Have you ever driven down a Virginia Beach or Chesapeake, VA City street and noticed the sign holders dressed as the Statue of Liberty or Uncle Sam?   What company is it? and What service do they provide?  If you seen them then you know and you will never forget. That Brand is branded in your mind instantly. Liberty Tax Service is the name of the company and they provide tax services to Hampton Roads residents and businesses.  They were recently featured in INC. 500 Magazine as one of the top 10 Top growing franchises.   Capitalizing on the many business professionals out of work they have been able to grow at a trail blazing rate and keep profits high. New Franchisees see the potential for high sales volume in an industry that has not been hit hard by the recession and are flocking to ... 11/17/2011

A Riverfront Community With A Private Marina And Waterfront Amenities Rediscover a small town atmosphere at Gatling Pointe, a waterfront community in Smithfield, Virginia. Nicely removed from the city, Gatling Pointe is convenient to all cities in the Hampton Roads area. At Gatling Pointe, you can cruise the river from our private marina and bring home your catch-of-the-day. Take a refreshing dip in our riverside pool or just relax among friends at our clubhouse. Enjoy a great meal at the yacht club restaurant or sit back and enjoy the view. Most Gatling Pointe homesites are wooded and surrounded by water, offering approximately one-half acre of privacy in a protected environment with breathtaking views. Situated where the James and Pagan Rivers meet, the Gatling Pointe Yacht Club is th... 11/14/2011

7 Reasons Why a New Home may be the BEST Option for Today's Homebuyer Yes, new home construction is up and people are building and buying new homes again in Virginia, and we're excited about what's going on in our four East West Communities in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Just take a look at the recent sales success at the Homearama last month at The Riverfront at Harbour View where 7 of the 9 new homes received contracts (price range $550,000 to $750,000). Plus builders saw six other sales take place during the 16 day home show event. Sales activity is up at other three planned communities as well. Maybe the sales pace isn't what it was a few years ago, but that's okay. Builders have definitely stepped up and are taking great care of the customer, AND we're seeing outstanding n... 11/11/2011

Can't make it out to Founders Pointe for a look in person? Wish you could see what homes are built on certain lots or are you interested in a lot with a water view? Check out the Founders Pointe Interactive Site Plan and find the right homesite for you! Our Location Overlooking the creeks and tributaries of the James River, Founders Pointe is centrally located between the Peninsula and Norfolk near the historic town of Smithfield in Isle of Wight County. Tucked away in this pastoral county, Founders Pointe offers a quiet enclave for family living with the conveniences of all of Hampton Roads in close proximity. Located off Sugar Hill Road on Route 17, just 4 miles from the James River Bridge, Founders Pointe is a quick 10 minutes to Newport News and just 25 minutes to downtown Norfolk.... 11/10/2011

The People's Choice Award Winners were announced this week after ballots were tabulated after the Homearama ended Sunday night at The Riverfront at Harbour View in Suffolk, VA. Tidewater Builders Association has announced the winners of the Fall Homearama People’s Choice Awards, determined by visitors who voted for their Favorite Home, Favorite Interior and Favorite Landscaping.   Nearly 80,000 visitors toured the nine fully furnished and decorated showcase homes at The Riverfront in Suffolk Oct. 15-31. And the winners are: Tranquil Living: The Pilot Reader House, built by builders Stephen, Steve and Alex Quick of Stephen Alexander Homes won first place for People's Choice Favorite Home. Favorite Home First place: Tranquil Living: The Pilot Reader House, built by builders Stephen, Stev... 11/06/2011

Get pink with this Homearama house. October 18th, 2011 When Rick and Michelle Buonfigli decided to build a house as part of this year’s fall Homearma in Suffolk, Virginia’s upscale The Riverfront community, they had no idea it would turn into a breast cancer awareness campaign. (Homearama is an annual model home show event and this year it's in The Riverfront at Harbour View waterfront community in Virginia.) Twenty-year veteran Homearama builder Chip Iuliano of Suffolk-based ABT Custom Homes said the dwelling’s theme originated with designer Beth Gilbert of Gilbert Interiors. When Gilbert learned that Michelle Buonfigli was a breast cancer survivor, she coupled that with the fact that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and came up with the “Get Pink” theme. Gilbert has a heart fo... 10/28/2011

  Are you looking for the "right" home or "right" price? How about finding the right neighborhood too? It seems that many real estate agents and buyers visiting our communities in the past year are locked into finding the home with the best deal or best price. We like to remind them that they should also be looking for the "right" community! "Oh, you mean we should pay as much attention as to what the community offers as we do the house? What a concept!" YES! In this price-conscious home buying market, everyone involved should also focus on finding the right place to live- that being the location or community. What should you look for in a planned community? Prospective homebuyers generally decide within 30 seconds of driving into a community as to their potential interest in relocating... 10/27/2011

You know 411, 911 but do you know 811?  I bet the person that puts your real estate sign posts in the yards around Chesapeake knows 811.  811 is a Virginia statewide number for anyone getting ready to do any type of excavation on their property.  It is commonly known as Miss Utility.  Once you call they will come out and mark your utility lines so you don't have a mishap.  Some cable and phone lines are just several inches under ground and it doesn't take much to dig them up.  Somewhere around 70,000 incidents nationwide were the results of someone not calling 811 ahead of time.  The incidents were as small as cutting a cable to rupturing a gas line.  My wife worked in new construction and those guys were always breaking something.  They should have 811 tattooed on their arms. The state... 10/27/2011

In this world of high tech, we all understand the value of having a really good website and IDX solutions in regards to tracking our site visitors. I have spent alot of money to make my site efficient, trackable and full of the latest information about homes on the market. Having said that, early on in the buying process, I coach my buyers where to go to find pertinent and fresh information on homes for sale within their criteria.  In other words, I send them to my personal website that has a link to our local MLS search engine. That way they aren't getting bombarded by other agents trying to capture their contact information and start soliciting them for their business. They are registered under my name and only I see their searches.   However, as we all may know, occasionally, we have... 10/18/2011

THIS WEEKEND, TOUR FIVE BRAND NEW MODELS IN FOUNDERS POINTE- a waterfront community near Smithfield, Virginia, just ten minutes to Newport News/Hampton area and fifteen minutes to I-664 in Chesapeake. Models Open Noon to 5 pm, both Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th. Come to Founders Pointe and discover the perfect pairing of yesterday’s hometown feeling with today’s convenient lifestyle. Life at Founders Pointe begins at home, with quality homes tucked into quiet lanes and private cul-de-sacs, made all the more inviting by river, marsh, creek and wooded views. Ten custom home builders are providing a wide array of home designs featuring a variety of distinctive architectural styles. Emerson Builders213 Summerhouse Lane • $459,900 Orleans Homebuilders112 Richmond Way • $479,900 S... 10/04/2011

I have a 5 year old who is experiencing going to kindergarten this year.  Her only request that she could wear skinny jeans (to be like her sister).  I was also told to be sure to pack her a MEAT sandwich.  She is my only kid out of three that hates peanut butter.   Chesapeake  Public Schools in Southern VA has a practice Kindergarten program that runs for 6 weeks. This is her first day picture as she waited for the school bus.  She has been waiting to ride the bus for years. Often watching her brother and sister from the living room and crying when can I ride the bus.  Now her day is finally here and  even though it was raining she waited outside that morning for about 30 minutes.     Note the green cards- this is a new program implemented for security for K students.  The parents are ... 08/30/2011

I have three kids and I am not ashamed to admit I absolutely can not wait until school starts.   We live in the Battlefield Greenbrier section of Chesapeake Virginia and my children attend three different schools so bus timing is important to me.  Chesapeake Public Schools has published the 2011 Bus Routes List.  you can access it thru this link: Chesapeake Public Schools Bus Routes 2011       All though I can bet that buses will be late or (one year it never came) when it does show up I will jump for joy when I see that big yellow bus!  I may even buy a present for the bus driver!   It has been a long hot summer and we went on an awesome vacation but it is definitely time for all people in my home under 18 to be back in school!  Chesapeake Public Schools students start school Sept 6th.... 08/23/2011

    Oct. 15-30, 2011 - The Riverfront at Harbour View, Suffolk, Va. Ten years and 1,000 families later, Tidewater Builders Association is coming back to The Riverfront at Harbour View for its 2011 Fall Homearama. The resort-style community, developed by East West Communities, last hosted Homearama in 2001, when it drew more than 100,000 visitors over a two-week period. This year’s event, set for Oct. 15-30, features homes built facing one of the community’s signature center island parks, over an acre in size, which provides scenic views from every front porch. To date, seven builders will be constructing 9 homes ranging from 2,800 square feet to 4,000-plus square feet in the showcase event. “We feel extremely fortunate to work with East West Communities on another first-class event,” sa... 08/20/2011

Real Estate Recovery- Good News for the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. New Home construction activity is up in recent months at several waterfront communities- Founders Pointe and The Riverfront at Harbour View. Many of the buyers came in looking at existing resales and ended up buying new - they're pleasantly surprised at the excellent value and quality.   A Virginian Pilot newspaper correspondent/reporter, Nora Firestone, recently asked me to answer a few questions about the Housing Market in Hampton Roads... QUESTION #1:"To what to you attribute the speed of Homearama homes' sales and other new homes at Founder's Pointe (and The Riverfront), especially in light of the current economy and housing market?" ANSWER: It's really not been just one thing that's attributed to our sales succ... 07/31/2011

Have you ever wanted to buy a foreclosure but was told your type of financing will not lend on that home.  Buyers don't miss the boat, Fannie Mae has a new great offer for you! This program can help you find a great forclosed home that meets Miminum Property Standards.  The new program started June 14th and will be good until October 31st, 2011. Fannie Mae is currently giving buyers up to 3.5% closing cost assistance.   Initial offer must be submitted on or after June 14, 2011and close on or before October 31, 2011. Initial offers made prior to June 14 are not eligible for the June 14 - October 31 incentive. This program is for Fannie Mae HomePath foreclosure properties only to be used as a primary residence to receive closing cost assistance. Second homes and investment properties are ... 06/20/2011

Many Benefits come from living in a golf course community. Not into golf? Well, many of the families moving into a golf course community actually don't play the game all that often. Why are so many homebuyers choosing to buy into one? It used to be a known fact that if one lived in a neighborhood that had a golf course and clubhouse, their primary for doing so was to be closer to the game they love. Not any more. They like living in a golfing community because of the quality of homes and the other fun recreational opportunities that come by living in the community. At The Riverfront at Harbour View community in the northern part of Suffolk, VA for example, we've seen many families relocate there because of the overall sense of community, the amount of open space, and the other amenitie... 06/15/2011

A couple of weeks ago, we had a customer walk into our Sales Center, and he said he was just in the area to look at a short sale in the area. He stopped in because he wanted to see what new homes were available and what they had to offer. (His agent didn't suggest he look at new homes) After discussing his wants and needs, we looked at three homes and the next day he returned to write a contract on one of our new homes that was priced $150,000 more than the short sale listing (same size home, but different features). I'm sharing this true story because we see this happen quite often, much to the surprise of many in the business. I've listed below a few reasons why buyers should consider the right home and the right community and not just focus totally on what they perceive to be the rig... 05/07/2011

Make Sure Your Chesapeake Virginia Real Estate Agent Understands the Power of the Web   When marketing your Chesapeake Virginia home, it is imperative that your agent believes in and utilizes the power of the internet. The statistics speak for themselves: According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2010, 89% of prospective home buyers used the internet to search for homes. Realtor.com states that 78% of these buyers will not look at a listing unless it has multiple photos. Additionally, 50% of these buyers will not consider a listing unless it has a virtual tour. These numbers are powerful and should be heeded by any real estate professional. However, in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, according to the Real Estate Information Network, only 30% of the listings contain 16 ph... 05/07/2011

At Founders Pointe, the residents enjoy more than just a quality custom home privately located in a waterfront community, nicely removed from the congestion of the surrounding cities in Hampton Roads. They enjoy all of the fun activities at their neighborhood clubhouse- the Founders Pointe Residents' Club. Founders Pointe is a new waterfront community in Isle of Wight County, VA, near the historic town of Smithfield. This spring, they've enjoyed numerous parties, socials, and good old fashioned fun. The year kicked off with the polar bear plunge (brave souls who slid down the 112' water slide on New Year's Day). Then there was a Soup Cook-off, Super Bowl Party, a KiDZ Club Field Trip to the Virginia Air & Space Center, after school activities, a Princess Party, and a wine tasting event.... 04/18/2011

I have had the good fortune of working with many military families in the Hampton Roads area for the last seven years. I have found them to be organized, thoughtful, knowledgeable of the home buying process and most always have impeccable credit. My opinion, as a Realtor, is ALL such Americans deserve to enjoy home ownership and the 'American Dream'....probably the military more than most due to the fact that they are working hard to protect ALL Americans and our way of life. This long preample leads me to my point: Who said the military should be punished for the drop in market(that THEY didn't cause!) when they receive orders to be re-stationed and they are upside down in their mortgage loan? These families are struggling with 'WHAT TO DO'. Do I try to sell? I can't get foreclosed or... 04/16/2011