charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: So, what does sustainability really mean?
- 01/21/12 12:38 PM
My goal is sustainability; So, what does that really mean? I found information about a very interesting organization called The Natural Step, a group who’s soul purpose is to help corporations, organization, and ultimately individuals, understand their role within the sustainability movement and how they “can reduce their impact on the environment while enhancing their overall efficiency and effectiveness”.
It is amazingly easy to work towards sustainability in Charlottesville. I found the following program, taking place FREE at the public library... GOING LOCAL : GARDENING 101February 1, 6:30 pmJames Madison Regional Library, Northside Library Learn about the many options … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Gordon Avenue Book Sale begins this weekend
- 11/11/11 12:32 AM
Virginia plays Duke this weekend... The Cavaliers own a 32-30 all-time lead in the Duke series, which dates back to 1890. UVa has just finished whipping up on Miami and Maryland and is headed to a bowl game The game this Saturday begins at 3pm
But, did you know that you could begin your day at The Gordon Avenue Book Sale? The last sale raised over $90,000 for the library, and the selection of books and tapes is fantastic!
Fabulous books, recordings, ephemera of all types will be available for an extended period of time within … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Living in Virginia is Heaven
- 06/03/11 12:55 AM
In Virginia, we have hot humid days. In Virginia, we have bitter cold nights. I tell people that are considering relocation here that Charlottesville isn't perfect, but it's darn close. Of course, it's all relative to your likes and loves and needs. One of the things I have always loved about Virginia... We have to put up with some significant weather on occasion, but this is good for my garden. God always seems to take pity after four or five days, and the hot humid days of the past week (which have made the tomatoes and squash so happy that they … (3 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: VA Mortgages .............. Overview
- 06/01/11 01:13 PM
With the transfer of so many to NGIC and DIA with BRAC, as well as general hiring, we are seeing more and more VA mortgages locally. They are a different animal (of course, there's nothing much that's standard anymore), and since many new hires will be buying their first home, I thought reblogging this series by loan office George Souto may be beneficial. I would love to help you wade through the home buying process; call me, Virginia Gardner, 434-981-0871, or email Virginia@CharlottesvilleHOME.com.
Last week I posted the first blog in this VA Loan series. As I stated last … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Zero to 60 Charlottesville: Charlottesville City Market is so much more than great produce!
- 05/14/11 09:50 AM
City Markets are fantastic, and our market in downtown Charlottesville is right up there with the best. The only problem is that there's not enough room for it, major growing pains and not a good solution. But, they are working on it. Why oh why, do I always forget that I should not be lured into buying herb plants at the garden shops??? I spent 30% more on my initial herb plants buys, and they were nearly as pretty and full and yummy as the plants I bought today. I brought home a parsley plant that is scrumptious... it's going in … (2 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: HOA Documents: Why Should I Look at Them? What Should I expect to Find?
- 05/12/11 03:12 AM
When I saw the following post by Jeff Dowler (Carlsbad, CA agent), I knew I wanted to re-blog it. During a transaction with a buyer, everything is so stressful until we have everyone's signatures, we're through the inspections, the loan application is in process, and the buyer can begin to breath again. And then... and then, I present them with the Homeowner Association docs and their eyes glaze over. No one wants to read HOA docs. Heck, I can understand that... they're thick, full of legal ease, and mostly have not a whole lot to do with what will become … (5 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Zero to 60 Charlottesville: Mid-week Farmers Markets
- 05/10/11 04:42 PM
Stephen and I are enjoying a stay-vacation this week, working on the property and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. He's preparing and planting his vegetable gardens, cleaning & staining deck areas, and doing a little bit of good ole napping! I've been invested in planting our deck (photos to come), and tomorrow I begin work on the front gardens. It's a lot of work and a really great way to vacation, in our opinion. At 5:00, we decided to run up to the Pen Park Market, because we've never been to that one before. It was great! It's not jammed up and hopping … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Going UP! Have you ever considered adding a second story addition?
- 04/18/11 12:49 PM
Have you ever wanted to expand your living space? Would you like more or larger bedrooms, for example? Would you like to expand your living spaces on the main floor, but that means taking the three small bedrooms? What if your lot is not the right size or topography, but you really love your location and neighborhood? I've often been surprised to discover that a specific available property was once a one-story rancher, but I understand completely when it's one of those one-of-a-kind University neighborhoods. The structural considerations are significant ith a two-story addition, and it's important that an architect, possibly … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Living Charlottesville: Preddy Creek, traditional in many ways while unique in ways that matter
- 04/07/11 07:14 AM
Whenever I am showing Greene County homes, I try to show Preddy Creek. The community was developed in the mid-1990s and features well-built, traditional homes on pretty, large lots. I think the topography of the neighborhood is one of the reasons I've always been so taken with Preddy Creek. There's nothing boring about it, and the developer did a wonderful job laying out the lots... they are wide, and many back to green space.
Honestly, the other reason I've always loved selling in Preddy Creek? Every buyer to whom I've sold a home in Preddy Creek has been delighted … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Living Charlottesville: Greenecroft in Ruckersville, a Ryan Homes option worth a serious look
- 03/17/11 11:04 AM
I’ve been working with builders and new construction for… ever. In the early years (for me that’s 1988-1995), I worked with several homebuilders who were completely hands-on, who used all subcontracted labor, and who built no more than six-eight homes in a year. I loved it! I was truly a partner with those builders… we designed plans together, and they wanted my opinion, i.e. what was the market looking for in terms of price, size, lifestyle, and interior finish. It was fun and it was profitable! Eventually, the game changed. The money was in the new planned developments, and … (0 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: What you have is a PRE-QUAL letter; Please please please... I need a PRE-APPROVAL letter
- 02/26/11 01:43 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)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: A couple of great houses in Earlysville to consider...
- 02/19/11 01:39 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)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Habitat for Humanity builds houses better than many.
- 02/13/11 12:19 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)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: Is lack of the downpayment keeping you from buying a home?
- 02/03/11 06:26 PM
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)
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)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: How to Look at Your Home Through Buyers' Eyes
- 01/29/11 04:15 PM
It's that time of the year. You're considering.... "Maybe we want to go ahead and sell this year." What do you need to be thinking about? Start by looking at your home through a buyer's eyes. Connecticut Realtor, Karen Bernetti wrote a very cute, but very pointed, blog post about stepping into your prospective buyer's shoes for a moment. It's good stuff, I hope you'll see it's value as I have. Once you've taken Karen's advice, you might want to read my other seller posts... 8 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal and KEEPING it! Ten Things Home Buyers Will Simply … (4 comments)
charlottesville realtor virginia gardner: What is the Difference Between Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved for a Loan?
- 01/29/11 05:00 AM
Being Qualified is not as good as being Approved. I was in the process of writing a post about the importance of credit scores and how they will affect your ability to get a loan. Of course, knowing your score, and then doing something with it, starts the buying-ball rolling. I found a good article by Brevard County, Florida, agent, Laura Forman, which describes the difference between a pre-qualification letter and a pre-approval letter. You don't want to mistake one for the other. A Pre-Qualification letter from a lender may be helpful to you personally, because you'll now know how … (2 comments)
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Virginia Gardner
Realtor, Charlottesville, Serving Central Virginia
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.
My goal is sustainability; So, what does that really mean? I found information about a very interesting organization called The Natural Step, a group who’s soul purpose is to help corporations, organization, and ultimately individuals, understand their role within the sustainability movement and how they “can reduce their impact on the environment while enhancing their overall efficiency and effectiveness”.
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