Your Property Tax * Just for Fun :)

Your house as seen by...

~Yourself

~Your Buyer...

~Your Lender...

~Your Appraiser...

~Your County Tax Assesor...

General Public Invited to FREE Master Gardener Meeting March 5!

The public is invited to attend the free Master Gardener Volunteer Monthly educational meeting Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Loudoun Extension Office, 30 Catoctin Circle, S.E. (Wachovia Bank Building), Suite B, Leesburg.

Keith Tomlinson, Managing Director Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, will address the topic, "Using Native Plants: Combining Ecology and Aesthetics".

Tomlinson's current emphasis is use of native plants in the landscape. He has twenty-five years combined experience in field botany, herbarium curation (vascular & non-vascular flora), living collections management, cultural & bio-geography, wilderness travel, rock climbing, gardening and environmental education.

For more information about the meeting or the Loudoun County Master Gardener program visit the website:www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org or call the Loudoun Extension Office at 703-777-0373. Debbie Dillion coordinates the Master Gardener Volunteer program.

Color Psychology: Choose the Right Color for Your Listings

February 16, 2009

Is there a science behind selecting the right colors for your listings? In this month’s Realtor® Magazine, I spoke with experts in the field of design psychology to learn how the color on the walls may affect buyers’ moods. (Read the article: “Can Color Cost You a Sale?”)

For years, psychological research has been offering insights into how the brain reacts to color choices. Such research is often tapped by the marketing field in making products more desirable to buyers.

Can these same studies be applied to motivating such big purchases as a home? It’s a leap, but at a subconscious level, certain colors on walls may evoke buyers who enter a home to feel more welcoming and even warmer (which may be particularly nice for rooms in chilly areas of the home).

A recent study by lead researcher Juliet Zhu of the University of British Columbia found that red seems to improve attention to detail. (The findings appeared this month in the journal Science.) The researchers speculated that we’re taught at a young age that red means danger so red might slow us down and prompt us to zoom in on details (so would that make it a good choice for, say, surrounding the fireplace or to bring out other key details in your listing?).

While color preferences and psychological responses vary, research has revealed some of the following commonalities, according to The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute and Architects Design Group (also included below is suggestions of what rooms the color may work best in).

• Red: Increases energy and heart rate, creates excitement and stimulates the appetite. Best for: Dining rooms
  
• Orange: Adds comfort, warmth, and cheerfulness and too much can bring about feelings of cautiousness. Best for: Living rooms and family rooms
  
• Yellow: Brightens mood and promotes welcoming and joyful feelings; increases positive thinking. Best for: Poorly lit foyers and dark hallways; buttery shades of yellow for living rooms
  
• Green: Most restful color. Reduces nervous system activity and muscular tension, calms and relaxes, offers reminders of nature. Best for: Living rooms (light greens); accent for kitchens and dining rooms (midtones).
  
• Blue: Promotes feelings of calmness, security, tranquility, and cleanliness; lowers blood pressure, cools a room, and serves as an appetite suppressant. Best for: Bedrooms or any restful, peaceful area in a home.
  
• Purple: Boosts creativity, imagination, and meditation, but can have unpleasant subconscious responses. Many adults dislike purple walls, particularly lighter shades of purple that are perceived as more youthful. Best for: Children’s bedrooms and play areas.

So, what do you think? Should science guide our paint choices?

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey
Article taken from http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/?p=365&WT.mc_id=LS021809&CAT=Sales

Trump buys Lowes Island Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia!

February 14, 2009

It's official: Donald Trump has purchased the Lowes Island Club, making the Washington region part of his luxury golf empire.

'This place, when it's finished, will be the finest club anywhere in the country,' he told The Washington Post last night. 'There will be nothing like it. I already own the best ones, so I know.'

The private country club has been on the market since last summer, for a reported asking price of $18 million, by owner Chevy Chase Bank.

Trump, his son Eric and business advisers took a tour of the property last week, which sparked rumors that he was seriously interested in the purchase. An e-mail announcing the sale went out to members yesterday afternoon, and Trump confirmed the deal soon afterward. He declined to discuss the purchase price other than to say, 'I paid a lot.'

The flamboyant developer already owns seven award-winning courses -- in New York, Florida and California -- and has big plans for his new 800-acre property, which sits along the Potomac River in Sterling. First up: a name change to -- what else? -- 'Trump National Golf Club, Washington D.C.,' he said.

He's bringing in golf architect Tom Fazio to remake the two 18-hole championship courses, with plans to maximize the site's natural beauty. The clubhouse, pool and facilities will be renovated, he said. Trump said he expects it will take two years 'to make it great,' and he wasted no time getting started: He's already ordered 150 top-of-the-line golf carts.

He said he expects the club to be a destination for hosted parties and other high-profile events, much like his jewel in Palm Beach, Fla.: Mar-a-Lago.

As soon as word leaked that Trump was interested in Lowes, golf nuts in the Washington area started buzzing that he'll make a serious run at bringing all the big-name tournaments to his greens -- especially Tiger Woods, who holds a tournament at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda. 'Congressional doesn't have a chance,' Trump said yesterday.

The enthusiastic golfer -- Trump reportedly has a 7 handicap -- also expects some high-power golf partners. 'I look forward to teeing up with President Obama,' he said. 'He's a great-looking basketball player. I saw his golf swing, and it's got tremendous potential.'

Written by: Roxanne Roberts
Copyright © 2009 The Washington Post, All Rights Reserved.
Article taken from: http://www.topix.net/content/wapo/2009/02/trump-buys-lowes-island-golf-club-in-va

New Stimulus Bill additions regarding Real Estate

The economic stimulus package making its way through Congress is something that affects many if not most Virginia Realtors(R). Here's the latest information we have on it, specifically on provisions affecting real estate.

The House and Senate have agreed on a compromise bill, which still must be voted on by the House before -- assuming it passes -- being sent to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law. (You can read more details about the plan in general here.)

NAR staff has been tracking the bill, and released a statement earlier today.

Notable provisions in the almost-final bill:

• The repayment feature on the home buyer tax credit has been removed.
• The effective date of the tax credit, which is for up to $7,500, has been extended to September 1. "Households that purchase in 2009 using financing assistance from state and local mortgage bonds will be permitted to use the credit as well," according to NAR. ("If you bought in 2008 you are out of luck," said Ken Wingert, NAR's legislative representative in DC.)
• The 2008 FHA and conforming loan limits have apparently beenreinstated for 2009 ("except in those communities where the 2009limits are higher").
• Funding for states and localities for "neighborhood stabilization"is being made available, but no firm figure has been announced. NAR says "some news reports put the funding level at $2 billion."

There's more, including rental assistance,transportation-infractructure improvements, rural housing development,low-income housing grants, tax-exempt housing bonds, grants for energy retrofits for federally assisted housing.

In other words, there's a lot there. We will keep you updated and give you more detailed analysis as we know more.

Information Provided by:
Virginia Association of REALTORS(R)
10231 Telegraph Rd., Glen Allen, VA 23059
Tel (804) 264-5033 Fax (804) 262-0497 Toll Free (800) 755-8271
http://www.VARealtor.com

Installment of Recycling bins for Loudoun County Parks

Loudoun County's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) has begun placing recycling bins for bottles and cans next to existing litter receptacles at its three most frequentedf acilities, Claude Moore Park and Recreation Center in Sterling, the Potomack Lakes Sportsplex in Cascades, and Franklin Park in Purcellville.

Temporary recycling bins for special events and summer sporting activities have been used for several years at park sites thanks to a coordinated effort from PRCS, the Office of Solid Waste Management,and Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Facilities Services.Now with funding from the Virginia Litter Prevention and Recycling Grant Program, the parks are able to install permanent recycling bins that may be used throughout the year.

"PRCS is excited about this grant program which has allowed our department to offer this important opportunity to the community," said Steve Torpy, Assistant Director for Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services. "PRCS takes its role of managing many of Loudoun County's great natural resources very seriously and this program is yet another tool that we can use to educate the public about the negative effects of litter and the positive effects of recycling."

Article taken from Loudoun.gov

World's Priciest Cities To Own A Home

Those living in Monte Carlo may enjoy the Côte d’Azur's beaches, glamorous nightlife and status as a tax haven, but they pay for it.

For the second consecutive year, the resort area tops a list of the world's most expensive housing markets, boasting average prices of $4,420 per square foot. "Monte Carlo is a city of the rich, small and concentrated," says Matthew Montagu-Pollock, publisher of Globalpropertyguide.com, the online real estate research firm that released the report Monday. "The primary reasons for such high prices are related to a shortage of space and tax havens."

In Depth: World's Priciest Cities To Own A Home
Moscow ($1,937 per square foot) and London ($1,928 per square foot) ranked second and third. Moscow's one-spot jump to the top three was propelled by strong economic growth, partly a result of recent high oil prices, and a rise in residential real estate prices in the first three quarters of the year. Last year, the country experienced gross domestic product growth of 6%, according to the CIA's World Factbook.

A surprising turn was New York's drop to No. 6, from No. 2, as growth in Asian markets pushed Hong Kong and Tokyo to the top five. Residential apartment prices in Hong Kong and Tokyo were as high as $1,373 and $1,103 per square foot, respectively, in last year's survey. In New York, the average price per square foot was $1,384.1.

Mumbai, India, rounds out the top 10, with prices averaging $851 per square feet.

Such high property values are surprising during this global economic crisis, but they are a sign of historically high real wealth and global growth.

By Chavon Sutton,
Article taken from http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml

Inventory of Homes for Sale Declines

The number of homes listed for sale declined in many metropolitan areas in January, a month when the supply normally increases.

The supply of homes available for sale in 29 major metropolitan areas at the end of January was down 2.5% from a month earlier, according to figures compiled by ZipRealty Inc., a real-estate brokerage firm based in Emeryville, Calif. The ZipRealty data cover all single-family homes, condominiums and town houses listed on local multiple-listing services in metro areas where the firm operates.

On a national basis, inventories typically rise sharply in January after the holiday lull. Over the past 25 years, the average increase in January from the prior month has been 8.7%, though the supply has occasionally declined during January, according to Ivy Zelman, chief executive of Zelman & Associates, a research firm.

A shrinking supply is a positive sign for housing demand, but it probably doesn't mean a rebound is at hand. Ms. Zelman doesn't see any near-term recovery for the market. She said the latest data reflect price-cutting by banks that has helped them clear more foreclosed homes off the market. She added that homeowners who don't have an urgent need to sell are keeping their homes off the market amid falling prices.

Patrick Lashinsky, chief executive of ZipRealty, noted that inventories in December didn't shrink as much as usual. Sellers hoping to move in the summer may have put their homes on the market in late 2008 rather than waiting for January or February as usual because they know houses are generally taking longer to sell. Potential buyers are being very picky and spending more time looking, Mr. Lashinsky said.

Another provider of housing-market analysis, Altos Research LLC, says the number of listings in its 10-city composite index declined 3.3% in January from the prior month. Compared with the year-earlier month, the January inventory in the 29 metro areas covered by Zip was down about 13%.

Check it out on this interactive graph provided by the Wall Street Journal

Nine-Month Supply

Nationwide, about 3.7 million previously occupied homes were listed for sale at the end of December, according to the National Association of Realtors. That is enough to last about nine months at the current sales rate. A six-month supply has long been considered a rough balance between supply and demand.

These inventory data don't capture the entire housing supply, however. Newly constructed housing and foreclosed homes, a big part of the supply, aren't always included in Realtors' multiple-listing services. In addition, many people have taken their homes off the market in the hope of getting a better price later. Those homes will come back on the market eventually.

The Zip data don't cover New York City. But Miller Samuel Inc., an appraisal firm there, reports there were 9,627 cooperative apartments and condominiums on the market in Manhattan at the end of January, the highest level in the past decade. That was up 6% from December and up 36% from January 2008.

Write to James R. Hagerty at bob.hagerty@wsj.com

Article taken from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123422536299765681.html

Ready to buy a home? Contact Gina M. Tufano

http://www.ask-gina.com/

(703) 574-3478

gina@ask-gina.com

All of your real estate questions... answered.

Great News for the Economy provided by a Top Local Economist!

Dr. Fuller, one of region's top economists with George Mason Center for Regional Analysis, spoke today about where we've been and where we can expect to be heading in the near future. I summarized his PowerPoint below:

• The first quarter 2009 will be the worst quarter since the 1982 recession, which lasted 16 months. He predicted that the recession we're in now will last between 17 to 19 months. Where are in that cycle? The 14th month.
• So what's the good news? "By the time you're back from your summer vacations our regional economy will start to perform better," said Fuller.The DC region will enter a recovery cycle in about 5 to 6 months. As before, our region will bounce back before most of the nation.
• Need to buy a house? The residential market is about through its downward cycle here. Residential permits for housing in the District were higher in December 2008 then they were in December 2007.
• Need to finance a house? He predicted that mortgage rates would drop to around 4% within the next two months; and, most likely increase to between 6% - 7% by 2011 due to inflationary pressures.
• So what about the job market? Unemployment usually lags behind the economy by about two years. The unemployment rate will most likely rise to 9.5%, peaking in the first quarter 2010. Nationally, job losses could continue through 2011. Predictions for job growth for the DC metro region in 2009 are between 20,000 - 23,700 new jobs (these are full-time workers - not self employed, contract workers, or part-timers). Our average job growth is around 45,000 jobs per year in this region.
• The Federal government will increase its presence in our market growing to 33.3% of the employment sector. Associations will shrink some, and health, education, and the professional service sectors will continue job growth.

At the Public Hearing last night Mon. 2/9, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously 9-0 to approve the use of proffer funding for River Bank Street sidewalk between Algonkian Parkway and Rivercrest. More to come from the Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services (OTS) re: planning & design, bid, and construction process and timeline.

The County Staff did not quote us any specific time frame, but we can estimate the work should be started in the next 6 - 12 months if the process goes as expected. I did bring up the concern with the lack of lighting along this same stretch. This is something our 3 HOAs need to request through Dominion Virgina Power and pay for independent of Loudoun County. However, the County Staff agreed to work with Dominion to lay the wiring and other prep work at the same time that Loudoun county is digging the ground for the sidewalk.

And for those of you who were concerned where this money is coming from in this tough economic times. The money has been sitting there for many years in the proffers that the developers have paid for the overall improvement projects of the neighborhood. There's still more funding left in this proffer and it is being advertised to be used on other critical pedestrian or transportation projects. So the sidewalk funding is not coming out of people's general tax funds or gas tax money.

All of this is GREAT NEWS for pedestrian & bicycle safety and connectivity of Rivercrest and our neighboring HOAs to Great Falls Plaza, Algonkian Regional Park, and Loudoun Transit!!

THANK YOU for signing the Rivercrest petition - 150 signatures and other Rivercrest residents who signed the River Bank Woods Petition!

Please take the time to email a note of Thanks to Supervisor Buckley and her hard working Staff (use either of these addresses): "Debra Jenkins" "Pam Lettie"

Many thanks to President of Riverbank Woods HOA, Mike Morgan, for his continued hard work on this every step of the way since 2006! We all need to thank Sue Wilkinson for sitting out there in the cold gathering signatures for the petition, it was a huge boost to our cause. And finally, thanks for the Board members for passing and signing the resolution to support the installation of the sidewalk.

Shiva Chen
Communications and Safety Committees volunteer

Bright Little Ideas to Put the Sun to Work at Home

You may not be able to spend thousands of dollars to convert your house to solar power right now. But there are smaller, less expensive ways to do your environmental part with the sun’s help. Many solar products are available, though there are limits to what some can do. Still, anything to reduce your carbon footprint is worth doing.

Solar computer bag: Voltaic Systems’ Generator bag ($499, www.voltaicsystems.com) uses the sun to charge a computer notebook. The battery pack included stores a charge that will deliver the required power automatically. Also included: adapters for cell phones and other portable equipment.

Solar charger: Solar Style’s SC002NBC ($59.99, www.solarstyle.com) will charge cell phones, PDAs, MP3s, handheld video games and digital cameras, as well as operate radios, CD players and other portable devices. It also has an emergency light and can be used with a car adapter or plugged into a regular outlet.

Wireless speaker: With the Arius solar-powered wireless speaker ($260, www.novatechgadgets.com), you can have music outside without running wires. You can even plug an iPod directly into the weatherproof speaker. Fifteen watts of sound are produced; technology and signals are transmitted through walls, floors and ceilings up to 150 feet away. Once fully charged, the speaker lasts eight to 10 hours.

Water bottle: During the day, the bottle stores a solar charge (the water doesn’t heat up); at night, it’s a spare LED lantern ($19.95 www.nexusgadgets.com).

Portable multiband radio: This unit ($69.95, www.global-merchants.com) has four shortwave bands, a medium-wave band, FM, two television bands, and a weather band. It can be powered by the sun, by dynamo (cranking), battery (not included) or AC/DC adapter (included).

Bluetooth car kit: Iqua Vizor SUN ($110, www.store.apple.com) is a hands-free speaker that clips onto the visor and uses solar power to recharge. When your visor’s up, the solar panel doesn’t get any sun, however. Battery life is 20 hours. Dedicated buttons let you answer and end calls and access other features.

Computer keyboard: Proponents of the Cherry CyMotion Master Solar M86-21950 ($135, www.nationalbarcode.com) say it’s the first step to a solar-powered PC. The keyboard charges with operating, has 10 side-mounted keys for horizontal and vertical navigation, and allows quick access to complicated key sequences. Nineteen programmable function keys allow access to multimedia, Internet or other commonly used programs.

Speed racer, mini division: The World’s Smallest Solar Car ($19.95, www.earthtechproducts.com) has adjustable steering and rubber tires, for fun on tabletops or smooth surfaces wherever there’s sunshine. Excellent for demonstrating solar power in action; not so good for long trips.

By Alan J. Heavens
© 2009, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Article taken from http://rismedia.com/2009-02-08/bright-little-ideas-to-put-the-sun-to-work-at-home/

Possible Closing of Sterling Park Library * Sign the Petition to keep this Educational Resource Open!

As many of you know, the Louduoun County Board of Supervisors is considering several options to trim the county libraries budget, one of which is the closure of the Sterling Park branch. As a former reference librarian for that branch, I can attest to the the fact that it is a much needed community resource. The library provides access to a wealth of resources to which members of the community might not otherwise have access. The library provides a place for teens to meet, keeping them off the streets in an ever troubled neighborhood. It provides a place for immigrants to work on their English skills, thereby better assimilating them into our culture. Moreover, many residents of Sterling Park do not have a means of transportation to the Cascades branch. The Sterling Library is a well-utilized branch with a very deserving clientele. I would hate to see the Sterling Park community disenfranchised, especially in hard economic times.

If you feel as I do, I urge you to sign a petition to keep the branch open.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savesterlinglibrary/index.html


You might also wish to email your thoughts to the Library Board of Trustees and the Board of Supervisors at the following addresses:

Board of Trustees emails-
sssstewart@aol.com
karen@montfamily.com
jburton@loudoun.gov
cchapman@liquidmachines.com
judyecoughlin@verizon.net
gmgagne@earthlink.net
jgmannsenior@gmail.com
dan@mbecc.com
nancy.nuell@montgomerycollege.edu
s.volpe@comcast.net

Board of Supervisors emails-
scott.york@loudoun.gov
susan.buckley@loudoun.gov
jim.burton@loudoun.gov
lori.waters@loudoun.gov
sally.kurtz@loudoun.gov
stevens.miller@loudoun.gov
supervisor.kelly.burk@loudoun.gov
andrea.mcgimsey@loudoun.gov
eugene.delgaudio@loudoun.gov

Thanks for your support!

LCSO Report: Watch Out for this Texting Scam!

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office issued awarning Friday regarding cell-phone texting scams that attempt to obtainpersonal banking information from the victim.
The scam involves a bulk text message, called SMiShing, stating that your account has been compromised and to contact the given toll-free number. When the victim contacts the number it asks the victim to enter their bank account and pin numbers.

Locally the scam has involved Sprint cell phone customers and the text mentions the Loudoun Credit Union. There have been no reported victims of this scam in Loudoun County.

SMiShing is similar to Phishing where subjects use e-mail to attempt to fraudulently obtain personal information from a victim. The text messaging scam has been dubbed SMiShing, a term derived from SMS technology used for cell phone text messages.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit reminds residents to take a few precautions to protect themselves from becoming a victim of this scam:

• Never respond to unsolicited requests for personal financial information received via text message - even if the request appears to come from a legitimate institution that you do business with. This includes request to"confirm, verify or update" your information.
• Always know who you're dealing with. Don't click on links in text messages,or call numbers listed in text messages.
• Put passwords on all your financial accounts.
• Monitor your credit report regularly for signs of irregularities.

If you think you have been a victim of this scam you are asked to contact Investigator S. Tresselt of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.