Night of the Living Zoo

The National Zoo (Smithsonian National Zoological Park) is celebrating Halloween with the "Night of the Living Zoo" on October 30th from 8 p.m. until midnight. Enjoy the park and see the animal exhibits while dressing up in costume (prizes will be given for best group costume; 2 or more people) and enjoying such treats as palm readers, fire eaters, talking bats, and illusionists. There will also be a live performance by the musical band Soulive (featuring Shady Horns with special guest Nigel Hall). Food and beverages (event is sponsored by Magic Hat Brewing Company) will be available. It is a 21 or older event and, unfortunately, tickets have already sold out.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Celebrations/LivingZoo/

Housing Prices: Major Metro Areas Showing Slow Decline

Housing prices in 20 major metro areas are not yet making year-over-year gains, but the decline is slowing according to the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller home price index. The report indicated that home prices are about where they were in 2003, before the bubble began. Prices in the D.C. area were up 1.4% from July to August.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/economywatch/2009/10/home_prices_most_major_metro_a.html?hpid=topnews

Buy a House in Arlington, Virginia

"The urban villages that make up the majority of Arlington real estate provide terrific neighborhoods, shopping centers, and restaurants. Shirlington, Columbia Pike, Ballston, and Pentagon City – in addition to many other prime Arlington real estate spots – are always bustling with residents, workers, and visitors. Many Arlington real estate owners spend time both outdoors, along the Mount Vernon Trail, and indoors, at the many shops that make up the Crystal City underground. In addition, several Washington, D.C.-area landmarks call Arlington real estate home; both the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, as well as the Defense Department Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where the Internet was created, are located here.
This ethnically diverse city has one of the most educated populations in the country. Not surprisingly, twenty percent of the jobs in Northern Virginia are in Arlington, which makes Arlington real estate an ideal investment for business owners and commuters. But there are many other reasons to consider investing in Arlington real estate. The city offers easy access to I-395, I-495, I-66, and downtown D.C. And with its excellent public schools and convenient Metro access, the value of Arlington real estate has risen much faster than the national average in recent years." (Long & Foster Living)

http://virginia-homes.longandfoster.com/Northern_Virginia_Real_Estate/Arlington.aspx

Halloween Playlist

Being a music-lover, one of my favorite things to do is make playlists about EVERYTHING. Not the coolest thing ever to admit, but it's my thing. Here's what I came up with for the theme of "Halloween":

Jack'o'lantern's Weather (311)
Highway to Hell (AC/DC)
Wolfman Jack (Binary Star)
Dead Man Walking (Bruce Springsteen)
Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniel's Band)
Drink to the Dead (Clutch)
I Put a Spell on You (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Halloween (Dave Matthews Band)
Thriller (Michael Jackson)
Dr. Funkenstein (Parliament)
Wolfman's Brother (Phish)
Ghost of Tom Joad (Rage Against the Machine)
Living Dead Girl (Rob Zombie)
Black Magic Woman (Santana)
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)
Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)

Happy Halloween!

Arlington County Government

Arlington, VA is governed by a five person County Board, whose members are elected to staggered four year terms. The board elects a County Manager, who is chief executive of the County Government. Arlington, like all Virginia counties, also has a Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Commonwealth's Attorney, Treasurer, and Commissioner of the Revenue; all elected officers. There is also an elected five member School Board.

County Board: Barbara Favola (Chairman), Jay Fisette (Vice-Chairman), Mary Hynes, J. Walter Tejada, Chris Zimmerman.

Virginia Congress: Patsy Ticer (Senator), Mary Margaret Whipple (Senator), David Englin (Delegate), Albert Eisenberg (Delagate), Robert Brink (Delegate), Adam Ebbin (Delegate).

School Board: Sally Baird (Chair), Libby Carver (Vice Chair), Ed Fendley, Abby Rafael, Emma Sanchez-Violand.

Constitutional Officers: Frank O'Leary (Treasurer), Paul Ferguson (Clerk of the Court), Dick Trodden (Commonwealth's Attorney), Beth Arthur (Sheriff), Ingrid Morroy (Commissioner of Revenue).

http://www.arlingtonva.us/portals/topics/TopicsLocalGovt.aspx

National Association of Realtors

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is the largest trade association in North America, representing over 1.2 million residential and commercial real estate brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others in the industry of immovable property. The President of NAR in 2009 is Charles McMillan.
The NAR governs the hundreds of local Multiple Listing Services (MLS), which is a database of properties which are on the market. Using MLS, realtors have access to information about listings for sale in their area.
NAR requires realtors to take a code of ethics and offers additional certifications in specific areas of the industry.
NAR has a weekly, two hour radio program called Real Estate Today, which includes a local market report for each radio station.

http://www.realtor.org/

Gulf Branch Nature Center

The Gulf Branch Nature Center in Arlington, VA is a beautiful park to visit. It is staffed with friendly and knowledgable people who provide environmental education programs for all ages and small groups. It features exhibits, a small classroom, a children's discovery room, a live-animal exhibit room, a restored cabin, and a pond. It also has public restrooms and is wheelchair accessible.
Located at 3608 N. Military Road, the Gulf Branch Nature Center is open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Sunday 1 to 5 p.m (closed Monday and Tuesday).
A few examples of upcoming events are the Coyote Campfire (mmm...smores!), the Animals' Thanksgiving (animals are thankful too), and the traditional Fall Hunt (followed by venison stew...if you're lucky).

http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/scripts/nature/ParksRecreationScriptsNatureGulfbranch.aspx

Halloween, one of the oldest and most popular holidays, is an annual celebration on October 31. Dating back 2,000 years, it has roots in the Celtic pagan festival Samhain and the Christian All Saints Day, though it is largely a secular celebration today. Around the time of the Great Famine, Irish immigrants brought varieties of many Halloween traditions to North America.
The name is derived from All Hallows' Even. Even is derived from evening, which can be further shortened to e'en. Hence, the holiday's original name of Hallowe'en.
The feast of Samhain, honoring the dead, was held every October 31, the end of the Celtic calendar. A harvest festival, Samhain signified the end of summer with huge bonfires. Believing that souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages, and that not all were friendly, Celts set out gifts or treats to pacify them. This is where our tradition of trick-or-treating comes from.

Trick or treat! It’s that time again. Time to carve your pumpkins, visit haunted houses, and figure out what to do about a costume. That’s right, it’s October and Halloween is on the way.

Let’s start with the pumpkin. You have several options here. You can carve a face (jack’o'lantern) or a design. I prefer the design technique, but it’s important to use a stencil if you are like me, and were not graced with artistic talents. You can find tips and designs here: http://go2.wordpress.com/id=725X1342&site=virginiahousingtrends.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dltk-holidays.com%2Fhalloween%2Fmpatterns.htm. You can use the seeds to make a great holiday snack. Here’s a recipe for over-roasted pumpkin seeds: http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv310.htm.

It’s also a fun time of year to take the kids to a haunted house/hayride/etc. Here are some places near Arlington: http://www.festivals-and-shows.com/haunted-houses-in-virginia.html

And as far as costumes, always the hardest part for me, you can go to places such as a Spirit Halloween Store (5857 Leesburg Pike, Ste. B. in Falls Church, VA) which have huge selections of ready-to-go costumes, or you can make your own costumes. Here are some ideas for home made costumes: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/halloweentheme/a/091399.htm.

Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

Real Estate Entrepreneurship at George Mason University

Did you know that you can get a college degree in real estate? The George Mason University Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship "seeks to advance real estate research and education in real estate development and finance."
The center serves to advance real estate knowledge through innovative and pertinent multidisciplinary research on real estate development and finance, address critical and timely issues of interest to the development and finance commutities, hold seminars, workshops, symposia, and forums to examine the current state of the industry and to anticipate future industry opportunities and challenges, and support the highest quality real estate degree and executive education programs that prepare both students and industry professionals alike for tomorrow's real estate environment.
They offer a Masters of Real Estate Development (MRED), a multidisciplinary degree spanning the School of Management, School of Public Policy and Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering.

http://realestate.gmu.edu/

Best Places for College Grads

Richard Florida is a professor of management at the University of Toronto, and the author of The Rise of the Creative Class and Who's Your City?. He recently researched the best metropolitan areas for new college graduates to relocate to. He was searching for places with strong social networks which will allow grads to find jobs, be satisfied with their communities, enjoy vibrant nightlife, and find a life partner. His findings came to these conclusions:

1. Boulder, Colorado
2. San Francisco, California
3. Washington, District of Columbia
4. Madison, Wisconsin
5. Boston, Massachussettes
6. Los Angeles, California
7. New York, New York
8. Santa Barbara, California
9. Worcester, Massachussettes
10. Bridgeport, Connecticut & Trenton, New Jersey (tie)

http://www.realtor.org/rmodaily.nsf/pages/News2009101304

Home Ownership Still a Good Investment

Despite the negative perception about the housing market in recent times, owning a home is still generally a good investment.
Homes have appreciated by an average of four percent annually since World War II. This investment hedges against inflation and comes with significant tax benefits.
Also, unlike a stock, it's an investment you can live in. Owning a home gives you a sense of security, independence, and community.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33243863/ns/business-real_estate//

2009 NVAR Convention and Trade Show

Tomorrow, October 13th, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors will be hosting it's 2009 Convention & Trade Show. The theme is "NVAR Goes Back to School". This year it will be held at the Annandale Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), a new location for the event.
The NV/RPAC Breakfast will feature speakers John Harris and Jim VandeHei from POLITICO, a political journalism organization based in Arlington.
The trade show will feature many exhibitor booths with businesses (both local and corporate) there to offer help and answer questions.

http://www.nvarconvention.com/

2009 Nobel Prize in Literature

Herta Muller, a German novelist and essayist born in Romania, has won the 2009 Nobel Prize for Literature. The exiled writer described the oppression in her native country posed by dictatorship in much of her work. The Swedish Academy described Ms. Müller, “who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed.” Muller, 56, emigrated to Germany in 1987 after years of persecution and censorship. Her most popular works are "Land of the Green Plums" and "The Appointment".

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/books/09nobel.html?_r=1&hp

Obama's Decor

On Tuesday, the White House released a list of works it has borrowed for its walls. With the help of museum curators, from which the works are being borrowed, Michelle Obama has chosen 45 pieces to don the Obamas' temporary residence and offices.
There are seven works from African American artists, four from Native Americans (12 more depicting Native Americans). 41 of the creators were male, to six female artists. None of the works were done by a Latino.
The collection seems to focus on Native American and African American pottery, paintings of "black life" in the 19th century, and several abstract pieces. There is also a handful of sculptures as well.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/10/06/GA2009100602826.html?sid=ST2009100603682

In your house, the wall decor (and artistic compliments) are as important as the furnature chosen (see past blog).

German-American Day

Today, October 6th, is German-American Day. It was a celebration of German heritage that was popular in the 19th century, faded away around World War I, and was again revived in 1987.
Around 1 in 4 Americans claim to have German ancestry. Some notable German-Americans are Adolph Coors, Albert Einstein, and the engineer whom designed the Brooklyn Bridge.
President Ronald Reagan, in his proclaimation of German-American Day, stated, "The United States has embraced a vast array of German traditions, institutions, and influences. Many of these have become so accepted as parts of our way of life that their ethnic origin has been obscured. For instance, Christmas trees and Broadway musicals are familiar features of American society. Our kindergartens, graduate schools, the social security system, and labor unions are all based on models derived from Germany.
German teachers, musicians, and enthusiastic amateurs have left an indelible imprint on classical music, hymns, choral singing, and marching bands in our country. In architecture and design, German contributions include the modern suspension bridge, Bauhaus, and Jugendstil. German-American scientists have helped make the United States the world's pioneer in research and technology. The American work ethic, a major factor in the rapid rise of the United States to preeminence in agriculture and industry, owes much to German-Americans' commitment to excellence."

http://german.about.com/od/teaching/a/geramday.htm

Choosing the Right Furniture

Furniture shopping can be an extremely daunting process. Searching for gear that fits your personality, taste, and price range takes a long time. With so many choices, from style, era, and practicality, there's a lot of variety out there.
A person's choice in furniture reflects a lot about their character. It can tell people that you are fun, dull, classy, trashy, edgy, or bland, etc. It's important to find something that suites you. After all, it's one of the first things someone notices about the room they walk into, and you have to use it everyday.
There are also choices to make regarding age. Do you want something new or antique? Modern or traditional? People have always needed places to sit, sleep, eat, etc. so there's a long history to choose from.
Also, you need to think about what materials your potential purchase is made from. Is it durable enough that it will last as long as you would like? Are you the kind of person that likes change, and are going to need a new couch in a few years anyways? Either way, the price will often depend on this characteristic.

Also important to note: when you list your house with Mike Webb Team, LLC we provide free staging for your house, at no additional cost to the owner.

http://www.find-a-real-estate-agent.net/blog/

$8,000 Tax Credit Set to Expire on November 30th

The $8,000 federal tax credit for first time home buyers is set to expire on November 30th. Congress is now debating whether to extend the program which some say is essential to a fragile real estate market.
As of right now, anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years qualifies for the rebate. As many as 40% of all homebuyers this year will qualify for the credit, which by the end of November will have been directly responsible for several hundred thousand home sales.
Members of congress have proposed more than 20 bills to extend and/or expand the tax credit, many shaped around a $15,000 rebate program that will be offered until September of next year for any buyer that stays in a home for at least 2 years.

San Francisco Chronicle