Backyard Renovations

Backyard Renovations are usually last on our list, with indoor living spaces requiring attention first. (Who wants to live without a kitchen or bathroom? Not me!) It’s also harder to picture your dream outdoor oasis because there are no walls to define the space – making it difficult to know where to begin. We’re here to help you get started because having an amazing outdoor space can add livable square footage to your home.

Create Zones

Think about your yard, and what you’d like to use your yard for. Draw up a layout of your back yard, and divide up the space into zones. If you have children you can start dividing the space by creating an adult area, and a children’s area. Think playing, lounging, entertaining, as you decide what you’d like where. Consider whether you want shade, or sun as well.

Materials

There are a variety of back yard materials you can choose from. We’ve put together a chart to help you compare the various materials and decide what is right for your backyard!

Furniture

Will you need a table for outdoor dining? A firepit to relax around in the evenings? Or would you prefer a sitting area, or chaise lounges for sunbathing? Look at the zones you’ve created and decide how to furnish each one.

Color

Color can reinvent a space. Think of your yard this way- if you don’t like it – paint it. And add fabrics to your outdoor furniture. You don’t need to be match-y, you can mix and match prints and colors, just make sure they lend cohesion to all the zones in your yard to tie everything together.

Lighting

Lighting adds instance ambiance to your yard and keeps it safe. There are great solar powered outdoor lighting options, and some awesome tutorials to create your own. You can visit our Pinterest page where we’ve saved some of our favorite DIY lighting solutions!

Of course if you ever need any recommendations for landscapers, contractors, or any kind of home improvement – let us know – we have trusted partners that we’ve worked with for years that we can recommend to you!

What $500K Will Buy You….

This installment of “What you can buy in…” features 3 different properties priced around $500,000.   2 condos are featured in Arlington and Reston, while the same amount buys you a 2-car garage townhome in Ashburn.

Obviously, the further west you move, the more space (and longer commute) you can enjoy!  Everyone loves listening to the traffic reports in the morning; moving west gives you more opportunity to enjoy those. 🙂

If you know of anyone looking to buy (or sell) a home anywhere in Northern Virginia, I’d be happy to help!

Lyme’s Disease Could Be Lurking In Your Yard

With Spring finally here – tick season is upon us. Loudoun County has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease infection in the United States, and the highest rate in Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Make sure that you take measures to prevent Lyme disease, starting in your own backyard.

Matt Elliott Realty is a proud sponsor of the Loudoun Lyme 5K Run/Walk that takes place annually. This year’s race will take place in Brambleton on May 17th. We hope you’ll join us in raising awareness about Lymes Disease.

Ashburn Farms Review

Location

The majority of the land on which Ashburn Farm is located was originally the Gray Dairy Farm.  A windmill was salvaged and restored from the Gray Estate and now stands with the large “Ohio Buckeye” tree.

Ashburn Farms Amenities

Cavalier Land Development Corp., developers of Ashburn Farm, planned the community to blend with the natural rolling terrain, resulting in winding boulevards and lots of trees. Ashburn Farm is north of the Dulles Greenway and bordered by Belmont Ridge Rd to the west, Ashburn Rd to the east, and the W&OD Trail to the north.

Amenities

Ashburn Farm has many amenities, including:

• 3 Outdoor Swimming Pools with Pool Houses
• 12 Tennis Courts
• 8 Basketball Courts
• 2 Soccer Fields
• 1 Baseball Field
• 1 Sand Volleyball Court
• 19 Tot Lots
• 5 Ponds stocked with fish (catch and release)
• 1 Covered Pavilion
• 28 Miles of Bike and Exercise Trails

To enjoy all the amenities Ashburn Farms offers there is a fee, to be paid each month. The 2015 rate chart is below:

While the fees may seem high, compare them to what you’d pay monthly for a gym membership or pool club membership. And consider that these fees also include maintenance around your neighborhood.

Ashburn Statistics

Our website, MattElliottRealty.com, has a great Market Snapshot Feature. We provide information, searchable by zip code, on an area’s market inventory, property ownership, school information, crime statistics, and even an interactive map that allows you to search local amenities like restaurants, food stores, pet stores, and places of worship.

Here are some statistics for Ashburn Farms – you can view more by clicking on the image.

Cheers! Look who we spotted drinking Green beer!

We hope you had a wonderful time celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year! There were tons of celebrations happening around the Northern Virginia area. To get in the spirit we sent our Office Manager, Nora, out to mix & mingle!

She hit up a few bars and had a blast getting to know people and snapping photos! Be sure to check out our Facebook page for all the photos from the night.

NOW is the time to SELL!

If you were considering selling your home in Northern Virginia, now is a great time to sell!

Here’s why:

• Property values have climbed the past 4 years, but have recently leveled off
• While pricing has leveled off, it’s still a great seller’s market
• Avoid costly future maintenance repairs

For a FREE, no-obligation valuation of your home, visit www.MattElliottRealty.com 

You’ll see instantly how much homes are selling for in the neighborhood and what your home might be worth in this current market.

Out of state? No Problem!

As your agent, I will manage the process of preparing your home for sale! I have successfully managed the entire process of obtaining contractors, estimates, and then overseeing project completion to update current rental properties to “perfect sale” condition. This process is a part of my service and is designed to maximize your ultimate sale price.   You can even sign closing papers remotely!

Here’s a testimonial from a recent client:

To read even more about past client’s experiences visit our Zillow Reviews page.

Contact me via phone/text @ 703.627.2167 or email to MattE@kw.com, and let me provide a no-obligation market analysis of your home’s current value.   I’m also happy to explain how I can manage the entire process for you, making the process a stress-free one to get your home sold for the highest possible price.

Now is the one of the best times to sell a property since the last real estate peak in 2005/2006. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your home sold at what might be the current real estate peak.

If only we lived closer to Opa!

My friends and I decided to go out for a girls night last night. We always try to pick someplace a little different and new to us. So we drove from Cascades over to Ashburn, during rush hour (we are fools) for some Greek food that we had heard rave reviews about. Well, Opa! Mezze Grill was totally worth the trip. If I lived closer I would want to eat there once a week!

First of all, it’s adorable inside. Small – but extremely clean – and the seating was comfortable and not too close together. The menu is large, but not overwhelming. Everything sounded amazing. But we finally settled on the three dip platter and the O.M.G. Platter.

The three dip platter was so good! We tried the hummus, tzatziki, and tyrokafteri. My favorite was definitely the hummus – but my friend loved the tyrokafteri.

The O.M.G. Platter was accurately named. It was basically a plate of assorted meats and each one was so delicious. I usually am not an adventurous eater and prefer chicken or beef, but I tried it all. My favorite was either the Chicago Gyro meat or the burger meat, it was too close to choose a favorite. The meat was all served on top of a bed of french fries. They were probably the more flavorful french fries I’ve had in a while, and the pita slices were soft and delicious. I’m definitely glad we shared the platter – or I would have attempted to eat it all on my own and regretted it afterward!

When the waitress came to take our plates and ask us if we’d like to see the dessert menu we were stuffed, but something made us say yes. Our eyes are definitely bigger than our stomachs! We chose the Galaktoboureko because we had never heard of it before. They describe it as: Custard wrapped in phyllo, soaked in honey syrup. We’d describe it as: Heaven. I am SO glad we opted for dessert or I would have never known such a delicious treat existed!

As we were leaving we each grabbed a menu and agreed we’d be back, again & again!

-Erin

Ashburn Village Review

Ashburn Village, one of the largest communities in Northern Virginia, offers 5081 residential units comprised of single family homes, town homes, condominiums, age-restricted condominiums and town homes, and apartments. Opened in 1988, construction in Ashburn Village is almost complete with just one section of residential development currently under construction and two parcels for commercial / retail construction. When fully built the community will have approximately 2.5 million square feet of planned commercial and office space. Presently a 200,000 square foot retail space, known as the Ashburn Village Center, provides for shopping and services within minutes of all residents.

Located approximately 33 miles west of Washington, DC. and only minutes from Dulles International Airport, the community features many resident amenities.

• Community Centers
• Outdoor pools
  • Lakes Pool – Olympic sized pool, and baby pool
  • Mills Pool – affectionately nicknamed by the younger residents as the “bucket pool” for its many amenities that cater to our young water lovers`
• Tennis Courts
• Basketball Courts
• Multipurpose Courts
• Meeting Rooms
• 8 tot lots
• Miles of jogging and bike trails
• Baseball & soccer fields
• A fit trail
• 500 acres of open outdoor space
• 8 lakes and ponds for fishing & canoeing

View of Ashburn fireworks from the sky

The Association hosts many exciting community events such as a brilliant display of fireworks on Lake Ashburn in the month of July, VillageFest, H.E.L.P. Wellness Expo, Comedy Night, Fiesta 5K/10K & Fun Run, Kids Triathlon, Halloween Spooktacular, Santa Parade, Shred events, Community Yard Sales, Summer Movie Nights by the Lake and more.

The Ashburn Village Sports Pavilion is the hallmark of the Ashburn Village Community and the home of the Blue Wave Swim Team And AquaJets.  The facility offers a vast array of programming, services and amenities that include a Seasonal Outdoor Pool and Marina, Indoor Pool, Steam and Sauna rooms, Cycle and Group Fitness Studios, Free Weights and Selectorized Strength Training Equipment, TRX, Cardio Equipment, Racquetball Courts, Full Gymnasium, Multipurpose room as well as  year round Tennis Courts.  The Pavilion’s programs and events are geared to meet the needs of members and non-members of all ages that

Ashburn Village Sports Pavilion

include Swim and Tennis Lessons, a large selection of Group Fitness Classes, Specialty programming for Teens, Active Adults and Seniors, State licensed After-School Care, Summer Camp and much more.