Same Home, Different Quality
Real estate blogger Danilo writes that homes built during the building boom years of 2003, 2004 and 2005 were likely built on a faster schedule than previous years, and that builders might have cut some corners. When comparing a home in Raspberry Falls to another one he sold that was of the same model, but built a different year, he wrote: "There are pieces of the roof laying on the front lawn, the knee-wall and column between the kitchen and the family room is obviously crooked, the granite has seams that are much bigger than they ever should be, the crown molding has large gaps, etc. I've seen the same model built by the same builder in another part of the area that shows a much higher level of workmanship yet, it's older."

Blogger Paradox13VA has some reaction to the post, writing: "Of course, housing assessments then fall, thanks to the bursting of the housing bubble and the discovery that many of the developments built under the previous Board are not worth as much as was expected, due to cutting corners. This leads to a further reduction in County revenues, even as County expenses are growing."

More Than a Lunch Line
School board member and blogger John Stevens has some reaction to a recent Washington Post article about school lunches. "I have had lunch with my kids in their elementary cafeterias nearly every Tuesday for the past five years, and this year I have breakfast at a Middle School every Friday. By my count I am approaching my 200th meal at LCPS," he wrote. "I have seen significant improvements in the food quality over time, and I hope that the budget pressures will not reverse that trend."

Elementary School Staffers Play Ball for Charity
Dave Scarangella over at DullesDistrict.com has a recap of Saturday's basketball game between the staffs of Mill Run and Cedar Lane elementary schools. "The game wasn’t really about basketball, as the big crowd was packed with students pulling for their favorite teachers. All players sported jerseys with their nicknames on the back, as students screamed for the likes of 'Mr. P.E.,' 'Guitar Hero,' and my personal favorite, 'Third Degree' Burns," he wrote. Mill Run won, 50-38, in front of a roaring crowd. The proceeds of the game go to each school's PTA.

South Riding HOA President Resigns
Stephanie Smith will be replaced on the South Riding homeowners association board of directors by Craig Garant, who is vice president of the board, according to this article from the Loudoun Times-Mirror. Smith, who has been president of the HOA since 2005, announced her resignation April 10.

Car Fire
The Sterling Volunteer Fire Department reports that the crew responded to a car fire on Friday at the intersection of Harry Byrd Highway and N. Sterling Boulevard.