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Belevedere Neighborhood Maturing

I’ve always liked the Belvedere neighborhood; I think it’s a great place – great neighborhood, great location and well-designed energy efficient houses.

Charlottesville Tomorrow reports on how Belvedere is growing up and taking shape.

“The homes are built right by the sidewalk and you can talk to the neighbors when they walk by,” said Perpetua, who is retired and moved here from Pittsburgh. “It’s just a different kind of community.”
…
Another part of this urban vision is a “civic core,” modeled as a public square, which will include a community meeting space, a Montessori school and facilities for the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle.

SOCA plans to locate its new headquarters in Belvedere and also has three separate parcels in the works for the neighborhood — a covered indoor field and training facility, a lit all-weather artificial turf field and four natural grass fields.

Bill Mueller, executive director of SOCA, said that final approval for the offices and indoor field in the first parcel was “imminent” and that SOCA would soon start a $4 million fundraising campaign for the facility.

Last night I had an extended conversation via the handy-dandy “Live Support” widget you see to the right with someone about the Belvedere neighborhood. We talked about a lot and I referenced a lot of stories. I thought recapturing those links would be helpful, both for me as a resource, and you as a reader (and prospective buyers)

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Whose Responsibility is it to Disclose an Historic Property or District?

“It never dawned on us that we wouldn’t be able to paint it.”

Whose Responsibility is it to Disclose an Historic Property or District in Charlottesville?

It’s not the Sellers’ responsibility: (bolding mine, link to the Code of Virginia added by me)

(b) The seller makes no representations as to any matters that pertain to whether the provisions of any historic district ordinance affect the property. Purchasers are advised to exercise whatever due diligence they deem necessary with respect to any historic district designated by the locality pursuant to §15.2-2306, including review of any local ordinance creating such district or any official map adopted by the locality depicting historic districts, in accordance with terms and conditions as may be contained in the purchase contract, but in any event prior to settlement on the property.

This question was raised Monday night at the Charlottesville City Council meeting*

I’d stopped watching by this part, but was asked on Twitter:

Hey @JimDuncan whose job is it to tell purchasers re historic guidelines when buying houses? Or do buyers have to figure it out? #Cville

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Fall Foliage and Festivals in Charlottesville

Fall is the best time of year in Charlottesville; Spring is a close second.

I closed with this last year; this year I’ll lead with it:

Enjoy the colors, because you never know; you might not be here next year.

Fall Foliage in Charlottesville

Question from a reader: I am planning a trip to Charlottesville to photograph the fall folliage. It is a day trip and I am trying to figure the best place to go.

Answer: Anytime between the second week of October and the second week of November.

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Somerset Farm – It’s What’s Next

Somerset Farm – Neighborhood centers, pedestrian-oriented, close to downtown Charlottesville …

From the Comprehensive Plan Report:

Neighborhoods centers would be developed as focal points for congregating. These central districts could include commercial or civic spaces that provide services, employment opportunities and gathering places for residents, reminiscent of European and pre suburban American villages

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What’s Selling in Charlottesville? Single Family, Attached homes or Condos?

Part Three of …

One of the most common questions I get is – what is selling in Charlottesville and Albemarle? Condos? Attached homes? Single Family? A look at the data gives a look at some answers …

NB:

– I’m keeping this focused on only the City of Charlottesville and the County of Albemarle as that is where the bulk of the attached homes and condos are located.

– Single family homes have come to be more affordable, leading to a decline in transactional volume within the condo and attached home segments of the market.

– 2005 was very good for condo conversions; now the condo conversions have been decimated in value.

– Attached homes can be very attractive – newer ones in good condition price right, especially so.

– Homeowners Associations’ fiscal health is likely to be more and more of an issue as this market correction continues to correct.

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