The Prince William Association of Realtors (PWAR) is hosting a benefit for their Community Services fund on Wednesday, October 22nd. We'll be bowling for just under two hours, starting at 1pm. Cost of entering this semi-annual bowling tournament is $15 and includes two games and your shoe rental.
The Community Services fund at PWAR is always put to good use. This Fall, some of that money was used to help less fortunate children in the County buy their school supplies. And my favorite part of Community Services at PWAR is the shopping they do at Christmas to provide gifts to those less fortunate families with children.
You can call PWAR for more information on this event at 703-368-8177. Advance registration is required and should be in no later than October 20th.
If you can get your own team of four or five by including office mates, friends or spouses, that is encouraged. If not, show up and you'll be joined up with others to form a team.
I am hoping that our own PWAR Education Committee will form a team, though we'll need some pretty good bowlers to make up for my lack of skill.
The event will be held at the Bowl America on Balls Ford Road in Manassas. I sure hope to see you there! We are sure to have a great time.
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I met someone new in my neighborhood yesterday. They aren't new to the neighborhood, but they are new to me.
I was previewing a bank owned home not far from my own home. As I walked out, I was greeted by a woman walking toward me. "Have they sold the home yet? I used to live there."
She and her family had obviously taken extreme care with the home. It showed like a model. She had painstakingly custom painted each of her children's bedrooms. The paint job was one I was actually in awe of as I previewed the home. The overall condition was excellent. Her family had been tenants.
This very friendly woman explained that one day her landlord explained that the mortgage payment had adjusted and become too expensive to pay. The landlord explained to her that she hadn't made payments for SEVEN MONTHS. In the meantime, the landlord had enrolled in college to return to her studies. (Gee...wonder where she got the money to do that?)
The landlord, realizing her confession had rattled her tenant, assured, "Don't worry. The bank will work with me to lower the interest rate and you can continue to live there." Clearly, the landlord did not want her rental income to dry up.
This type of behavior, in my humble opinion, should be criminal. This landlord, instead of paying whatever she was getting in rent to the bank, went out and spent the rental income elsewhere. The bank did not work with her and her tenants had to relocate.
Landlords like this should hang their heads in shame. Their actions affect more than themselves.
The following is a summary of a police report of an attempted child abduction that took place in Braemar on October 7, 2008. This could have happened anywhere. Neighborhood awareness is the absolute best way to combat crime. Know your neighbors and know what's going on in your neighborhood. And report suspicious activity to the local police.
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BRISTOW, VA: Police say a mother in Prince William County got quite a scare on Tuesday (10/7/08) morning when she found a man in the back seat of her car with her 6-year-old daughter, and investigators are still trying to track him down.
According to investigators, the suspect entered the garage of a home on Kennoway Court in Bristow at about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday morning. They say the 46-year-old woman who lives in the house had just put her purse and her 6-year-old daughter inside the car in the garage and walked several yards away toward the mail boxes.
Police say the woman heard her daughter scream, and she ran back to her house to find the man in the back seat of the car with her daughter. They say the woman screamed, and the suspect managed to push past her and escape on foot.
No one was hurt, and nothing was taken from the car.
Detectives are still searching for the man, who is described as being about 5'7" tall and weighing between 175 and 180 pounds with a stocky build. Police say he was wearing a gray sweatshirt with the hood up, a loose-fitting scarf around the lower half of his face, black gloves and blue or black sweatpants. They also say he had a raspy voice.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Prince William County Crime Solvers at (703) 670-3700 or (866) 411-TIPS
Today was a first. I was having lunch at Pei Wei...the Asian Diner by P.F. Chang's. Our own Gainesville, VA locaiton opened up about a month or so ago.
The service was great. The restaurant was clean with plenty of seating. A little noisy for a business meeting though. Most of our business chat happened in the parking lot after our meal.
I ordered the Sweet and Sour Shrimp platter. There were more shrimp than this when it was brought to the table, but I was more hungry than I was motivated to take a picture.
The shrimp were great. The sauce was just about perfect. And I really liked the fact that I got a lot of pineapple, green pepper and onion.
My friend ordered a vegetarian Spicy Thai Noodle Bowl with Tofu. Of course, we shared. While I am not a big fan of tofu, I did enjoy the rest of the noodle dish as well.
If you haven't had the opportunity to try this great new restaurant, you should stop by soon.
Regularly serving Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Fauquier Counties as a Realtor/ Short Sale Specialist. Also a neighborhood expert in Braemar (Bristow, VA).
I have been a Realtor since 2005, and in the sales industry since 1993. I graduated with a BA in Communications from George Mason University in 1993 and spent years in the newspaper and radio industries. It is the skills that I learned in these marketing fields that give me an edge when it comes to selling residential real estate.
I believe strongly in education. I became a GRI (Graduate of the Realtor Institute) in November 2007 and have become a VREB approved instructor for the Prince William Association of Realtors (PWAR) on the topic of Short Sales. This role as a PWAR educator evolved out my involvement in the PWAR Education Committee. I am also a Technology Instructor for new agents joining the ranks of my chosen brokerage, Long & Foster.
I pride myself on my professionalism and commitment to outstanding customer service. I also have a strong sense of humor, and don't enter into any transaction without it. You never know when you'll need it. Buying or selling a home is a serious matter, but it doesn't have to be void of fun. I believe all of these attributes are what make a great agent.
I specialize in First Time Homebuyers and the neighborhood of Braemar where I reside and hold a seat on the Tartan Hills Village HOA as President. Recent market changes have also honed my Short Sales skills.
Hi Chris Ann,
_________________________________________ Chris Ann was very helpful in the purchase of my home. I would recommend Chris Ann to anyone looking to sell or buy real estate. Rebecca Livengood First Time Homebuyer _________________________________________ Dear Chris Ann: Just a quick note to let you know how much we appreciate everything you have done for us. We had such a blast with you and can't imagine doing all of this with any other Realtor. Heidi, Ron & Grace Warner First Time Homebuyers _____________________________________________________ Chris Ann was not only superb in helping us locate the house we wanted, but she was a dilligent worker prior to close. Chris Ann was referred to me by a friend. My boyfriend and I, at the time, were looking at anything as cheap as possible, not knowing anything about real estate. She took the time to explain the difference of foreclosures, short sales, and regular sales. She worked hard at our first contract on a short sale condo that fell through. Never discouraged, Chris Ann took the time to take a step back, let us re-evaluate our needs and continue forward. She obviously was a tremendous help to us in the market, but moreover-EXCELLENT in her customer service. She was always willing to bend over backwards by meeting us anywhere, anytime, and answered every single question we had (and believe me-we had plenty)! We have been very happy in our new home and can't ever forget that Chris Ann was the one who got us here. We have her "sold" postcard she gave us on our refrigerator and will not take it down. It makes us proud to own a home and we owe a tremendous amount of thanks to Chris Ann for giving us that feeling. That's something we can never repay her for. She's one in a million! I can't say enough about her. Sincerely, Kimberly Hessberg & Richard Hirst First Time Homebuyers _________________________________________________ Chris Ann: We are so incredibly lucky to have picked you out of that haystack. We never doubted that you always had our best interests in mind. Thank you so much for all you have given to us. You are forever welcome to our home, you're family! With Love & Appreciation, Thuy & Jeremy Beinert First Time Homebuyers ________________________________________________ Dear Chris Ann: Thank you for all your help in my home search and purchase. Working with you was definitely enjoyable. You are very patient, kind, informative and pleasant. Every time we went out to look at homes, you were prepared. You had done your homework, making what could have been an overwhelming process,easy. You are extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your job. You better believe that I will be calling you when I am ready to sell my new home and move up to another. And I will not hesitate to send my family and friends to you, as I know they will have an outstanding agent working for them Thanks again for all your hard work. Sincerely, J.D. Gheen ___________________________ Chris Ann is a driven and professional real estate professional. She is extremely knowledgable about market conditions and the home buying process. Chris Ann is tireless in her efforts whether it is to help find that perfect home for a buyer or selling an existing home. She is especially good at listening to what is important to a client, so that she can be sure to meet their expectations. In every case that I have worked with Chris Ann she has not only met expectations, but exceeded them. Laura Pullen/Prosperity Mortgage ___________________________ Dear Chris Ann Cleland, Thank you so much for helping us find our first home! When we moved to Northern Virginia we thought that we would never be able to own a home. With your help, our dream of homeownership has come true. Some of my co-workers who graduated from college with me last year always ask, "How were you able to buy a house in less than a year of graduating from college?" My answer is, "I have an excellent real estate agent." You have grown from just our real estate agent to our friend. For that, we are grateful. Thank you, James & Nikki Howell First Time Homebuyers ___________________ Dear Chris Ann, I want to take a moment to thank you for all that you have done. I was at a point that I felt I wouldn't sell my house. I had been through several real estate agents and I wasn't getting even one bite on my house. Then you came along with your expertise, creativity and consistent positive attitude. I started to hope again. You got people to notice and become interested in my house. Eventually it sold and now is becoming a home again. I have to also thank you for your patience. My personal life was a big part of why I had to put my house on the market. Unfortunately, at times you were in the middle. Your mediation skills were put to good use and you went above and beyond your real estate agent role. I can't thank you enough for what you did. Sincerely, Shannon Russo ___________________________ Dear Chris Ann, You are a class act! We really enjoyed working with you and will refer anyone we know. And, of course, if we decide to buy or sell in the future we would love to have your help and expertise. Thanks again for all of your help and hard work. We'll stay in touch! Jeff, April, Sydney & Abbey Hunt ____________________________________ To Whom It May Concern: This letter is to acknowledge my complete satisfaction with the services that Ms. Chris Ann Cleland has provided as my Realtor in the purchase of my new home. Ms. Cleland provided current and accurate information that aided in the decision making process of selecting my new home; she was able to supply alternate options when it came to hiring a mortgage lender that saved me a whole percentage point on my loan. She is hard working, willing to go the extra mile for her clients, and she will do everything she can to help you have a non-traumatic, minimal stress settlement. She does her homework, she does not wait until the last minutes, and you have all the information as it is occuring in the process. For a first-time homebuyer, this has proven to be an invaluable asset. I would highly recommend Ms. Cleland for any of your real estate needs. Most Sincerely, Nichole Charlton First Time Homebuyer ___________________________________ Dear Chris Ann, We wanted to thank you for all the time and effort you put into helping us find our home. As first-time buyers we were quite unsure of ourselves, as we ventured into the unknown, but you made the process so much easier. It was especially important to us that we not feel pressured into making a commitment we were not ready for or comfortable with. Although you understood the necessity to act fast in this crazy market, you also understood the enormity of the decision that we had to make and you respected our hesitation and our excitement. We were lucky to find you and will keep you mind should our friends or family require a realtor in the future. We will be calling you in a few years when the time comes to sell our "starter" home and move on up! All the best, Karen & Pernell Disney First Time Homebuyers Dear Chris Ann, THANK YOU!!!! You made this move so much easier than we ever expected it to be. From selling our home within three days, to finding packers for our truck (at the last minute), playing "Catopoly" with our kids, to all the other little details done behind the scenes that made this move go so smoothly. THANK YOU again and again. Your professionalism, attention to detail, understanding of the stress of moving, and your willingness to go the extra steps are the reasons that you are so much more to us than the realtor who sold our house. You are the perfect person for home sales and we expect to see you as number one in your area in no time at all. Sincerely, Carolyn Dikranis & Dona Leith
I can't thank you enough for helping me find a townhome in Manassas, especially since I drove into Manassas with no appointment previously arranged with you - you took my cold call and ran with it.
Within three days of having never met, you managed to understand me and my needs, and find the perfect place - in my experience, that's miraculous.
And I have never met a realtor who had their own polarity meter for checking receptacles in a home - I think that just goes to show how committed you are to getting folks not only the right place for them, but also making sure the place is indeed "right."
A million thanks.
Best regards,
Mark Gill
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