About Loudoun County, VA

•1. Are you prequalified for that Loudoun home you love??? Don't make an offer until you know you can back it up with a qualified loan. Take the time to speak to a lender; their specific questions will help you determine the price range you can offer on this perfect home you love.

•2. Thinking of skipping the home Inspection? Trying to save money?? It may just cost you tomorrow, especially if it is a distressed property you found on www.loudonforeclosureSOS.com .

•3. Are you limiting your search to open houses, ads and internet? Many of these homes listed on these sites have been sold. Your best course of action is to contact a REALTOR, we would be happy to answer your questions. We can be reached at info@ask-gina.com, we will give you the most up to date information and we would love to help you find the home you want.

•4. Are you shopping for an agent in a different area? Making a connection with an agent is very important. We can refer you to an excellent RE/MAX agent - as we are international! They will be dedicated in serving your needs - before, during and after the sale!!

•5. Are you thinking there is only ONE perfect home out there? Buying a home is a process of elimination, NOT A SELECTION! Remember new properties come on the market everyday and just because you loved the house in Sterling doesn't mean you won't love the house in Fairfax. Ask your realtor for a comparative market analysis. This will compare similar homes that have sold in the area or are still for sale.

•6. Are you considering your long term needs? Will you love your Potomac Falls home for at least 3-5 years? Yes, it is close to Trump National and Dulles Airport, but will that be important for you in 5 years?

•7. Do you have proper insurance coverage? Contact your local insurance agent who will make sure you are adequately protected.

•8. Should you buy a home protection plan? If you don't know what this is - this is essentially a mini insurance policy that usually last one year from the close to escrow. It will cover basic repairs you encountered in that beautiful Ashburn home you loved so much and usually is purchased for a small nominal fee.

•9. Do know the total cost involved in buying your new home? If you are early in the buying process, ask your Realtor (Ask Gina & Co) or lender for your estimated closing cost. Keep in mind that all fees should be considered, Title Company, attorney fees, homeowner's association fees and insurance.

•10. Are you not following through on due diligence? Be diligent!! You're new to the area and you should have concerns about your neighborhood. Do you have access to all of the Cascades pools? What school zone is the property in? Will the parkland really still be parkland next year? Ask all the important questions before you buy.

Oh, by the way.....whenever you come across people who are thinking about buying or selling a home and who would appreciate the kind of service I offer, I'd love to help them. So, as these people come to mind, just give me a call with their name and business phone number. I'll be happy to follow up and take care of them.

Oh don't forget to contact us if you have any questions.....at info@ask-gina.com or 703-574-3478.

Unlock the possibilities!

You've seen it on the news... Washington DC and the surrounding metro area is virtually paralyzed.

I can remember only one other time in recent memory when the Federal Government shut down due to snow, and that was back in 1996 when I worked for the National Park Service. We had 2 days off, and that was unheard of. I think its going to happen again this week, as we are now under a storm warning (not a watch, which means it could happen, but a warning, which means it will happen). The National Weather Service is predicting another 10-20 inches on top of the 31 that we've already had (at least where I live, west of the city. See my previous blog for some snow pictures - and comments from Vancouver, where there is NO snow.)

The problem is that the sun has been out for 2 days and its melting the top layer of snow, but then it all freezes overnight. So now we have packed snow with ice on top. Great for sledding, as my kids can attest to. Not so much for driving on side streets.

Schools have already been closed for the rest of the week, and of course there is no school next Monday, President's Day. After this week, schools will have had 9 snow days. Luckily, Loudoun County has the equivalent of 15 extra days built into their schedule, so highly unlikely the kids will have to make up any of those days.

Well, even though the non-essential part of the government is shut down, the rest of us have to keep working. As my father used to say, small business people are the backbone of our economy, so we just have to keep plugging along.

I've certainly been busy today - more than I thought I would. I've been scheduling new appointments, and rescheduling others for this week. This forced house arrest has allowed me to focus more on my marketing strategies for the spring. I've also been able to tend to my inventory, which sometimes gets pushed to the end of the priority list. And I've been able to spend some more time here on AR, reading blogs, gathering new ideas, always learning something new.

Oh, yes... and we are indeed preparing for the next onslaught!

Waterford New Homes for Sale, $1,000,000 to $1,500,000, Buyer REBATE.

Contact Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

			MLS#: LO7016930 Price: $1,395,000 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 5 full 2 half Garage: Attached Zip Code: 20197 City, State: WATERFORD, VA Community: E DEBUTTS LAND Status: ACTIVE ?

		Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

			MLS#: LO7198073 Price: $1,175,000 Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 8 full 1 half Garage: N/A Zip Code: 20197 City, State: WATERFORD, VA Community: MORRIS Status: ACTIVE ?

		Listing Agency: Keller Williams Realty

			MLS#: LO7210881 Price: $1,019,445 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 full 1 half Garage: Attached, Side Loading Garage Zip Code: 20197 City, State: WATERFORD, VA Community: WATERFORD RIDGE BY TOLL Status: ACTIVE ?

		Listing Agency: Toll Brothers Real Estate Inc.

If you're living in this Loudoun/Dulles or the surrounding area this is not news to you.... We JUST had 34.5 inches of snow, and 2 snowfalls within the previous week totalling about 10 inches of snow, and now we're expecting another 5-9 inches beginning tomorrow.
Because our area rarely experiences this kind of snow (well, this is actually the snowiest on record), we simply aren't equipped. So, be patient. Life will return to 'normal'. For now, relax and enjoy.

Streets: VDOT is calling in reinforcements from areas nearby that have completed their own snow removal because they didn't get the 'dump' that we received. (FYI - the Town of Leesburg has done a great job of snow removal). Relax - the calvary IS coming!

Electricity: While I didn't lose electric, many did, and some are still freezing in their homes. THIS is why I insist on having multiple heat source in my home. A woodstove and fireplace, and a gas stove. Think about that if you are buying in the Northern Virginia area. Admittedly, gas fireplaces are convenient and the newer ones sometimes put out a decent amount of heat - and they'll work without electricity in most cases. But, with a wood fireplace YOU are in control. I always say - if there are trees around me, I will be warm. That's the country girl in me. (Loudoun used to be country, and some of it still is.) Click here for the Dominion Virginia Outage Map: http://outagemap.dom.com/DomComFlexOutageViewer/index.html

Important Reminders: I am getting emails and texts and want to pass along the important reminders to you.

1 - Roofs are caving in. If you have a flat roof, please remove the snow from it - if it collapses, it could kill your family, not to mention ruin your home. If you have a roof that's at an angle, well, advise is conflicting. I say if you can knock the snow nearest your gutters loose (like with a shovel or broom, etc.), then do it. Generally it will cause it to slide, much of it sliding off your roof (think avalanche, and don't stand where it will fall). This will relieve pressure. If you can reach any part of your roof from a window, try.

2 - Please clear the snow from around your fire hydrants. If there is an emergency in your neighborhood, please don't lose valuable time having to find the fire hydrant. It can be the difference between life and death.

3 - Make sure your home and address are clearly visible from the street, so there's no delay if emergency services needs to get to you.

4 - Check on your neighbors - especially those that are olders or ill, but really, check on them all, and call authorities if needed. If you are truly buried in the snow, they WILL send in the national guard - this happened in 1996 to my neighborhood when a boy got stranded at a babysitter's house during a blizzard and ran out of a critical medication he needed.

5 - Clear the snow from around your HVAC - covered HVAC systems can't breathe and this puts strain on the system and you could lose heat. That would stink. And, oh, yeah, it's a rather costly repair. 6 - Clear snow from around the gutters, windows, and doors to prevent leaking.

7 - Remove snow from decks and porches.

8- If you are experiencing problems - downed trees, need help clearing your driveway/sidewalks, repairing roofs, sidings, decks or porches contact a qualified contractor. I recommend William Beach (Beach Carpentry & Contracting, based in Leesburg): 703-898-2789 or 703-443-8946.

9- Stay informed about important weather related news. Sign up for Loudoun Alert. 10- Loudoun has many useful tips and resources available online. Visit the web site: http://www.loudoun.gov/

You are strongly urged to do these things NOW, so as to avoid further complications when the next storm hits - tomorrow.

Stay tuned to Living In Lo Co continuing local information. Personally, I am getting a little tired of writing about snow... but what else could I possibly write about at this particular time? This is truly historic and a little mind blowing. Hang in there!!

For further family snow storm survival tips, check out these posts:
Kid Friendly Recipes - Perfect Foods to help cure cabin fever

Snowmagedon - Pics and musings

Snow Day Family Activities Take Time To Taste The Snowflakes

And, of course, there will be more to come!!!! (News, that is, but also snow - sorry)

The spring Leesburg VA real estate market will soon be here and if you are planning to sell your Leesburg home, you need to prepare ahead of time. Here a a few tips if you are planning to sell a home in Leesburg VA to maximise your price, shorten your selling time and sell fast. These are based on our personal experience selling homes over the years!

Kitchen Home Seller Tips

1.Clean the Kitchen From Top to Bottom, Windows, Lights, Under Counter Lighting, Baseboards etc.
2.Kitchen Ceiling Stained or Yellowed? If So Apply New Coat of Ceiling Paint!
3.Increase Light Wattage. Light and Bright Sells!
4.Replace Dated Light Fixtures.
5.Clean the Oven, Replace the Range Reflector Pans.
6.Clean Flooring and Grout.
7.Wipe Down Cabinets and Clean Them!
8.Clean the Refrigerator - Get Hand Prints off the Stainless Steel. (WD- 40)
9.Remove all Refrigerator Magnets and Items from the Front of the Refrigerator.
10.Put Away Most Small Appliances to Give Appearance of Space and Order.
11.Put Away Items off Countertops.
12.Clean the Inside of the Dishwasher -- Try running it With the Soap Dishes Filled with Powdered Instant Lemonade (like Countrytime). The Citric Acid in a Dishwasher Works Wonders!
13.Clean Out Drawers and to Eliminate Fears of Too Little Space.
14.Organize Pantry - Discard or Donate to Charity Unwanted Items.
15.Paint the Kitchen a Clean Neutral Color.
16.Light Wood is Best for Kitchen Cabinets - Paint or Update.
17.Change Cabinet Hardware or Clean Very Well.
18.Remove Pet Dishes, Toys and Litter Boxes From Kitchen.
19.Remove Dated Window Treatments in Kitchen,Wall Paper and Borders! Make it sunny!
20.If the Laundry Room is off the Kitchen, Make Sure it's Uncluttered, Neat and Clean.