Check Out These Luxury Listings in the Eastern Panhandle
The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is known for being one of the most affordable places to live in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore region. If you’re looking for a larger home with more acreage but still seek city conveniences, like local shopping and dining, the Eastern Panhandle is the place to be. As any resident will tell you, Jefferson and Berkeley Counties offer more bang for your buck—and they’re just an hour and a half drive to favorite spots, like the National Mall or the Baltimore National Aquarium. While known for our rich history, scenic landscapes, and housing affordability, we also have our fair share of luxury properties. Check out these three breathtaking luxury listings right here in the Eastern Panhandle! Graycliff Hall Welcome to Graycliff Hall, a 15th century Tuscan Costello style estate overlooking the Potomac River. This residence is priced at a cool $5.2 million, with over 13,000 square feet and 13 acres of land to enjoy. Currently used as a primary residence and corporate retreat center, Graycliff Hall is located in Shepherds Cove Residential Community, just fifteen minutes from downtown Shepherdstown. This home is the stuff of dreams for nature lovers. Imagine cozying up on the balcony with a piping cup of cocoa in the fall, watching the sun set over the Potomac, or dropping a line in the stocked pond on a crisp autumn morning. Keyes Ferry Estate Listed at $2.6 million, Keyes Ferry Estate sits on just over 29 acres of land in historic Charles Town, West Virginia. Built in 1960, the home was designed and owned by Mary Lou and Dr. Jules Langlet, who served as pillars in the Charles Town community. Along with seven beds and nine baths, this home boasts a flagstone courtyard patio and pool, tennis court, and Japanese-style garden. Adding to its vintage charm, the Keyes Ferry Estate also features its very own chapel, tower, and library. What would you dream up if you had the keys to this gorgeous estate? Mount Ellen Historic home lovers, this $1.5 million property is for you! Built in the 1700s, Mount Ellen served as the headquarters for union soldiers during the Civil War as well as a hospital following the battle at Antietam. The home features original hardwood floors and high ceilings, along with ten fireplaces and a blacksmith shop. The property also houses a professionally restored slave cabin and tollhouse. While this home boasts several historical features, it also offers exquisite modern luxuries, including a fully renovated master bath, sauna, and heated mineral pool. With four beds and six baths, a mother-in-law suite, and nearly 6,000 square feet, Mount Ellen is the perfect home for those seeking a blend of historic charm and modern elegance. Are you looking to purchase a luxury home in the Eastern Panhandle? Give one of our agents a call today, and we’ll find the perfect property for you!
Things to do in Charles Town this Fall
Whether you’re in town visiting for the holidays or a local looking for some seasonal fun, there’s lots to do in Charles Town this fall. Take a look at some fun upcoming events and ideas for weekend leisure below! Spooky Fun in Charles Town From trick-or-treating to costume parties, here’s a list of events this weekend to help get you and the kiddos into a spooky mood: -10/28 at 7pm: Jackson-Perks American Legion Post 71 Halloween Party and Live Music -10/28 at 7 pm: Jackson-Perks American Legion Post 71 Adult Halloween Party -10/28 at 4 pm: Trick or Treat at Kylie’s Confections -10/29 & 10/30: Jackson-Perks American Legion Post 71 Haunted House -10/29 at 5 pm: Capel & Company Productions Halloween Costume Party -10/29: Trick or Treat on Main StreetIf you’re still looking for something spooky to do, contact local author Ann Khiel Fern for a nighttime ghost tour of Charles Town! Fall Shopping, Dining, and Fun in Charles Town One of my favorite things to do in the fall is head downtown, grab something to eat, and admire the changing leaves. If you’re looking for downtown leisure, you’re in luck, as Charles Town is home to a variety of coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, and shops.For vegan empanadas, sandwiches, sooshi, and more, check out the plant-based, Puertorican fusion restaurant, Cocina Plantosaurus. Photo courtesy of Cocina Plantosaurus Facebook.Coffee aficionados should visit Sibling Coffee Roasters downtown or drive up Charles Town Road to Joan + Joe Coffee for lattes, gourmet sandwiches, and baked goods. If you’re craving something sweet, head down to Kylie’s Confections for all sorts of treats. This bakery also offers savory food options, like pepperoni rolls, chicken salad, and sandwiches. Photo courtesy of Kylie's Confections Facebook. Planning a date night? Grab an artisan pizza and flavored beer at Abolitionist Ale Works, or head down to Paddy’s Irish Pub for some traditional Irish fare and drinks. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, check out Sumittra Thai Cuisine for traditional Thai food and boba tea. For a unique shopping experience, check out Needful Things Emporium to peruse items from a variety of vendors. Or stop into Fuzzy Dog Books & Music, located in the historic Tate House, to browse their collection of books and records. You can find a comprehensive list of Charles Town restaurants and shops here. Below, find some upcoming events this fall. -10/29 at 10 am: Teyta’s Treats Grand Opening -10/29 from 9 am – noon: Charles Town Farmers Market’s last market of the year -11/26 at 10 am: Ornament Making on Washington Street -11/26 – 12/30: Betts and Coops Boutique Holiday Storefront Be Kind November Don’t miss Be Kind November, the town’s annual initiative to spread kindness and promote fellowship within our community! Photo courtesy of Charles Town Now Instagram.Be sure to support local businesses this month, as many will be offering Kindness Discounts to patrons. Check out which businesses will offer these discounts here. Charles Town’s Kindness Kickoff Event, hosted by Charles Town Now and Panhandle Lawn & Landscaping, is set for November 5 from 10 am – 3 pm. Come down for vendors, food trucks, and activities. There will be lots of other fun activities for the kiddos this month, including a coloring contest and a paint party. Ready to kick off the holiday season? Join in on the annual Historically Hip Holiday November 26 as we approach winter!And don't miss our very own Kim Athey, who will be delivering gift cards to local businesses throughout the month! There's so much to do this fall in downtown Charles Town. We hope to see you around!
4 Tips for Staging your Home This Fall
Start with the BasicsNo matter the season, staging your home for listing photos, open houses, and showings boils down to a few basic practices:-Maintenance-Decluttering -Cleaning -Depersonalizing It’s good practice to ensure appliances and systems are in working order prior to listing your home. For instance, if you know your HVAC system isn’t working properly, have it inspected. If you’ll be showing your home in the fall when it’s cooler, you’ll want to have the heat on for buyers touring the property. To make your home more appealing, declutter and clean each space prior to having professional photos taken. Clutter is distracting and can make a room look smaller. And nothing is more off-putting than touring a dirty home with a funky smell. Clean your home and keep it clean. This can be difficult if the property is on the market for longer than a few weeks, but regular sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming should help your home present well to buyers. Consider hiring a professional cleaning service to shampoo carpets, clean those hard-to-reach places, and take care of any odors you may have grown used to. Lastly, if you have any personal photography hanging on your walls, you’ll want to switch it out with more generic art or mirrors. Buyers want to visualize themselves in that space, and staring at the homeowners’ photos as they walk through the property muddies this image. This will also help protect your privacy from nosy neighbors. Create Ambiance Take advantage of the fall season to create ambiance and make your home feel cozier. In the living room and bedrooms, layer warm blankets and throw pillows over furniture to make the space feel more inviting. To give your home that seasonal scent, use air fresheners, potpourri, wax melts, or candles, if you’re comfortable. As the days get shorter, you’ll want to ensure you light your home properly. Brighter rooms look bigger. Open the curtains and blinds to receive as much natural light as possible, and on dreary days, use other light sources, like lamps, to help brighten up the space. If your home will be shown in the evenings when it’s darker, ensure you turn on the lights in every room so buyers don’t walk into a dark house. You can help set a cozy mood by lighting candles (you may want to opt for LED candles when preparing the house for a buyer showing), switching on lamps, and turning on the porch lights. Decorate—but Not Too Much Here’s the fun part—decorating! It’s important to decorate for the season you’re in, but you’ll want to refrain from going overboard with holiday décor, as it could: -Alienate buyers who don’t celebrate the same holidays you do.-Make listing photos look dated if your home is on the market longer than 60 days.-Clutter the space you just spent time cleaning and decluttering.-Distract buyers from your home’s positive features. Begin with a fall color scheme. Swap out your current curtains, doormats, blankets, and throw pillows with those in shades of brown, burnt orange, red, or yellow. You’ll want to stick to neutral décor options that help underscore the time of year, like pumpkins and seasonal flowers. One or two Give Thanks signs shouldn’t be an issue, but the key here is to remember that less is more. Focus both Inside and Outside Proper staging is crucial for helping buyers feel at home as they enter your house, but curb appeal is just as important. The porch and yard are the first thing a buyer sees when walking up to your property, and this picture will help inform their opinion of your home before they even step into it. In the fall, it’s important to maintain your yard. Fallen leaves can be picturesque, but clogged gutters and wet leaves caked over the driveway make a home look unkempt. Keep your driveway and sidewalks clear of any fallen debris, and clean out your gutters. Consider planting fall flowers and pruning bushes and trees to make your yard look more attractive. Lastly, decorate your porch. Hang a fall wreath, add a haybale and some pumpkins, or place a welcome sign by your door. And remember to place doormats both inside and outside your home for buyers with wet shoes. Speak to an Agent for Home Staging Tips Your real estate agent can help you decide how to best stage and decorate your home for the season. If you’re having second thoughts about a design choice, talk to your realtor. If you’re looking for a realtor to list your home this fall, reach out to one of our agents! We look forward to working with you!
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