What if … Charlottesville & Albemarle Were Like Portland?
Often a conversation around Charlottesville is, what if Charlottesville was like Austin, or Aspen? But ... what if ... Charlottesville/Albemarle aimed to be like Portland? Just a thought ... I just returned from a trip to Portland, Oregon. (One of the best real estate conferences I've ever…
Caution Advised
I've said for years that we (I) won't know today's state of the real estate market until we have at least 18 months' hindsight. I'm putting this here for later reference. 3% Downpayment being offered by Wells Fargo. Having nearly no skin in the game didn't…
Spring Is Here – Time to See Houses on Bicycles
Want to try this with me? I have an idea I'm almost ready to share, and it's a simple one - seeing houses by bicycle. Not rickshaw. That would be silly. More next week.
Privacy Matters – What Happens to the Photos of the House *After* You Close?
What happens to the photos of the house after the house closes? Who owns them? Do they stay forever? A client emailed me some time ago: Do you have any idea how one goes about removing internet photos of the house after it's been purchased?…
Please, Stop with the Voice Mails
Voice mails area almost as antiquated as landlines. I noted on Twitter I like my new client. When I noted that I prefer text or email vs. voice mail, she asked, “why would anyone ever leave a voice mail?” I heard from quite a few…
The 2005 Real Estate Market is Back. In Some Places
In some pockets of the Charlottesville - Albemarle real estate market (and other markets around the country, based on anecdotes from clients), the following is relevant and applicable again. Take 7 minutes to listen to the NPR story. I wrote in 2005: “I heard the end of an…
What Does “Home” Mean to You?
Driving my younger daughter to school this morning, she saw the list of propeties I showed yesterday, and we discussed what it means to be a (great) Realtor. A long and deep conversation led to her recalling the following from a show she watched: A home is…
April’s Monthly Note – Googling Schools, Market Update, Local Lenders
April's note is a fun note. Really. Interested in receiving one email a month? Subscribe here. This month, I'm writing about the Charlottesville real estate market (as I do every month), Googling schools (and the associated perils), backing up with data my recommendation to use local lenders,…
Robots and Real Estate
I just got back from a great two-day conference at the Virginia Military Institute, Ethical Dilemmas in the Digital Age, and my mind is reeling a bit, so I'm sharing initial thoughts/notes so I can reference them later. Hopefully, you'll find value in them as…
What’s On Your Book Shelves?
Years ago, clients and I walked out of a house (that they didn't buy) and shared our collective "weird" feeling as we'd gone through the house. It took us a few minutes, but we soon concluded that the weird feeling was created because the house felt…