Over the last five years, homeownership has lost some of its allure as a financial investment. As homeowners suffered through the housing bust, more and more began to question whether owning a home was truly a good way to build wealth. A recent study by the Federal Reserve formally answered this question.

Here are some of the findings revealed in their report:

Become immersed in science technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts through a variety of hands-on activities and demonstrations related to aviation and space exploration. Join us the second Saturday of each month for a different program theme. Visit www.airandspace.si.edu/events/superscience for a schedule and information.

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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

Join the residents of Sterling for their annual community celebration that offers fun for the whole family, including arts and crafts, a special kids' marketplace, a fire station open house, children's rides and games, two stages of entertainment, food vendors, and much more!

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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

Have you been to Tysons Corner lately where the evidence of the coming opening of the Silver Line dominates?

From atop the six miles of aerial bridges, or guideways, that support the tracks and stations, the face of old Tysons, like the low-slung suburban offices, meets the Tysons of the future; high-rise development  is under construction adjacent to the Metrorail stations.  

This is clearly evident along Route 123 at the Tysons Corner Metrorail Station near The Galleria and Tysons Corner Center where high rise offices, a residential structure and a hotel are being built. Along Route 7, between Spring Hill Road and WestPark Drive/Gosnell Road,  a high-rise apartment building towers above the Container Store.       

The four Tysons station structures are complete and finishing touches, including painting, lighting and signage installations, are taking place. Wiring is in place awaiting the arrival of the automatic fare card collection machines. Escalators and elevators are being tested and test trains can be seen traveling through stations during the on-going testing.

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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

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

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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

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