Choosing the right home, neighborhood, part of Charlottesville or Albemarle area can be hard, time-consuming, and challenging. As I tell my clients, "you're making a decision that will affect the rest of your lives (and your kids' too, if you have them). My advice: take your time. So far this year, I have represented three or four buyers who started the search process between three and five years ago. Time and patience are key. For example I have clients who planned to move to the Charlottesville area from a larger, transient area to be in … [Read more...]
Is the Charlottesville Real Estate Market Turning?
Q: Is the Charlottesville Real Estate Market Turning? A: I don't know. Yet. I've been saying for months that a turn may be coming, and noted it in the July monthly note. And, I've been saying for years that I'll tell you in 18 months what today's market is actually doing. Hindsight is key; reading current indicators is critical. Housing Inventory Tracking "Watching existing home "for sale" inventory is very helpful. As an example, the increase in inventory in late 2005 helped me call the top for housing. ... … [Read more...]
Describing Charlottesville & Crozet to a Friend – Part 2
A friend shared with me his description of the Charlottesville area that he'd sent to a friend. This is part two; part one is here, and it's quite useful and good. Reading this has been interesting for me; I look at Charlottesville through the lens of a (relatively) very long-term resident, and as a (relatively) long-term real estate agent. A few things Realtor.com and Zillow are quite useful with their price and tax histories, sales history, which firm brokered a sale, etc. I don't often look at the home search/research process through … [Read more...]
Buying a House that’s “Good Enough”
There comes a time in every home search process (and often the home selling process) where one says "this is good enough." Arriving the point of whatever you want to call it - concession, compromise, acquiescence, acceptance, or, to use a positively-connoted descriptor - satisfied - is hard. The home search process can be hard, even if you're looking at new construction in the Charlottesville area market, as you're seeking a home where you and your family will live for, usually, at least seven to ten years. Coming to the conclusion of, … [Read more...]
Charlottesville Land Use – A Brief History
Jim's preface: Affordable housing in Charlottesville + Albemarle (and America) is at, or nearing, crisis stage. I love this post because I learned a lot from it. I hope you do, too. The housing crisis isn’t just about affordability—it’s about economic mobility, too Community land trusts take aim at rising rents Thomas Jefferson Community Land Trust Affordable Housing At Critical Stage The Global Housing Crisis What we are doing locally to address affordable housing is not working. I'm grateful for a community of very … [Read more...]
How Exactly Does Local Government Work?
tl;dr - we're going to try to learn about local government. If anyone wants to help plan and organize, please contact me. 434-242-7140 How exactly does local government work? (few people know) A few weeks ago, I wrote a story on RealCrozetVA I saw this post recently – An Adult Civics Hour and think we can do the same thing Crozet. And Albemarle. Based on the Facebook responses, we’re interested.* I’m thinking of doing this at Crozet Mudhouse to start. Maybe an initial meeting to set the stage. Topics? Maybe set a monthly … [Read more...]
Charlottesville Garage, Construction, West Main, Streetscape
These are a few Charlottesville development stories on my radar that I will be referencing for the next few days and weeks in conversations with clients: Talks resume in downtown garage dispute "Neither side appears willing to relent its hold in the public-private ownership of the Water Street Parking Garage, but new high-scale developments — such as the Charlottesville Technology Center, West2nd and the Dewberry Charlottesville hotel — are likely to affect property values and parking supply downtown." Planned construction … [Read more...]
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