Happy October!
As we head into sweater weather, spooky season, or whatever you want to call it, I’m dropping in with some news you can (hopefully) use. Read to the end on a great giveaway, and don’t sleep on that recipe. It’s a forever family favorite.
We’re also testing out a new newsletter format. Do you love it? Hate it? Couldn’t care less? Please let me know!”
Today we’re talking about:
✔️ RVA Events this Month (and my fall guide)
✔️ Top 3 Home Maintenance Tips to Remember this Month
✔️ Things I’m Loving Right Now
✔️ My Perfect Fall Goulash
✔️ Looking ahead to the Fall Real Estate Market
📅 October Events
Oct 7th is Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape
Take a trip out to Powhatan’s Historic Courthouse Village and experience over 30 wineries, distillers, and craft brewers. There will also be over 100 craft vendors, live music, and much more. Click HERE for more information.
Oct 13th – Taylor Swift The Era’s Tour Movie
If you missed out on seeing the Era’s Tour in person this year, don’t miss it in theaters! I’m doing an “Allie’s Version” giveaway for 4 tickets to the Goochland Drive-In to see the movie opening weekend. Check below for all the details and how to enter.
Oct 13-15th – Richmond Folk Festival
One of Virginia’s largest events, this event is worth the drive, even if you’re not local. Come on out and experience different types of music. You may even find a new favorite style of music to enjoy. Click HERE for more information.
Oct 28th – Lewis Ginter Harvestfest
Enjoy live music, food, adult beverages, and family-friendly activities in the Garden. The Garden Cafe & Bloemendaal House tent will feature German fare, so come hungry! Click HERE for more information.
Check out my Fall Guide HERE for a full list of events and details.
🏠 🛠️ Top 3 Home Maintenance Tips to Remember This Month
- 🚪Refreshing front door or exterior paint? This is the perfect time. Summer is just too hot, and paint doesn’t set up well if it’s below 55 degrees. (It’s also a great time to get interior painting done, as many painters are wrapping up those summer exterior jobs.)
- Get those gutters and ditches clean!
- Service the HVAC to get it ready for the cooler temps. 🌡️
💗 Top 3 Things I am Loving at the Moment
🧹 Broombi Squeegie Broom – It gets pet hair, dust, dirt, liquids, and everything off your smooth floors, and even works great for pet hair, etc, on carpet. It’s pretty fantastic. Click HERE to shop my Amazon Storefront.
🍴 Clio Yogurt Bars – If you don’t know, I’ve been counting my macros for a while now, but I love sweets. These little bars are available in the yogurt section almost everywhere, and they taste just like cheesecake, but with 60 calories, 4g protein, and 5g sugar. (Not a paid endorsement, I just love them!) You can get them almost anywhere.
🧢 Power Cap Lighted Cap – If you follow me on social (or know me in person), you know that I broke my foot a couple of weeks ago. I was going out for a walk in the dark, juggling a leash and my phone, and hadn’t turned on the flashlight yet. My brother sent me this, and it’s fantastic. Look Ma, no hands! (And no surprise falls!) As the days get shorter, this is worth its weight in gold! Shop HERE.
📈 Market Info For Fall
If you watch the news or have even a passing interest in the real estate, you probably know some of this, but remember, real estate is LOCAL. In our market, we’re still seeing quite a few multiple offer situations, but things are shifting a bit in most price ranges, given the increase in interest rates. Homes that are totally turnkey and marketed well are still selling quickly, but those that are not? They’re sitting a bit longer than they were a few months ago.
If you’re buying, inventory has gotten slightly better in some areas, so aside from the rates, buying may be a little more accessible for some. For the full breakdown, visit my blog post HERE.
🍴My Perfect Fall Goulash
Last month, when I was trying to come up with a recipe for September, I wanted cozy, easy, comforting foods that would work well for busy days and back to school. While I think Baked Ziti fit that bill, I completely forgot about the OG easy to fix, one pot, always a fan favorite, perfect dinner on the run, even when everyone is eating at different times. And that, my friend, is Goulash. Not the original, but the good old, totally Americanized dish that’s a hearty cross between chili and pasta, topped with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. (It’s what Hamburger Helper only dreams it was.) As we head into cozy season, it’s the perfect thing! Click HERE for the recipe.
