Thanks to Charlottesville Tomorrow for their extensive voters guides. Get educated before you vote beyond whether a candidate is a “D” or and “R”.
Browsing Category Albemarle
Costco at Stonefield Getting a Gas Station?
Charlottesville Tomorrow reports that the Albemarle County planning commission recommended approval for the Costco gas station. In a completely non-snarky way, I’m wondering how what input the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board will have as to how to integrate Costco and its gas station so that it is compatible with surrounding “historic sites“. Some googling reveals some fairly generic designs … Low expectations may be in order.
Also, will this Costco have solar panels?
Riding to the Blue Ridge Parkway
This is only about 15 minutes from Downtown Crozet (by car) and about an hour or so on a bicycle.
I took this photo on yesterday morning’s bicycle ride to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s easy to forget the beauty we have surrounding us.
12 Years of The HooK
This week The HooK closes its doors, and Charlottesville returns to being a one-weekly-town. This is a remarkable look back at 12 years of The HooK – some massive stories that have shaped Charlottesville. Thanks…
How to Search for a Home in Charlottesville (Without a Realtor)
Part 1 of at least 2. Part 2 coming next Wednesday.
Home buyers like the inter webs. Fact. What follows are steps to search for a home in the Charlottesville area – without engaging a real estate agent (we’ll get to why it’s usually crucial to hire quality buyer representation).
I first wrote You’re Going about It all Wrong – Or How to Search for Homes in Charlottesville (Without a Realtor) in early 2009 and thought nearly 4 years was sufficient time to warrant an update.
In 2009, I asked a particularly well-informed buyer client if she’d mind describing her search process. Today’s post updates the process for 2013.
How do you search for homes in Charlottesville? (Charlottesville meaning: Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Nelson, Louisa)
1. Your IDX home search site– Browse the map for affordable homes in places I want to live. Or, check the local MLS for new listings and then look on IDX to see if there is more information there. Now, a lot of people are using our site at Nest to search for homes as we’ve put together a great area search and educational section as well. (I don’t particularly care for Zillow or Trulia for searching for homes to see today or this week; but for supporting and ancillary information, they’re great).
2. Look up the found home on Charlottesville City Assessment (Ed note: or Albemarle County or Fluvanna or Louisa, etc.) website to find:
a. Tax Assessment price (In my opinion, assessed values have little to no correlation to what a property’s actual market value would be)
b. Who owns it? Does the owner live there? This often leads to another search on the City Assessment website for the owner’s name to see how many properties the owner has. Do the owners seem to be in good financial shape or have they made a lot of bad decisions (i.e. may need to get rid of the property to stay above water)?
c. Check for any inconsistencies in square ft, room numbers, etc between MLS listing and tax assessment.
d. Look at pictures to see how different the home looked a few years back. (note: this leads to a separate rant about Realtors stripping the MLS of photos of their listings when the listing expires/sells – this kills the accuracy and historical context of the MLS and devalues the MLS as a useful thing.)
e. Study transfer information to see when house was last sold, what it sold for, when it may have had work done, etc.
Realtors have access to a pretty useful (and underused) tool called RPR which allows us to compare the current listing to the previous ones.
No High School Rankings in Albemarle County Schools?
Albemarle County is in discussions about whether to stop ranking students.
In response to calls from parents to stop reporting class rankings to college admissions offices, Albemarle County Public Schools is in the process of reviewing its policy.
Currently, Albemarle reports class ranks to colleges and universities in deciles, but many parents feel that doing so paints students below the top 10 percent negatively in the eyes of selective universities.
Questions –
– Does *not* rewarding kids for achievement disincentivize them from trying harder?
– How could we focus educating kids on actually educating kids rather than passing tests in order to get better ranked?
– When folks are moving to Charlottesville – Albemarle what rankings to they consider in public schools? Do they factor in what percentage of
There is a great discussion at RealCrozetVA.
Update – Charlottesville Tomorrow has a poll – Should Albemarle County report student rankings to colleges?
Comparing 2012 and 2013 – When Do Homes Come on the Market in Charlottesville?
I hadn’t updated this chart in about 18 months, and I was curious … one of the most common questions I get is “when do homes come on the market in Charlottesville?” Typically this question comes in one of three conversations: (I’m going to do a series answering these questions – to be published the next two Wednesdays) –
– I’m thinking about putting my house on the market – when does the Charlottesville market start? (short answer: Take pictures now)
– I’m thinking abut buying a home in the spring – when do most homes come on the market? (short answer: Fall/Winter is the best time to begin your home search. And an even better time to hire buyer representation so your search process is less frustrating, more efficient and better.)
– I’m curious. What’s the market like? (note the third chart to see what my curiosity led me to)
A few differences between the following charts and the one from January 2011:
– “Charlottesville” = Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson (in 2011 I didn’t include Louisa)
– Only Single Family, Attached and Condos results are included – not “proposed” – meaning not new construction, paper lots, aren’t included
That said –
Let’s look at some numbers. 2011 was interesting, with the new listing bump breaking the traditional mid-year inventory decline right after the start of the autumn school year – a trend that occurs every year.
And 2012?
So … how’s 2013 looking?
– The contract peak was in May of this year versus April of 2012 – As I said in my monthly note recently, the frenzy of the early spring filled with hope and confidence was tempered early.
– Inventory levels for 2013 are pretty much on track – across the MSA – with 2012.
The differentials between 2013 and 2012 are fascinating. Look at the peak in Contracts.
– I’m speculating that the increase in inventory in July/August is due in part because some sellers saw the hope in the market and success their neighbors were having in selling and thought that now would be the right time for them to try to (finally) sell.
