Meet Caleb Laieski, Activist

Caleb Laieski is an advocate for the environment as well as civil rights. As a teenager who experienced bullying, he became involved in meeting with many members of Congress as well as other legislators regarding anti-bullying legislation. At age 17, Caleb was the Youth and Diversity Liaison in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Today, he continues to advocate for LGBT rights, public safety, and the environment.

Learn more about Caleb by visiting his website.

1. How did your experiences growing up inspire you to become involved in political advocacy?

After receiving death threats and being severely bullied for being openly gay in high school, I ended up dropping out of school. Believe it or not, that was my only birthday wish, and fortunately it came true. About a month later, I quickly obtained my GED and went into advocacy work to make sure other young people wouldn't have to experience what I had to.

2. What projects are you currently working on?

I just joined the effort to challenge Tennessee's recently passed law that allows counselors' and therapists' religious beliefs to be an excuse for terminating care or referring clients because of moral objections to how the client identifies. In summary, this allows mental health professionals to put their own beliefs above and before the needs of their clients.

3. What is the hardest part about your work?

That's a tough question... I would certainly say that sometimes it's hard to stay energized 24/7, and advocacy can be extremely tiring. However, seeing the impact of my work and hearing that I have made a difference in someone's life is what gives me that continuous spark of energy and enthusiasm.

4. Do you think that the national conversation on LGBTQ rights has changed at all, in the wake of Orlando?

Absolutely. This shooting was the most tragic in not only LGBT history, but in U.S. history. It reminds the members of the LGBT community that hate still exists, and we must always be aware of what is going on around us. This hate crime also highlights the importance of passing legislation to ensure basic background checks are performed and make sure that guns stay out of the wrong people's hands.

5. What are your plans for the future?

I have had the honor to get involved in many amazing gigs with activism and worked as a 911 Dispatcher for several years. I am now looking to become a police officer and continue serving my community in that capacity.

Thanks, Caleb!

Meet Carolyn Young, Real Estate REMAX Realtor Loudoun Virginia

1. How did you first get into buying and selling houses?

I am a life-long resident of the Northern Virginia area, and I have always loved architecture and the idea of a home versus a house. Twenty years ago, Loudoun County was just starting to really grow, and I decided at the time that real estate was something that I would love to do--I was right! Within six months, I quit my full-time job and have never looked back!

2. What are some of the most often overlooked parts by home owners when selling their home?

Putting a home on the market is all in the details--it's very important, if a seller wants to get top dollar, to allow the buyer to feel comfortable about the home, and by that I mean that the home has been historically well-maintained, and not just staged for one day's showing. For example, caulking, air filters, water filters, ceiling stains, gutters--it all should be buttoned up. Trust me, buyers look at these things.

3. How has the housing market changed in Loudoun County over the past few years?

Loudoun County, like many markets, has been on a roller coaster over the last ten years--rapid rise, rapid fall, flat, and now steady growth. The last five years have been phenomenal in terms of growth--if you moved out-of-state during this time, and moved back, you would be hard pressed to even recognize some areas. There is growth everywhere.

4. What makes a house a good investment?

All things being equal: location. The changing tide will raise and lower all the boats equally; in real estate, however, a home in a good location will fall more slowly and recover more quickly than other homes. Overall, good location stabilizes a home's value over the long term.

5. For anyone reading this who wants to get into investing in properties and fixing them up to resell, what's your advice?

Be prepared to compete with others who have the same idea; know how much materials and labor cost, and choose your properties wisely. Be willing to walk away from the wrong house at the "right" price. And have a good agent on your side, preferably one who owns investment property.

To learn more about some of the properties we have listed with Carolyn Young Real Estate, please visit our Loudoun Virginia Homes for Sale website, and we'll be in touch right away.

Thanks, Carolyn!

Introducing Sharp Detail for Mobile Car Detailing

Have you ever thought about having your car detailed but couldn't find the time to take your car in? If you're in the greater Washington DC area, you're in luck because Sharp Detailing offers mobile auto detailing services. For over ten years, the company has been coming to people's homes, workplaces, and more to provide car detailing work.

The idea behind the business is to provide attentive service to all customers. First of all, Sharp Detail is known for their careful hand-washing. They do interior and exterior work, including vacuuming, shampooing, waxing, streak-free mirror cleaning, and tire cleaning and conditioning. Whether you need a spot on your seat or carpet removed, or a detail of your engine, you can work with Sharp Detail for the services you need.

If you aren't someone who regularly has your car detailed, you may find specific occasions when it's important to get detailing. For example, having your car detailed before selling it can increase its resale value. Or maybe your car was in a small accident and needs scratches removed or other sprucing up. A friend of mine had her car stolen and had it detailed afterward, and by the time she was driving it again, she said it felt good as new--a feeling which really erased the stress of having lost her car temporarily.

Even in the cold winter weather, Sharp Detail is busy meeting the needs of their customers to keep their vehicles looking their best. They actively make sure customers are satisfied by reaching out to each and every customer after they do the job. They care about the people who ask them to detail their cars and work hard to make sure every interaction they have with the company is a positive one, including interactions with the technicians as well as the person who does the scheduling.

And finally, Sharp Detail's work is guaranteed, so if you give them a try and aren't satisfied, they will work with you to make it right!

A Blog on Moving and Self Storage from the DC Metro Area

Georgetown Moving and Storage Company is based in Arlington, Virgina and offers help with moving and self-storage needs. The company has a blog with information on topics related to moving and storage.

Many of the posts on the blog relate to interstate and long-distance moving. Georgetown Moving offers these services, and the posts give details about moves between specific states, such as moving from Florida to the Washington, DC / Virginia area. There are also posts about moving from the DC area to other states--for example, one post focuses on moving from DC to Wisconsin.

I think the specifics of the posts are helpful in terms of offering information and reassurance to people planning their own state-to-state moves.

There are other posts on moving and storage topics such as how self-storage works and how to plan for a large move. Again, I like that the posts get very specific--for example, there's a post with lots of details on how to move a pool table.

The site is especially useful for people moving to and from the DC metro area, but as you search or scroll through the blog, you can find other tidbits, too, to make any move a little (or a lot!) smoother.

Social Lotto Pool: A Lottery Pool for Virginia Residents

When I was a kid, my dad was part of an informal lottery pool. I don't know the details, but I remember him bringing home a few hundred dollars one time, and I thought it was very exciting! Well, my dad and his coworkers never hit it big, but the lottery is a constant source of intrigue for many of us. Some states have legal lottery pools that are more formalized than the one I remember from my childhood.

In the state of Virginia, there is a resource called Social Lotto Pool where players buy tickets online and participate in large lottery pools as an attempt to increase their odds of winning. Compared to buying a couple dollars' worth of lottery tickets on your own, it's a clever option to be able to share in the potential winnings with large groups of people pooling their money together. And with lottery prizes getting bigger and bigger, who would really mind sharing?

Managed by lottery enthusiasts, Social Lotto Pool's website has a FAQ section to answer your questions about playing. At this time, participation in the pool is legal for Virginia residents only. The site is hoping to expand participation to Georgia, so keep an eye out for site updates.

Here's a video with more information about how Social Lotto Pool works.