Among our pretty views along Bleak House Rd are the barns - 02/28/11 07:57 AM

 
We had a glorious walk with the boys yesterday afternoon (Sunday).  60+ degrees, gorgeous clear blue sky, slight breeze... ahhhh, end of February?  We definitely must have done something right for Mother Nature to have blessed us with yesterday.
 
Our walk always includes two rambunctious Dals.
 
 
 
It also includes a couple of very wonderful barns.
This is the barn at Fairgrove, and, unfortunately, it's time is short for this world.  It's in terrible shape and really not at all safe, so the people who purchased the lot to build a home will surely remove the … (9 comments)

A grown-up discussion about deficits from Mark Warner - 02/27/11 10:42 AM
This letter came last week.  I just wrote Senator Warner a letter from my husband and me.  I told him that we are a split family, both generally moderate, but when we swing to either side, we're always on opposite sides of the divide.  I told him that there have been times when I've wondered how in God's name I've lived with this man for 28 years (I'm guessing Stephen has had the same thoughts!).  I also told him that we are both straight commission salespeople, that I'm in the real estate industry (22 years) and Stephen sells to manufacturing (30 … (2 comments)

WEEK'S END PICK for Earlysville, 2.27.11 - 02/27/11 08:26 AM
This WEEK'S END PICK for Earlysville was easy.  A great new listing just came on the market in the Bleak House Road area, in Fairgrove.
 

610 Fairgrove Court, Earlysville, VA, $399,000
A very nice home located in the Broadus Wood Elem district and within a 10 minute drive to NGIC/DIA. Cul-de-sac location & in great condition on nearly 3 acres. Hardwood floors on the main & 2nd level (carpet over HW on floor 2). Traditional design with 4 large bedrooms on 2nd floor. LR + DR + FR and eat-in kitchen on main level. Full walkout basement is ready … (2 comments)

What you have is a PRE-QUAL letter; Please please please... I need a PRE-APPROVAL letter - 02/26/11 09:43 PM
Will someone please tell me why I have such trouble getting a PRE-APPROVAL LETTER?  Recently, I've had buyers agreeing to get a pre-approval letter, and once they spoke with the lender, they were going to wait until they got closer to actually writing a contract.  EXCUSE ME?  If I tell you I need a pre-approval letter, I need a pre-approval letter.  For one thing, I don't want to waste your time or mine looking at houses you may not be able to buy.  Until that credit report is run, we won't know what kind of rate you're getting and how much … (11 comments)

The WEEK'S END PICK for Charlottesville, 2.26.11 - 02/26/11 08:43 AM
This "week's end pick" includes a couple of really nice City of Charlottesville properties.  Click on the photographs for details.

 
This home on Tarleton is a 4 bedroom tri-level in Greenbrier.  Gorgeous landscaped backyard and in ground pool. 2316 Tarleton Drive, $284,900
 
 
 

 
 
I love the JPA Ext area... there are lots of houses with character, like this charming bungalow.  Robertson Avenue is close to the University of Virginia, yet still far enough away that you don't have crowds of undergrads.108 Robertson Avenue, $285,000
 
 
I would love to show you these houses … (3 comments)

Funny how I thought I was pretty-much paper-less until the Active Rain Paper-less Challenge - 02/25/11 02:22 PM
Hmmmm....
I was writing the Serengeti post, and when I went to add it to Facebook, there was a post about going paperless.  So, I investigated, and lo and behold, I had missed the challenge when placed.  And that really was okay, because I've been paper-less for years.
But, WAIT!

Have I really? 
If so, then why was it necessary to spend an entire day two weeks ago, going through PILES OF PAPER!
WHAT WAS ALL OF THAT PAPER???
Here's the thing about my transition to "paper-less"....
More than ten years ago, I began using Efax (I now use MyFax.com), … (7 comments)

Buyers, please be careful with your lender selection. - 02/25/11 07:56 AM
Did you know... when a buyer or seller works with a Realtor, there is a fiduciary relationship created that requires the Reator to put the client's interests above their own (exceptions to this must be stated in writing).
There is generally no such relationship between buyers and lenders.  Some of the housing crisis issues may have been avoided had the lenders been more concerned for the buyer's best interests.
The following are a few warning signs that should cause a buyer to do much closer investigation:
Claims that bad credit is not an issue Prepayment penalty Larger than normal loan charges … (45 comments)

There are two t's in spaghetti. - 02/23/11 05:28 PM
"People who exhibit single - minded determination understand that it’s often not the fastest or the strongest one that wins the race — it’s the one that stays the course and goes the full distance," from Stefan Swanepoel's character Zachariah, in Surviving your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business and in Life.  It's a little of the tortoise and the hare, isn't it?  Surviving our Serengeti, meeting our challenge... it's about setting our sights on something and staying the course.  It's about being tenacious and determined and making sure we get where we want to be.  It's also about being smart … (7 comments)

OH MY WORD... So, you don't spend enough time on the computer already? - 02/23/11 10:03 AM
Alrighty then...
We have all grown accustomed to Google DOCS.
We all use Google MAPS.
Those of us using Google VOICE are in love!
Well, I found a new dream place : GoogleArtProject.
This morning, I spent a moment or two wandering around the Met. 

And became intimate with Bruegel's "The Harvesters".

 
I CAN'T WAIT to curl up with the laptop and explore!
… (4 comments)

Mr. Seller, do you know where your listing is NOT being seen? - 02/22/11 04:16 PM
I hear agents fuss a lot about the way their listings are being viewed all over the web.  I don't mean listings that are sent by aggregate to all of the various Yahoos, Zillow's, Trilia's and others.  I mean, I hear a lot of fussing going on when an agent pulls up another agent's website, particularly when it's a different real estate company, and there is the picture of their new listing, with the address, maybe a short description, and the price.  Somtimes there will be an MLS number.  In Charlottesville, we can do this.  I think most Boards of Realtors … (3 comments)

ZERO to 60 Charlottesville: Travel the Skyline Drive and stop for a GPS Ranger Program, NEW! - 02/22/11 06:41 AM
 
How lucky we are in this Central Virginia region to have the Shenandoah National Park at our fingertips!  The Skyline Drive is 105 miles through the Park, beginning at Front Royal, Virginia, and ending at the beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway on Afton Mountain.  Barring foggy or otherwise inclement weather, or lots of cars (during the Fall, there can be traffic on the Drive, and the speed limit is 35 mph), the drive will take you 3 hours.  But there's no way you would do it in three hours, because it would be impossible to avoid stopping at several … (1 comments)

Sunrise along Bleak House Rd - 02/21/11 07:54 AM
We walk many mornings, mostly leaving the house between 5:30 and 6:00. It was glorious this morning, 40 degrees, no wind, full moon waning on the way out.
We walk 2 or 3 miles, depending on the morning and how early we get going.  This morning we were up, stretched and out of the door early enough to do the 3-miler.  I'm determined to shed the extra-20 this year, so I've added 5 pound ankle weights.

This is the sunrise we often see at the 1.5 mile mark.   
 
… (5 comments)

A couple of well-placed, well-priced new listings to know about... - 02/20/11 08:00 AM
A couple of interesting listings crossed my radar this week...
New Earlysville listing at Templeton Acres - Beautiful! Like new (constructed 2007), one-level living!
Remarks: You'd never guess this was a townhome! This pristine Forest Lakes home is surrounded by single family homes without the high price tag. The 1st floor master suite makes this one special, but there's another one on the 2nd floor too, along with 2 addional bedrooms. Hardwood floors are found in the living room, dining room, kitchen and nook for a seamless upgraded look. Other special features include the gas fireplace, tile in 3 baths, crown … (4 comments)

A couple of great houses in Earlysville to consider... - 02/19/11 09:39 AM
A couple of interesting Earlysville listings crossed my radar this week...
I showed this home over three years ago; it was over-priced, and the seller was completely unrealistic.  It never should have gone to foreclosure, but it's a great opportunity for someone now.  Call me to see it, (434) 981-0871.
--Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed--Copyright: 2011 by the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS®
 
 
… (1 comments)

Virginia may be for Lovers, but Charlottesville is for Readers! - 02/18/11 07:32 AM
I've Googled and Googled, but I can no longer find the poll, taken of Charlottesville resdients, that showed our #1 pastime to be "reading".  I did find at the Virginia Festival of the Book site, in the Archives, under 1998...
"According to Standard Rate & Data's 1996 Lifestyle Market Analyst, Charlottesville is the #1-ranked ADI (Area of Dominant Influence) in the United States in "Avid Book Reading." Additionally, the American booksellers Association ranks Charlottesville 8th in the country for "book stores per 10,000 households."
I've always loved these types of statistics about our community. An excerpt from a piece in USA … (5 comments)

Introducing Earlysville Website and Blog, and Upcoming Earlysville Events - 02/17/11 10:28 AM

Now residents and vistors can find out what's happening in Earlysville by visiting EarlysvilleHOMES.com and EarlysvilleTALK.com.
At EarlysvilleHOMES.com, residents and prospective residents can learn about the area schools, neighborhoods, and search for homes in the area.  It's partner site, EarlysvilleTALK.com, is our blog and keeps current of events as they happen in Earlysville, as well as providing readers with stories about the history of Earlysville, information about the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company, and keeping up with the valuable services provided by EARL, our community watchdog group.
 
Upcoming events in Earlysville
EARL MEETING, Tuesday, February 22, 7 pm at Broadus … (4 comments)

A few good buys, this week in Albemarle... - 02/16/11 06:10 AM

This morning I am looking for a few great prospects:
each home needs to be priced under $300,000; the master bedroom needs to be on the main level; and, there needs to be a garage. The Location is Albemarle County, and I've found four really good options...

--Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed--Copyright: 2011 by the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® Call me to see this Albemarle County home, Virginia Gardner, Virginia@CharlottesvilleHOME.com, or call/text (434) 981-0871.
 
My money's on the third property at Flannigan Branch; this looks like a really nice opportunity to me.
 
… (2 comments)

A Home is a Leveraged Investment - 02/16/11 05:33 AM
A Home is a Leveraged Investment
Leverage is the ability to control a larger asset with a smaller amount of cash through the use of borrowed funds.  When the investment has positive leverage, the yield will increase as the loan-to-value increases.
Even a modest amount of appreciation combined with the amortization of a loan can cause a substantial rate of return on the initial investment of down payment and closing costs.
 

The example above indicates the yield on a home considering 3% acquisition costs on the home with a 5% mortgage rate and the resulting equity at the end … (3 comments)

Zero to 60 Charlottesville: Travel back in time at the Frontier Culture Museum - 02/15/11 06:17 AM
The Frontier Culture Museum is one of the newest historical sites in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and it is located just 45 minutes from Charlottesville in Staunton, Virginia.  It’s a really fascinating place…  The purpose is to present an accurate view of the lives of European and West African immigrants as they traveled to America, and then the lives that was theirs on arrival. To tell the story of these early immigrants and their American descendants, the Museum has moved or reproduced examples of traditional rural buildings from England, Germany, Ireland, West Africa, and America. From the Frontier Culture Museum website…  … (5 comments)

Love is in the air... - 02/14/11 07:28 AM

 
 
“Everything is clearer when you're in love.” John Lennon
 
 
 
“Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” Robert Heinlein
 
 
 

 
 
“Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.” John Lennon
 
 
 
“Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence” Vincent van Gogh quotes
 
 
 

 
 
“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.”
 
 
“Love is all you need.” Paul … (3 comments)

Habitat for Humanity builds houses better than many. - 02/13/11 08:19 AM
Since learning of Habitat for Humanity, I've rallied behind the cause.  I was brought into the fold by a young builder with whom I was working; he had taken up the leadership position for getting the first house built, and as his Realtor, I really had no choice but to get involved!  Of course, it was an "easy sell", because the concept of Habitat is all good, people helping people help themselves.  (If you are not fully aware of Habitat's purpose, please see the About page at Habitat for Humanity Greater Charlottesville.)
In Charlottesville, we had a fledgling group for … (4 comments)

Have you had your plumbing checked lately? - 02/12/11 09:00 AM
Our house is twenty years old this year.  We built it, and I think we did a pretty good job making materials selections, considering our budget at the time.  We designed the house so it could be updated pieces at a time.  For example, we really wanted a particular stone mason to build our fireplace, so we installed carpeted floors.  We upgraded to wood ten years later, something we obviously would not have been able to do with the fireplace.
Unfortunately, copper pipe for our plumbing wasn't a similar option; our budget wouldn't allow it, and updating the plumbing is not … (5 comments)

It's time to take your financial pulse. - 02/11/11 12:49 AM
An annual physical is an important proactive approach to personal health and an annual homeowner advisory can be just as beneficial for you and your finances.
Regardless of whether you're moving, knowing the values of homes similar to yours that have sold recently allows you to keep your hand on the pulse of the market.  It should be interesting to know how many homes in the area have sold, their time on the market and how much current inventory is available.
Even though mortgage rates are starting to creep up, it may be the last opportunity to refinance your home to lower … (8 comments)

Living Charlottesville: Earlysville Heights, location - location - location (and a bargain!) - 02/10/11 12:10 AM
Earlysville Heights was one of the first developed neighborhoods in Earlysville.  It is located just beyond the village grocery store area, on the right.  Over 50 homes were constructed between 1968 and the mid-70s.   I remember previewing homes in Earlysville Heights in the early years of my business, and they were often a tough sell, because the homes were just reaching that age that they needed updating.  Today, many of the homes have enjoyed updating, particularly of the major systems, kitchen and baths.  Still, the prices have remained low.   The homesites are generally just shy of an acre; the … (1 comments)

The difference between a CMA and a Fee Appraisal, and another reason correct pricing saves heartache - 02/09/11 12:12 AM
It's good to know how an appraiser works, how an appraiser comes up with their magical number.  It's also critically important to know that an appraisal can send your beautifully-ratified cotntract of purchase right to the trash can.  It is a fact that most buyers will require a loan to purchase your home, and the bank funding their loan will require an appraisal of your house that shows the house is valued at or above the amount of the loan.
What You Must Know About Home Appraisals Article From BuyAndSell.HouseLogic.com By: G. M. Filisko
Published: March 12, 2010
Understanding how appraisals … (4 comments)

Zero to 60 Charlottesville - A Presidential Itinerary - 02/08/11 12:30 AM
A new client and I were enjoying lunch one day, getting to know one another better.  Mary and her husband, Robert, are moving to the area from Pensacola, Florida.  Mary and I had spent a couple of days together already; in fact, she had already decided on the house they would buy.  They were relocating to be closer to their son, who lives here, and also to escape the Florida heat.  So, there we were, chatting it up, and she said, “I love history.”  She didn’t say this in relation to the Charlottesville area; it was just a statement about who … (2 comments)

Create an EGO SLIDESHOW -- Use Flickr to show SOLD listings (or whatever you wish!) - 02/07/11 08:25 AM
In the wee hours of yesterday morning, I finally completed a project that has been on my list for a long time... I put together a slideshow of selected listings that I've successfully marketed over the years. (see below in my signature area)
I began by pulling my sold listings inventory from our MLS.  Then, I went through them one by one. 
I pulled up each listing detail, and if there was no photograph or a bad photo, I went looking for a god one.  Much of the time, I could find a good photo at the City or County … (6 comments)

When’s the last time you heard someone say, “Now is the best time to buy a house”? - 02/06/11 03:20 PM
When’s the last time you read or heard someone say, “Now is the best time to buy a house”? A month ago? Yesterday?  This morning?  If it was a Realtor, you may have dismissed it, because a Realtor’s job is to sell houses and so they are always encouraging people to buy.  Maybe you dismissed it because it was a mortgage lender, and of course, it’s in a mortgage lender’s best interest that you buy.  Maybe you’d like to consider buying, but you really don’t think you can afford it. 
This post is not intended to convince anyone to buy … (3 comments)

A show of Hearts, February at C'ville Arts Gallery in downtown Charlottesville - 02/05/11 11:08 AM
C'ville Arts is an artists cooperative, located in the historic area of downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.  More than fifty regional artists share their work at this lively spot located near the Central Place.  The Gallery is both gallery of art and crafts and a great place to find handmade gifts.  Through the month of February, you'll find special gifts of the heart, as many member artists have created works specifically for the group show, "Love is in the (he)ARTS". 
 



… (4 comments)

Is lack of the downpayment keeping you from buying a home? - 02/04/11 02:26 AM
It's one thing to have the down payment and not qualify because of credit scores but in today's tough financial environment, it may be even more frustrating to have good credit, income and job stability without the down payment.
The 2010 NAR National Housing Pulse Survey states that 79% of respondents identified the down payment and closing costs as obstacles to homeownership.  73% express a lack of confidence in getting approved based on a concern that banks have made it too hard to qualify for a home loan.
Most buyers depend on the savings or the proceeds from the sale of … (7 comments)

What's The Big Deal with Facebook? - 02/02/11 09:32 AM
 
I have to admit that I have avoided creating a Facebook business page.  I've done that because I didn't want to confuse my personal page with my business page.  So, I've registered as a new person under my business email address.  Still, I've not gotten around to making that fan page.  It's going to happen this week, and it's posts like this one from the Harriman's that are pushing me over the edge (hopefully not into an abyss!).
 
Via Pat & Wayne Harriman - Broker/Owners Wallingford CT Real Estate (Harriman Real Estate, LLC (203) 672-4499):
What's the Big Deal With … (18 comments)

Introducing ZERO TO 60 Charlottesville! - 02/01/11 12:17 AM
 
Introducing….
 

 
The Charlottesville area is a fantastic place to live.  I’m always astounded by the quality of live performances, theatre, music, and visual art.  Right here, we enjoy an historical, recreational, and entertainment environment that exceeds the availability of festivals, events, and venues of communities four times our size.  Then ... consider our location within the heart of the Commonwealth of Virginia!  Perhaps you can imagine, there's so much that’s fun, educational, or both, within an hour of here, in any direction!  And so Zero to 60 has been born!
 
Each week, I’ll highlight one or … (5 comments)

 
Gardner_virginia_2011_dsc_5638

Virginia Gardner Charlottesville Realtor Serving Central Virginia

Charlottesville, VA

More about me…

Roy Wheeler Realty Co.

Address: 1100 Dryden Lane, Charlottesville, VA, 22903

Office Phone: (434) 951-5155

Cell Phone: (434) 981-0871

Email Me

Search for Homes,charlottesvilleHOME.com

CharlottesvilleHOME.com is the go-to place for up-to-date information about the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Greene County, and Fluvanna County real estate, home prices and availability. Charlottesville real estate for sale, from University of Virginia neighborhoods and planned unit developments with new homes, to luxury estates within the wider community, you'll find the home of your dreams with CharlottesvilleHOME.com.






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