Posts tagged albemarle real estate

C-Ville looks at NGIC and DIA

In just over 4,000 words, he provides one of the best, most insightful analyses I’ve read. ( and gets a few swipes in at the DP) But military intelligence isn’t likely to improve our quality of life in the way UVA does. … With the DIA relocation, some people will clearly win: a few locals who successfully switch careers; qualified UVA students who want to stick around after graduation; engineers and analysts who want to resettle near an idyllic college town; the UVA research park and University employees who teach classes needed for military intelligence; developers with land near NGIC—most especially Wendell Wood and his heirs, who stand to keep selling land to the U.S. government as long as Rivanna Station keeps needing it.

…But understand that obtaining a new clearance, probably higher than TS, for most of the professional jobs at NGIC will be a long process (12 to 18 months), and site security policy may not allow personnel into the building until a clearance is finally granted.

In that case, two issues apply. #1, even if it takes 2-4 months and several thousand dollars to relocate, a pre-cleared person from DC or straight out of the uniformed services can come on much faster than Sara’s fresh, uncleared UVa graduate. #2, assuming that fresh, uncleared Hoo gets hired, what’s s/he going to do for the next 12-18 months while awaiting clearance?

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An Interesting Question – Schools and Housing Values

Seth Godin asks in the “Ubiquity of Competition” : There are twenty towns you can choose for your family’s new home. One invests in its schools, has a focus on inquiry, AP courses and community, while the others are muddling through, arguing about their future. … One of them is represented by a broker who is a pillar of the community, a friend of many and a role model for the industry. … Whenever buyer clients ask me about the quality of Charlottesville and Albemarle County schools, I answer with a market-based response.

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Questions Raised about Biscuit Run’s Purchase

The director of the area’s regional transportation planning body wants state officials to explain why nearly half of the $9.8 million used to purchase the Biscuit Run property for a new 1,200 acre state park came from federal transportation funds. Metropolitan Planning Organization , has sent a letter expressing his concerns to Pierce Homer, the Secretary of Transportation under former Governor Tim Kaine. While Williams stated he has no opinion on whether the state should have purchased the land, he points out two-thirds of the Biscuit Run property is within the boundaries of the MPO’s jurisdiction. … Is this sour grapes on behalf of the MPO or a reasonable request as to how and why the property was purchased?

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Albemarle County’s School Budget Request

No salary increases of any kind for any employees; the projected 8 percent increase in health care costs and increased Virginia Retirement System expenses are covered by the request so employees will not receive a direct reduction in compensation for 2010-11; Increases in class size by one student in grades 4 through 12, a net loss of ~17 full-time equivalent teaching positions, many of which will be absorbed by attrition; Ten percent cuts in eligible operational budgets across the board for all schools and departments; Places hold on technology replacement and improvements; Reduces Learning Resources (textbooks, online resources, consumable materials) by $500,000; Reduces the transportation department by nearly $400,000, as efficiencies in routing, compensation, and program delivery are implemented. … Introduces for the first time a student activities fee for athletic programs and reduces the programs we offer: A student activity fee of $75 per student, per sport, with a cap of $425 per family will be enacted. … Cuts instructional support funds for intervention and enrichment, CATEC, elementary and middle school summer school; Makes, for the third consecutive year, additional position cuts in at the central office, and in support services, including leadership reductions. … The School Board will hold a series of budget work sessions in January, a Public Hearing on February 2, and another Telephone Town Hall on February 3 to hear feedback and concerns from the community.

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When Does the Charlottesville Real Estate Season Begin?

Left as a message via the message box on the right last night: I’m looking for a house, but can’t find what I’m looking for east of town in the right price range. When do you think the “season” will begin and we will see more of a variety of listings on the market? … What this doesn’t show is what percentage of these listings sold or what their prices were … that’s a story for another day. If you’re interested in more detailed market reports about the Charlottesville regional real estate market, you may be interested in these reports:

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Should I get Three Competitive Market Analyses?

The best may not be the highest, in fact, the worst may be the highest because that realtor may be trying to buy your listing and then in three months come and say: well, you know, we really kind of missed it, let’s reduce the price. You want to try and price it right from day one, as challenging as that may be and the worst may be the lowest because that realtor may be trying to just get a quick sale and not look out for your best interest. … Look at the amount of inventory in your segment of the market and look at those trends, the pricing trends, the market trends and anything that I can look at and then what I do after I come to my conclusions of a price range and look at my market plan, I give everything to my potential client so that they can see what I’m looking at and so that I can back up my advice. Ultimately the decision is my clients, but I want to make sure that they are as educated as possible on what my marketing strategies are and what my pricing strategy is because again, it’s not my money we’re talking about or my life, it’s my clients.

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New Charlottesville MLS Market Reports

Our MLS, Solid Earth, has just released some new statistical reports. They’re pretty darn great. Unfortunately, they are for the entire MLS – not just Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Lousia and Nelson. As far as I can tell – this is the Moving Median Price for the past five years for the entire MLS … which incorporates way more than just the Charlottesville MSA. Charlottesville MLS Moving Median Prices for past 5 years And this is the the Moving Average for the past five years: Charlottesville MLS Moving Average Prices for past 5 years

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