the free market is resilient and adaptable.- Mortgage Fears Drive Up Rates on Jumbo Loans – even for those with excellent credit and good downpayments.- New construction has not slowed down sufficiently – and this may lead to at least one local builder’s folding while the big builders continue to suffer…. Hence, the “Bonfire of the Builders.”- More on rates’ volatility and the transition of the lending market as a whole – (there is a real opportunity for a Charlottesville lender to establish themselves in the Charlottesville blogosphere; I’m willing to help. Just let me know.)More on the self-inflicted damage to its credibility that the National Association of Realtors has once again done to itself…. If buying for the right reasons, now really and truly is a great time to buy a house in Charlottesville, so long as all applicable factors are considered and negotiated appropriately.
Date Archives August 2007
Charlottesville is Green
In the “better late than never” department:Charlottesville’s Newsplex reports today that Charlottesville is the #6 Greenest Place to Live. Had you been reading RealCentralVA, you would have learned that in March and April. Good timing however in light of the City’s approval of their Sustainability Comprehensive Plan.Finally, government leading in a category other than wasting public funds.
The HooK’s Annual Manual
In spite of all of the Realtor ads, The HooK’s Annual Manual is one of the core ingredients in my relocation packages.1) Map2) Business Cards3) Annual Manual4) Market Data, etc.All the information is readily accessible on their excellent website, but sending out a tangible resource is invaluable. My wife came home yesterday with about 25 copies, bless her.
10 Easy green tips for Charlottesville
Adding simple green components to your home can add immediate value not only for you, but from a resale value perspective as well. Hint: buyers are asking about green features in homes.1 – Rain recapture/harvesting systems and at the Rivanna Store2 – Small Solar arrays3 – Upgrade insulation and weather stripping4 – Avoid toxic cleaners whenever possible; use green products.5 – Visit the Charlottesville Habitat Store6 – Join a CSA7 – Green building resource guide8 – Go green today9 – Green your air conditioning10 – Educate yourself. Read green blogs (here are some of the green blogs I read)* several of the links above were found at Move’s Green blogWhat are some of the easy green tips that you have found for your home?
What do we do if the population exceeds optimal levels?
As mentioned in June on Charlottesville Tomorrow’s site in June, and approved by the Board of Supervisors, Advocates for a Sustainable Population (ASAP) have received an additional $11k from the City of Charlottesville (you may have to scroll down) for their study to research what is the “optimal population” for the City and County. As I’ve noted before, and I may be simplifying the matter – how does the government enforce an “optimal population”?… Defining and enforcing this “policy” would be a multi-edged sword – 1) those who currently reside within these areas would probably see their property values rise but1b) there are fewer buyers out there as the mortgage money dries up2) the surrounding counties would see more development as growth is pushed upon them – but just so long as it’s not in Charlottesville/Albemarle, I guess that’s OK (note the sarcasm)We all share resources…. Pitting localities against either other – from a real estate market, from a political and from a social point of view is counter-productive and divisive.
Just because it’s on a wall doesn’t mean it’s art
I don’t normally consider myself an uneducated, closed-minded fool from Virginia, but I just don’t get this, as seen in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The description of this piece said something to this effect, “he painted the canvas white to challenge the notion that creating art was difficult.” What you see is what you think it is – three canvases painted white.Would a blank blog post be a symbol of my rebellion against society’s demand that a quality blog post have “words”?
2000 posts
I feel as if I should have something profound to say after blogging about the Charlottesville region’s real estate market for 32 months, but as with most any other milestone, it’s just another day. Actually, this is post #2001. Hopefully the next 2000 posts will provide more learning and exploration of the real estate market and the various influencers affecting it, for me and for my readers.