NRVLiving - Real Estate. Simplified.

A Blogging Christiansburg Town Council Member

Just discovered this ...

A Christiansburg Town Councilman has started blogging.  Brad Stipes has started a blog entitled "AdvanceChristiansburg" and says that he wants to provide residents another forum to offer comments and suggestions, as well as find out what's going on in the community.  I'm not a a resident of Christiansburg, but I think this is a great way to find out "first person" what's happening in the Town - Christiansburg residetns should be proud they elected this guy.

Another blog to add to the feed reader.  There are more and more local blogs coming online, it's great to see!

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Virginia Tech Showing Commitment to Sustainability *Updated 6/3/08*

This is one step towards creating a better campus climate.

The Roanoke Times chimed in with an editorial a few days later.

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Blacksburg High School Among Top High Schools In The Country

Just announced by Newsweek Magazine:

Blacksburg High School is one of the Top 5% of high schools in the country.

Let me repeat that.

Little 'ole Blacksburg High School has been ranked as one of the top high schools in the country.  From the County's press release:

"Montgomery County Public Schools has steadily increased its offering of Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses over the last few years. These offerings have provided students with more opportunities to take challenging courses throughout their secondary education."

There's been a steady improvement in the Blacksburg's ranking over the last few years ... in 2006, they were ranked 335th, and last year they improved to 330th.  I'm sure that's due in no small part to the teachers of Blacksburg High School, as well as to Principal Michael Hurst and his staff.  Congratulations to all!

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DOJ vs. NAR Lawsuit - The Aftermath

You might have heard that the litigation between the National Association of REALTORS vs. Department of Justice has been settled.  At issue was whether discount brokerage firms could be blocked from posting information about listings directly to the local MLS, and whether they had - my words - "full MLS privileges". 

The DOJ said no.  NAR obviously disagreed.  Now we have a settlement.  What's it all mean?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Photo Credit

I don't really know yet.  I'd forgotten that the thing was still even out there on the table, and it still needs to be ruled on by a judge in July.  Here are some thoughts:

• as agents, we're putting our listings everywhere we can.  We're not advertising solely in print, or solely on TV, or solely on our own website, we're putting our listings everywhere.  MLS-access isn't the central issue any longer. 
• one of the pieces the DOJ is touting as a positive is a savings of $2200, on average, per real estate transaction.  I'm not crying about reduced commissions, that's a soapbox and conversation for another day.  What's the government doing getting involved in effectively setting prices for a private industry?  I'm not referring to NAR being private industry - the National Association of REALTORS is a special-interest group.  I'm referring to me, moi ... my pocket ... what's the government doing getting involved in MY paycheck?  They're already getting their piece of my pie several times a year, now they want to cut my income further?
• I doubt the majority of the 1+ million members of NAR have any idea what this suit was about, and I doubt it's going to affect their business much.  I don't know that this was a victory for NAR any more than it was a victory for DOJ, and I don't care, to be honest.  We'll keep moving forward, adjusting our business to account for consumer preferences, and attempting to provide the absolute best service we can, each and every time.

You can read more coverage at some of these sites ... some of the comments are even more insightful, and some are just comical.  Enjoy.  What do you think - who wins here?

Agent Genius

CNN.com

Michael Wurzer of flexMLS

Sellsius

Jim Duncan

Inman News

Tech Crunch

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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!

Meme - Pass It On ...

I've been Meme'd again.  Jamie Geiger of Real Estate Cactus.com tagged me in a recent meme, so I thought I'd follow the directions and pass it on.  First, though, I guess I need to answer the questions. 

1. Who is your favorite musical artist? (post a YouTube video)
   
   Like everyone else on the planet I'd say my tastes run all over the place, but if there's one band - not an artist, but a band - I constantly go back to it's The Dave Matthews Band.  Here's a current favorite ...
2. 
   
3. Who is your favorite artist?
   
   This one's tough; I don't think I have a favorite artist, per se.  My wife and I will usually pick up a piece of art - a painting, a sculpture, something - from the various places we've traveled and we've got some neat items from around the world, including a painting from Italy, handcrafted items from India and China, original prints from Alaska and Hawaii ... but two of my favorites might be two prints by an artist in Charleston SC.  We THINK his name is Gary Gorvans, although we can't read his signature and it's been so long since we were there we haven't looked any further.  I love that all of these items are a constant reminder of the places we've been - well, admittedly, some of the coolest trips have been my wife's but I'm working on that passport thing.
4. Who is your favorite blogger?
   
   How can I answer this - I've got dozens of them, I wouldn't even know where to begin!  I'm going to leave someone out, so I'll defer ... but if you love a good storyteller and are interested in Chicago Real Estate, I'd check out Geno Petro.  Just sayin'.  Apologies to the dozens of others I've left off.
5. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead), who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them?
   
   Although I guess it could be said He's alive, I'd like to meet Jesus - just two guys, sitting around, talking.  Can you imagine, meeting someone who's entire life inspired not only Christianity but several other religions as well?  If the person were living, I'd like to meet Hank Aaron.  I think the thing that's most interesting about him is the way that he carried the burden of racism on his shoulders with such dignity and class, and has remained to this day an admirable example of character.
   
   
6. What did you want to be when you grew up?
   
   A baseball player.
7. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know?
   
   When I need to recall trivia, I can't do it.  So I'm going to go with something I saw today on Twitter, courtesy of @triviabot - about 98% of the surface of Antarctica is covered by ice that, on average, is a mile thick.
   
   
8. If you could live in any point in history what would it be and why?
   
   I'm pretty happy with this point in history, honestly.  I don't know that I'd want to trade.
   
   
9. What is the most interesting job you have ever held?
   
   Being a REALTOR(R) is a pretty cool career, I must admit, but I probably had more fun on a daily basis working in minor league baseball after college.  I did everything - sales, marketing and promotions, grass cutting, website maintenance, even washed the uniforms after the games for extra cash - and loved it.  Other than work I had no life, but it was still so much fun.  I mean, who gets paid ridiculous cash during a game to get vodka shooters for a manager who won a World Series as a player??  They call that WORK?  Don't ask, the manager shall remain nameless since I think he's still in baseball.  It was a cool job.
   

So now I guess I need to pass it on.  In the spirit of all things Meme'd (spell check doesn't like that), I hereby tag:

• Ben Martin
• Jim Duncan
• Bob Carney
• Scott Rogers
• Ines Hegedus-Garcia
• Heather Elias
• Andy Kaufman
• Candy Lynn

Hope someone will play along.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming

Livin' Just Got A Little More 'Spensive

If you live in Christiansburg, anyway.

No one's ever happy about taxes being raised, and this seems to be an issue at every Council meeting where the topic is broached.  The business license tax is going up dramatically, though, and people are alarmed:

"Currently, retail stores pay a BPOL tax of 10 cents per $100 of gross receipts. With the proposed increase, that would go up to 15 cents. That's still less than the tax for retailers in Blacksburg, where the rate is the state maximum of 20 cents per $100. According to the city of Roanoke's Web site, Virginia ranks ninth in the country for the lowest business tax burden."

I know I hate writing that business license check every March, but in return I'm allowed to business in the Town.  What a tradeoff ... in the end it's worth it though, and I agree with the decision to bring the BPOL up in Christiansburg.  Retail and residential should share in the process.

Apparently, He Doesn't Read This Blog

Last month I posted an article from the Washington Post about how walking away from a home purchase will cost you.

Apparently, this guy doesn't read this blog.  He just lost a lawsuit for walking away, and it'll cost him at least $155000.

I wish we knew the back story on why he walked away.  It almost always negatively affects both sides to the transaction when you walk away, but in this case there's a quantitative value associated with it.

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Is Now A Good Time To Buy Or Sell?

This guy says buy. 

Here's the thing though.  There's no right time to buy, and no wrong time to buy, just as there's no right time to sell.  The right time is when you're ready.  There's no magic formula to getting the timing right, no right moment to push the button.  If you're looking to buy a home, let's talk with a local lender and discuss your financial picture.  If there are things we need to work on - credit improvement, down payment assistance, etc. - then we'll spend some time doing that to make sure you're in the absolute best scenario possible.

Likewise, if you're a seller, do NOT try and time the market.  There's no telling when the right buyer is out there, and the minute we try and time a listing is the minute we'll begin to get it wrong.  When you're ready to sell your home, let's talk about staging and getting it ready, and then let's go.

I like some of the comments in the article.  Some of them are very well thought out, and others are just sour grapes.  There are all sorts of "reasons" - it's the government's fault, people are stupid, offer 30% below list and that'll force sellers to be reasonable ... Everyone thinks they're an expert.  None of us really are. 

Buy when you're ready, sell when you're ready.  Your story might just end up like these folks:

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Have A Say - Get Involved

The AEP Falling Branch-Merrimac Transmission Reinforcement Project is in need of public input.  They've got a big long name to say that they need to add overhead electric lines through portions of Blacksburg, Montgomery County and Christiansburg.  My question is ... why can't these be buried?  They're burying everything else these days.  Here's the text of the email I received:

Appalachian Power announced a $15 million upgrade in the electric infrastructure that serves parts of Montgomery County, the Town of Blacksburg and the Town of Christiansburg. The company is in the initial study phase of the project which involves construction of approximately eight miles of electric transmission line and is seeking public input into the siting process before pursuing approval to construct the new line. The project scope is focused on the south end of Blacksburg in the vicinity of the Montgomery Regional Hospital and continues through Montgomery County and the Town of Christiansburg.

The new facilities will be constructed on single pole structures with an average height of 100 feet tall and be built on a 100 foot-wide right of way. The company has identified preliminary proposed corridors for review. The public can provide comments on the preliminary study corridors and suggest alternative routing options at Appalachian Power’s website, which is linked below and at a public workshop 5-8 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Christiansburg High School, 100 Independence Blvd., Christiansburg, Va., 24073. The public comment period continues through July 18.

Customers can find more information about the Falling Branch-Merrimac Transmission Reinforcement Project, including maps and photos of similar facilities to those proposed, or provide comments on the project at the Appalachian Power website.

Once, I was bemoaning all of the legal and ethical problems the President at the time had gotten himself into, and how it reflected on our society.  My wife looked at me very sternly and asked "did you vote?".  She knew the answer; she knew I hadn't, and she said I had no room to complain.  I learned a lesson that day - whether I want power lines or don't want power lines, I can't complain without having my voice heard.  Here's our chance to have our voices heard.

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New River Community Action Cares ...

Thursday night, I had the honor of attending a dinner hosted by New River Community Action, honoring the many volunteers and community partners that provide valuable services to those in need around the area.  NRCA serves more than 12000 individuals around the New River Valley each year, dealing with a range of issues.  Poverty and hunger are not acceptable conditions in ANY community, and NRCA is working hard to address those issues.

That's what this dinner was about.

I was amazed at the completely selfless works that these volunteers were committing to the mission of New River Community Action.  Story after story was told of the tireless efforts of these folks - in one case, a woman (and I WISH I could remember her name to honor her) had committed more than 3400 volunteer hours in 2007.  Almost 40% of her year was spent volunteering.  We honored with a scholarship a young mother who had recently graduated from Floyd High School, and was going on to work in natural science and biology.  We honored Americorps volunteers ... grandmothers ... grandfathers ... individuals just like you and me, who were doing amazing work.

Did you know ...

• in 2007, 1.6 million Virginians donated more than 286 million volunteer hours?
• those 286 million volunteer hours equate to a $4 billion benefit to Virginia's economy?
• there's a service called 2-1-1 that you can call to get answers to all kinds of questions?

I found it amazing that last year, 2-1-1 fielded 24000 calls related to mental health issues.  TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND calls! 

We are blessed in the New River Valley to have organizations like New River Community Action.  These folks are working selflessly to give back ... how will YOU give back?  Will you pledge to donate not just your money in 2008 to programs like New River Community Action, but also your time?  Can Virginia provide more than 300 million volunteer hours in 2008?

Anything's possible.  Call New River Community Action at 540-633-5133 to find out where your talents might be best used.  Give back ... I bet you'll receive so much more in return.

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Raise Your Credit Score 100 Points In 45 Days

Think it can't be done?   ... Alcova Mortgage says it can.

Clear as mud, right?  The credit industry seems to be a secret society - don't take each bullet point as an irrefutable fact, but it does provide a good basis of understanding of how your credit score can improve, and offers steps to take.  And let me know if you follow the steps and you see your score improve - share your success! All of this is important because with a tightening mortgage industry, your credit score is becoming an even more important asset when it comes to getting a loan.  Like any asset, protect it and grow it, and it will serve you well.

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What Can You Buy In ...

Radford?  Lately I've worked with buyers new to the area and they've always seemed to ask the question, "What can I buy in <insert local community here>?  So ... what can you buy in the City of Radford?

The City of Radford has homes available in a number of different price points, at all times of the year.   Situated on the banks of the New River and calling itself "The New River City", Radford is home to world-class companies like Danaher Motion and Volvo Logistics, thriving small businesses like Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, and of course Radford University.  It's a beautiful setting on the banks of the New River, and is just centrally located to other important points in the New River Valley.

Did you know Radford's an All-American City finalist?

Impressive stuff for a city with an impressive history.  With a charming downtown, a bustling university, loads of recreational activities and miles of telecommunications fiber, Radford offers a little of everything, whether you're here for business, pleasure or both.

So ... What Can You Buy In Radford, VA?

As of May 17, there are 114 residential properties on the market in Radford.  The lowest priced home is $49900, while the highest priced home is $465000, and the median home price is $154450.  Here are some other statistics you might be interested in:

• in 2008, the average length of time to sell a home in Radford has been 73 days.
• the average property in Radford has sold for a 7.5% discount off of list price in 2008.
• properties in Radford have sold for about 7% less than what they did last year at this time.

With 114 properties on the market, there's likely something for everyone to pick from.   Here's a sampling of what you might see in various price points ...

Under $50000 - 700 square foot bungalow

Between $50001 - $100000 - 1 BR 1 BA condo          Updated home blocks to campus

Between $100001 - $150000 - 2 BR 2 BA condo with hardwood floors         1800 sf Cottage

Between $150001 - $200000 - Brick Ranch with closing costs           Newer home with hardwood floors

Between $200001 - $300000 - Main level master bedroom with HOA     Townhomes across the street from RU

Between $300001 - $400000 - Classic Colonial         Decorator's Delight in High Meadows

Above $400001 - 4100 square foot monster in need of some updating

Let me know - is there something else you'd like to know about Radford?

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Sellers - How To Make Money In Today's Market

Are you selling a home, or about to sell your home, and you're worried about the market?  Let me take a minute to introduce you to Revisions Redesigns, a home staging and redesign company based in Blacksburg.

Revisions Redesigns  uses the items already in your home to design rooms that maximize their potential.  Don't think this can make you money when you go to sell your home?  Check out some of these statistics from Home Staging Resource:

Remodeling doesn't always make sense ... thanks to Tom Markiewicz for sending that article.  Home staging, however, almost always pays, because it sets the home apart, as well as creates the environment for buyers to feel themselves in the home.

Are you ready to call Revisions Redesigns now?  You can find Machelle online, make sure to tell her you heard about her here!

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Short Shorts

There's a lot that's been happening recently, and I've gotten to virtually none of it here on the blog.  So ... allow me to introduce Short Shorts, the category established for when things just get a little bit crazy.

• Can the Roanoke Valley and NRV Valley coexist?  This guy tells you what he thinks.
• Portions of Lee Street in Blacksburg closed through June 16.
• Car enthusiasts unite this weekend.
• NOT the home of falling prices in Roanoke.  I'm sure BURG is all over this.

That's it for now.  A couple of new posts coming out shortly, specifically my take on whether now is a good time to buy and sell or not, as well as some thoughts on why it just got tougher to buy a home if you're self-employed.

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The Newest Cat Workout

Ever wonder how cats stay so trim?  The secret's just been released, and it's all the rage!  C'mon, watch it - you've got two minutes before that conference call you're dreading, don't you?

I, Jeremy Hart, Am A Genius

Fame and fortune are sure to follow.

My thanks to the good folks at Agent Genius for asking me to join their group as a guest writer!  Agent Genius is an industry-focused blog that talks about all kinds of topics related to real estate and the impact the industry has on both agents and consumers alike.  Why they asked me I have no idea - they probably contacted the wrong Jeremy Hart, but don't tell 'em!

Agent Genius is a great site for anyone to check out - make sure to bookmark it and check out what's happening over there, or just subscribe to the feed!

Excuse Me?

The Old Blacksburg Middle School Transition Committee has just announced that they are seeking public input on how best to use the 20-acre site that the previous Blacksburg Middle School is falling in on, and kicking it off will be a design contest.

There will be two public input meetings - one from 4-6pm and one from 7-9pm on May 14th at the Blacksburg Community Center on Patrick Henry Drive.  The first phase of the contest will run  August - November 2008. 

I don't know, there's just something off here, in my opinion.  We've battled for years on what to do, now we're having a design contest?  What are we designing for?  We haven't decided what we want to put on the property, and so based on some public input meetings we're going to come up with concept ideas we can get behind?  Aren't we putting the cart before the horse?

Thanks to MontVA.com for the picture.

Are We? Aren't We? Will We? Won't We?

The questions keep coming ...

"Are we in a recession?"  "Aren't we expected to make a lowball offer?"  "Will we get our money back if we sell in two years?"  "Won't we make $100000 on this flip in just two months like they do on TV?"

Okay, so maybe I haven't gotten that last question - at least not phrased like that - but everything else is verbatim.  Plenty of mixed signals floating around about the real estate market, and it's understandable that people have questions. 

Making matters worse, Scott Rogers posted links to posts entitled "The Recession That Never Was Is Now Over", and "Is Housing Slump At A Bottom?".  I point these out not because I think Scott shouldn't have posted them, I just think that both posts make strong arguments to at least make you consider that perhaps times they are a changin'.  For instance, the post "Is Housing Slump At A Bottom" makes the argument that new housing starts slumped below the one million mark in March.  Historically, every time that's happened in the last 50 years, it's been at the bottom of a recession.  it's hard to argue with history - as a friend of mine says, "hindsight is 40/40".  Yea, she's like me, she was never good with numbers.

I do think there are concerns that need to be addressed. Dependence on foreign oil, uncertainty overseas, among other things, compounded by a constant barrage of negativity and fear in the mainstream consciousness, have people scared. These things need to be addressed in order to begin an upswing in confidence, IMO.

One thing I DON'T understand is how we hear about massive layoffs in industries like auto and manufacturing, yet GDP is up. Wouldn't conventional wisdom say that by laying off in massive quantities, and exporting goods and jobs out of the country, that GDP would go DOWN?  In the last three years, Volvo has announced layoffs of 1000, 650 and 1100 personnel in their Dublin factory.  I've got to imagine that production in the plant slowed down accordingly, not increased ... I didn't do well in Economics, for sure, but what am I missing here?

Beauty's In The Eye of the Beholder

In all likelihood you've seen a house on television and you thought "That's a really weird home!".  Well, thanks to my Twitter bud @ResPres for pointing out some of these really unusual digs ...

From Nubricks.com:

The Airplane - Late 1994, JoAnne Ussery’s intention was to find a new mobile home. Luckily for us, her brother-in-law had a brainwave experienced by all of us at one point in our lives: Why not look for a decommissioned aircraft instead and convert it into a habitable space? JoAnne did exactly that and the next year had transported an old 727 and started the renovation herself, the end result being an extremely long home boasting over 80 windows and a jacuzzi in what used to be a cockpit.

The Ship - If you head for South Bass Island in Lake Erie, Ohio you may see the ‘Ship Residence’ photographed above. This extraordinary home sits perched on the shore and is actually the front-end of what used to be The Benson Ford, a boat that was in service for 50 years on the Great Lakes after being built by Henry Ford. It was subsequently snapped up by a married couple who then had the front detached, transported 60 miles and renovated to house a family on the island.

The Water Tower - The house at the top of the tower in the above photograph was designed to disguise the huge water tank contained beneath it over 80 years ago. The tank itself has since been removed and the premises converted into a gorgeous home boasting 5 bedrooms and a generous 3 bathrooms. What was once an eyesore in the area or Thorpness is now a majestic home with what must be the best views for miles.

The Cave -

Just over 20 years ago, Cathy Wertz and Randy Clark purchased 45 acres of land in Bisbee, Arizona after falling in love with its natural beauty. After much deliberating they then took the most difficult route possible and decided to convert one of their newly owned cliff-sides into a home by creating a 3′000sqft cave. A habitable cave in itself isn’t that rare but just glancing at the interior tells you this must surely be one of the most luxurious around. The cave home is currently on the market at $1.95m.

The cave has its own website here.

 

The Car Ferry - After seeing various converted tugboats being used as houses, architect Olle Lundberg decided to fry a bigger fish and purchased a ferry in need of some love. After stumping up $260k for the retired vehicle carrier and transporting it from Iceland to San Fransisco he duly renovated the interior to the standard you see above and moved in with his wife. The result is a stunning, floating and unassuming duplex home.

The Missile Silo - Ed Peden was the first person to convert a missile silo into a habitable living space (something that still only a few people on earth have done since his brainwave occured in the early 80s) and when he first viewed the silo he did so using a canoe due to major flooding of the entire structure. The complex itself is huge, highlights including a 47ton door, a few 18inch thick concrete walls and a 120ft long tunnel connecting the 2 halves of the home.

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