With its natural, scenic beauty, Orange County, Virginia is known quaint little towns, fine dining, and unique shops. But it’s also known for its rich historic past, being the home to President James Madison and his wife Dolley. It is the county’s idyllic location—just 85 miles south of Washington, D.C. and 25 miles north of Charlottesville—combined with its history and geographic beauty—that lures potential new homeowners to the area.

Virginia’s rich colonial tradition produced its own special style of furniture and décor which we continue to admire today.  If you ever looked longingly at beautiful colonial era antiques or reproductions but hesitated to buy them because you thought they would not fit your lifestyle, there is good news. All it takes is a little imagination to effectively introduce antiques into modern décor.  The result is a contemporary home and lifestyle which is much enhanced by the beauty of Virginia’s unique heritage.

Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is required by lenders on homebuyers who are borrowing more than 80 percent of the home’s value. With so much of the home’s value being borrowed, there is a risk to the lender not recovering all of their funds should the borrower default. Private mortgage insurance protects a lender against loss if a borrower defaults on the loan. If your loan is insured by the Department of Veteran Affairs it is known as a “funding fee” and as a “guarantee fee” if insured by the Rural Housing Service. You continue to pay for the insurance premiums until your equity exceeds 20 percent, but recent law changes allow some to deduct this expense on their federal income taxes.