NRVLiving - Real Estate. Simplified.

The Language of Building, Part Deux

Last month I mentioned that I had received an email entitled "The Language of Building" from Progress Street Builders.  Today, I got Part Two.  Here it is:

• Punch list: There are literally thousands of details that go into the construction and finishing of every new home. Although we monitor every phase of the building process to ensure each new home reflects our promise of excellence, there are always a few final details that need extra attention before our buyers take ownership of their new home.
  
  To take care of these final details before close of escrow and move-in, we schedule a final home inspection with our clients, from which a "punch list" of incomplete or unsatisfactory items may develop. Our goal is to address every item on the punch list as soon as possible.
  
  Many people are familiar with punch lists that are developed just before or after they move into a new house. However, punch lists are often used throughout the building process to track items that need additional attention. In this way, an absolute minimum of finish items remain when a house is completed and ready for final inspection with the owner.
• Certificate of Occupancy (or CO): Before any homeowner can move in to a new home, we must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy, or CO. This is a required approval by the local building authority certifying that the house meets all code requirements and is ready to occupy. We provide the CO to each homeowner during the process of closing escrow. It's a good idea to keep the Certificate of Occupancy in a safe and secure place, such as a safe deposit box.
• Implied warranty: Under state law, an implied warranty makes the builder responsible for the condition and building code compliance of each new house the builder completes. Put another way, an implied warranty provides assurance that the home has been built to basic safety and health standards.
• Expressed (or explicit) warranty: In addition to the implied warranty, high-quality builders across the country also offer an expressed (or explicit) warranty. This warranty, which differs builder to builder, outlines the terms, procedures, and responsibilities for maintaining the home after the sale. The warranty also offers a procedure to be followed if the homeowner experiences problems with the structure, finishes, or mechanical systems of the house within a specified time frame, which may be anywhere from one to perhaps 20 years.
• "Closing" is the slang term for 'close of escrow': the process for transferring the deed and title to the house and property from us to our homebuyers. Before closing, we make sure we have completed the house to everyone's satisfaction. The closing marks the end of the home building and buying process.

These terms only scratch the surface of the builder's vocabulary. You can add to your housing language skills at 'Contractor's License' website, for a free online glossary...

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Review New Housing Plans For Blacksburg

If you're interested, you can check out the proposed plans tonight for the 29-acre, affordable housing project planned for Blacksburg. 

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An Insider's Look At Blacksburg's Mount Tabor Meadows

On Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to see up close and personal a new home community being built in Blacksburg.  The community is called "Mount Tabor Meadows", and it's a project being built out by Green Valley Builders.  I've mentioned it briefly before.

So what?  There's a lot of construction going on around Montgomery County, what's so special about this one?

Mount Tabor Meadows is building these homes to be Earthcraft-certified, and they're working hard to assure that each home exceeds the Earthcraft standards.  It's one of the first times in recent memory that we've seen a builder locally truly practice the green model with new construction on a large-scale basis, and I'm glad to see it come.

A link to the project's "Green Checklist".

How is an EarthCraft house certified?  It starts with the builder joining the EarthCraft House program, attending training, and registering as an ENERGY STAR partner.  But it doesn't stop there ... when a home is being built to EarthCraft standards, the builder must participate in a design review with EarthCraft House staff and do a walkthrough with that same staff, as well as pass a final inspection by an EarthCraft House inspector.  Other requirements include:

It's no joke, and these guys seem to be taking it very seriously.  I'm glad to see their project beginning to take shape - if you'd like more information on the project, or a personal tour of the site and available homes, contact me and we'll set it up!

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It's All Starting To Come Together?

The tenant mix is beginning to be formalized publicly ...

With all the publicity that's come from a project like this (we Blacksburg-ians can sure get worked up, huh?), what's your take on First & Main?  Is this something you're going to utilize, or because of the way the Big Box issue has been handled will you just stay away?  Leave a comment, let us know what you think!

The Language of Building

I received this in an email from Progress Street Builders this afternoon, and I thought it might be good material for the blog.  The text is entitled "The Language of Building", and focuses on definitions of things that you might hear in construction of your new home.  As someone who just finished building a home with Progress Street Builders, I can tell you that they do a good job of communicating throughout the process, and I thank them for putting this out.

• Cycle time is the number of days between the first day on the job site and a home's completion. We work with our materials suppliers and subcontractors to determine a reliable cycle time so that our clients can move into their new home on time, as promised. Controlling cycle time also enables us to provide accurate estimates and helps us stay within budget.

• Rough-in: The "rough" stage of construction is the behind-the-wall structural and mechanical work, the parts you don't see when the building is complete. That includes work such as framing the walls, pulling the wiring through the studs, and installing pipes and heating ducts. During this point of the construction process, we can "rough-in" a system or product that provides an upgraded or extra service, such as wiring for a high-speed Internet or digital cable network. Installing a system's "backbone" during the rough-in stage of construction costs significantly less than installing it once the house is finished.

• Staging: To help reduce costs, we stage or organize and schedule the delivery of materials as we need them, rather than receiving a huge load all at once. Staging may also refer to the way we place loads of materials on the job site to make them more accessible to various workers. Both practices help us reduce waste and theft, save time, and keep better track of costs -- all of which keeps budget and cycle time on track.

• Lien Waivers: these are issued to us by each of our materials suppliers and subcontractors for the work they perform on a house. Lien Waivers (also called lien releases) prove that we have paid the agreed or negotiated costs of labor and materials in full. Lien releases also protect our clients from any liability if suppliers or subcontractors claim that additional payment is due. This type of claim can prevent the closing of the homeowners' loan, so we have a formal process to collect and verify lien releases before the close of escrow on a property.

• Tape and Texture: To create a finished wall, our drywall contractor applies tape and texture to hide nail or screw heads and conceal the joints between panels of drywall or gypsum wallboard. The contractor uses a mud-like compound to fill and cover the nail heads and secure a fibrous tape that bridges the joints between adjacent drywall panels. The mud is allowed to dry and is then sanded smooth before applying paint, wallpaper, or other finishes. A quality tape and texture job ensures that cracks or nail heads won't show through finished surfaces.

They say they're putting more terms out in a later newsletter - I'll be sure to post them here next time.

It'll Cost You To Walk Away

Thanks to Jane for this article from the Washington Post about buyers walking away from new homes

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New River Valley Home Expo

Don't forget, the 2008 Home Expo will be held this weekend at the Christiansburg Rec Center on North Franklin Street.  Admission is $4, and will offer more than 140 booths, a silent auction and more!  I know Auz-Bloc will be there, you can meet Bill and check out this amazing product while you're there!

Download home_expo.pdf

Here's a video I did earlier this winter about the thermal mass of the house at 153 Gracie Lane:

First & Main A "Sales Pitch"? Or A Real Possibility?

A real possibility, it looks like, particularly after another hearing swings in Fairmount Properties' favor.

From Tonia Moxley and The Roanoke Times:

After more than four hours of legal wrangling and passionate testimony, on a 4-0 vote the Blacksburg Board of Zoning Appeals upheld the town's approval of site plans for a large chunk of the 40-acre First & Main retail project. Building permits for parts of the project have also been approved, and construction has begun on the site. Some stores could open by the fall, Fairmount Properties attorney Jim Cowan has said.

I still contend that the Town and Developer would be better-served to actually sit down together and work things out, instead of costing the TAXPAYERS more money by fighting this out in court.  It doesn't look like all this legal wrangling is doing any good - Fairmount Properties keeps winning every one.  What are we proving by losing every battle?  Buildings are starting to come out of the ground, let's get going (this picture taking on Monday, already much more progress has been done since then.  And my apologies to the red Ford Explorer that had to change lanes as I stopped in the middle of Main Street to get this shot).   Sit down with Fairmount, work out the differences, come to a compromise and move forward.  Because of the tenant mix and notoriety, this affects not only the citizens of Blacksburg but of all of the New River Valley, so do what's right for your community.

Can someone tell me why we should be doing otherwise?  Click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post and tell us your thoughts.

Blacksburg Names A New Planning Director (updated 2/21/08)

Yesterday I shared that Blacksburg had named a new Planning Director.  One of the comments I received on the post was so good that I wanted to share it in its entirety, in a new post.

Bill wrote:

I was thinking about this very topic the other day and realized that I wish the town council really had taken another approach to this whole thing. One is acknowledged their mistake when approving the changes to the master plan which allowed the Wal-Mart in the first place (btw I am in support of the Wal-mart). Now instead of passing a new Ordinance which even by their own admission is flawed, and then suing the development company and then in essence themselves, why didn't they sit down with the development company spend the 100k they've spent in lawyer fees to come up with a solution that will work for the town and the development company. Find ways to shelter the surrounding community and the nearby school. Look at changing the roads to effect traffic patterns to minimize traffic in the neighborhoods, or even changing the master plan again to put the Wal-Mart on the opposite side of the development. Or even better work with the development company to bring in another store like Ukrops or something that wouldn't have such a negative feeling towards it...You can't tell me Blacksburg wouldn't go just as nuts as Roanoke did over a Ukrops. I just think the town council needs new thinking in it to bring smart growth to town by working with developers instead of NO-growth or after how I have seen the town act what I like to call dumb growth. Like you mentioned all this does is scare developers away that have good ideas, and can keep the small town feeling that the b'burg citizens want to keep.

I think he's right.  Why didn't they just spend the money working WITH Fairmount Properties rather than AGAINST?  This all doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of Blacksburg, of course - the same could be said of Fairmount Properties, as well.  Nevertheless, here we are, and I could argue that Blacksburg's citizens are no better off for it, at least at this point. 

Is Bil right?  Would his suggestion have been a better alternative to the lawsuit Blacksburg is currently embroiled in?  Or was the Town Council correct in attempting to enforce retroactively an Ordinance passed because of First & Main?

An Update From Richmond ...

Today's the first full day of the VAR Legislative & Education Conference, and already it's been a whirlwind.  While the bulk of the attendees are "lunching" in a ballroom somewhere, I'm recovering with an Arby's turkey sandwich (have you seen the new Arby's redesign?  Actual rotisserie meats and stuff, very nice) and my ever present Diet Pepsi, trying to remember everything we did this morning. 

The bulk of the morning has been spent visiting our Delegates & Senators, and discussing with them some of the bills coming through the General Assembly and how they affect the New River Valley.  Items of importance, sure, but none seems to be as hotly contested as SB768 and the budget shortfall.

SB768 passed the Senate on the 12th of February, and is now in the House for review.  Essentially, the Bill caps the amount a municipality can charge a developer in fees.  The current system allows for "proffers" - fees charged to a developer when a house is built, or a lot rezoned for development.  In some cases, developers are being charged upwards of $45,000 per lot, which ultimately gets passed on the property buyer and increases the cost to the consumer.  SB768 limits the amount of the proffer the municipality can charge to $12500 in the 51st state - Northern VA - and $7500 throughout the rest of the state.  Those are STILL large numbers, but quite a bit less than what's currently being charged, and possibly bringing more properties in line with buyers' budgets.

As with any bill, there are arguments for and against.  Being in Richmond this week, I'm fortunate to be surrounded by people a WHOLE lot smarter than me, and so I forced Jim Duncan to sit down and talk for a few minutes.  Jim talked candidly about his take on the bill, specifically how while he agreed with the need for capping the rates on proffers, he wanted to see local municipalities set the limit and NOT state legislature.  Personally, I think a cap - state-mandated or not - is a good thing.  It'll be interesting to see what happens with this one.  The word right now is it's being tabled for 2008, and will be revisited for 2009.  The drama continues.

More from Richmond tomorrow, this should be fun.
 

Thoughts & Musings ....

I've come across a few things that I just haven't gotten around to talking about, 'cause in between searching for the new Hokie Express and actually trying to sell a property or two this week, I've just run out of time.  So, here are a few things I thought might be of interest:

• It takes a Village.
• NVAR shuts down a Facebook group comprised of it's own members.  Go here.  Or here.  NAR making friends and influencing people.
• The front door of Blacksburg.
• The NRVLiving Real Estate Show live and in prime time tomorrow, 10am.  We'll have Beth Mann from Cabinetry By Design in studio, and Mark Weddle will stop by to make a Big HUGE announcement!  810am or 810wpin.com, call in at 866-961-1430 if you have a question you'd like to ask!

Cabinetry By Design, LLC

Been thinking about redoing the kitchen, but don't know where to start?  Have an outdated design that needs a little refreshing? 

You might want to check out Cabinetry By Design.  Beth Mann has done some really cool work through her little boutique shop, and the results speak for themselves.  Look at some of these before and after photos:

Before (duh):

And After:

Yes ... that's the same kitchen.  Amazing work.

You can meet Beth And learn some of her secrets by attending the YMCA class she's teaching, "A Recipe for Success: The Ingredients Needed For A Successful Kitchen Renovation."  The class will be held twice, you can catch it either Saturday February 23 or Saturday March 8 from 9am - 12pm.  Just contact the YMCA to register for the class, or register online. 

Will Blacksburg Choose To Box Another Day?

Montgomery County Judge Bobby Turk has ruled this morning on the Blacksburg v. Fairmount Properties battle, and the ruling is ...

... in favor of the developer. 

Interesting that if this goes to the state Supreme Court, it'll influence how governments handle new developments.  Personally, I think this has gone on long enough.  Town Council has wasted a LOT of money to try and amend something that they feel they mistakingly passed, and taxpayers are paying for the mistake.  Your thoughts? 

It's In Print, It Must Be True

From Sunday's The Roanoke Times and Sarah Cox ... emphases are mine.
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"What are the real estate issues, nationally and locally, that REALTORS and their associates will face in the new year?  Credit and foreclosures, the mortgage industry, the green industry, REALTORS in a buyer's market, attrition among REALTORS, and national versus local real estate markets are some of them.

While we will examine in further depth each of these issues throughout the year, several professionals have given their comments as 2008 gets underway.

Steve Bodtke, managing broker of Long & Foster Blacksburg, pointed out that despite national pockets, the New River Valley market remains strong.  Jeremy Hart, NRVLiving Real Estate Team (Coldwell Banker Townside) agreed, pointing out that in the last three years, the New River Valley residential market has seen an average six percent appreciation, while the average days on the market (DOM) has dropped by 30 percent.

'Honestly, I was expecting a positive appreciation and higher DOM, but I wasn't expecting those numbers,' said Hart.  He pointed out that while there has been an 18 percent drop in new home sales nationally, the real estate market slow downs have been in California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas.  Locally, the lower DOM can partially be attributed to a slowdown in new home building, because a house could be under construction for six months all the while being 'on the market'.

Bodtke said the strong NRV market follows the most basic economic model of supply and demand.

'Blacksburg and Montgomery County are very appealing to a wide variety of buyers, from outdoor enthusiasts to retiring VT alumni (often one and the same).  Due to the high cost of land and the even higher costs to develop land in the area, coupled with the increasing materials costs, prices of new homes are up.  However, the demand for quality construction in a desirable area is always strong,' he said.

The buyers in this market are looking a bit harder and longer because of the slightly increased inventory.  So, said Bodtke, the more motivated sellers are 'correcting' their prices and not digging in their heels, assuming an appreciation rate that is simply too high.  Hart said he believed that the onus for price positioning lies with the REALTOR.

'We have to set clear expectations with our clients.  You can't argue with the numbers.   During the last half of 2007, homes that were priced right, taking market value and priced a percent or two below, came off the market within a month or two,' he said.

Buyers are looking, and finding, good values.  This does not necessarily mean that they are looking for the cheapest price, said Bodtke, but for quality, sustainability and low-operating cost, often linked to energy efficiency.  Both REALTORS said that going green will have an increased impact in 2008.

Bodtke said the proper approach to this type of construction is to examine the overall cost of home ownership, from type of materials used to the efficiency of the systems in the house.  Hart said that the green industry in the NRV is a trend that will continue to grow.

'It has not had the huge surge in poplularity that we've seen in other places nationally, but it has been growing consistently,' he said.  The Green Living and Energy Expo, sponsored by the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, held its eighth annual convention Nov. 2-3, 2007 at the Roanoke Civic Center.  The attendance and exhibits have increased in previous years, with more than 2,000 people attending the last event that featured 75 exhibits.  Workshops included a biofuels seminar, the house of pressure, and presentations on residential solar, hybrid cars, global warming, on-demand water heaters and green roofs.

'We will continue to see more and more companies that are either growing that as a part of their business or focusing their entire business on influencing the green market,' said Hart.

Both REALTORS said they also see an attrition in their industry that began this past year.  Hart attributes this to the change in the market.

'When things get tough, people start to leave,' he said.

Bodtke pointed out that it's common in the real estate industry for people to 'jump in when the market is hot.  This was the same case with the 'fly by night' lenders and appraisers that no one had ever heard of.  Many of them are gone, never to be seen or heard of again.  This industry has a way of correcting itself, and that's a good thing.'

Hart also said that of the four million people currently in the industry in the United States, nearly 60 percent are at or nearing retirement age.

'If it's harder to sell real estate, some people don't want to do it.  As things get harder and the workforce gets older, we'll see more and more people get out of the industry.  There aren't as many people waiting int he wings as there where when I got into it five years ago,' he said.
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As The Dirt Turns

Yep, they're turning dirt down at First & Main, the new retail development mix on South Main Street in Blacksburg.  I took some pictures on my phone this afternoon, so apologies if the quality's not the greatest.  You can find out all the latest on First & Main from Google here.
You've heard the news - the developer wanted a big box store, Town Council voted an Ordinance into place to block it, and now that's been repealed by the Planning Commission.  We won't belabor that, but if you haven't been down South Main Street in a while you'll be surprised when you do.  I've said all along, I think this is good for the Town and I'm excited to see them get started.  In the end, I think most of us are going to be happy with the results.  Like many of you, I'm concerned that a development match the character of the Town, but I know the principals involved here have worked diligently with the Town's Powers That Be to assure that is done.  And I'd love to have someone involved with the project on the radio show soon, so if you're reading this and can help with that, please email me.

Anyone up for a beer at the Brewhouse when complete?

And the battle rages on ...

Clearing to the left of the Rugby Field.

Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Hibbett Sports, Wireless ZONE, RePlay Games, Books-A-Million, 12-Screen Cinema

Rack Room Shoes, Henebry's Jewelers, Ann Taylor Loft and JoS A. Bank

Classic Body Image & Day Spa, Talbot's, Coldwater Creek and Catwalk Clothing

Beamer's, Maggie Moo's, Sonic, Sake House, Elderberry's ... and I don't recall the rest.  Plenty of others on the way, including a Gold's Gym (get your workout on).

This is one of the most commented on topics on this blog, so I hope you don't disappoint ... any thoughts?

To Break Ground, Or To Not Break Ground ...

Heard the news?  The Blacksburg Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously to reverse Council's approval of Ordinance 1450, and overturned Zoning Administrator Steve Hundley's ruling that the South Main Street development would be subject to the rules of the newly adopted Ordinance 1450.  It's about time ... Ordinance 1450 has the opportunity to allow the Town better control over what's built within Town limits, but it was inappropriately enacted and I hope the Board's ruling will stand.  As usual, we need to go through the appeal of the appeal now. 

This doesn't mean a big box store is going in on the site ... but it certainly makes it more likely than ever before.  And I like that the Ordinance will still be in place for future projects ... As I wrote at the time, I don't care where you stand on the issue - Council's vote was grandstanding and ill-served.    I hope that this ruling will stand and we can move forward.  It's not about one store over another for me, it's about the project as a whole.  Ordinance 1450 was created to try and stop what some believed to be an inappropriate store (despite the fact that no announcement has ever been made) and was a knee-jerk reaction.  Council's decision ended up being what was inappropriate.  I don't want this Council going unchallenged when they clearly acted with a vendetta. 

Enjoy the ride.       

Bring Da Noise! Shut Da Window!

Interesting article on Friday of last week - yes, I'm a little late - regarding noise ordinances.  I was a little surprised to hear that Christiansburg has such an open-ended noise ordinance ... "Currently, Christiansburg's town code addresses noise under the nuisance ordinance and simply states that 'unreasonably loud and unnecessary noise' constitutes a nuisance."

I can understand this woman's concerns, and the tone that Town Manager Lance Terpenny took when he was quoted as saying "this lady won't hear this noise forever and ever." seems a little flippant.  I mean, she wants to knit on the back deck!  Who doesn't like to pass away a quiet Saturday morning outside with their knitting supplies?  I kid - a little bit - but I understand the Town's point as well.  Discretion is important, as Terpenny says, but the climate in the New River Valley DOES dictate that a lot of the work be done when weather conditions are favorable.  Of course, I chuckled when Terpenny said he empathized with the contractors - of course he does, they've been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth or permitting fees to the Town of Christiansburg over the last few years!

Interested to hear your thoughts ... what do you think?

Speaking of noise - and we hope it won't be offensive - the NRVLiving Real Estate Team begins hosting it's radio show cleverly titled "The NRVLiving Real Estate Show" this Saturday, August 4th at 10:00am on FOX News Radio 810AM.  Hope you'll choose to check it out ... we'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, suggestions, or better yet ... Get involved!  Questions or show suggestions can be emailed to info@nrvliving.com.

Follow-up To Ordinance 1450 ... The Gloves Are Off & The Dust Has Settled. Now What???

So, Ordinance 1450 passed and all is right with the world ... or going to hell in a handbasket ... depending on who you ask.  It's been more than a week since the vote and my legs have just regained feeling from standing all night long listening to the comments.  Since the vote last Tuesday night I've gotten a number of emails from folks who, like I, were against 1450 and who wanted to get my thoughts.  What was I going to say??  It appeared to me that Council had already made up their minds and that nothing was going to be solved by the grandstanding that took place.  I thought it was GREAT that there had been so much citizen participation - for or against the Ordinance, it's our duty to speak out and there were literally hundreds that did it that night ... some ad nausea, but they spoke nevertheless. 

Here's the thing ... I'm not against the development but I understand some of the reasons people were upset.  "This is a big store, it's next to a school ..."  Valid arguments, sure, but the way Town Council acted retroactively to block this portion of the development is, in my opinion, an inappropriate use of authority and, again in my opinion, a bait and switch as well.  That's the thing I find so distasteful in all of this, I think.  That and the use of children as props both before and during the session.  You can't tell me that an 8 year old knows what they're saying as they read a prepared statement full of not so subtle references to "The Evil Mart" and "cheap plastic stuff", or picket outside the Council chambers.  Excuse me as I spit ...

While I was thrilled to see that kind of involvement in public policy, I found actions like using children to be deplorable, and was disappointed at some of the rude comments made both to myself and others who opposed 1450.  It became personal - there were some there who weren't there to speak out or support, they were there to be rude, obnoxious and degrading.  I was called stupid, a colleague ridiculed as he stepped to the podium, and I know others left because of the name calling they experienced.  That's disappointing - we're adults, let's act like it.  How did this become so personal?

I wish I could find Councilman Lancaster's comments at the end of the session - if you know where the video is, let me know and I'll embed it here.  The speech could be entitled "What I Have Learned" and was an equal opportunity woodshed moment, pretty balanced in its' venom.  Some have said there was a lot of grandstanding on both sides, which I would agree with.  This turned into a circus ... as one individual said to me after the event, "the law allows people to protect their property when someone is taking outward action which will harm the property and saleability ...".  They're right, the law does allow for that kind of protection, which only makes the future that much more interesting as now the law is being challenged and those who wrote the Ordinance are being sued.

Showdown In The Hedgepath Chambers, 7:30pm

Tonight, the battle rages on.  Blacksburg Town Council votes tonight on Ordinance 1450, an Ordinance proposed by Council to limit the size of retail buildings to no more than 80000 square feet without Council-issued Special Use Permit.  Proponents of the Ordinance say that it is the "Anti-WalMart" Ordinance, while opponents of the Ordinance say it's an inappropriate use of governmental regulations and limits economic growth for the Town. 

Adding drama to an already intense "my feelings are hurt" debate, the developer have the property has already filed a preemptive suit against the Town, and rumors are swelling that Councilman Langrehr is using the Ordinance to gain support for another run at Mayor. 

Oh, isn't Blacksburg fun sometimes?  But in all seriousness, regardless of where you stand on this issue this is where your voice should be heard.  The session begins at 7:30pm at Town Hall tonight - if it's anything like last summer's session when the project was approved, it should be exciting.  If you're able to make it and see me there, stop by and say hello!

The Battle For Blacksburg - 2007

And so it begins ... school children in the future will refer to May 11, 2007 as the beginning day in the Battle For Blacksburg.  Or, perhaps May 11, 2007 will be Bruce's day?