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LUXURY JEWELRY Alicia Villars | Helvetia 703-401-9679 | www.Helvetiajewelry.com

ESTATE PLANNING Justine Sennott, Esq. PJI Law 703-865-6100 | www.pjilaw.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT Michelle Hundley, JD, CFP® | CEO and Co-Founder www.triowm.com | Trio Wealth Management, LLC

To learn more about becoming an EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR, contact Gloria at: 703-868-8071 or gbruni@bestversionmedia.com

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© Best Version Media DEAR GREAT FALLS NEIGHBORS, PUBLICATION TEAM Publisher: Gloria Fonseca Publisher Assistant: Daniela Banegas Designer: Hannah Argall Contributing Writer: Sofia Roman Social Media Administrator: Andrea Simon Photographer: Myrtle Roy ADVERTISING Contact: Gloria Fonseca Email: gbruni@bestversionmedia.com Phone: 703-868-8071 FEEDBACK/IDEAS/SUBMISSIONS Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are the 10th of each month. Go to bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to: gbruni@bestversionmedia.com. CONTENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE (5 days prior to the Submission Deadline; remember Content Submission Deadline dates of the 20th or later refer to a magazine edition 2 months out.)

Content Due Edition December 10 ...........................................................................January January 10.............................................................................. February February 10 ..................................................................................March March 10.............................................................................................April April 10..................................................................................................May May 10 .................................................................................................June June 10 ...................................................................................................July July 10 ............................................................................................ August August 10 ............................................................................September September 10 ..........................................................................October October 10 .......................................................................... November November 10 ..................................................................... December Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2026 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

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There is something about this time of year that always feels like a fresh start. The season begins to change, routines settle back in, and we move into the final stretch of the year with renewed energy. October is also a wonderful month to get out and support our community. The Great Falls Studios Tour returns October 17 and 18, giving us the chance to meet local artists, explore their work, and celebrate the creativity that makes Great Falls so special. Then on October 30, Lift Me Up! will host its Halloween Gala, another great opportunity to come together and support an organization doing meaningful work in our community. I hope you will join us in showing up, supporting local, and cheering one another on. Whether it is attending an event, shopping with a local business, or simply making a connection that helps someone move forward, those small acts make a difference. Here’s to a beautiful fall and a strong finish to the year.

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Meet Heather Tuason THE WOMAN IN THE ARENA

By SOFIA ROMAN | Professional photos by MYRTLE ROY

THE TABLE WAS NEVER TOO SMALL On Monday nights, there is a good chance Heather Tuason can be found at the Old Brogue with her family for burger night. It is the kind of ritual that says a great deal about the life Heather and her husband, Juan, have built. Their days may be filled with businesses, financial decisions, meetings, college schedules, grandchildren, and the logistics of a three-generation household, but they have learned to protect the moments that bring everyone back together. Today, Heather serves on the Board of Directors of Lafayette Federal Credit Union, where she chairs the Credit Committee, while also leading Arena CFO & Accounting, the Reston-based firm she founded to help small businesses better understand and manage their finances. Her professional life has been built around numbers, planning, and helping people make sound decisions. At home, however, success looks less like a balance sheet and more like a crowded dinner table. “It is a full house, and we would not have it any other way,” she says. Heather and Juan share their Great Falls home with Heather’s parents, George and Judith Bone, who moved in with them in 2024. Their youngest son, James, returns home 4 | OCTOBER 2026

© Best Version Media from college during breaks, while their other three children have begun building lives and careers of their own. Nearby in Falls Church are their daughter Nicole and her sons, Charlie, 11, and Noah, 9. The household is completed by four dogs: Ginger and Spice, the family’s two Weimaraners, and Mercy and Dickens, the Wheaten Terriers who arrived with Heather’s parents. Three generations, four dogs, and a steady stream of family. For Heather, it feels exactly right.

A LIFE THAT STARTED CLOSE TO HOME Heather’s roots in Northern Virginia run deep. She grew up in McLean, attended McLean High School, and remembers a community that looked very different from the one residents know today. She recalls Evans Farm Inn with its duck pond and park, along with a large stretch of land in Tysons that had a dirt bike trail and an old mansion, long before the area became the bustling center it is today. The person who shaped her most was her father, George. “He taught me three things by example rather than lecture: be on time, care about people, and face challenges headon," Heather says. Those lessons stayed with her. Being on time became part of the meticulous planner she is today, caring about people became central to the way she works with business owners and credit union members, and facing challenges directly became a philosophy she has carried through both work and family life.

Her family still sees plenty of the planner. Heather organizes the weekly meals, which are on the table at six o’clock sharp, and usually has the next family trip booked well in advance. “Anyone who knows me will tell you I am an overplanner,” she says. Her newest planning tool has added a modern twist: Heather now uses artificial intelligence as a kind of executive coach, allowing it to analyze meetings and give her weekly feedback. “My kids think it’s a little much,” she says. “I find it useful and humbling.”

PIZZA, COLLEGE, AND FAMILY LIFE Heather met Juan when they were teenagers working at Domino’s Pizza in McLean, where she made the pizzas and he delivered them. Their relationship continued as they both attended George Mason University and carpooled to campus together. Heather studied criminology and accounting, while Juan studied economics. They married in 1992 and settled in McLean, where they raised their four children. “What I remember most about those early years is how much we were figuring out at once,” Heather says. “Our careers, faith, family, and a life together in the community where I grew up.” Their children ultimately followed four very different paths. Alexis lives in San Francisco and works at General Motors on self-driving vehicle technology. She also runs Missfits, a

GREAT FALLS LIVING | 5

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© Best Version Media nonprofit that teaches teenage girls robotics. Nicole works in finance and lives in Falls Church with Charlie and Noah. John recently graduated from Virginia Tech after studying journalism and is also a musician, chef, and writer. James studies mechanical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University and has started Business Butler, a company that helps businesses streamline internal operations using AI.

particularly meaningful. Weekends are deliberately low-key and might be spent at their cabin, relaxing by the pool, or enjoying time around Great Falls. They love Great Falls Park, Riverbend Park, and the trails around Seneca. Juan, who has a soft spot for old and unusual cars, is especially pleased to live near Katie’s Cars and Coffee. “The weekly car show is practically in our backyard,” Heather says.

“Four very different paths,” Heather says, “and Juan and I feel lucky to watch each of them unfold.”

Great Falls also became the place where Heather’s professional commitment to community banking became personal. When Lafayette Federal Credit Union opened its Great Falls branch on Georgetown Pike in the heart of Great Falls Village, she saw two important parts of her life come together. “Seeing the community come out for the Grand Opening meant a great deal to me,” she says. “It means I now get to serve the town I live in.”

Motherhood also changed the way Heather thought about ambition. She worked throughout her children’s childhoods, but raising them helped her understand that work and income could never be the only priorities. “Children taught me to be patient and to realize that work and income were not the priority,” she says. What mattered most was introducing her children to new ideas, experiences, and opportunities, then watching each of them become their own person. Now, as a grandmother, she gets to experience a version of that all over again. One of Heather’s favorite family memories is remarkably simple. For years, their family of six gathered around a fourperson table. “A crammed dinner table is one of my favorite family moments,” she says. It is an image that captures much of Heather’s philosophy of family. There does not have to be perfect space. There simply has to be room for everyone.

BANKING WITH A DIFFERENT PURPOSE Heather’s career in finance included roles with Wells Fargo, M&T Bank, and Capital One, where she developed particular experience working with small businesses. Her path to Lafayette Federal began when a friend encouraged her to join the Board, and she quickly became drawn to the member-focused structure of a credit union.

FINDING THEIR PLACE IN GREAT FALLS The Tuasons were longtime McLean residents before moving to Great Falls in 2024. When Heather’s parents came to live with them, the family needed a home that could comfortably accommodate three generations and four dogs. Great Falls offered the space they needed while keeping Heather close to the community where she had spent most of her life. The appeal quickly became about more than square footage. They found the trails, the Potomac River, welcoming neighbors, and the small-town atmosphere

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© Best Version Media That same question led Heather to create Arena CFO & Accounting. After years in banking, she had seen too many strong business owners struggle because they lacked the financial guidance needed to grow. Arena gives small businesses access to CFO-level and accounting support that might otherwise be out of reach. The firm’s growth has earned it a place on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastestgrowing private companies. The company’s name comes from Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 “Man in the Arena” speech. Her clients, Heather says, are the people in the arena, taking risks, making decisions, and doing the work. “We just try to help them stay in it.”

THE NEXT CHAPTER

“A credit union exists for its members,” Heather says. For her, that structure makes service tangible. Products, programs, and lending decisions can be shaped around the needs of the communities the credit union serves. Lafayette Federal has supported organizations throughout Northern Virginia, including local Langley High School, Herndon High School, and South Lakes High School Booster Clubs, and remains active with McLean Little League and Reston Hoops. Locally, the credit union has volunteered with Celebrate Great Falls Foundation’s Celebration of Lights and participates in many other events and activities hosted by the Foundation. This October, the credit union will celebrate its 91st anniversary. As chair of the Credit Committee, Heather works alongside Lafayette Federal’s leadership team as it considers lending products for individuals and businesses, from mortgages and lines of credit to business loans. The philosophy behind that work is simple. “Whether I’m reviewing a loan policy at Lafayette Federal or sitting with a business owner at Arena, the question is the same,” she says. “How do we help this person or this business get where they’re trying to go safely?"

When Heather looks at what she has built, she does not begin with her résumé. She begins with family. “What I’m most grateful for is that through everything, the focus has stayed on family and community,” she says. There are four grown children pursuing lives of their own, two grandsons nearby, and her parents sharing in the rhythms of daily life. Juan’s businesses, Paragon Home Care and Paragon Assisted Living, care for seniors throughout Northern Virginia, making service to older generations part of both their professional and personal worlds. And now, there is Great Falls. The Tuasons are still relatively new to the community, and Heather hopes the years ahead will bring more opportunities to participate, connect, and give back. “This community has already given us a great deal,” she says, “and I would like to give some of it back.” For someone who has built her career helping others stay confidently in the arena, Heather seems ready for whatever comes next. But when the week is over, there is another version of Heather entirely: on the couch with her family, watching the latest series or movie, perhaps with one of her American history books nearby. Dinner has almost certainly been planned, and if it happens to be Monday, there is probably a table waiting at the Old Brogue.

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8 | OCTOBER 2026

Section 530A Account (Trump Account) By MICHELLE HUNDLEY, JD, CFP® CEO and Co-Founder Trio Wealth Management, LLC

A new investment and retirement savings option launched this year: the Section 530A account. These accounts went live on July 4, 2026, as a "starter" retirement account opened and funded for a minor child to begin building tax-deferred savings early in life. • What it is: A tax-advantaged account that becomes subject to most traditional IRA rules starting January 1 of the year the child turns 18. Until then, it's in a "growth period" during which the account can accept contributions. • Contributions & how it's invested: Contributions are capped at $5,000 per child per year, with no earned income required, and can come from family, friends, or employers. Funds are invested in low-cost U.S. index funds/ETFs. • Pilot bonus: Eligible U.S. citizen children born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028 can receive a onetime $1,000 Treasury contribution. • At 18: The account shifts to traditional IRA rules, giving the owner greater control — naming beneficiaries, making investment decisions, and tracking after-tax contributions. We're keeping a close eye on this new option and how it fits into family planning strategies. If you have questions about whether it makes sense for your family, we're happy to talk it through.

Trio Wealth Management | Great Falls (703) 459-9171 | www.triowm.com

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Trio Wealth Management, LLC is an Investment Adviser registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

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“My estate isn’t very big. Do I really need an estate plan?” Yes. And this may be the biggest misconception I encounter. Estate planning isn’t just about who gets your money when you die. It’s also about what happens if you’re alive but unable to make decisions for yourself. Who can access your finances? Who can pay your bills? Who can make healthcare decisions? Who can manage your property? You might assume your spouse or an adult child can simply step in. But without the appropriate legal documents, that assumption can create significant problems. If you haven’t made your wishes known, a Virginia court may ultimately have to make decisions for you.

“Can’t I just download the documents online?” You can. The internet has made it incredibly easy to find doit-yourself legal documents. But “easy” and “effective” aren’t always the same thing. Estate planning is personal. Your family circumstances, assets, business interests and goals are different from everyone else’s. Virginia law also has specific requirements that need to be followed.

The Questions I Hear Most Often By JUSTINE SENOTT, Senior Attorney, Estate Planning Department Lead, PJI Law

If you’ve ever met with an estate planning attorney, you’ve probably noticed something: We have a funny way of turning ordinary family conversations into questions about wills, trusts and what happens “if something happens to me.” I know the subject isn’t exactly dinner-table conversation. Nobody wants to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon contemplating their own incapacity or death. Yet as an estate planning attorney serving Northern Virginia families, I’ve learned that putting off the conversation rarely makes it easier—and it can make things much harder for the people you love. In fact, procrastination is one of the biggest reasons people give for not having an estate plan. According to Caring.com’s 2025 Wills & Estate Planning Study, 43% of Americans without a will said they simply “haven’t gotten 10 | OCTOBER 2026

My job isn’t simply to hand you a stack of forms. It’s to help you think through the issues you may not have considered, and then create documents designed around your circumstances.

“Do I need a will, a trust or an advance directive?” My answer is usually: It depends. I sometimes describe an estate plan as a house. A will might be one room. An advance medical directive might be another. A trust could be another. Not every house needs the same number of rooms.

© Best Version Media A will can specify who receives your assets and address guardianship for minor children. An advance medical directive names someone to make medical decisions if you cannot. A trust can include specific terms regarding how and when beneficiaries receive your assets and, depending on the circumstances, help with issues such as probate and taxes.

incapacitated or die? Those decisions are much easier to make when you’re sitting around a conference table with your family than when everyone is trying to figure them out during a crisis.

The important thing is making sure the pieces work together.

It’s about preparing for life’s uncertainties.

“When should I update everything?” Please don’t put your estate plan in a drawer and forget about it. I generally recommend reviewing it every three to five years. More importantly, review it whenever life changes in a significant way: marriage, divorce, a new child or grandchild, a death in the family, a move, a major change in your assets, a change in tax law or a change involving the people you’ve named as your executor, guardian or trustee. And if you own a business, don’t overlook succession planning. What happens to the business if you retire, become

Ultimately, I tell my clients that estate planning isn’t really about preparing for death. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. But we can decide, today, who we trust to carry out our wishes if we can’t do it ourselves. That’s a gift to your family—and, in my experience, one that brings considerable peace of mind. If you’ve been putting off estate planning, or simply aren’t sure whether a trust makes sense for your family—we’d be happy to help you sort through your options. At PJI Law, we take the time to understand your family, your assets, and your goals before recommending a plan. Call (703) 8656100 or visit www.pjilaw.com to schedule a complimentary, confidential estate planning consultation. Call (703) 865-6100 or visit www.pjilaw.com

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Along for the Ride…A Programming Spotlight By DANA A. JOHNSTON, Executive Director, Lift Me Up! | Photos by MYRTLE ROY

"WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET, BUT WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE." — WINSTON CHURCHILL In the Article that appeared in the September issue of Great Falls Living Magazine we introduced the concept of the “Healing Power of Horses”. In doing so, I shared some specific programs that we offer at Lift Me Up! I would like to expand on the concept of the “Healing Power of Horses” to look at what the data says. How do we qualify or quantify results to demonstrate the efficacy of our programs and the Effectiveness of horses as a therapeutic tool or modality. To do this, I will focus on our “Silver Herd” program established to facilitate the interaction between adults diagnosed with early onset Dementia. I will also introduce the findings of The Connected Horse project, an exhaustive study conducted through a partnership between the UC Davis Center for Equine Health and the UC Davis School of Medicine. This project focused on the benefits of Equine Assisted Services and Therapy on Dementia patients. Over 55 million people have dementia worldwide. In the United States, more than 6 million people are living with Alzheimer’s. This number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050. Every year, there are nearly 10 million new global cases. Additionally, people are being diagnosed earlier in the process. Living with and providing care for someone affected by early-stage dementia is becoming more of a global reality. Family caregiving remains the most common 12 | OCTOBER 2026

form of care both in the U.S. and around the world. Yet few specific services exist to meet the needs of this population and their family caregivers. Research from around the world finds that stress, anxiety, and depression typify experiences for caregivers. HUMAN-HORSE INTERACTION As I previously shared, horses have evolved over millions of years as prey animals to be highly in tune with their environment. They survive in the wild by reading and reacting to cues from their surroundings and their herd mates. They seek calm confidence and look for leadership, which makes them a great social mirror as they will react to humans and reflect back the energy of the interaction. Horses can teach humans confidence, self-awareness, and self-control. Since horses live outside, movement and the stimulation of the environment are added bonuses to the interactions. The Connected Horse Project harnessed the amazing social benefits of the horse-human interaction while also giving older horses useful roles in modern day society. The benefits of equine-assisted therapy have been welldocumented for autistic children, children with physical disabilities, victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and in prisoner rehabilitation programs.

© Best Version Media RESEARCH FINDINGS The Connected Horse Dementia program is based on a coaching engagement model validated through research at Stanford University and the University of California, Davis. Through a workshop-based model, these workshops help care partners and patients with dementia diagnoses learn how to focus on the present, be aware of their own responses, self-regulate and release roles. In addition to learning skills, participants experience hope, increased self-confidence and the joy of being together. The workshops include wellness activities with horses, discussion groups and skills development using mindfulness-based practices, family systems approach, and experiential learning opportunities. The facilitators use cues found in typical herd behavior, including the horses’ innate abilities to mirror participants’ emotions/energy, and the natural environment to support the multi-sensory responses. The equine activities include four over-the-fence interactions, grooming, leading, and watching horses in pastures. The first research project at Stanford University used a pre/post-test design with standardized measures of stress, burden, mood, and social support for patients and care partners. Quantitative and qualitative findings from 26 participants indicated significantly increased positive perception of social support, greater reciprocity, awareness, upliftedness and appreciation of one another. The collaboration at the

ALL HALLOWS EVE GALA Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 6-11pm Hilton McLean Tysons Corner

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© Best Version Media UC Davis Center for Equine Health engaged additional pairs with retired horses, extending the same protocol used at Stanford. Results indicated significant positive change in the social support scale and decrease in depression scores. Early analysis of the qualitative data supported trends for improved mood, greater reciprocity, awareness and appreciation of the dyad (human – horse or human -human relationship). CASE STUDY (STORY) Mrs. D is a care partner for her husband and mother with dementia. During the workshops, she wanted to find focus and meaning to her life situation. She found the answers singing to a horse who was upset because another horse left the paddock. She wasn’t singing on key, she didn’t know all the words. It didn’t matter. The horse came up to her, lowered his head and calmed down. Her internal desire was to slow down and be present, enjoy being with the horse and her husband. The horse responded. After this experience, she realized that she and Mr. D could still stay connected and that they still had the gift to help others and each other. DEMENTIA CARE: CONNECTION BEYOND WORDS, THE SILVER HERD For people living in long-term care facilities, and memory care facilities (living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia

14 | OCTOBER 2026

diagnosis), equine-assisted programs offer a rare kind of engagement — one that does not rely on memory or verbal fluency. Activities like grooming, feeding, and leading a horse tap into sensory and procedural memory that often remain intact even as other cognitive functions decline. In response to the need for more activities that our population can enjoy, Lift Me Up! created the “The Silver Herd” program to allow residents of retirement, assisted living and memory care facilities to opportunity to interact with horses. In this case specifically through “Miniature Healing” by engaging our three miniature horses.

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INSIDE THE ROOM With Gloria Fonseca Business has its unwritten rules. So do introductions, invitations, and knowing when to speak—or when to keep something to yourself, or even when to pay or not pay the bill at a 3-person lunch. THERE ARE RULES, PEOPLE! THERE ARE RULES!!!

Welcome to Inside the Room, my monthly look at business, etiquette, access, and the relationships that open doors. I’ll share what I’ve learned from building businesses, publishing magazines, and navigating the moments no one gives you a handbook for. Because getting into the room is one thing. Being invited back is another.

CEO@GLORIAFONSECA.COM

This one is interesting:

Have You Heard About These Lunches? The most interesting conversations may be the ones you need an invitation to hear. Have you heard about these lunches? Not the networking luncheons with name tags, speeches, and a step-and-repeat. I mean the private ones—the gatherings that never appear on a public calendar, where the guest list is carefully curated and the conversation stays in the room. Here in Northern Virginia, a private wealth firm brings together a select circle of private clients, multigenerational families, business leaders, and investors for an invitation-only luncheon. Some tables you reserve. Others, you’re invited to.

And I became fascinated by one question: What do people talk about after success has already been achieved? Maybe we simply have to be in the room to find out. And if you’re wondering how one finds their way onto that guest list… Send me an email. In the end, it’s all about who you know, right? Let’s just say—I may know someone.

ABOUT GLORIA Gloria Fonseca is a media entrepreneur, publisher, and community connector with a diverse business portfolio spanning media, luxury jewelry, and events. Through Inside the Room, she shares the people, conversations, and experiences shaping Northern Virginia. 16 | OCTOBER 2026

GREAT FALLS LIVING | 17

SMART FINANCES WITH LAFAYETTE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

National Financial Planning Month Make Your Money Work with Intention By JAMES NAUGHTON, McLean Branch Manager Lafayette Federal Credit Union

October is National Financial Planning Month. It’s also an ideal time to reassess your financial strategy and ask yourself whether it reflects the life you’re building toward.

PPA Member

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Financial planning involves more than saving for retirement. A comprehensive plan coordinates investments, taxes, insurance, estate planning, charitable giving, major purchases, and other priorities into one cohesive strategy. As your career, family, and personal goals evolve, your financial plan should evolve with them. Review your progress toward short- and long-term goals, evaluate your investment mix, and check whether your estate documents and beneficiary designations are current. Finally, identify upcoming major expenses or life changes that could affect your plans. Even if your finances are built on a firm foundation, regular reviews can reveal opportunities to make your money work more efficiently. Thoughtful planning today can provide greater clarity and flexibility for whatever comes next

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment,

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legal, or tax advice. Lafayette Federal Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Membership required.

18 | OCTOBER 2026

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OCTOBER

YO U R

LEGACY BEGINS

AT H O M E

Whether you’re buying your first home, upgrading to luxury, or investing in your family’s future, Puneet Bhagi and his team at Ikon Realty Luxury provide personalized service, unmatched local expertise, and a boutique experience tailored to you.Every home has a story—let us help you find yours.

P U N E E T B H A G I • ( 7 0 3 ) 3 4 6 - 2 2 9 3 • I K O N R E A LT Y L U X U R Y. C O M

Connect today for a consultation and experience real estate with integrity, discretion, and style.