The Guardian article about Happiness called Charlottesville
"....For years, Charlottesville has been picking up the prizes. It's been named best town for food lovers by
Wine Magazine; best college town in the country by
Traveler's Today; the country's favourite mountain town by
Travel & Leisure; and one of the happiest and healthiest places in the US by
Business Insider.
"It's a bastion of liberalism in the south," says building contractor
Jim Raymond, who arrived as a student in the late 60s and built a life
here.
Just
two hours from Washington DC, C-ville (as the locals call it) offers
quiet country retreats and horseback rides in nearby Shenandoah National
Park, the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains, as well as a
wealth of history that includes the homes of Thomas Jefferson and James
Madison. Its array of restaurants offer exceptional gastronomic variety...."
Charlottesville is the happiest place to call home! Labels: albemarle, albemarle county real estate, best place to raise family, Charlottesviile real estate, charlottesville, happiest place to call home
When Is a Good Time?
How to Know When to Sell Your Home
Is there a right time to sell your home?
By Herbert J. Cohen
You like your home but you
just received a raise and your income will go up substantially. You
begin thinking of moving into a larger home in a nicer neighborhood. You
know you are living in precarious and unpredictable economic times and
you wonder if this is the right time to sell your home. Will you be
making a financial mistake if you sell in this unpredictable economic
environment? No one has a crystal ball, but there are several factors
you should consider before making a decision to sell your home. A
mistake could cause you lots of money and worry.
Why do you want to sell?
The big question you need to
answer for yourself is why you want to sell. It is a lifestyle question
and does not depend upon the time of the year. If you find yourself in a
buyer's market, the seller is at a disadvantage. You want to be
absolutely sure in your own mind that the move makes sense. If you
decide that you really want to sell your home, then here are some things
to keep in mind.
Is there a best time to sell?
Conventional wisdom says the
right time to sell your home is in the spring since that is the time
when there are largest number of buyers. But that is also the time of
the largest home inventory. So what about the winter? Good idea,
perhaps, since it is a time of less competition with fewer houses on the
market. But can you be sure? In the summer buyers may feel a sense of
urgency, with school approaching, and in the fall empty nesters, not
concerned about school opening dates, may be more motivated to buy. The
bottom line: Sell your home when you truly want to move and don't tie
your moving decision to any season of the year.
Before selling, do your homework to get the best price for your home
Once you decide to sell your
home, do your homework. Find out what comparable houses in your
neighborhood are selling for. Calculate what they are selling for per
square foot. That is a useful number to know as you evaluate the current
market value of your home and other homes you are considering buying.
Stage your home. You don't need a professional to do this. You can do it
yourself. Here's the basic idea:
-
Make sure your home is spotlessly clean, especially your kitchen and bathrooms.
-
Clean the carpets professionally. Paint the main areas of your home with a neutral color.
-
Get rid of the clutter.
-
Pack away personal stuff like photos of family and personal knick-knacks.
-
Put away small appliances like toasters to make more clear counter space.
-
You want a clean, spacious look. Consider taking one piece of furniture out of each room so your home looks uncluttered.
Price your home to sell
The most important thing in
today's economy is price. Forget about what you paid for the house. The
price of a home is determined by today's market conditions, so don't get
stuck playing an old memory tape about how great the house is and how
much it was worth when you bought it years ago. That is irrelevant.
Price your home under market value to get the most buyer traffic and
interest.
First impressions of your home
Now step outside and look at
your house. Does your house have "curb appeal?" Is the lawn trimmed? Is
the front door painted? Is there a plant near the main entrance? You
don't have a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure that
the first impression is a great one. Good luck on selling your home
when you want to sell it.
Labels: 2013 real estate trends, albemarle county real estate, buyer agent, c'ville, Charlottesviile real estate, real estate agent
Fantastic Offering - close to UVA and Downtown - $314,900
1180 Cottage Green Way - the current owners have not had this quality home for more than 2 years but new buyers will benefit from their exceptional taste in decorating and finishing choices. Close Downtown and UVA, county taxes. Parking is in the alley behind the house. Nothing could be built in front of the house!
Labels: 1180 Cottage Green Way, albemarle county real estate, Charlottesviile real estate, great buy, Inessa Telefus, Redfields, Southern Development
Great real estate news nationwide
Heard on the radio yesterday, while driving around from one appointment to the next "sales of existing homes went up 12% nationwide, largest increase in the last 7 years". Indeed!
Labels: albemarle county real estate, Charlottesviile real estate, charlottesville, Inessa Telefus
CAAR 4th Qtr Market Report is out - ready for spring market!
Charlottesville Area Year-End 2012 Highlights:
- Overall sales in Greater Charlottesville were up 15% over 2011, resulting in largest year-over-year increase in seven years.
- Active inventory to close 2012 was at the lowest level since year-end 2005 and down 13% from year-end 2011.
- Median sales price for the region in Q4-2012 was up 8% over last quarter and Q4-2011 to $260,000.
- New listings were up 9% from the same quarter last year—the largest increase since Q4-2006.
Labels: albemarle county real estate, buyer agent, Charlottesviile real estate, listing, market report, real estate investment
CAAR 2012 Q3 Report
Here are the highlights (very much optimistic), please call or e-mail if you wanted to chat more about the report.
Labels: 2012 3rd quarter report, albemarle county real estate, Charlottesviile real estate, market trends, real estate statistics
Sunday Open House!
Yesterday I hosted a tailgate at Alumni Hall. Today Open House 12-2 at Claremont. I have condos for sale in Riverbend and Claremont subdivisions. Walking distance to MJH, State Farm.
Labels: albemarle county real estate, Charlottesviile real estate, close to new Martha Jefferson Hospital, club house, condominium, garage, MJH, pantops, State Farm
Top Ten Best Places To Live - Charlottesville!
Congratulations to C'ville again! It is named as one of the
best places to live by Yahoo! Real Estate. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, most areas of this idyllic city are accessible by foot or bicycle. Charlottesville enjoys clean air and water, and pleasant weather year-round, highlighted by especially beautiful fall foliage. Nearby Shenandoah National Park offers a wealth of recreation opportunities. Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia, which strengthens the area's healthy economy by providing steady jobs and a wealth of amenities and entertainment. Homes are not cheap (median home price $225,000), but the cost of living is manageable. The city's low unemployment rate and significant recent job growth promise continued prosperity. As more and more people learn about this year's best city, Charlottesville may find staying affordable and sprawl-free is its greatest challenge!
Labels: albemarle county real estate, charlottesville, charlottesville real estate, national real estate, top 10 best places, yahoo
Thank you Martha Jefferson Hospital
My daughter was born at Martha Jefferson Hospital and I have only good things to say about the hospital and all the people who work there. We started a countdown until MJH moves to a
new hospital. They are moving from Downtown location to Pantops, East of C'ville. The pictures of their new facility look spectacular!!! I am planning on going to their
Open House on Sunday to see it for myself. In addition, I am holding an Open House at
Claremont myself 3-5PM. Claremont is just within walking distance to the new MJH, so I am sure there will be a lot of traffic. There is a special promotion at Claremont for MJH employees! I love all this excitement!
Labels: albemarle county real estate, charlottesville real estate, Claremont, new Martha Jefferson Hospital, old MHJ
Chosen
I will be handling marketing and sales for a terrific development just East of Charlottesville. I see a lot of Martha Jefferson Hospital connections in the future ;-) This place would be perfect for MJ employees. Have to keep it hush for a couple of days, finalizing paperwork. Above is just a glimpse of the grounds, a view from the clubhouse. There was a pool party today and I got to meet many residents.
Labels: albemarle county real estate, charlottesville real estate, convenient location, martha jefferson hospital, pantops
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