Bethany Phillips, MBA, ABR, EcoBroker

What a great tour! Congratulations to the organizers of this years holiday house tour. Though the weather was what one could certainly call 'blustery' outside, it was warm and welcoming inside the 10 homes and churches on the tour. Here are some photos that highlight the tour -- all from my cell phone so the quality is medium at best!

NOTE SANTA at the Front Door!

This is the garden and waterview of the home above! Just lovely!

This is a church on the tour - Lovely inside and its on the water. They are thinking about starting a pre-school on the premise (there is a great education building attached!)

This fireplace separates the dining room and the kitchen. You can see the fire from both sides.

This is another fabulous watefront home in Lafayette-Winona. It has been totally renovated and is just lovely!

The owner of this awesome bungalow gave their pet a bit of decoration for the holiday too! The bow is almost as big as she is!

I hope you have enjoyed your tour of Lafayette Winona! If you would like information on homes for sale in this neighborhood (or any other Hampton Roads neighborhood), give me a call!

Here are a few things I noticed in the paper today. I am not endorsing or recommending, just repeating!

The Lafayette Winona Civic league in Norfolk is holding their Holiday House Tour this Sunday from 1pm-4pm. Lots of neighborhoods throughout Hampton Roads are having them, so check the Pilot Online!

Old Norfolk Christmas Arts and Crafts Show is being held at the Fred Heutte Center on December 6th and 7th.

The Lights are on in Portsmouth and Norfolk - the skylines are beautiful at night!

Window World is offering 25% off on Energy Star Low-E and Argon windows - you must have the coupon from the paper to get the discount.

Lowes is offering 10% off on Energy Star Appliances purchased through December 7th!

Whatever you do - get out there, have fun, protect the environment, and enjoy the season!

I can help you Search for homes in Hampton Roads, Norfolk homes, Virginia Beach homes, Chesapeake Homes, Suffolk Homes, Portsmouth Homes!

I think I can get into this -- A first for me!

Photography via Blackberry Curve - Bethany Phillips, Realtor, Prudential Decker Realty, Norfolk VA/Hampton Roads.

Thanks to my friend for Michelle for suggesting a walk through the Norfolk Botanical Garden. As a member, I go to the gardens regularly but hadn't been in about a month. It was time to see something new -- that happens to me every time I go to the gardens. Either a new flower is blooming, I see a sculpture I hadn't noticed previously, or there is a new feature to see. Here are things I noticed this time!

The ticket booth at the Norfolk Botanical Garden is a Green Roof. Designed to reduce runoff of rainwater and to naturally cool the interior, a green roof is an excellent addition to this structure. It is lovely to see, has interesting plants, is at a reasonable eye-level.

This is something I would like to do on my kitchen roof. My home's kitchen was an addition. It has a flat roof and would be perfect for this.

I will add it to the list of projects! :-)

This a detail of one of the medallions on the waterfountain. To see this, when you enter the main visitor center, go left. Walk through the Japanese garden and Past the GREEN ROOF on the ticket booth (see above!) and you will come to the annual / perennial garden with water features. Very nice place to relax.

I have also noticed this is a popular spot for wedding and engagement photos!

Whatever you do today... Enjoy! remember, it is a Sunday - great day to check out the open houses. If you are looking for a home in our Hampton Roads area or need to list your home for sale, I can help!

I had a lovely walk around Ghent on Thursday. The houses, churchs, and street scenes were captured on camera! See below! Lots of houses and condos for sale in this part of Norfolk.

Hampton Roads Real Estate