Posted on November 20, 2012 by Miller and Smith Blog Team
<p><a href=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.56.26-AM.png”><img title=”Screen shot 2012-11-20 at 9.56.26 AM” alt=”” src=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.56.26-AM.png” /></a>Carol is the Miller & Smith Sales Manager at Madison Crescent, a fabulous live/work/play community conveniently located just minutes from I-66 in Gainesville, VA. It’s an exciting time for Carol because she only has a few homes left to sell in Madison Crescent, including her award-winning Sydney model.<a href=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.53.57-AM.png”><img title=”Screen shot 2012-11-20 at 9.53.57 AM” alt=”” src=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.53.57-AM.png” /></a><a href=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.54.16-AM.png”><img title=”Screen shot 2012-11-20 at 9.54.16 AM” alt=”” src=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.54.16-AM.png” /></a><a href=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.54.07-AM.png”><img title=”Screen shot 2012-11-20 at 9.54.07 AM” alt=”” src=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-shot-2012-11-20-at-9.54.07-AM.png” /></a>We recently caught up with Carol for our latest installment of 7Qs. Here’s what she had to say about her models, her own home, and her favorite neighborhood sushi chef‚</p><p>1<strong>. What is your favorite feature about your model home?</strong></p><blockquote><p>My favorite feature of both models is the great room concept ‚ the combination kitchen, dining area, and family room. This open floorplan allows for an easy flow of traffic to the most important areas of the house. Families can be together, but still be involved in individual pursuits ‚ whether it’s watching TV, playing games, or doing homework.</p></blockquote><p><strong>2. What is the best memory of the house you grew up in?</strong></p><blockquote><p>I grew up in a large colonial house in Alexandria. My best memory is the sounds of activity, especially on weekends, as six people prepared to begin their day. Breakfast smells wafted up from the kitchen; my dad would be discussing his latest project (he would always say, I can fix anything but a broken heart.); and my brothers and sister, when not squabbling, would get ready for two days of school-free fun. After I first left home and lived on my own, these sounds and the sense of family, were one of the things I missed the most.</p></blockquote><p><strong>3. What is the best part about being less than a mile from Wegmans and walking distance to Harris Teeter?</strong></p><blockquote><p>In a word‚ sushi! Both stores offer an incredible array of products ‚ everything from natural and organic foods to hot meals to take home. Wegmans in particular offers a grocery shopping experience second to none. And if you like sushi‚ the sushi chefs at Wegmans will dazzle you with a selection to fit any palette, while Chef Mo at Harris Teeter makes the freshest avocado roll around.</p></blockquote><p><strong>4. In your own home, what is the room you spend the most time in?</strong></p><blockquote><p>When the weather permits, it would have to be the screened porch off my kitchen. I’m a mosquito magnet, so the only way I realized I could enjoy the outdoors was to surround myself in screen! All my houseplants live out there in the summer. I’m a sucker for solar lights, so I have a frog with a dragonfly on his tongue that glows in the dark and solar lights tucked in all my plants. It’s a great place to unwind, listen to the birds, and watch the sun go down in the evening.</p></blockquote><p><strong>5. What makes the design of the Manor Homes so flexible and how are your buyers configuring their floorplans?</strong></p><blockquote><p>The concept of flexible space makes the Manor Homes especially appealing to many homebuyers. Both the Alexandra and the Sydney have flex rooms. Since no two families live the same, there is no better way to really make a house a home than to be able to use rooms in a way to suit one’s lifestyle. The Alexandra has a flex room in the front of the house that works well as an office, library, living room, or even a playroom. The Sydney has the Owner’s Choice on the main level that can be turned into anything from an office to a parent’s bedroom. The Sydney also has an option for a main level full bath with a door leading into the owner’s choice bedroom. Buyers with parents living with them or those who often host long-term visitors love this option.</p></blockquote><p><strong>6</strong>.<strong>What do commuters find so appealing about Madison Crescent’s location?</strong></p><blockquote><p>Where else can you be at the junction of two main thoroughfares, both of which lead conveniently to I-66? Madison Crescent is located at the corner of Routes 29 and 15, which lead to Exits 43 and 40 respectively. If driving isn’t an option, then a 20-minute commute will take one to the VRE station in Manassas for a stress-free ride to points east.</p></blockquote><p><strong>7. Explain your most memorable connection or moment with a homebuyer</strong>.</p><blockquote><p>Sometimes it’s easy to forget what a stressful job it is to purchase a home, especially for those who are relocating from another state, and even more agonizing, trying to make these decisions without the benefit of a spouse who might still be back at home. One of my most memorable moments came as a manager when I had to speak to a young man relocating to the Northern Virginia area to take a job with Homeland Security. He was here without his wife and trying to decide if he should purchase the first house in a new subdivision. He wanted some assurance that the house would appraise, since there had been no previous sales. He was afraid that any glitches in the transaction could have an effect on his clearance and ultimately his new job. As I sat and talked to him, I mentioned how tough this must be to be doing this without his family. He said that it certainly was and to make matters worse, their pet-sitter had killed his dog. I said Oh, no! And then this big, burly Homeland Security man began to cry, wiping his eyes on his T-shirt like a little kid. He couldn’t even talk about his dog, let alone the house. That moment really drove home for me what a momentous process homebuying is.</p></blockquote><p>To learn more about Madison Crescent, stop by and see Carol today. For more photos and directions to the community, please <a href=”http://www.millerandsmith.com/?community=madison-crescent”>click here.</a></p>