Real Estate and Reston, VA: December 2009

Be safe, be happy and enjoy your time with friends and family. This upcoming week is a great time to take stock of all that we have, and all that we can do to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. 

At this joyous time of year, I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year!


I will look forward to seeing all of my friends in 2010!

The Blizzard of 2009, Reston, Virginia. And the snow keeps coming!

If you are affected by the storm stay warm and safe. If you are not, enjoy the photos.

Maybe it is me, but the way the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays fell this year, I have been scrambling to get everything done in time for Christmas.  Part of my plan was a solid last minute shopping effort this weekend, as well as Monday and Tuesday.

Surprise! My holiday gift this year is clearly going to be an opportunity to rethink the madness and figure out how to make-do without the last minute consumer scramble; you see, we are expecting a major winter storm--maybe the worst December snowstorm in 30 Years!

I guess I will be giving my neighbors homemade cookies instead of store bought gifts. They will probably like them better anyway!

I guess those last minute stocking stuffers will have to be more creative than what I can find at Target. Do we really need all that 'stuff?'

I guess I will have time to get my Christmas cards sent before New Year. And I might have time to add a note or two!

If we get the storm they are predicting, the Washington DC area will shut down for 2 or 3 days. The area cannot deal with snow and many people have neither the vehicle nor the experience to drive in it. We traded in our 4 wheel drive truck a couple of years ago, so our vehicles are not terrible, but not great in the snow.

So I will put on my Christmas music, get the fireplace going, gather the family around and we will do our Christmas cards, bake our cookies, play in the snow and get out the board games.

Yes, Holly, there is a Santa Claus!

Yesterday, December 15, 2009, my husband had a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet with President Obama as the 'Cash for Caulkers' program was annonced in Alexandria, VA . This new program will offer homeowners financial incentives to weatherize thier homes. The government program is designed to help homeowners save money on their monthly bills, but also to take steps to reduce the amount of energy used in our country to heat and cool our homes.

My husband, BobWeatherwax , owns a company called Ardent 360,  in the D.C Metropolitan area, which is comprised of several home building/remodeling companies, one of which is Ardently Green. Last month Ardently Green won a large contract with a private group called Weatherize D.C. which has given them some local visibility.  In addition to helping homeowners audit and weatherize their homes, as part of the program, Ardently Green has formed a partnership with a local union to create jobs in the home energy reduction and green home products industry.  Ardently Green recently hired and trained a young man who was invited to sit in on the president's round table discussion yesterday.

As the President of the Ardently Green, my husband was invited to the event the press conference introducing this new program. He had the opportunity to shake hands and chat with President Obama.  I thought I would share the photos from this extraordinary opportunity (sorry for the quality of the pictures; the photographer was the guy sitting next to him).

This incentive is one that all homeowners should plan to take advantage of in 2010. Not everyone needed to buy a new car, during Cash for Clunkers, nor did everyone need new appliances during the appliance version, but all of us can benefit from a Home Energy Audit and the addition of extra insulation, caulking, new windows and/or doors, and other items designed to improve the weather sealing and energy efficiency in our homes.

Congratulations to Ardently Green--and my husband, Bob!

Last night I heard a story about a local foreclosure. I have been believing that many of these stories are tragic...but, this one is most certainly NOT. If anything, it reads a little bit like the Christmas story, "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens.

Imagine a neighborhood where the homes sell for between $950,000 and $1,400,000.  Now imagine an owner who refinanced last year, pulling a lot of cash out of his 15 year old home. His house had appreciated significantly in 15 years, and so he very likely pulled out a large sum of money.  He and his wife bought a new house (using the cash from the current house). He then went back to the bank and asked them to renegotiate the terms of his mortgage on house number 1. When they said no, he stopped paying his mortgage.  His house has gone in to foreclosure and was auctioned off on the courthouse steps. He is now moving in to his new home and leaving his former neighbors to deal with the ramifications of the foreclosure.

What ever happened to personal responsibility? Even if he had not been able to get all of the money he owes out of a sale, isn't he the type of person who should be doing a short sale? I guess he has decided that he would rather have a nicer house than a clean credit report--he already has his new house, after all. Too bad for all of those neighbors who might be getting ready to list their homes for a Spring sale.

While what this man and his wife did was probably not technically illegal, it is most certainly unethical.  It almost makes you wish the bank would take legal action against them. So those of us who continue to pay our mortgages (even if we don't like the terms anymore) will suffer with loss of value in our homes just because he was irritated and took the cowards way out.

It is this kind of story that makes cynics of all of us...and makes us doubt that the system is really working for the greater good. Can't you just imagine Ebenezer Scrooge handling the situation this way? No worries about how others are impacted, just a focus on getting what he wants at any cost. Of course, by the end of the Christmas Carol, we come to expect much better of Mr. Scrooge.  I am not sure that this story has quite the same happy ending.

I am a good consumer. As the mother of 3 teenagers, manager of the house and business owner, I work with a pretty fair number of retailers.

For all my spending, I am rewarded--I think. You see, I am constantly receiving discount coupons in the mail and on the Internet for my favorite stores.'That's a good thing,' I hear you saying. Well, yes and no.

You see, inevitably, I find myself with a couple of minutes to run in to a store and make a purchase and, alas, I recall the coupon sitting on my kitchen counter.  It never fails that the coupon I need is not with me.

I actually set up a folder to manage these coupons; when I sort the mail, I evaluate whether or not I will use a coupon, and if it makes the cut, it goes into the folder. If I am going shopping, I sort through and decide which coupons I am likely to need. I also spend a couple of minutes online checking out the latest discounts from different stores.

There is one particular  department store that I no longer go to because they continue to offer coupons to anyone who is willing to shred their paper and carry coupons with them (and there is a new one every couple of day)s. I applaud this, in theory, but I never seem to have a coupon with me when I have the time to stop by a store and I refuse to pay more than the person in front of me for the same item! Guess what? I won't go to that department store. If they don't want my business--and for the same price as the next guy-- there are plenty of other retailers who do!

But back to the coupons...why can't the coupons we get be tied to the frequent buyer clubs that we are also required to join in order to get the coupons?  Is is just so that we demonstrate that we REALLY want the discount?  Isn't it enough that I give them my business, over and over and over (and they can see that by scanning my little fob)?

I feel like this coupon business has taken on a life of its own: besides my coupon folder, I have a special key ring for my store cards/fobs and a separate email for my on-line shopping (I can't manage my regular email for all of the ads I get from these retailers).  I am trying to stay on top of this coupon/discount business without having it become my whole life. My mother-in-law is a wonderful shopper. She takes advantage of all of the discounts and manages to get some amazing deals. She also doesn't work and has the luxury of actually planning out a shopping trip--instead of dashing in to pick up a last minute gift.

With the holidays, this coupon management has hit an all-time complexity. How are you dealing with it? Am I the only one who feels like this has gotten out of control??

Today is our first snow fall. I heard on the news this morning that in the Washington D.C. metro area in the past 5 years, 3 of them we received our first inch of snow on December 5. This year is no exception!

Luckily, we are all snugly tucked inside enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon.  The snow is beautiful, and so far, not so deep that it would prevent us from going any where. Of  course, if you are at all familiar with the area, this small amount of snow can be pretty paralyzing.  For that reason, I think I will stick close to home, sip on tea and enjoy our first snow fall of the winter season.

Here are some pictures from my front porch:

Enjoy your Saturday!

The best thing about getting a gift from your child is the delight on their face when you open it. This weekend at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls, Virginia, take your children to shop for gifts for you, friends and family. Volunteers will help them navigate the store and pick out just the right gift to make their face light up. I took my kids to this event when they were small and they loved it!

Most gifts are $10 or less and Free Gift Wrapping is available.  Adults are requested to wait outside while the little ones make their purchases.

Saturday (12/04/09), the shop will be open from 10-2.
Sunday (12/05/09) the shop will be open from 12-4
Monday  (12/06/09), from 1-4 pm (which is early dismissal day for Fairfax County Elementary Schools)

The historical Colvin Run Mill is located at the Corner of Colvin Run Rd. and Route 7,at  10017 Colvin Run Rd., Great Falls, VA 22066. Admission is free.

This Sunday is the Annual Holiday Sing-A-Long at The Wolf Trap Filene Center featuring, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and members of local choirs and vocal groups. Music for Christmas and Hanukkah will be played during the event. This amazing event is free to the public.

Bring a new, unwrapped toy and participate in the Toys-For-Tots program (this is strictly voluntary) to drop off at the entrance. During the performance, there will be a  'jing-a- long' during the playing of Jingle Bells, so bring an bell and play along. Bring a candle, too, and  join the candlelight processional during the last verse of Silent Night.

This event is my 17 year-old daughter's favorite holiday event. Since she will be away at college this time next year, I am truly looking forward to sharing this with her.

So gather your friends and family, bundle up warmly, find your candles and jingle bells and head to Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, December 4, 2009 at 4:00 pm. It is a great way to kick-off the holiday season, support the Toys-For-Tots program and begin a tradition that will continue for many years to come!

For more information, you can go to Holiday Sing Along page at the WolfTrap website.