Scheduled to take place at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner on Tuesday, Dec. 13, this first-ever RealShare conference focused solely on Northern Virginia will bring together leaders in the investment, development and brokerage fields to evaluate the ins and outs of the area's commercial market. It will also explore what the future holds for the region, and indulge in the opportunity to network with an anticipated 250 attendees. "The real estate market in Northern Virginia has recently posted such a positive turnaround that it made sense for us to add RealShare Northern Virginia to our conference lineup," says Jason Young, content and communications coordinator, RealShare Conference Series.The half-day conference--produced by Real Estate Media Network, the parent company of Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com--will commence with a town hall meeting that will address the unique status of Northern Virginia's success via overflow from the District and its distinctive attributes. Dubbed "Can the Good Times Last?" the meeting will feature a panel of heavy-hitters from the development, acquisitions and real estate services fields, as well as from the US General Services Administration. They will discuss such issues as whether the government's need for office space in light of the creation and expansion of the US Department of Homeland Security will continue to bolster the demand for office space. Other issues include if and how the void left by a military base realignment in Arlington will be filled and whether the area's condominium conversion craze will lead to a glut in the near future. Panelists include W. Michael Ellis, Jones Lang LaSalle; David Bevirt of CarrAmerica; Opus East's Scott Brody; Arthur Fuccillo, of Lerner Enterprises; Jim Smale, US General Services Administration; Spencer Stouffer, Trammell Crow Co.; and David Webb of Cushman & Wakefield

Breakout sessions during the remainder of the morning will delve into such subjects as the types of investors that are most active in this highly competitive market, debt and equity issues in the financing of acquisitions and financing and refinancing of properties for various purposes, and the dynamics of the multifamily market. "The area's office market leads growth in the DC metro region, developers are active, the multifamily market is among the nation's healthiest and investment sales activity is on a record-setting pace," Young notes. "We've combined these salient topics into a morning of panel discussions that will have tremendous value to developers, investors, owners, financiers and brokers that are active in the area."