Today we are excited to have Morgan Sims as our guest blogger.  Morgan is an accomplished writer who has been featured on many blogs with topics ranging from Real Estate to Social Media. – The KCM Crew

Buying a home is likely the biggest purchase you will make, and even more likely a purchase that will require a loan. When dealing with a financial commitment such as this, understanding how to get the lowest possible interest rate could mean a difference of thousands of dollars. Home loans are a complicated business, so here are a few tips to help you shop for the lowest interest rate.

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Four businesses in Middleburg and one in Upperville recently were spotlighted in CNN Money magazine as a “great place to start” with Virginia's secret wine tasting destinations.

Boxwood Estate, a 21-acre vineyard, was dubbed “the great dame” of Middleburg vineyards by the magazine.

“This winery was designed by Jacobsen Architecture, a D.C.-based firm also known for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's home in Martha's Vineyard. Boxwood is one of the most elegant vineyards in the region, so don't miss the chance to explore. The circular cave, where wines age in a ring of French oak barrels, is especially striking,” the article reads.

Six miles away, Chrysalis Vineyards is touted as a destination to get the best wine for your buck.

Read more.. at Loudountimes.com

Read more... at CNN

Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

There has been a lot written about how buying a home is less expensive than renting one in most parts of the country. Rents are skyrocketing and homes are still at great prices. These two situations are also causing some sellers to consider renting their home instead of selling it. After all, a homeowner can get great rental income now and perhaps wait until house values increase even further before selling.

This logic makes sense in some cases. We at KCM believe strongly that residential real estate is a great investment right now. However, if you have no desire to actually become an educated investor in this sector, you may be headed for more trouble than you were looking for.

Before renting your home, you should answer the following questions to make sure this is the right course of action for you and your family.

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Fresh off of a vote that extended its contract with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology for one more year, the Loudoun County School Board members are beginning to delve deeper into the possibility of developing the county's own facility for advanced and technical education courses.

The Curriculum and Instruction Committee met with officials from the science and technical education departments Oct. 2 to develop a vision for the project, which would house the Academy of Science and the C.S. Monroe Technology Center in the same facility.

The combining of the two facilities would allow each to double in size and house roughly 1,500 students.

Committee Chairman Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) was joined by committee members Jennifer Bergel (Catoctin) and Bill Fox (Leesburg) at the meeting along with fellow School Board members Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) and Tom Reed (At Large).

The facility – tentatively named the Loudoun Advanced Technology Academy – will have a vision which emphasizes programs specializing in the STEM subjects, but most importantly will provide Loudoun students with a facility and resources to develop them into leaders and innovators of the 21st century.
 

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

The Fresh Market, a specialty grocery store, will be moving into the One Loudoun in Ashburn development on Nov. 6.

It is the 11th Virginia location for the Greensboro, N.C.-based company.Special events like chef demonstrations, samplings and gift card giveaways will be available at the November grand opening. The company will also hand out a sample-sized bag of The Fresh Market coffee and a reusable shopping bag to the first 1,000 customers.

"We are always on the lookout for markets where shoppers appreciate high-quality food and outstanding customer service, and Ashburn is just such a place," said Drewry Sackett, public and community relations manager for The Fresh Market.

"We’ve enjoyed serving other communities in Virginia and look forward to providing residents in Ashburn with the same unique shopping experience."

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Different performances and special events every month! Stroll around historic downtown Leesburg on the First Friday of each month (except January), to enjoy numerous live music performances throughout the town, art exhibits, wine tastings, lectures, book signings, and so much more!

Over 45 specialty shops, art galleries, antique shops and restaurants are open until 9pm or later,
many offering free refreshments and/or special sales.

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email
 

Bar Louie at One Loudoun Grand Opening This Weekend Oct 4-7

Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Home buyers in the ever growing Dulles South area will soon have a new home hitting the market that holds special meaning to the students of Monroe Technology Center students.

Six years ago, Monroe Technology Center students began building a home to learn skills in the fast growing field of home construction.

On Sept. 27, students, faculty and Loudoun County Public Schools administrators attended the formal dedication ceremony in the driveway of the home.

To build this home, students fought through a recession, bad weather and other issues that postponed the finishing of the project. This particular house is the ninth home since the inception of the program in 1988.

While this home took six years to construct, the other homes took approximately two years to build.

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Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Contact Marilee Murphy today for all of your home buying, or selling, luxury homes or new construction needs.  I am dedicated to making sure you have a smooth transition from start to finish. Use my website to search available properties in Loudoun County located, in Northern Virginia, specifically the towns of Sterling/Potomac Falls, Ashburn, Leesburg, Chantilly, and Aldie as well as properties in Fairfax County, and Prince William County areas. You can also sign up to receive free listing updates by email

Taste of Willowsford This Saturday Oct 5 1-4pm