Vicky Chrisner

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.

FREE MONEY!! FHLB is offering a 5:1 matching program to assist qualified buyers with their home purchases. But, as you can imagine, free money is in great demand...and the FHLB Money Trees are almost bare!

Take advantage of this great program while it lasts. For every $1K you put in, FHLB puts $5K in! That's right for $1K you get $6K toward your home purchase. It is almost too good to be true, but it's not. It is very real.

ONE of my lenders still has some funds left, so don't delay. Call me today for details.

More information is available here:

http://therealestatewhisperer.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-money-for-your-home-purchase.html

We have many great attractions here in Loudoun County. Even so, everyone must have a change of scenery now and then. One of my family's favorite weekend or vacation getaways is the beach; we go once a year. The closest beach to us is Ocean City, Maryland, about a 3 to 4 hour drive from Loudoun. Although Ocean City is often criticized for being overly commercial; it just so happens that I like to have lots to do on my vacation! No matter your likes or budget, there is no reason to be bored.
OC has some of the finest ocean front hotels, although during peak season (and with the kids) we now opt to rent a condo on the bay side. Our favorite place is Sunset Island, a new gated community with tons of amenities. Condos are generally half the price of a hotel room and double the space; and since we have a full kitchen, we save on meals, too. Off peak, when it is easier to get a bargain, or for quick romantic weekend getaways, my hubby and I still stay in an ocean front room so we can enjoy hearing and seeing the ocean from our balcony. But, watching a sunset over the bay is awfully nice, too.

In season, FREE family entertainment is offered every night of the week. On the boardwalk, on the beach, in the parks... you'll find roaming entertainers, concerts, magicians, movies, family games and more. One of our favorite past times is simply walking the boardwalk. At night, the place lights up like Vegas. It's a great place for window shopping, people watching and checking out the latest beach trends and funny T shirts. You can rent bikes or take the trolley up and down the boards... and the kids love to bring extra bread and feed the seagulls.

Boardwalk food includes such specialties as Dumpser's banana shakes (my favorite), Dolle's carmel popcorn, Candy Kitchen's fudge and the world famous Thrasher's boardwalk fries.....it may not be health food, but it is way too good to be called "junk food".

You'll find several arcades to compete for your business. A long standing tradition in our family includes the "quarter sock" where we save quarters as we near vacation time (and yes, we keep them in a sock - I don't know why, ask my husband). Those are the quarters that are used to play arcade games in OC, which pay out tickets that can be saved to purchase prizes. For the weeks preceding our trip, when the kids act up, my husband just grabs and shakes the sock - and their behavior magically improves.

This year, with a 3 and 6 year old we skipped the arcade and headed to the 2 amusement parks: World Famous Trimpers Amusement Pier which has been in place for over 100 years; and Jolly Rogers Amusement Park which boasts itself as OC's largest Amusement Park. Both feature carnival like rides and games. Jolly Rogers has a second location off the boards; and also operates Speed World (a park of go karts and race tracks) and Splash Mountain (a water park). If you like water sports, you'll have no trouble here. You can rent pontoon boats, wave runners, or jet skis to ride in the bay. You can jump aboard the OC Rocket (a large speed boat); take a chartered fishing trip or a nature cruise...options abound- pick up any local coupon book or map and you'll find a list. I personally like the sunset dolphin tours. The nature cruise to Assateague was very nice, and educational, This year, we opted for a Pirate Adventure, where the kids became pirates for a bit and joined the ranks of the crew aboard The Gypsy. The pirates fought off the bad guys and found the treasure; and had a lot of fun doing it.

Another highlight for us is visiting the wild horses (referred to as ponies) at Assateague Island, a nature sanctuary (both a state and a national park) just about 15 minutes from Ocean City. You can arrive by boat or car; and camping or picnics are allowed. There, wild ponies roam, along with deer, many birds and other types of wildlife. You can rent a kayak to explore the back bay, rent bikes to explore the island, walk along the beach or trails or just drive through....you can generally get a few good looks at the wildlife, even from the car. This beach is less frequented than the one in OC, and is therefore a great place to find sea shells.
Even though we're penny savvy, we always go out to dinner - there are so many great places to choose! Mackey's is one of our favorites. It's on the bay, and we eat at outdoor tables in the sand. The kids can play in the water while we enjoy a beverage and watch the sunset. And, what is vacation without dessert! Donuts from Dunkin Donuts are a family favorite, but OC is better known for ice cream and specialty candy shops. Ocean City is truly a delicious place!

Oh, but wait - did I forget to talk about the beach? Yeah, they have one... and it is great. In season, come early to get your spot among the sandcastle builders and the sun-worshippers.

Resting on the shore, soaking in the sun and listening to the waves crash is one of my favorite past times. The kids enjoy feeding the seagulls chasing the waves and burying each other in the sand. If you're a swimmer, be careful - the Atlantic can be quite moody.

No matter how diverse personalities are in your family, OC is sure to have attractions for everyone - night life, relaxing beaches, nature sanctuaries, amusement parks, water sports, gourmet foods, history and museums... the list goes on. All this is available, just a short drive from Loudoun, keeping it easily accessible, even for the occasional day trip.
Make some time and visit soon! .... And, stay tuned to www.LivingInLoCo.blogspot.com to learn more about Living In Loudoun County!

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Article submitted by Vicky Chrisner, a Loudoun native and local REALTOR specializing in selling homes in Loudoun and the surrounding areas. Learn more about Vicky, and search for homes or find out the value of your home at www.VickyChrisner.com. For general information on the local real estate market, visit her real estate blog, The Real Estate Whisperer www.theREWhisperer.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter/REWhisperer