Sip the Season’s Boldest Flavors

Nothing says fall quite like crisp air, rolling hills, and a glass of wine in hand. The good news? There’s a vibrant array of vineyards outside of the DMV just waiting to be discovered. So, grab your favorite fall sweater and get ready to taste your way through this flavorful lineup of wines and views that’s hard to top.

Boxwood Estates:​ Known for its Bordeaux-style blends, this Virginia estate is dedicated to producing only the best wine with each vintage. Taste the difference for yourself today!

Bluemont Vineyard:​ Come for the wine, stay for the views. Nestled along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northern Virginia Wine Country, this vineyard serves up panoramic views of the gorgeous Loudoun Valley -- along with a bold selection of wine, of course.

Barrel Oak Winery:​ Where good wine meets good community, Barrel Oak was voted the #1 Family Friendly Winery by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2012 thanks to their picnic-ready patio and pet-friendly environment.

Potomac Point Winery:​ ​Designed with Tuscan charm, Potomac Point Winery will make you feel like you did get to embark on your European excursion, after all. Once you finish your tasting, be sure to check out the courtyard under the veranda that’s complete with an Italian water feature and spectacular views.

Linden Vineyards:​ ​Located on a hilltop, discover an idyllic and quaint tasting room that serves up some of Virginia’s top-rated wines.

Black Ankle:​ ​With wines that evoke the bold notes of California blends and a commitment to curating only the best flavors, Black Ankle is a must-taste on your next vineyard excursion.

What Exactly Are Home Warranties?

Imagine closing on your home and right after moving in your dishwasher breaks, the basement sump pump stops working, and your heating system begins to malfunction.  None of these issues were discovered during the home inspection and now you are stuck with repair costs that are adding up quickly.  This would not be a pleasant situation to be in for a new homeowner.  As such, many real estate agents are recommending their buyer purchase a home warranty.

A home warranty, also known as a home service contract, costs on average $550 per year.  It is a program that covers the normal wear and tear of major mechanical and electrical systems in a house.  Some items covered include the home’s heating and air conditioning systems, sump pumps, kitchen appliances, and water heaters.  Home warranties do not cover insurance incidents that are normally included in your homeowner’s insurance coverage, such as structural defects, damage from fires, or natural disasters.  Most expire after a set time period and there are certain levels of coverage based on your home’s size, condition or age.

When you file a claim with the home warranty company, a contractor will be sent out to diagnose the problem for a set service fee.  Getting a claim approved comes down to whether your home warranty covers it.  Are home warranties worth the cost? It really comes down to understanding what the policy does and does not cover.  Not all home warranties are alike so before deciding on a provider, do some online research, read the contracts and ask questions.

Source: https://www.federaltitle.com/what-exactly-are-home-warranties/

Best Places to Buy Dessert for Your Next Holiday Party

We all have a bit of a sweet tooth and when that surgery itch begins to creep in, here are our suggestions for the best places to get a pastry in the DMV area? 

Tout de Sweet

7831 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD

Tuesday through Friday: 8am-7pm, Saturday: 9am-7pm, Sunday: 10am-5pm, Monday: closed

Tout de Sweet is a slice of Parisian heaven in Bethesda. The pastries and beverages appear almost too perfectly decorated to eat, but we recommended indulging in any of the macaroons or the chocolate mousse cake. 

Fresh Baguette

Multiple locations in Bethesda, Rockville, and Washington 

Daily 7am-7pm

Walk into Fresh Baguette and you are guaranteed to be delighted by the various sweet and savory options. Our favorites include: quiches, fruit tarts, and bread rolls.

Praline Bakery & Bistro 

Multiple locations in Bethesda, Fairfax, The Wharf, and Glen Echo Park

Hours depend on location

Located in the Shops at Sumner Place, this cozy bakery sells delicious Parisian specialties like palmiers or operas. Bonus is that the second level is a french restaurant.

Stella’s Bakery

11510 Rockville Pike # D, Rockville, MD

Tuesday through Friday: 8am-7pm, Saturday: 9am-6pm, Sunday: 9am-5pm, Monday: closed

Tucked among a kitchen supply store and a tanning salon lies Stella’s bakery. The cakes are perfect for any event and luckily, they sell slices. We love the strawberry shortcake and the black forest cake. 

Bread Furst 

4434 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC

Monday through Friday: 7am-7pm, Saturday: 8am-6pm, Sunday: 8am-5pm

Ever since its opening in 2014, Bread Furst has become a neighborhood staple for Van Ness. With a rotating bread and pastry menu, there are many things to try, but we specifically recommend the cinnamon chocolate monkey bread and chocolate croissants. 

Lavande Patisserie 

275 N Washington Street B, Rockville, MDDaily: 9am-9pm

Lavande Patisserie is worth a stop off of Rockville Pike. The lavender cake and mango mousse are particularly yummy. 

La Bohemia Bakery 

5540 Wilkins Court, Bethesda, MD

Monday through Thursday: 7am-5pm, Friday and Saturday: 7am-6pm, Sunday: 7am-2pm

Unassuming from the outside, this bakery understands the importance of perfecting French classics. The baguette and almond croissants are worth a try.

Classic Bakery 

Multiple locations in Gaithersburg and Tysons

Hours depend on location 

Classic Bakery has Middle Eastern and European roots, allowing for some unique baked goods. Don’t leave without trying the baklava or any of the cake squares.

Boulangerie Christophe 

1422 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, DC

Daily: 7:30am-7pm 

Walking into Boulangerie Cristophe you will immediately be hit by the smell of freshly baked pastries. When the weather is nice, the patio is a great place to enjoy a fruit tart or a quiche. 

Spring Mill Bread Company 

Multiple locations in Arlington, Capital Hill, Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma

Hours depend on location

Spring Mill Bread Company embodies what it means to be a neighborhood favorite. As the name suggests, the breads are divine and the cheesecake brownie is unmatched.

The Benefits of Staging a Home Before Putting it on the Market and Tips for Doing it

Staging a home before selling it can make the difference between a quick sale and the house sitting on the market. Staging will increase the likelihood of a sale by making your home look more appealing. Here are seven of the most important benefits of staging and tips for good staging:

Curb Appeal

The saying, “You eat with your eyes first” also can be applied to home buying. Staging a home includes the outside of the home, and can include landscaping. An attractive home from the outside will lead to interest and get people curious to see the inside.

First Impressions

From when buyers walk onto the property to the first moment that they step inside, they already will have made a judgment about the home. You want them to have a good attitude for the rest of the visit, which is created by positive first moments. If buyers like what they see from the very start, they go inside with the right mindset that they already like it.

Emphasizing the Best Features

Whether you want to showcase the beautiful stone fireplace by keeping the rest of the furniture simple, or feature the built-in shelves by accessorizing them with knick knacks, staging is a good tool to draw the buyer’s attention to the features of the home that are unique.

Cleanliness/Decluttering

If your home is filled with personal belongings, that “stuff” is the first thing that the buyer will notice. Rather than marvel at the beautiful exposed brick wall, he or she will be distracted by your collection of vintage postcards hanging from it. In addition, by removing all the clutter and rearranging or adding some furniture, you can enable staging to make your house look larger. In addition, new furniture and decor can help to make an old, outdated home look newer and more updated.

Visualization

In order for buyers to consider purchasing a home, they need to be able to imagine living in it. “De-personalizing” your home helps the buyer visualize how he or she could make it his or her own. One example is family photos. If the home is filled with pictures of your family, it feels like someone else’s house, not the buyer’s own. You want the buyer to have the “I can see myself making a family dinner in the kitchen moment. Staging will neutralize the furniture and decor of your house to appeal to everyone.

Online Photos

Today, most buyers and agents use various websites to find and look at homes. It is important that the images posted of your home online look good, so that the buyer will be interested in a tour. For the reasons listed above, staging will make the online images look attractive.

Comparables

The higher the listing price, the greater the chance that competing homes for sale will be staged. Even if your house is comparable in other ways, such as similar square footage, for example, not being staged will be an immediate disadvantage against other homes. If it happens that competing homes are not staged, yours will stick out and look better than the rest. This will give your home the appearance of a better value.

Tips:

Start Packing

In order to bring in and have space for some new furniture and decor, it is important to start packing up your stuff. Plus, this is a great way to get a head start on moving.

Paint

In order to appeal to the highest number of potential buyers, select a neutral color pallet to make your space look bright and clean. While you may love your neon pink bedroom, most buyers would prefer a cream colored room that he or she could paint his or her favorite color.

Repairs

Buyers can get pretty picky about the small things, such as a squeaky door, so make sure all of your small repairs get fixed.

Furniture

Sometimes less is more. If there is too much furniture, your room could appear small and closed off. Minimize and rearrange your furniture to make the space look as big as possible.

Brighten

It is important that every room look bright and cheerful, so try adding lamps to dark rooms and replacing any old light bulbs.

Declutter Surfaces

Clear countertops and shelves look aesthetically pleasing to the buyer. Remove all of your trinkets and photos, and add just a few simple vases, plants, and books. For your bathroom, clear off the vanity buy putting things under the sink or in medicine cabinets. If you cannot hide your personal belongings, store them in color coded decorative baskets.

New Linens and Towels

New, fluffy, towels, bath mats, and bedspreads can make a space look clean and put together. Again, select neutral and bright colors.

Window Washing

Throughout the years, grime can build up on your windows. A good wash is an easy way to make your space look as bright as possible.

Greenery

Plants and flowers can help complete a space. They also add some color and can make your listing photos look better.