Real Estate and Reston, VA: December 2011

I am not a Home Inspector, I am a Realtor. This is an important distinction as you read this particular post.

My clients always get Home Inspections. I have had one client--ever--waive a home inspection on a property (gee, good guess that it was during the crazy times) and we still did one the day of settlement (and I paid for it), just so she would know what she was getting.  In other words, I am a big believer in understanding as much as you can about a property.

I grew up in Reston, VA, swore I would never come back (who wants to return to their hometown after college? Not me!),  and, instead I came back almost immediately. Since then, I have married, raised my kids (mostly--the youngest is 15), owned 4 houses over 24 years and loved the time I have spent here. So what keeps me here? Here are 10 of the things I love about Reston, VA:

1. The People: I have wonderful neighbors and fantastic friends who have all settled here in Reston. I feel like I live in a really small town...but in the D.C. suburbs
2. The Trails: Miles and miles and miles of immaculately maintained trails wind in and around Reston. If you like to be outside, these trails are the best!
3. The Reston Association: They do a great job of keeping Reston well-manicured and you have never seen an organization do a better job of getting trails cleared following a snow!
4. The Shopping: Reston Town Center, Tysons Corner, Dulles Town Center, Fair Oaks, Bethesda, Downtown D.C. are all a short drive away.
5. The Beauty: Reston was created with a dream of maintaining great expanses of green spaces. It is a beautiful place to live--year round.
6. The Convenience: Besides mall shopping, there is every kind of store, bank, mechanic, and medical facility that you can imagine within minutes...
7. The Airport: Dulles Airport is 10 minutes away. If you travel for business, that makes it super easy. If you just travel, it is great to have a major airport so close by. BWI and Reagan National aren't too far away, either.
8. The Night Life: Reston Town Center has become a destination for things do in the evening--for people of all ages. Bars, restaurants, movies, ice skating, coffee shops,  and more give the residents of Reston,and the surrounding area, plenty of choices.
9. The Festivals: Throughout the year, there are all kinds of festivals held in Reston. It is a great way to learn something new, participate in the culture of Reston, and meet new people
10. The Diversity: Reston is a diverse community whether you are talking about income, housing, ethnic, political or social diversity. It is a community that welcomes everyone! There are homes of every type and at a variety of price points to encourage this mix of residents.
11. The Metro is coming! I know I said 10 things, but the opening of Reston's Metro station in 2013 will be very exciting for the community.

If you are interested in learning more about what makes Reston, Virginia such a special community, I would love to talk with you. Call, text or email me and we can begin the conversation.

There is always a lot of discussion about whether it is fair to push all graduating Seniors towards college. We are all familiar with the arguments in favor of college, but we don't always hear as much discussion about postponing college.

Today, December 4, 2011, is the Wolf Trap Foundation's Holiday Sing-A-Long. It is a fantastic kick-off to the holiday season. Be sure to bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Toys-for-Tots annual program

The Sing-A-Long begins  at 4:00 p.m. , at the  Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Va.

If you are going, be sure to bundle up, wear a holiday hat (Santa hats are everywhere), bring a candle to light and don't miss the volunteers handing out bells and songbooks.  Some years are colder than others and it is appropriate to bring blankets to keep warm. Hot chocolate and coffee are usually available for purchase.

So grab a new, unwrapped toy, your candles, some bells and the cold-weather-gear and tak the family to The Holiday Sing-A-Long! 

Herndon- Reston Youth Lacrosse (Herndon, VA) registration is now open, 12/3/11.

If you have ever considered having your child try lacrosse, one of the fastest growing youth sports in the country, Spring lacrosse with HRYL is a great place to start!

HRYL s part of the Northern Virginia Youth Lacrosse League.  Children participating in this local youth league feed into the South Lakes High School and Herndon High School programs. If you think your son or daughter might want to play in high school, they really need to come into tryouts with a solid skills foundation.

Efforts have been made to increase participation at the Youth Level so that the Reston High Schools (Herndon and South Lakes) can be competitive in thier respective districts. It really means that we need more youth participants learning to play at younger ages.

Help build our local high school programs by registering your child (or children) to play lacrosse for HRYL.

To register, please go to the HRYL wesbite Registration Page.

If I did not live in Reston, Virginia, there is a pretty good chance I would live in Leesburg, Virginia.

For years, my children attended school in Leesburg, VA and I got a pretty good sense of the wonderful community of Leesburg. It has a great downtown area and some of the most beautiful old homes in the area (I have always wanted one of those great old homes!).

If you work in the District, living in Leesburg is not for the feint of heart. The commutes can be long, but there is bus service, the Dulles Greenway, and, if all goes according to plan, eventually a metro line. There is, however, plenty of job opportunity within Loudoun County and Fairfax County, one of Loudoun's neighboring counties.

But you don't have to live in Leesburg to enjoy all the great stores and restaurants.  I often meet friends in Leesburg for lunch or dinner. Some of our favorite spots are Lightfoot (located in an old bank), Tuscarora Mill and the place fondly referred to as 'Gas Station Thai,' Thai Pan Restuarant.

The Washington Post published a Leesburg Neighborhood Guide that will get you started on your explorations.

Don't forget to stop by the  Cooley Art Gallery (owned by Redskin Chris Cooley--we Washingtonians love our Redskins--especially when they own an Art Gallery). There are also fantastic antique stores and specialty boutiques that you can explore, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time.

Just 35 miles from Washington D.C., Leesburg, Virginia is a great destination for an afternoon--or a lifetime!

If you are interested in exploring the homes for sale in Leesburg, Virginia, please call me to arrange a visit to this wonderful city, 571-643-4902.

Whether you are currently a resident of Reston,VA or considering a move here, you will probably enjoy the most recent edition of the Reston magazine. 

The Winter 2011 edition discusses the new Reston Metro Station (which many in Reston are excited to see completed), has an article about the new company that has purchased the Multiplex in the Town Center, Bow Tie Cinemas, and an article about restaurants and night spots in Reston.  You will find volunteer information, information about how RA handles snow clearing, tips on trimming your trees and more.

This magazine is a go-to resource for anyone who wants to understand how Reston operates and what it is like to live in this special community!

To read this magaine on line go to RESTON.