Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors’ Report for 2010 (PDF) Browse the whole thing.
Date Archives January 2011
Search for Homes in Charlottesville – This Time, It’s a Beta
I’ve long thought (and most importantly, so have my clients) that Diverse Solutions , the providers of my home search tool, put together the best search for homes tool in the real estate industry.
…• New language in the search box • The map will now update as the criteria changes without the need to click view results • The map now shows properties immediately once a location is specified • Clicking on a city marker now adds it to the locations and shows properties • Added a variety of new design elements • Isolated and moved the Save as Favorite button I know that people want to search for homes without signing up, without being contacted by a Realtor, etc. etc. I don’t spam, I don’t contact without permission (I do send a “thank you for registering” email) and I want you to enjoy using this tool as much as I appreciate your using it and contacting me whenever you’re ready.
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Now, as soon as they release a version that allows for me to provide search results based on radius and polygons, I’ll buy every developer at Diverse Solutions a couple cases of fantastic beer made right here in Central Virginia.
Talking about the Charlottesville Real Estate Market – WNRN Radio 9 January 2011
If you are interested in – whether from a buyer, seller, voyeur, moving to Charlottesville perspective, I highly encourage you to listen to this hour of radio Matt Hodges and me as we discuss the Charlottesville real estate market, national trends affecting all of us, and what the conversation may mean to you, the real estate consumer. … Some of the stories to come: One of the best parts of doing radio shows is that I always generate new ideas to write about. – Top 10 most popular neighborhoods in the area; I’m finalizing the methodology for how this will be determined, so I won’t promise the publication date. – An expansion on the nomadic class. – The internet’s/telecommuting’s impact on attracting people to the Charlottesville area. … Title issues, conveyance of title, property ownership – I think this is going to be a huge story in 2011. – Mobility – many of today’s potential homeowners are choosing to not buy because they want to have options. – QE2 – DIA and NGIC – their impact on the Charlottesville real estate market; in short, they they provided a stabilizing force. – Loan Level Pricing Adjustments – what does this mean to homebuyers?
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– Foreclosure rate for the Charlottesville MSA – Majority of Virginians oppose gas-tax increase – Town hall to discuss Hollymead development area expansion – Realtors’ response to Mortgage Interest Deduction – Commentary: Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Tax Deduction Facts – Facing Scrutiny, Banks Slow Pace of Foreclosures – Homeownership is not a must .
6 years of writing about Real Estate in Charlottesville
2010 – Last year was five years of blogging about real estate . … What is done here is so much more than “blogging,” and it starts with this :
New tip for newbie real estate bloggers: work to be a great agent first, blogger second.
…The content – the method, the message, the dedication – will remain the same.
Top 5 Trends to Affect Charlottesville’s Housing Market in 2011
Not necessarily in order of importance: 1 – Gas Prices 2 – Foreclosures (What if Virginia becomes a judicial foreclosure state )? 3 – Short sales, continuing decline of market value (I think we’re looking at ~ 5% – 7% decline this year) 4 – Realtor Competency 5 – Confidence. 6 – Federal Governments’ interference 7 – Employment rates – at UVA, NGIC, DIA, State Farm, etc. and all of Charlottesville areas’ small businesses.
Talking About the Charlottesville Real Estate Market – WNRN 9 January
This Sunday – An hour of talking about the local real estate market with host Rick Moore and Matt Hodges of Presidential Mortgage. I used to be overwhelmed at the prospect of talking on live radio for an hour; now it almost feels like it’s three hours too short. … Tune into WNRN radio at 11 am EST this Sunday. … A brief outline of what we may talk about: – Where we are – Where we may be going – Trends in the Charlottesville real estate market – Realtor production/competence – Legislation that may be affecting the real estate market – Foreclosures and short sales – Title insurance issues – Interest rates’ impact on the Central Virginia real estate market One of the most daunting parts of an hour of radio is the required prep work that must be done; it’s also one of the most exciting and rewarding part – prepping for at least three-four hours will absolutely, positively ensure that I know more about the local market and will be better able to represent and inform my clients.
No More Albemarle Place?
As already revealed, the development will feature a million square feet of residential space and nearly a million more square feet of retail and office space, including a new 14-screen Regal Cinemas with a high-tech IMAX® theatre. However, the latest renderings of the project showed something that a lot of folks will hope is not just wishful thinking: a Trader Joe’s on the corner of Hydraulic and Route 29. … Whether or not actual contracts have been sign with those companies can’t be confirmed, but the general feeling among County planning officials is that the long-awaited project is actually going to get built. … Not only does the building site need to be fully prepared, proposed proffers have Edens & Avant chipping in $1 million to build a fourth southbound lane on Route 29 from Westfield Road to 29/250 interchange, and a second lane for the on-ramp on to 250 West.