Why do I post these summaries of my weekly Tweets? Simple – I want the content here on RealCentralVA.com, and not just on Twitter. I consider these tweets to be my (occasionally intellectual) property, and I would much rather have them here – a place I own and control – than solely on Twitter.

• Wondering if @tomperriello would support this transparency bill – http://bit.ly/3eiqft #
• @CandyLynn my wife's in Suffolk (again) for work, so we came down to visit her for the weekend. Dueling fireworks here. 2 simultaneous shows in reply to CandyLynn #
• Fireworks in Norfolk http://post.ly/16Qf #
• Waiting. Waiting for the fireworks to start. #
• RT @chrisbrogan: Check out what @jasonstoddard did: the entire Declaration of Independence on his stream. [we should all read this >once] #
• In Norfolk and going to Harborfest in a bit. #fb #
• RT @rprav8r: The rumors are true – crozet acac not opening till the fall (or later). http://bit.ly/GP5CC #
• In Suffolk visiting my wife. Going to Norfolk's Harborfest in a bit. Any suggestions welcome #fb #
• Re: virginia's new no-texting law, is being at a dead stop on the interstate "awfully stopped"? #
• Showed a house to one buyer, wrote an unexpected offer for another, now trying to hit the road. #
• @BennRosales do Americans care enough to do more than make it trendy? Are congress/Obama even listening? in reply to BennRosales #
• RT @aflusche: Who's working today? We don't need no stinking vacation. [Self-employed people have different schedules; we hustle] #
• Will the Crozet Mudhouse increase property values by giving people something to walk or bike *to*? http://bit.ly/rZCbk #
• Mudhouse in Crozet!!! http://post.ly/14OJ #
• At the new Mudhouse in Crozet #
• RT @TomRoyce: Now I am getting pissed. Trying to get the Energy bill to read, it has locked up Firefox completely. US Gov't sucks. #
• @spaz correct. The delay doesn't so much bug me. I just really want to know how best to use it. I'm very intrigued in reply to spaz #
• Some of the housing implications of the Climate Change bill http://bit.ly/T86v9 #
• Hmmm … my pic from posterous was delayed coming Twitter by an hour or so.I really want to like Posterous; what's the best way to interact? #
• @TomRoyce New coffee shop in the town in which I live – http://bit.ly/b017i – & community hub, if all goes well in reply to TomRoyce #
• @TessOrtega Soon. #
• Wraps are off the Crozet Mudhouse! http://post.ly/140y #
• http://twitpic.com/926e9 – Wraps are off the Crozet Mudhouse! #
• Meeting buyer clients at Fardownders; parking lot is FULL. Anticipation of @mudhousecoffee? #
• RT @jimgaffigan: I remember when "Breaking News" meant breaking news. Now it means please don't change the channel. #
• Great coffee meeting this morning , great meeting with the folks at Bundoran Farm/Celebration … let's see if the goodness can continue. #
• @SarahStelmok got a link? in reply to SarahStelmok #
• @TomRoyce For local politics, check out this invaluable local site in Charlottesville http://bit.ly/1135PS privately funded, rich & deep in reply to TomRoyce #
• @TomRoyce News/media info collection is something about which I am very concerned. Bloggers aren't going to local meetings consistently in reply to TomRoyce #
• @TomRoyce Collection of MLS-type data is getting easier. Distributing in a good format is getting more challenging – more diverse/disparate in reply to TomRoyce #
• @TomRoyce I've been thinking about the Free/Cuban argument WRT MLS systems. Trying to make parallels. Distribution is costly, info is easy in reply to TomRoyce #
• I'd probably pay for some of Google's products if my data didn't go to Google. #
• RT @SarahWV: RT @HawaiiRealty: Just curious~how does one prepare for a nuclear missle? Any thing I need besides Tequila?[I think you're set] #
• RT @steinarknutsen: RT @cloudbrain: REMINDER #FirstWednesdays TONIGHT. 7pm at Zinc. http://firstwednesdays.org [Now at Zinc!] #
• @superninjarobot agreed. but "1st time" is simpler than "not in the past three years" … in reply to superninjarobot #
• If a couple is buying a house & one is a 1st time homebuyer, can he claim $4k of the tax credit? #
• Waiting for a video to process for clients overseas. Videos for buyers are so much different than videos for sellers. #
• Showing another house in Cville. "Price keeps coming down with each square foot" #
• RT @petermcarey1: where's the free wifi in Crozet? [Fardowners, Old Trail clubhouse, soon Mudhouse in the Square & Trailside Coffee in OTV] #
• RT @jessicachapin: needs recommendations for good design/web design blogs. [Are you looking in Cville or in general?] #
• At Shenandoah Joe's on Preston waiting for buyer clients. #
• @cvillenewscom I'm passively working on a Belvedere story. It's a shame that it's suffering & that developers don't manage the conversation in reply to cvillenewscom #
• Crap. It's July?! #
• It's going to be a long, long day. #
• RT @traderjoes: by @laurelgeis: So happy to hear Trader Joes is coming to Charlottesville! [now ... when? ] #
• RT @ekday: Gen Y "Not that into Twitter." Interesting. http://bit.ly/10Q9YM [neither are the millennials] #
• How does one report spam to @twitter if @spam isn't following you? #
• RT @cvillenewscom PSA 4 the understandably-confused:This here's the feed for cvillenews.com,not @cvillenews.I have no idea who that dude is. #
• @ianwatt I tend to call when I am going to be 2 minutes late. Time is valuable, as is punctuality. #
• Meeting this morning @mudhousecoffee #
• @mattwilkins I need to find a copy of that law. in reply to mattwilkins #
• Trying out UberTwitter this morning versus Twitterberry #
• My MacbookPro now dies without troubling itself with sleeping. Good. I didn't need that stuff I was working on. #
• RT @hthrflynn: RT @NRVLiving: http://twitpic.com/8t31c – New signs are starting to get placed [NICE!!!!] #
• RT @frugalinva Wow, this feels like an incredibly long day. [And it's just getting started!] #
• Another great haircut at Chung's. I appreciate how he humors me by using scissors #
• @tomperriello – since your office didn't track how many calls were for/against HR2998/ACES, how do you know what constituents think? #
• Give a few bucks to @CvilleTomorrow – this is why – http://bit.ly/CcCIj #
• The Onion is timeless http://bit.ly/M1fBi "As Real-Estate Agent, Area Man's Appearance Crucial" #
• @Cyberhomes I'd feel better about Madoff going to jail if taxpayers weren't paying his way in reply to Cyberhomes #
• RT @BennRosales: We're fans of everyone, can we just get an accept all button? #fb #
• RT @chrispirillo What is Google Wave? http://bit.ly/asWmn [THE killer CRM app?] #
• Save newspapers … by not talking about them? http://bit.ly/ApUmU #
• Reading: Obama Choosing to Be Weak http://bit.ly/3HxwYx – Financial Times #
• RT @SallyGolf: Cap and Trade protest-Tom Perriello's Charlottesville office 313 2nd St. SE Ste. 12 Thursday 7/2 4 pm Bring some attitude! #
• Disappointed that USA lost #
• RT @Akula The US is already up 2-0 on Brazil? This can't be happening, can it?? [Really need to find a pub!] #
• RT @fredwilson Out and about but keeping up on US/Brazil in the confederation cup on twitter. For those who care. US is up 2-0 right now. #
• @sashafarmer curious to see if the "no texting while driving" law will result in fewer tweets #
• @RyanSAdams curious to see twitter traffic levels in Virginia – now versus July 2. I'll bet there will be a decrease of some sort #
• @superninjarobot … & it wasn't for public review for > 48 hours. Transparency loses to politicians' gains/goals. (note my passion? ) in reply to superninjarobot #
• @superninjarobot Additionally, I don't trust anyone who voted for it – none of them could have read it … in reply to superninjarobot #
• @superninjarobot Specifically Section 204. G & I for example in reply to superninjarobot #
• @superninjarobot Correct. Labeling all new homes w/ Energy Ratings (that haven't been developed) brings uncertainty, is broad & undefined in reply to superninjarobot #
• Strictly from a housing point of view, Title II -Building Efficiency of Clean Energy & Security bill -is bad. Very bad. http://bit.ly/ukWFZ #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Twitter Week in Review – 28 June through 5 July

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Dear Mr. Obama:

You need better advisers, because I haven’t seen evidence of this yet:

We have successfully stabilized the financial markets, and that’s important, because that was a huge drag that helped precipitate the crisis. We’ve started to see some stabilization on housing. But what we’re still seeing is too many jobs lost, too many families who are worried about whether they’re going to be next in terms of job loss …

Perhaps you should listen to Jon Stewart?

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Really? Housing has Stabilized?

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

I’m wondering … will the opening of the Mudhouse in Crozet increase surrounding property values? My bet is yes.

I have long believed and argued that being "close to stuff" is valuable for buyers, sellers – people – both from a quality of life and from a property value point of view. With the opening of the Mudhouse, Crozet inches closer to having a real urban core – and that is valuable – economically and sociologically.

One question that I ask all of my clients who are interested in walking or biking to "stuff" is, "what does that mean to you?" Walking for some is 1.5 miles, and 1.5 blocks for others. Just as biking distance may be 3 miles or .5 miles.

From the Cyberhomes blog:

Americans are looking to drive less and walk more these days. Because so many people are interested in using eco-friendly forms of transportation  (than hopping into a gas-guzzling car) that means how "green" your neighborhood is may play into your home’s desirability with potential homebuyers.

One measure of this is how walkable your community is whether homeowners can walk to schools, shops, restaurants, schools and places of worship. If your community is a walkable one, it’s likely that it’ll have appeal to a broader segment of homebuyers than neighborhoods that are not.

I know this – the owners get community, and I look forward to spending a lot of time there. They have a lot of outlets, good coffee and are about a mile – a quick bike ride – from my house.

(Maybe the folks at Walkscore can get the Mudhouse in Crozet added to Google more quickly … )

These are some homes for sale in Crozet that are near the Crozet Mudhouse:

Granted, Crozet does not yet have the infrastructure – sidewalks or bike lanes – that we so desperately need, but they’re coming (hopefully).

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Crozet Mudhouse – Will it Increase Property Values?

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Both new laws are consequential, both for vastly different reasons, and both affect Realtors (and consumers) in Virginia.

First, The Residential Property Disclosure Act:

Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; disclosure of stormwater detention facilities. Provides that an owner of real property makes no representations with respect to the presence of any stormwater detention facilities located on the property and that purchasers are advised to exercise whatever due diligence they deem necessary to determine the presence of any stormwater detention facilities on the property, in accordance with terms and conditions as may be contained in the real estate purchase contract, but in any event, prior to settlement pursuant to that contract.  

The bill in its entirety. Frankly, I do not see this as being particularly relevant (yet) to the Charlottesville area market, but it is something that I will discuss with my clients.

Second, and infinitely more likely to irritate some people:

Wireless telecommunications devices; prohibits use of text messaging while driving certain vehicle. (HB1876):

Text messaging and emailing while driving. Prohibits operation of a motor vehicle, bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped on the highways in the Commonwealth while using any wireless telecommunications device for the purpose of composing or sending any text message or email. This bill provides exemptions for the use of global positioning systems (GPS) and using a wireless telecommunications device to report an emergency. The provisions of this bill do not apply to operators of emergency vehicles.  

The full text of the bill that is applicable to everyone but "emergency vehicle" operators:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 46.2-1078.1 as follows:

§ 46.2-1078.1. Use of handheld personal communications devices in certain motor vehicles; exceptions; penalty.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a moving motor vehicle on the highways in the Commonwealth while using any handheld personal communications device to:

1. Manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person; or

2. Read any email or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored in the device nor to any caller identification information.

…

C. No citation for a violation of this section shall be issued unless the officer issuing such citation has cause to stop or arrest the driver of such motor vehicle for the violation of some other provision of this Code or local ordinance relating to the operation, ownership, or maintenance of a motor vehicle or any criminal statute.

D. A violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a traffic infraction punishable, for a first offense, by a fine of $20 and, for a second or subsequent offense, by a fine of $50.

1 – Is typing a phone number "texting"?

2 – Will this decrease Twitter traffic?

3 – Managing expectations … my response time will be slower once this law comes into effect today, and I foresee that I will be talking to people more. Whereas before I might bang out a quick email while at a stop light, now I will be more inclined to call someone.

4 – Per Section C – So …. they can’t pull us over solely for texting, right?

ASDF

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

New Disclosure Form and No Texting

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Blog Wayback Series …

January 2006: The Future of Realtor.com, etc.

Inman has a simple question:

If Zillow competes with Realtor.com, will (and how will) some of the folks at NAR … position the Seattle company as bad for the industry?

That is an interesting question. With such a vast number of innovative tools, which ones will survive and thrive? The MLS is one of the most valuable tools that we Realtors have. Rather than treat it as such and ensure that it is the comprehensive source of data, we have gotten comfortable and used to having a great source of information; complacency in any profession or industry will inevitably lead to failure. Make no mistake, information is fluid and much more widely available than it has ever been. A potential Seller client made this point to me in no uncertain terms last week.

This excellent post (and subsequent follow-up) details many of the problems of the MLS. It is frustrating to me that so many Realtors apparently see such little value in the MLS.

The MLS is a product, a tremendous amount of information that is leveraged by its owners – Realtors. Simply put, when the MLS becomes just another product, it will lose its efficacy.

My job is to represent my clients to the fullest and best of my abilities. The MLS is a tool, but not the end-all and be-all of my abilities. As technology evolves, professional, successful Realtors will have to evolve as well. Those who have gotten used to putting a sign in the yard and waiting will see some unwelcome changes.

How does this affect the consumer? More on this later.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Blog Wayback – Future of Realtor.com, etc.

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Disclosure: my firm, Nest Realty Group, is marketing Bundoran Farm in conjunction with three other firms in the Charlottesville area. I would be posting about them regardless of any affiliation I might have; I was talking about them in 2007, long before I was with Nest. I was then and am now genuinely interested in  and intrigued by the project (it’s hard to call it a "development").

The New York Times says today in Growing With the Crops, Nearby Property Values:

And in more rural areas, developers are buying big tracts of ranchland and selling small lots to buyers. David Hamilton, a principal in Qroe Farm Preservation Development, is pursuing this approach at the sprawling Bundoran Farm subdivision outside Charlottesville, Va. “We go through a mapping process to see functional agricultural units, if they are good for apples or cattle or whatever, then see where they go together.

Qroe (pronounced “crow”) leases some of the land to cattle ranchers and orchard managers. A buyer of a home site hires a builder from a developer-approved list. Qroe is marketing lots of under four acres for less than $400,000, Mr. Hamilton said. “You’re buying two acres but access to 2,000 acres,” he said.

Grady Lewis, a Virginia native who closed on his 2.67-acre lot in 2007 and moved into his 1,800-square-foot house at Bundoran with his wife, Diane, this spring, responded to Qroe’s idea of preserving “rural quality.”

When all the house lots have been sold, the rental income from the farmers, which currently goes to the developer, will go to the homeowners’ association. “Beyond it being great to see 300 head of Angus scattered across the acres,” Mr. Lewis said, “it’s a cash-flow issue.”

Farm-focused developers must juggle financing a few houses at a time with cultivating crops on a yearly cycle, so many rent farmland to professionals.

And those lots for sale under $400,000?

B-08

I-06

G-03

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Bundoran Farm

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

If you’re a Realtor, a homeowner, a renter, someone who lives in the Charlottesville region, who uses our roads, buses, the occasional train, votes, has thought about voting, is impacted by decisions of our local elected representatives, breathes … you likely benefit in some way, shape or form from the reporting and information gathering, analysis and distribution of Charlottesville Tomorrow.

If I am looking for information for myself or for my clients, I always send links to Charlottesville Tomorrow. Simply put, I am better prepared to represent my clients because of what they do.

Whether it’s about the Meadowcreek Parkway, the Crozet Master Plan, Green Building in the Charlottesville area, New Developments in Albemarle County, New Developments in the City of Charlottesville, Charlottesville Tomorrow usually has the most content available. They are at all the meetings. All the time!

No disrespect intended for our other local media outlets (which I also include when speaking to clients), but Cville Tomorrow has by far, the most comprehensive, thorough, and archived information available about Charlottesville and Albemarle growth, politics, developments …

So … if you feel similarly, please consider donating a few bucks. It’s easy (thanks to Donor Town Square) and quick:

Disclosure: I know Brian Wheeler with Cville Tomorrow and like and respect him and the folks there greatly. This is a totally unsolicited solicitation on their behalf, made only because I believe in what they do. (also, yes, I did "borrow" the "Donate Today" button from their site)

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Donate to Charlottesville Tomorrow

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

• Taking the kids to see the wife in Suffolk for the night. Leaving Cville in a bit #
• RT @Rob_Aubrey: If U wouldn't hire a Realtor build a house, Y would U hire a builder to sell your house #slc #ut #justsaying — #
• Uploading a video for a client … candid property videos are immensely valuable #
• For the life of me I can't find the 300 page amendment for HR2998 online #energytax #
• Listening to John Boehner – need to fact check what he's saying, but if true, HR2998 may be *devastating* for American housing #
• @Acscholl It makes no sense. http://bit.ly/CuT0E – How can they vote on something they haven't read? in reply to Acscholl #
• @ARDELLd Here is the Nest "wall art" – http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimduncan/3588715237/ in reply to ARDELLd #
• RT @ARDELLd: @JimDuncan LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new Avatar, Jim!!! [Thanks, Ardell!] #
• The National Association of Realtors SUPPORTS this hr2998 energy bill? Thanks, NAR. But did they READ it? http://bit.ly/3UoKyw #
• @tomperriello's site is down/slow – "The server encountered an internal error and was unable to complete your request" http://bit.ly/Gz9BK #
• Rep. from Texas asking for a copy of the bill they are going to vote on. There is apparently not a copy of the bill available. #noconfidence #
• @deliawl Unfortunately, on the one day I was in an extreme rush, as I get to the register the credit card machines vomited. I'm hungry. in reply to deliawl #
• @Noras_Mom Nope – Bodo's take Visa and Mastercard. (thank goodness) in reply to Noras_Mom #
• One appraisal came in ok. Waiting on another, home inspection in a bit … Bodo's first though #
• By the way, I love me some @eatatEppies http://bit.ly/oYBtz #
• I love that Shenandoah Joe's on Ivy is playing a bunch of Rush right now. Easy to work to, not so easy to talk on the phone. #
• @justincbeck You're correct – i believe they were asking about the Claudius Crozet tunnel. in reply to justincbeck #
• RT @tweetmeme Cap and Trade Underpants Gnomes — Sunlight Foundation Blog http://bit.ly/OgE2H [If reps don't read it, how can they vote?] #
• "We all knew he was bringing hope & change …" Jon Stewart *rips* Obama for his "transparency" http://bit.ly/2mPkCS -Anyone paying attn? #
• Question from a visitor: "does anyone know how to get to the western entrance of the crozet tunnel by Waynesboro?" #
• Damn good job, NPR. http://bit.ly/hlxrc #
• For some reason I cannot report spam through seesmic. #
• @stuntspeaker @abellahomes I know this about Google Wave – it's going to force me to get a bigger monitor in reply to stuntspeaker #
• Going to lunch @eatateppies in a few minutes #
• Reading: Google Wave Goodbye Real Estate Brokerage As We Know It? http://bit.ly/z6ub2 #
• RT @cvilletomorrow: We just posted our 1,000 entry on our News Center. Now we look forward to the next 1,000. [THANK YOU and Congrats!] #
• If you think negotiating w/ buyers,s sellers, builders, etc is challenging, try negotiating with a 5 year old #
• @cloudberryman Is Cloudberry Mac compatible? in reply to cloudberryman #
• @TomRoyce I'm starting to play w/ S3 for company cloud, but I like Vidlisting for my real estate vids & Viddler for video interviews. in reply to TomRoyce #
• @TomRoyce They did it to me a couple years ago. Professional stuff can't go there. http://is.gd/1cYRt in reply to TomRoyce #
• @superninjarobot Viddler, Vidlisting, maybe Youtube b/c they're big, but their quality stinks #
• Heard that Vimeo yanked videos again in the last few days. Why do people still use them for professional purposes? #
• I just posted a new Studio Turtle Creek Attached for $117,000 – http://www.realcentralvarealestate.com/74 #
• Back on Seesmic for now. Tweetdeck is great, too, and the differences are subtle. #
• RT @ArinSime Dempsey, Altidore and Howard all ROCK! USA soccer in the finals of the Confederations Cup! Who would have believed it? #
• "Stop the presses" is meaningless on those under 25. #
• RT @aaronstewart Cool!!! We are going to have government sponsored TV too, just like China and Iran, AWESOME. Thanks ABC!!! #
• @stevewhitaker #cvillepiefest seems to grow every day. And it all started on Twitter. #
• #cvillepiefest getting plugs on WINA right now #
• (shameless self promotion) A really good conversation re: Charlottesville/Albemarle real estate market: http://bit.ly/cville-market #
• RT @cvillepiefest: 100 days until the Pie Fest!Interested in baking?Or judging?
  Otherwise lending a hand?
  http://cvillepiefest.com/contact #
• Charlottesville tweeps – Cheapest sandwich on the Downtown Mall? #
• RT @dcagle: First sign of summer – gas price hikes http://tinyurl.com/mrq7os ($3 a gallon around me… ouch!) [funny how that happens] #
• RT @NRVLiving: @JimDuncan by all appearances, staff driven. I know, so where's the accountability? Digging into that now [fire staff] #
• RT @mrg7175: ethics is about following the "golden rule" [agreed. Then why is the Realtor Code of Ethics 9 pages long?] #
• @NRVLiving question I still have re: your MLS debacle – was it staff or member driven? #
• A very cool time at CHO. Huge thanks to @BHutchinson for setting things up. I'd definitely try to fly out of there if possible #
• I hate when I misspell things on Twitter. #
• Trting to figure out why Charlottesville police need 2 traffic cops in the Jeep to write parking tickets #
• RT @TheRealClint If I killed a guy driving drunk, Id bet the sentence would be longer than 30 days. #justsayin [not if you had $$$] #
• @1000wattmarc I follow those who I think will add value to me and to whom i think I may add value. The # is ever smaller. in reply to 1000wattmarc #
• RT @outskirts New blog post: C-Ville Commuters Eat Dirt – Lose All Parking! http://bit.ly/dCuOA [I care more now that my office is here] #
• RT @franklyrealty: My shorts have no pockets. I wish man purses and fanny packs were more acceptable.[start a trend!] #
• @drewlawrence When I lost too much hair, it was time to use a current picture. in reply to drewlawrence #
• @drewlawrence Thanks. I stopped using my glamour shot after six years. in reply to drewlawrence #
• @drewlawrence That's a fancy new glamour shot you have there. in reply to drewlawrence #
• Bald eagle population *increased* w/ the development of Bundoran Farm – http://bit.ly/oTJFN – awesome. #
• @jbinfrisco I'd seriously consider switching to iPhone if they weren't on AT&T; service is iPhone's achilles heel #
• @amywebb It's difficult to see need for revolution/innovation/reinvention from the inside. in reply to amywebb #
• @amywebb It's frequently insiders who 1) have the most to lose and 2) are the strongest opponents of improvement/evolution in reply to amywebb #
• RT @DRPnet CAAR Strat Plan: It is hard to think outside your paradigm. Does CAAR need a paradigm shift? [They need to consider a shift] #
• @DRPnet what about the ones that say it *should* not be done? #
• @SteveGaines62 Jon & Kate's popularity is a clear indication that Americans' priorities are astoundingly out of order #
• Wondering how the NAR's radio show is doing. Has anybody listened? What's their website? #
• RT @gibsondm: Think twice before setting up an auto-DM. Then slap yourself for even thinking about it. [auto-DMs are spam-a-rific] #
• @sashafarmer When planning for the association, please ask "are we doing what we should be doing, & what should we *not* be doing"? in reply to sashafarmer #
• @justincbeck 0830. (I'm a single parent this week/month, you know!) in reply to justincbeck #
• @justincbeck Lamentably no – I'll be at Java Java on the Downtown Mall at 8. Tomorrow morning? in reply to justincbeck #
• @BeeRealty I've blocked about 25 "people" in the past 36 hours. Frustrating. #dang in reply to BeeRealty #
• Crozet Volunteer Fire Dept. Car Show sign – http://twitpic.com/86fve – I like how this marketing is useful in our small town #
• Putting in a new listing, blocking lots of Twitter spammers this morning. #
• Uploading a video of the kids to my wife, who's out of town. #
• @AgentSolutions nope. Not yet … #
• @AgentSolutions OSX #
• RT @genuinechris RT @copyblogger: Think "writing" instead of "blogging" or "tweeting." – @clarkster [amen] #
• RT @jeffgunther Today was important day for me personally!The World,please meet Intalgent's dream team- @RyanSAdams, @justincbeck, @maeread #
• Finished showing houses for the day. Off to get my kids and do some more real estate stuff. Poor kids. #
• RT @mlbroadcast I remember when you would only see API or UPI as the source of images in the news, today its TwitPic and YouTube #
• Dear Obama: if I want to see a doctor and pay cash, I'd like to be able to do so. Sadly I cannot. Fix that, please. #
• RT @cvillepodcast Jim Duncan of Nest Realty @jimduncan joined Rick Moore to talk a/b real estate on Wake-Up Call: http://tinyurl.com/mn8y7t #
• @1000wattmarc agreed. Once the sale is closed, they have no remaining rights; I still believe that the MLS is 4 Realtors, not public. in reply to 1000wattmarc #
• RT @Vidlisting: Real estate blogging won't be the same- FTC to monitor blog claims & disclosures of relationships http://tinyurl.com/nesvyp #
• 1st question appraiser asked: "how long was it on the market?" If you think days on mkt don't matter, you're probably wrong #
• @tinainvirginia if they don't want the price in the mls, tell 'em not to *list* it in the mls. It's the Realtors' system, not theirs #
• @tinainvirginia @bnix @charlottesville @monicamcnamara @1000wattmarc sales price in the mls is as pertinent as number of BR & BA. #
• Off to meet an appraiser. #
• I'd appreciate six more hours between now and four o'clock, please. #
• @jmckeever that and the monorail. #
• I'm going to give posterous a try this week. I've had the account for a while, but haven't used it. #
• Wife's gone for work for a few weeks. Single-parenthood, here I come. #
• RT @rerockstar Offer finally signed after great negotiations. Awaiting countersign and away we go. Hooray for days like today. [Congrats!] #
• @ErionHouston meh that I was showing houses rather than watching the games. in reply to ErionHouston #
• US -v- Egypt or Brazil -v- Italy. Meh. Neither off to show a couple houses #
• @steinarknutsen It's not hard to fill an hour of radio – each time I learn more. in reply to steinarknutsen #
• @steinarknutsen It'll be up on cvillepodcast tomorrow or Tuesday hopefully. I think it was pretty good (but I'm not sure) in reply to steinarknutsen #
• @TweetDeck I'd like to be audibly notified only for my @ mentions please #
• Radio over. Going to see my family before my afternoon appointments. #
• RT @deliawl: @JimDuncan listening online! So cool. [thanks so much!] #
• RT @jessicachapin: is listening to @JimDuncan discuss the current state of real estate on WNRN. [thanks!] #
• Getting ready to go live on WNRN to talk about cville real estate market, hvcc, process of buying a home, foreclosures & more. #
• RT @stevewhitaker It's easy to become a father. It's hard to be a Dad, if you're doing it right. Happy Father's Day #
• Prepping for radio at 11 on WNRN. Listen live – http://bit.ly/1agRr6 -or the podcast – http://bit.ly/4AenPM -talking about real estate #fb #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Twitter Week in Review

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Off topic, and not for or against HR 2998, the former HR 2454.

But trust me anyway.

If you were a buyer or seller, would you hire me if I didn’t bother reading the offers, Contracts and contingencies that I asked you to sign?

How Fast Can Congress Read H.R. 2998 from Sunlight Foundation on Vimeo.

Why do we allow our "hired" representatives to get away with passing bills – trivial and substantial – without actually reading them?

More at the Sunlight Foundation:

I wrote last week that OpenCongress can be an incredible resource for citizens, reporters and activists looking for information on Congress, but cautioned that this is only true when Congress makes that information available. With the case of the American Clean Energy And Security Act, this simply wasn’t possible. Members of the House were given precious little time to determine the policy outcomes of this legislation, due to its size, the different versions released, and the time frame provided for action (Speaker Nancy Pelosi had sought a vote before next week’s 4th of July recess). Members of the public were given even less time.

Update 02 July 2009: skip forward to 2:20 to hear him speak about some of the housing implications.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Sign Here and Don’t Bother Reading this Contract (I Haven’t)

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Two years ago, I would have been terrified with the prospect of filling an hour of radio time. This past Sunday on WNRN’s Morning Wake Up show, I think we could have done two. We covered a lot of information on Sunday in a wide-ranging conversation about the Charlottesville regional real estate market and national trends. Being true to the founding of RealCentralVA,

Update 25 June 2009: Listen to the Podcast at the bottom of this post.

Charlottesville real estate blog analyzing the Central Virginia real estate market, market data and trends, buyer and seller advice

The conversation was about focused on the local real estate market.

We discussed local housing inventory, the market’s fight for equilibrium, ratio of buyers to sellers, prices, national trends that are impacting the national and Central Virginia real estate market … and I also garnered a few future story ideas. Below is a list of links to many of the stories we discussed. As is (hopefully) evident, I did a lot of research prior to going to the radio station. Doing live radio is intimidating … there is no editing or pausing. My rules are to prepare as much as possible and (thanks to Coy Barefoot’s suggestion) I now do a topic list of ideas to run through – there’s no specific order, but a list of things to talk about.

One of the fun parts was how the conversation was generated from off-line contributors. We had questions submitted from a discussion on Facebook, a phone call, an in-studio question from the previous DJ/host, a few instant messages … a couple people told me via Twitter that they were listening live, so I’m thinking that next time, we may mention Twitter a bit more.

First, here are some future stories, the ideas for which came from our conversation:

- What percentage of my business comes from representing sellers? Buyers? What are the differences?

- Are Green Homes Selling better than non-green homes? (This will expand on the discussion in the show)

- Searching for a Buyer’s Agent first (as opposed to searching for homes)

- How is the process of buying or selling a home different today versus a few years ago? (Expansion on the radio conversation)

Thanks to Charlottesville Podcasting Network for providing the podcast and WNRN for the opportunity.

So, I apologize for the list of links, but if you want to follow-up on what we discussed, here you go …

Nest’s Signs

HVCC – Home Valuation Code of Conduct

New Appraisal Rules Come with Costs

HVCC: The Cure is Worse Than the Disease

The Appraisal Bubble

HVCC Call to Action

Green Developments in Charlottesville and Albemarle with FIOS:

Bundoran Farm

Belvedere

Mortgage Rates

When Gas Prices are Rising, Mortgage Rates Aren’t Usually Far Behind

Trends in Mortgage Rates: How Mortgage Rates Behave in the Summer Months

Tax Credit and Mortgage Plan

Obama Mortgage Plan May be Expanded

A Crackdown on Rescue Schemes

The 3 States That Accounted For More Than Half Of The Nation’s Foreclosure Activity in May 2009

How About a $15,000 Tax Credit for All Buyers, Even Millionaires

Senator wants to sweeten home buyer tax credit

A Sea Change in the Way Americans Look at Housing

Will the $8,000 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Expand to $15,000?

Twitter in Charlottesville

Charlottesville Tweet ups

Random Links – links we mentioned but didn’t necessary talk about.

Fee-Free Weekends in Your National Parks

What you May be Missing about a Short Sale

Top 10 Reasons I love Short Sales

How the Government can Fix the "Foreclosure Crisis" (hint: DON"T)

Follow Me on Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/jimduncan

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

A Conversation about the Charlottesville Real Estate Market

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

I received this note last week:

"Jim,
Can I just complain about the horrible photos on the Cville MLS? There is a listing with 25 photos and 11 of them are of the kitchen. This house has 3 bedrooms, and there are NO photos of any of them. Am I expected to sleep in the refrigerator? I think it is time for a photo article again. There are some repeat offenders out there. Help them Jim. Help them."

And then a Realtor friend (and remarkable photographer) posted this:

One would think that taking quality photos for marketing a home would be one of the more basic core competencies of a Realtor, but unfortunately, this too often is not the case.

A few of the more critical faults:

1 – No pictures.

2 – ONE picture.

3 – Pictures of everything but the interior.

4 – Not enough photos (the Charlottesville MLS allows up to 50 pictures)

5 – Not enough pictures of everything.

Statistics say that approximately 85% of home buyers search online. Why in the world would a seller allow his or her hired representative to be so delinquent in the marketing of his or her most valuable asset? Heck, even things for sale on craigslist have photos!

On homes that have been trashed, people still want to see what the inside looks like. Not every home is going to be beautiful (and none are perfect) … but buyers understand this. And they still want to see more. More of the inside, more of the outside, more of the street view, more of everything.

Ultimately, in all things real estate, the client is responsible. If you as the seller are not checking your Realtor’s efforts on your behalf, you are failing to do your due diligence in ensuring that your home is being marketed effectively.  And really, what I say doesn’t matter. What should be most concerning is that buyers are, rightly or wrongly, dismissing your home if the pictures are bad or non-existent.

Thank you to the reader who sent that to me via my meebo widget (it’s in the sidebar). I have an idea about bad Charlottesville MLS photos. If you’re game to try, please contact me. Frankly, I think the pictures I take and have processed look pretty good.

——————-

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

More and Better Pictures, Please

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

This is a pretty great note about the Bundoran Farm preservation development in Albemarle County: (click through to read the whole thing)

I received this nice letter below from Joe Barnes at Bundaron (sic) Farm after posting about his wonderful conservation development. I want to share it with you. I love his comment about the TV reporter. This is how all development should be

More on Bundoran Farm:

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Bundoran Farm – How All Development Should Be

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

• I am humbled by the fact that I/we in the US can watch #iranelection from the safety of our homes. #
• Drinking a nice Grenache, smoking a cigar & watching John Hodgeman. http://bit.ly/5yk5b #
• RT @TBoard wow! these photos are so bad they look like they were taken by a Realtor [what are you saying, T? ] #
• Signing up for a new VIC account at harris teeter, they "required" my drivers' license #.? Ummmm. No. #
• Hmm. Just saw that someone retweeted something I didn't tweet in the first place. Spam? #
• RT @FreePressIntl Giving money and power to Government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. #
• Time to show a house. #
• RT @julenesque: Dear newcomers, Crozet does not need a walmart. or a mall. [That's why we go to Waynesboro ] #
• http://twitpic.com/7wei4 – More from Bike Virginia #
• http://twitpic.com/7wd4u – Bicyclists everywhere! #
• @Noras_Mom Charlottesville Farmers Markets – Meade Avenue on Wednesday, Downtown b/t Water & South Street on Saturdays in reply to Noras_Mom #
• Off to show a house. One house. One hour away. #
• RT @cvillepiefest Saturday, October 3. Crozet Mudhouse. Pass it on! — woo-hoo! #
• Off to play my soccer game. It's *hot* today. #fb #
• RT @juphoff: @JimDuncan Agreed on @eatateppies chicken & dumplings. YUM! — I'd say it's good business to host Tweetups, too. #
• Looking at a foreclosure in Old Trail Village.For sale for $190k. Last 3 comps – $262k, $208k, $195k. DM me for full info if you're curious #
• @superninjarobot Thanks. @amywebb Not answering seems worth a fine of "not more than $100" #
• http://twitpic.com/7t5ne – Lots of new faces at #cvilletweetup @eatateppies – their Chicken and dumplings ROCK #
• Ignorant question – is here a law that says one has to answer the census questions? http://bit.ly/thrYI (asked non-partisan-ly) #
• Going to the #cvilletweetup at @EatAtEppies in a bit #
• Roomate sought. Must have voted for Obama. http://bit.ly/3nU4s At least they're open-minded. #
• @SOCAWatcher why, if games were canceled yesterday due to wetness, was SOCA *watering the fields*?! #
• I borrowed this idea from one of the #ducttapemarketing podcasts – http://hellomynameisjim.com #
• @stevewhitaker @jessicaleap @Marijean @sajego ummmm … Pie? #cvilletweetup #cvillepiefest #
• @hchorey yep. Charlottesville MLS is down #
• Off to meet a contractor at a listing. This day is going to be long (and hopefully productive), culminating in a soccer game! #
• @TomRoyce And I thought more people loved me. I really need to spend more time at Friendfeed. in reply to TomRoyce #
• I'm liking my bump in Feedburner subscribers this morning. I don't buy it, but I like it. #
• Coffee. #
• If I've gone paperless, whats it called when I'm doing paperwork? #
• Congrats to http://agentgenius.com for the 2k posts (they're at 2002 now). #
• RT @ancym: oh my! RT @cvillepiefest Whoo-hoo! WINA AM 1070 and Coy Barefoot have volunteered to broadcast the festivities live! — sweet! #
• A bit happy my soccer game was canceled tonight – too much to do. Luckily I have another one slated for tomorrow night #
• Still in a Board meeting. Much longer than anticipated on issues #
• Going to a Realtor Board meeting this morning, contemplating the "too big to fail" question & the concept of charity. #
• @nhaffey also, make sure that when posting from multiple accounts, you remember to un-check when you only want one account in reply to nhaffey #
• @nhaffey click on the wrench in the top right, then the accounts tab. Ensure you have the newest version, too. Seesmic-v-Tweetdeck is fierce in reply to nhaffey #
• RT @jaemery: It's amazing how inaccurate the MLS is these days. I can no longer tell if a property is actually still available. — heh. #
• If you're in the Charlottesville area, I'd really appreciate your input here on Facebook: http://bit.ly/hoxkt discussing Cville real estate #
• *Really* didn't want to rebuild realcrozetva tonight, but it appears I am going to have to #
• @drewmeyers my hyper local site is down, inconveniently enough. When it's back up I'll test the plugin in reply to drewmeyers #
• Cville & Crozet folks – just saw Mary Rice at Great Valu,says people don't know about the Crozet Master plan. Take it! http://bit.ly/jiRU5 #
• Yes, I know RealCrozetVA is down. Blue Ridge Internetworks are working on it. They rock. #
• @JonathanK To paraphrase GI Joe – "being there is half the battle" in reply to JonathanK #
• @younganna Did you see this about the Mudhouse? http://bit.ly/s9fAh in reply to younganna #
• @RealEstateZebra Now *that's* an extended family! http://bit.ly/BvlrH in reply to RealEstateZebra #
• @EatAtEppies If you find someone to help you implement it, I'd love to learn how to do the same! in reply to EatAtEppies #
• RT @MikeMueller RT @RealEstateZebra: And now, for Tweet 10K: I'M GONNA BE A DAD!!!!! http://bit.ly/2SRiWb <======= YEAH! #
• New Firefox RC crashes on me every single time. Might need to switch to Safari for a while. #
• http://twitpic.com/7mnbc – Nest has (some) signage #
• @juphoff The runway will eventually go away. in reply to juphoff #
• @jmckeever @juphoff @gibsondm shameless self promotion for Bundoran Farm – http://www.realestateshows.com/404553 #
• @gibsondm Very. My firm, Nest, is marketing lots at Bundoran Farms. It's an extraordinary development. in reply to gibsondm #
• Getting ready to get a status update on new construction for clients who are out of the country. Flat world, thank you. #
• @jmckeever I fear we are witnessing a similar loss of freedom here, but we are too complacent to recognize it. in reply to jmckeever #
• @juphoff The more I watch the Iranians' commitment & courage, the more I think Americans lack the same. (never thought I'd RT the Huffpost) in reply to juphoff #
• RT @shelisrael HuffPOst has Iranian soccer team at World Cup wearing green armbands. Takes courage. http://bit.ly/18BkAW #
• @kenbrand What's with the links to the stumbled-links rather than the actual links? I've seen this a few times recently. Educate me, please? in reply to kenbrand #
• @BrianNorgard instead of a site with the myriad & disparate tax breaks, why not simplify w/ the Fairtax? #
• re: previous tweet – http://bit.ly/nYwfX – NOT. #
• Ah, transparency. http://bit.ly/hVR8E #
• RT @sonnygill: w00t – @tweetdeck update now gives us multiple accounts! Awesome. — amen. #
• @mikesimonsen @tyr Tough to say. I think we probably *need* at least 1/3 fewer Realtor associations. #
• The Autocomplete feature of #tweetdeck is too obtrusive. Used it once and am turning it off. #
• RT @younganna: So so jealous of #mudhouse crozet. Srsly. — curious -what about it? #
• @tyr @mikesimonsen associations need to lose their attitudes of being entitled to success & be more than MLS access. in reply to tyr #
• Going on #rebarcamp tour looks a bit like following the Dead. Are there veggie burritos in the lots? #
• @mikesimonsen @tyr *if* implemented well and now, how will it be used in 3 years? And by whom? #
• @mikesimonsen the potential is huge. The track record is not great. *if* done right it has potential to be a tremendous asset. #
• I'll be trying out the new Tweetdeck later. http://disq.us/g7p – auto suggest and multiple accounts … Looks pretty sweet #
• @drewmeyers drew, how often are those boundaries updated? #
• RT @mikesimonsen: Great discussion on the comment-enabled NAR property database http://bit.ly/z33Oh @tcar might want to forward to Dale. #
• @wkdavis Fixed my new avatar. Thankyouverymuch in reply to wkdavis #
• RT @CrozetGazette: Announcing the Crozet Gazette 2010 Calendar PHOTO CONTEST! http://bit.ly/ItY81 — Sweet. #
• @bkmcae It's a wordle defining my brokerage's focus. http://bit.ly/ORpNy and http://bit.ly/18uuWO in reply to bkmcae #
• Fighting the medical establishment. Hopefully the comments won't deteriorate. http://bit.ly/Zfqca #
• @donnapatton whatever I can. in reply to donnapatton #
• Awesome – smart energy meters in Charlottesville http://bit.ly/OngnG #
• http://twitpic.com/7jfyy – Wondering if he'll clear the bridge on Ivy Road #
• Getting ready to go to the Crozet business networking coffee meeting @TrailsideCoffee #
• @pjackson Privilege. It became perceived to be a right. #
• RT @marcosbreton Demonstrators in Tehran risk lives massing in the streets for democracy. Idiots in LA set fires to celebrate Laker glory. #
• Realizing how much I depended on my Flip video camera – lost a listing video, buyer video, video for Agent Genius. Aargh. #
• Dammit. My Flip camera just stopped working. With a bunch of videos I need to get off it. #
• God I'm thankful I'm not a new Realtor. Having established relationships in this market is huge. #
• Charlottesville Tweetup at Eppies on the Downtown Mall. Friday 11:45. #
• RT @JasonSandquist: @joslynpanka I use @diversesolutions, good stuff [as do I. They are fantastic] #
• @EatAtEppies @marijean @cmaisannes @stevewhitaker @sajego – I think we're set for about 11:30 at Eppies in reply to EatAtEppies #
• @Marijean Done. See ya'll there for the Cville Tweetup! in reply to Marijean #
• @sajego @marijean how about eppies? Their back room has been offered up for tweet ups. We'd need to nail it down quickly. in reply to sajego #
• Google's got our email, working on health records, free 411, now phone # portability? http://bit.ly/16ODZO what won't they have? #
• @BlueIon The only way I'll ever achieve inbox zero is if 1) I stop using email & 2) My mac melts. in reply to BlueIon #
• All I want is for my soccer game to not be canceled tonight. #
• @RealEstateZebra on the bright side, overcast skies mean sun doesn't burn out the pictures. #
• Thinking about what defines a "big" real estate brokerage. Scale? Mentality? #
• RT @TomRoyce Eyes opening, now time to head to the kitchen and get the coffee started.[I'm there] #
• RT @DailyProgress: Cville seeks eminent domain for road project:
  “It is a major public right of way,” Council.. http://tinyurl.com/lcfluf #
• Curses. Just lost a blog post after working on it for the past hour. #
• RT @pozasalon: @theobserver -The Iranian Twitter revolution – this is happens when 70% of your population is under 30. #iranelection #
• Just rode from home to Great Valu. I love being able to ride my bike to the grocery store. http://bit.ly/ZGwuP #
• Riding my bike to the grocery store. Building my environmental karma. #
• Working an offer and hoping for another one. So much to do, and just not enough time. #
• @justincbeck The family is there now, and I'll be there soon in reply to justincbeck #
• Watching Iraq -v- South Africa. The sound in the stadium is something else. I love how much soccer has been on ESPN lately #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Twitter Week in Review

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

The more I think about it, if a house is not priced right from Day One, and under contract in the first thirty days, that seller’s prospects of selling are greatly diminished.

Transcription:

Hey, Jim Duncan, Nest Realty, RealCentralVA.com here. Clearly, desperately in need of a hair cut. Talking about price. It’s all about price in the Charlottesville market, in any market, but again I’m specifically speaking about Charlottesville, Virginia and the surrounding counties. I wrote two offers yesterday on Monday, June the 1st , both of which were in competitive offer situations. One was in the sub $250,000 price point and one was in the sub $375,00 price point. One had at least two offers and one has at least three offers.

So it’s about price and location folks. It’s really that simple. I remember reading a story a number of years ago saying that there were five different components that could make your house sell: location, condition, price, smell, touch, I don’t know. It all comes down to price. If it’s priced well in a crappy location, it will sell. If it’s priced well in a great location, it will sell.

So when you’re thinking about putting your house on the market, price. That’s all I have to say. Price.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

It’s About PRICE

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

From the Blog Wayback Series:

January 2006 – Recycling in Albemarle?

The HooK has an interesting story this morning that says that even though Albemarle County does not pick up recycling anymore,

… county code mandates that haulers have to offer the service, “but doesn’t say how it should be managed,” … and George Shadman, Albemarle County’s director of general services, urges residents whose recycling isn’t getting picked up to call general services at 296-5811. “We will call the hauler,” he says, “and remind them of their obligation.”

I called my hauler and they do not in fact offer recycling, for simple reasons which I understand. It doesn’t make financial sense to pick up recycling. They would have to come around with another truck to pick up the recycling, on a different day most likely, and this would cost more – gas prices have gone up, labor costs, etc. Personally, I would be willing to pay a little bit more (I’m not sure what amount would be the Tipping Point where I would not want to pay for this service) so that I could feel better about subscribing to the Wall Street Journal.

Maybe if we were all more willing to pay for this service, it would be more freely offered … free market anyone? I know that I and many of my clients (and friends and neighbors) would love the option to easily recycle. One would think that a progressive community such as ours would be able to achieve a progressive recycling program.

Update: July 2008 brought recycling to Albemarle

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Blog Wayback – Recycling in Albemarle?

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Who will Make This type of Video for Charlottesville?

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, please leave a comment or contact me.

Looking back at the First Quarter Market report:

And the surrounding regions …

2411. The number of properties currently on the market right now.

317. The number of properties that have sold through the MLS in Central Virginia.

36. The number of these properties that are marked as having been foreclosures.

529. The number of properties that went under contract in the first quarter.

The first quarter is over; thank goodness.

And today*:

2707. The number of properties on the market right now.

737. The number of properties that have sold so far this year.

72. The number of properties sold so far this year market as foreclosures.

1198. The number of properties that have gone under contract so far this year.

———

First things first – temporarily, I am ignoring aggregate days on market numbers. I do not trust them, and will go into more detail in a future post. Suffice it to say, there are enough outliers and inaccuracies to force me to say publicly that the numbers are not accurate. The only way to get a true representation of days on market in the Charlottesville area is to run the numbers individually, say, for a market analysis.

Here is a quick example why I do not trust the days on market numbers:

Of the 204 properties that have "contract dates" of at least 1 April 2009, 55 have Days on Market number of zero. Think that might skew the aggregate numbers? About 99% of these 55 "outliers" are new construction …  all that being said, we can gain insight by running numbers manually.

———–

Looking at the numbers a bit differently,

556 properties in the Charlottesville MLS (that were not marked as being new construction) went under contract since April 1 2009.

148 – about 27%  – have continuous days on market of less than 30 days.

231 – about 42% – have CDOM of less than 60 days

———-

Anecdotally – properties are selling. Buyers are buying, sellers are selling.  Some properties are selling in three, five and ten days … some even with multiple offers.

The $8,000 tax credit (h/t TPREG)is absolutely on the minds of first-time homebuyers. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s free "money" from the government! (and no, I’m not seeing sellers price their homes $8k more because of the credit – most sellers just want to sell and aren’t concerned with capturing that $8k.  Some sellers are holding off because they cannot get the prices they need because they are under water – either principle or principle plus the HELOC – and some because they are getting good advice.

Buyers are noticing that well-priced properties are selling. When houses reach a certain price point, they will sell. Try it yourself – search for homes for sale in Charlottesville or Albemarle by price reduction and you will see that things are moving.

But … some buyers are holding off because they aren’t going to be here for more than at least three to five years, they are concerned about the possible (and likely) continued decline in housing prices,

Interest rates have been rising, but they are not "high" by historical standards. Dan Green thinks that "rates will decrease over the next 30 days." (thanks for the chart, Wolfram Alpha)

Please do not pay attention to the "average DOM" or the "% diff list/sell" – they just aren’t accurate. Neither take into account properties that have been listed and re-listed (and sometime re-re-listed). Frequently the actual days on market and differential between original list price and ultimate selling price are wildly disparate.

————–

A quick agent update: By this time in:

2005 – 81 agents had more than 10 sides and 238 had more than 5

2006 – 71 agents had more than 10 sides and 218 had more than 5

2007 – 52 agents had more than 10 sides and 181 had more than 5

2008 – 33 agents had more than 10 sides and 138 had more than 5

2009 – 24 agents had more than 10 sides and 84 had more than 5

————–

Update 17 June 2009:

At Buyer’s request in the comments:

————–

Price range statistics report.

More about Days on Market and Inventory levels.

*Right now is Sunday night, 14 June 2009

————

Caveats:

1 – Central Virginia, for the purposes of this report, is Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson

2 – This is a smaller number – likely significantly smaller – than the actual number of foreclosures in our market.

3 – There is no reliable way to determine the number of short sales in our market, as there is not yet a consistent and reliable method to track foreclosures.

4 – I’m sorry for the brevity of this post; I’m still working on a few things to make my reports deeper and more robust.

Tags: charlottesville, albemarle, real estate market, real estate data, market statistics, inventory, days on market

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Nearly Mid-2009 Market Report for Charlottesville and Albemarle real estate market

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

The City is going to try to exercise eminent domain to get the land for the Hillsdale Connector. There’s money to hire the folks to take the land, but not to actually build the road. Ironic, no?

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Eminent Domain in Charlottesville

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

• RT @joshcvt If only I lived in a city with minor-league baseball. [Check out the Waynesboro team] #
• http://twitpic.com/7afp8 – Polo in Crozet #
• Looking forward to the Pink Ribbon Classic at King Family Vineyards tomorrow – http://www.pinkribbonpolo.com/ #
• @robhahn – and … I went from over 1k inbound to 500 or so. Maybe they're cleaning out the internet tubes #
• @robhahn I went from 5 to 4. Nothing changed on my end. Bother. Thanks for pointing that out. in reply to robhahn #
• Nice review for @paracoffee and @erikelley http://bit.ly/Lt8kn #
• Realtors: I have clients out of the country looking for homes. 3 interior pictures of a $600k home is utterly negligent. #
• I'm equal opportunity Twitter-er. Just had a great experience with a Comcast CSR. (Remember this tweet next time I complain!) #
• I'm equal opportunity twitter-er. Just had a great experience w/ a Comcast CSR (remember this next time I complain, please!) #
• Heading away from a late afternoon storm. Wish I could stay in town for Fridays after 5 #
• Uploading two home inspection videos to @vidlisting. One from Firefox, one from Safari. Big, big files #
• Sounds like the guys occupying the office above us are playing football. There's cheering, laughter, slamming. I bet they have beer. #
• RT @hopelessslie: Attractions in Charlottesville, VA: (according to yahoo.com) Vineyards, Rivers, & Churches.Soo many options, this is tough #
• RT @juphoff: @JimDuncan They turned the analog version off today! #
• Is youtube down? #
• @robhahn weather here is marvelous. Except when it's not. Not = 87° and 140% humidity. Seriously, only a few weeks are uncomfortable in reply to robhahn #
• Trader Joe's coming to Charlottesville. Sometime in the future. Either way, I'll get excited (and so will my friends and clients!) #
• Today's sign of the apolocalypse: Bill Maher wants Obama to act more like a president, less like a celebrity http://bit.ly/Enhmb #
• @rerockstar PACs: legal & accepted bribery that is understood to be needed for people & organizations to express their political desires. in reply to rerockstar #
• Yay. Wireless at the home inspection! #
• Upgraded one of my blogs to Wordpress 2.8 … hopefully all is good. #
• Public Affairs meeting over. I ruffled some feathers w/ my description of PACs. I'm right though. off to show a house #
• In a Realtor public affairs meeting. Getting insight into local politics #
• So … now will my comcast bills go down now that we're on HD for real? #
• I have so much writing to do, but I have actual real estate work that must take precedence. #
• @familytreegirl do you have a link? in reply to familytreegirl #
• Took a few hours of needed downtime. Now I'm #atthegym. Hope I'll be able to finish what I need to tonight. #
• It's been a long week. Think I'll take the little one to the pool for a bit, hit the gym and then hit the work. Lots accomplished this week #
• Whew! Finished showing houses in Crozet. Need to find time for the gym tonight #
• RT @rerockstar What do real estate agents call a 10×10 bedroom? Duh, a #squarespace [well played, my friend] #
• RT @stevewhitaker Stop.

  Pandemic time. #

• First meeting over. Heading to Waynesboro to see about a listing #
• RT @cpcollin How much money does Real Madrid have? Kaka AND Ronaldo? [No kidding] #
• @jmckeever I kinda prefer not knowing about family stuff until after the fact. #
• @hchorey I feel youur pain. Permissions are so screwed up on one of my blog I need to slot out a few hours to upgrade #
• Off to meet first clients of the day. A bit tardy though. #
• Now to figure out how to blog something from Squidoo #
• Waiting for my Squidoo password to be reset. I haven't played with it in years, but now have the urge #
• Holding a copy of the NYTimes he says, "you who'd love this? My grandma." … "Why is aged news better than real news?" MUST Watch #
• NYTimes is getting *shredded* on Daily Show right now. #
• Soccer game canceled due to lightning & rain. Skies are clearer as I drive home. Darn it. #
• I really think that US Mail should be delivered on Mon/Wed/Fri. Bills are electronic & next day is FedEx/UPS #
• @johnchapin Yep. I'm on the Park Orbits. You the competition tonight? in reply to johnchapin #
• I really hope it doesn't rain. I want to play my soccer game at 7. #
• RT @pkitano Kudos to @tomroyce for http://therealestatebloggers.com 2,000,000 visitors! [ a remarkable milestone - congrats!] #
• Home inspection nearly over. Got to put on Dickies & crawl in crawlspace to take pictures & see things w/ my own eyes-better for my clients #
• RT @KrisBerg @PapaGrande You did the right thing, of course, unless you want to add the presiding judge to your social network. #
• @donnapatton and if I couch my opinion as such, then clients would be free to make up their own minds. We need to be more trustworthy than G #
• @BennRosales also, what are our clients hiring us for if not our honest assessments? #
• @BennRosales issue is that "fair" is ambiguous. My teenagers's "fair" may be much different than mine. #
• @donnapatton I did. I knocked and yelled. Several times. If they had a doorbell, I'd have rung that too in reply to donnapatton #
• First time in 8 years as a Realtor that I've walked in to show a house & saw naked people. Every day is a new day. #
• @rerockstar It's like me getting paid a ton before I take a listing, then putting one picture in, & not putting it in the MLS. What a waste in reply to rerockstar #
• RT @TheWick Don't DM me when I follow you. I will open up a can of whoop-ass on your twitter account. #
• I am so sick of all the ads for gov't motors talking about how thy're going to be better. How 'bout they walk the walk vs talk the talk #
• @RealtorJimLee Yep – & the only way to catch those errors is to actually look at the data rather than rely on top-level numbers. Frustrating in reply to RealtorJimLee #
• Seeing yet another reason why I can't trust aggregate MLS data. To get good results, one must look at raw data. & that's time consuming #
• Google Wave would be really useful for some of the conversations I'm having tonight #
• A great post on merit -v- participation from @jenontheedge http://bit.ly/2BdGM If we're all "winners" what does "winning" really mean? #
• Time to buckle down. Need to get a contract ratified tonight & look at a new construction offer #
• @kelkel926 What brings you to Cville? I see @sajego's already informed you that we are civilized w/ a Chipotle! #
• I wonder if this Realtor has any clue how bad she looks http://bit.ly/eUZFX #
• Crazy storm. Lightning, rain, thunder. Blues skies in the distance. Local radio just went down. XM's up though #
• @rerockstar they take offense b/c they already know everything. #
• RT @spencerrascoff Obama seems to have stopped the housing slide. At least on his house. http://tinyurl.com/clh3b4 [he's just a tenant ] #
• Showing more houses. In search of "realistic sellers," to use a term a friend used earlier. #
• http://bit.ly/1ajkv6
  @franklyrealty does it again #
• I keep seeing new bank branches being built. Isn't that market fairly well saturated? #
• Need more time. And another me. If I get stuck at a red light for two cycles today, my schedule will be ruined. #
• @RealEstateZebra yep. I'm holding two open houses this morning. Need two of me. #
• Prepping for a few realtor open houses today, taking a video and then talking to a client overseas. I love how the world is flat #
• Scored two goals tonight. I love summer league soccer. We all seem to laugh a lot more (must be b/c we're paid so handsomely) #
• Hungry. Haven't had lunch yet. #
• Got an exciting email a little while ago. Grateful for opportunities. #
• http://twitpic.com/6wumi – Gas for $2.36 brings lines to the Emmet St Kroger #
• Few things are as satisfying as being productive. #
• @LaniAR I just increased my followers by trying to be interesting & adding value to my friends & followers. #
• Waiting to hear back about an offer. #
• I think Terry McAuliffe is trying to compensate for his lack of VA credibility by littering the landscape with signs #
• @acemaker that's the funny part. He looked right at me; I was 3 feet from him. At least *I* stopped. #
• It would have been nice if that Charlottesville City bus driver had felt compelled to stop for me when I was in the crosswalk #
• @ohmybrain I think there is still a decline built into the market. Could be 10%, could be 1%. I'm debating predicting flattening in spring #
• Mmmm …. data. Nearly 20% of properties in the Charlottesville MSA have had price adjustments in the last 40 days. #
• Talking to buyer clients about possibly making offer tomorrow. #
• @drewlawrence @sashafarmer because some things work better in Safari than in Firefox & vice-versa. Stupid browser-specific MLS in reply to drewlawrence #
• @sashafarmer @drewlawrence please email me & IS – they think that it's only a few people in reply to sashafarmer #
• Think I'm going to go to Crozet Pool. #
• Greenberry's makes a great breakfast sandwich. Shame their kitchen is closed on Sundays. #
• Poorly timed stoplights are my enemy this morning. #
• Another gorgeous day to show property. And I'm off. #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Twitter Week in Review

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

So says C-Ville.

According to a public notice in today’s Daily Progress, the store is applying for a liquor license with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The ABC has confirmed that the application was received on May 21 and is currently undergoing due process.

The store will be located on the stretch of land between Hydraulic Road and Greenbrier Drive.

For those unfamiliar with Trader Joe’s, I describe them as “Whole Foods for the rest of us.”

And here I was hoping that they would have one in either the new Martha Jefferson redevelopment or Belvedere …

More at cVillain.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you are not reading this at RealCentralVA.com the site you see is likely stealing content.

Trader Joe’s Coming to Charlottesville

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post