Wednesday links 11-29-2006
Town Centers nurture Connections - let’s hope so.
See how many homes before you buy?
Advice from a successful real estate investor (hat tip: RCG)
Nelson County traveler spending up 6.8%
Not to pile on, but … Not all internet marketing is good.
Kaine warming up to Transportation/Land Use Issues
Charlottesville’s affordable housing plan - it’s a start.
Roundabouts in Staunton - following Charlottesville’s lead?
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How is this not discrimination?
The news on Inman last week struck me - are those Realtors who choose not to list themselves as “gay-friendly” therefore not? Personally, I treat all clients the same. No matter of their religion, gender, race or any other factor. If someone needs to buy or sell a home I look at the factors that would affect their ability to do so. I certainly would not consider their sexual orientation or any other peripherals. I mentioned this the other day, but have not been able to stop thinking about it.
Virginia’s Code says, among other things:
1. To refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, or familial status;
2. To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in the connection therewith to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, or familial status;
Federal laws seem to be equally silent on sexual orientation.
The certification training for LGBTRES candidates includes a half-day live lecture course or an online track, which the candidate must pass to receive their certification. The training, designed to help agents and brokers gain sensitivity to and understanding of the LGBT market, will be offered to Realogy’s affiliated sales associates and brokers at a substantially discounted rate of $75. The NGLCC will begin delivery of the training in the fourth quarter of 2006, and, in 2007, will certify LGBTRES trainers in Realogy’s major markets to make the certification available to a wider audience.
As to someone’s sexual orientation, skin color, sex, age - I don’t care one way or the other. So long as they are qualified by a reputable lender, are looking within their comfortable price range and are ready, willing and able to purchase a home now or in the (sometimes not so near) future, that’s all I need. Fair Housing laws dictate that everyone must be treated the same (although sexual orientation is not yet a protected class).
I don’t steer people to or from specific ethnic neighborhoods, nor would I feel comfortable telling a client that a neighborhood is or is not “gay friendly.” Do we now need arbitrary certifications from various groups saying that Realtors are qualified to work with each individual protected (and not-yet-protected) classes? We have Senior Specialists, the NAR has a Diversity Section of their website.
Do I need to be listed as a “gay-friendly” Realtor? I don’t think so. I market my services to qualified buyers (and sellers), and I don’t care if they are tall, short, grey or purple, skinny or fat. If they want to buy or sell a house, that’ll do.
Technorati Tags: common sense, fair housing, gay, real estate
More dogs in the kennel
It seems that Greg’s dog is growing. And the time I spend reading is growing as well. When I think of Greg and his writings, I have to break out the good old Thesaurus to find new words to describe him - prolific, copious, astute, perspicacious - Building on his success, he is adding more writers to his stable and further cementing his place atop the “RE.net.” It will remain daily reading. As with most everything I read, I have a question regarding his stated goal:
Our goal is to be daily must-reading for real estate professionals everywhere — Realtors, lenders, appraisers, investors, vendors and technologists.
There is little doubt that anyone who wants to stay abreast of changes in national real estate trends will find tremendous value at the Bloodhound. I know I have. However, for those who sell real estate in a local market, does such a broad-based approach help or perhaps hinder one’s local real estate presence? Worded differently, will that national focus reach the casual reader who might be interested in buying or selling real estate?
The relationships formed with other real estate bloggers are both crucial to success and one of the reasons that blogging is rewarding. However, one of the reasons that blogs have been so successful, particularly with regards to the real estate segment, if that they fill a local void.
I don’t mean to incite a blog-war with Greg (he’d win). But when he says this -
All weblogs are written by and for fanatics, and, with few exceptions — one of whom we will introduce to you tomorrow — there are very few fanatical real estate consumers.
I have to disagree. The early blogs may have fit that mold, but the the phenomenal growth in blogging activity and the growing general acceptance of blogs in mainstream consciousness shows that blogs have grown and will continue to appeal to more and more of the everyday reader/consumer. There are an awful lot of local real estate blogs out there - Teresa’s, Kristal’s, Fraser’s, Kevin’s - and while real estate is a national business with national trends, I would hazard a guess that many local consumers choose to read locally-focused blogs more than they would a national one.
I’ll keep reading his/their blog every day, as I respect what they have to say and learn something each time (when I have time to read it all!) All that said, it could be simply that we have different goals. 
…
Ubertor has some thoughts on the value a good blog can bring to the “capturing the real estate consumer” equation.
Technorati Tags: blog, blogging, charlalbemarle, charlottesville, real estate
New poll
I have added a new poll to the sidebar - Who reads this blog? Please help me satiate my curiosity and let me know what you think.
Technorati Tags: blog, blogging, real estate
Real estate carnival #20
Bigger Pockets hosts the Carnival this week. Refreshingly, he keeps the focus local; and for that I say - thank you!
Technorati Tags: carnival, real estate
Out of context
Sure, this is blatantly taking a quote out of context, but …
“I would like to pay our police officers more, I would like to pay our fire more, I would like to pay our teachers more, but the fact is that we are limited to the revenues that we take in from taxes,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dennis Rooker. “Everybody likes better services, nobody wants to pay more in the way of taxes.” (Courtesy of WCAV)
While nobody may want to pay more in taxes, we most assuredly are paying more in taxes, thank you very much.
… assessments are rising sharply in Albemarle County, but not by the expected 18.7%, which was the 2003 increase, but instead a whopping 27.2%. A good chunk of that increase is coming from the rising value of raw land, though house values have climbed quite a bit, too. …
Technorati Tags: albemarle, politics, taxes, real estate
What is sufficient housing
This letter to the editor in the DP last week was funny:
Why do we need to consider unprecedented growth of housing stock when the existing supply is greater than the current demand? Could it be that the monied interests of large-scale developers is driving this development steamroller?
As of Nov. 20, the Multiple Listing Service [a database of properties for sale by participating real estate agents] indicated that there is approximately $125 million worth of residential homes for sale in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
This number doesn’t include big farms and estates, properties for sale by owner or other properties not listed in the MLS by discount brokers.
Another interesting statistic the MLS revealed is that approximately 350 homes for sale in our area are vacant. The lock box is on the door and nobody’s home.
If we are to maintain what positive qualities of life that still remain in our community, then certainly we must examine why growth must continue at unbridled levels. We have plenty of housing stock available for those wanting to locate to this area.
Really, we have “plenty of housing”? What is a definition of “sufficient housing” upon which government can base their regulations?
In Charlottesville/Albemarle - There are currently 190 active properties on the market under $200k. This may seem like a large number until one starts digging in and looks at the respective locations, sizes, etc. 108 of these are condos. Between $200k and $250k, 95 homes for sale - 25 of which are condos.
Between $250k and $450k, there are 488 properties on the market, only 67 of which are condos. 153 of these 488 are flagged as new construction.
Yes, we have lots of inventory. Yes, a lot of these are vacant (see my stories in October and July) But should we allow some outside force - I assume that your intent is to have the government step in and further regulate the market - to control the nuances of the real estate (or any, for that matter) market?
What program/market/system has benefited from governmental intervention? Local governments tend to enjoy the rising market - note how they always find a way to spend the windfalls they have received from rising property assessments. (More on this later)
So, what is the solution? Here’s an idea - let the market decide. And shop. Don’t forget to shop.
Technorati Tags: albemarle, charlalbemarle, charlottesville
Friday links 11-14-2006
George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation
No Cake! What a sad testament on the American Way.
Get ready for some foreclosures - Subprime loans doing badly. I would love to see numbers on what percentage of loans written in the past 3 years in the Central Virginia region were subprime.
Black Friday -v- Buy Nothing Day
Is this a good thing? Why do we need this certification when we are supposed to treat everyone equal? Or am I just too idealistic for my own good?
Finally, this evening at 6pm, UVA will host Notre Dame in an NCAA tournament clash.
Technorati Tags: gay, politics, mortgages, real estate, soccer
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