Your Neighbors Affect your Market Value – So Say Appraisers
This news may seem either common sense or unreasonable, depending on your position, but the fact is that neighbors affect market value. “I've seen many situations where external factors, such as living near a bad neighbor, can lower home values by more than 5 to…
From the Rivanna to Rose Hill – Rounding up a few Charlottesville Tomorrow stories
When I say that I couldn't represent my clients - buyers and sellers - without the reporting of Charlottesville Tomorrow, I mean it. The past seven days demonstrate that statement: - (Charlottesville City) Council takes first step in enacting stormwater fee - "The fee will…
A Return to Basics – RealCentralVA’s monthly newsletter
I'm trying something new. I know that not everyone wants to read everything I write and post here (there's always something happening in Charlottesville's real estate market - direct and tangentially). So I'm introducing a monthly newsletter. My thoughts and rationale: - I expect to…
City of Charlottesville Real Estate Assessments are Out – 2013 Edition
Charlottesville's real estate assessments are down a bit in 2013; this is no surprise to anyone tracking the Charlottesville market. Every year brings the conversation about whether real estate assessments matter with respect to true market value … 2013 will be no different. I expect…
Enjoy Charlottesville Today – We’re Healthy!
I was going to publish this next week, but seeing as how it's supposed to be 73 degrees today, I thought today was appropriate. Charlottesville is healthy. We knew that, right? I was asked yesterday what I would tell someone who's moving to Albemarle County;…
Charlottesville Loves its Restaurants
Charlottesville is the #14 most "Restaurant-Crazy" City. I like that they qualify "Charlottesville" as "The Charlottesville area" by virtue of their noting that "Charlottesville" has a population of 204k. and: Restaurants: 460 Restaurants Per 10,000 Residents: 22.8 I have my favorite restaurant(s) (Brookville, ahem) in…
Buy or Sell (in Charlottesville)? It Depends
As with most things in real estate, the answer to "should I buy or sell or stay or rent" depends on your situation. Last year I noted how my inbox was conflicted - one email said all was great, the other noted the grim, dark…
Is Charlottesville Ready for Micro Spaces?
Is there enough to do in Charlottesville to justify living in so-called micro spaces? Could you live in a 500 square foot condo? (would you buy or rent it?) What is the future of (urban) housing? I've written about tiny homes and efficient living before,…
Walking – Biking – Driving Directions all-in-one
Brilliant. Want to know which is faster - walking, biking, driving? That's easy enough to discern using Google Maps, but in a quest for efficiency, Michael Schade at the Mobility Lab has constructed the Side-by-Side Router: Once you pick two end-points, the four modes' routes…
Why buy? Why rent? How to choose an ethical real estate agent or mortgage broker? – WNRN 1-20-13
Why buy? Why rent? How to choose an ethical real estate agent or mortgage broker? What is quality inventory? Richmond Sunlight, the General Assembly and real estate. And lots, lots more. An hour of live radio goes fast. Prepping for said show takes hours. What…