Our local associations have decided to switch the lock box system from GE Supraekey to Sentri lock box. 

Sentrilock does bring lot of cool features that you can brag about and cost much less than the Supra lock box and the keys.  Along with NVAR, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Southern Maryland, Pen-Mar and Coastal in Maryland , most of Delaware including Sussex,  Prince George's  GCAAR, including Montgomery County, will convert in .

Sounds like great plan buuuuuuuuutttttttttttt    with an exception of the 2 small association that includes DAAR (approx 1200 members) have decided not to participate and have extended their contract with GE till 2011. While Blue Ridge is still undecided which way to go.

As a Northern Virginia Realtor I work in pretty much all the counties across. So if I have to know show a home in Loudoun (both Eastern and Western) I have to carry 3 keys:

•A.      New Sentrilock key

•B.      Active eKey

•C.     display key

.D     And Combo codes

And have a listings starting Jan have to put 2 lock boxes.

NVAR is offering a discount for any one from DAAR to transfer their primary membership and/or purchase the Sentrilock lock key.

Hopefully we can all weed out the best way so that our clients don't have to deal with embracement  of lot be able to show homes because you did not have the other style key.

If you have an active listings in an owner occupied home in Loudoun County. My office alerted that a person goes to the home and ask the owners if he can come inside to preview the home. He introduces himself as John Bush from Wichert Office in Broadlands. In one instance he had a fake business card and other one he did not have. Few of my fellow agents have called the Weichert offer and they informed us they have an open file with the police department for this guy. He is an employee of Loudoun County. He either drives a White Mazda, or a Red Minivan of some sort.  Not sure his motive but its good idea to have your clients be alert of this person. Be carefull....

Please pass this message along to your office and friends.

Just download my son's school supply list and occurred to me when is the next tax free week. It turn out to right around the corner...this is third year in the row shoppers will enjoy tax free weekend starting 12.01 AM on August 1st -August 3rd you can buy all your school supplies under $20 and clothing/shoes under $100 tax free in Virginia.

A friend of mine told me usually retails don't have big sales and as they would prior to the week before. With my work its unknown if I will be able to make it to the stores during that weekend I am going to shop ahead and wait and see what else comes up during that weekend. Personally I think its a great incentives for the parents to shop during the weekend and save the extra for the rising cost. And for retails its a great opportunity to make their magic numbers work.

What is your opinion about the tax free weekend? And do you wait till that weekend to shop for your kids back to school shopping?

Everything around us has gone more expensive including the local property taxes. Here is the list of local property tax rates effective July 1st 2008 in the Northern Virginia. The additional tax fnds wil helps raise funding for transportation

Real Estate Tax Rates 2008:

City Of Alexandria $0.845 per $100 of assessed value

Arlington County $0.848 per $100 of assessed value

Town of Clifton $0.92 per $100 of assessed value

City of Fairfax $0.79 per $100 of assessed value

Fairfax County $.92 per $100 of assessed value

City of Falls Church $1.03 per $100 of assessed value

Town of Herndon $1.16 per $100 of assessed value

Loudoun County $1.14 per $100 of assessed value

City of Manassas $1.115 per $100 of assessed value

Manassas Park $1.27 per $100 of assessed value

Prince William County $0.97 per $100 of assessed value

Town of Vienna 1.1291 per $100 of assessed value