Michelle Casey, ABR, GRI Hampton Roads Real Estate

An agent who showed a listing of mine provided me with feedback today- he said the house showed extremely well, all the lights were turned on, the blinds were open and the music on the tv was at the right volume. In addition, he told me, the house was clean and neat. BRAVO to my sellers, they listened, and did exactly what I told them to do prior to every showing.

The agent told me his clients really like our home, and it's in their TOP 5, he said these buyers saw 13 homes and ours was one of the few homes that had the beds made... can you believe it? In this market, sellers are not making their beds? Shame on them! I didn't think that was one of the points I needed to address with these sellers, since every time I was there, the beds were made.

My sellers and I are very pleased with this feedback. This was the first showing since the home was listed last week. Even if this does not turn into a sale, we all feel great - our competition is literally- lying down on the job!

Want to sell in this market? First make your bed, 2nd CALL MICHELLE, the Stellar Seller in Hampton Roads!

Title courtesy of the lovely Mirela Monte your choice for Myrtle Beach real estate.

BUYING OR SELLING in Hampton Roads? You will want Michelle Casey, a full time professional and local expert to assist you. I specialize in buyers, sellers, military relocations and corporate transfers in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, Hampton and Newport News

An article by the Virginian Pilot's Kerry Dougherty reminded me of a trip through Italy with my college friend Nicole.

While in college at Radford University in late 80's early 90's- I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to study abroad. One semester was spent in England at Middlesex Polytechnic. Usually every weekend a group of students would head to different locations - Amsterdam- if memory serves me- was probably our first weekend trip. We also visited Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

After the December semester was over and exams were finished three of us decided to go to Italy for a few days. Danielle, Nicole and I were very excited. Danielle was interested to learn more about fashion, Nicole (the spitting image of a young Liza Minelli) wanted to discover her Italian roots and I was just going along for the ride cultural educational experience... We left London and we headed to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Nicole, for some reason, had run out of money and I was basically bankrolling both of us. At each location Nicole would have to find a phone booth to call her dad to have money wired to Italy- that in and of itself was a nightmare because we didn't really have a day to day plan on where we would be. Lo and behold, the money never materialized. Frustrating for me- but I am a nice friend, and she did pay me back, so no one suffered any broken kneecaps.

At the phone station in Venice, Danielle and I patiently waited while Nicole, once again, had to phone home. I remember that this was a different phone station than the others we had visited- I remember that Nicole had paid before she made the call. This was way before the Euro, so she used my Lire.

Nicole finishes her call and we attempt to leave the phone station. Not so fast... the lovely Italians behind the counter started yelling at us. I think what they were trying to convey is that Nicole... owed more money- Capisce? Well for some reason none of us could understand- probably because we were being yelled at in Italian, and we thought she had paid. I tried to ask what was going on- but the donna simpatico told me in English to SHUT MY MOUTH... so I did. They couldn't believe that Nicole didn't have any money- as she was dripping in gold, Gucciand a funded by Michelle, new Italian leather jacket- but she really didn't - I had the money- Mama Mia-how to explain that? The carabinieri were called and Nicole didn't have her passport on her- so Danielle and I were told to go get her passport while she was taken to the police station by the hunky cops. Fantastico- Danielle and I were not happy campers- it was freezing cold and we wanted a hot beverage and we had to traipse all the way back to the pensione to get Nicole's passport. When we arrive at the police station we find bella Nicole is chummy with the handsome cops and drinking warm beverages... Danielle and I debated on leaving her- we were so mad!

At any rate, there is a moral to this story- when you are traveling and have to use a phone to beg for money, leave the Gucci and the gold and the leather at home!

LA VITA e BELLA in Italia and here in Hampton Roads! If you want to know more about the Hampton Roads market CALL ME, you don't have to use a pay phone!

Happy 4^th of July to everyone! Have a safe and STELLAR weekend.

Here are some STELLAR local events where you can celebrate the day:

Stars and Stripes Explosion- fireworks at 9:30 as well as music- Virginia Beach Oceanfront. 491-7866 BEACH STREET USA

4^th of July Great American Picnic- fireworks 9:30 and music at 6pm and 8pm other fun events from 5-10pm. Town Point Park, Waterside Dr, Norfolk. 441-2345 Norfolk Fest Events

Stars and Stripes Spectacular- fireworks 9:00pm as well as music and food starting at 5:00pm Constant's Wharf Park and Marina, 110 E Constance Rd, Suffolk. 514-7250.

4^th of July Stars in the Sky- fireworks 9:45pm music by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band at 6:15pm Victory Landing Park, 23^rd Street at the James River, Newport News. 926-1400.

Fourth at the Fort, fireworks 9:30pm other patriotic activities from 5-11pm. Walker Army Airfield, Fort Monroe. 788-2850 Salute to the Union will feature at 50 gun salute at Continental Park, Fort Monroe 11:55am

July 4^th Celebration- fireworks 9:30pm. Music and other events from 4-10pm. Mount Trashmore Park, 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach. 427-2900

The Shore Thing Concert and Independence Day Celebration- fireworks 9:30pm. Music, food and more - 6:30-10pm. Ocean View Beach Park, 111 W. Ocean View Ave, Norfolk. 441-2345

July Fourth Celebration- fireworks 9pm- all day events starting at 10:30am. Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 1589 Steeple Dr, Suffolk 238-2359

Yorktown Fourth of July Celebration- fireworks 9:15pm. Other all day events starting 8am. Historic Yorktown. 890-3500

Fourth of July Town Picnic- fireworks 9:30pm food, and fun for kids 7-10pm. Robinson Park, Duke Street, Windsor. 242-4288

Fireworks at the park- 9:15pm Busch Gardens, 1 Busch Gardens Blvd, Williamsbug. (800) 343-7946

Information gathered from The Virginian Pilot newspaper.

If you are in the market during this holiday weekend, take a look at my website for all the great listings

STELLAR HOMES and give me a call or send me an email- I'd love to work for you!

When I was a senior in high school most of my classmates took a senior trip to Florida. I went with my French class to Paris France. It was Easter Sunday and a couple of my classmates and I decided to go sightseeing. We headed to the metro to try and find the Eiffel Tower and some of the other famous French attractions. While on the metro we decided not to exit, as we had time to spare and we decided to continue riding to the end of the route and make our departure on the way back. At the last stop, the few remaining passengers got off. When these people noticed we were still seated, they began banging on the windows- (my friend remembers them banging on the windows- I don't remember the banging- but she may very well be correct) and making WILD hand gestures to obviously warn us that we were in trouble. My quick dim wit took over and I reached over my head and pulled the bright red box labeled ALARM- thus bringing to a screeching ARRET the city's Metro system. A very angry Frenchman then stepped into our car. I utilized my 2 year study of the French language and attempted to explain our situation. He was not JOYEUX- C'est la Vie. We were never in any danger, we ended up sitting still in the underground for several minutes (in the dark) but then we headed back out on our JOYEUX way. I'm proud to say that I don't speak French, although I am semi-fluent in Italian and I haven't caused any other forms of public transport to come to a HALT.

If Paris is not the bon voyage destination of your choice- Consider Hampton Roads- there's so much to offer here!

We have The Beach, The Chesapeake Bay, Norfolk Naval Base, Norfolk Waterside, Wisconsin Battleship, Admirals Hockey, Tides Baseball, fabulous restaurants, great museums, and the world's friendliest people, AND you don't have to worry about stopping a mass transit system- What more could you ask for? Virginia is for Lovers- Paris isn't!!

Take a look at all Stellar homes in Hampton Roads-

AU REVOIR!!