Monthly Archives: July 2005
State Farm bring more jobs to Albemarle
Last July, the country’s largest home and auto insurance provider said it planned to consolidate some regional operations in Albemarle County, a move that was expected to lead to an increase of 200 to 300 local jobs.With more than 1,300 employees, State Farm is Albemarle County’s largest private employer.This is very good news for the local real estate market. State Farm has good-paying professional jobs, stable employment base and is an all-around asset to the community. Continue reading
Beach Blogging
Never, ever come to North Carolina’s Outer Banks on a Saturday. The traffic was horrendous – it took us about three hours to drive about 15 miles. At least the house has wireless. And cell service. Continue reading
Thank you!
I was voted the “Favorite Realtor” in Daily Progress’ poll. Thank you to everybody who voted for me! I appreciate everyone’s votes. Continue reading
Biotech jobs coming to Albemarle
More jobs in Albemarle = stable, if not improving housing market.Albemarle will be the new home of a biotech manufacturing facility. A firm called PBM, or Princeton BioMeditech Corporation, will create 115 jobs with a $7 million investment at the University of Virginia Research Park. From WINA and the DP.If anybody is affiliated with this company, I would be happy to help its employees relocate to the area. Please email me if you would like a relocation package.Biotech is a great industry to have – read more here – “So what could be better than an industry that attracts few outsiders, requires little space, preserves those beautiful Blue Ridge vistas and utilizes the community’s most important resource — the University of Virginia?” Continue reading
Home inspections are good
Thanks to the Realestatejournal.While potential buyers may be eager to close the deal for the right price, it’s important to take the time to do a thorough home inspection before finalizing the purchase. There are several national home inspector associations, including the American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association of Home Inspectors, that can direct you to inspectors in your area…. Find out what home inspectors do and don’t look for when they review a property. Plus, learn the codes of conduct governing ASHI and NAHI because not all states regulate home inspections. Continue reading
Is this really “News”?
In the hottest markets, owners whose homes have skyrocketed in value find themselves in a frustrating paradox. They were supposed to be the lucky ones: they bought in frenzied real estate markets like New York and Los Angeles three or more years ago and have amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars on paper.But as they try to roll that considerable equity into a bigger home, many are unpleasantly surprised to find that the cost of real estate at the higher end has outpaced their ability to buy. For homeowners who have watched the torrid housing market create wealth as if by magic, scanning the classified ads or visiting a few open houses serves as a harsh reality check.From the NYTimes. Continue reading
Meadowcreek finds money
Sen. John Warner has helped the Meadowcreek Parkway see the light of day. Make no mistake – this is huge.Warner said he decided to earmark the federal transportation dollars available to him as a senior senator to pay for a grade-separated interchange at the U.S. 250 Bypass, McIntire Road and the southern end of the parkway that has been planned for more than 30 years. The 2-mile parkway would extend from East Rio Road to Melbourne Road, wind through the east edge of McIntire Park and end at the U.S. 250 Bypass“It doesn’t have a damn thing to do with politics or anything like that. It’s just an old [former University of Virginia law] student’s expression of gratefulness to the community,” Warner said in a telephone interview.This quote irritates me a bit as it is our money he is talking about. Continue reading
Forum Watch
In the meantime, below is the Forum Watch in full.IN THIS ISSUE: Important Dates Zoning Issues Master PlanningWater Supply Transportation Policy Other Land Use Editorial Important Dates July 26 – Charlottesville Planning Commission Work Session on Zoning Ordinance Amendments 5:30 pm CCH August 1 – Albemarle County Mountaintop Overlay Committee meeting 4:00 pm ACOBAugust 3 – Nelson County Board of Supervisors work session zoning 6:00pm NCCAugust 3 – Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting 9:00 am ACOBAugust 9 – Nelson County Board of Supervisors work session –Zoning 6:00pm NCCAugust 9 – Charlottesville Planning Commission Public Hearing Zoning Ordinance Changes 6:30 pm CCH August 9 – Greene County Board of Supervisors meeting – Senior Tax Abatement GCAB ACOB – Albemarle County Office Building CCH- Charlottesville City HallGCAB – Greene County Administration BuildingNCC – Nelson County Courthouse Return to Top Transportation Policy Meadowcreek Parkway – A significant effort is continues to generate federal transportation dollars to fund the construction of an interchange at McIntire and 250…. Neighborhood Development staff is researching the issue it is anticipated the NDS staff report will be presented in September to the Charlottesville Planning Commission.Return to Top Zoning Issues Albemarle County Neighborhood Model Zoning Text Amendment – The previous iteration of the ZTA is now available online at http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=planning&relpage=5236 Albemarle County staff held a focused discussion on March 31st 2004 to discuss the changes to the zoning with members of the development, building, real estate and community at large…. To see the deadlines and the costs of this project please see the report at http://www.rivanna.org/documents/agenda_jul25_2005_doc6b.pdf The Free Enterprise Forum does not have a preferred option but appreciates that each of the options under consideration is designed to meet the projected 50 year need for water in the community…. A map of the study area can be found here http://www.albemarle.org/upload/images/Forms_Center/Departments/Board_of_Supervisors/Forms/Agenda/2005Files/20050504/Northerndevelopmentattachb.pdfReturn to TopOther Land Use Natural Heritage Committee – In a split decision (3-2 Mr. Dorrier absent) the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors approved the creation of The Natural Heritage Committee to advise the Board of Supervisors on The Natural Heritage of Albemarle County and to report on the impacts of future development may have on the bio-diversity of the County. Continue reading
