This will be a fun note … I’m excited to talk about RealCentralVA’s new look, and some of the back-end changes that will help me focus more on writing than messing with the blog itself….
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What’s an Ello?
Ello. The newest, greatest social network that’s hoping to supplant Facebook. I hope they succeed. But what is it? (what’s this have to do with real estate? Not much, other than real estate is in part a social business, and ello is social.)
I’m still figuring Ello out, and it’s a bit fun to be in the early days of something new and somewhat undefined. The loneliness there is a bit different from the loneliness I perceive on Google +; to me, Ello is new while G+ is tried and mostly failed.
But really, I signed up in order to further my lifelong battle to be thought of as Jim Duncan from Charlottesville rather than Jim Duncan the weatherman.
Some thoughts I wrote on Ello the other day:
NB: My blog is in transition right now; the tag isn’t working, so to read the rest, click here.
Jobs and Albemarle County’s Comp Plan
Charlottesville (meaning: Charlottesville + Albemarle) is a great place to live, and a great place to retire as well.
Neil Williamson poses a great question, highlighted by one of the better opening sentences I’ve read in some time:
Rather than asking if they aspire to be Austin or Aspen, the real question for Albemarle County is a choice between fostering job growth or becoming a land of newlyweds and nearly deads?
(great conversation on his FB post, too)
Great question that speaks to the dearth of “ladder jobs” and the need for the County to actively seek out employers who will provide said ladder jobs. For an example of how Albemarle is competitively outmatched, look no further than how they were completely outmaneuvered (so I’m told) in the recent battle to woo Stone Brewery to Crozet.
Part of the conversation should also be – how can the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle cooperate to bring businesses that will benefit all parties (residents, local coffers, tourists).
October’s Note: Perspective, Oddities & Inspections
The subscription-only monthly note from Jim Duncan/RealCentralVA – this month, the Charlottesville real estate market, perspective & thoughts on home inspections and the always-popular roundup of the previous month’s best blog posts from RealCentralVA and RealCrozetVA.
Two clicks here and you’ll have the note next week when it’s published.
One change that I’ve made recently: I’m publishing the archives a few months after they’re published. If you’re curious, you can read 2013’s notes, and I think I’m going to publish them all here on RealCentralVA in December. (me? I tend to print them to edit them)
C’Ville Pie Fest 2014 – 28 September
I love this about Charlottesville.
C’Ville Pie Fest is Back! It’s this Sunday at the Crozet Mudhouse, supports the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, and pie entries are needed (there are some hungry judges!)
It all started on Twitter and was, as I said at the time, ridiculously good fun at the Charlottesville Downtown Mudhouse.
And we had pie later in 2009 at Crozet Mudhouse, and it benefited PACEM.
And more pie in 2011, benefiting the Haven.
And the judges:
– Head Judge Brian Geiger
– Wendy Novicoff
– Sean McCord
– Rebecca Cooper
– Josh Harvey (Albemarle Baking Company baker)
– Nathan Moore of WTJU
– Gary Dillon of the Crozet Firefighters
– Jim Duncan (that’s me!)
Photosphere and Hyperlapse – Two Interesting Tools
Google have released a new tool that further enables users (us) to help them map the world. Photosphere was just released for the iPhone (it’s been available on Android for a while) and it’s quite remarkable. I’m not sure just how useful it is, but it’s mighty interesting. Photosphere will certainly help me detail for my out of town/country clients, but I don’t know if it’s any better than video, despite the higher resolution.
Curious? This is a photosphere I took of the new Lochlyn Hill neighborhood, currently under construction.
Hyperlapse by Instagram/Facebook is different, exciting – and differently useful. In comparison to the static, 360º images provided by the Photosphere app, Hyperlapse has been described as “a $15,000 Video Setup in Your Hand.” I see great potential for Hyperlapse for telling stories – the stories that make a city, an area, a neighborhood, a street – compelling.
Interesting times, and with the new iPhones being released with seemingly infinitely more powerful processors, I think we’ll be seeing an a lot more Hyperlapses and Photospheres.
An example – Downtown Crozet is in the midst of Streetscaping right now …
September’s Monthly Note – Community, Oil Tanks & the Market
One note a month. Usually less than 1500 words, I tend to write my best stuff in this note.*
One of the highlights of every month’s note, in addition to the market insight and stories I write, are the blog summaries, in which I highlight some of the best posts on RealCentralVA and RealCrozetVA from the previous month.
Curious? Interested in learning a bit more about the Charlottesville market?
Two clicks here and you’ll get this month’s note as soon as I publish it, and hopefully you’ll stick around for each successive month.
* It’s really the only stuff I write that’s edited.