About Roanoke County, VA

Last week I had an email and a call from a buyer I worked with 15 years ago! She went to one of my company's open houses. She didn't think there was a problem because, it was the same company! There was no problem!

She wants to buy a house! Her name was familiar, but I couldn't remember much--15 years!

I think that she is a bit disappointed! She remembers all the details, I don't!

I asked she how she remembered me. She said that I was very memorable! Talk about feeling bad!

Today, I asked how she had found me, I had changed companies about 12 years ago! She said she had seen my print ads. She knew about the change.

Moral: Keep some presence in print! Not everyone is an Internet freak!

By the way, she was a journalist!

I am a fanatic for pork butt and beef brisket smoked and covered with spicy BBQ sauce. I stumbled upon Pitt Boss BBQ some time in the spring of 2007 and it has been an ongoing love affair ever since. As I became more of a regular patron I was befriended by the owner and his wife, James and Nickki Tedesco.

James graduated from Johnson & Wales University back in 1996 and married Nickki in October of 2007. After spending a few years as a professional skateboarder traveling the country with legends like Tony Hawk, Jason Lee and Mike Vallely, he decided to put his culinary training to work. Luckily for smoked meat junkies across the Roanoke region he decided to settle down and pursue life as a purveyor of bbq chicken, pork, ribs, beef and turkey, all of which is smoked onsite. Offering a selection of 5 different sauces, Pitt Boss can offer an taste to please almost any palate.

The current 28 seat Pitt Boss location at 3904 Brambleton Ave. Roanoke Va is soon the be replaced by a grander location a short distance away at 4301 Brambleton Ave. The new location will boast a 136 seat capacity, 14 televisions, an expanded menu, and onsite party catering capabilities. In recent years the intoxicating smell of their efforts has wafted through many downtown Roanoke festivals providing the citizens of the Roanoke Valley with the opportunity to indulge in some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten

Now entering his second decade of smoking meat James is well on his way to creating a must eat dining experience for BBQ lovers passing anywhere near the Roanoke area. The relaxed and inviting atmosphere harkens back to a time when restaurntuers greeted every customer as a friend and called many if not all by name. I have become a great fan of the folks as well as the food and invite you to visit with James and Nickki to experience it for yourself.

Another photo from Virginia Safari Park, a drive-through park where you feed the animals from your car. They will then pose for you! Virginia Safari is close to Natural Bridge, Virginia and close to Lexington, Virginia. Virginia Safari is about an hour away from where I live in Roanoke, Virginia. We didn't get the chance to feed this guy. He was obviously already well-fed! The photo is my own. Please feel free to use!

My Mother is a flower freak! A day without flowers, is like a day without sunshine!

This is a very barren time of year in Roanoke, Virginia. Her orchids have stopped blooming. The hyacinths I gave her are bloomed out!

We had a very nasty, very cold winter, but just had our first snow last Sunday. Mom, who is 88 3/4, has been very depressed! She couldn't get out.

She was able to get out on her own for a couple of days. That made her happy, but the flowers!!!!

Here is a picture of my Mom and Rick, my significant other, at Virginia Safari, an animal drive through park, close to Roanoke.

We have so many flowers in our yard, but the bloom time is a month or so away!

Today, I picked up a pot of tulips in bud for her. She said that I needed to save my money!

Seven bucks made her VERY HAPPY! I didn't even have to buy her a card!

Bad News Travels Fast!

No News is Good News!

We need to spread the good news about the tax credit to both buyers and sellers!

I held an open house at one of my listings Sunday. It was the first snowfall of the year! I expected to be the Maytag Repairman. Much to my amazement, 12 groups came through during a 2 hour open house! The roads were covered with snow. I tried to sneak out early. Driving in the snow scares me. Two more couples showed up.

I came armed with a hand-out on the tax credit.Some people knew about it, but didn't know the details. Some were unaware of it. One lady said, "I will believe it, when I see it!". They all took a copy of the flier.

We all need to take a pro-active stance on letting people know about it!

(P.S. I closed on a sale last week. After closing I discussed the credit with my buyers. The information on the credit was a real benefit to them. There income will exceed $150,000 next year. Now they can file this year and have money toward a kitchen remodel!)