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 at the point of whatever you want to call it - concession, compromise, acquiescence, acceptance, or, to use a positively-connoted descriptor -…
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…
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…
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…
Describing Life in Charlottesville & Crozet to a Friend – Part 1
A friend is trying to convince a friend to move to the Crozet or Charlottesville area; he shared with me his argument to his friend, advocating for a move to Charlottesville. For all of our area's faults (all areas have them), Charlottesville is a fantastic place to live.…
Who Are the Major Employers in Charlottesville?
Who are the major employers in Charlottesville? Asked another way, as was by a client, how do people afford buying houses in Charlottesville? I asked the Nest Charlottesville minds to help add to my list. UVA ecosystem - School, Medical School, Maintenance, etc Martha Jefferson Hospital NGIC/DIA CFA…
Fire Trucks and Street Design
Surely, we can do better. Why do we design streets almost exclusively for massive vehicles, rather than for vehicles and people to interact safely? Another question - how long would it take to redesign Charlottesville and Albemarle planning to accommodate more reasonable streetscapes designed for humans first?…
Tariffs, Affordability, and the Charlottesville Real Estate Market
I'm no economist. But, I can read. And I can read people. Uncertainty is bad. Headwinds are bad. Perception is often reality and when materials costs are higher, costs to build are more expensive, homebuyers' prices will rise, and our community continues to want new homes…
Lochlyn Hill neighborhood in Charlottesville – New Construction with Character
Not like any other new construction in the City of Charlottesville. Yes, I'm one of the marketing agents for the neighborhood, and yes, I have represented buyers in the neighborhood. But. Every single person who was walked through the Lochlyn Hill neighborhood has said the same thing -…
West2nd In Doubt, Albemarle Growing, Crozet Needs Infrastructure
A few stories of note this week of interest. Bolding is mine; please read the stories in their entireties. Albemarle officials discuss effects of county’s growth - Alison Wrabel at DP According to the Weldon Center Cooper for Public Service at the University of Virginia,…