Charlottesville’s Real Estate Blog since 2005.

Clear, Honest Market Analysis. For People, Not Realtors.

Month: January 2008

BUYERS

The Wall Street Journal gets it right on commissions

I wonder if anyone else will notice? From today's Real Estate Journal: But like everyone else, buyer agents don't work for free. At first glance, it seems like the seller pays them, since most are paid at closing from the commission costs that the seller…

Sorry, you can’t use that fireplace

GENERAL REAL ESTATE

Sorry, you can’t use that fireplace

Is this the type of thing sellers would have to disclose? § 15.2-922.2. Regulating wood burning fireplaces in certain localities. In any locality with a population density of greater than 1,000 persons per square mile, the locality may by ordinance regulate the use of wood…

GENERAL REAL ESTATE

Three biggest stories in the past 7 days

Buyer's Agent sued by Buyer - if the agent really didn't provide comps to the buyer, my opinion changes entirely. There's absolutely more to the story, but come on. Real estate blogger sued for $25 million. FBI is investigating lenders - The government investigating for…

GENERAL REAL ESTATE

“A” is a pretty good grade, no?

1% of homes in the US are in foreclosure ... and that means 99% are not. Not to diminish the very real problems that exist, but 99% is not terrible. Virginia is ranked #24 in the country. It's easy to see the "sky is falling"…

GENERAL REAL ESTATE

The market is working it out

As we knew it would. YouWalkAway.com. Wow. Hat tip to the Big Picture. They're in in for the long-haul, though: Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.   Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com   Referral URL: https://registrar.godaddy.com   Name Server: NS1.SERFZUPONLINE.COM   Name Server: NS2.SERFZUPONLINE.COM   Status: clientRenewProhibited   Status: clientTransferProhibited…

ALBEMARLE

Albemarle County property assessments are out

I guess the claim that they didn't want to release them until the homeowners got them wasn't entirely genuine. Everything's politics; everything has spin. Witness today's Daily Progress article; getting ahead of the curve is valuable. The average reassessment increases or decreases, by magisterial district,…

GENERAL REAL ESTATE

What happens if Charlottesville becomes a “declining market”?

In short, thanks to Carl - "It is possible that if a buyer was approved for a specific loan product say with a 95% loan to value and the after the investor looks at the appraisal report and determines the comps are old or the…

MARKET STATISTICS

Quick housing inventory update for Charlottesville real estate market

In light of the national new-home sales numbers showing their largest drop in 12 years, here is some local context. These are for all inventory, re-sale and new homes; I don't trust the MLS data sufficiently regarding new homes sales. December 2003 - 215 residential…

MARKET STATISTICS

Vacant House update for Charlottesville area

For Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson, there are currently 2,012 active residential properties on the market - 36% of these are vacant. In the Waynesboro MLS, there are 1107 properties on the market -  46% of these are vacant. What does this mean?…

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Jim Duncan has been helping buyers and sellers in Charlottesville’s neighborhoods for 25 years. Get local insight born of experience.