Category: Smith Mountain Lake

“I came to work for the company … 100 years ago when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth, I feel like.”

Although Jane Sullivan Horne may have the starting date off by some 200 million years, her recollections of the early days of working for and learning from Prudential Waterfront Properties owner and lake developer Ron Willard are quite clear.

Willard, through his business, The Willard Companies, has developed several residential developments including The Water’s Edge, The Waterfront and The Boardwalk, and commercial centers including Westlake Towne Center. Among the feathers in his cap is Prudential, which is celebrating its 25th year in business. Sullivan Horne has been there for almost all of them.

Like Willard, the real estate firm’s origins are humble.

“I was the person selling real estate seven days a week,” said Willard. “Seven days a week, daylight to dark, on the hood of my car I sold millions.”

For almost 10 years, Willard both developed and sold properties. In 1985, he hired the first salesperson, Bitsy Davis, now with Long & Foster, and the following year added Sullivan Horne. She and Ramona Washburn, now Ramona Simpson, started working for Willard at about the same time, Sullivan Horne recalled. Neither had any experience selling real estate.

“I said, I don’t care if they don’t have any real estate experience,” Willard recalled telling his sister when he first decided to hire someone to help with sales. “I said, I just want somebody that can sell and let me train them in real estate.”

Sullivan Horne said that’s how she and Simpson ended up among the first to graduate from what she calls “Ron Willard Training School.”

“Ron put us in his car and he made us walk every lot,” recalled Sullivan Horne, adding that Willard taught them about other important parts of the business such as home construction, drainage fields and determining viewsheds.

“He said, ‘There’s no way you can sell something if you don’t know what you’re selling,’” Sullivan Horne recalled. At that point, Willard and his sales staff were selling only developer-owned property. When customers came back to ask for representation on resales, Willard said they were turned over to one of the lake area’s real estate agencies. That meant the sales were going elsewhere.

“That’s when we developed the name Waterfront Properties of SML Incorporated in 1987,” he recalled. “It was a full-fledged real estate company.”

Helping assist the sales staff in the transition was Ann Bowen, who worked as the broker for Waterfront Properties until her death in 2004.

“Ann helped move us from … four or five of us in the beginning to being more of a real estate brokerage firm,” said Sullivan Horne, who counts Bowen among the top friends she’s ever had. “[With Ron], Ann was the other half that was our glue that really held us together.”

Following Bowen’s death, Realtor Cathie Daniel was named the principal broker for Waterfront Properties in 2004. Within a year, Daniel brought the national Prudential brand to the business and the real estate agency became Prudential Waterfront Properties as it is known today.

Daniel said in the company’s 25 years, it has supported a number of community events and causes such as the After 5 Jive concert series, which benefits United Way of Franklin County; SML Charity Home Tour; Toys for Tots; and Franklin County e-cycling Day.

“We have always believed in being part of the community and giving back to the community that supports us,” said Daniel. “We grew up here, we didn’t just come in.”

The SML community has supported Prudential as well.

It was honored in 2010 with the Prudential Real Estate Round Table Award as one of the top three offices in the U.S. South Region, and was nominated for Business of the Year by the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce in 2011.

Daniel attributes the company’s success to customer service, the training its agents undergo and a steady presence in the community. She said joining Prudential has broadened the company’s reach and allowed Realtors an opportunity to pursue speciality training in sales.

“Every one of our agents has a certification of some sort beyond the standard Virginia license,” said Daniel. “I think that’s a testament to their commitment to the industry and to the profession as well.”

There are 20 agents working for Prudential now, and that’s been the norm, she said, even during the past few years, which have seen real estate sales plummet both nationally and at the lake.

“For our agents, this is their career,” said Daniel. “We don’t have a lot of turnover; they come and they stay.”

That stability has helped Prudential weather the tough times.

“We’ve not been immune to [the recession]. We’ve had our struggles, but we are still strong,” she said.

But like most real estate sales people, Daniel is ever optimistic that the market is about to pick up.

“We’re seeing a lot of improvement so far this year,” she said. “Things really are looking up.”

A plumbing checkup should be among your top priorities when preparing your Smith Mountain Lake home for sale. Your buying prospects might flush toilets, turns on faucets and inspect the showerheads, while more seasoned “experts” will look under the cabinets for leaks and check for water spots around key areas. The last thing you want is to drench a buyer’s enthusiasm because you didn’t fix a simple plumbing issue.

Major plumbing renovations may be huge selling points, but many homeowners can get as much credit by simply fixing leaks and changing out a few faucets. If you can’t make repairs yourself invest in a reputable plumber.

Before allowing prospective buyers into your Smith Mountain Lake home, make sure you have strong water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. Hire a local housecleaning company to remove difficult stains.

If you do nothing else, take care of any leaks in your plumbing system, as these will be instant deterrents for buyers. Check as much of your plumbing as possible for corrosion or rust. If your house has more than one story, a smart buyer will look at ceilings for water stains from leaking pipes. Make sure to paint the ceiling following repairs.

Prospective homeowners tend to focus on places where they can use their hands, so make sure that all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn, and that the faucets do not leak. Also ensure that sinks and tubs drain easily.

Finally, updated fixtures catch the eye of prospective buyers. A relatively small investment for new faucets can pay off when prospects walk through.

No buyer wants problems. Take care of simple plumbing issues and keep your sale from going down the drain.

Believe it or not, after months of searching countless homes, finding the perfect one, negotiating price and finally agreeing to a deal, a sale can fall apart over a disagreement about curtains.

When striking a deal to sell a home, it’s important that you are perfectly clear about what you are taking with you and what you are leaving behind. The general rule is that if something is attached to the structure or the ground, it is real property and stays with the house.

If removing the item would ruin or disfigure the walls, the item generally stays. If you need a tool to remove it, it stays.

Legally, these are called fixtures, which include everything permanently attached to the property such as a fence, built-in appliances, ceiling fans, flowerbeds and shrubs.

Conversely, if you can disconnect, unhook or detach an item from the home with bare hands, it’s free to leave when you do. This is known as personal property and should never be assumed to be part of the sale.

Items that fall into this category are furniture, potted plants, free-standing appliances and an outdoor grill.

A good rule of thumb is to not show your home with any fixtures you are planning to take. Replacing them is the better option.

Every real estate agent has a story about a deal falling through because of an argument about what a buyer thought was staying. For this reason, you should walk in each room with your agent and make a list of things that you will be taking with you.

If you decide to leave the curtains, chandeliers or are open to giving up some of the outdoor furniture, it may just help with a sale. People appreciate the notion of getting something for free, and a savvy agent will hint to a prospective buyer that fixtures and furnishing may be negotiable. Unless the items are really important to you, let them go with the home. Use them to get the price you want and then replace the items in your new home.

By itemizing and discussing all the things that stay and go at the outset, there will be no miscommunication on closing day.

Many people dream of owning a home at Smith Mountain Lake, but don’t think it’s possible because they lack the resources for a down payment and closing costs. Here are tips for securing that down payment.

1. Borrow from your retirement account: Many people have been investing in a 401(k) plan or traditional IRA for years and first-time homebuyers may borrow up to $10,000 for their down payment without incurring a penalty. For those self-employed or if your employer allows it, you also can borrow up to $50,000 from your current 401(k) and pay yourself back over five years at a low interest rate.
2. Ask family: Sure, you may be too proud to ask for money, but if relatives can help you and your family move into that dream home, isn’t it worth it? If you do get help from a family member, the lender will ask you to sign a gift-letter form, attesting to the relationship. The lender may also require your relatives to explain where they got the money and prove that they are financially able to make such a gift.
3. Look for down payment assistance grants: Down payment assistance and community redevelopment programs offer affordable housing opportunities to first-time homebuyers, low-income and moderate-income individuals and families who wish to own a home.
4. Come to a lease/purchase agreement: Homeowners who can’t sell their homes in this market may consider a lease/purchase agreement, where you rent the home you want to buy and a percentage of your rent is applied toward the down payment. If you go this route, make sure you get a contract outlining all the details so both parties are protected.
5. Add it to the wedding registry: Several mortgage companies allow those getting married to set up a down payment registry. This is a great way to celebrate the joining of two people in matrimony.
6. Cut back and save: If none of the other ways will work for you, there’s always the old fashioned “saving for a rainy day.” Try putting aside 10% of each paycheck and make your meals instead of going out for them. If you’re married, save the money you would spend on birthday, anniversary and Christmas presents and put it toward your house. You also may need to forget that vacation this year.

These sacrifices may seem significant but they will be worth it once you’re inside your own Smith Mountain Lake home.

 

The United Way of Franklin County was presented with a $1,000 check for proceeds from the first After 5 Jive concert in June by Jason M. Turner, President of Turner’s Building, Inc. along with Jerry Forry, Store Manager of Smith Mountain Building Supply (Southlake), and Parker Waters, REALTOR with Prudential Waterfront Properties. Turner’s Building, Inc., Smith Mountain Building Supply, and Prudential Waterfront Properties are one of several co-sponsors of the After 5 Jive concert series.

The next outdoor event is scheduled for Thursday, July 5^th featuring “Super Hold” performing at Westlake Towne Center. Gates open at 5 p.m. with live music getting underway at 5:30 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. Admissions for Adults is $5, children 10 and under are admitted free. Valid ID required for 21 and older. A children’s play area along with food and drink vendors will be on site. Lawn chairs are welcome. Coolers, outside food or drinks, rollerblades, skateboards and pets are prohibited.

After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake is sponsored by Prudential Waterfront Properties, The Willard Companies, Carilion Clinic, Turner’s Building, Inc., Kroger, Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery, Verizon Wireless Zone, Western Virginia Water Authority, Telemedia Productions, Smith Mountain Building Supply, Laker Media, WDBJ-7, Budweiser, and Coca-Cola.

For additional information visit www.After5Jive.com or contact (540) 721-5288.

The Saunders Volunteer Fire Company will present its annual Smith Mountain Lake Fireworks and Fire Company Fundraiser hosted by Parkway Marina in Huddleston on Wednesday, July 4^th (Raindate Thursday, July 5^th).  The spectacular fireworks presentation is preceded by a fun-filled day of activities — including live music with “The Worx.” Enjoy the spectacular fireworks show by boat or on the shoreline.  Car and Boat Show begins at 2 p.m. along with fire and rescue equipment, display and military hardware and vehicle display.  Beginning at 3 p.m., you can enjoy amusement rides, arts and crafts, a variety of foods, and live music by The Worx.

The SML Water Safety Council asks all boaters to travel at no-wake (idle) speeds within the No-Wake Zone boundaries from 7:30 PM July 4th until after heavy spectator traffic has departed the Zone following the fireworks (usually about 10:45 PM).  Skippers are expected to slow to idle speeds as they enter the zone for the safety and comfort of those already drifting in that area. Once boats reach the No-Wake Zone boundaries along their routes home after the fireworks, it should be safe to proceed at a prudent after-dark cruising speeds on up the channels.

We hope to have boats on the water that evening marking the boundaries with large orange balloons, lighted after dark. However, if you don’t see a marker boat along your path, realize that the boundaries are located roughly as follows:

• From Bernard’s Landing/Rabbit Island across to the north-eastern shore of the Roanoke between R12 and R10
• From Christmas Tree Island due east across the Blackwater
• Across Craddock Creek at marker C3.

Extra caution and prudent speeds are also recommended while proceeding through the squeeze at the S-curve. The Water Safety Council, VDGIF and other lake safety patrols urge all boaters to wear their life jackets while boating on the July4th Holiday weekend. “You wore your seat belts getting here; wearing life jackets while on the water makes equally good sense.” Boaters who enjoy the fireworks are asked to help keep this SML tradition alive by sending a tax-deductible contribution to: Treasurer, Saunders Volunteer Fire Co., P.O Box 14, Huddleston, VA 24104.

The event culminates at dusk with a magnificent fireworks display including salutes from the National Guard’s howitzers! No Pets will be allowed on the Point.  For more details contact organizers at 540.297.4412.  Details are also available at the Smith Mountain Lake Visitor Center by calling 540.721.1203. Parkway Marina is located off of Smith Mountain Lake Parkway (Route 626) on the Bedford County shore of the lake.  Come out to celebrate America’s Independence Day Weekend.  Remember, Smith Mountain Lake — It’s Closer Than You Think!

Whether you are a first-time buyer looking for a low-cost way into the Smith Mountain Lake housing market, purchasing your next home, or a veteran home-owner purchasing a vacation home, a condominium is definitely worth your consideration. Condominiums can provide you with a viable way to share the costs of maintenance and upkeep of a home, afford you more security, provide you with lifestyle amenities, and offer other conveniences that come with living in a defined community.

It is, however, important to understand the unique issues that come into play when purchasing a condominium at Smith Mountain Lake. Here are 10 tips that will make you the best buyer you can be.

1. Learn About The Building And Structure – Just like purchasing a single-family dwelling, you should know some details. Find out when your particular condominium was built, and by whom. Learn about the history of the structure, when it was renovated or updated, number of previous owners of your unit, if it was rented out, and anything you can learn about it via public record or word-of-mouth. Find out about the roof, wiring, appliances, foundation, heating and cooling equipment, plumbing and other systems that will affect you on a day-to-day and seasonal basis. Understanding the history, planning, how the structure fits into the complex and other physical details is a first step in knowing what you are buying. It is also wise to look into issues around land and landscaping, including drainage and other elements that might affect your investment, like wetlands, large trees, and proximity to sensitive areas like cliffs or fire prone areas. If your condominium is more likely to have issues, you would want to know about these possibilities in advance.
2. Learn About The Condo Association Or Governance Structure, And Who Manages The Building Day-To-Day – Your happiness and satisfaction might depend on a group of people or a management company that does not work within your standards of excellence. If the organization and management can be easily manipulated or changed, maintenance or other important issues might be mishandled. Get a feeling of the overall satisfaction with this structure and understand your level of involvement in participating with it. Reviewing the Board of Directors meeting minutes for the past year will help expose any “issues” needing resolution. These minutes should be available to review, and will provide black-and-white evidence about the nature of the group and how decisions are made.
3. Read The Fine Print – Ask to see any paperwork that you would be signing prior to purchasing a condominium. These documents give you insight into rules, obligations and running of the building or complex. Don’t hesitate to bring it to a real estate lawyer, or at least to go over it with your real estate agent, if you have thoughts or concerns that should be made clearer to you. It isn’t just “mumbo jumbo” – these are legal documents that should be designed to protect you and your new neighbors. These documents might also spell out who is responsible in certain situations, or have big holes where things were overlooked. Before you buy is the time to ask questions. It is common for these documents to take days to review, so you need time. Don’t wait for a day or so before your closing to read them – ask for them as soon as you go into escrow.
4. Know What Else To Ask – Also review the condominium’s financial statement, including annual budget, (for the past few years) and ask about a reserve fund study and understand the reserve fund account. Ask for a list of special assessments levied over the past decade, as this tells a lot about how realistic the operating budgets really are. Does this condominium association do adequate work to ensure that everyone’s investment is safe and secure, avoiding assessments that are the result of poor planning? Look at how much is in the reserve fund: experts recommend avoiding a purchasing a condominium if the reserve fund is funded less than 40% If you are unclear about this, get a second opinion from someone you trust. Ask to review the certificate of insurance, the summary of the association’s policy. You are checking to see if the replacement costs covered by the policy are an accurate estimate of the cost of rebuilding. Additionally, you will want to be sure that the policy has a building-ordinance clause, ensuring that the insurance will cover the cost of bringing the building up to code in the event that any rebuilding needs to be accomplished. When insurance or the reserve fund is inadequate, you are responsible for assessments on the repairs. Buying a great condominium in a fiscally irresponsible complex is a bigger risk, and in the event of a large capital expense, like a new roof or the failure of complex mechanical systems, you could be facing large assessments.
5. Learn The Rules – When you buy a condo you agree to live by the rules that govern the building and community. This includes how the land and outdoor spaces are used and could even limit what you store in public site. Rules often govern whether units might be rented or how many rentals might be allowed at any given time. Understanding the rules around use of amenities, parking, working on a car, noise, business use of the unit, storage areas, restrictions on renting the unit or on guests – all should be clear from the beginning. before you buy, rent or move in. And if your lifestyle or intended use of the unit is going to be affected by these rules and regulations, be aware of that.
6. Understand Obligations – Condos come with obligations; they might be Home-Owners Association dues, additional fees for maintenance or insurance, parking fees, waste disposal fees, pest control fees, or a commitment to do or not to do something in your unit. Understand these obligations before you buy or rent, as they are not negotiable. In tight economic times, what happens if you or your neighbors get behind in these fees? Fees can go up to cover necessary expenses, and you might have to cover a negligent neighbor. Your obligations when conducting a renovation or remodel are particularly important to know – so that you can save time and frustration later. Remember, if you purchase a condominium, you also have to consider outside obligations like property tax.
7. Sneak A Peek At The Surroundings – Keen observation of the state of the parking facilities, hallways, common areas, any neighbors you might see, and the surrounding neighborhoods might help you to understand how you would feel living in close quarters. Try to determine the demographics of the development you are considering. Is it diverse, or does it serve a special community? How would you and your family “fit” not just in your unit, but in the community that a condominium complex naturally creates? Understand the effect that the size of the building and complex will have on your lifestyle. Is it a “party” place, or family oriented community? Are most of the units owner-occupied or rentals? All the rules of house-hunting apply, but more than ever, learning about the personality of the place will help you to determine your over-all satisfaction with your purchase.
8. Be A Detective – You are entering into a potentially long-term relationship with a building and a group of people – so it is not weird to want to know all that you can going in. Your real estate agent and a real estate lawyer can help you to learn more about the background of the condominium you are considering and whether this particular unit would be right for you. Public records are available, often online, to help you in your task, too. In addition to learning about your investment, you will gain insight into problems that might have occurred in the past and how they were handled. You want to hear the bad along with the good.
9. Don’t Be Fooled By Low Home Owner Association Dues – When Home Owner Association dues are low, the deal looks attractive – but if the reserve fund is not being adequately funded, you might end up with special assessments to cover necessary repairs. In fact, if you have low dues, planning your own reserve fund to cover potential assessments is not a bad idea.
10. Look At Your Special Needs And How The Condominium Will Meet Those Needs – If you are disabled or have special needs, look into how these needs will be met, and if your condominium complex has issues that could come into play. There are books and watchdog groups that address these issues, but only YOU can understand your particular situation. Even if you are not disabled, understanding special needs is another way of gathering information about the personality of the condominium complex, and will aid your understanding of the parameters if you need to do any modifications to your unit in the future, should a need arise.

Make Any Size Your “Super” Size

Whether moving across the street or across the country, when there is a change in the size of a living space, there is a lot to think about with many pro’s and con’s to consider. Finding the right sized space is easier if you consider your lifestyle now and how it might change in this new space. Understanding your reasons, hopes and goals in transitioning to the new sized home is the biggest key to your success. The clearer and better prepared you are to transition to the new sized home, the bigger benefits you will receive in the short term. You can fix your errors over time, but often there are costs associated with that, so getting things “right” in the beginning is worth your time and effort.

Money – value or savings, often top the list for a size change. Often, people downsize thinking that they will save money; some people take equity from their larger home and use that money for other ventures. Upsizing during a buyer’s market can get you a good deal on a larger home. Either way, if money is the focus, remember that as you look at the home. Sometimes the savings is not as big as you think, or you can quickly get in over your head. A smaller home in a more desirable location might cost you more than your large home in a less sought-after area.

Lifestyle – changes in family size, job status, retirement or health top the list for lifestyle changes that prompt size changes. While money may still play a role, if your reasons for changing the size of your home are “lifestyle related” then you will want to keep this focus.

Upsizing

Many housing markets are providing buyers with opportunities to “upsize” – getting more house for the money and great values for the housing dollar. Going up in size when you have been living in a small space can be quite appealing, though surprisingly there are some challenges, too.

Pros

• Finally – you have more storage and space to move!
• Additional bathrooms allow more privacy and easier morning routines
• Additional bedrooms ease strain on family members and encourage guests
• Larger kitchens enable cooks to do their job with ease
• Added space can accommodate a home business or hobbies
• Larger homes also often have added amenities like larger lot size, lawns and landscaping in addition to more space inside the home

Cons

• In a larger home there may be more walking, more stairs, and facilities may or may not be as convenient
• Costs of heating and cooling will be higher
• Maintenance costs are often higher
• Property taxes may be higher
• More and possibly larger rooms may require more furniture or the scale of the furniture that you do have is off – so additional decorating expenses will be incurred
• Attics, basements, garages, sheds and storage areas need to be organized, and sometimes heated, cooled, or dehumidified to prevent items stored there from becoming ruined
• Lawns, landscaping and larger lots require care and maintenance which can be costly and a lot of work

Suggestions:

If you are upsizing at the same time that a family or friend is downsizing, you might walk into a great deal on furniture, tools, lawn-mowers or other must-haves for your new home. Check out Craigslist and local garage sales to score great finds and help you to get to know the new neighborhood. Weigh the cost and benefits of moving furniture long distances. Treasured family heirlooms will likely remain on the moving list while less favored items may not be worthy of moving. And, don’t forget rentals – there are actually places that can rent furniture while you make up your mind about what you want or can afford.

Do some planning for your new space. Magazines and the internet are filled with ideas that may provide inspiration for you, or consider working with an interior designer. Take photos of the new space and measurements of the rooms so you can better understand the opportunities and constraints of your new home. Consider the condition of the walls and floors, windows and lighting as you go. Painting and work on the floors is much easier to achieve if the room is already empty. For improvements, if you can make decisions on color and materials, and schedule workers, completing improvements prior to moving in can save a lot of time and effort.

If you have never owned a home before, it can be a big task to take on a large space. Often your realtor will know of reliable professionals to help accomplish home improvements. Your excitement and enthusiasm will take you far, and remember: you don’t have to do it all at once. Create a prioritized list for the new space, knowing you still have your day-to-day life to live while getting settled in your new home.

Downsizing

Sometimes a desirable location translates to a smaller home, or perhaps you are consciously choosing to reduce your space. Whatever the case, if you are moving from a larger home to a smaller one, chances are “stuff issues” will top your list. Knowing this when you are looking may be useful for you to see how much you can fit into the new space and what you need to part with. For some people, this is an emotional time. Falling in love with the new space can be a key to success. Your realtor can help you to find the right small space for you, only you can find the right space for your stuff.

Pros

• Finally – you are not paying to heat and/or cool rooms that you rarely use!
• It is convenient to have rooms closer together – often there is less walking
• There is less to clean and to organize
• Maintenance chores are often less, with smaller rooms, fewer windows, floors, less roof, etc.
• Perhaps you are seeing a reduction in property tax or mortgage
• Often you have less to take care of in the way of property and landscaping

Cons

• Often you have to make some tough decisions regarding “stuff”
• Your furniture might be “off” in scale, better suited to a larger home
• Fewer bedrooms and/or bathrooms sometimes require planning for family and guests
• Cooking in a smaller kitchen is different, and storage for kitchen tools and food might require thought

Suggestions:

Enlist the help of a professional. Recent trends in lifestyle management have spawned personal and professional coaches, as well as professionals who help with organization and clutter management. These professional organizers make it their business to know the best way to clear your closets, storage areas and generally handle and manage your stuff.

If you feel overwhelmed and can afford their help, they might even save you money in the end by reducing the need to rent storage, saving you from moving unneeded items, and helping you sell some of the more valuable things. And, while they are not interior designers, professional organizers have seen a lot of homes and know the most attractive ideas for using your space. If you are trying to sell a larger home while planning for the move to your smaller space, professional organizers can also aid you and your realtor in staging the home you are selling, gaining you twice the return on their services!

When downsizing, consider the features of the home that you use the most. Will you be doing the same things in the new home, or is there going to be a lifestyle change, too? Ensure that you compare what you are currently doing in each of these areas, and how that will have to change in the new space.

In the kitchen: If you are currently using many different kitchen tools, but moving into a home with a smaller kitchen – will you need to get rid of tools? Or will you find or create storage space in the new kitchen? Perhaps you are moving to a place with great restaurants – but can you afford to eat out a lot? Often you will need to plan for less pantry space, too.

In bathrooms: You will often be faced with towel and linen storage designed for a smaller dwelling, and vanities that are in keeping with smaller spaces. This can translate into crowded medicine cabinets and stuffed drawers, so even everyday things like personal care products become “stuff issues.” Consider buying smaller containers and filling them from larger bottles – your small space doesn’t have to be crowded if you can plan and get creative. Keep only the best of your towels and linens, and that which you really need.

Changing the size of your space may or may not benefit you financially, but the change in lifestyle will not be missed. It is an opportunity to re-evaluate your belongings and your relationship with the space you have and use. Sometimes, it even means looking at the way you do things, and why. Changing the size of your space is essentially an opportunity to get to know yourself all over again, in a very conscious way. Tackling these challenges and viewing them as opportunities will result in a new home that is suited to you and your needs. Bigger or smaller, be sure you make it just like you want it.

Prudential Waterfront Properties is pleased to present the 2012 After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake summer concert series. The first outdoor event will kick-off on Thursday, June 7, 2012 with Project 4 Band performing at Westlake Towne Center, next to Kroger. Gates open at 5 p.m. with live music getting underway at 5:30 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the United Way of Franklin County.

Dates, bands and times for the After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake concerts series are as follows:

Thursday, June 7
Project 4 Band
5 – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 5
Super Hold
5 – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 2
The Catalinas
5 – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 6
Mark Roberts and Breeze
5 – 8:30 p.m.

“The After 5 Jive is a great local forum to bring the family and meet friends coupled with generating much needed dollars to benefit the United Way of Franklin County,” said Christopher Finley, Director of Marketing and Communications. Admission for Adults is $5. Children 10 and under are admitted free. “Come on out, kick back and enjoy the show!” added Finley.

Valid ID is required for 21 and older. A children’s play area along with food and drink vendors will be on site. Lawn chairs are welcome. Coolers, outside food or drinks, rollerblades, skateboards and pets are prohibited and not allowed. Events are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. Bags are subject to be inspected.

After 5 Jive at Smith Mountain Lake is sponsored by Prudential Waterfront Properties, The Willard Companies, Carilion Clinic, Turner’s Building, Inc., Kroger, Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery, Verizon Wireless Zone, Western Virginia Water Authority, Telemedia Productions, Smith Mountain Building Supply, Laker Media, WDBJ-7, Budweiser, and Coca-Cola.