The Bearings condominiums in Alexandria VAbearings overlookign Alexandria

The Bearings South are in Old Towne Alexandria VA blocks from the the Potomac River on the George Washington Parkway. These condos are a short walk from King St. and from Old Town's many great attractions.

The Bearings Condominium Association provides:

Each condo is assigned a space in the complex parking lot, and on-street parking is available as well.

A short walk away is the turn-around for the King Street Trolley, a free shuttle that connects the waterfront with the King Street Metro station. King Street station serves Metro’s blue and yellow lines, the Manassas and Fredericksburg lines of the Virginia Railway Express, and Amtrak. It is also a hub for Alexandria’s Dash buses and Metro buses, and it features a taxi stand.

Office

Please contact the office of bearings condos, for help with condo documents, insurance questions and certain facilities or maintenance issues.

Bearings South Condominium Unit Owners Association

Washington St. St.
Alexandria, VA 22314

Phone: 703-
Fax: 703-

Bearings Condos

Sales

For questions selling or buying at Bearings South condos please contact our sponsor Condo 1 of Alexandria. Condo 1 specializes in condos and condominiums and we serve Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and Fairfax County.

Sale Listings: [ Bearings South ]

To search properties on your own, please select the city or county closest to your destination and the type of property you seek. Or, check out the Home Prospector to build your own custom search which can (at your option) be emailed to you as updates occur.

If you have questions, we're here to help. Click here if you'd prefer for us to do the search.

703 765 0300

Will Nesbitt Realty LLC is a real estate agency licensed in Virginia. Our unbiased opinions about this and other condo associations are assured as we do not have a listing agency relationship with any particular condomium association. Instead, we pride ourselves working for you our client whether you are a buyer, renter, seller or landlord. Equal Opportunity Housing

Condo Alexandria is a website that specializes in condos, condominiums, townhouses or and real estate in Northern Virginia. The information on this site is generously provided at no cost to you, but we appreciate and welcome the opportunity to be of service. We serve buyers, renters, seller and landlords in Alexandria, in Arlington, in Falls Church and in Fairfax County.

• Will Nesbitt Realty LLC • 6641 Wakefield Dr. #113 • Alexandria VA 22307 •

703 765 0300
Will Nesbitt
Will Nesbitt

Rentals at the Bearings in Old Town Alexandria

As the primary mover and shaker at Condo Alexandria, I field calls every single day from renters who are interested in condominiums. The names and locations change but there are a few fundamental misconceptions that are so common, I feel the need to write this note for the general benefit of the world at large.

It looks like an apartment, but it's not an apartment.

First of all, a renter needs to understand the difference between an apartment and a condominium. An apartment, or any multi-family dwelling, is owned by a single entity. Most usually the owner is a company, but more rarely an individual owns the property. Employees of the apartment complex, or the owner himself, manages the property.

A condominium is different because there are many owners, meaning each unit is individually titled. The owners of a given condominium complex make up something called a condominium association. The association jointly owns the common areas such as the lobby and the lawns. The association oversees the management of the property.

There is no rental office: you need an agent.

When you rent at an apartment complex, you'll see a big sign that says "RENTAL OFFICE". That office is staffed by folks whose job it is to explain to you why that particular building is the greatest place to live in the world. They are generally helpful and pleasant and they will gladly show you a model apartment and give you an idea of what is "coming available".

A condominium complex is completely different. The condo office is filled with employees of the condominium association. The employees at the condo office are concerned with the maintenance and security of the building. They could care less where you rent or where you live. In most condominiums in Northern Virginia, staff won't allow you to enter the property and they won't show you any rentals here or anywhere else. The staff has no idea what is available or what is "coming available".

A condominium complex looks like an apartment building on outside, but it's more like a neighborhood full of townhouses or houses. In a neighborhood everyone lives in the same place with similar housing but each person owns their own house. If you want to rent in that neighborhood, you CAN'T do so by banging on people's doors and asking them to see their house. Nobody in the neighborhood knows "what's coming available". If you want to tour a house in a neighborhood, you need a real estate agent. An agent costs the renter nothing, but can be of great service to you. [click for more about this]

It's the same in a condo. If you don't have an agent you can't see a condo, or any private residence. Homeowners don't want strange people walking through their house and they don't want to make allowances unless a real estate agent knows their is a possibility that you can afford the rent.

There are always other options.

If you don't want a rental agent, you do have a choice. You can rent from an apartment complex---less hassles on the front end, more hassles on the back end. Or, you can take your chances on Craigslist. My advice: Craigslist is great for room shares, but doesn't work so well for grown-ups.

The most important thing every renter should know about condos.

Then, the last and most important thing any renter should know about condos: in today's market a condo will cost you a few dollars more each month than a rental. But a condo will cost you less on an annual basis.

How is this possible? Condo owners pay association fees and mortgage. Taken together, a first time buyer with a low down payment will have payment slightly higher than a rental. But each year we all file taxes. Renters take a standard deduction. But, property owners can deduct real estate taxes, mortgage interest, depreciation and certain other expenses from their taxes. This can amount to thousands of real dollars in your pocket each year.

Don't forget, next year, the renter will get a rent increase. Next year, but if you buy, the mortgage will be the same.

It's your choice, but this is the best time to buy in the last 5 years.

Property Search

Fast and free search of MLS data, listings on everything available in Old Town.

bricks of the Bearings

What is the MLS?

Most people have heard of the MLS, but many are unclear as to exactly what it is. MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service. The Multiple Listing Service is probably your best tool as a home buyer and your best friend as a home seller.

But what exactly is the MLS?

The MLS is a database.

In the old days MLS databasing was done on filing cards and notebooks. Today that information is aggregated on computers. MLS data includes information about what properties are for sale and certain details about those properties such as condo amenities, number of bedrooms, garage parking. Almost everything you'd want to know about a given property is catalogued on the MLS.

Much of that information is public, such as the selling price and the address. Some of that information is private, or reserved for those who have professional access to the MLS. For example, real estate agents know which properties are vacant. The general public doesn't need to know this information as sharing that information might pose a risk to some property owners.

Yes, the MLS is a database, but it is also something more.

The MLS is a marketplace.

The collection of information on the MLS serves as the primary repository of details about real estate for sale or rent. MLS data is the foundation for most websites, and it is the primary reference point for most real estate professionals. As properties are contracted and sold, the data is constantly updated. Today, most agents and websites have data that is practically up to the minute.

The MLS is not free, but it's free to you the consumer. Agents and brokers pay fees for access to MLS data and to fees to maintain and improve the system. Professionals like me make that data available to the public for the purpose of helping buyers and sellers connect.

The MLS is a tool.

Like all tools, the MLS gives the best results when wielded by a professional. (More on this below.)

The MLS is for sellers.

Home sellers want access to the maximum number of buyers, in the most cost effective manner. When compared to the expense of newspaper, radio or other ads, the MLS is incredibly targeted and very affordable. The professionals who use this data will only bring qualified buyers shopping for property in your price range. It doesn't get better than that.

When a seller chooses a real estate agent with MLS access, the seller's sales force is equal to the number of agents who are using the MLS. The larger pool of prospective buyers the greater the chance that the property will sell quickly and for a fair market value.

The MLS is for buyers.

The MLS makes home shopping extremely convenient. MLS data does not cost the buyers a dime. Thanks to the internet and sites like Condo-Alexandria.com you can search MLS listings 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Many consumers find that a "self-search" through the MLS is a good starting point for finding the right home.

A real estate agent is for you.

In the old days consumers needed an agent to help them look through the data. These days its easy for the public to access most of the data available. So, you can do it yourself.

But if you try to find a home on your own or you try to sell without an agent, you'll quickly discover why most people choose to employ a professional. It's true: you could probably cut your own hair, change your oil filter and fill your own cavities. But why would you?

These days the problem isn't that the data is hard to find. The data is often up to the minute. These days, the problem is that there is too much data. Buyers are overwhelmed with choices. Sellers are drowned out by the noise of available information.

That's one reason why when it's time to get serious about buying or selling, a real estate professional can help guide you through the process.

Most agents know the tricks and secrets of the MLS.

As an agent, I have access to more complicated tools and search processes not available to the consumer. I work with the MLS every single day. The MLS is one of the most important tools in my toolbox. Once you have an idea of what you want to accomplish, I can employ the MLS in ways that you haven't imagined.