Culture Right Outside Your Loudoun County Door

Living in Loudoun County means having first class productions and cultural events available right at your fingertips. Loudoun is home to acclaimed theaters, a cappella groups, orchestras and more. Here are just a few of the cultural offerings available in Loudoun that are worthy of even the most discriminating musical critic...

The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra boasts acclaimed composers, vocalists, and instrumentalists. They have a wide variety of cultural offerings from chamber music concerts to children's concerts, as well as collaborations with other arts organizations.

Best of all, because of the generosity of the Loudoun community and the volunteers that make up a large part of the organization, ticket prices have remained quite low. Only $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and free for all those 18 and under.

This Saturday at 4 p.m.in Stone Bridge High School’s auditorium is the annual Family Concert Series. The production will include dance and musical stories featuring narrator Don O’Brien and the Loudoun Ballet Company in Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Loudoun storyteller Laura J. Bobrow in Daniel Dorff’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

For further information or to purchase advance tickets, call 703-771-8287 or e-mail admin@loudounsymphony.org.

Loudoun County is also lucky enough to have the Masters Singers of Virginia, a premiere mixed choral ensemble located right in Ashburn, VA. Can you imagine having performances available right outside your door that have been quoted to be "Among the state's finest choral ensembles" by the Washington Post?

The ensemble primarily Concentrates in 20th- and 21st-century music. They are able to take modern music, sing with on-the-spot intonation and create a timeless performance enjoyable to all ages.

Their upcoming winter 2010 performance will highlight Frank Martin’s Mass, but will also include Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere, Henryk Gorecki’s Broad Waters and works by Ernani Aguiar, Maurice Ravel and Jack Halloran. Each concert will feature a lecture on the evening’s selected music, and will be followed by a reception featuring complimentary drinks and finger foods. The Ashburn event will take place at Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church on March 6, at 8 p.m.

For further information, including details on remaining season performances, call 703-655-7809 or visit www.msva.org.

That is just the beginning when it comes to culture and events in Loudoun. If you ever are looking for a great event in Loudoun or simply want to look around, feel free to contact me any time. My community page is also a great resource to browse through.

Helena Talbot
Broker/Owner
Exit Realty Talbot and Company 

Phone: 703-574-3800

Email: Helena@mris.com
www.loudouncountyonline.com

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Weekly Market Activity Report: The Market Got Snowed In!

You never realize how much one event can affect so many other things until you look back on the results after the fact. Remember that huge snow storm on Virginia? Well that one event stopped people from house hunting and house selling and basically halted overall market activity.

The week ending February 13th, new listings dropped 1200 units and accepted offers dropped 900 units. The good news about seeing numbers drop that low is that they are showing signs of coming back up pretty fast.

New listings are still down compared to last year, but pending sales are up. Active listings sales are down compared to last year, but up compared to 2003.

Let's hope that the promise of spring ahead will have the opposite affect on the market that this whale of a snow storm did.

For the full MRIS Weekly Market Activity Report, click here.

Helena Talbot
Broker/Owner
Exit Realty Talbot and Company 

Phone: 703-574-3800

Email: Helena@mris.com
www.loudouncountyonline.com

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Never Average in Loudoun County. Just Listed - Magnificent Lessburg Home

Every once in awhile, a one-of-a-kind property comes along that is so magnificent that even a REALTOR that sees homes every day is in awe of its beauty. My newest listing is one of those special homes. With features like 9 ft. + ceilings, custom touches like tray ceilings and a stunning master bedroom suite, this Leesburg real estate is not your average home. But then again, Loudoun County is never average...

Welcome to 43568 Calamus Creek - A Custom Grand Monet Renaissance home on a large .42 acre lot that boasts numerous updates throughout. The entry is a soaring 2-story foyer which greets you with sophistication. Follow the hardwood flooring throughout the main level as it leads you to the two story great room featuring custom fireplace and floor to ceiling windows. A cozy living room offers another option for relaxing next to a warm fireplace. Or choose to entertain on the lower level recreation room where space abounds and there is direct access to the outdoors.

The kitchen is the perfect combination of comfort and class with every amenity at your fingertips. The granite countertop center island offers the perfect place for guests to watch the chef at work. For special occasions entertain guests in the grand formal dining room.

The master bedroom suite, complete with sitting area, walk-in closet, fireplace, tray ceiling and gorgeous pillars offers the ultimate retreat. The master bathroom completes the package with its jetted soaking tub and separate shower, ceramic tile and separate vanities.

To witness the changing seasons, find the sunroom addition your cold weather getaway. Wall to wall Palladian Windows and ceramic tile flooring give way to a bright and airy room all year round. The updated and extensive hardscaped landscaping is sure to impress all who visit this home.

If I have piqued your interest, don't hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to answer any questions about this home or give you a tour. If you can't make it for a real tour, start off with a virtual tour.

Helena Talbot
Broker/Owner
Exit Realty Talbot and Company 

Phone: 703-574-3800

Email: Helena@mris.com
www.loudouncountyonline.com

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Snowed In in Loudoun County

So in case you haven't heard, Loudoun County recently got snow. A lot of snow. Schools are closed. Some offices are closed. Bus services are canceled. And their is potential for another 10-20 inches of snow.

Of course the kids love it. They get to enjoy the day off, make snow forts, snow men, snow angels, snow balls, and pretty much any inanimate object you can think of that you can create with snow. Unfortunately, as adults, we often claw at the walls feeling stuck inside the house, with no choice but to cancel normally unbreakable plans in our hectic schedules.

But what if we looked at this time differently? Instead of feeling claustrophobic in your home, look around and see the walls open up with opportunity. Use this as a time to do all of the things that you never do in your home because you never have the time.

Closet De-Cluttering: Clean the closets of all your clothes from last season that you never wear anymore. It's a great way to clear the clutter and make way for that new spring wardrobe. If you get the kids involved, it's the perfect opportunity to teach the kids a lesson along the way by gathering the clothes together to give away to charity.

Basement or Attic Clean Up: So you have an unfinished basement or attic that you mostly use for storage? That doesn't mean that you can't make steps towards a finished basement. It significantly increases the value of your home and offers a whole other living area for the household. Start small. Clear out one area of the basement and dedicate it strictly to leisure - a small workout area, a board game space, a small table and chair to use as a workshop area for you. Once you see how much you like having the added space, you will be inspired to clear up the entire basement and start laying down carpet.

Mattresses Cleaning: You should clean all of the mattresses in the house twice a year to keep dust mites under control. Vacuum the top and bottom of the mattress, vacuum the box springs, then flip the mattress for a new top. To finish it off, wash your sheets in hot water.

Pantry Clean Up: Sort through your pantry and throw away anything that is past its expiration date. This is another good opportunity to give to charity if you have more canned food than you know what to do with.

Have some fun! At this point, the kids might have come back inside from their snow adventure. They are bouncing off the walls, and you are getting restless from all of the cleaning. You should have some fun too! Use this time as family bonding time - when else are you going to have everybody in one place with nowhere else to go? Break out the board games for family game night, bake up a storm in the kitchen to fill the house with enticing smells, or have a movie marathon - watching all the family favorites.

We all get busy in our daily lives. Sometimes it takes a big snowstorm like the one that hit Loudoun County to stop, re-assess, and really enjoy the things that matter. If you are looking to make a home for yourself in Loudoun, give me a call.

Helena Talbot
Broker/Owner
Exit Realty Talbot and Company 

Phone: 703-574-3800

Email: Helena@mris.com
www.loudouncountyonline.com

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7 Tips for New Homeowners in Loudoun County!

If you are in the market for buying a home; I know of an exceptional place! Loudoun County is an idyllic place to call home as new and exciting things abound in its' peaceful and quaint setting. Buyers of all kinds find its charm, location and beautiful surroundings hard to resist.

It's no surprise then, that first time home buyers choose to settle down in Loudoun County and make it their permanent home. There's a sense of excitement and mystery that surround making this decision for the first time. Dreams of having a living space that is solely "yours", not being answerable to a landlord for paint colors or home improvements seem surreal. Loudoun County is filled with gorgeous homes and many options for find that ideal home to fit your needs!

In all the excitement, it can be easy for first time buyers to get carried away in wanting to do everything at once. Below are 7 tips to ensure that the transition and whole experience is enjoyable for years to come.


1. Don't Overspend on Furniture and Remodeling - Give yourself time to adjust to the expenses of home ownership and rebuild your savings – the new kitchen you’ve been wanting will still be waiting for you when you can more comfortably afford them.

2. Don't Ignore Important Maintenance Items - While you should exercise restraint in purchasing the nonessentials, you shouldn't neglect any problem that puts you in danger or could get worse over time, turning relatively small problem into a much larger and costlier one.

3. Hire Qualified Contractors - Hiring professionals to do work you don't know how to do is the best way to keep your home in top condition and avoid injuring yourself.

4. Get Help With Your Tax Return - Home ownership significantly changes most people's tax situations and the deductions they are eligible to claim. Just getting your taxes professionally done for one year can give you a template to use in future years if you want to continue doing your taxes yourself.

5. Keep Receipts for Home Improvements - When you sell your home, you can use these costs to increase your home's basis, which can help you to maximize your tax-free earnings on the sale of your home.

6. Don't Confuse a Repair with an Improvement - Unfortunately, not all home expenses are treated equally for the purpose of determining your home's basis. The IRS considers repairs to be part and parcel of home ownership -something that preserves the home's original value, but does not enhance its value.

7. Get Properly Insured - Your mortgage lender requires you not only to purchase homeowners insurance, but also to purchase enough to fully replace the property in the event of a total loss. But that's not the only insurance coverage you need as a homeowner.

Read the full article 7 Smart Steps Every New Homeowner Should Take on Realtor.org.


If you're a first time home buyer or are wanting a change of scene; I would enjoy answering any questions you may have about Loudoun County! Come see why so many love to call this charming place "home".



Helena Talbot
Broker/Owner
Exit Realty Talbot and Company 

Phone: 703-574-3800

Email: Helena@mris.com
www.loudouncountyonline.com

My Featured Listings

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