Written by Mina Fies, Synergy Design & Construction

Many homeowners make assumptions about the general contractor or remodeling firm they pick for their remodel. You get a great first impression from the initial sales meeting, but, odds are those aren’t the same people who’ll actually be in your home doing the work every day.

Carpenters and construction crews will be in your life, around your kids and overseeing your investment each day of the project, so don’t forget to ask questions during the selection of a remodeling partner about the people actually doing the work:

• Are your carpenters in-house employees or subcontractors?
• Do I have a dedicated lead for my project?
• What training or certifications do workers have?
• What standards will the staff follow while they’re in my home?
• Who will have access to keys while work is being completed?

So much of a home remodel depends on labor, so it’s important you’re comfortable with the field expertise of your team.

While all of our carpenters are in-house team members, and one will be assigned a specifically oversee your project’s quality, safety and security protocols, not every company operates that way.

It takes a lot of trust to invite people into your home and we don’t take that lightly. Although many of our clients live in the home while we’re remodeling, others schedule their remodel while they’re out-of-town, or even relocating from outside of the area!

Regardless of who you choose to remodel your home, the point is to go beyond the initial sales call and find out who will actually be doing the work and overseeing your project.

Our Reno of the Month features a client who was living in Massachusetts during both the design and construction phases of their project.

We took all the necessary measures to ensure we delivered a perfect renovation while respecting safety and cleanliness, leaving nothing behind but a gorgeous, transformed home. Their neighbor even commented, “Thanks again for the neighborly way the crew handled everything. It’s really like we never knew you were there!”

Want to learn more about our team? Find out Who We Are!

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq.

Severance agreements are agreements that compensate an employee in exchange for their departure from an employment position.

Most employees are considered “at will,” which means they can resign and/or be terminated at any time. When employment ends, an employer may offer a severance package to an employee in exchange for the employee’s waiver of right to sue.

However, employers, in the absence of an employment contract, generally have no obligation to provide employees severance pay. If severance pay is offered, an employer will offer the employee a Severance Agreement.

Severance Agreements

A Severance Agreement is a contract between an employee and an employer that specifies the terms of an employment termination. Severance Agreements are also offered to employees who are laid off or facing retirement.

In addition, depending on the circumstances, a Severance Agreement may be offered to an employee who resigns or is terminated. The Severance Agreement must have consideration — i.e., something of value to which the employee is not already entitled.

Employers are usually required to provide an employee time to consider the Severance Agreement before signing. An employee typically has a 21-day consideration period to accept an employer’s Severance Agreement unless the employee is over 40 years of age.

The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) requires that an employer provide employees over 40 years of age with a 45-day consideration period and at least a 7-day revocation period.

There are various ways that Severance Agreements are used:

• An employee is terminated and the employer then offers a Severance Agreement;
• An employee has been terminated, no Severance Agreement was proposed by the employer but the employee approaches the employer seeking one; or
• An employee wants to resign and seeks to negotiate severance.

Some of the issues to consider in a Settlement Agreement may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Financial terms
• Tax consequences and timing of severance payments
• Confidentiality
• Continuation of employment benefits
• Rights to unemployment compensation
• Release of Claims
• Non-Disparagement
• Re-employment possibilities
• Scope of non-competition
• Preservation of trade secrets
• References
• Recommendation letters
• Applicable law
• Consequences of violating the Severance Agreement

Severance Agreements often include a General Release (Waiver) that stipulates the employee cannot sue his or her employer for wrongful termination or attempt to seek unemployment benefits.

Before an employee signs a Severance Agreement, he or she should consult with an attorney to discuss the rights that he or she may be waiving and the terms of the Severance Agreement.

Conclusion

When facing a severance agreement it can be important to have the assistance and advice of counsel. If you need assistance with such an agreement or other employment issue, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on our Facebook page.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Last week I wrote about what drives a move. It’s rarely as simple as “I want a different house” and almost always “I want or am being driven into a different life.”

I think that one of my strengths as an agent has been to listen carefully for the driving cause of a home move and to be sensitive to the other issues associated with that cause. One of my favorite kinds of clients are the downsizers, or empty nesters. It can be such a great time of life — but one that can be fraught with a potent mix of excitement and nostalgia.

I remember the day my husband Rick and I knew it was time to give up our single family home on Buttermilk Lane. It was the fall; we were bagging up our 100th plus bag of leaves on a cold blustery November day and I thought, “Wow, I am so over this.”

Our youngest daughter had left that August for Georgia Tech so we were rattling around in our house, forever shouting to one another from the upstairs to the downstairs. It wasn’t a huge house but it was so much more than we needed and more importantly so much more than we wanted to maintain.

It seemed every weekend was dedicated to house maintenance or other related management. We were both seriously over it!

Our downsizing journey started on that cold afternoon in November. We made a side stop in a lovely townhouse overlooking the Van Gogh Bridge and ultimately landed in our perfectly sized Lake Anne condo. The townhouse was ultimately still too large and too vertical but was probably a necessary step for us in the transition process.

At the time that we decided to sell our Buttermilk Lane house I was not a real estate agent so we engaged an agent with good understanding of the Reston market and scheduled a walk-through of our home to discuss what needed to be done to get it ready to sell.

Our place was in pretty good shape — we had a few things to do but the vast majority of our effort was in purging the house of the accumulation of 15+ years’ worth of junk.

I was shocked at how long this step took. We started in November and were listed about 12 weeks later and it took every bit of those 12 weeks to get it ready.

In the end we had less junk, less to take care, less to worry about and lots more time. We also moved into a great community where a snowy day becomes a reason to host a casual pot-luck. Not a bad exchange.

Here are a few great downsizing options.

Open to different kinds of houses but want a great walkable community? Check out these great options.

Want a more urban experience with tons of dining options? Check out these Town Center options.

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

A number of states serve as laboratories for new employment laws that eventually make it to the Commonwealth of Virginia and other jurisdictions.

As we go through 2018, there are a number of new employment laws and bills that have been proposed or enacted by different states to improve employment conditions for employees. It should be interesting to see which ones eventually get enacted by Virginia or other counties and municipalities.

Here is a sampling of 5 new state employment laws in various jurisdictions:

1. Parental Leave: California has enacted a new law (SB 63) which requires businesses with at least 20 employees to provide 12 weeks of unpaid and job protected family leave for employees to bond with a new baby, an adoptee or for a foster care placement. The law would also prohibit an employer from refusing to pay for regular health care costs during the period of family leave.

2. Employer and Salary Information: California has enacted (AB 168), a new law which would prohibits an employer from seeking the salary history information of an applicant or relying upon the applicant’s salary history information as a factor in hiring or in setting an appropriate salary. Connecticut has passed a similar law (PA 18-8)

3. Social Media Information Protection Law: Vermont has enacted a new social medial privacy law (21 V.S.A. § 4951) which prohibits employers from requesting or requiring an employee to turn over their social media account information or to allow employer access to their social media accounts.

Virginia has been ahead of many states in these types of protections, enacting their own version of social media protection for employees (Virginia Code § 40.1-28.7:5). The new Vermont law has more enforcement mechanisms than the Virginia law should an employee be affected.

4. Ban the Box — Prior Criminal Conviction History: California has enacted a new law (AB 1008) which prohibits employers with more than 5 employees from asking applicants about criminal convictions on employment applications or at any time prior to receiving a conditional offer of employment.

After an offer has been extended, the employer may deny employment based on prior convictions, but must provide the applicant due process before a final decision is made. The new law also prohibits employers from considering or disseminating information about prior arrests not leading to convictions when conducting background checks.

5. Sexual Harassment/Domestic Violence Leave: California (AB-2366), New York and a number of other states have put forth bills that would give or enhance the ability of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking to use leave or receive accommodations from employers without being subject to retaliation.

Conclusion

When facing employment issues it can be important to have the assistance and advice of counsel.

If you need assistance with an employment issue, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on our Facebook page.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

One of the biggest surprises of being in real estate was realizing how little the work turns out to be about houses, and how much more it is about walking with people as they navigate different life transitions.

I love the HGTV real estate shows where the real estate agent shows a buyer 3 homes and voila, they pick a house, write a contract, move in and the next time you see them they’re at a house warming party — all this in 30 minutes.

As is often the case with realty TV, it’s not very real.

In real life people are dealing with all kinds of events that are driving them from one place to another place. Some are happy, some are sad, some are speculative, but it is mostly about life changes, marriage, births, deaths, retiring, divorcing, new jobs and lost jobs.

Sometimes it’s about more than one thing, a new marriage and a new job.

Change is almost always hard for people; we are rarely at our best when we’re moving through transitions. Real estate agents spend a lot of time with people who aren’t at their best, but they might be more real than if you had met them at a cocktail party.

It’s one of the things I like about my job, the connection that is made if only for a short while.

Here are the Reston numbers. There are currently 227 fully active properties on the market in Reston. We have 172 pending properties which leaves us with a little less than two months inventory. The Condo market is sluggish with days on market longer than other types of property. Pricing continues to be critical no matter what type of property you’re trying to sell.

Written by Mina Fies, Synergy Design & Construction

It’s summertime and the last thing on your mind is hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year.

It seemed like a great idea at the time when you committed, but now you have 24 people coming, it’s already June and you need to get going on your remodel.

If you don’t have time to remember to defrost something for dinner, how are you supposed to find time to pick a contractor who suits your project, fits your family’s crazy schedule and — equally as important — your budget?

If you’re already feeling swamped and overwhelmed, understanding and then aligning your renovation needs to the type of service a particular contractor provides is a HUGE time-saver.

There are many ways to renovate, so knowing what you need is the first step. Which one of these scenarios best describes you?

• You like a good DIY project on the weekend, but you know this one is above your level of expertise. If it doesn’t involve major design or architectural changes, it could be an easy ‘add’ for you to manage the little details of working with a handyman and coordinate with other trades for your project
• You’ve done a lot of remodeling before and you feel pretty savvy about what it takes to project manage a remodel. You love making design and material selections and don’t mind ordering materials yourself. In this case, you may find it easiest to work with a general contractor who will focus mainly on install and execution of your vision
• Your plate is full and you just don’t know where to start. Although you love design (HGTV is your go-to channel), you’re not confident on how to pull everything together and are afraid of making a mistake. When it comes to construction, you don’t want to be coordinating anything! In your case, a full-service design-build firm will guide you through your project from design all the way through to construction, do all the heavy lifting as well as project manage it along the way

Our featured renovation was for a client who fell into the 3rd category. They needed a whole home remodel for an active family with 2 teenagers who wanted spacious, bright, stylish but functional design that matched their busy lifestyle.

Knowing they didn’t have the design vision or time to project manage such a large remodel themselves, they quickly came to realize a design-build approach was the way to go.

The entire remodel was done while the family lived in the home.

Their new Kitchen is now the “heart of the home” and includes a stunning 9-foot plus island with rich blue cabinets and a White Himalaya polished granite countertop.

The new Mudroom/Laundry space has built-in cubbies for storage and even includes a tech-charging station.

The Master Bathroom is now a spa-like sanctuary, with a beautiful tiled shower and relaxing soaking tub. Additionally, a hall bath, guest bath and powder room were transformed into bright, modern spaces.

You can see more before and after projects on our website and learn how we help homeowners throughout Northern Virginia Renovate Happy™!

Not sure which remodeling approach is right for you? download our free “Ways to Renovate” guide to help get you started!

If you are single and have no kids, you may think spending money on an estate plan can wait. But if you own anything of value such as a home, you may want to rethink your decision.

Imagine that you live in Reston and your parents live in California. The unthinkable happens to you and your grieving parents have to hire an attorney in Virginia to probate your intestate estate because you died without a will.

No one intentionally leaves their parents in this situation, but it happens all the time.

There are other benefits to making a will. Perhaps you have potential heirs that are entitled to receive your property if you die intestate and these potential heirs would squander any inheritance of your property.

Talking to an attorney will help identify and address how to effectively disinherit someone.

For example, it’s better to almost disinherit a person and incentivize them not to protest. For instance, if you have an estate of half a million dollars, you could leave a troublesome sibling $1,000 and combine that with a no-contest clause saying that anyone who challenges the will loses their inheritance.

Certainly, you have people in your life that you care about or maybe even a dog. How do you want them to be provided for?

Care enough to leave clear and legally rock-solid language about your wishes. If you do not leave clear instructions, your loved ones will have to navigate the complexities of the probate process while trying to grieve your loss. Think of making a will as an act of love to make life easier for those you leave behind.

Even if you are single and don’t have children, you need an estate plan. Contact us or call me at 703-712-8000 to set up a consultation and take the necessary steps to protect your assets and make provisions for the people (and things) that are important to you.

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

A substantial portion of the workforce has flocked to new types of employment, such as working for Uber, Lyft, GrubHub, TaskRabbit and others.

These employees have largely been classified by employers as contractors, instead of regular employees, to avoid paying their employment taxes and providing benefits. However, this may be starting to change with a recent decision from California.

“Gig” or “New economy” workers, such as drivers for popular driving services like Uber and Lyft, appear to be seeing a shift in their employment status under a new decision from the Supreme Court of California.

The case will make it significantly more difficult for companies in California to classify these drivers as independent contractors and avoid paying them wages and benefits as required by state law and may start a trend in other states, like Virginia.

Court Issues ABC Test

The California Supreme Court ruled in favor of workers for a document delivery service company, called Dynamex Operations West, who were seeking employment status.

The drivers for the delivery service brought their case to court several years ago, arguing that they were required to wear the company’s uniform and display its logo, while providing their own vehicles and incurring all the costs associated with the deliveries.

In the Dynamex case, the court instituted what it called the ABC test to determine whether workers should be considered employees or contractors using new and specific criteria.The new test presumes individuals are employees unless the company proves the following three criteria used to classify the individual as an independent contractor:

• The worker is free from the control and direction of the hirer in connection with the performance of the work, both under the contract for the performance of such work and in fact;
• The worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business; and
• The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as the work performed for the hiring entity.

It is believed that this decision will have a significant impact on companies that use independent contractors, such as Uber/Lyft, Amazon, Instacart, GrubHub and TaskRabbit. Notably, the decision could require such employers to apply this “ABC test” to their drivers and couriers, representing a change in the regular tests that typically apply to these types of employers.

Some other state courts have also begun adopting this new ABC test to determine employee status in light of changes to the types of employment in the new economy.

Conclusion

When facing employment issues it is important to have the assistance and advice of counsel. If you need assistance with an employment issue, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on our Facebook page.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

It was a really cold Spring. After last night’s crazy storm, it might not feel fully safe to venture out, but the good weather is upon us. It’s time to get outside.

I’m super excited about the outdoor season this year. On March 1 I had total hip replacement and am feeling stronger than I have in the past two years — so I’m excited to talk about the walking trails of Reston.

Reston Association maintains 55 miles of foot paths that cover every neighborhood in Reston, and they are a wonderful community asset. Even in Winter RA does a fantastic job of plowing the paths so you can still use them.

Fairfax County has a wonderful interactive map of all the paths so that you can plan your route before you head out. Wandering the RA paths is one of the best ways to get to know both North and South Reston. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite walks about town — but don’t stop with these.

Town Center to Lake Anne, North Reston

This walk is just shy of 1.5 miles and winds through a few of North Reston’s original neighborhoods — Coleson Cluster and Hickory Woods (I have a great house for sale in Coleson — check it out here).

It’s fun to have brunch at Town Center than wander down to Lake Anne to shop at the farmer’s market (starting in early May through November).

Lake Thoreau Loop, South Reston

This loop is just over 2 miles and circles around charming Lake Thoreau (where I guarantee you’ll decide you want to live) and past the Reston Regional Golf Course. Begin and end your loop at South Lakes Village with a coffee or delicious lunch.

Walker Nature Education Center and Glade, South Reston

There are many options for a walk from here. From the Center, follow the trailhead and see where it takes you! There is a short loop (probably a half mile), or you can venture off on the RA path that follows Glade. Whatever you choose, you will feel like you are miles from civilization. It’s a wonderful place to recharge. Read More

Written by Mina Fies, Synergy Design & Construction

Testimonials can be quite like Facebook — everyone puts their best foot forward and selected quotes usually only highlight a company in the best possible light.

As a result, many people skip over them. However, testimonials DO matter. Before you spend your hard earned dollars on a remodel, take a few moments to review testimonials to ensure you’ve found the perfect fit for your renovation partner.

Here’s our quick guide to meaningful testimonials:

• It might sound simple, but do the testimonials sound like they came from a real person? If they focus on the experience, and not just the end product, it’s a safe bet the client felt cared for during the process.
• Are there photos or videos of actual people on the website? Homeowners who had a great experience are usually willing to share their experience.
• Are before & after photos available and are they consistent with testimonials? If not, time to move on!
• Watch video testimonials — they are a great way to hear personal stories and opinions from genuinely satisfied customers.

Our featured Reno of the Month is a recently completed Master Bath and was the second remodel we completed for this client, having remodeled their kitchen a few years ago. Our clients had long dreamed of a sleek, stylish retreat that would transport them out of the builder-grade, basic-white Master Bathroom they had for many years.

While the footprint of the new bathroom mimics the old layout, the streamlined fixtures and materials bring new energy to the space and now truly reflect our clients’ modern tastes. Luxurious touches include back-lit vanity mirrors, a heated towel rack and a custom, teak-wood shower floor mat.

We treasure the trust our clients put in our team and feel fortunate to work on multiple projects for their family as needs change. Let them tell you in their own words why us.

Synergy believes partnership is the only way to go to ensure the remodeling journey is as fun as the destination. Our testimonials reflect our commitment to customer service and why, for us, it is not just a practice, it’s the driving force behind everything we do.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

I had a great real estate question this week. A friend who lives in a Lake Anne neighborhood wrote to say that the number of rentals had increased in her cluster; she was worried about the impact of that on the community and property values. She wanted to know “…what, if anything, could be done about it.”  A quick search of her cluster and determined that in her cluster were 27.5% absentee owners.

27.5% investor ownership is probably something that would be noticed in a smaller neighborhood. You might see more a little more transience with people coming and going and it can, not always, leave things looking a little less kept-up.

In condominiums lenders look at investor ownership levels as a part of assessing risk of lending in a particular condominium. If a condominium gets above 35% investor ownership some banks start looking for higher down payments from buyers and if a condominium gets to 50% investor ownership many banks will pass on lending all together.

So what can a townhouse cluster do to minimize the impact of higher investor ratios? Here are the recommendations I made to my friend who originally posed the question.

Push for strong covenants enforcement because this is where real damage can be done to a neighborhood with high investor ratios. Absentee owners can have an out of sight out of mind attitude about maintenance and tenants are rarely responsible for more than basic yard care.

Work with your cluster board to be tough about exterior repairs and maintenance. Form a group that looks for issues, don’t let absentee owners slide on violations. They are profiting from the rental of property and should shoulder their share of the burden of maintenance to keep the neighborhood as whole looking good.

This can be a great opportunity to keep a helpful eye on older owners who may not be as able to do some of heavy lifting required for exterior maintenance. Having a group of “helpers” that pitch in where needed will keep the neighborhood looking good and provide an excuse to check in on neighbors that might need a little assistance.

And finally, remember that tenants are also your neighbors — they don’t have full control of the property they occupy, but the more engaged everyone is in the well-being of the community the better.

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

Financial security concerns are the most common issue resulting the loss of of a security clearance. As a result, it is important that when a security clearance applicant or holder runs into financial issues that they act preemptively to protect their clearance.

In security clearance cases, financial issues are referred to as Guideline F cases. In Guideline F cases, the government’s concern is generally focused on how a person has handled his or her finances and/or his or her vulnerability to financial manipulation given a pattern of overspending or debt. The criteria for evaluating such cases are covered in Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD 4)

Here are 7 tips for clearance holders or applicants when dealing with financial debts and other issues:

1. Stay Current on Debts and/or Make Arrangements with Debtors.

Most security clearance clients seek our assistance when they have had multiple bills that are past due, delinquent, in collections or have been charged off. In some cases, the debts have been ignored.

In Guideline F cases, the existence of multiple, unpaid debts seems to be the most usual reason for the loss or denial of a security clearance. It is important to gain control of your finances in such situations in order to attempt to keep your security clearance.

2. Pay and File your Taxes.

Individuals in tax trouble or who fail to pay and/or file their taxes take a big risk in losing their security clearance. Tax issues tend to be viewed as more significant for security clearance purposes than regular debts because they are owed to the government.

If outstanding taxes or tax liens are too much for the individual to pay off all at once, it is important to try to work out a resolution plan with the IRS or state tax agency and show good faith towards resolving these debts in order to keep or obtain a security clearance.

3. Keep an Eye on your Credit Report.

Oftentimes, an individual has encountered difficulties in the security clearance process because incorrect information is listed on his or her credit reports.

Errors in credit reports are quite common. As a result, it is important for an individual applying for or holding a security clearance to keep a watchful eye on his or her credit report for errors and potential problems and to dispute debts that do not belong to the person.

4. Work with Creditors.

It can be easy to ignore a creditor, especially where the debt is part of a dispute, but it is always better for a clearance holder or seeker to get ahead of his or her credit problems than to wait until he or she receives notice of a possible denial of a security clearance.

An individual who recognizes a debt problem or allegation early and works towards resolving it early and before a clearance issue is raised tends to be given more credit towards the granting of the clearance as opposed to an individual who starts the process after he or she receives notice of the potential loss of the clearance.
Even if a creditor is non-responsive, it is important to try multiple times to communicate with the creditor in an effort to resolve these issues. Read More

Are you looking for an all natural, gluten-free treat? J-petal’s Japanese crepes and Thai rolled ice cream could be just want you need.

Inspired by Japanese crepes, J-petal’s founders put a twist on their recipes, then tested them out thousands of times before bringing them to the market. The Brooklyn-based shop has a Reston location that serves its crepes made with fresh fruit, vegetables and meats.

The J-petal Special, for instance, is loaded with in-house seasoned beef, chicken, shrimp, carrots, peppers, spinach, Japanese mayo and more. The menu offers more than a dozen crepes from savory to sweet. Plus, each crepe is crafted by a skilled chef so it doesn’t just taste great, it’s visually pleasing too.

Customers also love the made-to-order Thai rolled ice cream. Try a traditional Thai ice tea flavor or delve into a strawberry, Nutella and matcha combination. There are more than a half dozen flavors to try or you can create your own.

And don’t forget about the lightbulb drinks — there’s everything from mango colada and honey green iced tea to mojito virgin and thai ice tea. The weather is finally warming up, these are good bets to cool you down.

Interested in buying a new home or designing your own?  Get a glimpse of the best new construction homes that Northern Virginia has to offer — on Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m.!

Join the Keri Shull Team for an exclusive luxury tour around the latest and greatest new construction communities of Loudoun County including Toll Brothers, Beazer Homes and NVR Homes.

Hosted by New Construction Specialists from the Keri Shull Team, this luxury tour around Loudoun will take you through these new communities, while going over the ins-and-outs of building or buying a brand new home.

Perfect opportunity to discover your new home, meet your future developer or find your next inspiration!

Ride in style with the Keri Shull Team — Saturday, May 12! Wine and hors d’oeurves are included free of charge.

What’s Included With Your $49.99 Refundable Deposit

• Executive limo van transportation from Reston Limousine
• Boxed lunch from Pinstripes
• Keri Shull Team wine opener
• Expert guidance from the areas top new construction agents
• Private arranged VIP tour; exclusive insights for this tour only
• $250 Moving rebate from Town and Country Movers
• $100 credit towards labor from Charles Graves Painting
• Free staging consult if you have a home to sell
• Lifetime membership to our exclusive client events

For your deposit to be refunded, you must buy any home within the next 12 months from your tour date. Space is limited to 20 attendees, so sign up today before it fills up! Click here to register.

Event details

• What: VIP New Construction Limo Tour
• When: Saturday May 12, from 12-3 p.m.
• Where: Toll Brothers, Beazer Homes, and NVR Homes
• Cost: $49.99 refundable deposit
• Contact:  [email protected]or call 571-969-7653

Space is limited to 20 attendees, so sign up today before it fills up! Click here to register.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

While helping a couple narrow down the focus of their Reston home search recently, the husband made a statement that he would never own a condominium because the fees were in his opinion “a total rip-off.”

As a condo dweller and active in my condo for years, I’ve heard this sentiment on condo fees many times before.

When you own a townhouse or a single family home you understand that sooner or later you will have to replace your water heater, roof, windows, siding, appliances. Hopefully you have a financial plan that allows you to save for the replacement of things as they wear out. It is a “pay me now or pay me later” situation, but you are going to pay.

When you defer home maintenance you won’t get top dollar for your property when you go to sell. Most people would prefer to save a little bit each month in anticipation of home repairs rather than face a large unplanned expense. Condo management requires this forced savings.

Every year condominiums (in Virginia) are required to confirm that they are reserving enough money to repair, replace and maintain the property. If a condo has not adequately reserved (saved) the money needed to make repairs and has a sudden failure in a common element, it must make a special assessment in order to make whatever repairs are needed to maintain the property.

So, a rip-off? Not if your property is properly maintained.

What are my condo fees paying for anyway?

In a condominium, the fees fund two categories: operating expense and reserve funds. The operating expenses are the monthly costs required for trash, grounds maintenance and snow removal, administration and condo management.

The reserve funds represent the anticipated cost of replacing and repairing common elements of the property like roofs, sidewalks and elevators. The amount of money needed in the reserve fund is determined by a study which by law, is undertaken at least every 5 years for the purpose of determining how much money is needed to repair, replace and restore the capital components of the property. Every year condominiums (in Virginia) are required to review their study results and confirm that they are reserving enough money to repair, replace and maintain the property.

Before you choose this form of own ownership consider:

• Condo life involves a lot of governance
• Well-run condos always include an active membership

Some leadership decisions might be unpopular, but ultimately protect the membership from unplanned assessments by insuring that reserves are adequate to meet the expected and unexpected repairs

When looking at condominium ownership, you will have a chance to review a resale package that will include the condominium bylaws, rules and regulations, current financial reports and audited financial reports. Review these carefully looking for potential problems. Questions to ask should include:

• What do the audited financial statements say about the reserve funds? Are they adequate?
• What major projects/repairs are anticipated for the upcoming year?
• What projects were completed in the prior year?

The other thing to consider is what type of condo environment are you looking at? Is there a doorman or a concierge? The cost of people always goes up, so if you are looking at a condo with these types of amenities you should expect a slow steady rise in condo fees. Read More