Fresh vs. Frozen Produce: One better than the other? - 04/21/11 09:24 PM
Chantilly and Centreville area home owners who appreciate gardening may be in full swing by now.  And there is no substitute for the freshness that comes with your own garden produce.
But there are a few things about freezing that you may find of interest.
Enhancements in packaging and delivery methods of frozen produce can, in some situations , make frozen more "fresh" and higher in nutrients than what you purchase in the "fresh" section of your supermarket.
Just keep a few things in mind when you choose one vs. the other.
First, the main advantage that frozen produce carries over … (6 comments)

Building Permits Up in March - 04/20/11 01:46 PM
 
We see from a Census Bureau report that seasonally-adjusted, single-family Housing Starts were up in March by  8 percent over February's 2-year low.
But don't take this data too literally, because there is a statistical problem in the data's margin or error.
As noted in the footnotes, there's no "statistical evidence to conclude that the actual change [in Housing Starts] is different from zero."
It is possible that housing starts went down or up, given this margin of error.
What may be more noteworthy is Building Permits data. As compared to February, permits were up by 6%.  Permits can be … (0 comments)

1031 Exchange Video: If you are buying a second property, know about this option - 04/19/11 05:01 PM
If you are considering buying another property in or out of the Northern Virginia area, you should be aware of the 1031 Exchange process.
It enables the selling of one property and the buying of another with very significant tax advantages if you quality and meet the required legal criteria.
If you are a Chantilly or Northern Virginia area investor, or simply a home owner who wants to know about options, you should know about 1031.  In partnership with one of our Real Estate in Chantilly blog writers, real estate attorney John Pitrelli, we have produced an informative video introduction to … (0 comments)

Drop in foreclosure rate, year-over-year - 04/18/11 01:06 PM
Although it may not "feel" like it, foreclosures are happening at a much slower pace now compared to last year.
At least that is what a recent report suggests.
RealtyTrac reports that the number of national foreclosure filings dropped 35 percent in March 2011 vs. March 2010.
"Foreclosure filing" includes: a default notice, a scheduled auction, or a bank repossessions. Another interesting fact is that foreclosures filings were down last month in all but 8 States.
As we have seen previously, foreclosures are still clustered in geographical areas.  Over half of bank repos are focused on a small number of States.
… (0 comments)

Repeat and Referral Business: The Profitability of Simple Systems (3) - 04/17/11 12:46 PM
This is a series on how customer experience relates to repeat and referral business, that we are running on our other blog which is focused more on small business generally.  But we thought the series might also be of interest to Active Rain readers.
If you want to grow your repeat and referral business by improving customer experience, where do you begin?
Start with your primary systems and processes, and don't start by tweaking the experience.
Jumping into the finer points of customer experience before doing due diligence on systems and processes is like polishing the car before you made sure … (3 comments)

Repeat and referral business: You are the customer experience "Educator-in-Chief" (2) - 04/16/11 04:26 PM
This is a series on how customer experience relates to repeat and referral business, that we are running on our other blog which is focused more on small business generally.  But we thought the series might also be of interest to Active Rain readers.  Not every real estate or mortgage professional has a team, but the points below regarding teams can still apply to others you work with to serve clients.  We hope you find the series helpful.
If you are a small business owner, know that you don't need to be a corporate giant to design and deliver exceptional customer … (2 comments)

Small business and customer experience: Start here (1) - 04/16/11 03:37 PM
This is a series on how customer experience relates to repeat and referral business, that we are running on our other blog which is focused more on small business generally.  But we thought the series might also be of interest to Active Rain readers.  We hope you find it helpful.
As small business owners, at least for most of us, the quality of our customers' experience is critical to the success of our business.
Even though most small business owners have a deep appreciation for their customers, many don't know a great deal about the field of customer experience. Not surprising … (0 comments)

Tips on a Healthy Sleep Environment - 04/15/11 09:19 PM
 
Sleeping well may be one of the most under-rated components to good health, and having a healthy sleep environment is one important part of good sleep.
Check out this 5-minute video from NBC's The Today Show, and you will get some good tips on what to avoid and what to do to make your bedroom sleep and health friendly.
And if you want to ensure that selling or buying real estate in Chantilly or Northern Virginia is not a source of sleep problems, make sure you choose the right professional help.  Please consider us as a resource.   We invite … (7 comments)

Chantilly Home for Sale: Sweet Spot at 4508 Lees Corner Road - 04/15/11 08:26 PM
If you are taking a look at homes for sale in Chantilly VA, here is one to keep on your radar screen.  This very attractive Colonial is located at 4508 Lees Corner Road in Chantilly, Virginia (MLS #FX7574393).
Is this one of the nicest homes for sale in the Brookfield  community? We think so, but come by and take a look and decide for yourself!  Let me know if you want to schedule a tour of the property.  We'd be happy to let you see why we think this is such an attractive home. There is a lot to like, but … (2 comments)

Getting Your Northern Virginia Home Ready To Sell: Spring Cleaning Checklist - 04/12/11 08:42 PM
Spring has arrived in Chantilly and Centreville!  With the warmer weather around the corner homeowners will be eagerly heading outdoors to enjoy the beautiful surroundings our area has to offer.  And some will be getting their home ready to put on the market.  But before you do so here are a few resources that can make your process all the more efficient and thorough.
This helpful checklist from MarthaStewart.com makes sure no job gets left behind.
From the smallest of chores to the biggest of projects, many common tasks are covered, including:
Vacuuming and shampooing rugs Waxing wooden furniture and non-wood … (0 comments)

Video on How To Select A Top Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent: What to Look For, What to Avoid - 04/10/11 05:26 PM
If you are a Northern Virginia home buyer or seller, and would like to know how to select a real estate agent that will be the right choice for you, take the time to carefully watch this video.
We wanted to give you objective criteria on how to make a really smart choice of real estate agent. It is a major decision, and not everyone already has an agent they know, trust, and respect. So if you want to reap the benefits of making a good choice, engage in a little "due diligence" and find out what you should avoid and … (0 comments)

London Towne West in Centreville VA - 04/10/11 04:03 PM
Our community profile for this week is London Towne West in the area of Centreville, Virginia.

London Towne in the Centreville VA area is a development of town homes very close to Country Club Manor near Route 29 and Stone Road, and well situated in relation to Centreville and Chantilly employment destinations.
Here are CURRENT LISTINGS in London Towne West.
PLEASE NOTE:  You can also use our PROPERTY SEARCH tool to get regular updates on current and new properties for sale.
If you have an interest in FORECLOSURES, SHORT SALES, and BANK OWNED properties, we invite you to … (0 comments)

How To Clean Your Gas Grill - 04/08/11 03:43 PM
With the weather starting to change, Chantilly and Northern Virginia area home owners who are into grilling may be getting ready to jump into the season.

Whether you barbecue for friends or family once annually, or through all 4 Fairfax seasons, it's important to keep a clean gas grill. A well-maintained grill will help your food taste its best -- no matter what you're cooking up.
Cleaning a gas grill is simple and should be performed at least once every 12 months for light use, and once every 6 months for heavy use. You'll need the following tools:
A drop … (7 comments)

Military Home Buyers: Down To 3 Weeks For Home Buyers Tax Credit - 04/08/11 03:23 PM
Just a reminder for qualified military or federal employees who are eligible.  We are down to 3 weeks from Saturday as the deadline for taking advantage of the federal home buyer tax credit.

It allows you to claim up to $8,000 in federal income tax credits.
We described some of the key details in a previous post, but here is a reminder that time is running out.
Eligible persons include members and spouses of the uniformed services, members and spouses of the Foreign Service, and don't forget intelligence community employees who served at least 90 days of qualified, extended … (0 comments)

Good Information If Moving To Northern Virginia - 04/06/11 12:59 PM
Many Chantilly and Centreville home owners are no strangers to long commutes.
If you have a possible move to Northern Virginia, you may find this data from the American Community Survey (ACS) of interest.  It is based on data from 3 million households, and includes average commute times along with lots of data "for every community in the nation".
You will find information that includes:
Median Household Income, Inflation-Adjusted To 2009 Dollars (Chart) Median Housing Value Of Owner-Occupied Housing Units (Chart) Percent Of Households That Are Married, With Children Under 18 (Chart) The survey data also gives you average commute time … (0 comments)

Sharp South Riding Home for Sale at 42505 Mandolin Street in Chantilly VA - 04/01/11 02:07 PM
If you happen to be searching for a home in the South Riding and Chantilly VA area, this new listing for sale at 42505 Mandolin Street in the community of South Riding is worth your attention.
It is a very, very clean 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath brick-front Colonial in the attractive and popular community of South Riding.
In addition to the terrific location, the home has lots of features, just one of which is a spacious master bedroom with good-sized sitting room and a nice walk-in closet with special custom built-ins.
Take a minute and do a Visual Tour, and then … (0 comments)