Country Living Keeps Getting Better in Central Virginia

This article appeared in the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors Real Estate Weekly on 1/13/2021. Neil Young had it right. Getting back to the country has become a whole lot more appealing in 2020 and it looks like that attraction will continue for a while. Chickens, self-sufficiency, and plain old…

Orange County, Virginia: The Right Place at the Right Time

Right now, there may not be a better place than Orange County to seek refuge from the 2020 storm.  It is close to major cities but offers plenty of elbow room.  This puts the county’s 343 square miles precisely in the sweet spot for commuters or for staying in reach…

5 Reasons the Howard Hanna Roy Wheeler Realty Merger Works

Howard Hanna Roy Wheeler Realty Everyone in the real estate space in Charlottesville or Pittsburgh saw the headlines this week: Roy Wheeler Realty Co. Merges with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Some are asking, will this merger work? Moving to Charlottesville after spending 20 years in Pittsburgh gave me the…

Lifestyle, Affordability, Community at Lake Monticello, Virginia

This article was originally published in CAAR Real Estate Weekly on 10/14/2020. Don’t tell the folks out at Lake Monticello, but there’s a pandemic going on.  You’re not supposed to be having a banner year in sales.  According to Vicky Wilson, Principal Broker and Owner of Monticello Country Realtors, that’s…

Scottsville, Virginia: History, Arts, and the Great Outdoors

This article was originally published in the CAAR Real Estate Weekly on September 9, 2020. It’s the lure of the river…  It’s the small-town atmosphere…  It’s the people… It’s close…  It’s affordable…  Ask five different people what’s great about Scottsville and you’ll likely get five different answers.  The funny thing…

Greene County, Virginia: Build a Life You Love

This article was first published in the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors Real Estate Weekly on 8/26/2020. Lush green valleys, unspoiled natural beauty, mountains, hills, and farms.  The resemblance is so dramatic that if you blindfolded and spun Alun Ward around, he wouldn’t know if he was back in Wales…

Covid19 and the Real Estate Market

This article was originally published 8/12/2020 in the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors Real Estate Weekly. Covid19 and the real estate market have a lot in common. Two basic factors control the spread of Covid19: increasing the physical distance from the virus, and avoiding exposure to anyone while they are…

Making Your Home Last a Lifetime

Photo by Kelly Lacy from Pexels. They thought this home would last a lifetime. Geared up with a checklist and a budget, the new owners met with the contractor. They identified changes and initiated a major rehab project on their just purchased home.  In their fifties, this was to be…

Responding to Covid19 in Multifamily Buildings

Most of my colleagues in multifamily residential buildings have probably been inundated with advice about responding to Covid19.  Corporate leaders and whatever property management association you belong to will have specific protocols for dealing with the pandemic.   However, I did get one request for some info, so if there’s one…

Second Wind: Why Seniors Love Central Virginia

They wanted a view to die for, at least 10 acres, and a minimum of three or four bedrooms.  Oh, and an eight stall barn. That wish list didn’t sound like it was coming from a typical couple approaching their later years.  But REALTOR® Pam Dent, with Gayle Harvey Real…