pride of status, race or schooling, dogmas that obscure your plan.

In our common quest for justice may we hallow brief life’s span.

                -From the Hymn: For the Healing of the Nations

I guess everyone has skeletons in their closet; every person, every nation.  Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it brings cause for us to celebrate the progress we’ve made as well as our shortcomings on some of the biggest skeletons in our national closet: slavery, racism, mounting economic inequality.

Ostensibly, I’ve got two big strikes against me regarding the issues above.

I’m from Detroit.

I’m a Real Estate Agent…

First, Detroit.  A couple of years ago, cartographer Eric Fischer produced a series of maps based on census data.  Maps of cities show where people live based on what color their skin is.  It is an instant way to visually grasp the reality of segregation in American cities today.  And guess which city is one of the most segregated?  My home town, Detroit.

Click to read Time's article on the maps

Red dots represent white people.  The blue dots represent black people.  Every dot is 25 people.

I grew up in the suburbs on the Northeast side of the city.  My, my family, my friends-almost everyone I knew- are a handful of those red dots.  Without being able to see the street names on this map, I can tell you that that dense line of red next to the dense line of blue by that box on the far right is Alter Rd.  I know that because even as a kid- even though no one ever told me to- I knew to turn around on my bike once I got to Alter Rd.  To the east of Alter are the Grosse Pointe suburbs (solid red) and the west side of the street begins the city (instant blue).  For the most part, Alter Rd also represented the outer boundary of the world to myself and my friends.  Segregation.

I was surprised to see that Richmond, the old capital of the South, is a more integrated city than many of the larger Northern cities.

Click to find your own city map

Still, you can easily identify some neighborhoods the bright red West End, or the heavily blue Jackson Ward.

The maps point to this simple fact: skin color is still, generally speaking, is one of the biggest factors in determining where people choose to live.

And that leads me to my second strike: I’m a Real Estate Agent.

Before the Civil Rights Act of 1968, the Real Estate Industry was one of the most influential contributors to racism that existed.  Housing discrimination was the norm.  Back then, it wasn’t hard to find neighborhood communities or Real Estate companies that would display signs making it clear that Whites were the only neighbors or clients allowed.  Of course, the norm for many industries before 1968 was blatant discrimination, but the Real Estate Industry, because they had a hand in where people would or wouldn’t live, had the potential to be a powerful voice as Civil Rights continued to grow in our country.

For the most part, the R.E. Industry was slow to change their ways.  Laws were passed, but practices continued, and still do.  In 2006, there was a legal investigation into a Chicago R.E. company for refusing to show certain properties to black buyers.

My Hope for Richmond:

That we become a more purple city and a less red and blue city.

That the functional segregation of our school system breaks down more and more every year.

That businesses, especially grocery stores, invest in  and serve the urban, largely black communities.

That Sunday 10am will be the least segregated hour of the week and not the most.

That as my 2 little white children grow up, they will have dear friends who are not only white.

That in the old Capital of the Confederacy, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream would happen again and again in our daily lives…

I have a dream that one day… the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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Click on photo to learn how this house also provided sheep for a family in Kyrgyzstan

I asked Christof about the process of going through a major renovation.  Here, he shares his answers and unveils the master plan for the house.

Christof & Megan with their incredibly cute and well-behaved daughter

Me: What was it about this house that made you decide to buy it over all the other houses for sale in Richmond?

Christof: This house had, by far, the most character per dollar of any house we saw during our house-hunting process. Also, the curved wraparound porch, and beautiful old Sycamore were selling factors.

Me: Tell us about the process of re-designing so many aspects of the house… Why did you decide to add the bathroom downstairs and change the floorplan the way you did?  What were your priorities (maximize space/resale value/personal needs/historic integrity)?

Christof: The rationale for introducing a powder room in the center of the ground floor was a necessary, balancing, response to our decision to take out the old, full bath next to the kitchen. It didn’t make much sense for us to have a full bath on the first floor anyway, it needed tons of work, and we wanted space for a pantry… so we pulled it out.

Original Floor Plan

Renovation Floor Plan

Floor plans shown above are courtesy of Brian Ward, general contractor on this project and owner of Greenleaf Renovations.

Christof: Our priorities all along have fairly focused on livability. So many people view their homes through the lens of resale value. We’re not taking that approach. We knew we wanted a walk-in pantry, open kitchen, large island, and smooth flow from the living room through the dining room to the kitchen. Our secondary concern was historical integrity. We’ve purchased old pine lumber to replace any holes in the wood floor, used reclaimed wood for as much framing as possible, and decided to restore the porch to its original glory with a railing and spindles to recapture some of the romance of the original Victorian look.

Me: What have been some of the biggest challenges to this point?

Christof: Some of the biggest challenges have been getting the yard in order. The huge Sycamore and surrounding vegetation cost a lot more to handle than we thought. But, on the other hand, now that they’re all trimmed up it’s much more exciting and beautifying than we expected so it all evens out.

Me: What part of the house are you most excited about?

Christof: The most exciting part of the house right now is the kitchen. It looks like it’s just going to be awesome.  There are three additional areas that keep our minds spinning at night. The first is the possibility of fully restoring the wraparound porch. This has the potential to add value to the home and make the home much more useable for entertaining. Secondly, we are excited about the possibility of adding a second-floor balcony off of the guest bedroom/study. This is definitely one of those “aim for the moon” concepts right now, but it’s still within the realms of possibility and so… we keep dreaming. Third thing would be the “loft” – aka attic. We would like to finish it off and are preparing the space for additional work after we move in.

Great attic space just waiting to turn into living space

New Master Bedroom closet framed out

If you are thinking of buying or selling your Woodland Heights/Westover Hills home, contact me!  I live in the neighborhood… know it, love it, and I’m excited to help you with all things Real Estate.

Keep visiting the blog for more updates on the progress of this home in the coming weeks!

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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Yesterday, we took a walk in Forest Hill Park and collected some choice leaves.  This morning, Sam made an autumn leaf, waxpaper and crayon… thingy.

If you’re in an arts and craftsy mood for the holidays, check out these ideas from around the web (Click on any picture for the full link.)

Step It Up

Tie bundles of bare tree and winterberry branches to the spindles in your staircase for an autumnal look. After Thanksgiving, tie pine boughs to the branches with pretty velvetribbon, and wire Christmas ornaments around the velvet ribbon for extra color.

Twinkling Vases

Tiny bulbs create a striking modern display when placed in frosted cylindrical vases. Wrap ribbon around the bottoms of the vases and affix with double-sided tape. Loosely coil a single strand of lights in each vase, and then send the plug end over the back lip of the vase and run it behind so it’s hidden.

Card Garlands

The season’s first greeting cards, arriving weeks before the family tree goes up, are enough to stir most people’s decorative impulses. This year, festoon mirrors with Lametta tinsel and use the sparkly wire to display your collection of cheerful tidings. Under the garlands, nestled in compotes, ribbon-lined candy pouches make sweet, simple party favors.

Mini Christmas Tree Door Decoration

Turn the traditional Christmas wreath on its head with a handmade container for a live tree. Make a pouch by sewing the sides of a folded piece of burlap or a similarly styled dish towel. Wrap damp cheesecloth around the roots of a small sapling and place the tree into a plastic bag. Tie a few holiday-hue ribbons around the bag and attach bells or ornamentswith hot glue or thread.

Make-at-Home Simple Snow Globes

Oversize glass containers and vases offer a great see-through way to display holiday colors. Start with a large tray and a few jars and containers in various sizes. Plantevergreen saplings (we used Golden cypress) in several of the containers and cover the soil with faux snow. For contrast, pile another jar or two with red fruits — apples, pomegranates, or cherries — or red ornaments. Place the collection in front of a window, at an entry, or as a centerpiece for your holiday table.

Welcoming Doorknob Decoration

This fun holiday door decoration will welcome guests with the festive scent of evergreen and a friendly message. Fold over the top of a wideburlap ribbon and cut a slit through both layers to slide over a doorknob. Use adhesive letters to spell out a message and use wire to attach bits of evergreen and pinecones.

Editor’s Tip: Create a handful of these door accents in just an hour or two — just change the message on each one and use them on guest bedroom doors or the front door.

Winter Branch Chandelier

Stand back and marvel at your beautiful handmade and eco-friendly chandelier. Happy Holidays!!

Mini Evergreen Shelf Decorations

Planted inside transferware bowls, a series of baby Norfolk Island pines brighten up a mantel. The idea also works for shelves, bookcases, or tabletops. Choose bowls in complementary colors or plain white, whichever best suits your existing holiday decor color scheme. Cover the dirt with nuts and acorns or with a collection of mini ornaments.
Indulge in a little holiday nostalgia by displaying vintage Christmas postcards in classic frames. Cards, from $6 each;ikea.com

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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Click to visit Freddie Mac website

Check out the details, and remember- hiring a Buyer’s agent is totally free to you.  It’s crazy, I know.  I help my clients locate houses that match their criteria through a fancy pants Realtor search engine, help you navigate through all the different kinds of financing available, home inspections, contract writing, negotiation, etc.  Contact me.  Even if you’re just flirting with the idea of home buying and you just have a few questions, I’m here to help.

The details:

Freddie Mac First Look Initiative

Freddie Mac will offer homebuyers and select non-profits an exclusive opportunity to purchase HomeSteps homes prior to competition from investors through the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative. This on-going initiative offers owner occupant homebuyers the ability to purchase HomeSteps homes during their initial 15 days of listing (30 days in Nevada), without competition from investors. The purchaser does not need to be a first time homebuyer to be eligible provided, however, that they are buying the home as their primary or secondary residence.

HomeSteps SmartBuy^SM

HomeSteps SmartBuy is our exciting home purchase program that offers:

• A limited two-year HomeProtect® Home Warranty* [PDF]
• Up to 30% savings* on new appliances

We want you to feel confident about your decision to buy from us, and have the peace of mind you expect and deserve from your new home.

Buying a HomeSteps® home is truly a smart buy!

*Certain restrictions, limitations, terms and conditions apply. SeeHomeSteps SmartBuy Terms and Conditions for further details.

Homebuyer Incentives**

• Up to 3.0% buyer’s closing cost

**HomeSteps homebuyer incentives are available to owner-occupants purchasers only.

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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But if you’re thinking of buying or selling, you need to know more than just an understanding of the concept that “the housing market crashed.”

Here’s what you know… but didn’t really know about the Richmond Market…

1- Prices are Down.

Median House Price in Richmond Metro

Lucky Dog:  The guy who sold his house in June of 2008.  Back then, the average home in Richmond fetched a price of $233,000

Here's what that feels like

Poor Schmuck:  The guy who bought his house in June of 2008, and then sold it in February of this year, when the average Richmond home price dipped to $153,000

The Difference:  A decline of 34%… or $80,000

2- Ask and Ye Shall Receive… Less

Back in October of 2007, when you listed your home at $200,000 you ended up selling it for $195,000… or 98% of your list price.

Today when you list your home at $200,000 you will probably end up selling it for $188,000… or 94% of your list price.  That’s a difference of $8,000

3- What it means

If you are buying, you are going to find some amazing deals and buy a lot more house than you would have been able to 5 years ago.  If you are in that boat, here’s the other great thing… hiring a Buyer’s Representative is FREE to you.  Contact me if you’d like to learn what I do for Buyer clients.  Here’s a snapshot.

If you are selling, it means you might not get the price you would like when you sell your home.  Here are the Top 10 Value Boosting Projects that you can do for your Richmond home.  You are also going to need a Realtor who works harder and is better than the rest.  You happen to be reading his blog.

Do you have any questions about the Richmond market?  Leave a comment!

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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What makes people happy?  We go to such lengths to measure GNP (Gross National Product) but isn’t Gross National Happiness even more important?

Click to enter balloonsofbhutan.org

Instead of “Gross National Product”, Bhutan uses “Gross National Happiness” to measure its socio-economic prosperity, essentially organizing its national agenda around the basic tenets of Buddhism. Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singe Wangchuck, invented the idea in 1972, to give his tiny country some international clout and guard against potential future invasion by its two mighty neighbors (India and China).  (taken from balloonsofbhutan.org)

Jonathan Harris traveled to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, taking a snapshot of happiness.  He asked people 5 questions:

• What make you happy?
• What is your happiest memory?
• What is your favorite joke?
• What is your level of happiness, between 1 and 10?
• If you could make one wish, what would it be?

He recorded people’s answers and took beautiful photos as he traveled.

The recordings and pictures are beautiful, simple, and honest.

How many balloons are you holding?

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke that might involve God and lightening.

If you see me walking around the grocery store donning a big name tag with my company logo, you’ll know that I’ve taken some advice to heart (check out the play by play on RealRVA’s facebook page).

But here’s the point, friends; hanging out with a bunch of agents this week has reminded me that Real Estate has it’s own language and mumbo jumbo to sort through.  Terms get tossed around by Real Estate folks, and regular folks- folks who don’t wear a name tag to do their grocery shopping- aren’t sure what they mean.

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It was an old house.  A foreclosure.  The kind of place you dream about fixing up: a 1920′s house with a ton of space and even more character in a great location.  It was just begging for a young couple with a creative spirit to give it new life again.

Over the next 3 months or so, my friends are going to be repainting siding, refinishing floors, rebuilding the wonderful wrap-around porch, knocking down walls, creating an entirely new kitchen area, a new bath on the main floor, custom pantry and laundry room, new master bedroom with a totally new bath.  It is going to be a spectacular house in a few months.

Brian Ward, at Greenleaf Renovations, will be in charge of the renovation.  Old homes are his thing; he doesn’t build new ones (though I know enough about contracting to know that that would probably be a lot easier.)

“Given the existing housing stock, we think it is much more sustainable to take care of what we have and renovate it to suit our current and future needs.”

I can get behind that.

The other wonderful thing about this house is something that you will never be able to see by driving by: it’s tied to the dreams of a grandmother in Kyrgyzstan.

Click to learn more about this Kiva loan

Whenever clients of mine close on a house, I give a loan to somebody in the developing world.  You can learn why on the about page.  But the bottom line is what I think is a simple but powerful idea: what if, when you achieved your dream of home ownership, you made sure somebody else’s dream came along with it.

A sort of buddy system for dreams.

This house in Woodland Heights will be a source of financial stability over the coming years for a young family here in Richmond.

And in Kyrgyzstan, Mrs. Kanymetova, 63, (pictured in center) has requested the loan to purchase more sheep, which will breed and increase her flock size, which will be a source of financial stability for her and her family.

From Woodland Heights to Kyrgyzstan, I think the average person has the same dream: the opportunity for our hard work to provide our families with financial stability.

Freedom from worry.

And now, thanks to Kiva, another home in Richmond is tied to the dreams of another hard-working family in the developing world.

At the moment, Mrs. Kanymetova’s loan is still not fully funded.  Want to help her get her sheep?  Click on her picture to learn more about her loan and about how lending your money through Kiva works.

Click to join the RealRVA Lending Team.  We are simply a group of people who want to help struggling entrepreneurs in developing countries to succeed.

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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But today, I’m thinking of Family, not Real Estate.

It was busy week over here.  Saturday saw the first good frost of the season.  The cold mornings are a comfort to my Michigan soul.

We found the perfect afternoon and spent it at Pocahontas State Park.  Peace sweeps over me like the shadows of tall trees as we enter the woods.  Playground in forest.  The kids are so happy whenever we go there.

I still think it’s a really cool thing to find a turtle in the wilderness.  A feral turtle, if you will.

We chat with the fellow for a while.

If you have kids, maybe this scenario sounds familiar;

We got some small stuffed farm animals from IKEA a few months ago.  The kids haven’t been too interested in them.  But one day last week, Sam is playing with them and he asks tells me, “Get the cow to talk, Daddy.”

So I do.

I don’t just give animals voices… I try to summon the essence of their being.  I decided that the white and brown cow was the persona of the Queen of England, trapped in a bovine body:  Over the top British old lady accent.  Easily shocked.  Refined sensibilities.  I named her Clarabelle.  The black cow is her husband, Reginald.

By all accounts, Clarabelle is far too much ‘woman’ for Reginald.  But they’ve been married for a long time, and they seem to have found their niche.

 Sam got his very first remote controlled car this week.  And it makes me a little bit sad to look at this picture.  He looks like a little boy.  A real live ‘kid’ and not just baby Sam getting bigger.

And as the cooler weather sets in, I spend my free time doing something that I love…

The garage is transformed into the Cedar and Salmon Workshop.

What’s the project, you ask?

Wooden play kitchens.  I put them up on Etsy this week and shipped my first one off to New York City.

Etsy is amazing if you think about it.

The implications of Etsy didn’t dawn on me until this week.

Think about this… Etsy might be the most effective yet quiet Occupy Wall Street movement around.

Why purchase from huge corporations when the people around you can create wonderful things?  In large part, Etsy makes it possible.

I just shipped a wooden play kitchen that I made in my workshop to a lady that I’ve never met in New York City.  I think an economics and/or sociology student could write an interesting paper dissecting the various levels of implication in that one interaction.

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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This week, we looked at the Top 10 Projects on the Cost vs. Value Report for Richmond, VA.  I think there’s more to learn from the list than just a list of 10 items.

First, take a look at the 6 highest ranking items:

1. Entry Door Replacement
2. Garage Door Replacement
3. Basement Remodel
4. Deck Addition
5. Window Replacement (vinyl)
6. Siding Replacement

With the exception of #3, they are all exterior projects.

The Takeaway: Don’t ignore the value of curb appeal when you sell your home.

Click for a great article on curb appeal tips from This Old House

#3 is a basement remodel.  After the top 6 exterior lineup, we follow up with a finished attic for #7.

The Takeaway: Increased (finished) sq. footage is one of the best ways to add value to your home.

Coming in at #’s 8 and 10, the minor/major kitchen remodel is not the silver bullet we usually think it is when you sell your home.

The Takeaway: In the current market, a lot of buyers are looking for a deal; a fixer upper.  I’ve seen a lot of sellers who throw in some granite counters and stainless steel appliances and think that it’s going to make every buyer swoon.

It won’t.  It doesn’t.

Buyers know that they’re paying for that granite and those appliances, and most of the time, they’d rather spend their money designing their own kitchen rather than have you do it.  A blank slate and a fair price is more attractive to buyers than some half-assed uninspired kitchen renovation.  Renovate your kitchen because you want to renovate it- not for a buyer.

Click for an article on 28 Thrifty Ways to Customize Your Kitchen

Here’s the last thing.  With the exception of project #1- a new entry door- none of these projects ended up putting money back into your pocket.  Check it out:

Job Description                        Job Cost                      Value Added                    Cost Recouped

1. Entry Door                              $1098                               $1488                                 135.5%
2. Garage Door                           $1178                                $1079                                 91.6%
3. Basement Remodel             $57,627                          $45,757                             79.4%
4. Deck Addition                       $9,916                              $7,670                               77.3%
5. Windows (vinyl)                   $9,965                              $7,705                               77.3%
6. Siding (vinyl)                         $10,347                           $7,917                               76.5%
7. Finished Attic                        $45,591                           $33,921                             74.4%
8. Minor Kitchen Remodel    $20,762                        $15,358                               74%
9. Windows (wood)                   $10,873                         $8,011                                 73.7%
10. Major Kitchen Remodel    $55,004                          $38,713                              70.4%

The Takeaway: Unless your cost recouped is over 100%, you are losing money.  That’s right.  Only one project of the top 10 meets that criteria.  In the current market, if you want to make money by doing improvements before you sell, you’ll have to do them yourself.  Doing it yourself means dramatically slashing your job costs, which means increasing your cost recouped.

Jay McGee used to live in Southeast Asia, doing language research and literacy development. Now he’s a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty. He gives a microloan to somebody in a developing country every time someone in Richmond buys or sells their home with him.  Learn why here.
Contact: jaymcgee.kw@gmail.com

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