Archive for October, 2009
Temporary Podcast Technical Difficulty
October 18th, 2009 categories: Uncategorized
Just a quick FYI to any of our readers and listeners who may have been playing our Chantilly Radio podcast. 
Our prime podcast hosting service, Podbean, has been experiencing technical difficulties. It has caused some “breaking up” in the sound of our podcasts.
If you experienced any difficulties in listening to any of the shows, please know it is being addressed and we will let you know as soon as the issue is resolved.
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Selling Your Home While Caring For Your Pet Dog – Part 3
October 17th, 2009 categories: Home Life, PODCASTS, Seller Strategies
EPISODE 21 – REAL ESTATE IN CHANTILLY
How do you best care for your pet dog while selling your home?
If you see the sale of your Chantilly or Northern Virginia area home upcoming, and you have wondered about how to manage the process of caring for your pet dog while doing the best job of getting your home sold well, start with the first episode in this series to gain insights from professional dog trainer, and certified Grand Master, Kelley Renshaw, owner of Bark Busters, a Chantilly area dog training service.
This episode (21) focuses on three of the most common problems dog owners face, and how to start the process of solving each one. There are not usually quick and immediate “silver bullets,” but most issues can be solved with simple strategies, persistently applied.
If you are a Chantilly area home seller, home buyer, or a home owner who wants to “live happily with your pet dog,” you will find lots in information from someone who is working with and helping to solve pet problems every day.
Download this episode (right click and save)
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Selling Your Home While Caring For Your Pet Dog – Part 2
October 12th, 2009 categories: Home Life, PODCASTS, Seller Strategies
EPISODE 20 – REAL ESTATE IN CHANTILLY
If you are planning on buying a Chantilly or Northern Virginia area home, and you are also going to acquire a pet dog to “joint the family,” then this series on living happily with your pet dog will help.
Or, maybe you already have that pet dog but are interested in solving or, better yet, preventing dog behavioral problems. If so, give a listen to our interview with professional dog trainer Kelley Renshaw from Bark Busters in Chantilly, Virginia.
In this episode we continue our discussion, focusing on what to know before you acquire your pet dog. What are Kelley’s views on great family breeds…you may be surprised! What about pet stores, breeders, animal shelters? What motivates your dog? How about electric fences and other issues faced by home owners who live in areas where covenants may prevent physical fences?
Download this episode (right click and save)
If you are a Chantilly area home buyer or seller, or a home owner who just wants to know more about the care of your pet dog, check out this series.
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Real Estate Terms to Know: Escrow Account
October 11th, 2009 categories: Mortgage & Finance
When I work with new Chantilly area first-time home buyers, one of the terms that they will see more than once is “escrow amount.”
The term refers to something like a savings account for funds that have a specific real estate purpose. For example, it can be used for tax bills and homeowners insurance.
These accounts are normally held and managed by your mortgage company.
Typically, when you pay your monthly mortgage payment it will include 1/12 of the annual real estate tax bill, as well as 1/12 of the yearly homeowners insurance bill. There are variations in how this can happen, but when those “escrowed” amounts need adjustment, you will get notice from the mortgage company.
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While in the Outer Banks – Don’t Miss Roanoke Island Festival Park
October 10th, 2009 categories: Outer Banks Focus
Outer Banks real estate investors, and those interested in owning property in the OBX, don’t always have time to enjoy the many delights of this special region. But whether you are an OBX vacationer or someone who owns rental property, there are many terrific places to visit.
One good example is the Roanoke Island Festival Park. Very close to Nags Head and the other popular OBX communities, the Park is definitely worth your time. If you visit the OBX to enjoy the incredible natural beauty, including its unspoiled beaches, you may not be thinking about a visit to this Park. But if you want to add something very special to your next trip to OBX, you won’t be disappointed by a stop at this attraction.
Roanoke Island Festival Park - Manteo, North Carolina
A visit to the Park is a living history lesson for you, and especially good for the kids. Lots of fun, informative, and very well executed “living history” exhibits make this a genuine “attraction.” One example is the Elizabeth II, a full-blown replica of an era sailing ship, complete with enactors on board.
Elizabeth II Under Sail - Roanoke Island Festival Park
The really cool part of getting exposure to over 400 years of Outer Banks history is the live enactors and dynamic exhibits. Everything from the period games, to a working blacksmith, to traditional woodworking, as well as other exhibits that put you back in the time when these hearty and heroic pioneers settled in this region. Quite inspiring to see what laid the foundation we stand on today.
Blacksmith at Roanoke Island Festival Park
As we publish this feature, the Park staff is busy finishing an all new American Indian Town exhibit with an array of live experience features that we are told will be unique on the east coast. It looks impressive and will bring the Native American aspect of the era into sharp focus.
If all of this is not enough to put the Park on your list of places to visit, don’t forget you also have the Concert Series. More detailed information is available on their website.
Check out this local attraction that draws visitors from all over the country. It is not to be missed if you are touring the area.
By the way, if you are visiting this area with an eye toward OBX real estate, don’t miss our educational series on this topic at Chantilly Radio. You will want to know what we talk about before making your OBX investment or move.
Concert Area at Roanoke Island Festival Park
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Another money saver, and promotes good health too.
October 7th, 2009 categories: Home Life
Changing the air filter in your Heating/Air Conditioning system is easy, and it saves money. As this 1-minute video shows, you can waste a lot of energy and money with an inefficient HVAC system.
Many recommend changing the air filter every quarter, at a minimum. You may have circumstances that make more frequent filter replacement a good idea. Some examples:
- Homes with shedding pets
- Homes that have construction projects underway
- Brand-new homes with dust in the air
- Medical conditions such as asthma or allergies
It is also a very good idea to get the “Deluxe” filters. The cheap ones don’t do the job. You can also buy in bulk to save 15%
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Selling Your Home While Caring For Your Pet Dog – Part 1
October 4th, 2009 categories: Home Life, PODCASTS, Seller Strategies
If you see the sale of your Chantilly or Northern Virginia area home upcoming, and you have wondered about how to manage the process of caring for your pet dog while doing the best job of getting your home sold well, here are some insights from professional dog trainer Kelley Renshaw, owner of Bark Busters, a Chantilly area dog training service.
In this series of episodes on living happily with your pet dog, we begin by discussing how to care for your pet during the sale of your home. Safety is paramount, for the buyer, for you, and for your pet. What about boarding the pet? How do you select a quality kennel? Will crating work? How do you acclimate your pet to be comfortable with crating? What should you avoid when making these plans?
We start with caring for your pet dog during the sale of your home, and go on to discuss preventing and solving pet behavioral problems. If you are a dog owner you will benefit from the insights offered in this educational series. And please do remember, seek professional help when dealing with serious pet issues.
Download this episode (right click and save)
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International Gold Cup Races: Nice Family Adventure at The Plains
October 2nd, 2009 categories: Community Life
If you are a Northern Virginia home owner, or if you are a home buyer who will be living in the area, it can be easy to forget that there is another world of Virginia countryside not far away.
Scattered throughout the year there are easy “adventures” to enjoy, if you know about them. One such opportunity is the upcoming International Gold Cup Races on October 17, 2009, just a short drive out into the picturesque areas of The Plains,Virginia.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER WENZEL
This would be a terrific family day. You will see magnificent horses and their skilled riders in serious competition. I understand the cost is about $55.00 per car load. And the proceeds benefit a worthy cause, the Great Meadows Foundation.
In addition to the amazing spectacle of the races, this year’s event has scheduled Jersey Boys star, Joseph Leo Bwarie in attendance, to sing the National Anthem. Throw in a Porsche Sports Car Exhibit, and the general excitement of the whole event, and you are in store for a day you will remember for quite some time.
Tickets are available at Harris Teeter, and you can visit the Gold Cup website for more information.
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