reston realtor: Daylight Savings Time Ends 11/6/11! - 11/05/11 01:12 AM
Sunday morning, November 6 at 2:00 a.m. most parts of the United States will gain an extra hour of sleep as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end.
It makes the most sense to correct your clocks before you go to bed on Saturday night--that way you wake up with the correct time on Sunday morning. It is also a great time to replace the batteries in any battery operated smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. We will return to Daylight Savings Time the 2nd Sunday in March, 2012. … (5 comments)

reston realtor: What would I do with an extra three hours of time? - 11/04/11 10:32 AM
Once upon a time I was a harried mother of three young children. My husband traveled all the time. At times, the children were all in different schools and so I spent a lot of time driving around. They played soccer and baseball, did scouting and dance, I volunteered at the school and spent hours at the playground.  I stayed home with them and relished my alone time.
Over time, they started to grow up. Eventually, the oldest became a licensed driver and my burden was lightened. Then she went off to college and my second got her drivers license. Now there are … (10 comments)

reston realtor: The Highest and Lowest Homes Sold in Reston, VA, October 2011 - 11/04/11 04:21 AM
Reston Virginia is a planned community. It's founder, Robert E. Simon had a vision that, not only would the people who live in Reston, work in Reston, but that people of all income levels could find accessible and appropriate homes in Reston.
  Never has this principal been better shown than by October 2011 lowest and highest priced Sales in Reston.   At the low end of the October 2011 is sales is a condominium in South Reston. This property was listed for $117,000 as a Short Sale and closed at $115,000. It is a 2 bedroom, 2 Bathroom unit with an updated kitchen and a patio.  For more information … (1 comments)

reston realtor: What is for Sale FALL 2011 in Reston, Virginia? - 11/03/11 09:59 AM
Reston, Virginia is a planned community in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. (Northern Virginia). Once a sleepy bedroom community, Reston has become a destination for buyers that want steady property values, great amenities, shopping, restaurants, things to do and a beautiful community in which to do and enjoy all of these things. If you are considering a home purchase in Northern Virginia, you owe it to yourself to take a look at the homes for sale in Reston. Here are some links to show you properties that are currently being marketed in Reston, Virginia . Hunters Woods:Condominiums 20191 For Sale in Reston Townhouse 20191 For Sale in RestonSingle … (0 comments)

reston realtor: Happy Halloween! - 10/31/11 10:19 AM
I just finished carving the pumpkins with my youngest son, now 15.  His is the one with the Nike Swoosh and mine is the one that I was trying to make look sarcastic. (Okay, so I am not going to win any pumpkin carving awards). We have a number of family traditions that we do each year. We carve the pumpkins late on Halloween afternoon, we save the seeds and bake them (see recipe below), we have hot dogs, baked beans and salad for dinner (from back when we had to feed the little ones quickly and easily) , we place luminaries up … (9 comments)

reston realtor: How to Estimate the Tax Benefit of Owning a Home - 10/31/11 12:35 AM
If you have decided to bow out of the real estate market and rent for a while, you owe it to yourself to undertand exactly wht the tax benefits of buying could be.
With prices down and interest rates at unbelievable lows, the added tax benefits could really make  difference for you!
 
The true cost of owning a home in Crofton, MD, may be less than you expect.

Rent payments vs. mortgage payments… what’s the difference?
The biggest difference is that a lease is simply a license to occupy someone else’s property, and your monthly payments contribute to the … (3 comments)

reston realtor: Speechless Sunday: Fall Flowers, Pumpkins and Snow - 10/30/11 07:37 AM
I know we did not even begin to get the amount of snow seen in other places on the East Coast.  It is odd, however, to seen snow and (live) flowers at the same time, so I thougtht I would share this photo.
In the upper left hand corner, you can see the last of my summer flowers, too!

… (1 comments)

reston realtor: Is Virtual Texting Still Texting? Is It The Answer? - 10/25/11 12:18 AM
One of my most popular blogs ever was about texting,  A Very Sad Last Tweet.
Since I wrote this blog, texting has become even more prevalent.   Distracted driving, of which texting is a major contributor, is a huge safety problem. Car manufacturers have come up with a system to help minimized distracted driving from texting, according to the article in today's Washington Post, Automakers embrace hands-free text-messaging technology. The question becomes, however, does this simply endorse a bad habit and make it easier to drive while distracted, or does it serve the public by making it less likely that drivers will text while driving? Personally, I … (15 comments)

reston realtor: Buyers: What you are up against when you are shopping for a 'deal' - 10/22/11 01:33 AM
If you listen to the media, you would believe that there is a real estate deal to be had on every corner. There may be deals out there, but they are not as easy to purchase as you might think. If you are in the market for a 'deal,' you need to go into your search process well prepared and with great enthusiasm. Well prepared means fully approved for financing, subject to identification of the property. This does not mean you have had a casual conversation with a lender where they pulled your credit and told you it all looks good.  Why is this … (4 comments)

reston realtor: Herndon High School, Herndon, Virginia Homecoming Weekend (10/21-10/22/11) - 10/21/11 09:52 AM
This weekend Herndon High School in Herndon, Virginia celebrates Homecoming with several long-standing traditions. The Homecoming Parade kicks off at 9:30 and runs along Historic Elden Street, ending in front of the Government Center. Come out and enjoy the class floats, the football team, the Homecoming Princesses, the Herndon Middle School Marching Band, The Herndon High Marching Band, the Cheerleaders, the Dance Team, and the many, many community groups who will be marching. At 1:00 p.m. the Herndon High Varsity Football Team will take on Robinson Secondary. Come out and cheer the Hornets on to a victory! Saturday evening is the annual Homecoming Dance for … (0 comments)

reston realtor: The Power of Active Rain....Compassion for The Loss of a Loved One..Jamie Caulk - 10/21/11 12:34 AM
My thoughts and prayers go out to our colleague, Missy Caulk. The loss of a child is a pain that no one should have to suffer. Please know, Missy, that we are all thinking of you at this time and are so very, very sorry for your loss.
   Lots of blogs talk about the POWER of Active Rain....the potential to learn, share ideas, promote properties, understand technology, stay on top of your real estate game....and there are all kinds of ways that agents, lenders, suppliers, title companies, lawyers and other allied professionals find different reasons to blog...to read, to share … (2 comments)

reston realtor: Fall Season of Miracles: Watching My Children Grow and Succeed - 10/21/11 12:29 AM
This summer,  my friend's son suffered a terrible tragedy: he was paralyzed after diving into the James River in Richmond. I wrote a post about it last month, Life Can Change in an Instant... Despite the fact that I did not know him personally, and haven't been in touch with his father since college, my husband and I were profoundly shaken by this tragedy. Here was a 16 year old, athletic, teenage boy who was taking advantage of a bright sunny day on a summer afternoon and,  by the time the afternoon ended, his life was left forever changed. There is not a day … (9 comments)

reston realtor: My Personal Anecdotal Evidence that The Economy Is Getting Better - 10/11/11 03:05 AM
Negativity breeds negativity and I can't help but feel that the media is driving so much of the economic slowdown by pushing us toward panic. When business owners are scared, they don't hire. When homeowners are scared they don't improve their homes. When banks are scared, they don't loan money. And on and on and on. Certainly, this is a simplistic, and incomplete, view of the economy. BUT...I can't help but feel that hearing positive news can have a positive effect on the economy. For that reason, I have decided to share some things that I have noticed or experienced lately. We got our refinance done.  We … (2 comments)

reston realtor: Are you Considering Buying a Short Sale? - 10/07/11 12:09 AM
As we have gone through the real estate crisis, the term 'short sale' has been used often in the media. Not everyone is familiar with exactly what this means and whether or not a short sale might be the right type of purchase for them. I have made a short video explaining what a Short Sale is and some of the considerations that a buyer should think about before writing a contract to purchase. If after watching this video, you think that purchasing a Short Sale in Northern Virginia might be right for you, please contact me and we can start … (3 comments)

reston realtor: Sellers: Price Your Home with Clear Intent - 10/06/11 12:50 AM
The Northern Virginia real estate market is not dead. Ask any Realtor who pays attention, and they will tell you that homes are being listed and homes are going under contract. It is not what it was, but it is 'alive.' There is, however, a segment of the market that has no pulse. These are the homes where the homeowners are unwilling, or unable, to take the advice of the professional Realtor and set a reasonable and realistic sales price. Buyers are looking for a deal.  They may not be able to get the deal they hope for, since many homes … (6 comments)

reston realtor: Blog Action Day 2011: FOOD Is the Topic - 10/04/11 02:36 AM
As I have gotten more comfortable with posting, I have switched from the mentality of blogging simply for marketing to that of being a blogger. The difference is subtle, since my primary reason for blogging is still to enlarge my marketing sphere. 

One of the annual events that I participate in is Blog Action Day. This is an international event where bloggers from all over the world join forces and blog on a single topic. Anyone who blogs can tell you that one of the ongoing challenges is finding new topics. Here is one day out of the year where someone … (8 comments)

reston realtor: Blogging for My Breasts: Army of Women & Breast Cancer Awareness Month - 10/03/11 11:08 AM
There are very few of us who have not been deeply impacted by Breast Cancer.
For many years, there was nothing we could do but get our annual exams and hope for the best (and a cure)! In October, 2008, Dr. Susan Love launched the Army of Women. This organization was founded to help identify women to assist in studies to determine the cause and cure for breast cancer. It is easy to be a member (I have been one since 2009). You simply join The Army of Women and receive emails asking for participants for certain studies. These studies are … (2 comments)

reston realtor: How Can I Be a Good Seller? - 09/26/11 05:12 AM
How Can I Be a Good Seller?
Dear Holly, I read your blog yesterday, How Can I Be a Good Buyer. It made a lot of good points. I am getting ready to take an overseas assignment and want to sell my place before I go.  My next stateside assignment will probably not be in the same location.  In other words, for now, I am  just a 'seller' and not a 'buyer.' How can I be a Good Seller? Sincerely, Getting Ready to Sell Dear Getting Ready to Sell, Being a good seller can be even more challenging than being a good buyer! … (7 comments)

reston realtor: How Can I Be a Good Buyer? - 09/25/11 07:50 AM
Dear Holly, I have been doing my research and I think I am about ready to hire a Buyer's Agent to help me buy my first home.  I want to be a good Buyer and make sure that my Buyer's Agency relationship is a good one. What are some things I should know about my role in buying a house? Thank you, About Ready to Buy Dear About Ready to Buy, This is a great question. I think too often, buyers start the process without really understanding their commitment and , as a result, the purchase process does not go as smoothly as it could.  Education is … (31 comments)

reston realtor: Tips and Tools: Using Evernote in Your Business - 09/21/11 07:58 AM
I read an article last week, 6 Things You Should Be Using Evernote For Every Single Day byMichael McClure , that prompted me to take a second look at an application I had downloaded a couple of months back, Evernote. It just so happened that the very next day, I had a website training class.  In an attempt to force myself  to really try out Evernote, I did not take any pen or paper to my class, only my laptop. I took all my notes on the laptop in Evernote. It was good, but certainly, I could have done that in … (6 comments)

 


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