Sign Up Now for the 2008 Regional Housing Conference - 01/29/08 01:45 PM
A broad coalition of organizations has come together to plan a regional housing conference to grapple with issues and develop an action agenda for our region. The Regional Housing Conference "Finding Common Ground" will provide opportunities to participate in in-depth discussions on a variety of topics, including:
Emerging housing approaches Density & Sprawl Community Design Possible Partnerships Community Land Trust Proffers Lending and Finance Mixed Use/Mixed Income The keynote speaker for the event will be Joseph R. Molinaro, Manager of Smart Growth Programs for the National Association of REALTORS® in Washington, DC. In this capacity, he manages NAR's Smart Growth efforts, which … (0 comments)

How Can You Tell if an E-mail is Truth or Scam? - 01/23/08 01:25 PM
Have you ever wondered if an e-mail you have received is the truth or a scam?  For example, are there really organ thieves out there stealing peoples' kidneys.  Have you recently won a foreign lottery you don't remember entering?  Is the IRS really paying people to take their on-line survey?  Or, are students who take the SAT really awarded 200 points for spelling their names correctly?
With the barrage of e-mails we receive every day, it's difficult to tell which ones are true and which are a waste of disk space.  Some of them give us a good laugh, while others can … (4 comments)

Are Boomers Adequately Planning for Parents' Long-Term Care? - 01/22/08 09:57 PM
A recent study conducted by AARP indicates that less than half of women baby boomers have begun planning for their parents' care as they age.
The study, according to Laura Skufca of AARP Knowledge Management, found that:
Approximately 2/3 of the 629 survey respondents have talked with their parents about living independently as they age.  Only 40% have actually begun to plan.  2/3 also believe their parents could afford assistance.Only 17% of respondents considered their parents moving into a nursing home.  The remainder mentioned their parents moving in with them or providing paid help to ensure continued independent, in-home living.More than half of those … (0 comments)

Regional Housing Conference – SAVE THE DATE! - 01/10/08 09:31 AM
For those of you in the Charlottesville, VA and surrounding areas, there is a very important conference coming up that will focus on critical housing issues.  I'd like to invite everyone who can to attend this Regional Housing Conference.
     DATE:                          Thursday, March 13, 2008     TIME:                           8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.     LOCATION:                 Covenant Church, 1025 E. Rio Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901     CONTACT:                   (434) 979-7310 or e-mail info@tjpdc.org
This conference will focus in-depth on issues such as: emerging housing approaches, density and sprawl, community design, possible partnerships, community land trust, proffers, lending and finance, mixed use/mixed income.  If you are a Realtor, business person, public official, lender, … (0 comments)

Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Real Estate? - 01/07/08 06:20 PM
A loan consultant I work with sent me an article about opportunities in 2008.  He recently saw Donald Trump on TV answering real estate questions and said that Trump believes residential real estate prices will bottom out sometime this summer and that people should start actively pursuing the buying process now. 
Is this a good time to invest in real estate?  Following is a summation of a talk show done by Jean Chatzky, Financial Editor and a TODAYShow.com contributor, with reporting by Arielle McGowen.  
Interview of Robert Kiyosaki ("Rich Dad, Poor Dad").  According to Kiyosaki, now is as good a time as any to buy. … (4 comments)