There’s no question that spring has sprung out at Springs—one of our beautiful new home communities, nestled at the heart of Martinsburg, West Virginia. Be sure to check out a few of these fun-filled events, on their way to the Martinsburg, WV area this spring:

Primitive to Prepper Festival (Hedgesville, WV)
April 2-3 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Get back to basics and become one with nature—with the North American Bushcraft School’s 2-day Primitive to Prepper Festival, where you’ll learn important life skills such as how to make a fire, identify edible plants, traditional archery and more! Visit the North American Bushcraft School’s website for additional information.

Uniquely West Virginia Wine and Food Festival (Berkeley Springs, WV)
April 16, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
This one-day festival is sure to be a tastebud-pleaser—with a wide array of fine West Virginia wines and foods from seven signature West Virginia wineries. Stroll down the scenic streets of Berkeley Springs, perusing the local shops and enjoying the budding blossoms! Visit the Berkeley Springs website for additional information.

Chocolate Fest & Book Faire (Martinsburg, WV)
April 23
From truffles and chocolate shop tours to book signings and group discussions—Martinsburg’s Chocolate Fest & Book Faire has it all! Visit the Chocolate Fest & Book Faire’s website for additional information.

Circa Blue Fest (Martinsburg, WV)
May 6 – 8, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Martinsburg’s own three-day bluegrass festival, Circa Blue Fest, is sure to impress, with an amazing lineup of talented bands and performers—spread out over 40 beautiful acres. Be sure to visit the Circa Blue Fest website to buy your ticket today!

Wine and Arts Festival (Martinsburg, WV)
May 28 – 29, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Join your friends and neighbors at Martinsburg’s annual Wine and Arts Festival—held on the expansive grounds of the historic Boydville Mansion. This festival is sure to impress, with a wide variety of local vendors, live music and of course—the best West Virginia wines around!

Source: GoToWV.com

Around this time everyone looks forward to putting away their snow shovels, pulling the covers off their grills, and opening the windows. That’s right, spring is here! However, with warmer temperatures comes the dreaded spring-cleaning. This year, Van Metre has some tips to make spring-cleaning a little easier for you!

Break It Down

No need to spend all day cleaning your entire house (unless you enjoy doing so). The thought of cleaning all day may wear you out before you even start, so there is no need to plan for an entire weekend cleaning marathon. Instead, pick one or two things you want to tackle in a day. Something as simple as dusting your dining room can only take a few minutes after you get home from work!

Closet Cleanout

One of the best things about spring is warmer weather! It’s time to put away those sweaters and find your t-shirts and sundresses. While you’re organizing your closet, pick out the clothes that you haven’t worn in a while or don’t need. Donating clothes is a great way to purge your closet while giving back to your community.

Get Outside

Maybe you spent this winter watching inches of snow cover your outdoor deck and patio furniture. Now that the snow is finally gone, it’s time to reclaim your outdoor space! Wash off all tables and chairs from their winter grime with cleaner or just soap and water. If you have a grill, make sure that everything is working properly and is cleaned out before you fire it up.

Fridge and Freezer

Pull on those gloves and get to it. Toss anything that is past its expiration date, and anything that might be hiding in the way back. Wipe down shelves from miscellaneous spills and crumbs, and your fridge will look like new! The same rules apply for the freezer, and if something looks like it has become one with the freezer, chip away at the ice and toss it.

Clear the Clutter

Do a general sweep of your home from room to room. Recycle or organize that stack of magazines, hang up jackets that are lying around, and put away any shoes by the door. Tidying up for just 10 minutes can have a drastic effect on the whole look and feel of your home!

Source: Women’s Day

Farmer’s Markets of Loudoun County
It’s that time of year again! With spring well underway, it’s time for the seasonal farmer’s markets of Loudoun County to reopen for the 2016 season.

Farmers markets have been a long-time spring staple in Loudoun County for a number of reasons. Produce found at farmer’s markets are always the freshest around, and patrons are able to feel good about shopping at them, as they are able to support the local economy. Shopping at farmer’s markets helps the environment as well, due to reduced shipping and packaging compared to buying produce at a national grocery store chain. With so many reasons to love farmer’s markets, why wouldn’t you shop local?

Our Brambleton, Belmont Glen Village, EastView, Fox Knoll, Stone Ridge, Tanglewood and Willowsford communities are all conveniently located in Loudoun County; a region renowned for its abundance of farmer’s markets!

This spring, discover the very best produce Northern Virginia has to offer by checking out a few of these Loudoun County farmer’s markets:

Ashburn Farmer’s Market (20357 Exchange Street, Ashburn, VA)

Brambleton Farmer’s Market (22873 Brambleton Plaza, Brambleton, VA)

Cascades Farmer’s Market (21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, VA)

Farmer John’s Wayside Market (15520 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, VA)

Leesburg Farmer’s Market (Catoctin Circle SE, Leesburg, VA)

Leesburg Summer Market (11 Fairfax Street, Leesburg, VA)

Middleburg Community Farmer’s Market (200 Stone Wall Ave, Middleburg, VA)

Purcellville Community Market (550 E Main Street, Purcellville, VA)

Stonybrook Farm Market (37091 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA)

Wellness Connection Farmer’s Market (24600 Millstream Drive, Stone Ridge, VA)

Sources: LoudounFarmersMarkets.org, NorthernVirginiaMag.com, VisitLoudoun.org

Ahh, Bull Run Mountain. If you’ve spent any time in northern Virginia at all, you surely know of its beauty, its pastoral landscapes, and, well, it’s golf. It’s a place locals and tourists alike love, and love to visit… and now it can be your home.

Nestled in the foothills, in this most picturesque corner of Prince William County, The Estates at Bull Run Golf Club is a community like none other that features 26 majestic estate homes luxuriously appointed with all of the modernities a discerning northern Virginia homebuyer could want, surrounded by the most stunning mountain vistas, and thoughtfully positioned around the Bull Run Golf Course.

Not a golfer? Hey, that’s okay. With so many things to see and do in the area, with one visit to The Estates at Bull Run, even those who’ve never picked up a golf club (and don’t want to!) will understand the appeal of Bull Run. Here, you’ll lead a life that blends a country club atmosphere with the simpler side of life… It doesn’t get much better than this.

When home is The Estates at Bull Run, home means luxury and leisure.

When you choose to come home to The Estates at Bull Run, you’ll choose a home from among many flexible floorplans that range from 3000 to 7000 square feet; you’ll work directly with Van Metre Homes to choose and customize the elements that best suit your taste and style, to truly make this house your home. The gourmet chef’s kitchens, the sumptuous owners’ suites, and the sweeping designs that scream sophisticated style and incredible warmth — that comes standard, but if you so desire a butler’s pantry, a morning room, a wet bar, or a lower-level media room, you’ll find it here. When home is The Estates at Bull Run.

Whether you hit the links daily or simply enjoy the beautiful retreat that is your home and community, The Estates at Bull Run offers its neighbors the chance at a life not just lived, but experienced.

When home is The Estates at Bull Run, you’ll enjoy:

• Close proximity to Dumfries Road (Route 234), James Madison Highway (Route 15), and Route 50
• Charming shopping, dining, and entertainment in downtown Haymarket (and Leesburg is nearby, too)
• Exceptional Prince William County schools
• An award-winning 18-hole championship golf course with pro shop, putting green, driving range, and chipping area on-site

Interested in learning more about The Estates at Bull Run?

Contact Van Metre Homes today.

As Loudoun County’s first new hospital to open in 100 years, this 124-bed hospital center promises to increase area residents’ access to high-quality healthcare for Loudoun County residents; to improve the county’s emergency preparedness capabilities, and to provide 500 new jobs as well as $2.1 million tax revenue to fund important community programs.

Services available at StoneSprings Hospital Center will include:

• A full-service, 24/7 Emergency Department
• The latest technology applied to patient care and safety
• Medical/surgical/pediatric/intensive care services
• Ten Labor-delivery-recovery-postpartum beds
• Advanced cardiac services, including a Cardiac Cath Lab
• Comprehensive diagnostic imaging and interventional services

Take a virtual tour of the all-new StoneSprings Hospital Center:

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StoneSprings Hospital Center is set to open in December.

Van Metre Home is committed to keeping homeowners (and prospective homebuyers) apprised of what is new and affecting residents in Stone Ridge.

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend… and as it turns out, Van Metre’s, too!

Van Metre Homes is excited to mark a momentous occasion in the year 2015: its diamond anniversary; since 1955, the region’s premier luxury homebuilder has matched more than 16,000 northern Virginia families with the home or elevator condo of their dreams in planned communities throughout Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties — as well as the cities of Manassas and Alexandria.

Celebrate 60 years of excellence with Van Metre Homes.

Come one, come all northern Virginians to learn more about Van Metre Homes, and their one-of-a-kind 60th anniversary savings and giveaways.

“Northern Virginians have followed their instincts to Van Metre for decades, because our homes offer the best locations and the best designs, for the best value,” said Brian Davidson, Executive Vice President. “It’s been six decades of unrivaled excellence, and we’re looking forward to six decades more. And then some.”

Prospective homebuyers just like you can take advantage of a $5000 Design Studio credit, and the exclusive opportunity to customize a new northern Virginia home to their style and taste; and you might even win a six-carat diamond anniversary bracelet while you’re at it.

Contact Van Metre Homes for full details.

But don’t wait; the celebration lasts only 60 days!

As a team of professionals living and working in northern Virginia, it is the ultimate goal and responsibility of Van Metre Homes to be not just a builder of luxury homes, but an active participant in the community at large.

Helping End Homelessness in Northern VA, One Shelter at a Time

Van Metre Homes is incredibly proud to support the efforts of area nonprofit, HomeAid Northern Virginia — with our very own Executive Vice President Brian Davidson at the helm, who serves as Executive Committee President on the 2015 HomeAid Board of Directors. HomeAid Northern Virginia, a chapter of the larger HomeAid America, has committed itself to helping local organizations provide quality housing for the too-many Virginia families and individuals who struggle to get by without a permanent place to call home.

“With the invaluable support of homebuilders like Van Metre and other corporate sponsors too many to name, HomeAid America has completed 96 projects that have benefited more than 72,000 homeless individuals since its inception in 2001,” said Brian Davidson, Executive Vice President of Van Metre Homes and HomeAid Northern Virginia Board of Directors President. “It’s such a worthy cause: Rewarding, and fun to boot, especially come Gala season.”

Did someone say Gala?

Yes! This November, HomeAid Northern Virginia is hosting the 14th Annual Gala & Auction: There’s No Place Like Home on Saturday, November 7 at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles. Take a trip down the famed yellow brick road for a night of live and silent auctions; raffle prizes; great food, and so much more — all to help HomeAid Northern Virginia (and Van Metre Homes!) provide homes for those without them.

About HomeAid Northern Virginia

In the great Commonwealth of Virginia, approximately 40,000 people are homeless — nearly 5000 in northern Virginia alone. These people, our neighbors and fellow Americans live in their cars, on the streets, in wooded areas, abandoned buildings, or anywhere they might find brief respite from the elements. And to make matters even more disheartening, a full quarter of the homeless population is made up by children. Someone has to say no more; someone has to do something about this.

That someone is HomeAid Northern Virginia. The nonprofit organization has, for over a decade, taken on projects to renovate existing, and construct new shelter facilities that house thousands of homeless families and individuals each year. With the support of homebuilders and trade partners, HomeAid Northern Virginia is able to provide significant cost savings to the shelters so they might better serve the needs of Virginians in crisis.

About Van Metre Homes

Van Metre Companies is one of the area’s most successful private multi-disciplinary real estate developers having constructed over 16,000 houses and several thousand apartments, as well as office buildings and shopping centers in Northern Virginia. Van Metre communities include our own master-planned developments, as well as neighborhoods in smaller subdivisions and third-party planned communities. Van Metre Companies aims to be a resident’s “builder for life”, with home designs for every stage in life.

Learn all about Van Metre Homes, and the philanthropic causes they support:

Request more information today.

Sure, when many people first think of that most perfect house, they think two stories, a big yard, and white picket fence, but sometimes there’s an alternative; and who knows? That alternative might be even more perfect.

Consider buying a Centre Park elevator condo in Stone Ridge.

Choosing to purchase a condo can offer many unique advantages for first-time homebuyers and empty nesters alike. These well-appointed homes offer innovative designs that maximize space and deliver exceptional style, so when you’re thinking about buying your first (or last) home, think about a luxury elevator condo in the master planned community of Centre Park, in Stone Ridge.

An elevator condo requires less upkeep.

Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibility; there are lawns to mow, and roofs to replace, and pools to clean, but such is not the case when you purchase an elevator condo. At Centre Park, we’ll take care of all that for you. Convenient and practical, right?

But:

In an elevator condo, you’ll never sacrifice style for convenience.

Come on home to Centre Park, where innovative and spacious floorplans boast upscale features that include a pantry or a breakfast bar in the kitchen; a study nook, a den, or both; a balcony; a one-car garage; and — you guessed it — an elevator that will whisk you direct into the welcoming embrace of your new home. In Stone Ridge, we’ve combined low-maintenance living without compromising style, in spades.

An elevator condo at Centre Park in Stone Ridge means amenities galore.

While you can’t exactly install a private gym inside your new Stone Ridge home, but worry not: Centre Park will do you one better, with a host of unrivaled amenities. Enjoy convenient access to the community Social Club, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a top-of-the-line sports clubhouse, as well as close proximity to the Dulles Corridor, Chantilly and Interstate 66. Get where you need to be, and then get home to relax after a long day, or work on your backhand.

When you’re in the market for a new home:

Stone Ridge, in a Centre Park elevator condo has it all.

The City of Manassas is a perfect example of what people are seeking in a vibrant downtown. Residents in and around the historic district have a short walk to the growing array of downtown restaurants and shops, festivals and events, markets, galleries , and more. In fact, Historic Downtown Manassas has a Walkscore of 85, which is considered “Very Walkable.”

For the entire article, click here

The housing market in northern Virginia is booming, and showing no signs of slowing. After June 2015 recorded the highest new home sales numbers is nearly a decade, July was not to be outdone, with sales rising even higher than the month before (according to RealEstate Business Intelligence).

This heightened level of activity means two things: More people than ever before are moving into the region, and the market is changing. Spurred on by ever-expanding transit options, newly constructed developments, and changing homebuyer priorities, what might be considered prime real estate is moving outside the Beltway — and into communities like Ashburn and Brambleton.

What’s so great about life outside the Beltway?

Life outside the I-495 Beltway means more room for growth, which also means a vaster selection and greater affordability… but also a longer commute. Still, many northern Virginia homebuyers are growing less attracted to older homes on larger lots in the closer suburbs, and more attracted to areas like Loudoun County, where Van Metre is building large, state-of-the-art homes.

Luxury, or location, or both?

Take Belmont Glen Village for example, in Loudoun County’s Ashburn. This luxury single-family home community features new home designs with charming exteriors; innovative, open flexible designs; and over 3000 square foot of living space.

Luxury, check.

And it can’t be neglected to mention that Belmont Glen Village is located just minutes from the Dulles Greenway, and soon: Metro’s Silver Line will offer residents quick and convenient access to Dulles International Airport and everything the capital city’s inner suburbs have to offer.

Location, check.

What may have, just a few years ago, seemed much too far a distance to commute suddenly looks more attractive; suddenly seems more like home in Loudoun County.