Owner: Charlottesville Real Estate URL:www.Charlottesville.com Join Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:17:35 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Charlottesville's most Trusted and Widely used Website and BLOG for Real Estate Site statistics:Click here
Best Place to Retire Young??? 2007-10-03 06:42:40 Money Magazine (April 2007) came out with their top 10 best place to retire young. Charlottesville Virginia ranked #2 and I know why, do you?In the article they tell how they pick the best places... Pop GrowthNear major metropolitan areaHousing costsCost of livingEconomic healthCollege presenceRecreation and arts! Take a look at the article and see what other cities made it: CLICK HERETwo cities in Virginia made the list, One city in ID, UT, VY WA, FL, NH, KS and IA.After living in Charlottesville for over seven years, I can tell you that they can not figure this stuff out on paper. There is a culture here that is not easy to determine or dissect. People here in Charlottesville have a true respect for each other and each others property. Our schools teach our children what they call the "6 Pillars of Character". Not just words but principles.RespectResponsibilityCitizenshipCaringFairnessTrustworthinessThese are great rules to learn, grow and live by for anyone. I believ Read more:Place
Building Techniques...((unhappy termites)) 2007-10-02 12:42:54 New Construction! Love it!!! I get involved in a lot of new construction in my area and I wanted to share interesting techniques with you.My sister is building a home and these photos are of the process.These walls are Foam stacked together kind of like "LEGO's" easy enough right?Notice the steel construction to support the next level. This is obviously built into a hillside.This level will have radiant heating tubes installed prior to pouring the cement floor!Notice this is ground level?This type of construction is energy efficient and extremely strong. By the way this home is in California (think earthquake safety)! But these techniques are being used all over. Some additional data you might find interesting:The walls end up being 12 inches thick (4"of Styrofoam and 8" of cement)The walls are rated as a 4 hour fire wallThere will be cement planks on the outside (hardi-planks) for additional insulationThe beams are steel and the windows are aluminum s Read more:Building
, unhappy
APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL!!! 2007-10-02 11:10:13 It's Apple Time at Carter Mountain Orchard!(a wonderful Family Event)What better way to celebrate the cool crisp days of autumn, than to take a drive out to Carter Mountain Orchard?Carter Mountain Orchard, located near Monticello in Charlottesville Virginia will be hosting their annual Apple Harvest Festival, Oct 6-7, 13-14. This event opens at 9am and closed at 6pm each day.A sampling of activates: Apple Picking, Hay Rides, Blue-Grass Music all while enjoying incredible views! (bring a blanket while enjoying the music) Crafts, Food Vendors and The Carter Mountain Bakery will round out your day!Hot Apple CiderApple PieIce CreamPumpkins and Gourds Jam, Jelly and Apple ButterAnd more!When was the last time you took a hay ride with your sweetie or your kids? Come enjoy the fun!For more information visit: http://www.cartermountainorchard.com/ BE WARNED!!! - This visit may entice you to want to relocate to Charlottesville. Just let me know I am here to help!Charles McDonald, REALTOR®
Do Charts lie? 2007-10-01 17:49:07 Charting... humm Fascinating to some and an eye roller to others. Give me just a moment to explain...These are the homes sales numbers for our county (every month back to Jan 2004).You do not need to be a Chartologist to see the trends here.... Look the PEAKS in July-05, June-06 and June-07 and you see 2 things. •1. That is the peak sales month of each year is June or July.•2. The numbers are going down... 243, 237 and 209This in itself is not great, but is also not what really concerns me. What does concern me is the steep dropoff after the last peak at 209. 84 sales in September is a low number. Look at the previous years in September.Yes the market has slowed, even in Albemarle County. The numbers and more importantly the chart does not lie....All this being said and the underlined reality is that if you are buying Real Estate in Charlottesville area, it is a great time for you. Our inventory is up and there are some great deals to be ne Read more:Charts
Border Collie steals the show! 2007-10-01 15:25:57 Many of you know I have a couple of dogs and one is a BorderCollie
. I love dogs and I am amazed at how smart they are. Coming up on Oct 6-7 at Montpelier (Orange County, Virginia) is the:Fall Fiber Festival & Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials!This event shows off weavers, spinners, artisans and crafters! There are several breeds of sheep and goats. But the fun to me is when the "border collies" show off their herding skills!Come by for the fun, if you see me please stop by and say hello! Montpelier is the home of James and Dolly Madison and is so large an estate; there is a race track in the front yard!!!You can also take a tour of Montpelier with its fine elegant furnishings. The garden tour is a must see!Open 10am-5pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on SundaySee http://www.fallfiberfestival.org/ While in the area, call me to see some of Virginia's fine properties. I am always available to discuss your future housing needs!Best regards from Charlottesville, Virginia & Read more:steals
My DOG eats BURNT TOAST! 2007-10-01 06:53:53 My DOG eats BURNT TOAST! I know you are wondering what this has to do with Real Estate.... No, I have not lost my mind, let me explain!Recently my wife burnt some toast (this is a rare event). In her defense, she was distracted by getting the kids off to school and a phone call....I am going on record that my wife is an excellent cook, just look at my waist line! lolAnyway, she put the toast on the back deck and my dog Annie (the one in the photo with her tongue out) sniffed it and did not want anything to do with it.So out comes me and I break off a piece and call Maggie (my dog sitting patiently in the back ground). So I toss Maggie and piece of the burnt toast and she swallows it whole. I then alternate between Annie and Maggie until it is all gone. I know this is not the best food for my dogs, but it beats eating grubs!This is like selling Real Estate. I remember a home in my area that was on the market for a long time with no bites at all. Then a buyer showed some interest a
PARADE of HOMES - Charlottesville, Virginia! 2007-09-30 13:37:49 PARADE of HOMES - Charlottesville
, Virginia
! The 2007 Parade of Homes kicks off on Oct 6 & 7 and Oct 13 & 14 Every year our local builders step up to the plate and show off their fine homes! If you are in the market to buy a new home or just thinking about it, these two weekend are a must see. You can pick homes by price range, location or type of homes, whatever works for you. To be brutally honest, my wife and I go to these tours to get remodeling ideas!!! Learn from the best and see what our builders have been doing! Currently there are 74 homes on the Parade of Homes. One is right for you! Visit http://www.blueridgeparadeofhomes.org/ for more details! When you are ready to buy that perfect home, just give me a call and we can work out all the details. Best regards from Charlottesville, Virginia Charles McDonald, REALTOR® 434-981-1585http://www.mycharlottesvilleagent.com/ http://www.mycharlottesvilleblog.com/&nb
LISTING AGENT - What are you thinking??? 2007-09-30 10:53:30 When we work with our clients (both as Listing Agents and as Buyers Agents) we work in the best interest of our clients.... AGREED? (If you do not agree, do not read any further) I recently saw where a Listing Agent put the following comment into our MLS: "Agents: NOW OFFERING A 10K AGENT BONUS with your broker's permission!!!" As a LISTING
AGENT, you need to look out for your sellers best interests. Is it truly in the sellers best interest to offer the buyers agent an additional $10,000.00 for doing their job? Might it not be better to give an incentive to the Buyer as in a discount if purchased by a certain date. Or a remodeling incentive? As a BUYERS AGENT, do you look at these incentive as a way to do business and does it even make a difference? I hope not. When showing homes, the commission is never on my mind. I am looking out for my buyers and I show them everything that fits "THEIR" Read more:thinking
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