DUCK DONUTS. When they showed up in Herndon, Virginia at the beginning of May, our Facebook pages lit up like Christmas with images and #hashtags about donuts covered in bacon, of all things. If you’ve never been to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, then you are probably wondering what in the world a “Duck Donut” is and why people are going so crazy. It’s just a donut, right?
WRONG.
We set out to discover what was so “absolutely wonderful”, as one reviewer stated. The first thing we noticed when we walked in the door (besides there being quite a few people having a donut for lunch!) – there wasn’t a donut in sight. The shop was quite spacious, with some tables, chairs, and a few beach-type benches. It was clean, and it smelled pretty yummy. But where were the donuts?
We walked up to a tiled wall about chest-high, that was topped with glass. After peering through the glass, we found the donuts! They weren’t sitting in racks, or in boxes, they were being freshly made to order! Yes, you read that correctly. They have a very cool donut making machine – 2 of them, actually – that cranks out fresh donuts pretty quickly! Those fresh, plain donuts are loaded into large trays and taken to the “topping” station, where the donut is then coated with your choice of glaze and additional toppings.
By our count, there are currently 51 ways to eat a Duck Donut, and each day there is an additional “Donut of the Day”. We happened to be there on “French Toast” day, and that donut did not disappoint! And those maple and bacon topped little wonders? Let’s just say it’s a miracle they made the 15-minute trip home!
Pictures and words do not do these donuts justice. Treat yourself to a few of these seriously yummy donuts, located in the BB&T Center in Herndon off of Elden Street. Just be ready to wait in line as their popularity increases! As another Duck Donut first-timer mentioned to us in the shop while we were there, “The line has sometimes been out the door. And they are going to be busy this weekend with the Herndon Festival.” Great idea – check out the festival, and grab a fresh donut! They are sold single, or by 1/2 Dozen, Dozen, and Bucket (18).
Wouldn’t it be great to live within walking distance of this yummy little donut shop? If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Northern Virginia, contact us today!
The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.
You make an offer on your dream home and within your offer there are several areas that you fill in that reference the word “contingency” – what does this mean, and why is it important?
you are allowed to void the contract and receive your 
From the Seller’s prospective all of the contingencies are a risk, and if you make the contingencies too long or to aggressive, you risk turning the Seller off in regards to your offer. Most Sellers are looking for short timelines and to secure the strongest offer they can get. So the bottom line is, keep your contingencies to a reasonable and attainable limit, protect yourself, but also help instill confidence and security within your offer to the Seller.
BUYER TIP
So now you want to try some of these local foods – but where do you find them? Lucky for us, 
BRAMBLETON MARKET
LEESBURG MARKET – WEDNESDAY
Interest rates and mortgage bond prices are inversely related. If mortgage bond prices go up, interest rates go down.
Federal Reserve System:
In summary, there are many factors that influence mortgage interest rates. All of these factors are outside of our personal control. When it comes time that you need a loan to purchase or refinance a home, you will be faced with making a decision to lock in your interest rate or let the rate “float” in hopes that the market improves and you can get a lower rate. Here is my advice in regards to that decision: It is much better to be locked in with rates falling than floating with rates rising.
So what does that mean in plain English? If you are purchasing a home, ratification of the contract begins the moment the contract has been delivered to all parties with ALL of the terms agreed to in writing. This is the moment when you all are committed to each other and the terms of which you have agreed to work under. This is the moment when the timelines that you set in the contract begin (unless otherwise stated that they begin based on other terms). So your Realtor is congratulating you on the fact that all parties have reached an agreement and will be moving forward.
point of being ratified, so getting your contract ratified means they are committing to your terms and no one else’s. Also, as the Purchaser, you will want to know when the home inspection deadlines, appraisal deadlines, financing contingencies and other contingencies actually start. You will want to ensure that you meet the terms of your agreement and stay within the timelines to protect certain rights of yours within the contract.
So, the next time your Realtor congratulates you on officially being “ratified”, you will know that this is in fact a great moment and worth a little celebration!
life. Children can grow up with their same friends, continuing on through school with people they are comfortable with. It helps your family grow roots, so to speak, and feel as though they are part of a community, when you have the familiarity of living in the same home, neighborhood, and town. Children’s (and adult’s!) hobbies and sports also benefit from having the same core group of neighbors, teachers, and coaches continuously supporting them when you own your home in your community.
substantially reduces your taxes owed. As a homeowner with a 30 year mortgage, most of your payment is interest on the loan. Homes generally rise in value; this is how you build equity in your home. As you slowly pay down the loan your home’s value is rising. Making improvements to your home also adds value. Another great benefit is that you get to choose the improvements instead of living with someone else’s choices. Rents in our area are continually on the rise. Provided you have a fixed rate loan, owning your home means your mortgage payment remains the same throughout the length of the loan. And with rates as low as they are today, most people are choosing a fixed rate on a 30 year loan.
control to decide if and when you move. Most rental properties are not available to rent for more than 2 years, so this means every few years you have to start the whole process of finding a home to rent and moving all over again. Stability and being in charge of your own destiny is a very powerful and liberating feeling.
Now, there are instances when buying might not be right for you. If you are not going to be in the area for more than 2 years, you probably would be better off renting. If you are saving to buy a home then maybe sacrificing and living in a small home you rent would help you save the money you need for your down payment.
loan such as an FHA or VA? Conventional loans tend to have less stringent home inspection and appraisal requirements.
inspections and any other inspections to as short as possible. The job of your Real Estate Agent is to get all of the contingencies in the contract released as soon as possible. Appraisal & financing contingencies are difficult to shorten too much, because you are relying on 3rd parties to do their job, so therefore you have less control.
