Realtor Steve McIlvaine, a sponsor of the Taste of Annandale, believes Annandale is a great place to live, and that enthusiasm for the community is reflected in how he operates.
His company, McIlvaine Home Team, completed 21 transactions in the last 12 months, most of them in the Annandale area. He racked up more than $6 million in volume last year and is on track to complete 25 to 30 transactions this year for a total volume of $10-12 million.
“I ask my clients to rate me at the end of a transaction,” he says. “The three themes that keep coming up are integrity, dedication, and results” – so that became his motto.
McIlvaine, a resident of Pinecrest Heights since 2008, started in real estate full time in February as a broker associated with Keller Williams after a career as a project manager in the intelligence arena. He’d also had some experience with “buy hold” real estate investment – in which he buys homes, does some renovations, and rents them out while holding on to them for the long-term.
McIlvaine has strong ties to the Annandale community. His two daughters go to preschool here, and his family attends church here and patronizes local businesses. Among his favorites are the Annandale Cleaners on John Marr Drive and Hillbrook Automotive and Pro Computers on Little River Turnpike.
One great thing about Annandale is its location, he says. “Annandale is the crossroads of Northern Virginia,” as it’s between Interstate 395 and the beltway, and it’s close to the Mark Center, Old Town, Falls Church, and Fairfax. Other assets include the diverse population, the parks, the good schools, the farmers market at Mason District Park, the concerts at Ossian Hall Park, the library, and the great restaurants.
Many people who drive down Little River Turnpike are irritated by all the traffic lights and don’t know about the “hidden pockets” that make Annandale such a wonderful community, McIlvaine says. “There are some phenomenal houses behind the Hidden Oaks Nature Center, many lovely neighborhoods, such as Broyhill Crest and Sleepy Hollow Woods, and beautiful tree-lined streets throughout the area.”