Category Archives: Regional
GoCHO – Charlottesville Airport Getting More Flights?
Namely to these locations: CLE Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport @ Cleveland, OH EWR Newark Liberty International Airport @ Newark, NJ IAH George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport @ Houston, TX ORD Chicago O’Hare International Airport @ Chicago, IL Combine more flights with a longer runway , and Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport will expand its runway by 800 feet with initial Phase 1A a $6 million dollar project funded in part by the Virginia Aviation Board and the Airport Authority. The runway extension will allow us to accommodate more fully-booked flights in varying weather conditions, improving service to travelers and the airlins we serve. When the extension is complete, more flights can be fully booked and depart from and land at CHO; this means more options for travel to and from CHO and more seats on flights mean lower fares for those flying from CHO.
…NBC29 has learned that CHO is in negotiations with three air carriers which could provide service to Chicago and Florida; one of the three prospects is being touted as a “low-fare” carrier. Continue reading
Short Sales in Charlottesville – What Realtors (and Consumers) Need to Know
Charlottesville Realtors – take the time to attend the next Short Sale class that’s offered at CAAR – with the expected (some forecast dramatic/staggering/flood – insert your adjective here) increase in short sales next year, you are not going to be adequately prepared for the new market unless you learn about this new segment of our market. … If you see that your income is going to be reduced, but you keep going to Whole Foods or Foods of all Nations, then you’re likely in need of some counseling (and I’m not being facetious). Continue reading
Proof that Gas Prices are affecting buyers in Charlottesville area
Getting feedback from Buyer’s Agents is one of the most persistent challenges a listing agent faces, yet good feedback is absolutely crucial to understanding buyers’ mindsets to help best advise sellers.
…The trouble is, when showing forty plus houses a week, it’s that more challenging to elicit feedback from Buyers Agents … Continue reading
Are Green Homes the new “Trophy” Homes?
The market is moving beyond individual green products and into the realm of green developments – because the market is demanding LEED-certified Neighborhood Developments (although I’d argue that LEED-ND has not yet reached mainstream vernacular) Courtesy of the National Association of Realtors’ On Common Ground magazine * – Experts interviewed for this article were unanimous on one point: collecting green-certified houses into a conventional subdivision on a former farm fi eld at the edge of the metro area would not a green neighborhood make. … For proof that “Smart” Growth is mainstream, check out this partnership that defies presumptions about Realtors always wanting to build, build, build at all costs – Those are some of the results of the 2007 Growth and Transportation survey sponsored by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and Smart Growth America. Continue reading
Should Charlottesville be like Austin or Aspen?
(Gary) Henry, a Board member of the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council , is continuing his efforts to call attention to a fork in the road that he sees approaching for the area’s future; one branch leading to an economically and culturally diverse city with a healthy middle class (Austin), the other leading to a ritzy retirement and tourism community where only the wealthy can afford to live (Aspen). … Read more and watch his presentation at Charlottesville Tomorrow . Continue reading
A lifestyle shift – riding a bike
My new bike rig While biking certainly isn’t feasible for all of my trips – showing property for example – my new bike rig (above) does allow me to cut down on a few miles almost every day – and that’s not too bad. … A lot has changed in the year since he wrote that post – gas has increased a bit – and buyers and sellers have become more cognizant and aware of what things cost. 
Think about it – what if we all went car-free one day a week, or rode a bike to the coffee shop or did something without driving – even once a week? Continue reading
Toy lift needs Help
From today’s Daily Progress:It’s T-minus two days before Tom Powell lifts off the Charlottesville Fashion Square mall pad in the 19th-annual Toy Lift amid some serious concern at mission control….“This really isn’t the first economic downturn we’ve had in 18 years and every year that we’ve had the Toy Lift, people have put themselves out there and helped pull off a good Christmas for the children,” he said…. That’s all it takes on your part to help make a child’s Christmas/Hannukkah. There is no doubt that this year has been hard for anybody associated with real estate, but it shouldn’t be asking too much to ask for one two per person, or twenty bucks…. I’ll come get your donations (new toys, no used ones due to the recalls this year); just let me know.Find out more here.
Continue reading
Question from a reader regarding Zip Realty
Plus it’s sad to see all of the listing agents trying to show us “other” houses while we are standing in the house they are trying to sell for a client (some have actually tried to give us MLS listing for OTHER homes in the neighborhood).There are no Zip Realty franchises in the Charlottesville/Central Virginia region (here are the Richmond Zip agents), so first-hand knowledge is hard to come by…. From the fine print on Zip Realty’s site:Occasionally, the seller and/or listing broker in a transaction will offer the broker representing the buyer a bonus or other additional incentive over and above the cooperating brokerage commission. Any such bonuses or other additional incentives are separate and apart from the cooperating brokerage commission actually received by ZipRealty and buyer is not entitled to a rebate on any bonus or other additional incentive monies paid to ZipRealty over and above the cooperative broker commission.This clause alone makes me distrust their model…. Transparent.After reading the question a couple of times, the question is less about whether Zip Realty is “worth it” and more whether Realtors are worth it, and why this reader’s perception is that listing agents (and agents in general) just don’t listen to the client’s needs.There are too many what-ifs and unknowns (if I’m wrong, please enlighten me).
Continue reading
