Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Whether in uniform or not, there are many unsung heroes in our lives. And on Saturday, May 16th in Vienna, VA - those heroes will be unsung no more!

Vienna Choral Society presents their final concert of the season. As is their tradition, it's a "Concert For A Cause". This year's concert will be done in partnership with the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, the Vienna Police Department, and the 2015 World Police & Fire Games. (You can read more about these partners on the VCS blog.)

With so much bad news being broadcast, we love the idea of celebrating the heroes in our midst. The theme of this year's concert is "SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME: EVERYDAY HEROES".

The concert was planned almost two years in advance. And the timing couldn't be more perfect. As an example, Vienna's own Chief of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, John Morrison, is one of the volunteers helping with rescue efforts in Nepal.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Many times you don't even know their names. But the actions they take change the world. I can think of a few heroes in my life. One grew up right under my own roof. She's a teacher now. An everyday hero.

#notallheroeswearcapes

Here's the Concert 411:

Date: Saturday, May 16

Time: 4:30PM

Place: Vienna Baptist Church (541 Marshall Rd SW)

Cost: $25/adults, $20/seniors (65+) and students (15 – 18), and free to youth (14 and below, and with a paying audience member).

Where To Buy Tickets: http://vcs-heroes.eventbrite.com/

Vienna is full of everyday heroes. Just another reason why THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE VIENNA!

Time To Take A Stroll!

Q. Do you know what these addresses have in common?

• 225 Windover Avenue
• 227 Windover Avenue
• 261 Windover Avenue
• 316 Windover Avenue
• 440 Windover Avenue
• 220 Walnut Lane
• 342 Orchard Street
• 318 Lewis Street
• 340 West Street
• 303 Knoll Street
• 403 Windover Court
• 407 Windover Court

A. All of these homes are in historic Windover Heights in Vienna. And if you decide to stroll through Windover Heights this Sunday, you will walk by these homes and more. Some are turn-of-the-century Victorians and Queen Annes. Some are original ramblers & cottages. Several are custom built in the past 20 years, some as recently as a few years ago.

Q. What else do they have in common?

A. All are homes with wonderful owners and homes where The Belt Team has represented the buyer or seller, sometimes more than once!

"The 41st Annual Walk On The Hill", sponsored by Historic Vienna, Inc. is this Sunday, April 26th from 2-5PM (rain date May 3rd). The streets will be blocked to cars, so it is a perfect family strolling day with lemonade stands and music and gardens to enjoy. There is usually live music at "the log cabin" in the gardens of the wonderful  old home at the corner of Windover & Walnut Lane.) Look for the "open" signs in front of the homes to signal that you are welcome to walk through the yard.

Enjoy! Perhaps we will see you there!

"The Walk on The Hill" and the community feel of our town are just more reasons why WE LOVE LIVING IN VIENNA!

Yeonas Park - Like The Old Fashioned "Back Fence"

As we have every year since 2002, The Belt Team is proud to sponsor Vienna Little League. Since today is Opening Day and it's Little League season once again, we thought we w'd re-run this post. Enjoy!
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Yesterday was another one of those "I LOVE LIVING IN VIENNA" days! If you live in Vienna, you will eventually make your way to Yeonas Park. You either have children who play baseball or your children have friends who play baseball or you have friends whose children play baseball. It's just one of those inevitable things.

 

So yesterday, we went to see a neighbor's son play in a Vienna Little League game at Yeonas. As we entered the parking lot, it was teeming with activity. There was an air of excitement that wafted by - almost as strongly as the smell of chili dogs on the grill at the snack bar. Last Saturday was Opening Day (more than 1,100 people attended!) and this was the first week of the season. PLAY BALL!



And just like every April for the past 50+ years, the Vienna Little Leaguers took the field.



And just like every April for the past 50+ years, the Vienna parents assumed their perches from which to root.

And just like every April for the past 50+ years, the siblings gathered in the common area to play with one another.



Yeonas Field in Vienna is kind of what the back fence used to be "in the olden days". Back then, neighbors would hang their laundry out to dry in the backyard and catch up on gossip over the back fence. Or they would mow their lawns and tend their gardens, and take breaks to chat with the neighbor next door or behind them.

Well, that's just what happens at Yeonas Park. Last night, two of my girlfriends, who are normally so busy they can't see straight (they are AWESOME Moms!), settled in to the bleachers to watch the game and had themselves a nice two hour chat. The Dads like to hang out along the fences, and they are usually much more "into" the game. But don't be mistaken, there's a lot of chit chat going on there too. In a world where we are always "on the go", it's nice to have this respite.

And you ALWAYS run into people you know. It's just a fabulous gathering place where people of diverse interests and diverse backgrounds "hang out" together. I love seeing the many multi-generational families that come to the ballgames - babes in arms, grandparents in wheelchairs, and even teenagers who might be "too cool" to otherwise hang with their parents.

Just visit once and you'll see what I mean. Vienna Little League gets into your blood. Did you ever notice the "V" stickers on so many car windows in Vienna? They either say "Go Blue" or "Go Black". The stickers represent the two leagues in Vienna (National & American). And once you're a part of a certain league, you are Blue (or Black) FOREVER. Many of those cars you see with stickers have kids who are long past Little League age, but they are part of that family always.

AND we have a long history of winning. When you go to the park, you'll see the list of many State Championship wins and even a Regional Championship that sent our team to the Little League World Series in Williamsport. But it's not only about winning. It's the life lessons that are learned along the way - things like loyalty and hard work and how important it is to spend time with the ones you love.

I just LOVE living in Vienna!

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Turn Left At The Pig

"Turn left at the pig."

That's how I give directions to my house.

No. I don't live on a farm. Not even in a rural area. I live in Vienna, VA. 15 miles west of the Nation's Capital. About a mile away from the Vienna Metro.

And if you live in the Southwest side of town, chances are you know the pig I am talking about.

It's not a real pig, but a giant, life-size pig that sits in my neighbor's yard. You can't miss it. It's bright orange. The color of a traffic cone.

We've heard the pig was put there by the owner's brother as a joke. Turns out my neighbors thought it was pretty cool. They embraced the pig (not literally) and every holiday finds the pig dressed for the occasion.

I'm guessing that some of the neighbors don't like the pig. And when it first went in, we weren't sure we liked it either. But it (he? she?) kind of grows on you. And as time has gone by, we look forward to each new creative tableaux that is put before our eyes.

Here's one they did at Christmas. "Rudolph The Red Nosed . . . PIG".

And at Thanksgiving we get "Turkey Pig". (Photo courtesy of a neighbor's blog www.wildtrumptevine.com).

But it's the non-traditional "holidays" we like best. Like the arrival of summer! (Picture courtesy of another neighbor's blog www.soveryvienna.wordpress.com)

We hear they're always looking for new ideas, so our suggestion is "Jurassic Pork". (That's what you get when you cross a dinosaur and a pig!)

And the thing is, it really does make giving directions easy.

"Take 66 to Nutley, Turn right on Marshall Rd. Turn left at the pig."

Athens Meets Athens. In Vienna.

Just like there's a "Vienna, Virginia" and a "Vienna, Austria" - there is also an "Athens, Georgia" and an "Athens, Greece". And this month, Athens (GA) met Athens (Greece) right here in Vienna (VA)!

Yes, this month Vienna welcomed another new restaurant to Maple Avenue. It's called "Zoe's Kitchen" and the restaurant's style is a mix of southern hospitality and Mediterranean-inspired flavors. Sounds like an offbeat combination, doesn't it?

 Well, Zoe's Kitchen is a chain named after Zoe Cassimus. Zoe was born in the Mediterranean and raised in the South. It wasn't exactly Athens, GA and Athens, Greece - but it was "the South" and "the Mediterranean". Now it all makes sense, right?

 We stopped in to Zoe's last week and we give it a thumbs-up as a nice addition to the dining options in Vienna. A few things need to still be worked out though:

Parking: We arrived fairly early for lunch - right when they opened at 11AM. We did that purposely because this was our 3rd attempt to try out Zoe's. The other two attempts failed because we couldn't find parking. By the time we left at noon, the same issue existed and traffic was backed up onto Maple Avenue once again.

Cooking Time: The ordering process is similar to that found at Noodles & Company. You order & pay at the counter, serve your own drinks and then they give you a stand with a number on it. When your food is ready, it's brought to your table. We didn't wait too long. But we noticed quite a few people waiting for to-go orders, many of whom ordered right after us and were still waiting after we finished eating.

 Hopefully, these are just issues that come with opening week jitters. The food itself was tasty. Very flavorful. And not your "same old same old". It was fresh. And the menu is both healthy and imaginative - with lots of options for both meat lovers and vegetarians. Take a look at the menu.

Every person we encountered was super friendly. And the atmosphere was clean, bright & cheerful. It's a great place to grab lunch during the work day, meet friends for a snack and it's also a good family spot for dinner. They even have wine & beer available for the adults.

Welcome to Vienna Zoe's!

Vienna Real Estate: Year In Review Plus Current Trends

If you’re thinking of buying a home in Vienna in 2015, then you’re probably wondering things like:

• “How long are homes on the market?”
• “Will I have to pay over list price or can I get a deal? Buyer’s Market or Seller’s Market?”

If you’re thinking of selling a home in Vienna in 2015, you’re probably wondering:

• “How long will it take to sell my house?”
• “Will I have to negotiate my list price? Seller’s Market or Buyer’s Market?”

Even if you're not buying or selling right now, you may just be curious about what your home is worth.

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Well, let’s look at 2014 statistics as they are often an indicator of what you can expect:

• Average Days on Market in Vienna: 44 days
• Sold Price as % of Original List Price: 97.5%

Terry Belt, CEO of The Belt Team commented, “Last Spring we saw lots of competition for the best listings in the market. As spring became summer, and summer turned into fall – the market slowed a bit and became very price sensitive. Time will tell as to what 2015 has in store, but The Belt Team is already working with a number of Buyers and Sellers in Vienna and the market has started out briskly. In 2014, this was also the case – and homes that sold in January/February sold for an average of $16,000 more than those that sold in March/April.”

Click here to see current trends (average home prices, day on parket, pending sales, etc) as compared to the past 5 years.

(Note: Belt Team Buyers are eligible for our FREE Priority Notification List for new listings not yet in the MLS. Call 703-242-3975 for details.)

If you’re selling a home, your next question may be – “Is there a way to sell faster and for more than average?” And the good news is YES!

The best way to do that is to hire the real estate team with the best proven track record of success in Vienna. And THAT is The Belt Team. Check out Belt Team statistics for Vienna home sales:

Over the past 10 years, The Belt Team has consistently sold more homes in Vienna than ANY other agent or team. With $371 Million in sales (416 homes) – that’s $76 Million more! And 45% more homes! There are more than 10,000 agents in Northern VA. No others have sold more than $100 million in the past 10 yrs!

     

In 2014, Belt Team listings in Vienna SOLD ALMOST A MONTH FASTER than the average agent’s.

Translation? Our Sellers saved almost a full mortgage payment and had a lot less stress from keeping their homes in “showing condition”.

• Average Days on Market – The Belt Team: 20 days
• Average Days on Market – “Average Agent”: 44 days

In 2014, Belt Team’s listings SOLD FOR 2.2% MORE of list price than the average agent’s. And for a higher percentage than ANY other top team/agent.

(As an example, a Seller of a $900K home would have pocketed almost $20,000 more!)

• Sold Price as % of Original List Price – The Belt Team 99.7%
• Sold Price as % of Original List Price – “Average Agent”: 97.5%

Cal The Belt Team at (703) 242-3975 if you would like to buy or sell a home in Vienna. Not only do we sell more home in Vienna, but many of our team members have lived here for years. Terry Belt & Christy Belt Grossman grew up in Vienna, have lived here since 1972 and are now raising their families in Vienna. Kevin Klefiges has also lived in Vienna since he was a child. Jerry & Gail Belt live in Reston now, but lived in Vienna for more than 30 years. We know the schools, the parks, the commuter short cuts, the history and all the things that make Vienna a most special place to live. Not only do we sell homes in Vienna, but with genuine enthusiasm & experience, we sell the entire community.

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• Search Vienna Homes For Sale Under $500,000
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $500,000 to $700,000
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $700,000 to $800,000
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $800,000 to $1 Million
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $1-$1.25 Million
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $1.25-1.5 Million
• Search Vienna Homes For Sale $1.5 Million & Up

 Don’y you deserve the BEST Realtor in Vienna?

Celebrate Christmas Around the World

Looking for a wonderful respite from the craziness of the malls & shops?

Or maybe you need some Christmas music to get you in the holiday mood?

Perhaps you're curious what carols are sung in other parts of the world?

If so - there's a wonderful concert happening in Vienna this Saturday (December 20th). Vienna Choral Society is presenting "Nowell e Navidad - Christmas Around The World".

Not only will you hear the Vienna Choral Society (who are top notch!), but you will be treated to guest performances from the children of the Bridges Choir and the Vienna Jammers! (Sounds like this show will be rockin!)

In addition to traditional Christmas carols, they will share songs sung in Latvia, Scandinavia, South America & the West Indies. What fun! You can travel the world, without leaving your seat, AND the show is family friendly. Children under 14 are free with a paying adult. (Seniors get a discount too!). You can buy tickets online or at the door. Shows starts at 4:30PM at Vienna Baptist.

Live music is just one of the many things we love about living in Vienna. And it sounds like this is a do not miss event!