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When Everyone WinsThere was a Special Olympics race and eight children glowed in anticipation of the event. Excitedly the children all took their places and got ready for the start of the race.

A starter gave them the signal and shouted, “Get on your mark, get set—goooo!” And the children sprinted out. Soon one girl clearly took the lead with the other children running to catch up.

However, back in the pack of runners one boy, who had gotten off to a slower start, tripped and fell. He began to cry on the racetrack. He whimpered and tears spilled down his cheeks.

The leader of the race, a girl with Down Syndrome heard her opponent’s anguish—and though she was clearly set to win the race she stopped and ran back to the boy. When she reached him, she gingerly dropped down and gave him a kiss on the knee and then she wiped away his tears.

When the other runners saw what was going on they also turned around and ran back. Together they pulled the boy up—then they set off to finish the race they had begun.

As the children approached the finish line it was hard to find a dry eye among the spectators. The runners came down the final stretch toward the finish line—with their arms linked. And each one of them was absolutely delighted to be together.

—Adapted from Relationships of Grace, by Chris Karcher

Is there someone around you who could use a hand to get to the finish line? Can you lend one?

v Just in Junev A Golfer’s Heavenv Networking Know Howv Feeling Pressure to Earn?v Eat Where You Wantv The Power of Praisev Starting College:

A Family Experiencev Katherine & William’s Corner

What did that house down the street sell for?

Get a free Market Snapshot of your neighborhood with recent home

sales, current homes for sale and new listing alerts. Email:

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Garcia GazetteNews & Views for Haymarket, Virginia & Beyond from Bryan Garcia

The Garcia Gazette is published monthly by Bryan Garcia,

Associate Brokerwww.EXITgarcia.com

Inside This Issue

EXIT HERITAGE REALTY

It’s summer! Scan to see all the Haymarket, Gainesville,

Warrenton, Bristow and Manassas area homes for sale with POOLS!

June 2014 Call or text Bryan at 703-517-2574

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Just in June ...• June 5, 1968 - Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot and

mortally wounded in Los Angeles

• June 12, 1776 - The Virginia Convention adopts a Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, which includes such specific civil liberties as freedoms of the press and religion. The declaration became the model for the later Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.

• June 15, 1752 - Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity.

• June 17, 1928 - Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to Wales.

• June 22, 1970 - President Nixon signed a measure lowering the voting age to eighteen.

• June 26, 1964 - The Beatles US album, A Hard Day’s Night, was released.

• June 30, 1936 - Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone With The Wind” was published.

According to the recent Realtors® Confidence Index, most U.S. states can expect a rise in home prices by 3% to 5% over the next 12 months. However, California, Florida and Texas are predicted to see a 5% to 7% increase while Pennsylvania, Mississippi and Connecticut may see less than 3%. Virginia is in the 3% to 5% range.

Source: Realtors® Confidence Index, April 2014 Edition, Realtor.com

Did YouKnow?

The Origin of Father’s DayFather’s Day is Sunday, June 15th

There are suggestions that the idea of Father’s Day originates in pagan sun worship. Some branches of paganism see the sun as the father of the universe. The June solstice occurs around the same time of year as Father’s Day, so some people saw a link between the two.

The modern idea of a special day to honor fathers and celebrate fatherhood was introduced from the United States. A woman called Sonora Smart Dodd was inspired by the American Mother’s Day celebrations, and planned a day to honor fathers early in the 20th century. The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910. Father’s Day has become popular throughout North America and in others parts of the world.

“A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be.” ~ unknown

4th of July Celebration at Great Meadow!

5089 Old Tavern Road The Plains, VA

Enjoy an afternoon and evening of games, shows and activities for all ages ending with a huge fireworks show!

Gates open at 4 PM $35/per car in advance

at Wegmans; $40/per car at the gate

AroundTown

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Send us your best Barbecue Recipe for a marinade or side dish and win a $25 Gift Card

to Bad to the Bone.Winning recipe will be

published and shared in blogs.Email recipe to:

bryangarcia@exitheritage.comPlease include your name

and address. Contest runs until 6/30.

Congratulations to our May Contest winner, Donna Knupp, for her winning Spring Bloom

photo (below).

Haymarket Car Show & Family Street Festival

Washington Steet, HaymarketSaturday, June 21st

11 AM to 5 PMSummer Concert

Series Kickoff 6 PM to 9 PM

See cars and trucks from yesterday and today—

hot rods, street machines, classic cars, and trucks will line the main street. Also

vendor booths, crafts, Farmville with petting zoos, kids rides, great food, beer

garden and more. Admission is free.

BBQ Recipe Contest

A Golfer’s Heaven ...With the recent announcement of the PGA Tour 2015 being hosted by Robert Trent Jones Gold Club (RTJ) in Gainesville, I thought it would be a good opportunity to mention a few other golf courses in the Gainesville/Haymarket area.

The Tiger Woods Foundation announced in March that RTJ—a private golf club overlooking Lake Manassas—was chosen to host the 2015 Quicken Loans National Tournament. The Tournament is scheduled for June 23-29, 2015.

This news is exciting for area residents, especially golf enthusiasts. It will also have a positive economic impact on the region by exposing outsiders to our local attractions and other area golf courses.

Many of us may not be familiar with RTJ because it is an exclusive, private course and membership is by invitation only. However, as you know, the Gainesville and Haymarket area is home to several other spectacular golf courses. What you might not know is that access and membership is not necessarily limited to residents of the communities.

RTJ boasts breathtaking views of Lake Manassas, but also wrapped around scenic Lake Manassas is Stonewall Golf Club—a semi-private, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Tom Jackson. Other area public courses include Virginia Oaks Golf Club also overlooking Lake Manassas and Bull Run Golf Club, located off Route 15 in Haymarket.

Area private courses include Dominion Valley, Piedmont, Evergreen and Heritage Hunt—but membership and privileges are not exclusive to community residents. Learn more about all the Gainesville/Haymarket golf courses and get more information about membership packages, golf instruction and junior summer golf camps at: haymarkethomeowner.com/haymarket-va-golf.

This vibrant photo submitted by Donna Knupp is our May Contest Winner. It shows nice depth of field, composition and is beautiful in color but also reproduces well in black and white. Donna will receive a $25 Gift Card to Lowes. Congratulations to Donna and thank you for all other entries! To see this photo in it’s original color version, as well as some other entries, visit my Facebook page at HaymarketRealEstateGuy.

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In a recent survey, 49% of home buyers reported that an outdated kitchen was the biggest turnoff. Second at 33% was unreasonably high asking prices.

Source: MRIS 2013 Home Buyers Survey

Did YouKnow?

Networking Know-How In order to leverage the business connections you make through networking, you’ve got to be remembered. Maribeth Kuzmeski, author of The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life, recommends using three contact strategies for keeping in touch:

Meeting follow-up. Have a system for following up after a meeting, conversation, or call, such as a handwritten note, e-mail, phone call, or social media connection.

Periodic individual contact. Contact people in person periodically to stay in touch and maintain the relationship, but don’t contact them only when you want something from them. Ask if they need anything from you.

Start a Meetup group. Target a subgroup within your network on Meetup.com and organize meetups like luncheons or business after hours.

“Yes, the prospect of staying connected to all 1,000—some folks in your LinkedIn network seems daunting,” Kuzmeski says. “But if you break it down to 20 or so people a week, the task is manageable.” The hardest part is doing so consistently, but the rewards are worthwhile. Your contacts will remember your name and will appreciate your efforts. And that can pay off handsomely when you need help from them.

Feeling Pressured To Earn?Most of us envy the rich, but for some of us, the pressure to achieve financial success can be overwhelming.

The Global Trends Survey, an online survey with more than 16,000 participants in 20 countries, looked at the international view of wealth and found that the Chinese may be feeling the greatest stress, with 68 percent agreeing that they feel under “a lot of pressure to be successful and make money.” Sweden reported the lowest level of agreement (28 percent), and the U.S. came in at the middle—46 percent.

China also is the most materialistic of nations, with 71 percent of its citizens in agreement with the statement “I measure my success by the things I own.” And again, Sweden comes in at the other end, where only 7 percent do the same. The U.S. ranked closer to the bottom, with only 21 percent looking to possessions for affirmation.

Here are some of the new clients who became

members of our “EXIT Heritage Family”

this past month. I’d like to welcome you!

Joe Zucharo (Gainesville, VA)

Referred by Curtis ScottBrandon & Samantha Budd

(Catlett, VA) Referred by Tory RodgersThe greatest compliment I can receive in a referral

from my past clients. If you know someone who is thinking about selling their home please let me know.

Call or text me at 703-517-2574.

Welcome New Clients

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Jiffy Lube Live Concerts Bristow, VA

Visit Livenation.com for tickets.June 14

Tim McGrawJune 20

Foreigner & StyxJune 22

Zac Brown BandJune 27

One Republic & The ScriptJune 28

Toby Keith & Colt FordJune 29 AVICII

AroundTown

Eat Where You WantOrganizational health experts typically advise employees to get away from their desks to eat lunch. Some new research, reported on the Science Daily website, suggests that where you eat your lunch is less important than how much choice you have over the decision.

Management researchers interviewed a range of administrative employees at a large university about where they ate their lunch and how tired they appeared to their co-workers at the end of the day. Those who were able to engage in relaxing activities away from their workspace were, predictably, the least fatigued by day’s end. But employees who freely chose to remain at their desks to get work done were less tired than colleagues who felt forced to work through lunch.

The key issue appears to be choice. Employees who feel pressured to stay on the job—and even those who feel they have to socialize with their co-workers or managers at lunch—tend to feel more fatigued when their workday is over. So think through how you want to spend your lunch hour and, if possible, make your own decision. You’ll feel better when you head home at the end of the work day.

The Power of PraiseThe British novelist Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted often about the outstanding work of his secretary. Waiting on an appointment one day at the publisher’s office, Bennett approached her with a smile. “Your boss claims you’re extremely efficient,” he said. “What is your secret?” “It’s not my secret,” the secretary said. “It’s his.” She explained that the publisher never failed to acknowledge and appreciate every task she performed, no matter how routine or seemingly insignificant. Because of his attention and praise, she took great pains to deliver good work all of the time.

Should I get an appraisal BEFORE I list

my house for sale?If you have a unique home with custom features and upgrades, it might be a

good idea to get an appraisal before you put

your house on the market.Otherwise, a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) may show your home at a value closer to homes that recently sold in your neighborhood of similar

size, which may be lower than the actual value.

Just Ask Bryan

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Starting College: A Family Experience

Going off to college is a new beginning for parents as well as students. For students, independence and the real world are looming. For parents, it signals that they need to start getting comfortable with their child growing up and getting ready to go out into the world on their own. This transition can be easier for all with these tips:

Prepare to make new friends. Chances are your child is going to a college where he or she doesn’t know many people. It can be hard to let the bonds from high school fade, but remember that college is a new experience, and with it come new friends who can only make the experience better.

Don’t slack off. Though colleges may make new students feel a good deal freer, it’s still important that they go to class, study, and be on top of grades. This may seem fairly obvious, but the looser atmosphere of college, combined with the lack of parental supervision, can be detrimental to a student’s work ethic and motivation.

Be open to new things. Most colleges afford students the opportunity to explore new things. The diversity of peoples, ideas, and culture allows students to learn and discover new things outside the classroom. And don’t let your student’s major or concentration restrict them in terms of course selection. They should choose classes that interest them.

Don’t buy into the stereotypes. Forget what you’ve seen in movies. Those are Hollywood myths that are rarely found on college campuses. Not everyone is a drunken buffoon, and not every dean hates his or her students. College dorms are nowhere near as wild or outrageous as depicted, and, believe it or not, dorm food isn’t that bad.

EXIT HERITAGE REALTY

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or just call or text me and I’ll send it right out.www.EXITgarcia.com • BryanGarcia@ExitHeritage.com • 703-517-2574

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Bryan Garcia15030 Washington StreetHaymarket, VA 20169

www.EXITgarcia.comBryanGarcia@EXITheritage.com Call or Text: 703-517-2574

This newsletter is intended for entertain-ment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known. Any omission of credit to an author is purely unintentional and should not be construed as plagiarism or literary theft.

Copyright 2013 Bryan Garcia, Exit Heritage Realty. This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice.

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This Says it All ...I’d like to wish all the dads, step dads and granddads out there a Happy Father’s Day. This classic cartoon is a funny reminder of how fathers are perceived through the eyes of children.