530-8009 x210 [office]
James.Corvan@americanhm.com

The question on everyones mind the last few years is "are we in a real estate bubble?" In the Northern Virginia area, we have seen housing prices appreciate upwards of 100%. Prices have risen to the point where many people are being priced out of the market. What could this potentially mean?

1. There will not be as many participants in the market to buy homes which will lead to a drop in prices.
2. Homeowners who have sat and watched their houses appreciate will notice we are at the high point in the market and want to sell.
3. The increase of sellers, and decrease of buyers will create a discrepency. In the stock market called a bid/ask spread, meaning the difference between someone is willing to pay for the security and what someone is willing to take.

Scoring your Credit - How's your FICO?
In today's increasingly automated society, it should come as no surprise that
when you apply for a mortgage, your ability to pay can be reduced to a single
number. All the years you've been paying your mortgage, car payments, and credit
card bills can be analyzed, sliced, diced, spindled and mutilated into a single
indicator of whether you're likely to meet your future obligations.
All three of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and
TransUnion) use a slightly different system to arrive at a score. The best known

Conventional Loans - The only security guarantee is the value
of the property.
Conforming LoansConventional
loans that follow the terms and conditions established by the guidelines of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Fixed-Rate MortgageThe interest
rate and the principal payments remain fixed throughout the loan. Keep in mind
your monthly escrow account payment could vary from year-to-year as taxes and

Eight Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
Buying your first home is like life's other firsts: exciting-even
romantic-and a little bit scary as you wade into new waters. You can ease the
process and avoid being ripped off by knowing these eight points-before you take
another move toward home ownership.
Know thy agent
Will Rogers, the great American cowboy wit, said "I've never met a man I
didn't like." It's the same with real estate agents. I've never met one that

1031 Exchange
*The information below is not
guaranteed/implied to be accurate. Always consult with your accountant, lawyer,
bookkeeper or 1031 exchange expert

Introduction To 1031 Exchanges
A 1031 Exchange (Tax-Deferred Exchange) Is One Of The Most
Powerful Tax Deferral Strategies Remaining Available For Taxpayers. Anyone

Buying Your Home - Tax Considerations
Where do I get information on IRS publications?
The Internal Revenue Service publishes a number of real estate publications. They are listed by number:
* 521 "Moving Expenses"
* 523 "Selling Your Home"
* 527 "Residential Rental Property"
* 534 "Depreciation"
* 541 "Tax Information on Partnerships"
* 551 "Basis of Assets"
* 555 "Federal Tax Information on Community Property"
* 561 "Determining the Value of Donated Property"
* 590 "Individual Retirement Arrangements"
* 908 "Bankruptcy and Other Debt Cancellation"
* 936 "Home Mortgage Interest Deduction"

Real Estate Definitions and Glossary*
A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
H | I | J | L | M | N | O |
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V |

Real Estate Glossary

Everything you need to know about real estate can be found in our: Glossary Of Real Estate Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Acceptance - A buyer's or seller's agreement to enter into a contract and be bound by the terms of the offer.

Additional Principal Payment - A payment made by a borrower of more than the scheduled principal amount due, in order to reduce the outstanding balance on the loan, to save on interest over the life of the loan and/or pay off the loan early.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) - stands for Adjustable Rate Mortgage, also referred to as a Variable Rate Mortgage. They both mean the same thing. An ARM is a mortgage with an interest rate that adjusts periodically to reflect changes in market conditions. Your mortgage payments are adjusted up or down (usually on an annual basis) as the interest rate changes. To protect you in a rising interest market, rate increases are limited (usually 2 percentage points annually; 6 percentage points over the life of the loan on your real estate).

Gov. Tim Kaine (D), the leadership of the Virginia Senate and a group of Northern Virginia legislators are suggesting a variety of tax and fee increases that, if approved, would have local residents paying more to buy a car, to register that car, to gas it up, to maintain it and to pull it into the garage of a brand new house.

Kaine and the senators aim to raise roughly $1 billion a year with their plans for road and mass transit projects across the commonwealth.

The other plan, submitted by delegates Tom Rust (R-86th) of Herndon, Dave Albo (R-42nd) of Springfield and central Fairfax Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-34th), would raise up to $300 million for Northern Virginia.

While location may be the most influential factor determining the value of an individual property, jobs are the most influential factor on the Northern Virginia real estate market, according to local economic and real estate experts. And while not every property sold can enjoy a perfect location, the entire Washington area benefits from the strong employment figures for this region.

"While I can't deny the fact that inventory has increased and prices are not increasing as fast as they were a few months ago, my overall opinion about the real estate market remains positive," says Dr. Stephen Fuller, Director for the Center for Regional Analysis and School of Public Policy at George Mason University. "The reality is that we are seeing job growth in every sector in this area. Two-thirds of all the jobs in the region are being created in Northern Virginia. The annual average so far in 2005 is 80,200 new jobs for the region, which means that 53,000 new jobs were created in Northern Virginia."

The Mark Winkler Co., a closely held family real estate company that has been in business in Washington for 60 years, has decided to sell its real estate holdings -- one of the largest portfolios in the area -- to several developers for $2.3 billion.

Duke Realty Corp., an Indianapolis company that owns office buildings in 14 cities across the Midwest and the South, agreed to buy the bulk of the company's 32 commercial office buildings in Northern Virginia. That includes office properties at the mixed-use Mark Center in Alexandria, and the TransDulles Center, an office and industrial park just north of Dulles International Airport, Winkler said yesterday.

ARLINGTON, VA-Plans for the construction of a new office facility, to be known as Randolph Square, have been added to the mix at the Village at Shirlington Square. Monument Realty LLC and Transwestern Investment Co. have joined forces to develop the 195,000-sf building.

As part of Federal Realty Investment Trust's $13-million mixed-use project, Randolph Square will add a major office component to what to date has been a predominantly residential/retail complex. The building is being designed by Hickok Warner Cole Architects.

In addition to its class A office component, Randolph Square will also feature 16,000 sf of ground-level retail space and a parking facility to accommodate 200 vehicles. Monument and Transwestern are currently awaiting the thumbs-up from Arlington County Planning Commission before moving forward with the proposed project. If all goes as planned, work will begin on the building this year and will wrap up two years later.

Tysons Corner Center, already one of the nations largest malls and the regions largest has proposed a new development plan that will expand the shopping mall into its own "self-sustained" city. The proposed plan will double the mall in size by adding more than 5 million square feet, or more than twice as much as the Empire State Building! The project is a mix of mid-rise buildings containing hotel rooms, offices, retail space and condo's and would add 2 million square feet of office buildings, 600 apartments, and a 120-room hotel and a few shops.
The project faces at least two obsticles. First, it mucst win the approval of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. However, the Board would like to create a traditional downtown at Tysons Corner, and this plan would move that vision closer. The plan would also merge the now seperated buildings into something more like a city block. However, they will have to face vehement opposition from homeowner groups about traffic problems and the effects of even more buildings, cars and people. One resident of McLean commented on the proposed plan and said " We'd like to be able to drive from McLean to Vienna in less than a day!" The plan would add some community aspects to the Tysons area including an outdoor ice skating rink.

Arlington county board has approved developer JBG Company's plan to develop a 237 unit condo called the Fairmont. This project marks the final phase of the mixed-use Arlington Gateway development. Located at 4420 Fairfax Dr., the Fairmont will be a 23-story tower located atop the Ballston Metro Station off Interstate 66. The building will also feature about 7,000 sf of ground-level retail space. The building will carry the distinction of being the Ballston area's first all-glass residential property. The Fairmont is scheduled to open its doors to its first residents in late 2008, with a final completion date of January 2009.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is a 23-mile extension of Metrorail from the Orange line in the Falls Church area out the Dulles corridor to serve Tysons Corner, Reston, Herndon, the Route 28 area, Washington Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County. The latest action taken in support of the project was increasing the tolls on the Dulles Toll Road (May 22, 2005) to fund the state share of phase 1, the 11-mile segment to Wiehle Avenue in Reston. The new tolls are 75 cents at the main toll plaza and 50 cents at the ramps. For a daily commuter, the maximum toll increase would be $1.00 per day or $270 per year.

I think that the northern virginia real estate market is different from other metropolitan markets. All over the country homeowners have seen tremendous appreciation in the value of their homes. However, as we notice the market starting to turn a little, prices may start to decline.

In Northern Virginia will the decline?
That question depends on what drives prices. The simple answer is simple economics... Supply and demand. However, its not quite that simple. Many factors contribute to the supply and demand. The one everyone is watching is interest rates. However, one that most people over look is the growth in the area, mainly in jobs.