Gas prices
Driving about 25,000 miles a year adds up! Figuring that my wife and I each drive about 30-40 miles a day simply commuting, our daily commute costs us between 8 and 12 dollars. At what point do we reach the Tipping Point where public transportation…
Property values increasing in our market
In response to the request of a client a few weeks ago, I did a quick and dirty analysis of property values in the Charlottesville/Albemarle (hereinafter referred to as Charlablemarle). I chose a small sample of homes that was representative of our market - at…
Google maps
Google Maps seems to take clarity through simplicity to a new level. Here is an example of how to take all the rental listings from Craigslist and make them searchable by location and price. (more…)
Brilliant
This is copied from a recent discussion (link requires paid subscription) on the Motley Fool by a poster describing his recent home sale/purchase success....If I fail to do that and things don't work out, I have only one person to blame, the person I see…
Expectations
The hotel, Great Wolf Lodge ,in Williamsburg, was not ready to open, and they told us that AS WE WERE CHECKING OUT. ...Being told that the hotel is designed to cater to the 2-to-14 year old crowd is a laudable. Neglecting the fact that the…
Beta testing a hotel
My biggest complaint is not that the food was terrible, nor that it was overpriced - $2 for a 69-cent bag of chips. The power going out wouldn't have been as big of an issue as the dirty bathroom and smoky-smelling room. ...Billed as having…
The … worst … vacation … ever …
I have been with my family for about nine hours now and have been on the phone for most of that time. Part is my fault, part is the fault of others, part is the nature of this busy business. (more…)
Out of town
I am going to be out of town for the next couple of days, testing the limits of technology as I work a couple of offers.... My family may hate my being on the cell/email on our little getaway, but as one of my clients…
The market
Anything in good condition with an asking price is flying off the market, frequently with multiple offers consisting of cash offers, some waiving home inspections and more. From a Seller's point of view, this is normally a good situation. From a prospective Purchaser's point of…