Your Weekend Events Roundup for Annandale

As someone who has dedicated their career to helping people buy or sell their homes in the Northern Virginia area, I believe that it’s important to stay in the loop about community events. As I always say, when you live in Annandale, Virginia, it’s practically impossible to ever complain of boredom. Not only is it close to our lovely nation’s capital, but there are plenty of other surrounding cities in the Northern Virginia area that have something fun or exciting to offer, especially on the weekends.

There are some fantastic events happening around Annandale this weekend, so if you’re new to the area, it would be a great time for you to get out there in the community and attend. Here are some of the highlights:

The Reunion Music Society Twentieth Anniversary Celebration Concert
Friday, October 19th, 7:30pm
Ernst Theatre, NVCC Annandale Campus
The NVCC Annandale Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for an exciting fall 2012 season, and this Friday night, they want you to celebrate with them. Join them as they recognize the 20th anniversary of the Reunion Music Society. The symphony’s string musicians will join with jazz artists all over the DC area for an evening of music you won’t forget! Enjoy songs from the Charlie Parker/Clifford Brown tradition. Tickets are $35.00. This is one opening night that you will not want to miss!

St. Charles Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 20th, 7:00am
3299 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA
Have some fun with the entire family at this Oktoberfest celebration! Start your morning off with a yard sale, where you can browse donated household items, pieces of furniture, toys, books, movies and music for a great price. In the afternoon, grab some grub and participate in some family fun, including moon bounces, face painting, carnival games, arts and crafts and an obstacle course. Guests can also enjoy a haunted house and cakewalk throughout the day. End the day with a spaghetti dinner featuring some famous sauce.

Complete the Circle
Sunday, October 21st, 2:00pm
10515 School Street, Fairfax, VA
Hunger is still a prominent issue in the Northern Virginia area, and this Sunday, Our Daily Bread is hosting its 2nd annual Complete the Circle FOODraiser event. Designed to spend community awareness about hunger, this event will allow you to donate food to help those in need while having a great time. Complete with snacks, live music, and activities for the kids, you can make a difference in the lives of many local families who are struggling to feed themselves.

From musical concerts to charitable fundraisers, you’ll undoubtedly find something to do this weekend in the Northern Virginia area! If you have any questions about any of the amazing communities in this region, feel free to contact me and ask. I’ve lived and worked as a real estate agent in the area for several years and would be happy to help you in any way that I can. I hope to hear from you very soon!


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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Short on Space? Try a Little Paint in Your NOVA Home!

Not all homes are designed with the spacious, open floor plans that today’s home buyers in the Northern Virginia area find so appealing. Some properties have rooms that are more confined or a smaller living space. These can be tough sells, so the best way to get around this is to do everything that you can to make your smaller, more cramped rooms appear bigger. As a Northern Virginia real estate agent, I know a few tips and tricks of the trade that you can use to make smaller homes or rooms appear to be larger. It’s all about creating an illusion. It doesn’t always involve rearranging furniture or a complete overhaul in your home’s layout. Sometimes, it simply involves a can of paint.

The right paint color can really open up a space and make it look more spacious, light and airy. You can best achieve this by using the correct shades. Here are a few color schemes that you should try to create more “spacious” rooms in your NOVA home:

Cool greens and blues create a light and airy feel. Something about soft blue and green hues is very soothing and tranquil. It definitely creates a peaceful vibe, which reels buyers in. That color scheme also gives an illusion of more visual space because they make the walls recede a bit. These are the perfect colors to use if you’re desperate to make a small space look bigger.

Give the indoors a small taste of the outdoors. If you use earthy, outdoorsy colors, such as a yellowish green, a room can look more like an extension of the outdoors than part of your interior, which creates more space visually. It also looks good with both natural and artificial light, so you’ll have a space that’s flattering and eye-catching in any environment. This color also looks fantastic against white trim.

Give dull or tiny rooms a pop of interest with a warm hue. Some bold colors, like reds or yellows or oranges, would be overwhelming in a large space like a living room or kitchen. If you have a small play room or office space that doesn’t have anything of interest to look at, try using these pops of color to add something extra. You can enjoy the bold hue without it being overwhelming or inappropriate.

Rustic reds can take attention off of clutter-filled spaces. Some rooms, such as a foyer or mudroom, can appear smaller or more unsightly because of the clutter that accumulates there. In an ideal world, we’d keep everything organized at all times, but this isn’t always possible, especially if you have kids. A rustic red paint color in spaces like that will take your eyes off of the clutter and onto the potential the room has in your home.

Add a pop of color to your home. It’s more cost effective than a remodel, and if you use the right hues strategically enough, you can make smaller, more dull spaces look both bigger AND more interesting. I always advise my seller clients to make minor adjustments like these in order to make the best possible impression on buyers.

If you have any questions about how to prepare your Northern Virginia home for sale, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask! I’d be happy to help you in any way I can. I hope to hear from you soon.


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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Prepare for National Walk To School Day in NOVA!

Remember the days when there wasn’t a school bus route for every child, and some people had to actually walk? It seems like ancient history, doesn’t it? In reality, walking to school not only promotes more physical activity; it also helps solve a problem that has been facing the Northern Virginia area for quite awhile, and that is overcrowding in our bus systems.

Tomorrow marks National Walk to School Day, and the Northern Virginia area will be celebrating wholeheartedly. From Annandale to Fairfax to Alexandria, students all over the region will be skipping their bus rides and taking to the sidewalks. With an expected high temperature around 84, students should be able to get to school comfortably.

This nationwide program was started twelve years ago by the Partnership for a Walkable America in the Chicago area. Since then, more and more states and schools have signed up to participate each year. Last year marked the first year that Fairfax County Public Schools publicly endorsed the event, and this year 35 local elementary schools have decided to participate. These include Canterbury Woods, Ravensworth, North Springfield Elementary and Poe Middle School in Annandale. The Northern Virginia area hopes that a program like this will provide a springboard for more permanent initiatives to get our kids walking and biking to school.

There are a number of reasons why this program is so important, including raising awareness about safer routes to walk or bike to school. Other issues such as traffic congestion, pedestrian safety and increased physical activity for kids are brought to light through the initiative. As a Northern Virginia real estate professional, I have devoted many years of my life to the communities of the area and feel that it’s important to publicize events like this regularly. I feel that they can only help improve our communities, promote a healthier environment for our kids and help with the bus overcrowding issue that has been prominent in Fairfax County.

As a Northern Virginia real estate agent, a large part of my job is to sell my area of service. Yes, selling an individual property is exceedingly important, but if a home buyer isn’t 100% thrilled with the neighborhood that they decide to live in, then they will never be completely satisfied with their home. Participation in national initiatives such as Walk to School Day shows that our region is dedicated to supporting important community efforts, and it shows that we are always taking strides to improve our neighborhoods. To many buyers, this is an appealing quality in a community that adds to its charm.

If you have any questions about the amazing communities in the Northern Virginia area, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask! As someone who has lived and worked in the region for several years, I would be happy to show you what makes Northern Virginia so special. I’d also be happy to show you some of the many homes available in the NOVA real estate market. I hope to hear from you soon!

Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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Cut Down Costs on Your Northern Virginia Move

Buying a home in the Northern Virginia area is expensive enough, but when you add moving costs to the equation your pocketbook goes from significantly lighter to majorly dented. The average professional household move costs over $12,000. While it is wise to hire professional movers during this period of your life, (unless, of course, you have the manpower to pack and move yourself), there are several things that you can do to cut down on moving expenses. As someone who has worked in Northern Virginia real estate for several years, I have learned of several ways that people can cut back on moving expenses. This way, you can put that money toward something more important: getting settled in to your new home.

Move during off-season. If you move between October and April, then your moving expenses won’t be quite as high. Doing so during the summer season will ensure that you pay up to 25% more for professional moving services. That’s quite an increase!

Unload unneeded items. If you can cut down the amount of things you need to move, then you will most certainly save on cost! Go through each room and gather the items that you don’t need or want and furniture that you can’t fit into your new home. From there, sell it or donate it. If it’s something that isn’t usable anymore, throw it away or recycle it. This will allow you to start in a new home clutter-free AND cut down on your moving expenses at the same time.

Time it strategically. Moving at the beginning or end of the month costs much more money than moving in the middle of the month, so if you can, that would be the ideal time to schedule your relocation.

Save on boxes. Purchase used, recycled boxes for cheap and pack up some of the smaller items yourself before the movers get there. This will save on the time it takes for them to pack everything and get to your house. You can also sell those boxes back and recoup the cost you spent on them.

Plan and organize your packing strategy. Buy colored labels and label each box with which room it goes in. That way, you don’t have to waste time instructing the movers on where to put things once you get to your new Northern Virginia home.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can save money on your move! Relocating to the Northern Virginia area is a big enough step without having to put a burden on your bank account from moving expenses. Instead, use that money to get settled in to your brand new home.
If you’re interested in buying or selling a home in the Northern Virginia real estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me! I can put my years of experience and familiarity with the area to work for you. I hope to hear from you soon!


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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Put Your Best Foot Forward in Annandale This Weekend!

As a Northern Virginia real estate agent, I make it a priority to know about important events in the area and do my best to promote them. I’m of the belief that newcomers to any area would benefit from getting involved in community events early-on. It gives them ample opportunity to get to know some of their new friends and neighbors. It’s all the better if the event is charity-based because it shows the supportive side of the neighborhood, and everyone is gathered for a common goal.

One of the biggest selling points of the Northern Virginia area is how supportive each community is of one another. There is almost always a charitable function or fundraiser going on that is designed to help other members of the community. This Saturday is no exception.

The annual NAMI, or National Association of Mental Illness, Walk is being held this Saturday, September 22nd at 10:00am. Registration starts at 9:00am. Every year, the Northern Virginia affiliate of NAMI puts on this event in order to raise funds for mental health programs in the area. At last count, there were over 258 people signed up for the event this weekend, and participants are encouraged to collect donations from family and friends for the cause. The walk is also designed to promote awareness of mental illness and reduce the stigma that surrounds it. The hope is that more people who are suffering from mental illness will be encouraged to seek help for their issues.

Even more fun this year is the rock and roll theme surrounding the walk! With music, food, a team t-shirt contest and an abundance of prizes to win, this event will be exciting and family-friendly. You’ll be motivated to walk with family and friends while listening to the sounds of some of your favorite rock and roll hits.

I’m of the opinion that in order to feel genuinely at-home in a community, you need to be supportive of the people in it. Mental illness is an important cause, and it’s an issue that many people suffer with. One of my favorite things about living in the Northern Virginia area is how supportive our communities are of one another. In fact, when I’m showing potential home buyers around the area, I always mention how close-knit each community is.

If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in the Northern Virginia real estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask! I’m happy to help you and how you what our excellent neighborhoods have to offer. Remember: put your best foot forward this weekend!


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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Five Great Apps for Your Northern Virginia Home and Garden

It’s in my job description. As a Northern Virginia real estate agent, I should be making your job as a homeowner easier. Keeping your home in peak condition and transforming your garden into a mini-Eden is definitely not easy, but it is somewhat important. After all, when you start thinking about selling your home in the Northern Virginia real estate market, you have to remember that a buyer wants a home that is well cared for and maintained. You’ll also reel more buyers in if you make an effort to stand out from your competitors. It can be a lot of pressure. Thankfully, technology has made things much easier.

The advent of iPads, laptops, smartphones and other tech tablets has been a blessing because it gives us such easy access to so many helpful tips and tricks that homeowners can use to take their Northern Virginia home to the next level. Here are five outstanding apps that you can use to amplify your home and garden:

inchCalc and inchCalc+. Gone are the days where you have to convert pesky measurements in your head. Simply input the dimensions in whatever form you have them (inches, centimeters, square feet, etc) and the app will spit out the information you need.

Home Depot. Besides just telling you where the closest store is, this app does helpful, menial tasks that will come to your aid at the store. Calculate how much drywall you need by entering your wall’s dimensions, figure out the size of the nuts and bolts you need and watch DIY videos on everything from painting to toilet installation. You can watch while you work.

Iris. Manage your home’s activity when you’re not there with this cloud-based app introduced by Lowe’s last year. Purchase basic kits that connect to your home’s wireless router that will allow you to manage everything from your home’s alarm schedule to your thermostat.

Landscaper’s Companion. Can’t figure out which plants would work best in your garden? This is the app you want to use. With over 25,000 different informational entries about plants in North America alone, you will undoubtedly find one that will thrive in your landscaping.

3D Home Design by LiveCad. If you’re looking to change the color and layout of your home, this app can help you envision what the finished product will look like. It’s user-friendly and used by many interior design professionals, so you know it works well.

Apps like these are both user-friendly and beneficial to making your home and garden stand out from other homes in the Northern Virginia real estate market. Maintaining your home can oftentimes feel like a full-time job in itself. Hopefully, these apps will make things much easier for you.

If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in the Northern Virginia area, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask! I’d be happy to help any way I can. I hope to hear from you soon!


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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The Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Live in Northern Virginia

One of my jobs as a Northern Virginia real estate agent is to explain to home buyers and people relocating to the area why they should live here. There are a number of factors which make the NOVA area appealing, so it’s not terribly difficult to sell the communities within it; however I make it a priority to do this whenever I work with people who are new to the region. After all, if you’re not happy with the area that you choose to buy in, then you’re never going to be happy with your new home. This is why, in my opinion, selling a region or community is just as important as selling a property. If you can get a home buyer to fall in love with one of the communities in Northern Virginia, then you can get them to find a home much easier than if they were hesitant to move there.

There are a number of reasons why Northern Virginia is thought to be such a desirable place to live, but, for the purpose of keeping this blog post from becoming a novel, I thought I’d pick my top five:

The temperate weather. Unlike other areas of the country where you can experience harsh winters or overheated summers each year, in Northern Virginia, you essentially get the benefit of nice weather year-round. The winters are mild, the summers are hot, and spring and fall are nearly always gorgeous. Typically, outside of a few unbearable heat waves few and far between, the weather is pleasant in our region.

Ideal location. Many Northern Virginia communities are in close proximity to Washington D.C., which makes it a desirable location for commuters and those who want to be close to our nation’s capital. You also have relatively easy access to three international airports, and trips to other major East Coast cities are easy and brief.
 
Superior schools.  A whopping 47 schools in our area are ranked in Newsweek’s Top 100 High Schools in the nation, including the top-ranked Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. For an excellent education and proximity to some of the nation’s finest colleges and universities, Northern Virginia is the place to go.

Desirable attractions and lifestyle. It’s fairly difficult to be bored when you live in Northern Virginia. Between the myriad shopping opportunities, dining experiences and historical monuments, the local lifestyle is vibrant and bustling. These modern amenities are intermixed with Southern charm and hospitality, creating a mix that is difficult to find in many other regions in the nation.

Ample opportunities to buy and sell real estate. Right now, home prices are starting to go up, which is great news for sellers; however they’re still low enough that buyers will want to start their search soon. There are a number of beautiful homes available in the NOVA real estate market, so now is the perfect time to think about relocating to the area.

These are just a few of the many qualities that make Northern Virginia such a great place to live! If you have any questions about one of the communities in the region, feel free to contact me and ask! I’d be happy to help you in any way that I can. I hope to hear from you soon.


Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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