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Legal Review: What to Do When Unsafe Roads Cause an Accident

By PoP Sponsor (a)

By Personal Injury Attorney Jamie Karek of Commonwealth Law Group

Virginia has a problem. They want to keep their drivers safe, so they install metal road reflectors that are supposed to help guide drivers. Unfortunately, now those very safety measures are starting to hurt drivers. They have caused several car accidents already and when they do, accident victims can file a claim for compensation.

The biggest problem with the metal reflectors is that they weigh over five pounds. When they come loose from the road, they fly into the air and land — sometimes on a driver’s windshield. The driver could then become injured by the broken glass, or it could cause them to get into an accident with another vehicle.

This sounds traumatic, and it is. It is also something that has happened to 90 people over the past five years alone. When they do happen, motorists should understand they can file a complaint with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

When a government agency is negligent, as they have been with these reflectors, they can still be held liable. However, these claims are much more difficult than other personal injury cases. This is why the help of an experienced attorney, and swift action, is absolutely necessary.

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Listing of the Day: 5024 9th Street NW

Address: 5024 9th Street NW
Neighborhood: Petworth
Listed: $460,000-$485,000
Open: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Located between the dynamic Upshur and Kennedy Street Corridors, The Gallatin condominiums are 2 bedroom, 2 full bath homes built for urban living and designed with a modern edge.

The open concept layouts provide an organic flow from kitchen to living area, with custom built-in media storage and shelving throughout. Kitchens include quartz counters, movable Brazilian Walnut islands and glass tiled backsplashes (in select homes). Both full bathrooms include marble flooring and tile. Amenities include an outdoor social area with grilling station and seating, secured bicycle storage, one large storage space per unit, security system with intercom and package room.

Schedule an appointment by contacting: Jay Zelaska, 202-792-0070.

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DC Open House List for This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Now that the Spring weather seems to be matching the uptick in the market, we’re looking at 70 degree days, nearly 400 new homes listed in the past week and an upcoming weekend with over 250 open houses all across the District.  To see the entire DC Open House List, click here.

  • 733 Hamilton Street NW — $675,000 — Brightwood Park
    Open Sat. 2-4 p.m. & Sun. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Jen Goroff
    “This beautiful, light-filled 3 BR/3.5 BA rowhouse has been completely renovated in 2014.”
  • 1230 Farragut Place NE — $574,900 — Michigan Park
    Open Sun. 12-2 p.m. — Heath Graves
    This “Architectural Digest inspired home” has over $100k worth of updates, a hot tub and includes 2 parking spaces.
  • 809 6th Street NW #53 — $499,000 — Chinatown
    Open Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Metro DC Houses
    1 BR/1 BA unit with an open floor plan in a building that’s not even  15 years old in a neighborhood so walkable it gets a 98 Walk Score.
  • 1812 S Street SE — $374,900 — Fairlawn
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. & Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Kyo Freeman
    2 BR AS-IS just back on the market at a great price.
  • 3510 New Hampshire Avenue NW — $749,900 — Columbia Heights
    Open Sat. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Balaram Owens
    “Unique home has a mix of original charm and modern updates” with over 1,500 square feet just a couple blocks from the Petworth Metro Station.

Ballston Quarter Changes the Game with 5 Wits

Joining the latest and greatest at Ballston Quarter, 5 Wits officially opened for business earlier last month, bringing its unique style of interactive entertainment to the Arlington area.

Located in a 15,000 square foot facility within the mall, 5 Wits creates deeply immersive, theme park-style adventure experiences. Guests travel through real, physical environments, interacting with their surroundings through challenges, puzzles and elaborate special effects.

Each adventure tells its own story, with its guests’ performance deciding the outcome: the ending actually changes depending on how well its participants perform.

While the technology that runs this massive $2 million venue is cutting edge, the company behind it isn’t exactly new — in fact, 5 Wits is celebrating its 15th year in business. Its arrival in Ballston Quarter signals a shift toward entertainment-based offerings that set the redeveloped center apart as a destination.

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The State of DC: Tax Season, I Said No Salt “I Want My Red Stapler Back”

By PoP Sponsor (a)

This column is written by Metro DC Houses, a local real estate team serving DC, MD, VA made up of Colin Johnson, the immediate past President for the D.C. Association of Realtors and Christopher Suranna, the current President for the D.C. Association of Realtors.

For those of you that don’t have knowledge of the cult classic movie “Office Space”, the strange character Milton Waddams has an obsession with his Red Swingline stapler.

In one of the last scenes of the movie he is sitting on a beach and demands a margarita with NO SALT or he’d…  For those “Office Space” fans I have buried another movie reference, enjoy!

Well that’s a long story to hook you in to talk about taxes, specifically SALT taxes (State and Local Taxes) that have recently been limited with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Job Act. Plus some other interesting updates.

To Itemize or Not to Itemize, that is the question. A lot of this is going to be based on your total income and available deductions. If you are not going to itemize, stop here. I am of no use to you, unless of course you want to catch the movie reference. If you are going to itemize please enjoy the following.

The SALT tax is now limited to 10K and if in the state of Maryland or other higher local tax areas it is very likely you will hit your maximum deduction fairly quickly.

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Listing of the Day: 1300 4th Street SE

Address: 1300 4th Street SE
Neighborhood: Navy Yard
Listed: 2 BR/2 BA, $734,900-$974,900
Open: Sunday, March 17 from 1-4 p.m.

The Bower offers a variety of layouts to suit your lifestyle from studios starting at $394,900, one-bedrooms starting at $419,900 and spacious two-bedrooms starting at $734,900.

Explore The Bower’s expansive two bedroom units including sweeping city views through floor to ceiling windows with generous layouts that you can make your own.

With access to an ample rooftop terrace along with inviting community spaces from the residents’ lounge to the fitness studio, The Bower offers the ideal mix of energy, convenience, and style.

Resident move-ins at The Bower have begun, with now over 75% sold, tour Sunday and own it all at The Yards only at The Bower.

Listed By:
PN Hoffman Realty
202-869-5233
www.thebowerdc.com

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Real Estate Fresh Finds: March 13

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home.

Featured Property of the Week: 1738 Park Road NW #2

  • On the ground level of this converted townhouse in Mount Pleasant sits this immaculate 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom open floor plan unit with nearly 1,200 square feet of living space. The semi-detached building offers windows on 3 sides, allowing for lots of natural light streaming throughout the home, illuminating the gorgeous dark hardwood floors across all rooms. The home features exposed brick, 9’+ ceilings, laundry room with front-loading washer/dryer and a gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. The master bedroom suite elegantly boasts a large walk-in closet as well as an ensuite master bath with dual vanities and a separate shower. Completing the home is the beautifully private rear wood deck overlooking the backyard, ideal for those upcoming warm summer nights.

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is one that actually deserves that moniker with 4 levels and 10.5k total square feet encompassing 8 bedrooms, 9 total bathrooms, a swimming pool, billiard room, theater room and a massively green backyard.
  • Modern and open 4 BR townhouse in Petworth only a block from the Petworth Metro includes solar panels on the roof, creating instant cost savings for the new owner.
  • “Incredibly spacious and bright 2 BR/2 BA condo in a lovely, quiet spot on Capitol Hill/just steps from the H St Corridor!”
  • Your REO/Bank-Owned Property of the Week is a 3 BR interior unit row home in Washington Highlands “AS-IS, needs work.”

Education Options to Fill the Tech Skills Gap

These days, there isn’t just one way to get an education, says Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business Dean Robert Sumichrast.

Popular program options for working professionals include MOOCs, coding bootcamps, technical certifications and master’s degrees. The question is which one to choose.

MOOCs — massive, open, online courses — let students audit courses online, at no charge, through well-known universities. Students may also participate in paid versions of the course, which add graded assignments, extra support and a certificate for successful completion.

Coding bootcamps vary widely in their duration, format and cost, but all have a similar goal: to help students ramp up quickly on coding skills, especially web and mobile development.

Technical certifications are credentials that show people have passed a test and, in some cases, worked in a given job for a set period of time. These can be inexpensive to attain, if the student is willing to do self-study. However, they’re of limited duration; when the technology is updated, the certification needs to be updated, too.

Then there’s the master’s degree:

  • It’s only available through institutions that have gone through an accrediting process to prove the quality of their instructors and courses.
  • In the leading schools, faculty have practical experience in the subject and bring cutting-edge information to their students.
  • The program generally includes a community of alumni with deep connections and support.

The online Master of Information Technology, offered by Virginia Tech, adds an additional benefit: It has been jointly developed by faculty from both business and engineering, which means it can strike that sweet spot of “technical and soft skills” that employers truly value, notes Sumichrast. The combination, he says, “makes for a really well-rounded student coming out of the program.”

So how do you choose a program? (more…)

Legal Review: New Child Safety Seat Law Now in Effect

By PoP Sponsor (a)

By Personal Injury Attorney John M. Cooper of Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers

Last year, Governor Ralph Northam signed HB 708 into law.

The law states that all children under the age of two must remain in a rear-facing child seat at all times. As of July 1, 2019, that law went into effect. Parents that do not comply with the law are not only placing their child in danger, but will also face penalties from law enforcement.

One exception to this is that a child can move to a front-facing seat when they reach the maximum weight limit of the seat, although there are others, as well. That weight limit can be found in the seat’s instruction manual, and they do vary between manufacturers.

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5 Things to Expect at This Years DC Bike Ride

Serious cyclists and recreational bike riders alike will be able to cruise through the District car-free during the annual DC Bike Ride event on May 18. Riders will be able to weave through D.C.’s most iconic sites including the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

Wondering what else you can see on the course? Here are our top 5 things you can expect on the course on May 18:

  1. The course is designed for people to ride at their own pace! Feelin’ a little tired? No worries! Stop by our local flavor pitstops along the route and enjoy some grub before getting back on the saddle.
  2. The sights on the course are unmatched. This is your chance to be a tourist in your own city. The course passes through some of the most iconic sights in D.C. entirely car-free. See your favorite monuments in a brand-new way and snap a few pictures for the gram while you’re at it.
  3. We’re all about convenience. No bike? No problem. You have the option to include a bike and a helmet as part of your registration.
  4. Don’t let the #FOMO get you! Trust us, this is THE event of the Spring. Not only is it your only opportunity to ride the streets of D.C. on a bike, it’s also a great opportunity to spend some time with friends and family in a unique way. Kids ages 3 to 7 are always free and youths under 17 are always 50% off.
  5. Freebies! Every registration comes with a free #DCBikeRide water bottle. Pick up yours at the starting line and let the fun times roll.

Want to know more? Visit DCBikeRide.com and follow on social @DCBikeRide to learn more about the ride.

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