Have you explored the Mosaic District yet? Located in the heart of Fairfax, VA, the Mosaic is an urban district with curated local boutiques, restaurants and events. With so many options, Mosaic is divided into four districts that offer a little something for everyone.

Fashion & Retail District

Mosaic is where fashion happens. With a collection of local boutiques and national brands you’ll find the latest couture and fashion designers while shopping for clothes, shoes, jewelry, home and more. Wander in post-brunch and try to leave empty-handed. You’ll find it’s nearly impossible thanks to the selection of over 30 trendy stores.

Market District

Every major urban hub needs a farmer’s market, right? And Mosaic District is no exception. If you stop by on a Sunday morning you’ll be surrounded by fresh, local fruits and vegetables, pastured meat, poultry and eggs, farmstead cheeses, breads and much more. Plus, vendors change frequently so every experience is a new one.

In months when the farmers market is not open, you’ll still find something fun going on. This past summer, Mosaic welcomed the Drive-In Theatre. Families watched great films, safely in the convenience of their car. How cool is that?

Film & Dining District

Film buffs, this one is for you. Since its opening in 2012, the Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosaic has become one of the most dynamic facilities in the greater D.C. area. In the established Angelika tradition, Mosaic’s elegant and stylish eight-screen cinema exhibits the highest quality art, independent and specialty films in a cutting-edge theatrical environment.

Given current health and safety concerns, the Angelika Film Center is adopting a wide range of new policies and procedures so be sure to check out their website before visiting.

If dinner and a movie is your ideal Saturday night, this slick suburban hub is also packed with dining choices offering outdoor seating as well as to-go options. There’s a variety of cuisines that will surely satisfy everyone’s tastebuds and solve the daily dilemma “what’s for dinner?”

Residential District

After reading all this, are you now looking to call Mosaic home? Well then, you’re in luck. Not only does it have a hip urban culture it also has pretty awesome real estate too. The Townhomes at Mosaic District are located at the western side of the Mosaic District along Eskridge Road, South of Lee Highway and west of Gallows Road. This location is a short walk from the dining, shopping and entertainment venues at the Mosaic District. As if that’s not enough, this location offers convenient access to the Dunn Loring Metro Station on the Orange Line.

There’s nothing basic about the Mosaic District. If you’re looking to make the move to Mosiac, or surrounding Fairfax, VA give us a call at 703-651-5655. Or take a look at our Fairfax, VA listings. We’d love to help.

Investing in rental property is a way for many to take advantage of monthly cash flow while seeing the asset increase in value over time. There really isn’t any type of investment that provides both benefits as rental property can. That’s why many diversify their portfolios to include real estate. However, sometimes it can be a bit expensive to come up with the necessary down payment and closing costs as well as identify a property that will cash flow each month. With rates still flirting with record lows, now might be as good a time as ever to make the leap and purchase your very first property. Some real estate investors like to partner with others to spread the risk around a bit while at the same time being able to afford a property that might just be out of reach. Think of a fourplex or an apartment building. If you’re thinking of investing in real estate with others, there are some things you need to know.

When just two people buy a rental property, such as a husband and wife, lenders review the income and credit of each. Income and debts are added together to arrive at a proper debt ratio. As it relates to credit, lenders use the lower middle score of the two. Lenders will look at a credit report and scores from each of the three main repositories, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Of the three reported scores, the lender will use the lowest middle score of the applicants. When multiple parties are buying, a different approach is taken.

Each buyer will complete his or her own application. The lender then documents all parties in the same fashion. The buyers will provide copies of their most recent paycheck stubs covering a 30 day period. The last two years of W2s will be provided along with copies of bank and investment statements providing verification of sufficient cash to close the transaction. If there are five couples buying a rental property, you can already tell that’s going to be no small amount of paperwork. Each and every buyer must submit the proper paperwork.

However, the lender cannot proceed until all parties have submitted the necessary documentation. If there are 10 buyers and 9 have properly completed an application, nothing can go forward until that final person complies with the lender’s documentation request. You’re going to have to rely on everyone to get their paperwork in on time. Just one person can throw a monkey wrench in the plan.

Second, and this is just as important if not more so, credit reports and scores will be reviewed for each of the 10 applicants. Just like lenders underwrite a couple and using the lowest middle score of the two, lenders will identify the lowest middle score of the 10 applicants. If 9 people have scores above 740 and 1 has a score of 600, the lender will want to scrutinize the transaction a little further. In such an instance, that one remaining investor might want to pull out of the transaction allowing the purchase to go through. To avoid this possibility, all parties should pull an individual credit score on their own at www.annualcreditreport.com. This website is sponsored by all three credit repositories and allows consumers to get a free credit report each year.

Finally, there should be a person or two to monitor the application and facilitate the process as it moves along. If there is someone that is slow getting documentation in, that individual should be responsible for contacting the others letting that person know they’re slowing things down as well as keep all applicants up to date on the status of the loan.

It can be a good way to expand your portfolio by investing in real estate with others, just a bit more due diligence is required.

Better family gathering space. More comfortable bedroom space. Peaceful and private outdoor space. If those items tick your preferred “quarantine home” boxes, we get it. 

The truth is that being stuck at home—in a home you don’t necessarily love—stinks. So, we don’t blame you if, while you’ve been sheltering, you’ve been dreaming of what you would change and where you would move given the choice. 

The good news is that this pandemic is already having an impact on how builders operate, and the very things that are frustrating you about your existing home will likely drive changes to design and architecture in the future.

“While the coronavirus still rages on, it’s hard to predict what post-pandemic abodes might look like,” said Barrons. “Yet, developers around the U.S. are already rethinking projects, anticipating residents’ needs and preferences that Covid-19 would spur. In doing so, they are re-evaluating current in-unit aesthetics and in-demand amenities. 

That means a “new consumer” might have “different priorities from now on regarding health, technology and socialization,” Marcelo Kingston managing director of Multiplan, the developer behind 57 Ocean in Miami Beach, told them. 

Home size

Homes had been trending smaller. But that may be over. With uncertainty about the future around spending more time in the home, which likely includes some form of work-from-home scenario, homeowners are likely looking for more space. Expect homes to grow in size accordingly.

A greater dependence on the home office

“More attention will be given to the arrangement of the workplace at home,” said Dezeen. “Spatial organization will change, with the place to work at home no longer a desk with a parody of an office chair and a lamp, slotted somewhere in the corner of the living room or under the stairs. Now it will be a completely separate room with large windows, blackout curtains and comfortable furniture. It will be technically equipped and sound-insulated.”

An increased emphasis on “health and hygiene”

This covers a wide variety of amenities.

“Joel Sanders of JSA Architects predicts that the pandemic, “like 9/11, will have an enormous impact on public space because of social distancing and fear of contamination,” said Dwell. “He foresees these concerns finding their way into the home, impacting space in more subtle ways, like the distancing of furniture arrangements and domestic footprints shifting to include “safe” rooms to isolate contagious occupants.

In addition, architects and designers foresee “a compartmentalization of spaces including entries, foyers, and mudrooms, incorporating sanitation stations to wash, disinfect, and remove contaminated clothing. This attention to sanitation, however, won’t necessarily give rise to sterile-looking environments. According to Bryan Young, principal of Young Projects, “Fundamental qualities of wellness are even more meaningful for adapting to a post-coronavirus environment, incorporating natural light, natural ventilation, connection to green spaces and landscape.”

This type of design will bleed into technology, as well. “We already have much of the technology we need to replace human contact with smart sensors,” said Stambol. “And in a post-pandemic world, nobody wants to touch anything unnecessarily. So, the low-hanging-fruit of design upgrades will be the first to change. Think of more touchless faucets and sensor-operated doors. Every doorknob, light switch, thermostat, and the high-traffic button will be swept away, replaced by motion activation or voice command. And every previous objection based on cost can be easily countered with memories of a global economic catastrophe.”  

Smart technology

This is already one of the most pervasive trends in home design, but “Manufacturers of smart home systems will go one step further,” said Dezeen. “Their programs will not only control the temperature of the air in the house, but also its quality and, if necessary, they will automatically clean it. Air from the outside will of course be filtered.”

It’s not just another new year ahead of us, it’s a new decade!  Now is a great time to reflect on how best to celebrate a new you.  A short pause allows you to refocus your energy on DECLUTTERING.  Some choose to DE-clutter their mind with yoga/exercise in search of a recharge, some choose to DE-clutter their garage/home storage in search for space saving, some choose to DE-clutter their closet in hopes that they can get to that special outfit to land that new job, or attend a daytime affair, or feel confident for a night out, or to just feel reinvigorated. 

This last part is where Emerald N Oak, a styling company, can step in.  Gone are the days of walking into a closet feeling overwhelmed and defeated.  With the Wardrobe Maximization and DE-cluttering Service from ENO – we have this solved for you.  We all lead busier lives these days and working toward creating a personalized style can be challenging.

Style, it’s underrated, majorly underrated.  

I get asked a lot about what the most important pieces are to have in your closet. While everyone has their own look & unique lifestyles, there are pieces that will mix and mingle in every wardrobe, and these are the pieces we tackle first.

Closet editing is daunting. Where do you even begin? I’ve broken down some steps to help you get started:

1. Begin with a fresh blank canvas- YES! Completely empty out your closet.
2. All items must be placed out of closet sight & unto your bed Yes…all of it!
3. Make it fun & blast your favorite music to get you rolling & motivated.
4. Piece by piece evaluate objectively what you haven’t worn & why. Is it dated? Fit issues? No longer relevant to your lifestyle? Or are you struggling with what to work it back to? Take note….
5. Make decisions- make a hard pass on parting with items that you haven’t utilized in awhile. This pile must be packed & taken out of sight immediately, ready for donation. This frees up a lot to look at & evaluate. You are on your way to your next step.
6. Second pass, these are items you are on the fence. Take the time to try them on. This alone can help your decision making process with this second phase.  Questions to ask- If I went out to shop, would I buy this again? Will I wear this in 3-6 months? If the answer is NO, time to purge. If the answer is YES, keep & continue rolling your items, piece by piece.
7. Once you have streamlined & defined what you are keeping, it’s time to inject them back into your freshly cleaned closet. Light to dark, by category & by season. Invest in uniform hangers to keep things organized. I also prefer to place certain seasonal items in garment bags to keep them out of sight until it is time to switch out for the next season.
8. Fewer choices yet with a refined & defined closet you are ready to make a list & shop filling in gaps.

What you should walk away with is a closet with endless options once the edit is complete & you are able to fill the holes with newly coveted pieces. Emerald N Oak offers personal shopping as another service. Now you have a closet worth shopping in. You can officially select your outfit without having any sort of fashion fatigue.

A chosen outfit that always represents your personal brand & style should empower you to be the best version of yourself. “When you look good, you do good”, and who doesn’t want that? A key goal of completing a closet edit is to maximize your CPW (Cost Per Wear) focusing on value of the item, not cost.  For example, a $100 top worn once is not as valuable as a $100 top worn 5 different ways for 5 different occasions.  Emerald N Oak will deliver this.

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Author: Marlys Nylund | Creator & Chief Stylist of Emerald N Oak

Emerald N Oak offers a Closet Edit as a personalized service at an hourly rate among other styling options.

SERVICES INCLUDE

• PORTRAIT STYLING
• WARDROBE STYLING
• PERSONAL SHOPPING
• MEN’S STYLING
• VIRTUAL FASHION CAPSULES

Check me out @ IG emeraldnoak…wwww.emeraldnoak.com or FB #emeraldnoak for more info.