Always Read Covenants and Restrictions
Always read the covenants and restrictions when buying a home in Charlottesville, Albemarle, or anywhere really. Some have silly restrictions that aren’t enforceable, some have racist restrictions that are no longer legal or enforceable, and some have legitimate restrictions that may prevent you from using the property the way you want — say, you want to build a garage, but the C&Rs prevent that.
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…
Happy Homeownership Day (on a bicycle)
A good day starts with a bike ride. A better day starts with a bike ride to meet clients for a final walkthrough of their first home. Smile, happiness, projects to be undertaken, projects to be planned, lives to be lived. It's a good day.…
Two Weekends Tell the Story of Charlottesville’s 2026 Spring Market
One of the most important stories of the 2026 Charlottesville real estate market remains pricing + velocity. 82% of homes listed this year that went under contract went under contract in 30 days or less. In Charlottesville + Albemarle, 914 resale homes have been listed…
Two Weekends Tell the Story of Charlottesville’s 2026 Spring Market
One of the most important stories of the 2026 Charlottesville real estate market remains pricing + velocity. 82% of homes listed this year that went under contract went under contract in 30 days or less. In Charlottesville + Albemarle, 914 resale homes have been listed…
The Value that Solar Panels Bring to House – A Client Story
We can value solar panels. "Is the system owned or leased?" "Are the warranties and Net Metering agreements transferable?" "How old is the roof underneath the panels?" How do you value not being fully dependent on the grid? I was meeting a photographer at a…
How Many Homes Sold in Charlottesville Last Year (an MLS Story)
Bear with me here. The MLS' utility and value are being threatened. You might be familiar with pocket listings; this is worse. Q: How many homes sold in Charlottesville last year? A: That's not that hard of a question to answer, thanks to the MLS.…
Flipping the Parental Switch – Part 2 of 3
What a Multi-Generational Home Actually Looks Like in 2026 (Part 2 of 3) Last week I wrote about the data behind multi-generational living. This week: what does that actually look like inside a house? In 2015, I described the ideal "parent suite" as fewer steps,…