Month: February 2011

Prudential Waterfront Properties, Smith Mountain Lake’s Premier Real Estate Company, is exceptionally proud that we have an outstanding retention rate for our staff and sales associates.  In a field that so often experiences frequent turnover, it is testimony to our company as well as a reflection of the quality of people that are a part of our team to be able to recognize an associate for length of association with the company.  We were able to do just that when we honored Vicki Millehan and Carolyn Pruett in January for being with the company for 20 years. Congratulations to both Vicki and Carolyn!

Smith Mountain Lake is a wonderful place to set your anchor for great fun.   No matter the season, there’s a good reason to come to Smith Mountain Lake to relax, kick back and enjoy yourself.  Contact the Visitor Center at 800.676.8203 or 540.721.1203 to find out more about the following events scheduled for this year.

2011 Calendar of Events

April

April 29  –  8th Annual SML Business Expo Sponsored by the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, this annual event showcases member businesses, service providers and their products. Public invited. Held at Downtown Moneta.

April 30 – Rockin Brews & BBQ’s an annual spring ‘music, food and fun’ event in the Smith Mountain Lake area.  Held at Downtown Moneta, Route 608 and 122, Noon – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 30. $5 Admission, Children 12 and under free.

May

May 7  –  14th Annual SML Triathlon

Come participate or cheer your favorites in swimming, biking and running events at the beautiful Smith Mountain Lake State Park located in Huddleston off of the Smith Mountain Lake State Parkway (Route 626).

May 7   –  24th  Annual Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake Cleanup  Day This event marks the 24th annual lake-wide clean-up effort. Volunteers from the entire community get involved in sprucing up the lake and shore for the coming summer season. Volunteers can register individually, as a group or organization.  Call the Smith Mountain Lake Visitor Center for more information at 540.721.1203.

May 13-15—Pigg River Ramble   The Pigg River Ramble is a 3-day whitewater packed weekend full of excitement and adventure. You can race against other Ramblers or simply float for fun down the Pigg River. Friday, May 13, 2010 at 9:00pm kicks off the Pigg River Ramble weekend with the fun of a night-time float on the Blackwater River with the “Blackwater Blackout.”

Saturday, May 14, at 10:00am the Annual Pigg River Ramble kicks off with a competitive style float down the Pigg River, with canoeists/kayakers from all over the East Coast.

Sunday, May 15, at 7:00am Breakfast on the Blackwater starts off with a homestyle breakfast and wraps up the weekend with one more float down the Blackwater River. Info: www.franklincountyva.org/parks 540-483-9293

May 23   –  15th Annual Corporate Cup Golf Classic

The opening of the spring golfing season at the lake is a much-anticipated event by golfers from the surrounding communities. The tournament will be held Monday, May 23rd at The Waterfront Country Club. This prestigious annual event is an excellent way to showcase your company, meet new business prospects and entertain top clients – all while enjoying a day of relaxation on one of the area’s finest golf courses.

May 20, 21   –  Tom Maynard Memorial Poker Run

Special charity event that involves playing poker from watercraft.   Prizes are awarded for both winning and losing hands and best “decked out” boat and crew.  The Poker Run is dedicated to good fun and all proceeds go to a worthy cause.  Other special events surrounding the Tom Maynard Poker Run weekend include a welcome dinner with entertainment as well as a special boating safety orientation class.

June

June 18 – Juneteenth Celebration at Booker T. Washington National Monument

Freedom is the focus of this emancipation celebration for the whole family. Tour the Burroughs Plantation – music performed by local gospel groups. Free admission. www.nps.gov/bowa, 540-721-2094.

July

Independence Day Celebration  –  July 2nd(Raindate-July 3)

Loaded with fun, entertainment and grand fireworks for all to see, this major event takes place at Parkway Marina in Huddleston to celebrate our nation’s independence.  No Pets will be allowed on the Point!

September

September 16 & 17  –  Smith Mountain Lake Antique and Classic Boat Show

In and out of the water antique and classic boats, a display of antique automobiles and a great selection of quality craft vendors.  The event will be held at Mariners Landing in Huddleston, VA.  For more information contact SMLRCC at 800.676.8203 or visit www.woodenboats.net.

September 24 and 25   — 23rd  Annual Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival This amazing weekend event includes 28 Virginia wineries participating offering their finest vintages. Try wine tastings, more than 85+ quality food and craft vendors plus live entertainment— it’s one of the lakes truly GRAPE events!

October

October 7, 8, 9   –  Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour Visit eight beautiful waterfront homes reflecting a variety of architectural and decorating styles. Tour the featured homes by car or boat.

October 15 — A Night at the Races, The Rotary Club of Smith Mountain Lake’s Fall Fundraiser will be held Saturday night October 15, 2011, at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Conference Center. This will be a very exciting evening of trumpets blaring, horse racing, dinner, refreshments, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, race card winner’s drawing for prizes, and even a woman’s hat parade and contest.

November

November 5  –  9th Annual Smith Mountain Lake Fall Chili and Craft Festival

Enjoy a full-day event featuring music, crafts and a spectacular competitive chili cook-off, with awards for Best Chili, People’s Choice and Showmanship!  Held at Bridgewater Plaza, it’ll be a hot time at Smith Mountain Lake.  Savor the essence of fall with ‘chili…just the way you like it’ at the Smith Mountain Lake Fall Chili & Craft Festival. The event is slated for Saturday, November 6th at Bridgewater Plaza. This will be the eighth fall event sponsored by the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and it captures the best of everything with plenty of activity, great chili for tasting, craft vendors, awards and a beautiful lakeside setting.

November 26 –  13th Annual Virginia Dare Flotilla for Toys Christmas Boat Parade

An evening event, with a parade of boats ‘decked out’ for the holiday season with lights and displays.  The boats leave port from the Virginia Dare Marina at 7 p.m., travel to Halesford Bridge at Bridgewater Plaza, circle past the SML State Park and return to the Virginia Dare Marina. This event is a local toy drive with all gifts distributed by the Lake Christian Ministries.

Congratulations to The Water’s Edge, The Waterfront and The Westlake Golf and Country Club who were featured in the 10th Annual Best of Smith Mountain Lake Awards. The Water’s Edge received the Platinum “Best Private Golf Course” award, The Waterfront received the Gold “Best Private Golf Course” award and The Westlake Golf and Country Club received the Platinum “Best Public Golf Course” voted on by readers of the Smith Mountain Laker Magazine.

If you are interested in all things Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia and would like more information about our beautiful community, feel free to visit us online at www.smithmtnlake.com or call our office at (800)-858-4653 to request a free DVD, Visitor & Newcomer Guide or Map.

Prudential Waterfront Properties announced Carolyn Crabtree, REALTOR® has joined their sales team.

In 1994, Crabtree and her husband, Tony, bought their first Smith Mountain Lake property from Prudential Waterfront Properties. They spent summers and weekends with their three daughters exploring the lake and surrounding areas. In 2002, they relocated from Greensboro, North Carolina to make Smith Mountain Lake their permanent residence. “Throughout our 17 years at Smith Mountain Lake, on several occasions, we were very satisfied customers of Prudential Waterfront Properties. I am proud to now be affiliated with the company as a sales associate and look forward to providing the same level of outstanding service to buyers and sellers,” said Crabtree.

According Cathie Daniel, Principal Broker, “We are very happy to welcome Carolyn to our company and anticipate great success for her. Carolyn is knowledgeable, well-connected and involved in the community, which are the qualities it takes to succeed in this industry and what our clients have come to expect.”

Originally from Miami, Florida, Crabtree has lived in many regions of the country. She was a Flight Attendant with Eastern Airlines for nine years and also worked for Napp Deady in High Point, North Carolina as a Sales Representative for six years. In addition to living on Smith Mountain Lake, Crabtree also owns a farm in Moneta where she raises goats.

Crabtree is a member of the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors, Virginia Association of Realtors and National Association Realtors. As a member of the Multiple Listing Service, Carolyn is able to assist buyers and sellers with all listed properties in a variety of price ranges and locations.

Every Smith Mountain Lake homebuyer has a vision of their perfect house and the rooms that are most important to them. Because of their relatively small size in comparison to the rest of a home, bathrooms are often overlooked in the staging process, but for many, it could be the most important room in a buying decision.

A bathroom is more than just a place for grooming; it’s a sanctuary. It’s a place one can relax in a hot bath and escape the stresses of daily life for a few moments at a time.

Updating a tired-looking bathroom is one of the best things you can do to increase a home’s resale value and the fixes are not too costly or labor intensive.

Easy fixes include adding new, luxurious-looking towels, replacing the shower curtain and adding candles around a bathtub. However, with a little more money and effort, your bathroom can become a talking point of the house.

Here is a look at five great ways to upgrade a bathroom.

1. Beautify: By adding decorative glass, stone tile or accents to the bathroom, it will stand out among the other houses in the neighborhood that are for sale. Extra-wide wall tiles are popular these days and wood cabinets can be beautifully embellished with intricately carved wooden inlays.

2. Lighting: Add more lighting options around the room, especially around the vanity to reduce shadows and glaring. This is something that isn’t too expensive and can really highlight the positive features of a bathroom. Mood lighting around the tub area is also increasing in popularity.

3. Bath/Shower: It’s not too often you hear someone complaining about a bathtub being too large, and that’s because there’s nothing better than coming home from a hard day’s work and relaxing in a big soothing tub. By putting in a new tub and creating more of a spa-like atmosphere, you will have buyers imagining themselves washing their cares away. Adding a massage element to the showerhead or one that replicates rain showers is also something that will appeal to buyers.

4. Update Fixtures: Not as costly as some of the other tips, changing out the fixtures in a bathroom can add a great deal. From cabinet handles to faucets, the addition of brushed nickel or other metals that are polished and elegant are always a huge hit. And if space permits, add a second sink.

5. Think Green: The bathroom is a prime place to start putting those environmentally friendly devices to work. Installing fixtures that save water, such as a low-flow showerhead, a low-flow faucet aerator, and a dual-flush toilet, can save thousands of gallons of water each year. Adding energy-efficient windows is another easy option, since the size of bathroom windows are relatively small. Another fix that is both decorative and energy efficient is the addition of natural stone flooring, which helps the bathroom stay cool during the summer, and warmer during the winter.

When Smith Mountain Lake property buyers walk into a renovated bathroom that exudes quality and offers an intimate, contemporary feel, it’s one of the top things that people will remember about a home.

According to the results of an NAR survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a substantial majority of home owners as well as renters agree that owning a home is a smart long-term decision. In fact, 95 percent of owners and 72 percent of renters believe that over a period of several years, it makes more sense to own a home.

Of those home owners surveyed, 93 percent are happy with their decision to own, and would buy again. The survey, American Attitudes About Homeownership, also reveals differences between owners and renters. More than half of home owners are “very” or “extremely” happy with the overall quality of their family life, while only one-third of renters reported the same. For more survey results, visit

www.realtor.org/statsanddata/homeownership/attitudes_homeown.

For pricing and availability of properties within The Waterfront or the surrounding area, please call your Prudential Waterfront Properties at 800-858-4653. As members of the Roanoke Valley Multiple Listing Service (MLS), we can assist you with any area property. Visit online at www.smithmtnlake.com. The company’s email address is realest8@smithmtnlake.com.

For more than 30 years, The Southwest Virginia Boat Dealers Association has hosted this Boat Show, and is proud to host the 2011 Boat Show at the Roanoke Civic Center on February 25 through February 27, 2011. This event has doubled in size over the last couple of years and represents a unique, once-a-year opportunity to see every dealer on Smith Mountain Lake. It is a business opportunity to present your products to boating enthusiasts everywhere.

• Friday, February 25, 1pm – 7pm
• Saturday, February 26, 10am – 7pm
• Sunday, February 27, 10am – 5pm

The SVBDA is making a huge effort to draw the BIGGEST crowd yet to this event, including exciting exhibits of boating equipment, related products and services and MUCH more.

Laker Media is producing the official guide to the show – indispensible before the show, as a guide to the event and as a keepsake afterwards. This year it is a glossy magazine that will be a guide you can keep all year. NEW THIS YEAR: Free Admission Friday….Yes, Free FRIDAY with no admission charge. This is the time to buy…the show is the place to buy as all dealers offer the best selection and special manufacturer boat show only promotions!

• Adults $7.50
• Children 12 and Under Free with an Adult.

Need information about the show? Contact Show Director Darrel Ross at (434) 610-5991.

Check out this beautiful “Winter at Smith Mountain Lake” Slideshow at http://photopeach.com/album/lsyfnj?invitecode=71d0d95ac4. At Smith Mountain Lake you’ll find wonderful places and people. Our area’s great natural beauty–from the waters and woods to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia–is the perfect destination for your very own style of fun, whether you seek days full of activities or just plain relaxing.  Smith Mountain Lake – it’s closer than you think! If you would like a Smith Mountain Lake Visitor Guide or DVD, please contact Prudential Waterfront Properties, Smith Mountain Lake’s Premier Real Estate Company, at 800-858-4653 or visit www.smithmtnlake.com.

The Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce rang in 2011 with the theme, “Celebrate” at their Tenth-Annual Chamber Awards Dinner. In addition to gathering the membership to kick off the 2011 business year in grand style, the dinner also served as a platform to recognize the work of area individuals and businesses for outstanding achievement.

The Willard Companies received the “Enduring Enterprise Award”. This award goes to the business that has survived the test of time and has demonstrated leadership, superior customer service, and a contribution to the quality of life.

Prudential Waterfront Properties, The Willard Companies real estate division, was nominated for the “Regional Advocate Award”. This award goes to a SML Chamber member or business who has exhibited creativity in promoting this region as well as their business and has used many levels of marketing to significantly impact growth in the region as well as promote products, services, and this region.