Town Centers nurture Connections – let’s hope so.See how many homes before you buy?Radical TransparencyAdvice from a successful real estate investor (hat tip: RCG)Nelson County traveler spending up 6.8%Not to pile on, but … Not all internet marketing is good.Kaine warming up to Transportation/Land Use IssuesCharlottesville’s affordable housing plan – it’s a start.Roundabouts in Staunton – following Charlottesville’s lead?
Date Archives November 2006
How is this not discrimination?
To refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, or familial status;2. To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in the connection therewith to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, or familial status;Federal laws seem to be equally silent on sexual orientation.From Rismedia:The certification training for LGBTRES candidates includes a half-day live lecture course or an online track, which the candidate must pass to receive their certification…. The NGLCC will begin delivery of the training in the fourth quarter of 2006, and, in 2007, will certify LGBTRES trainers in Realogy’s major markets to make the certification available to a wider audience.As to someone’s sexual orientation, skin color, sex, age – I don’t care one way or the other. So long as they are qualified by a reputable lender, are looking within their comfortable price range and are ready, willing and able to purchase a home now or in the (sometimes not so near) future, that’s all I need.
More dogs in the kennel
When I think of Greg and his writings, I have to break out the good old Thesaurus to find new words to describe him – prolific, copious, astute, perspicacious – Building on his success, he is adding more writers to his stable and further cementing his place atop the “RE.net.”… As with most everything I read, I have a question regarding his stated goal:Our goal is to be daily must-reading for real estate professionals everywhere — Realtors, lenders, appraisers, investors, vendors and technologists.There is little doubt that anyone who wants to stay abreast of changes in national real estate trends will find tremendous value at the Bloodhound…. The early blogs may have fit that mold, but the the phenomenal growth in blogging activity and the growing general acceptance of blogs in mainstream consciousness shows that blogs have grown and will continue to appeal to more and more of the everyday reader/consumer. There are an awful lot of local real estate blogs out there – Teresa’s, Kristal’s, Fraser’s, Kevin’s – and while real estate is a national business with national trends, I would hazard a guess that many local consumers choose to read locally-focused blogs more than they would a national one.I’ll keep reading his/their blog every day, as I respect what they have to say and learn something each time (when I have time to read it all!)
Real estate carnival #20
Bigger Pockets hosts the Carnival this week. Refreshingly, he keeps the focus local; and for that I say – thank you!
Out of context
“I would like to pay our police officers more, I would like to pay our fire more, I would like to pay our teachers more, but the fact is that we are limited to the revenues that we take in from taxes,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dennis Rooker. “Everybody likes better services, nobody wants to pay more in the way of taxes.” (Courtesy of WCAV)While nobody may want to pay more in taxes, we most assuredly are paying more in taxes, thank you very much.From 2005:…… A good chunk of that increase is coming from the rising value of raw land, though house values have climbed quite a bit, too.
What is sufficient housing
20, the Multiple Listing Service [a database of properties for sale by participating real estate agents] indicated that there is approximately $125 million worth of residential homes for sale in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.This number doesn’t include big farms and estates, properties for sale by owner or other properties not listed in the MLS by discount brokers.Another interesting statistic the MLS revealed is that approximately 350 homes for sale in our area are vacant…. What is a definition of “sufficient housing” upon which government can base their regulations?In Charlottesville/Albemarle – There are currently 190 active properties on the market under $200k…. Between $200k and $250k, 95 homes for sale – 25 of which are condos.Between $250k and $450k, there are 488 properties on the market, only 67 of which are condos…. Yes, a lot of these are vacant (see my stories in October and July) But should we allow some outside force – I assume that your intent is to have the government step in and further regulate the market – to control the nuances of the real estate (or any, for that matter) market?