New Years Resolutions

If updating and upgrading your home are among your New Years Resolutions, please contact us to let us help you make the right choices to improve the value of your home!!

Open Houses

Hello all! We will not be having any open houses this weekend. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukkah and are having a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season!

Happy Holidays!

From all of us at The Goodhart Group, we would like to wish you Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas. Have a great, and safe, holiday season.

P.S.... we hope Santa put you on the nice list!

Get in the Christmas Spirit.

Christmas is only one day away! Still not in the Christmas spirit? Snuggle up by the fire with some cookies and hot chocolate and enjoy all of the Christmas shows and movies that will be playing all day today. To find your favorite, go to: http://www.tvguide.com/Listings/default.aspx

My favorite Christmas movie, "White Christmas" is now on Broadway. While I won't have the chance to get up to NYC before the show ends in early January, I hope some of you will make it up to the Marquis Theatre before January 4th to catch the show! Click here for tickets: http://whitechristmasthemusical.com/intro.html

Free Market Snapshot

Why do we get frequent updates on the value of our stocks but not on our biggest investment- our homes? Let us change that for you! Please e-mail Sue at sue@suegoodhart.com for your free, quarterly market snapshot on the current value of your home. You don't have to be a client or past client for this complimentary service, so please tell your friends! We are always happy to help.

Featured Listing: 4659 Kell Lane

This wonderful townhome has it all. Great size, great value and great location. Situated conveniently close to 395, Old Town and the Pentagon, you can get to any destination in minutes!

This home features a large, sunny eat-in kitchen, family room w/ walk out to patio, hardwood floors, new carpeting, deck off the living room, huge attic for storage and a one-car garage. The exterior has been completely repainted & the yard has been landscaped by Merrifield. Ready to move right in!

For more information on this property, please contact our office or visit the website below:

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90079602448

Sunday, December 21st Open House

This Sunday, we will be holding open 305 S. Royal Street from 1-4pm. For more information, please look at our featured listing post on Monday, contact our office, or view our website http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=10444400672.

We would love to see you!

Family Friendly New Years Eve

Looking for a cheap, family friendly way to spend New Years Eve? Check out Alexandria First Night. It is an alcohol-free, family friendly event running from the Masonic Temple to the Waterfront in Alexandria. Admission is $12 for an adult online before December 25 and $15 at retail locations throughout Alexandria. The prices increase to $17 and $20 after Christmas. Active military and children 12 and under get in free!

The fun starts at 5pm and ends with fireworks at midnight. In between you will find events on 38 indoor stages with 175 performers that will include comedy and magic shows, musical and dance performances of many varieties, and face painting, among many others.

To learn more, visit www.firstnightalexandria.org

Lunch at Restaurant Eve

If you are looking for a relaxed but elegant place to have lunch, consider going to Restaurant Eve in Old Town Alexandria for their lunch special. If you dine at their swanky bar, you can choose two things on their prix fixe lunch menu for a total of $12. For your two choices, you can choose from wines, cocktails, appetizers, main courses, specials of the day and dessert. I recommend the mussels for a first course or the birthday cake for dessert! It is a great deal for a delicious meal in a wonderful setting. PS- the bartender is great and always provides timely, but relaxed service.

Mortgage Rates Hit All Time Low!!!

In case you are looking to refinance or buy a home now is an ideal time! Rates just dropped below 5% but it is anybody’s guess how long they will stay there. To get these rates borrowers need to have stellar credit scores above 700. If you have not checked your credit score recently you may want to go to www.freecreditreport.com, www.creditreport.com, or www.credit.com where you can obtain one free credit report each year.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Here are some quick suggestions for having a green Holiday season!

1) Replace your holiday lights with LED holiday lights. They are more energy efficient by using 75-90% less energy (making them less costly!), safer (as they will not burn the tree), and can last up to ten times longer.

2) Wrap your presents in cloth or a pillowcase and tie with a ribbon! You could also wrap your gifts in newspaper, old maps, magazine covers or paper bags so the discarded paper can be reycled, unlike the traditional wrapping paper.

3) Try to avoid fake Christmas trees as they are not enviornmentally friendly. The best option is to get a live, uncut tree which can be replanted after the Holidays.

4) Don't throw away old electronics after you get new ones! Donate them or make sure they are recycled.

For more explanation of these ideas, please visit the article from where we first saw these great ways to have a "green" Holiday!

http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-12-07/enjoy-the-holidays-while-treading-lightly-on-the-planet/

Featured Property: 305 S. Royal Street

Wonderful 3BR townhome built in the 1700's! Located in one of Old Town's premiere locations, you can walk to everything Old Town has to offer including shops, restaurants, grocery stores, churches, and yes, even the Potomac River. Don't feel like walking? That's just fine since there is OFF-STREET parking!!

Gorgeous, original hardwoods and crown and dentil moldings showcase the charm of this cozy townhouse, while a bright updated kitchen, sunny bedrooms, dining room with french doors leading to a private brick patio and a third level with private bath are among some of the properties best features in addition to the prime location. Own a piece of history in one of the best locations Alexandria has to offer!

Goodhart Group Open Houses Sunday, December 14th

305 South Royal Street

Old Town Alexandria

$649,900

3BR

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=10444400672

21 Kennedy Street

Warwick Village, Alexandria

$419,900

3BR

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90080431299

2519 King Street

Rosemont, Alexandria

$975,000

For Rent: $3,200

4BR

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90007053615

3007 S. 6th Street

Arlington

$699,900

3BR

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90003729872

Inaugural Ball Information

Go to About.com Washington, DC to find out all about the inaugural balls planned for January 19-21, 2009. The official balls have not yet been announced, but there are dozens of state organizations and others who will be celebrating. And the National Building Museum – always an official ball site – will be conducting tours during January giving the history of the balls at that venue. Tours are on the hour from 10-4 Monday through Saturday and 11-4 on Sundays. The museum is at 401 F Street across from Judiciary Square Metro. Nbm.org.

Mortgage rates to 5%!!!!

We just got word that interest rates are down to 5% with a point- amazing! Please let us know if you know of anyone who is in the market to buy a home. We would love to help!

First Time Homebuyer? Act now!

"It May Be Time To Think About Buying a House" -published in New York Times last Friday.

Quick synopsis: First time homebuyers have a chance to stimulate the housing market.

"Five or 10 years from now, when the financial crisis has ended and housing prices are up smartly once more, we will look in the rearview mirror and realize that we missed a golden age for first-time home buyers."

Click on the following link to see the article and learn more about opportunities for first time home buyers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/yourmoney/06money.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&em

Please contact us for more informatin. We would love to help you (or someone you know) purchase your first home!

The Majestic Cafe

Last week, Marty and I dined at the Majestic Cafe on King Street in Alexandria (it is owned by the same people who own Restaurant Eve). One of our family's favorite restaurants, you can count on dining on delicious food in a "casually swank" -as they like to call it- atmostphere. One of my favorite parts of the Majestic Cafe is starting with the delicious Ceasar salad. Someone on the wait staff wheels out a cart and makes the dressing in front of you. You also get the option of adding anchovies, which I think is a must and completes the salad nicely. I also really enjoy the Seafood Stew and the meatloaf.

One thing I have not yet tried at the Majestic is Nana's Sunday night dinner. Every Sunday night, the restaurant offers a family style meal which rotates monthly and is specific to the season. This month they are offering a Christmas Dinner of Roast Beef with Red Wine-Horseradish sauce, Mixed Greens with Berkshire Blue Cheese, Scalloped Potatoes, and Sauteed Wild Mushrooms. You even get Chocolate Cream Pie for dessert! The family dinner serves a max of four guests at a total cost of $78. However, you can pay an additional $25 per extra person. I would highly recommend trying the Majestic if you haven't yet-- but make sure to make a reservation! They fill up fast. Enjoy!

Rental escalations!!!!

The world of real estate constantly amazes me. It is never dull. As the market has slowed and sellers refuse to lower prices below a certain point we are doing more rental business than we have in a long time. People moving into the area are adopting a wait and see approach partly because they can’t sell their homes where they are coming from and partly because they can’t figure out which way our market is moving—up,down, sideways? For that reason they are renting and just today we are starting to see the effects of this trend—multiple rental offers with escalating offers! That tells me it is time to start putting money into investment property instead of other places (like the stock market!). Investment in rental real estate makes sense when the rents you can receive are equal or greater than your monthly outlay. Since job growth in our area is still steady, there will be a steady supply of tenants for properties that show well and are in convenient locations. If you want to see some examples of good rentals give us a call, we are ready to help!

More good news for mortgage rates!

I've been sending out e-mails today to our many friends whom we've met at our many Open Houses. There's great news for those of you who want to buy or sell a home. For buyers, mortgage rates have dipped below 6% for 30 year fixed rate mortgages and this is the perfect time to buy a new home. For sellers, that creates a buying opportunity for those prospective purchasers who have been looking for affordable mortgage rates. Let us know if you want more information or the names of lenders participating in these historically low rates.

New Rental Listings!

2151 Jamieson Avenue #1901

Live in style in this 2,138 sq.ft. apartment overlooking Alexandria & Masonic Temple! 3BR, 3.5BA, 2 enclosed balconies, eat-in kitchen, family room, formal living & dining rooms provide ample living space. Located in Carlyle Towers, you will have access to concierge services, 24 hour gym & health spa, recreation deck, grilling area, tennis cts, outdoor pool, 24 hr security & more! 2 garage spots.

204 Skyhill Road #7

Nestled into a private courtyard and convenient to Old Town, 395 & several stores & restraunts, this freshly painted unit has it all. Open floorplan, updated kitchen w/ stainless appliances, large light filled bedroom w/ bifold closet & windows on 2 sides, remodeled bath w/double sinks, den(potential 2nd br?), living room leading to private deck, washer/dryer in unit & Berber carpets throughought.

For more information on these listings, please contact our office or visit the websites below!

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90081733677

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90081594901

Busy Moms and Dads- Cross the Dreaded Grocery Store Trip off the List!

Before kids, I used to love to grocery shop. I liked meandering the aisles, checking out the produce, planning menus in front of the seafood case or the butcher counter. Even standing in line at the deli was fun because I could think up creative combinations of all the various choices and got ideas for salads. Now, with 2 young rambunctious boys, grocery shopping is anathema to me. Not only do I not have the time, the whole trip is a battle from arrival to check out. “Why can’t we get the car cart Mommy?” “Oh Please can we get this fill-in-the-blank no-nutrition product with Spiderman, Dora, Star Wars whatever printed on the package.” And so on and so on.

In my search to eliminate this dreaded task, I tried Peapod- which is a great but required more planning than I could handle. I also didn’t like all the packaging required to keep my groceries in tip-top shape. Then along came Harris Teeter- Express Lane! Harris Teeter you are my hero! Finally, a store that understands my needs!

This terrific service is well worth the $4.95 it costs to use. Like Peapod, you order online but instead of scheduling a delivery, you schedule a pick-up window. You can order from the bakery, deli and all the departments including wine- (another feature I love) There is also a space to type notes in to your personal shopper. For instance, we like to buy our bananas ripe for making smoothies so I type that in. My husband is very picky about his coffee and likes it ground a certain way so I type that in. You pay online and off you go about your business until you are ready to pick up your order. Then you just pull up to the store during your scheduled window and your personal shopper brings the groceries right out to your car. The kids stay buckled up and off we head home with just what we need and none of the hassles and none of the impulse buys that are occasionally necessary to avoid a full scale meltdown. Thank you Harris Teeter!

Here is a link to their website: http://www.harristeeter.com/
Click on Express Lane and choose your store. The Foxchase location is the most convenient for me. Happy Shopping!

Sunday, December 7th Open Houses

This weekend, we will be holding open 5 of our wonderful listings.

21 Kennedy Street, City of Alexandria/Del Ray, $419,900

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.phplisting_type=res&listing_key=90080431299listing_type=res&listing_key=90080431299

4659 Kell Lane, City of Alexandria, $529,900

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90079602448

1012 S. Dinwiddie Street, South Arlington, $499,900

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90078907377

2519 King Street, City of Alexandria/Rosemont, $975,000

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90007053615

305 S. Royal Street, City of Alexandria/Old Town, $649,900

http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=10444400672

“Next to Normal”

Arena Stage is building a new complex in Washington so their plays are now split between the Lincoln Theater in Washington and a former movie theater in Crystal City (under the Crystal City Marriott). Their newest venture is a musical – “Next to Normal” - based on a woman’s nervous breakdown. It’s not pleasant to sit through an overly loud performance that lacks any choreography or talented voices. We left at intermission. The theater is great, however, and Crystal City has been revived with some great restaurants such as Jaleo and Ruth Chris' Steakhouse.

The Holiday Rush!!

Now I know why Black Friday was a successful day for retailers. The smart people figured out that with Thanksgiving landing so late in the calendar year there is only three weeks until Christmas Eve as I write this!! I have barely put away the dishes from the weekend and polished off the left overs and am now faced with getting out the decorations, planning the party and buying the gifts. The economy will be sure to suffer since there are just not enough shopping days to get everything done! So buckle your seat belts and head to the shops because we are short a week this year which will make for a whole lot of humbugging in about a weeks time as reality sets in.

Thinking of a practical Christmas or Hanukkah gift?

See some of the below suggestions for a practical gift that will get a lot of use and last for years!

Refrigerators have an average life span of 14 years; freezers, 12 years; microwave ovens, 9 years; washers, 11 years; dryers, 12 years; gas water heaters, 9 years and portable computers, 3 years.

Happy Holidays!

Finally, some good news for the mortgage industry!

In a move to increase credit availability, the Federal Reserve and Federal Home Loan Banks announced that they would purchase up to $600 billion in Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS), exciting news that sent interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages plummeting below 6.00% and near the lows for the year!

If you have been on the fence about buying or refinancing a home, now is the time to act. Interest rates are extremely low and home prices in some areas are at 2003-2004 levels. Add to that recent declines in energy prices and lower consumer interest rates, and you have a great holiday recipe for success, but only if you give us a call.

Featured Rental: 605 S. Columbus Street

Welcome to this wonderful Old Town location with two - count them - two off street parking spaces!! Flooded with light from windows on all three sides, this home has hardwood floors and crown molding details throughout, French doors from the living room leading to a private garden, an updated eat-in kitchen with plenty of cabinet space and an upstairs loft! The renovated full bath will delight with a pedastal sink, tub with whirlpool jets and spacious seperate shower with two shower heads.

This home is just minutes to bike path, restaurants, boutiques, parades, Potomac River & Saturday morning Farmers' Market.

For more information, please give us a call or visit our website: http://suegoodhart.com/search/listing.php?listing_type=res&listing_key=90077814574