Where to Watch Fireworks in Northern Virginia           Vienna Fireworks Celebration, Vienna, July 1 Lake Fairfax Fourth of July Celebration, Reston, July 2 Workhouse Arts Center Fourth of July Fireworks, Lorton, July 2 Annual Independence Day Parade and Fireworks, Fairfax, July 4 – 5 4th of July Hometown Celebration, Great Falls, July 4 Herndon 4th of July, Herndon, July 4 July 4th Fireworks, McLean, July 4 Star Spangled 4th, South Riding, July 1 4th of July Celebration, Sterling, July 1 Lansdowne Resort Celebrates America, Leesburg, Jul 2 Leesburg’s Independence Day Celebration, Leesburg, July 4 Ashburn Village Fireworks, Ashburn, July 5 Mount Vernon, An American Celebration, Alexandria, July 4 Alexandria and USA Birthday Celebration, Alexandria, July 9 Celebrate America, Manassas, J... 06/29/2022

Who Qualifies for a VHDA Loan?Purchasing a home is a big life achievement for many people. That’s because it takes plenty of time and saving to be able to afford a down payment. Luckily, there are plenty of government resources to help expedite that process and make it much more affordable.If you are planning on purchasing a home in Virginia, the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) works with lenders in the state to make homeownership achievable for residents. First-time homebuyers can take advantage of programs like down payment grants or federal tax breaks that allow access to affordable, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. Eligibility RequirementsThe eligibility requirements for VHDA loans vary depending on your unique situation and the type of funding you need, however, there ar... 06/28/2022

How Much Should I Plan to Spend on Renovations?The range for home renovation budgets varies just as much as home sale prices do. How much you spend on your renovations usually depends on two factors: what you’re renovating and how much you can afford.In the first step of your home renovation budget planning, we discussed prioritizing the areas of your home that you’d like to upgrade. With those priorities in place, you can begin estimating the cost for each part. Usually you can do this through a quick online search, by talking with your real estate agent or a trusted advisor, or by giving contractors a call directly.Then, once you have an estimate for each part of your renovation project, you’ll be closer to an estimate of how much your renovations are likely to cost overall. That’s wh... 06/27/2022

You already know that lenders review your finances when you apply for a mortgage. That’s why you submit the loan application, providing a complete picture of your financial situation. This allows the lender to assess the risk of the loan, making sure that you can reliably make the monthly mortgage payments.It gets a little more complicated when you dig into all the things your lender has to review, many of them required based on the type of loan program you’re using to finance your home.One calculation that pops up in many loan programs’ requirements is a threshold for the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. We will explain what the LTV ratio measures, why it’s important, and how it can impact your loan and monthly payments. What is the Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio?The loan-to-value ratio is an ass... 06/15/2022

Looking for a home in Herndon, VA? Get ready to sing with the Ace of Base as this is THE SIGN! Come and don’t pass on this opportunity to be a new homeowner in Northern Virginia! 📍 2542 Terra Cotta Cir ✅ Freshly Painted Rooms ✅ Formal Living & Dining Room combo ✅ Primary Suite Offers: Private Bath with Double Vanities, Large Soaking Tub, and a Separate Shower ✅ Two additional oversized bedrooms and a full bath off hallway ✅ Walking Distance from Silver Line metro, Dulles Toll Road, 28, Fairfax County Parkway, Reston, Dining, Shopping & more! 📲 703-625-4949 to schedule a private showing!#HerndonVA #northernvirginia #ritudesai #samsonproperties #ListingAgent #propertysale  04/19/2022

Whether you are a Christian or not, we all love the celebration of Easter. Starting as a story of sacrifice and salvation, Easter does give a message of hope and new beginnings. Without further ado, here are five countries around the world and how they celebrate Easter!1. PolandPoland loves going all out for easter. It all starts on Palm Sunday, where people would buy dried palms which lives up to its name. On Easter Monday, however, instead of just having the dyed eggs like in most countries, they make it in a very intricate flowery design called Pisanki. 2. ItalyScoppio del Carro is a Florence tradition in which white oxen pull a centuries-old cart to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. The archbishop releases a mechanical dove into the carriage after mass, which explodes in a stun... 04/18/2022

It's spring time, and you know what that means -- spring cleaning!Being organized is a good way to a healthy lifestyle, and that applies to all the things around your home. Plus, if you're planning to sell your home, it is important to tidy things up to give a good impression among buyers.From wiping the surface, to scrubbing toilets, sinks, checking under the bed, and more, here's a spring cleaning checklist for the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and the living room! Check the infographic below for more: What other spring cleaning tips do you have in mind? Let me know in the comments below!  04/08/2022

Despite the rising home prices for this week, why is the market still very hot in the DMV Area? Welcome to our Weekly Real Estate Housing Market Report, where we answer that question along with the current status of the housing market. Last week, the feds raised the interest rate by 2.25% basis point which impacted both the short and long term effects in the interest rate. That's about 4.5% if we're talking about mortgage with a 30-year term. So despite all this, why has it not impacted the DMV housing market? If we take the stats at the national level, we have learned that average inventory is at 1.7 months which is 16% below. In order to sustain the housing market with the buyers and sellers getting everything, we need a six months inventory -- which is, if we do the math, the key var... 03/23/2022

Happy Tuesday! Here's another edition of the Worst Advice series, where we talk about some of the advices from real estate that you should watch out for.You're planning to sell your home and probably move up or settle down -- congratulations! This is such a huge decision and might trigger the next chapter of your life. But then you realized that you're not exactly in a hurry, so you'll just go ahead and raise the prices.It might seem logical at first, but don't fall for that trap. Here's why:The home prices are skyrocketing this 2022 housing market, which gives the buyers more reason to keep an eye to the home prices more than ever. And honestly, who wants to negotiate with a greedy seller anyway? So if you're selling your home, it'll be much better to list it at a right price to attrac... 03/22/2022

TGIF everyone! Here's one more edition to our Worst Advice series, where we discuss the absolute worst advices about real estate you can ever hear from anyone and what to do about it.So you're trying to sell your home, and you want to get the most out of it when you close the deal. Suddenly, you get an offer which you don't really like due to the price. Then a friend tells you, "you're not gonna make that much money, just move to the next person that will make you an offer in, well, I don't know how many days, just do it, nothing good's coming out of this anyway."First off, you still can keep that person as a friend, no worries with that. But let me tell you why that advice is horrible.Well, in my long roasted career, one thing I've learned is never ever not counter the lowball offer.Yo... 03/18/2022

Oftentimes you'll hear your parents (or relatives) say "do this, do that..." when it comes to your life's biggest decisions. All they want is the best for you, and they care about you so much -- and we respect them for it.But sometimes, not all things can be based from past experiences alone. This includes buying/selling a home. For the most part, your parents would've only bought one or two houses in their lifetime.Considering that those purchases happened way back in the past, the things they experienced and the way they look at the whole idea of real estate is outdated.As a realtor, we understand what goes on with the market day in and day, compared to your relative who bought their home a decade ago maybe.It always pays off to seek professional advice, and for sure you'll be guided ... 03/17/2022

Looking for a nice, spacious, beautiful home situated in a prime location in Northern Virginia? This is your lucky day! We just listed this property at 2755 Mansway Dr, Herndon, VA 20171, and it has all of the things I just mentioned and more!The whole home offers two hardwood flooring (except for the kitchen), natural lighting, and so much more. The main level offers a formal living & dining room with wall to ceiling windows, a must-have home office, an oversized family room with a cozy woodburning fireplace, and an updated ceramic tiled kitchen with ample storage.The upper level offers a magnificent primary suite with a sitting room, walk-in closet, and a luxury private bath. Together with three more oversized secondary bedrooms, ceiling fans, and light fixtures, this is a perfect com... 03/10/2022

Going... going... and gone! Just like that, this home at 3604 Devilwood Ct, Fairfax, VA 22030 is now sold. Believe it or not, it only took 48 hours for someone to actually take it. And the best part? Got the home buyers of Devilwood to settlement a week before their new home purchase so we can use the pay-off and they don't have to deal with the anxiety of carrying 2 mortgages. Honestly, it's a win-win! To give a bit of backstory, they actually first listed this home in the heat of the market -- Summer 2021 (pun intended). Unable to secure an offer and very anxious, they came to me needing guidance & knowing I could get the job done.And here we are, selling their home in under 48 hours after being listed, and new homeowners are happy! Totally a match made in heaven, if you ask me!Want t... 02/21/2022

It's always great to look back at the times that I was able to help people out with their dreams of buying, or selling a home. This wonderful home at 43538 Hyland Hills St, Chantilly, VA 20152 just got sold last year, and is such a thing of beauty of its own! This was listed last November as you can see from this listing blog right here, which made the sale much, much faster! This home's main level features a stunning two-story foyers entrance, an elegant living & dining room combo with designer chandelier. It also has a huge family room with wall of windows & a cozy wood burning fireplace. A sun-filled gourmet kitchen awaits with brand new cabinets, island, appliances with ample counter space, pantry and a breakfast room!Upper level offers a loft overlooking the great room, an oversize... 02/09/2022

Let's face it, nobody likes to be in a situation where you have to file a complaint. Social media makes it easy to complain about poor service, as do sites like Reddit, and Next Door. Consumers can write reviews on Yelp or Google. But reviews don't always tell the whole story.Sadly, there are times when a consumer has a legitimate complaint, or dispute that needs resolved. I am personally hurt when I hear about my fellow practitioners behaving badly.The good news is that there are many avenues available to the public to file a complaint. In Northern Virginia, the Northern Virginia Association of REALTORs takes complaints very seriously. There are 4 WAYS to address your concerns and this video tells you how.  02/03/2022

Don't worry – you won't have to re-live February 2nd! But I do hope I'll be your first choice when you select a loan officer to help with your next home purchase or the next time you provide a recommendation to friends or family. Whether Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter or not, I predict a prosperous 2022 for you and your family. 02/02/2022

1100 Round Pebble LaneReston, Virginia 20194VAFX2040370 Beautifully updated home in one of Reston’s most popular neighborhoods. Every single detail, from the roof to the bathrooms to the heating and cooling system has been thoughtfully and generously updated!With 5 bedrooms, 4 full and one half remodeled bathrooms, a 3 car garage and bonus sunroom this home has space for all of your needs.The main level opens to a curved staircase in the two story foyer. On your left is a quiet, spacious office with built-ins for all of your storage. To the right of the foyer is a traditional living and dining room, with an adjoining sunroom. This entire floor features hardwood flooring. The kitchen has been thoughtfully updated and is a wonderful place for cooking and entertaining.  With the island coo... 01/23/2022

Just another home has been sold in the most wonderful community of Gates of McLean! This condo located at 1531 Spring Gate Dr is all about location, simplicity, and space. With 1 bed and 1 bathroom, this home is located in Fairfax County, the heart of NoVA! The home is located in a quiet setting, with a very convenient underground garage parking! All with gleaming hardwood floors, stylish decor, timeless white cabinetry in kitchen with upgraded appliances, granite countertops, and full-size washer and dryer -- this is a one-of-a-kind home that a person would love to look for.   This home is also just across the street from the new Capital One Hall, Rt. 123, Rt. 66 and perfectly located to the Capital Beltway. It's also just a few stops to the Reston Town Center, employment, Parks, Trail... 01/12/2022

On Monday, January 4th, we had the most snow than we've had in 2 years.It was quite the storm and caused a giant back up on I-95, the main corridor in our area. Hundreds if not thousands of drivers who were stranded on I-95 in our area, including our very own Senator Tim Kaine. I-95 is the major interstate that runs north-south through DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Why did it get so bad? Temperatures were in the 60s just the day before. It started out as rain and temperatures started dropping fast. Snow was falling at the rate of 2-3 inches an hour.  The rain froze on the roads and the snow just got heavier and started sticking to the roads. We had snow on top of ice. Salt and sand can help, but when it’s falling so fast, it’s too fast for salt and sand to do any good. In the past... 01/07/2022

Looking for some place to settle down and Fairfax is in your radar, wondering what it is to be in Fairfax, VA? No worries! Here are the top five things that you should know before moving to Fairfax.Before anything else, story time about me -- my husband and I moved to the Fairfax County back in the 90s, making us residents of Fairfax for more than two decades. I remember renting a small apartment which cost us about $700 a month at the time. Since then, we've been enjoying all the perks and conveniences Fairfax had to offer.Without further ado, here are the things that you should know about Fairfax:1. LocationI call Fairfax the heart and center of the DMV area. You will be about 20 miles away from the two major airports in the area (Reagan Airport and IAD), and about 20 miles to Washing... 12/20/2021