Posts Published by Jim Duncan

Father, husband, Charlottesville real estate agent, bicycle rider & soccer coach. And more. Lots more.

Vetting your Charlottesville Realtor – Like + Experience =

in General Real Estate Google Technology on

In a couple weeks, the Houston Association of Realtors will launch a Web application that allows consumers to see which Realtors within their chosen search area are transacting business – and which are not.

… The app is based on MLS data and will be available from the association’s highly-trafficked Website Every Realtor in the market is included, there is no opt-out The app is map-based, so consumers can see who has sold what, where, over different time periods The app may be made available to MLS organizations nationwide

…In the Charlottesville area, I see geography as less of a differentiator, niches are important, but making a career as a “specialist” would be nearly impossible – there’s no way one could be solely a ” Charlottesville condo specialist” – it could be a significant component of one’s business, but the market is just too spread out … but — combine the above with the announcement(s) from Facebook yesterday Heck, now you could see how many people Like the Realtor you may be considering hiring.

…(SIDE NOTE – This also drops Facebook in the middle of the local advertising game – you YELP, you update your facebook PROFILE automatically, I can then create an Ad based on the fact that you “liked” KFC -someone pinch me, I’m still in the dream with Hedi) People are going to freak out about this and it’s a shame – Facebook does not expose YOUR data specifically – only people who you’ve given permission to as a friend will actually see your profile and I can see this being fantastic way of really keeping in touch – how many of my friends liked “Hurt Locker” for example – that’s the next step of Facebooks evolution, it makes sense.

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If you Own (Or Are Thinking about Owning) a Home in Charlottesville Built Before 1978

in General Real Estate on

Starting on Earth Day, April 22, contractors working on almost all homes built before 1978 must prove they have the Environmental Protection Agency’s stamp of approval to do the work — or face fines of up to $37,500 a day.

FAQ on the RRP from the EPA.GOV Take a look at some of the homes that are active on the market in the Charlottesville and Albemarle built before 1978 . (sorted by those with the most recent price reduction) It’s going to be interesting.

… From a Charlotte dBusinessNews press release : Most people are aware of the dangers that exposure to lead-based paint can pose – it effects ( sic ) children’s brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities and behavioral problems, and it can also lead to hypertension and high blood pressure in adults, according to the U.S. … The EPA’s new Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule takes effect April 22, 2010, and requires that all contractors (plumbers, painters, HVAC technicians, remodelers, etc.) working in a residence or facility built before 1978 where children are present must be an EPA Certified Renovator.

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Designing Places for Health and Play – 24 April 2010

in Albemarle Charlottesville General Real Estate on

I’m not sure whether society is less “safe” than it was, but the perception of society has certainly changed.

… Come find out at a public talk and workshop by landscape architect and nature-based educator Robin Moore and other staff of the Natural Learning Initiative . Designing Natural Play Spaces for Healthy Children and Planet, Saturday, April 24, 2010 will teach about approaches to better children’s health through designing natural play spaces. Moore’s public talk, Free Range Nature Play: Designing for Healthy Development of Children and Planet is scheduled for Friday, April 23, 2010.

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Thoughts on Charlottesville’s Open House Weekend

in sideblog on

I think they’re a waste of everybody’s time at least in this market but I held one anyway because it was National Open House Weekend and I’ll do whatever I can to try and capitalize on some kind of traffic and we had three and a half people through, well three and a half sets.

…They’re looking for the next phase of their lives and the challenge is they need to sell their house that they bought two years ago in a neighborhood that has had significant property declines so I’m not holding out much hope for them even though they were wonderful people and I would love to work with them. … The last set are folks who have been looking for five years and believe it or not there are quite a few of these folks out there who are looking at the market and think the pricing is a bit absurd and out of whack and they’re just waiting for the right opportunity. These folks are like another set of my buyers with whom I’ve been working for years and years and years, are looking for their dying house, for their last house, their last move, for the last place they’re ever going to live in.

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