This year’s Toy Lift is well under way. (It never really stops; coordinating this type of charity is a never-ending process).My wife and I have volunteered for this for the past couple of years – it truly is a worth-while cause and I encourage any and all to donate. Even one toy can make a kid’s Christmas morning better. From AlbemarleKids’ page (they wrote it better than I):Toy Lift is the signature event of the Kids Lift Foundation. Toy Lift began in 1989 when founder Tom Powell decided to perch himself eighty feet up in a bucket truck until people donated 1,000 toys, which he then distributed to local children. Toy Lift has grown into a huge annual community event with festival activities, entertainment, and raising over 18,000 toys. Lowe’s Parking Lot or at Lake Monticello in front of Back 2 Health…. For more info call: 975-TOYS.
Browsing Category Charlottesville
Second real estate podcast
The second one is up for this outstanding property. You can subscribe to the RSS feed here. If you don’t have a newsreader or iTunes, you may listen to or download it here.
Green buildings’ footings take hold
It is interesting that the DP presents this story about energy-efficient construction the same week that I start the Eco-Broker course. There is so much to learn, and I am hoping that I will be one of the few to embrace this trend early…. From my EcoBroker course material (see if you think of Charlottesville, too):Marketing the energy and environmental features of real estate may be more naturally successful in communities which are already aware of the financial, environmental, and comfort-related benefits of other greener products and services. 
 The success of the organic food market is an example of consumer support for healthier lifestyle choices and sustainable practices. Understanding the markets in which the organic food industry has flourished provides insights into markets that may more readily understand the benefits of energy efficiency in real estate. As a result of increased awareness and current activity in related industries, there are geographic markets which have a higher propensity to emphasize energy-efficient and environmental design features…. Why would you want to buy a “green home”?Some of the Piedmont Housing Authority’s new homes are going to be energy efficient. Crozet has the first fully-compliant energy efficient home in Virginia.
A few new listings
I have just listed a couple of homes that are not yet in the MLS. We have decided not to put them in the MLS for a variety of reasons, and each property and clients’ reasons are different.If you have the time and are interested, please check out:Home on almost 2 acres 15 minutes from Downtown.Unique home that flows very well in Wintergreen. (this one will be in the MLS today or tomorrow)Great home on 4 beautiful acres in Afton.Don’t forget about:This gorgeous home in Crozet.Nice private home in NE Albemarle.
Transportation, the MPO and streetcars
Charlottesville Tomorrow has a podcast and report of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization’s meeting on 17 November. Who would have thought a year ago that today we would have two podcast producers – Wordcast and CvilleTomorrow?Another nifty item of note is the renewed push for streetcars on West Main Street.The work highlights the integral link between land-use and transportation, by examining how a modern streetcar system could shape development along this central corridor. Also presented is the successful streetcar project in Portland, Ore., and its potential relationship to the Charlottesville Streetcar Initiative. The exhibit will allow Charlottesville residents and leaders to see first hand how these alluring transit systems can provide access, reduce traffic and stimulate transit-oriented development. (Hat tip to Road to Ruin)
ACCT has been working on this for some time…. Property owners via real estate taxes? That would hardly seem fair and equitable. Transportation has been in the news a lot recently – creative, productive community involvement and a search for alternative methods of transportation is a good thing.
Telecommuters, taxes and traffic
Try this – telecommute+CharlottesvilleRecent government studies also underscore telecommuting’s favorable impact on transportation, energy, and environmental goals and the role played by the national information infrastructure (NII) in furthering these outcomes. (source)Telecommuting seems like a good thing, right?Based on research from other private sector and public organization telecommuting experience, benefits to the employee are likely to include increased job satisfaction, reduced commuting time and transportation costs, diminished stress, improved quality of life, and improved family functioning. Societal contributions include environmental and energy conservation, less traffic congestion on area highways, reduced family stress, increased civic involvement in local communities, and improved economic development at local and regional levels.From a housing market point of view, more telecommuters means all of the above including more intellectual capital in the region, higher salaries and a potentially more stable local economy.
Ha. YIMBYs.
… a new line of YIMBY t-shirts on cafepress.com today. YIMBY = Yes In My Back Yard, a person who believes that the more life there is, the greater the city. (As opposed to NIMBY, a person who’s generally opposed to development in their neighborhood.)