JD & Lynda Donahue's (jddonahue) Blog

  Offered at $789,950Set in Goochland County (lowest tax rate in the area) is a serene 36 home community with county water, sewer, gas & cable just 1/2 mile west of Rt. 288 and only 25 minutes from downtown Richmond. Our home has everything you have been dreaming of designed and built by Carlos S...

We usually post blogs from both of us, JD and Lynda Donahue, but today it is only from Lynda.  I have a certification from Coldwell Banker called Certified Home Marketing Specialist.  That means that I have taken and passed a course specifically aimed at marketing homes including Internet, brochu...

We went to preview a home today which is on the James River.  If you live in Richmond, VA you know that it has been raining off and on all day.  So we parked in the driveway and walked up the sidewalk to the front door to use the lock box.What happened next was almost painful.  Water was pouring ...

Because of the demise of the sub-prime market there has been more of a demand for VHDA financing.  This is financing for first time buyers in Virginia or someone who hasn't owned a home anywhere in the past 3 years.The Flexible Alternative Loan Programs will be suspended.  VHDA will continue to a...

Everyone knows about open houses.  Real estate agents have them every Sunday and sometimes Saturdays too.  But have you ever heard of an agent preview?  They have been very popular, especially in a slower market.  An agent will have their listing open during the week for a couple of hours and inv...

Even though marble and granite are still popular in today's kitchens and baths, the new kid on the block is Quartz.  A local supplier sys tht there is an increased demand for quartz products, primarily from homeowners relocating to the Richmond area.  Some are using it to make their home more enj...

According to Cornerstone Inspection Services, Asthma has increased 300% in children in the past 10 years.  Research in Germany finds prostate cancer, breast cancer and other cancers increasing due to mold related problems.Some causes of mold include:  brush and trees within 30 feet of the home, v...

Warm it up.  Add color to a bath  with towels or a rug.Create focal points.  Use contrasting colored furniture. Display something memorable in the entrance foyer.  ( Honey, remember the house with the red pony on the pedestal  by the front door?)Pare down.  Books and photos go into storage.  Repl...

Last week, new home sales were reported down again.  Rather than dwell on these short-term negatives, it is time to look at the long-term implications of how the housing industry has changed.  Remember, in spite of the "doom and gloomers", the underlying data is solid.  Employment is high, person...

According to an article in Ideas magazine, a sales and marketing publication, here are some things to look for in 2008 for the home building industry.Inventories will shrink and the demand for new homes will pick up.  Purchasers will slowly return to the new construction market.  They will help s...