A Fairfax County Neighborhood Built Into the Surroundings Not on Top of Them - 10/31/07 09:28 AM
Just minutes from the buzz of the interstate sits the mid-century Fairfax County neighborhood of Holmes Run Acres. Built on a 122 acre tract of land originally owned by a Washington investor by the name of Herman Schmidt the property was named Holmes Run Acres in 1945 and a set of … (11 comments)
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Has Neighborhood Farming Gone The Way of the Plow? - 10/30/07 04:17 PM
Most agents when they think of real estate marketing leap to neighborhood farming. It seems basic enough. You pick an area that you know or want to know and you bombard the homes with newsletters, door hangers and postcards. You do it once, twice maybe three times and if the phone … (7 comments)
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Prince William County-Ridgefield Crossing and Lake Terrapin Combine - 10/28/07 10:00 AM
Are you looking a great townhouse in the Lake Terrapin neighborhood and can't find it on the MLS? The reason is simple and one that confuses many buyers in Prince William County.
Ridgefield Crossing is the "legal" subdivision name for the townhouses and some of the smaller detached homes in Lake … (0 comments)
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Rising Above Competitive Pettiness - 10/26/07 07:41 PM
Competition creates losers. Think about it. Whether it is sports, politics or a beauty pageant someone always loses a competition. Currently the focus among agents seems to be all about competition. Do you spend your time thinking about how to:
Be #1 in your market
Being the Best (fill in the blank)
Get … (8 comments)
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Prince William County-Enjoy the Waterview - 10/26/07 04:41 PM
Are you ready to enjoy the resort lifestyle all year long? Then you want to check out this great new listing in Belmont Bay on the Occoquan River. From the minute you open the front door you will know this is a place you can call home. The gourmet kitchen features … (0 comments)
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Every Neighborhood Has One - 10/24/07 01:29 PM
When you are out driving around showing houses do you ever get a question from a buyer that throws you for a bit of a loop? Not the usual ones about traffic or the ones that we can't answer about schools or crime but the one about who came up with … (19 comments)
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Can Your MLS Listing Get you in Trouble? - 10/22/07 08:17 PM
We all know we need to be careful with any information in our MLS listing which may be a violation of Fair Housing Laws. But did you know that you can also find yourself in hot water if your listing has information which may be in violation of your local … (40 comments)
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Ambling Through Virginia Run in Centreville Virginia - 10/21/07 08:40 PM
Located on over 1200 acres in Centreville, Virginia Run is another of Northern Virginia's classic neighborhoods. When you enter the community the first thing you notice is the long white rail fence that runs down the main road in the community.
Reminisent of the fences lining properties in Virginia's horse … (0 comments)
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Walking Through Belmont Bay - 10/19/07 11:37 AM
Hidden just across the Prince William County line is the waterfront community of Belmont Bay. If you are driving down US Route 1 and cross the Occoquan River take a glance to your left and you will be surprised at what you will see. A community Washingtonian Magazine has twice picked … (0 comments)
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Realtors® Move from Black and White to Technicolor - 10/18/07 04:27 PM
Much of what we do as Realtors® is in black and white. Our listing agreements spell out clearly what our responsibilities are to our sellers. Our sales agreements tell us exactly who is responsible if the transaction goes awry. As Realtors® our associations give us strict guidelines as to how we … (3 comments)
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The Name Has Been Changed to Protect the Innocent - 10/17/07 05:19 PM
There is a lot of press swirling around the housing auctions that are popping up all over Northern Virginia. Mega ads are running in all of the papers, yellow signs line the streets and ballrooms are booked for multi-day events.
Let's step back a couple of years and take a look at the home … (4 comments)
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Looking for Solitude in Prince William County? - 10/17/07 07:14 AM
Then perhaps you should check out the 17,000 acre forest hidden away in Prince William County. One of the least visited national forests on the east coast Prince William Forest Park is located about 35 miles south of DC off of I-95. Prince William Forest Park is maanged by the National Park … (2 comments)
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Thomas Jefferson’s Second Home-No Little Cabin in the Woods - 10/16/07 07:40 PM
Most everyone knows about Thomas Jefferson's primary residence Monticello in Charlottesville Virginia. It is a beautiful home and shows how far ahead Jefferson was when it came to architecture, literature and agriculture. By like so many other homeowners today Jefferson also had a second home that is rarely mentioned in the … (2 comments)
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Fix One Leaky Faucet in Your House Today - 10/15/07 06:52 PM
Today is a day like many others where we have been asked to stop and think about the environment for "Blog Action Day" and consider how we might be able to make a change to provide a better future for the earth, ourselves and the generations to follow. Interestingly enough driving … (6 comments)
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Head to DC for the 2007 Solar Decathlon - 10/15/07 07:31 AM
The Solar Decathlon sponsored by the US Department of Energy kicked off this weekend in DC and will run until October 20th. The 20 college teams must design and build a solar house that runs entirely on the sun during the competition The homes are designed and built at their home campuses, disassembled and then reassembled … (2 comments)
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Rental Watch-Are the Mortgage Payments Being Made? - 10/14/07 05:36 PM
This week a call came from a former client asking for help for his co-worker. The sheriff had turned up at the door of their rental property with orders to evict them from the premises. The renters a US Army Major and his family had moved in to the property in … (12 comments)
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First Time Buyers and the 49 Page Addendum - 10/13/07 11:36 AM
I'm working with a great couple, first time buyers and newlyweds purchasing their new home. We met a year ago at an open house and after looking at a few places last year they decided to wait until after their wedding to begin a serious search. Lo and behold they found … (7 comments)
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Arlington County-Star Trek Meets Dewey Decimal - 10/12/07 04:46 PM
A few years ago a leaking hot water heater took a chunk out of my coveted book collection. Then another move made me realize that hauling around boxes of books was not very practical and added a lot to the moving bill. So after years of avoiding the public library it … (5 comments)
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Prince William County-Lake Terrapin Townhouse - 10/11/07 01:00 PM
**NOT TO BIG** NOT TO SMALL** PRICED JUST RIGHT**.
This Lake Terrapin townhouse in Woodbridge VA has it all. Plenty of light loads of space, great location and it is move in ready. Brand new hardwood floors in the entry way lead you to the main level family room. Head up … (1 comments)
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Prince William County-Communing with Nature - 10/11/07 07:48 AM
Take advantage to the great weather predicted for this weekend and join in on the activities at the Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge in Prince William County scheduled for Saturday October 13th. The Fall Wildlife Festival is the perfect time to wander through the 400 acre nature preserve which is home to not … (0 comments)
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Is Your Home a Certified Pre-Owned Home? - 10/10/07 08:33 PM
In today's market when buyers have multiple choices in a neighborhood how do you make you home stand out? Certainly every Realtor® will talk to you about pricing your home to sell and talk to you about making sure your home is free of clutter. A good agent will make sure … (17 comments)
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Prince William County- Westridge Community - 10/10/07 07:34 AM
Tucked in the trees just off of Old Bridge Road in Prince William County is the quiet community of Westridge. Coming down the main tree lined drive you come upon the large community center, pond and fountain and you know you are in a neighborhood that makes you feel welcome.
Many times … (1 comments)
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The Fevered Pitch of Northern Virginia Housing Auctions - 10/08/07 02:33 PM
The ballrooms were packed with prospective buyers and their agents. Bankers and representatives lined the front rows. The auction book contained all of the homes that were going to be auctioned over the two day period. Auctioneers called a house number from the catalog and the bidding started...or not...depending on the … (2 comments)
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The Value of Talking to the Neighbors - 10/07/07 07:13 PM
Today was a follow up day with a new development project in Prince William County. It was apparent that the neighborhood has come a long way since I took my first look two years ago. The club house and amenities are in, the grounds are fantastic and the streets are all … (6 comments)
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Sensationalism Sells Papers - 10/05/07 08:12 AM
Say it isn't so. Today the Washington Post ran an article blaming the housing issues in Prince William County on the Board of Supervisors decision to pass tougher policies on illegal immigration in the area. According to the post article "Pr. William Immigration, Housing Ills Seen as Linked" when the county … (3 comments)
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Is it a House or is it a Home? - 10/04/07 05:56 PM
This could be a matter of semantics but it also could be the mindset that helped contribute to the unprecedented increase in the value of Northern Virginia real estate between the years 2001-2005. A HOUSE is not the same as a HOME. A house is a place where you may hang … (2 comments)
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Why Do You Blog? - 10/03/07 10:16 AM
The last few days I've been asked that question over and over at the Virginia Association of Realtors® (VAR) Convention. First a little background on what is happening at VAR. An awareness of social media and its impact on real estate is beginning to take hold. The association is working hard … (3 comments)
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What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You - 10/02/07 07:45 AM
I know I think the saying really goes "what you don't know can't hurt you" but in a real estate transaction I think the CAN'T should be changed to CAN!
One of the services that I provide to my prospective sellers is to try to help them understand the complexities of … (18 comments)
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