Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Last post we started a House Hunting 101 refresher course for those who are in the hunt for the perfect home! Whether you are looking for a waterfront property on Smith Mountain Lake or a farm in the Virginia countryside, these are some basic tips to remember when you are out home shopping. Hopefully they will help you avoid some pitfalls along the way. Let's jump right back in!

Lesson#3: Wait for the home that you really want! No one will argue with you that house hunting can be a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes those emotions get the best of you and you just want to buy a house, any house, and be done with it. STOP! Take a moment, take a deep breath and remind yourself, you will be living in this home for the foreseeable future. Isn't finding a home that fits your family's lifestyle the reason you are house hunting in the first place? Don't settle for a property that doesn't meet any of your criteria. There are some things you will have to give up, but overall the home should be what you are looking for!

Lesson #4: Don't procrastinate on making an offer! Now this may sound like it is a complete contradiction to Lesson #3, but it isn't! If you have found a home that meets most of your checklist of wants and needs, don't wait too long before making an offer! Unless you are building a custom home, most existing houses are not going to meet every need that you have. The key to being successful in this is having a firm idea of what you must have in a property!

When you started your hunt, your real estate agent more than likely asked you what you are looking for. Don't just brush the question off! Sit down and consider what you can and can't live without. What are you willing to compromise? What is an absolute necessity? Knowing these things before you start house hunting will be a time saver when trying to determine if you should make an offer on a specific home.

Hopefully these tips will help make looking for a home more exciting than frustrating! Having a clear idea of what you are looking for, what your price range is, and the amount of work you are willing to put into a home is the best way to find the right place for you!

If you have questions or are ready to start your Bedford County house hunting expedition, call Vicki Millehan! She is your local real estate expert! Smith Mountain Lake; come for a visit, if you like it then move here!

There are many reasons why now is a good time to buy a house. Just to mention a few; interest rates are still at historic lows and there is time left to take advantage of the Home Buyers Tax Credit on that new Smith Mountain Lake home. But as you are looking for a home, there are a few things you should remember amid the excitement of the hunt! If you are in need of a House Hunting 101 refresher course, take notes!

Lesson #1: Don't look at homes that are outside of your price range! This may seem like a no brainer, but from the current foreclosure rate, it would seem it bears repeating! When property values were high and mortgages easy to come by, there were many home owners who bought more house than they could really afford. This left many with no wiggle room in their budget for surprise expenses such as an increase in property taxes. Add to that a drop in property values and you begin to see why the housing bubble burst.

The simple way to avoid this pitfall is to not look at homes that are beyond your price range. You have to remember you are not just paying an extra $7000 on a home; you will also be paying interest on that $7000 for the next 30 years! A good real estate agent won't send you listings that are completely out of your price zone. If by some chance you do end up with such a listing, RESIST THE URGE TO CHECK IT OUT! It will only cause heartache, because the homes in your range may seem unsatisfying once you have seen what you can't have.

Lesson #2: Avoid thinking you are Ty Pennington when you are not! We all have talents. If your talent lies somewhere other than being a handyman, do not buy a "fixer upper" that needs major renovations. Well, that is unless you are going to pay someone else to do the work. It is very tempting to try and take on a home that is priced low and needs a lot of work.

Sometimes the issue is having time to do the repairs more than IF you can do them. Take a real inventory of what the home needs and consider the time, talent and cash it will take to make it the home you want it to be. Don't forget to factor in the expense of living somewhere else while the work is being completed.

We will share a more of House Hunting 101 Smith Mountain Lake in the next post. If you have questions about buying a home in Franklin County, Virginia call Vicki Millehan! Her team can help you find the right place to call home! And if you haven't had a chance to check out Smith Mountain Lake, come for a visit, if you like it then move here!

Go into just about any department store this week and you will have no doubt the Holidays are over. Pre-lit Christmas trees are on sale for $10 and that $3 wrapping paper is now fifty cents! So what will you see when you head down that seasonal product aisle at your local stores? Those candy hearts and heart shaped boxes of chocolates can mean only one thing! Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Virginia is for Lovers! So if you are looking for a romantic place to spend time with that special someone, head to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia!

Now you may wonder, why even mention Valentine's Day? After all it is only the first week of January! Well it is never too early to book a romantic getaway in the area! There is no better place to spend Valentine's weekend than Franklin County or Bedford County, VA! From cabin retreats to spa "staycations", we have got what you need!

One of the popular Valentine's Day destinations is The Hotel Roanoke. This beautiful hotel offers the Regency Package that includes dinner and dancing as part of your romantic weekend. Or you can enjoy one of their wonderful spa treatments! It doesn't matter if you want to spoil that special someone or give yourself a special weekend away, you will come away refreshed and relaxed!

You should also check out Ashleigh Manor. This bed and breakfast is an antebellum plantation reproduction. Guests can enjoy the beauty of Smith Mountain Lake right from the veranda. The Manor sits on 1200 feet of lake shoreline and on 9 wooded acres. Of course, with over 500 miles of shoreline and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, there are many wonderful places to enjoy your Valentine's Day weekend.

You should be warned though; you may fall in love on your weekend getaway! With the area that is! If you do, that is not a problem! We have a saying here, Come for a visit, if you like it, then move here! When you are ready to buy your waterfront home, call Vicki Millehan! She has been selling luxury lakefront real estate for 18 years, but she has been in love with Smith Mountain Lake even longer than that!

Out with the old and in with the new!! New Year's celebrations at Smith Mountain Lake are in the final preparations for the big party! 2009 has been a year to remember! From the opening of The Southern and Southwest Virginia Fishing Trail at the 2009 Bassmaster Tournament to the record breaking snows of December, a lot has happened this year past. If you are ready to ring out the old year in style, the party at the Mariners Landing can't be missed!

Mariners Landing is offering great "staycation" packages for the New Year celebration. The annual New Year's Eve party in Huddleston will be featuring musical guest Dragonfly. They will be performing at Benjamin's at The Pointe during the celebration! With great food, a champagne toast and more, there is no better way to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new!

In Roanoke you can attend the New Year's Eve Blast at Roanoke Civic Center or the New Year's Eve Gala at the Hotel Roanoke. The New Year's Eve Gala is a charity event that will feature a different band in both ballrooms. A balloon drop and champagne toast will round out the evening.

Now if you are looking for something a little more family friendly, you have a few different parties to choose from. You can celebrate the New Year at Still Waters Coffee House in Bedford. The admission is $20 per person and will include a dinner buffet, party favors and a non-alcoholic environment to ring in the New Year! In the Roanoke area you can enjoy an Enchanted Eve! The fun starts at 6pm and the first 500 kids will receive a free glow in the dark necklace! This celebration even includes fireworks at the stroke of twelve!

Over the last year, we have looked at all the different places and events available in Franklin County or Bedford County, VA. If you haven't had the chance to visit yet, make 2010 the year to come! Come for visit and if you like it, then move here! Happy New Year to you and yours from Vicki Millehan! Thank you for making 2009 a year to remember!

Twas the Night after Christmas on Smith Mountain Lake,
Nothing stirred on the water, no boat left a wake.
The Marina's were quiet, sailboats tucked in with care
In the hopes that quite soon, Spring would be here!

The anglers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of bass danced in their heads.
I with a glass of a sweet Bedford wine
Was enjoying the quiet and resting my mind.

When out on the lake there arose such clatter
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew in a dash,
I heard a boat rumble and a bit of a splash.

The moon on the water cast a beautiful glow,
So I could see clearly the objects below!
There on the water, what should appear,
But a man in a boat with eight tiny reindeer?

I hollered at my wife "you'd better come quick!"
For I knew in an instant that this was St Nick!
I pondered a moment, what's he doing here?
For Christmas has passed already this year.

Then through the dark I heard him call out,
As the reindeer were rocking the boat all about,
Closer and closer to shore the boat came
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
"To the middle of the boat, be careful don't rock,
Or we'll never make it to the tiny boat dock!"

When they made it to shore every one of them dry,
I let a out a whoop and St Nick heard my cry!
A smile on his lips and a nod of his head,
Soon let me to know I had nothing to dread.

So I asked him the question that burned in my mind
What was here at the lake that he hoped to find?
Imagine my shock when he states his desire,
To Smith Mountain Lake he wants to retire!

"I am looking for a place right here on the lake
A place with a pool, now that would be great!"
And I heard he exclaim as he sailed out of sight,
"Glad your Christmas was great! Now have a great night!"

author:KW

When you are ready to retire, come visit Smith Mountain Lake! If you like it then move here! Vicki Millehan can help you find your dream lakefront home in Franklin County or Bedford County Virginia.