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Charlottesville’s and Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plans

in Albemarle Charlottesville Growth Politics on

Land use (for many) is boring and is the task of other people. But … if you live in (or are thinking about living in) the Charlottesville or Albemarle areas, you should be paying at least some attention to the Comprehensive Planning Processes of the County of Albemarle and City of Charlottesville. This stuff matters.

I haven’t reviewed the respective Comprehensive Plans, but the one thing that I think would be a crucial component would be how each locality plans to cooperate and collaborate with the other – particularly on infrastructure. Our locality’s inability to plan effectively and more importantly – implement and execute (at all) – are damaging to the community, real estate values and quality of life. 40 years ago, the Meadowcreek Parkway was a logical road (from what I’ve been told); today, notsomuch. But it’s the best that could be done apparently.

Naturally, Charlottesville Tomorrow reports on both.

The City of Charlottesville’s Comp Plan:

After two years of review and more than 60 meetings, the Charlottesville Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the document that will help shape land use decisions through 2018 and beyond.

…

The plan also includes an analysis of the city’s ability for future growth. There are currently around 10,000 potential residential units that could be built by-right, though only 800 of those would be in the city’s lower-density neighborhoods.

…

Haluska also said that the city is running out of vacant land for new residential development, so new homes will likely be built on sites that will have to be redeveloped.

And the County of Albemarle’s Comp Plan:

“[In the 2007 version] we had five sections in the Comprehensive Plan and they were kind of unbalanced,” county principal planner Elaine Echols said. “Those sections were created at different times and they each start with the growth management policy.”

“[In the current draft] we’ve pulled these sections together into one single document and moved the growth management policy [to the beginning of the plan],” Echols added, noting that these changes should decrease repetition and increase ease of use.

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Searching for a Home in Charlottesville? Start With the MLS

in General Real Estate on

Here’s a tip: if you’re looking for a home in Charlottesville, please – save yourselves some frustration and don’t count on Zillow or Trulia for the most accurate, up to date listings. Seriously. I’ve said this before (love that conversation, by the way) – if you’re looking for a home in Charlottesville, you probably want the best data – the most accurate data possible. Right? As it stands right now, you’re not going to find that on the big portals.

A study came out today by the WAV Group, stating that, in part :

The results of this analysis are that the local brokerage sites are considerably more complete, more accurate, and timelier than the national portals.

Anyone paying attention knows this. Clients told me this week that they were “so frustrated with Trulia” because it didn’t have the most up to date listings.

Here’s why … (it’s called listing syndication and it’s surprisingly complicated). In short, Zillow and Trulia, etc. don’t list homes. Real estate brokers and brokerages do. Local Realtor sites (such as mine) and Realtor.com (at least in Charlottesville) have direct feeds from the MLS. Trulia and Zillow have some feeds directly from MLS’ and some from brokers and some from brokerages and some from God-knows-where-else. They have the unenviable task of trying to 1) get all the listings from so many sources and 2) trying to keep that awful amalgamation up to date and accurate.

In other words (from one of my favorite writers a few months ago):

It’s the content, stupid. And Zillow has a bit of a mess on its hands right now. Some feeds come from brokers; others come from individual agents. Much of the listing data they do have is out of date, incorrect, misattributed or otherwise misrepresented. And, with more agents and brokers opting out of the whole thing, the data set is incomplete.

I did a quick search for homes for sale in the 22901 (largest in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area) zip code:

Zillow – 386 (including one that is a “vacant land home”)

Trulia – 369 (the entire first page was of homes pulled from Newhomesource.com – for homes in “Charlottesville” — really: Ruckersville. Point. Made.

RealCentralVA – 277 (direct MLS feed)

Charlottesville MLS – 283 – (the actual MLS feed)

Realtor.com – 281 (direct MLS feed) — On hold with Realtor.com today, part of their stalling music/voice-over touted that they have “Over 900 direct feeds”. Smart.

I don’t know how to say this any more clearly: use the portals for entertainment and some background information; use the sites with direct MLS feeds for the most relevant research.

* To be most accurate, I should pull these listings at 3 o’clock in the morning, as I don’t think many listings will be in the process of being added, marked under contract or sold …

And .. in Redfin’s (admittedly self-serving) words:

How Could the Brokers Have Such a Big Advantage Over the Portals?

The big difference is that Redfin and all the local brokers share listings via local Multiple Listing Services, which are cooperatives for listing agents to ensure everyone in the market can see all the homes for sales.

The portals don’t have their own real estate agents and don’t list properties. With no data to contribute, the portals aren’t members of local MLSs. And because the portals’ business model runs counter to the MLSs’ charter as a cooperative, MLSs hesitate to require every agent to contribute to a media website that charges agents money.

What does this mean for a seller? You want your house everywhere and syndication makes that happen. The listing might not be quite up to date, but it’ll be there. (anecdotally, I’ve

What does this mean for a buyer searching for a home? If you’re looking on Zillow or Trulia, be warned. The sites are fantastic. The people behind them are wonderful. The ancillary and area information are tremendously useful. But they simply aren’t the best places to search for homes that you want to see right now. They’re great for researching areas, homes for curiosity sake,

** I would be remiss if I didn’t note this story from four years ago in which I captured a few of my favorite – and still relevant – stories for buyers

(one day, MLSs likely won’t have such a hold on the vast majority of listings, I’m sure, but that day is not today.)


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Sellers – Don’t Have Stinky Houses, Take 2

in Sellers on

After counting 12 of these in a vacant house I was showing last weekend, I thought re-visiting an old topic was timely.

If you’re selling your house, don’t do this.

Here are five reasons to avoid using air fresheners.

– Smelly things – plug-ins, air fresheners, etc are not good when you’re trying to sell your home.
– They don’t smell good.
– They make buyers question what you’re hiding.
– They detract from our ability to focus on the house because the smell is so overwhelming.
– They’re bad (from a “I’m trying to have my house present as well as possible perspective).

I wrote “Sellers don’t have Stinky Houses” several years ago, and if you’re curious to see how bad video was even a couple years ago, have a look.

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City of Charlottesville to Use Eminent Domain in Fry Springs?

in Charlottesville on

$24k for a half acre of land in the City? I have quite a few clients who would jump at that opportunity.

Charlottesville’s development staff needs that land to move forward on projects on Old Lynchburg Road. That includes adding sidewalks and bike paths, as well as improving drainage systems all along that street.

Plans have the vacant space at Fry’s Spring turning into a storm water basin, but Beach Club President Jim Veale says that comes at a serious cost to the club.

I wish the City would condemn the abandoned and now-going-to-auction-Landmark Hotel and tear it down.

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Monday Links – 21 March 2011 – Short sales, good news, real estate radio & inconsistencies

in General Real Estate Market statistics on

– Good News for the Charlottesville/Albemarle economy – Two Vacant Manufacturing Plants get Tenants : CustomInk and Indoor Biotechnologies . – Podcast of last week’s radio show on Coy Barefoot’s Charlottesville – Right Now! … If you have 15 minutes, please give it a listen; I’m curious to know your thoughts. (especially about my explanation as to why the Days on Market numbers in the MLS are crap). – If you’re working with an out-of-area agent, you’re doing yourself a disservice (and the agent is opening him/herself up to liability) – If you’re thinking about buying a short sale (with Bank of America), watch this video . … What will the impact be of the Matterhorn SeaStar? – Some really quick, brief perspective on the Charlottesville MSA real estate market, in my attempt to ascertain (and educate about) where we are right now in the Charlottesville real estate market: Listed between January 1 and March 20, 2011: – 1194 in 2011 (down 11%) – 1335 in 2010 – 1437 in 2009 Put under contract between January 1 and March 20, 2011: – 499 in 2011 (down 5%) – 528 in 2010. – 405 in 2009. Closed between January 1 and March 20, 2011 : – 306 in 2011 (down 17%) – 369 in 2010 – 237 in 2009 – I heard from another Charlottesville Realtor yesterday who had met an active buyer that the reason they didn’t buy last year is because they read this blog.

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Homebuyers in Charlottesville: Please Work with Charlottesville Lenders. Here’s Why

in General Real Estate on

Lender asks for my recommendations for attorney/title company, appraiser, etc. (local lenders tend to have pre-existing relationships to take advantage of) I consult with my client to ensure that he approves, and proceed. … Hopes and dreams have been smashed because an incompetent, unknown lender does not have any reason to work harder, does not have any relationships to maintain, has no concerns regarding accountability.

…He calls another local lender with whom he and I both have excellent working relationships and passes the package over to the other local lender. … I’m inclined to do whatever it takes (so long as it’s moral, ethical, legal) to ensure that my clients are taken care of.

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