Greg Slater and I could talk about the real estate market for hours. Real estate data, market trends, days on market, new construction and mistakes made when building new homes in Charlottesville, questions to ask real estate agents, why you shouldn’t always hire the first agent you run into, and a whole lot more.
March 2025 Note from Jim | Bootlickers, Market Cracks, and Mistakes
This month: Cracks in the market? What does “home” mean? Beginner’s mind, licking boots, and a series of mistakes.
Questions about the note or the market? Please ask! 434-242-7140
February 2025 Note – Practice, Clarity, Downsizing, and Maps
This month: clarity, using maps, insurance, downsizing, sucking, and evolving concessions.
January 2025 Monthly Note
This month: Meaningful community, a typical situation, inventory and expectations, and my first closing.
January is the month I started writing RealCentralVA in 2005, then I started writing these notes in January 2014. There have been incalculable changes in life and the real estate space since then, and two things are constant: 1) I’m writing this note as if I’m writing it to someone who is interested in the real estate market, and who is not a real estate agent/lender/etc. 2) No matter the changes in real estate, I remain committed to learning, listening, and representing my clients.
What questions do you have? 434-242-7140
Things to Consider when Relocating (to Charlottesville or Albemarle)
What are some of the things that you consider when evaluating whether to move to Charlottesville, Virginia? What follows are some of the things my buyer clients consider, whether moving from another city within the Commonwealth of Virginia, another state, or another country. This is in no way a comprehensive list, but I think it’s a good foundational start.
Mortgages, Renters, and First Time Homebuyers
1) first time homebuyers are less risky than second+ homebuyers, and rental history was now allowed to be used when qualifying buyers. I asked Matt Hodges with Gray Fox Mortgage to send me what he was talking about; when I got it, I asked him to write something for you, so we can all learn something.
Inventory & Homeowners Insurance in the 2025 Charlottesville Real Estate Market
Two stories that will lead the stories of the 2025 Charlottesville real estate market:
Inventory will increase in the Charlottesville – Albemarle markets
Homeowners insurance will become a greater part of the Charlottesville real estate market conversation