Tag Archives: 22902
Au Revoir, Forest Lakes & Hydraulic Markets?
The beauty of the Markets – gourmet gas stations which really are ” ironically delicious ” – the original one at Bellair , the newest one on 29 at the corner of Greenbrier, the one at Hydraulic and 29, and the ones at Forest Lakes and Mill Creek – is that they are decidedly Charlottesville .
…“We’re trying to make these stores destinations rather than convenience stops,” said Stuart Lowry, marketing director for The Markets of Tiger Fuel, a Virginia convenience chain that offers fresh seafood, a fancy deli and professional chefs.
…While I share some of the writer’s sentiments, I’d rather focus on their current contributions to the economy and to the culture of Charlottesville for the past 20+ years as a resident, customer and Realtor in Charlottesville. … I may sound a bit elitist, but given the choice between a snack or sandwich and a cup of Mudhouse Coffee at a Market or a chili dog and a fountain drink at a 7-11, I’ll choose the former every day of the week. Continue reading
Holiday Things to do in Charlottesville
We saw Elf at the Paramount last week; it’s great experience to see a movie here. (parents can get beer, too!)
… 5 December – Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without Santa Claus – at the Paramount
… Today through 2 January – The Twelve Dates of Christmas, The Santaland Diaries, A Christmas Carol – at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton Cut your own Christmas Tree ; ( try this site too ) sadly, the farm where I cut down trees when I was a kid is now a subdivision in Earlysville . Find out more Christmas/Hanukkah/Holiday events at Albemarle Family , Suzy Said , And finally – the rumors swirl each year –
Continue reading
Perspective on the Charlottesville Real Estate Market – And – Appreciation?
Have a look at this: These Are The 15 Housing Markets That Will Get Crushed The Hardest By 2012 .
Note that the traditional hotspots are there, and nowhere in Virginia is. And then there’s this – Charlottesville MSA home prices are predicted to rise in 2011. 
I’ll let you know in 2013 if they’re right. Continue reading
Buying a Home in Charlottesville – Title Insurance
Big thanks to Tim Kelsey with Boyle, Bain, Reback and Slayton in Charlottesville for dropping some title insurance knowledge and advice. I tell my clients that title insurance may seem to be worthless, but … if you end up having a claim against your property, the cost of title insurance will be far outweighed by the cost of hiring an attorney. Continue reading
When Evaluating the Charlottesville Real Estate Market, IGNORE National Data
Take your lede : – Home sales up 14% in Charlottesville and Albemarle year over year. – Home sales up 19% in Charlottesville MSA year over year. – Foreclosures continue to climb in Charlottesville and Albemarle. – Questions abound regarding second half of 2010; where will we find the bottom of the market? – If you have questions about or would like more detailed analysis, please contact me.
…Simple (though notsoumuch in reality) What I’m reading: – Harvard’s State of the Nation’s Housing Market (PDF) and listening to an excellent podcast with Nicholas Retsinas , Director, Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies . (did you know that there was an exhibit at the Smithsonian on McMansions ?) – Core Logic’s Home Price Index Report for April 2010 – Virginia’s Housing Price Index, for single family homes year-over-year, is up 6.5%; for single family homes excluding distressed properties, is up 3.6%. Virginia is one of the five best states for year-over-year price appreciation excluding distressed sales .. but mostly that’s irrelevant in my opinion as the bulk of those sales are most likely comprised of Northern Virginia sales. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s House Price Index for First Quarter 2010 The FHFA (formerly OFHEO) say that in the Charlottesville MSA house prices have dropped 6.98% year over year, 1.86& in the 1st Quarter 2010, and have appreciated 12.68% over the past 5 years .
… Home Sales are Up 19% year over year in the Charlottesville MSA: 
Homes sales are UP 14% in Charlottesville and Albemarle : 
One point: Charlottesville’s Unemployment is lower than the national average. 
Prime example of the irrelevance of national, aggregate housing data, which is good only for political talking points and respective agendas: Foreclosure starts for the nation and Charlottesville and Albemarle: National foreclosure data, courtesy of the HUD Scorecard, using RealtyTrac data: 
For Charlottesville, using RealtyTrac : 
For Albemarle County, using RealtyTrac: 
What have median home prices done in Charlottesville over the past five years? Continue reading
Albemarle Place Progressing?
Albemarle Place is moving through the Planning Commission . Of course, it was “back on track” in 2008 . It’s going to be elegant . Continue reading
Search for Homes in Charlottesville However you Please
I find that my clients are all different, and they all like to search for homes in their own way. With that in mind: RealCentralVA.com – Map-based, search by multiple school districts (ie: Crozet & Brownsville Elementary Schools) filter by short sale, Walkscore, foreclosures, and many other ways, such as Days on Market. FranklyMLS.com – Fast, and is a favorite of many of my clients. … How do you like to search for homes in Charlottesville ? Continue reading
Charlottesville Short Sales and Buyer Agents’ Responsibilities – Part 2
Fourth – Prepare our buyer clients for what they may run into. (more to come on this) What’s a Charlottesville buyer to do in this market with more and more short sales? – Be patient. – Be aware that there are some things that neither you nor your agent can control . – Be informed . – Be qualified.
…Maintain confidentiality of all personal and financial information received from the client during the brokerage relationship and any other information that the client requests during the brokerage relationship be maintained confidential, unless otherwise provided by law or the seller consents in writing to the release of such information;
…The second section is a protection for the Buyer, should the Seller find out in the course of the transaction that they cannot pay off all indebtedness and need to revert to a Short Sale transaction. Much like how good Charlottesville Buyers’ Agents should be researching a property’s true continuous days on market (quote from a client regarding Days on Market, “The MLS lies” 
) [ Realtors gaming the MLS ] – Buyers’ Agents should be doing extreme due diligence. Continue reading
