The Dog Days are Here

I bet you don't know how the dog days of Summer got its name...

Author

Graham Tracey
July 10, 2024

Hi friend,

Whoa, are we ready for a break in this heat wave or what? I guess they call it the Dog Days of Summer for a reason. (Actually, the real story behind the term Dog Days of Summer is interesting. Hint: it’s not just because we’re all sweating like dogs — see below).

Heat or no heat, our team (there are four of us) has been hustling these last couple of weeks. We closed on two listings in the same condo development in Reston: one for a record price per square foot and the other for a record price for a lower-level unit (think Laverne and Shirley style). Are we dating ourselves here?

Of course, the strength of the market is lifting sales prices across the board. But while these homes certainly had some good things going for them, they were by no means fully renovated. The key to securing such high prices was our digital marketing campaign emphasizing the lifestyle in this part of Reston. Check out the videos here and here.

Meanwhile, Kathy’s been helping a fabulous couple secure a new home for their family in Manassas. Though the home had multiple offers, Kathy was able to establish a strong relationship with the competing agent and secured the home at the asking price while maintaining the most important contingency protections for her client (a rarity in this market).

In between all this, our regional Realtor board dropped all new contract forms based on new laws and regulations that went into effect on July 1. As a result, we have been studying the changes and devising strategies to help our buyer and seller clients get an edge. After all, the one who knows the contract best usually wins the day!

We did manage to get out and about a bit. We had a chill day with friends on the 4th, and Graham continued with his crash mountain bike course for our daughter Claire (she literally crashed…twice, but she’s okay).

Here’s to hoping you’ve been staying cool and getting out with friends and family. Let us know what you’ve been up to!

Your friends,

Kathy and Graham's signaturei

Why do they call it Dog Days of Summer?
When the constellation, Sirius, would appear in the sky just before the sun, near the end of July, that marked the beginning of the very hottest days of the year. The Romans referred to this period as "dies caniculares" or "days of the dog star," which was eventually translated as just "dog days."

Hot Day, Hot Market?

Is this humidity oppressive, or what? Kathy insanely went for a run the other day before it got too hot and shot this quick vid to give you a glimpse into what we’re seeing in the market right now.

It’s Black Raspberry Season

We have a thicket of black raspberry bushes near our home that produce abundant fruit. Kathy and our daughter Claire beat the deer to them this season. Black raspberry ice cream is the order of the day. And don’t call them blackberries. There is a difference.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

MI-5 (formerly known as Spooks) on Prime Video

Kathy doesn’t care much about spy shows, so Graham is alone with this one. The show was filmed after 9/11, leading up to the Great Recession, and follows a spy group from MI-5 (similar to the FBI) through London squashing terror plots and other nefarious parties. It’s interesting to see how the Brits think of the CIA and the Americans, as they often ally and interfere simultaneously.

www.imdb.com/title/tt0160904

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