An hour of talking about the Charlottesville real estate market – not nearly enough time to cover all that we wanted to or could do. Live radio is a furthering of why I chose to write this Charlottesville-focused real estate blog six years ago – it forces me to study, analyze, prepare and think about the local real estate market, the factors – internal and external – affecting it. If you are interested in – whether from a buyer, seller, voyeur, moving to Charlottesville perspective, I highly encourage you to listen to this hour of radio Matt Hodges and me as we discuss the Charlottesville real estate market, national trends affecting all of us, and what the conversation may mean to you, the real estate consumer.
Listen to or download the show at CvillePodcast.
Some of the stories to come: One of the best parts of doing radio shows is that I always generate new ideas to write about.
– Top 10 most popular neighborhoods in the area; I’m finalizing the methodology for how this will be determined, so I won’t promise the publication date.
– An expansion on the nomadic class.
– The internet’s/telecommuting’s impact on attracting people to the Charlottesville area.
Some of the stories and issues we discussed:
– Charlottesville area employment numbers (no longer available) – better than most, but not nearly where they need to be.
– – Where are we now? Real Estate Inventory for Charlottesville MSA (.pdf) and Inventory 2005-2009 (.pdf)
– The Brighter Outlook – Calculated Risk
– Banks lose key foreclosure ruling in top Massachusetts court
– This is the Ibanez case. At the Big Picture.
– – Foreclosuregate and title issues (archived: 2011). Title issues, conveyance of title, property ownership – I think this is going to be a huge story in 2011.
– Mobility – many of today’s potential homeowners are choosing to not buy because they want to have options.
– QE2
– DIA and NGIC – their impact on the Charlottesville real estate market; in short, they they provided a stabilizing force.
– Loan Level Pricing Adjustments – what does this mean to homebuyers? Matt explained it really well. A friend, Dan Green, offers this explanation:
If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t get the best “advertised rate”, it’s not because of some elaborate bait-and-switch scheme or something worse. Most likely, your rates have been altered by Loan-Level Pricing Adjustments. And, starting April 1, 2011 (archived: 2010), LLPAs are going up.
– Today’s buyers – are buying for better sociological reasons, putting down roots, intending to stay for a long time, and this qualifies as a very good thing. I think we will see in 10 years the benefit of this recession.
– I ranted a little bit about Charlottesville/Albemarle infrastructure/transportation/political issues.
Some of the real estate stories and issues I prepped for but we didn’t discuss:
– Foreclosure rate for the Charlottesville MSA
– Majority of Virginians oppose gas-tax increase (archived: 2011)
– Town hall to discuss Hollymead development area expansion (no longer available)
– Realtors’ response to Mortgage Interest Deduction (archived: 2011)
– Commentary: Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Tax Deduction Facts (archived: 2011)
– Facing Scrutiny, Banks Slow Pace of Foreclosures
– Homeownership is not a must. Really.
– FairTax versus the Mortgage Interest Deduction (archived: 2014)
Interested in Learning More?
I have been been representing buyers and sellers in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and Central Virginia since 2001. Get local insight born of experience.
Dig Deeper
Always Read Covenants and Restrictions
You never know what you're going to find when you dig into Covenants and Restrictions. "1. No shop, store, trailer, temporary living structure, factory, hospital, asylum, institution, tourist home or business house of any kind, and no apartment house shall be erected or maintained on…
Revisiting the “0 to 5 Buyer is Gone” Post – 15 years later
Revisiting the “0-5 Buyer Is Gone” Theory We’re in a different market now. Some of the people who bought between 2021 and 2024 are trying to sell — and the ones who bought new construction, now competing against new construction, are having a hard time.…
A Charlottesville e-bike Success Story
I have an e-bike. I love my e-bike. I ride it to meetings all over the City of Charlottesville instead of driving my car. e-bikes are great. A friend got an e-bike. He loves his e-bike. He has a different perspective, and I asked him…
Flipping the Switch, Part 3: ADUs, Zoning, and the Practical Guide
Flipping the Switch, Part 3: ADUs, Zoning, and the Practical Guide Part 1 covered the data. Part 2 covered the design. This week: the regulatory landscape, the ADU reality check, and the practical checklist. The ADU Conversation Has Changed When I wrote about this in…