Are You Paying a Good Price for a Home in the Charlottesville Area?Sponsored By: C'ville-1st-TimeHomeBuyer.com Knowing how much to pay for a home can be tricky business. Homes in the Charlottesville area tend to vary in prices from low to high. Even houses right next to one another can vary in price by as much as 20%. How can you tell if you’re paying a good price for a home in the Charlottesville area? In this article, we’ll cover how to determine the value of your home, strategies for making an offer and considerations with the seller that may affect your purchase price. Sponsored By: C'ville-1st-TimeHomeBuyer.comHow to Determine the Value of Your HouseThe most popular way to determine the value of your home is through what’s called “Competitive Market Analysis”  or CMA. This is where... 07/17/2013

NEWS FLASH for the Charlottesville area:   We have a new Charlottesville listing, located in Murray Elementary School and Western Albemarle High School districts, coming on the market in a few weeks. This property has some of the most outstanding views in Albemarle County, and it's less than three miles from the Ivy I-64 exit.  The home is situated on 30+ acres, down a private paved driveway.   Built in 1984, this home offers over 4000 finished square feet that take full advantage of the views. The original home had a two car garage and the owner has added an additional three car detached garage with a full apartment.   Although the home has the original kitchen and baths, numerous improvements over the years by the home's only owners  make it a prize:  copper roofing, Hardiplank siding... 04/25/2013

Fulton Gaylord discusses items that must be checked by your Charlottesville Virginia Home Inspector. It is best not to use this as an excuse to try and get a better deal, but it can be a great way to get the seller to help with the cost of some of the repairs that may be needed to be completed for closing.If there are repairs that need to be completed on your Charlottesville Virginia home you will want to get some estimates on the costs for these repairs and weigh the costs of having them done before the closing as opposed to doing them at a later time yourself.Keep in mind that the lender may have repair requirements that they need completed themselves to process the loan.  After the appraisal the lender will let you know what has to be repaired before you can get the loan.When your in... 01/23/2013

As a real estate agent in the Charlottesville Virginia area, I’ve found that one of the biggest questions my clients have is: “What really happens at closing?” In this article, I’ll take you step by step through what really happens in the closing process. By the end of this article, the closing process should no longer be a mystery to you. C'ville 1st-Time Home BuyerThe ClosingThe closing is when the seller, the buyer and all other parties involve meet to finalize all the documents in the sale. The seller signs the deed of the house over to the buyer and the buyer pays the price agreed in the contract.DocumentationThe seller also provides any other documentation necessary to the buyer. This can include insurance papers, evidence of title, inspection reports (including any needed repairs... 12/03/2012

Before And After You Inspect Your Home: Things That You Should Consider When You Have Your Charlottesville VA Home Inspected Sponsored By: Charlottesville 1st-Time Home Buyer Any person buying a home has the right to have the property inspected. If you find out about problems with the home during the inspection, you can usually cancel the sale and get your money back as long as the proper steps were followed. However, many buyers in markets that are in demand such as Charlottesville Virginia, are skipping the inspection in the hopes of getting their offer to look better in seller's eyes. While doing this may help increase the chances of getting your hands on the property, you may end up with a lot of problems in the end. An inspection happens after you have signed the contract and have ... 11/07/2012

During the Charlottesville, VA home buying process, when youíre seeing house after house every day, the houses can sometimes seem to blend together. What exactly should you be looking for in a Charlottesville, VA home? In this article, I'll go over the top 5 things you should look for based on my experience with [Profile.market3] real estate.Factor #1 - LocationThe most important factor in considering a Charlottesville, VA home purchase is its location. You can always remodel the kitchen or improve the lighting, but the location can never be changed.Factor #2 -The ViewFor many, the view is a key factor when purchasing a home. Does your Charlottesville, VA home overlook a beautiful mountain top or does it face a busy, dusty road?Factor #3 - Overall Feel of the HouseHow does the house fee... 10/24/2012

View Homes by Spread-Sheet $489,900 27 HANCOCK DR, RUCKERSVILLE $449,900 2800 HANCOCK DR, RUCKERSVILLE $437,000 28 HANCOCK DR, RUCKERSVILLE $359,900 11 HANCOCK DR, RUCKERSVILLE $349,000 1801 HEARTHGLOW LN, CHARLOTTESVILLE $325,000 1415 BEACON HL, AFTON $259,500 1378 TIMBERWOOD BLVD, CHARLOTTESVILLE $249,500 1162 FOXVALE LN, CHARLOTTESVILLE $125,000 2949 JERUSALEM CHURCH RD, BUCKINGHAM 09/11/2012

With the cool Fall weather in Virginia it is time to take a break from showing Charlottesville Real Estate and have some Family Fun. We love to carve pumpkins and this photo is just a sample. Now we are not experts at carving but we have gotten better over the years.  Note: I  do most of the big knife carving and still have my 10 fingers. Enjoy the season and most of all enjoy your family time 10/23/2011

Charlottesville Real Estate Solutions Presents: 1622 Baileys Retreat, MLS: 484006 Some agents just show homes, Exceptional Agents show clients where there is value in the market.  With some updates this can be a wonderful villa on 9 acres. Do not miss this opportunity in Meriwether Lewis School District Offered at only 495K This unique one-level contemporary on 9+ acres in Western Albemarle features a spectacular great room, large eat-in kitchen, master suite, 2 smaller BRs, hall BA, office/guest room w/ attached BA, unfinished basement. Started as a 1 BR cottage built in the 50s, this inviting house has been transformed and reinvented over the years by noted builder, Tom Greer. Move-in ready, yet lots of opportunity to fine tune. Plenty of room to add a pool, a garage, fence in the ya... 04/22/2011

Of course this is an opinion, but look at the value of this home in Meriwether Lewis School District $510,000 1622 BAILEYS RETREAT, CHARLOTTESVILLE This unique one-level contemporary on 9+ acres in Western Albemarle features a spectacular great rm, large eat-in kitchen, master suite, two smaller BRs w/ hall BA, office/guest rm w/ attached full BA, unfinished basement. Started as a 1 BR cottage built in the 50s, this inviting house has been transformed and reinvented over the years by noted builder, Tom Greer. Move-in ready, yet lots of opportunity to fine tune. Plenty of room to add a pool, a garage, fence in the yard, expand the gardens. 02/15/2011

We had quite a snow storm yesterday, first a little rain. then sleet, then hail and them some of the biggest snow flakes I had ever seen.Charlottesville is not know for big storms but we seem to get the tail end of some of the Northern Snow Storms. Today I am working from my Home Office and this photo is the view outside my window. The roads and driveway still have a sheet of ice on them and the kids are home from School. Working from my Charlottesville Home is certainly Sweet! 01/27/2011

Yes my son turns 15 today and I can not believe we have now lived in Charlottesville for 11 years! You see when we moved to Charlottesville Virginia we were looking for that quality of life we all want and deserve. I had spent 20+ years in my own Engineering Business and was (well in a word) tired. No real new challenges and we also lived in the middle of the Bay Area which is a very populated place with all if benefits but also it’s challenges. My son at that time was 4 years old and school was a big issue. Well I started my quest looking for that perfect slice of life and I finally found it in a beautiful part of Albemarle county. We are so happy here, we have never regretted our decision to relocate! In fact if we had it to do over again, we would make the same move. My son is turnin... 01/11/2011

  If 2010 taught us anything in the Charlottesville Real Estate market, it told us that we are seeing a market that is constantly changing. We are seeing more and more foreclosures and short-sales in our area. This is a lot of pressure on our market. Sellers are still adjusting to market conditions by pricing aggressively and having their homes in better shape than in the past. Buyers are still in control and are pressing sellers and yes even banks to come back to reality. Are we at a bottom? I would not call it as it seems we may be in a sideways trend for several years. We have to get through a lot of inventory and of course unemployment is a huge pressure on all markets. If you want to continue this discussion, feel free to contact any of our agents who are experts in our area.   Abo... 01/10/2011

You are looking for answers, not just a list of homes. Most agents and brokers do not understand this. They just pay to have a generic website and put it out there to see what happens. 5 years ago I started building my own website and have added to it consistently. I take feedback from clients and use that feedback as a challenge to add new features to my website. At Solutions we understand that that the homes on our site are available on other sites too. But the difference is we do not represent the homes, we represent you the buyer. Sure we have listings, but representing both sides of a transaction is "old school" and the way many old brokerages still think. Visit our site and see why it is one of the most popular sites in our area for homes, land, farms and estates. 12/28/2010

My kids are very excited that School is Closed due to weather. This extended their Christmas Vacation (no reference to the movie) by 2 days and it is a great time for some quality family time! I am also taking the day off of showing homes, got a little paper work to do, but then we are having a family movie! Remember, showing Charlottesville Real Estate , one of my favorite things to do with clients. If you see me driving around the Charlottesville or Crozet area, give me a wave or honk! Call or email me if you need anything,      Charles 12/17/2010

  $1,899,000 3140 ROCKS FARM CT, CHARLOTTESVILLE $1,595,000 640 ROCKS MILL CT, CHARLOTTESVILLE $1,595,000 550 ROCKS FARM DR, CHARLOTTESVILLE $1,495,000 3515 ROCKS MILL LN, CHARLOTTESVILLE   Disclaimer: Copyright ©2004-2010 Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors®. All rights reserved. Information deemed to be reliable but not guaranteed. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the IDX Program of Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors®. Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but buyers are advised to confirm all items. Any use of search facilities of data on this site other than by a consumer interested in the purchase of real estate, is prohibited. Information last updated November 19th, 2010 . All rights reserved. Created by... 11/19/2010

When you are looking for Charlottesville Real Estate remember that Charlottesville is in Albemarle County. We have grand estates and horse farms in Albemarle. The back roads will give you a feeling of peace and harmony as you drive by these beautiful properties. When you are ready to tour, just give me a call, it is my favorite thing to do in our area. (photo taken by Charles McDonald of the driveway of a past listing of mine in Albemarle Virginia…) Albemarle County Virginia Home Information The Real Estate market everywhere is constantly changing and Charlottesville and Albemarle are no exception. It takes a drive around Albemarle to understand and enjoy the beauty of this area. In Albemarle we have SOLD 889 HOMES. There are currently 1045 HOMES on the market. (1126 from last report) O... 11/07/2010

  When you list your home the goal is to get it SOLD This does not mean to just list a home and get it on the market. If this is your goal then there are a lot of agents out there that will just “list” your home. Look around there is a lot of inventory. If you want to tell me what price you “need” that is fine, but do not be surprised if that is not what the market will bear… If we are going to sell your house we have to price it in today’s market. When I decide to work with you (yes this is a mutual decision, we are hiring each other) we are going to do a lot of work. In fact we will do a lot of market research together and the techniques I use will help us to not just price a home for the market, but to price a home to get it SOLD! Recently we have had great success in getting listing... 07/14/2010

Yesterday some clients stopped by my home to see how we had landscaped our back yard (on a slope). Well my wife came out to meet them and was watching their baby (asleep in the van). She called for me as we had a vistor…. Excuse the photos as I took them with my blackberry and not my camera… Well my dog actually scared him and he laid there very still… His is so cute I think he is smiling at the camera! I let this little guy go and he is evidently living in my barn. Note: a black snake can bite but he is good to have around to take care of mice and copperheads… Back to business! Remember, showing Charlottesville Real Estate , one of my favorite things to do with clients so if you see me driving around the Charlottesville or Crozet area, give me a wave or honk! Call or email me if you ne... 05/28/2010

Still a little rain this morning as I have my coffee. In looking at new listings coming on and under contracts, it appears we are seeing a slow down. The good news is that less homes are coming on the market so maybe we will see inventory lighten up. The bad news is that the under contracts seems to have slowed down too... I will be doing my part, showing homes later this week. Remember, showing Charlottesville Real Estate , one of my favorite things to do with clients so if you see me driving around the Charlottesville or Crozet area, give me a wave or honk! A few neighborhoods to consider: Forest Lakes, Still Meadow, Belvedere, Dunlora, Glenmore 05/24/2010