Prince William County Real Estate Blog: August 2007

For some of you it has already happened.  However, for most of us on Tuesday September 4th BIG YELLOW will start delivering people's "heirs and assigns" to and from school.  Being careful with our driving anytime is just another opportunity for us to serve our community responsibly.  Of course, BIG YELLOW alerts us to this at the start of the new school year

Over the years I have developed a Buyer's Guide Booklet and have found it to be a very useful tool.

I offer it in

• Bound version
• Email pdf attachment
• PowerPoint presentation

It has been very effective for me, especially at Open Houses and as the first email contact with new users who register on my website

Actually, there are slugs throughout the Northern Virginia area.  Slug watchers report that sightings are time and location sensitive.  Sightings occur during the morning rush hour Monday to Friday primarily at commuter parking lots.

• Harry or Harriet Commuter park their car and join the slug line formed at the bus stop just outside the parking lot - they are now officially  a slug
• Donna or Dan Driver need one or two people to enable them to use the HOV lanes legally
• They pull up to the bus stop and inquire who is going to the Pentagon, State Department or wherever.
• The first person in line who meets that requirement steps out of line and into the car
• It is courteous, practical, efficient and economical.  Of course it is - it's not a governmemt program.

Is it safe?  In our 33 years as Northern Virginia residents I don't recall hearing of an untoward incident.

Unfortunately, Northern Virginia is among the most congested areas of the country due, in no small part, to our continued growth.  People speak about commuting time, not miles.  Folks in the outer suburbs are particularly hard hit.  Everyone cannot move back to the center core.  Slug lines are not the total solution, but they are a healthy and growing part of it. Take a look at SLUG LINES

CONTACT ME for assistance with SPRINGFIELD, FAIRFAX COUNTY or other NORTHERN VIRGINIA REAL ESTATE NEEDS.

Most REALTORS provide a Virtual Tour for their listings.  It has been my experience the vast majority of them are a collection of still photos uploaded to their Multiple Listing System software.  I create panoramic action shots both inside and outside the home.  The software I use allows me to have as many as 50 photos enabling me to add points of interest such as schools, libraries, parks, local shopping centers, pools, bus and subway stops, etc.

THE TWOFOLD APPROACH IS THAT

1. Each of my Virtual Tours has their own URL
2. I own a domain that has a link to the individual URL for each of my Virtual Tours

I have a rider on my For Sale sign pointing to that domain so that passersby can see the Virtual Tour at home without having to search online or call someone else to preview the home.

Absolutely not!! Springfield is neither an incorporated borough, township, town or city and does not have a mayor or council normally associated with an incorporated location.

WHY YOU ASK?  Springfield is a geographic location in Fairfax County.  It's boundaries are determined by 4 ZIP codes - 22150, 22151, 22152 and 22153

Here in the Commonwealth of Virginia if you live in a county (that's the vast majority of us) all of your services are provided by the county.  That includes schools, public safety, water and sewer, courts, libraries, hospitals etc.  The elected officials of the county are Supervisors and one of those folks is the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.  The day-to-day business of managing county agencies falls to the County Executive who serves at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors.  This is also true of the police chief, fire chief, and school superintendent.  The sheriff is elected as is the clerk of court.  Therefore, you only pay one tax - your real estate tax.  You do pay a water and sewer bill since that is a function of your personal usage.

ARE THERE TOWNS and CITIES IN VIRGINIA?  You bet there are. They have mayors and town or city councils just like other states.  They provide all of their own services and do not normally receive services from the surrounding counties.  However, there are instances where smaller incorporated towns and cities purchase services from the surrounding county such as school and water and sewer service.  You may have a seperate tax to defray the cost of these purchased services, but they are usually included in your municipal tax.

Quaint?  Not really, we've been doing it as long as there's been a United States of America.