The outlook for commercial real estate in the Charlottesville area remains strong according to local agents who cite declining vacancy rates and robust activity throughout the region. While demand is especially high in the downtown area, we are seeing growth in the commercial market all over town and in every sector from retail and office […]
Smart Preps for Holiday Guests
Yes, we know you’ve only just put away the pumpkins and plastic bats, but we’re already hearing “Frosty the Snowman” in shops. The Big Holidays are on the horizon and it’s not too soon to be laying your plans. Are you having company this year? Will you be hosting people with disabilities? Are there children […]
The Virginia Film Festival: An Embarrassment of Riches
Historic and heartwarming (Loving). Family-friendly and inspiring (The Eagle Huntress). Searching and shocking (The Promise), romantic (La La Land) and jaw dropping (Liv Ullmann, Werner Herzog and Shirley . .. that’s right, MacLaine)—if it boasts more than 125 films, and way too many admiring modifiers to choose from, it’s the 2016 Virginia Film Festival, screening […]
Veterans Calling Central Virginia Home: Initiatives to Help Veterans Buy Homes
They served us bravely, and so we thank them. Having defended our homeland, they deserve to own their own homes, and happily there is help available to make that easier. Established in 1930 but carrying on work dating back to the Revolutionary War, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs supports service members, veterans, and […]
Experience the Magic of Living on the Water at Lake Monticello
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. —Loren Eisley If you love the […]
Enjoy Country Living for Less in Nearby Fluvanna County
Buyers looking for a house with privacy to enjoy a laid-back country lifestyle for an affordable price should seriously consider contacting their agent about Fluvanna County. First-time homebuyers are welcome there as are growing families who want more space, horse owners looking for a farm, or active retirees wanting to be free of home maintenance. […]
Fall Foliage: Central Virginia’s Autumn Tapestry
It all comes down to chlorophyll, the green pigment in the leaves. Every autumn, as the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, two phenomena occur. One, as the production of chlorophyll slows and eventually comes to a halt, other pigments already present but obscured become visible: brilliant yellow and gold, and orange, crimson […]
Historic Homes: Central Virginia Treasures
The most historic place around is not on the market. A red brick neoclassical dream house constructed from 1769 to 1784, remodeled from 1796 through 1808, and today valued at “priceless and inestimable,” Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is on the National Registry of Historic Places and on every history buff and architecture lover’s bucket list to […]
Add a Touch of History to Your Home
Antique features lend character and individuality to the newest of homes and may harken back to our region’s history. Often a particular historical element, such as a salvaged door or window, lends an extra dash of personality to the home as well. “Very true,” declares Virginia Gardner, a REALTOR® with Roy Wheeler Realty Co. in […]
Blue Ridge Home Builder’s 53rd Annual Parade of Homes Continues this Weekend
It’s not too late to see the best of Charlottesville’s new construction as the Blue Ridge Homebuilders Association’s 53rd Annual Parade of Homes continues this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, October 8 and 9 from noon to 5:00 pm. This year’s Parade features 38 homes from 18 builders, up from last year, reflecting our region’s active […]
Enjoy the Best of New Construction on Display at the 53rd Annual Parade of Homes
Once again the Blue Ridge Home Builders Association (BRHBA) is excited to offer this year’s much anticipated Parade of Homes where local builders put their very best product on display. As always Parade goers will enjoy a close-up look at a variety of home styles, prices and locations and learn about cutting-edge technologies like the […]
Making a Difference in Our Community
“Perhaps the first and biggest benefit people get from volunteering is the satisfaction of incorporating service into their lives and making a difference in their community and country,” says the Corporation for National and Community Service. A seldom recognized bonus: In the past twenty years, studies have shown that people who volunteer reap health benefits […]
Scottsville is Thriving, Affordable, and Close-In
People who live in the town of Scottsville enjoy a community that is diverse, thriving and very scenic. Home of Albemarle’s first county seat, Scottsville is located on a bend of the James River at the intersection of Routes 20 and 6 where the three counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna and Buckingham come together. Though set […]
Home Theaters Are Practical and Popular
Forget bonus rooms and basements filled with cast-off furniture and piles of kids’ stuff. Today’s home entertainment spaces are sophisticated and tech-savvy, often including home theaters that look as if they’ve been lifted straight from some Hollywood producer’s mansion. Indeed, at one time, home theaters were the purview only of the wealthy, but the increasing […]
How Much is Your Home Worth?
How much is your home worth? How much more would it be worth if you remodeled the kitchen or enlarged the master bedroom? How do you know what price to set when you put it on the market, so it’s neither over nor undervalued? Is that condo you’re thinking of buying worth the $8,000 more […]
Four Good Ideas to Help Sell Your House
When you’re sprucing up your house to sell, some renovations positively increase a home’s marketability and selling price while others never come close to recouping the expense. According to Remodeling Magazine’s “2016 Cost vs. Value Report” figures for the Richmond area—the closest market for comparison—the highest value item is the installation of attic insulation which […]
A Whole Lot to Celebrate: Fall Festivals in Central Virginia
Why are there so many festivals in Central Virginia every year? Because we have so much to celebrate, of course. From pop music to classical, from fruit to foliage, and from art to antiques, we have an abundance of riches to delight in, this autumn. Here’s a look at how we’ll do it. The Charlottesville […]
A Dozen Winter-Prep Tips
Although we still can expect plenty of warm weather in Central Virginia, days are getting shorter, evenings are getting cooler with hints of fall and—well, it’s true—winter is coming. The 2017 Old Farmer’s Almanac—traditionally about 80 percent accurate—predicts this winter will be colder than last year, but with less overall snowfall in our region. It’s […]
Taste of the Mountains: Madison Pride
Stroll down Main Street in Madison on Saturday, September 3 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Stop by the booth manned by the volunteer fire department and try one of their famous steak sandwiches. Head over to the bandstand and hear old-time mountain music and 21st century mountain music—they call it “country”—and the marches and […]
Central Virginia’s Students Enjoy a Quality Education in Local Public Schools
Welcome to our public schools feature where we highlight the quality education available to students in Charlottesville city and surrounding counties. If you have a family and are considering a move to central Virginia, or if you’re planning to relocate from one county to another, and are wondering about what each county school system has […]
Charlottesville Area Private Schools Offer Impressive Options
Families looking for a private school education for their children will find an abundance of options in the Charlottesville area. Each school fills a particular niche and parents can find a myriad of alternatives to choose from. We have asked each school to summarize what they offer to give you a sense of the different […]
Staunton Music Festival: 500 Years of Great Music
A Ukrainian clarinetist, an Italian organist, and a Chilean-born cellist are coming to Staunton this month. So are a Hungarian violist, two Finnish violinists, a German composer and a bevy of specialists in Baroque and Renaissance music skilled on the antique instruments that music was written for. What’s attracting this international cast of more than […]
So many choices for a spare room
So you have an extra room? Lucky you! Maybe it’s the bedroom of a now-out-in-the-world young person. Or an elderly relative has entered assisted living. Or you’ve relocated to a larger home. There are a number of choices you can make for that room, depending on your needs and interests. Home offices popular “The most […]