Vicky Chrisner

With all the local summer camp options in Loudoun, it's nice for kids to try various activities. It keeps the summer interesting and keeps them constantly learning, sampling different activities that may (or may not) be of longer term interest to them. After horseback riding camp, I enrolled my 6 year old daughter (Rachael) in a Cheerleading Camp with DMB Sports, which was held at the National Conference Center on the east side of Leesburg.

The first day, Rachael was a little apprehensive since she didn't know anyone there, but she quickly made new friends, and found a few kids that she knew from other local activities. And, she fell in love with her camp staffers, especially Lauren who she said reminded her of me. (Isn't that sweet?)

The two weeks there were ones she'll remember for a long time. Each day, they'd swim. They played games and had many activities other than cheerleading. DMB is careful to make sure that having fun is more important than someone learning whatever cheer or whatever they are teaching that day. But, they did, of course, practice cheers and gymnastics. They learned some stunts - mostly what Rachael learned was she was scared to do stunts, but at least she was making an educated decision having had the opportunity to learn.

DMB also brings in a professional athlete to each camp, and Rachael got to meet Katie and Ana from the Washington Redskin Cheerleaders, and has a bring home souvenir with autographs. she was THRILLED. After that experience, she has decided she will be a cheerleader when she grows up. I doubt that she will, but if I can just get her to sit down with us and watch a football game, I'll be thrilled.

On the last day of camp, they had a cheer show. We really made Rachael feel special...grandma, two of her brothers, dad and I all came to see her show her stuff. It was a nice show, and I know that all the girls felt very good about having learned something that they could show off.

Rachael took one of the later camps in the year, but I will be looking forward to signing her up again next year. DMB offers many summer and holiday camp programs in eastern Loudoun County. Camps include Art Camp, Echo Camp and many various sports camps. Check them out online at http://www.dmbsportscamp.com/.

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On a scary note: Rachael was in the pool with other campers when a 6 year old little boy had a terrible accident. He was noticed at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. He was not breathing and had no pulse. Emergency services were called and he was revived poolside, and then taken to Loudoun Hospital, where they quickly transferred him to Fairfax Hospital. Each update I've received is positive, but it was very scary and the little boy was in the hospital for many days as they drained the water from his lungs. Throughout this, DMB communicated WELL with other parents. I do not know exactly what happened, it is so easy for an accident like this to take place with children.

PLEASE, make sure your children know their limits and do not succumb to peer pressure and venture to a deeper end of the pool. And, teach your children how to swim early, or keep them out of the pool all together. Teach them how to react when they fall into the pool. Not panicking can be the difference between life and death. Our children are just too precious.

My prayers continue to be with that little boy and his family. I'd like to think DMB for being so quick to respond, and so proactive about their communication with other parents.

The first time I heard a buyer say they thought a short sale was someone who needed to sell quickly (in other words, they thought the sale would happen in a short period of time), I giggled a little. When I thought about it, I could totally understand the thought pattern. The reality is nearly the opposite....a short sale can be anything but short!

The term actually refers to the current owners needing to sell and being "short" the funds it will take to pay off the lender. So, the current owners need to negotiate with their lender an alternate repayment plan or forgiveness of the remaining debt. In today's market, banks are doing anything to avoid foreclosures, so we are seeing more and more short sales approved; very often with full debt forgiveness to the sellers.

This is truly a win for the sellers. Sure, their credit takes a hit. But, their bank accounts and immediate financial future is far better off than if they were to go through a foreclosure. And, it is expected that many of these sellers will be eligible for purchasing again in the not so distant future.

Buyers, on the other hand, need to be willing to stay the course, and hope for the best.

Because in many segments of the marketplace today, most of the available inventory is short sales, I am going to try to break down this very complex process so you're better equipped to consider buying or selling in this kind of a transaction.

Stay tuned to http://www.therealestatewhisperer.blogspot.com/ in the coming days.

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Post written by Vicky Chrisner; Keller Williams Realty

http://www.vickychrisner.com/

Questions and comments can be posted here, or for more privacy, please feel free to email me: VChrisner@KW.com

Send me your photos of homes in Northern Virginia that you consider to be unusual looking. I plan to put together a video using them. If your photo is used, I will pay you $50, and thank you in the credits (using name and your city/state only).

Northern Virginia is going to be defined by anywhere in Virginia that our local MLS covers (www.mris.com). In other words, if you can find homes at homesdatabase.com in the same neighborhood, it will qualify.

With your submission, please Include the following information:

Name (must be over 18)
Address
Phone number
Email
Address of the property in the picture
THE PICTURE - don't forget the picture. If I get multiple photos of the same house, the first one received is the one that will get credit.

Pictures are to be submitted to vchrisner@kw.com

Thank you!

Vicky Chrisner, Keller WIlliams Realty
Ofc: 703-669-3142
VChrisner@KW.com

No matter how unique your situation or your needs, please remember I am here to assist you and your friends, relatives and colleagues with all your real estate needs! To remind you of this, I wish to share with you this video, found on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erPLr16Zzjc

While these homes are found who-knows-where, with your help, I'd like to put together a photo collection of the strangest homes/buildings in Northern Virginia.

Send me a photo of the funniest most unique home you can find, by August 31st, for each picture of a home that is used in our video, you'll be paid $50; for commercial buildings, you'll earn $25.

And, remember, your business is important to me, and your referrals are the lifeblood of my business. Call me today with any real estate questions!

Vicky Chrisner

Keller Williams

703-669-3142

VChrisner@KW.com

Living in Loudoun, I think it is fitting that my daughter have at least a taste of horseback riding and farm life. So, she just finished up a week of Horseback Riding Camp.

Honestly, I chose the camp based on price, hours, and proximity to my house; which led us to Main Tree Farm off Dry Mill Road. On the surface, it looks like a nice little farm, but once you enter the barn, there is tons of deferred maintenance. The barn is HOT and it smells.

Between you and me, my impression was that they were using the kids as free labor, well - not free, I was paying them to use her as labor. A large portion of their day consisted of farm chores - feeding and grooming the horses and cleaning stalls. They did learn some about horseback riding, but it was not the cirriculm that other nearby farms offer in their horseback riding camps.

You might wonder why I didn't pull her from the camp once we got a taste... well, quite honestly, I worked on a farm in the summers when I was a kid. It's seriously hard work, no matter what kind of farm it is. And, she learned a lot about the responsibility of having a horse - it's not all fun and games. So, I felt like for a week, she should endure.

She did enjoy it, although she only bonded with one little girl. Many of the kids were much older than her. The minimum age is 6, and she turned 6 just last week. Being as social as she is, it was a tough week not being the most popular girl there and since this was a totally new environment, she couldn't be the know-it-all she likes to be.

But, she definately bonded with the horses and very much liked giving me the end of day tour and lectures on which horse likes what and who I can pet and who I can not. After 7 hours of being the one who listened and took orders, she had the opportunity to show off a bit and be the one to teach someone else. She made it through the week, and I am sure she'll carry many lessons forward. I don't, however, know if she'll ask to go back. Time will tell. If she does wish to continue with lessons or try another summer camp next year, I think I will "pony up" (pun intended) and drive her a little further and pay a little more.

Main Tree charges only $335 per week and the hours are 9 to 4; and you provide all drinks, snacks and lunch. Although there is a house there; the kids don't go into it. They are out in the elements all day - no air conditioning at all. The bathroom is a port-a-potty outside the barn. There is a shed of sorts they use to store their foods and clothes and where they can change. A few afternoons, they go swimming in the private pool there on the farm. On Friday, they have a bar-b-que and everyone brings a dish to share. Like I said, a taste of farm life.

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For more information on Main Tree Farm: www.maintreefarm.org

Stay tuned to www.LivingInLoCo.blogspot.com learn more about Living in Loudoun County! For information on our real estate market, visit www.TheRealEstateWhisperer.blogspot.com . Real estate tools such as a Free Home Search option and automated market comparison (personalized for your home) is available online at www.VickyChrisner.com.