Getting your Richmond home ready to SELL! So you've decided that it's time to sell your home in Richmond, VA -  Congratulations!  For most individuals and families, that's not an easy decision. Now that you've made the decision to sell and move, the rest should be easy, right?  Well ... maybe not? Everyone wants "top dollar" for their home. But maybe your home isn't in "top dollar" condition?   If you are like most of my clients (and myself, for that matter), you have a long list of things that you've wanted to do to your home for years and years - but you just have not got around to doing everything on that list. Have no fear - you may not need to do everything on that list.  The first step should be consulting with a good REALTOR®, who should make recommendations on what you should (a... 09/22/2015

While public schools throughout the country have routinely made some very bizarre decisions over the years, I never expected this to happen in such a conservative state as Texas. Last week a student at Seagoville High School in Dallas was sent home simply because he was wearing a T-shirt with the American flag on it. Am I the only person that is bothered by this?  Apparently an administrator had determined that the shirt violated the school dress code and placed the student on in-school suspension. There was nothing provocative about the shirt; it was nothing more than an American flag design with an eagle around it. It’s worth noting that it was necessary for student Jaegur to pull up the hoodie that he was wearing in order for the administrator to get a good look at it before determi... 09/22/2015

If you’ve been using Facebook for any period of time you too have probably seen your share of “odd” posts. Some are funny, some are silly and some are even bizarre but this is the first time I’ve heard of anything like this.  Recently, a woman in Smith County, Texas asked if anyone on Facebook would be willing to shoot her dog. Her exact quote was simply, “I need someone to come shoot my dog. No one here has the heart to do it. We will provide the gun”.  Her reason for such a bizarre request? She informed local animal control officers (who quickly showed up at her home) that she could no longer care for the dog and it kept getting into the garbage.  Cinnamon, her 3 year old Saint Bernard / Bulldog has been removed from the home and placed with a foster family until a permanent home can ... 09/21/2015

We all hope to live a long and happy life but who would expect to make it to the grand ole’ age of 116? There are only 2 people in the world that were born in the 1800’s and are still alive today and Susannah Mushatt Jones is one of them. She is the official world’s oldest living person and was born on July 6, 1899.  At that time the Spanish-American war had just ended and the president of the United States was William McKinley. She had 10 brothers and sisters and her father was a cotton picker in Alabama. After finishing high school Ms. Jones worked in the fields with her father for a time but eventually moved to New York and found work as a nanny during the 1920’s.  It’s amazing if you realize all that she has seen in her long life; 2 world wars, the entire civil rights movement and ... 09/18/2015

The Carillon in Richmond, VAFor my first few years in Richmond, I avoided making reference to the Carillon simply because I wasn't sure I was pronouncing it correctly. Was it Care - a- lon or was it Car-rill-ion?  And of course none of my friends knew either. We'd just refer to it as the "other side of Carytown" or "that neighborhood near the big bell tower."  So as I began to make some friends in that neighborhood, I would discretely pull them aside and ask them for their pronunciation.  After I felt I had surveyed enough people, I was comfortable with the correct pronunciation.  Now that we've gotten the pronunciation out of the way, let's talk about this great neighborhood tucked away within the City of Richmond, VA.  The Carillon neighborhood is basically to the west of Byrd Park an... 09/17/2015

Whether you are or are not a fan of professional wrestling you must have noticed a terrible trend by now; pro wrestlers are dying much too young. The recent death of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has again brought this issue to the forefront.  Did you know that since 1985 more than 60 pro-wrestlers died that were only in their 20s, 30s and 40s? Various health issues had contributed to their deaths but heart attack was not uncommon. Many people feel that the problem lies in the abuse of painkillers that have become as much a part of the industry as a full nelson but is this really the case? Other sports often require the use of prescription painkillers by athletes (such as professional football) but the death rate of young players in those sports doesn’t even compare to that of pro wrestling. Perh... 09/17/2015

To most people today double burgers and extra large fries are considered a “normal” order at their favorite fast food restaurant but it wasn’t always this way. Over the years America has become the leading country for obesity and it’s no coincidence that the amount of food available to us has also increased.  We have become the nation that “super sizes” our meals the most and people of all ages are paying for it with their health. It’s not easy to eat healthy, especially with all of the temptations that we face on a daily basis. Cookies as large as dinner plates, gourmet ice cream shops in every mall, fast food establishments at every turn……. It’s no wonder that we eat the wrong foods so often. Our hectic schedules don’t help much either and it’s much easier to make a quick pit stop at ... 09/16/2015

 Joe's Inn in the Fan DistrictI'm trying something new out ... spotlighting a local business.  They say write about what you know so this should come pretty easy, right? Every few weeks, I'll transition my traditional real estate blog to highlight a local business.  Ironically I'll start with Joe's Inn in the Fan District, which is a weekly tradition for me and my family.  But I promise that I'll venture out of the Fan and City into the counties for the next blog.  Maybe even away from restaurants? That might be difficult for me so no promises on that one. While many restaurants and bars come and go in the Fan, Joe's Inn has been a staple in the Fan since ... well, forever? They've got a slightly subtle  location at 205 N. Shields (across from Shields Market) which is between Hanover an... 09/15/2015

When we think of a child that has been adopted by a couple we often consider how fortunate that child really is. There are many reasons that young people find themselves in this situation and many times finding a permanent home with a loving family is their greatest hope. But did you know that many adoptive parents simply abandon the child if the going gets too rough? An investigative report released by Reuters and NBC News provides a startling view of what has become known as “underground adoptions”. In reality, this is nothing more than searching for someone on the internet that is willing to take the child off their hands. Usually when this occurs the children are between the ages of 6 and 14 and most of them were adopted from another country. Reuters discovered that an average of on... 09/15/2015

So you've just moved to the Fan District and want to get involved in the community? Or you've lived/ worked here for years, but you are looking for a way to connect with your neighbors or help with community projects?  Look no further!  There are a variety of different Clubs and Associations that you can get involved with in the Fan District.  Here are a few of them: Fan Woman's ClubSince I'm wildly biased I'll start with my favorite!  The Fan Woman's Club (FWC)  just kicked off the 43rd year last week at Sharon Montgomery's beautiful home on Monument Avenue. The FWC is open to all women (over 21?) the live within the Fan District boundaries. The FWC meets monthly and is primarily a social club. However, the FWC does do a few fundraising events throughout the year which provides for a v... 09/14/2015

I, for one, think they are great. You can find as many causes to contribute to as you can possibly imagine but there is a difference between these types of charities and many others. When you contribute to most charities you never really know whom you are helping but with these types of websites you can contribute to an actual person and only to that person.  One of my favorite sites is gofundme. I have seen people asking for help for every circumstance that you can imagine: Medical expenses for a friend or loved one, college tuition for a student in need, an operation for the family pet or even help for refugees in various countries; it’s all there.  It’s amazing how much a small donation such as $10 can quickly add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a worthy cause.  You should... 09/14/2015

Homebuyer Receives $7,450 Rebate CheckGet a cash back real estate rebate when buying your home. Recently Equity First Realty was proud to give another cash back rebate to Mr. & Mrs. DiCerbo. These homebuyers took advantage of the Equity First Realty Cashback Rebate Program on a house they purchased in Glen Allen, VA. Since she was a Nurse she qualified for our Virginia Hometown Hero Home Buying Program and our Nurse Home Buyer Rebate Program. Want more money in your pocket for closing? How about being able to afford a bigger/nicer Richmond VA home? Now Equity First Realty Gives YOU Cash Back Buyer Rebates at ClosingBuyer rebates give you cash back at closing. If you have ever wondered how cash back rebates work for real estate, here is the inside scoop…When real estate agents sell a pro... 09/11/2015

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I don’t usually endorse products but sometimes I do find a pretty cool gadget that I like to tell others about! Today while perusing the internet in search of a good idea I accidentally discovered something that I have never seen before. Considering the popularity of the new iPhone and the fact that Xmas is only 104 days away (that’s sooner than you think) I’ve decided to share this with you. Did you know there is a cardboard projector that you can buy to display the image of your iPhone on the wall? It’s nothing “fancy” and certainly not to be considered a “high tech” gadget but for only $27 it could put a big dent in your holiday shopping list.   It is very simple to use and it really is made of nothing much more th... 09/11/2015

For years I’ve been hearing about the ever increasing divorce rate in the U.S. You’ve probably heard the same things as well. One of the most popular myths about divorce in our country is the fact that it is above 50%. I’ve been hearing this one for as long as I can remember but strictly speaking, it’s not true.  While there have been times that the number of divorces has reached 50% it is actually more of a trend and not a continuous pattern. In fact, according to the New York Times' data blog Upshot the divorce rate is actually dropping and has been for a significant period of time. It is true that there were an unusual amount of divorces during the 70’s and 80’s but this trend has not continued.  The latest stats reveal that approximately 70% of marriages that began in the 90’s have ... 09/10/2015

Homebuyer Receives $3,105 Rebate CheckGet a cash back real estate rebate when buying your home. Recently Equity First Realty was proud to give another cash back rebate to the Mrs. Douse. This homebuyer took advantage of the 1% Cashback Rebate Program on the house that she purchased in Richmond, VA.Want more money in your pocket for closing? How about being able to afford a bigger/nicer Richmond VA home? Now Equity First Realty Gives YOU Cash Back Buyer Rebates at ClosingBuyer rebates give you cash back at closing. If you have ever wondered how cash back rebates work for real estate, here is the inside scoop…When real estate agents sell a property, they usually collect a commission of between 2.5% and 3% of the property's gross sales price. So, on a $400,000 house, that would mean a comm... 09/09/2015

If you look at the picture of Yuan Taiping it’s hard to believe that he is only 30 years old, but he is. Since the age of 21 he has experienced what appears to be rapid aging and doctors are at a loss to explain how or why this is occurring. Stranger still is the fact that his full head of black hair remains unchanged. When his symptoms first appeared he experienced swelling of the feet and hands and as the strange ailment progressed he began to develop wrinkles on his face equivalent to someone much older in years. Complicating his illness are the effects on his daily life. More than once he has been denied withdrawing money from his bank because his physical appearance is so different from his ID. Often people make disparaging remarks to his wife and question why she is married to a m... 09/09/2015

I imagine by now that you’re aware of the debate being raged between proponents and advocates of transgender bathroom access in public places. This of course includes the schools, malls, fast food restaurants and other places that our children often visit. It is important to realize that transgender does not necessarily mean that the person has had a sex change operation. Many transgenders dress and appear to be of the opposite sex but biologically speaking, are not. This is the cause of the huge debate now taking place in states across the country. Simply stated, if your state decides to pass a law that it is illegal to deny a transgender access to the bathroom of their choice, then your son or daughter will be sharing public bathrooms with members of the opposite sex. As you can imagi... 09/08/2015

It’s strange how much our childhood can affect our lives forever. Maybe this is something we don’t really think about very often but each and everyone one of us has been forged to a large extent by our past. Some people say that this is not true in their case but it is always true to some degree. Every person that you know, every coworker, friend and family member is the person that they are today due in large part to their past. How could it be any other way? There are certain things that happen to us when we are young that we never forget. Some are good, some are bad but all are important. While we may not consciously think about the past it is always present. Think back to the best memory you have as a child, the happiest day you can remember. If you could travel back in time this is... 09/07/2015

I wonder just how many Americans have had the time to watch the recent Republican Party debates? I know that some people feel that it’s all a waste of time and maybe it doesn’t matter who we vote for. Nothing, of course could be further from the truth.  I have found the recent debates to be quite interesting and if you haven’t had the time (or the inclination) to watch there is a pretty exciting competition going on between the 2 top contenders for the GOP nomination, namely Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump. Whether you are a democrat, republican or independent you should try to find the time to listen to what these men have to say. If the election turns out to be a victory for the Republican Party, chances are good that one of these 2 men will be our next president. The Democratic debat... 09/04/2015

This is a very interesting question and I believe that the opinion of the person being asked has a lot to do with their age. Have you ever paid close attention to a group of teenagers as they are sitting together and talking? It’s more of a “text fest” and less of a social gathering in my opinion.  Just the other day I noticed a small group of 5 or 6 teenagers sitting together in the mall. They were talking together but every one of them was texting at the same time. Not one of them was looking at anyone else in the group. Is this how we socialize now?  Some people will argue that social media and advances in electronics have brought people more closely together than ever before. I strongly disagree. We no longer talk to people, we talk at them. How easy it is to say something rude or i... 09/03/2015