Courtesy of the Free Enterprise Forum blog : Fluvanna officials recently released the annual Development Activity Report, which covers 2009. It highlights, in this case, the lack of development activity in Fluvanna over the past year. For example, residential building permits declined another 5 percent last year to 112, continuing the downward trend that began in 2001. … One final, and telling, statistic from the report: the average new home price in 2009 was just $160,118, twenty-eight percent below the average price in 2007. adf
Housing Sales Down in Charlottesville and Albemarle – February 2010
I know this – independent of me, a new client came to me last week and said, (paraphrasing here) – “I think that right now in Charlottesville/Albemarle, there is a unique and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy a home for my family.”
…We know this: Charlottesville and Albemarle home sales in February: 64 homes sold in 2010 79 homes sold in 2009 72 homes sold in 2008 105 homes sold in 2007 141 homes sold in 2006 124 homes sold in 2005 108 homes sold in 2004 Homes under contract – first 23 days of March … …
…I know this – independent of me, a new client came to me last week and said, (paraphrasing here) – “I think that right now in Charlottesville/Albemarle, there is a unique and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy a home for my family.” … From today’s Wall Street Journal : For those trying to figure out how much further U.S. house prices could fall, it would help to know how many more foreclosed homes banks need to sell.
More Bike Lanes in Charlottesville?
Council commits additional funds to build more bike lanes In February, Neighborhood Development Services Director Jim Tolbert told Council that there are very few opportunities to create additional bike lanes in Charlottesville without removing on-street parking or widening roads. … Tolbert said he would be bringing a proposal to Council this summer that would address the possibility of removing on-street parking and widening roads to increase the network of bike lanes. … The current year’s capital budget set aside that amount for “bicycle infrastructure†and the money was used in part to develop special signals to allow cyclists to trigger traffic lights. … DOT Secretary Ray LaHood stood on top of a table to address the National Bicycle Summit last week, but he waited until a few days later to reveal on his blog a new federal approach in transportation priorities:
Building a Backyard Garden
More and more people (and my clients) are building gardens, more buyers in the Charlottesville area are wanting garden spots/areas when they’re looking for homes. … The garden : – $82 of lumber from Nature Neutral – 8 scoops of dirt at AM Fog in Afton – $75 design and planting schedule from C’Ville Foodscapes – My neighbor’s time, trailer, tiller and building knowledge. – A bit of an education and supplies from Fifth Season Gardening Co. on Preston Avenue (in the former Vespa dealership). – About 10 hours of work. … Inc. and try not to come to some of the same conclusions we have. – We want to teach our children about where their food comes from, give them knowledge and skill they won’t learn anywhere else. – We wanted it in our backyard; our neighborhood has an organic community garden, but it’s about 300 yards from our house. We want to integrate the garden into our lives. – I’m tired of feeling incompetent and impotent; I want to empower myself and my children. – I grew up with a huge garden and I remember how great the food tasted, weeding, pulling carrots out of the ground and beans off the plant and eating them right there.
Twitter Week in Review
It seems my blackberry has passed away due to being dropped in coffee. 20 hours in rice couldn't revive it. Anyone have coupons to best buy? # A long day of blackberry-less digging & building + invaluable help from my neighbor & my raised bed garden is 95% complete. # My blackberry fell in my coffee. http://post.ly/UA4x # Going to talk to a potential seller…
Friday Chart – Million Dollar Charlottesville Homes
Looking at the first 77 Days of the past six years … Just in Albemarle County, these are the number of homes with asking prices over one million dollars that have gone under contract in the first 77 days: In Charlottesville and Albemarle County: All told, the “million dollar” plus category has been a relatively small segment of the Charlottesville area real estate market, and from a high-level view seems to be relatively stable. More analysis to come … See all Friday Charts
It’s Match Day at UVA (and Everywhere Else)
Traditionally UVA Resident comprise a fairly significant portion of the Charlottesville and Albemarle real estate market – generally at least three bedrooms, two baths (usually) no more than 20 minutes to the UVA Medical Center …
…http://ow.ly/1bFYF Thanks to Ken Mextorf with SunTrust Mortgage for the following post:* In response to various questions from potential buyer clients who were hoping to Match at the UVA Medical School, I asked Ken to write this for me. … For those looking to buy a new home, SunTrust mortgage Doctors Loan program provides; – Financing up to 100% of the sales price of a new home. – Loan amounts up to; – $417,000 for Residents and Interns – $1.5 million for licensed medical Physicians – Fixed and Adjustable rate mortgages – No mortgage insurance (PMI) – Special banking relationships and discounts If now is the right time for you to buy speak to your local SunTrust Mortgage specialist and learn more about the Doctors Loan program and how it can work for you. … It’s intended to answer questions, and Ken happens to have a great program that is useful for UVA Medical Residents and Doctors.