From now until March 26th, we’re asking interested municipalities to provide us with information about their communities through a Request for information (RFI), which we’ll use to determine where to build our network. More at the Wall Street Journal From TechCrunch : Google owns its own vast network of dark fiber around the globe to connect its data centers, speed up search, and lower its cost of streaming billions of videos a month on YouTube. … It is not clear what Google services will come with a broadband subscription, but it is a safe bet that Google will be the default search and Gmail will be the default email. … Charlottesville has been consistently rated as a top “Digital City” and while I think it’s a bit of a silly designation, why don’t we capitalize and leverage this?
Sellers, Proof-Read your Realtor’s Ad-Copy!
I wonder how long it will take before this part of the ad is edited.
4 Bdrm 4 bath 4,400 sq./ft. hillside home on 4 plus acres, 7 min. from Middleton. … Fieldstone fireplace, wraparound porch, storm/wine cellar, spectacular room to grow marijuana , open floor plan, elevator and handicap accessible with in-law suite. 2 1/2 car garage with lower level shop. Separate 40′ x 60′ commercial grade shop with loft, office and 3/4 bath.
More Charlottesville Real Estate Data than You Might Have Wanted
This is going to be a developing post as I read through Barry Merchant’s presentation from this morning. Barry Merchant’s VHDA presentation at Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (PDF) Additionally,
Here is an advance copy of the Nest Report, what we believe to be the best, most “comprehensive and transparent analysis of the residential real estate market in Charlottesville, Albemarle and surrounding counties, prepared quarterly by Nest Realty Group.” Nest Report – Year End 2009, Predictions for 2010 (PDF) Comments, feedback and input welcomed.
Nest’s Growth is Good
The move combines two of Charlottesville’s most successful real estate firms and expands the 1-year-old Nest Realty team to 14 full-time real estate professionals. It also paves the way for Nest to expand its services from a primary focus on residential real estate into commercial real estate and leasing. … … All agents must have a minimum of three years experience, practice real estate full-time and earn their Broker’s license shortly after joining the firm. With almost $4.7 million in sales per agent and 13.75 transactions per agent, Nest Realty agents more than doubled the production for the average Charlottesville Realtor in 2009.
Talkin’ about Raising the Bar
If you’re curious or interested in the ongoing conversation about raising the standards of professionalism within the real estate industry, tune in to Blog Talk Radio tomorrow to hear the first in what promises to be a brilliant series of conversations (myself excluded). Raise the Bar on Blog Talk Radio . … From ethics to contract-writing to putting photos in the MLS, there are no real (enforced or enforceable) standards of professionalism in the real estate profession. (One of the many ways that Nest Real Estate Group is different ) 
Charlottesville and Albemarle Governments Clash. Again.
For anyone interested in a prime example of the City of Charlottesville’s and County of Albemarle’s occasionally dysfunctional relationship, Rachana Dixit and Brandon Shulleeta have great story in today’s Daily Progress . … The clash over money between Charlottesville and Albemarle County is turning into a political civil war, with warnings that each step from here will undermine collaborations that would cut expenses and instead possibly cost taxpayers big bucks down the road.
…Many county officials say it’s unfair that a state formula that determines education funding for localities — based largely on localities’ wealth — fails to account for the revenue-sharing agreement. Bell’s amendment proposal would count the money Albemarle pays Charlottesville toward the city’s wealth instead of the county’s wealth — which would increase state education funding for Albemarle in fiscal 2012 by $2.6 million and decrease Charlottesville’s state education funding by that same amount. …
Nest Realty Introduces Tom’s Garden
We at Nest talk about sustainability and local food; now we are enabling others actually do something about this. … While Central Virginia is in the deep freeze at the moment, some of us are dreaming of Springtime, or more specifically, our Spring gardens and the fresh veggies they yield! With that in mind, the Nest team is thrilled to introduce Tom’s Garden , an initiative to support and fund Community Gardening in the Charlottesville-Albemarle community. The agents at Nest, in addition to sharing a profession, share a commitment to our community, an interest in the local food movement and ecology, and a firm conviction that community gardens enhance quality of life.