Tom’s Garden provides gardening grants to area growers!

by Deborah A. Rutter on February 8, 2010

Grants for Gardeners and Gardens

Buy local? Grow Local!

We here in central Virginia look well-poised to break an all-time snowfall record…while we’d normally be expecting the peak of bulbs about now, we’re all shoveling, cranking up the heat and scrambling for shovels.

But spring will come and when it does, many of us will be heading to local farmer’s markets, planting seeds, tilling the earth and deciding which things go in the ground first.

We’re lucky that we live in an epi-center of local food and a local food movement.  It’s one of the things that makes us unique, make people want to move here and makes people want to stay.

Tom’s Garden is part of that, too.  Affiliated with Nest Realty Group, Tom’s Garden is the brainchild of Amy Bender-Webb, a Nest broker and well-connected in the local food world, with support from all the Nest agents. 

Tom’s Garden provides ‘seed money’ via a grant process that helps local communities, groups and organizations start, maintain and expand local garden projects.  

 

We believe a community garden:

  • is a beautiful and joyful place.
  • enables people to grow fresh, affordable food.
  • gives families a place to share unplugged leisure time.
  • can help transform a row of houses into a neighborhood.
  • reintroduces the outdoors into the lives of people missing that daily pleasure.
  • adds green space to any residential setting.
  • creates opportunities for participation for the elderly, disengaged and newcomers.
  • elevates underutilized or neglected land to a higher purpose.
  • strengthens the connections amongst neighbors and help neighbors bridge differences.
  • can serve as living classrooms to educate children, about gardening, local food supply and the environment.
  • creates opportunities for interaction amongst the generations.
  • can help people engage as active participants in community problem solving.
  • makes people feel more vested in their home, their street, their neighborhood.
  • can help make the conversation about local food issues accessible to everyone in the community.

    • If you or your group is interested in applying for a grant, click here. 

    We’ll see you in the garden!

    Nest Realty Group grows! Summit Realty Joins Nest

    by Deborah A. Rutter on February 8, 2010

    Nest Realty Group
    Nest grows its flock…

    Growth for growing-sake is almost always a mistake…but growth to help our clients meet their goals always makes sense.

    Nest Realty Group announces today the official acquisition of Summit Realty Company.  It’s a bold move, and puts our new group in an even better position to serve a wider variety of clients.
    “While other firms are cutting back, Nest is continuing to expand,” said Jonathan Kauffmann, Principal Broker, Nest Realty. “I believe this is a testament to our top-notch agents, the emphasis we place on technology and our dedication to client service. Our combined resources and expanded services will allow us to better serve our clients, something that is paramount to all of us.”
    It’s great to be on a winning team! 
    Check out the complete press release:  http://www.nestrealtygroup.com/nest_report/nest-realty-acquires-summit-realty/

    Market Review and Trends for Charlottesville and the Surrounding Area

    by Deborah A. Rutter on February 8, 2010

    Every industry has their meetings, associations, group workshops and the like…the Charlottesville Association of Realtors (CAAR) is no different.  We meet monthly, and having been a member of several Realtor associations on a local level, the CAAR group does a great job at giving me what I want…data and insight and action-able info. 

    Last week, the Virginia Housing Development Authority sent Barry Merchant to give CAAR agents an overview of the state of the state, and how our MSA (metropolitan statistical area) compares with others in Virginia.  And we’re doing well-ish by comparison.VHDA

    This is the PowerPoint presentation…it’s better than it sounds, and provides some solid data to hang our hats on about how we got here and where we’re trending.   Below the link is the podcast, too.  Open the PPoint, and then the PodCast.

    Power Point:  http://share.caar.com/Market%20Reports/Barry%20Merchant%2004Feb10%20Presentation.ppt

    PodCast:  http://share.caar.com/podcast/GMM_02_04_10.mp3

    Notable is that local unemployment is double from December 2007 levels, but better than most of the surrounding areas:

    Unemployment trends for central Virginia

    If you’re wondering what is reasonably in store for the future of the area on a macro-level, check out this presentation.

    Viewings, Inspections and Final Walk-through…when it’s snowing.

    by Deborah A. Rutter on January 30, 2010

    With all the snow that’s fallen around Albemarle County, (9 inches in my backyard, and counting), and that fact that we’ve had two unusual snow events this winter already, it’s inevitable that some buyers will be looking at, inspection, and closing transaction with snow on the ground.

    What does that mean for buyers ? 

    Sure, sometimes it snows in Virginia!

    Looking at Property:  If you’re buying property in winter in Virginia, big snow is rarely an issue.  We’re lucky that way.  But on the chance that you do encounter snow and need to continue looking during or after a big snow, be ready…boots, warm clothes, a hat.  If you have kids, keep that in mind, since they’ll be chilly, too.  Some sellers will have a note upon entry asking you to remove your shoes/boots, so be ready for that.  Some of my clients bring slippers.  I do.   Bring a thermos of something yummy and warm for between-house showings, and never underestimate how cold a vacant house can be…55 degrees can be chilly inside, no matter how low the temp outside!

    Inspections:  Getting an inspection done with snow on the ground is not ideal.  Depending on the amount, the inspector can’t get a good look at the gradient slope around the house, cracks and other deformities can be obscured; the driveway may not be cleared if it’s vacant (in which case, the heat may not be turned on very much, either).  Roofs can be too dangerous to check out, limbs may fall from trees…there are a host of things that can create sub-optimal inspection conditions.  Some inspectors will want to cancel until a later time, and if you have some room in your contract days, that may be the best bet.  (Surely your buyer agent talked about the importance of scheduling an inspection early in the process?)  Sometimes, timing isn’t on your side and you have to go with it.  Most inspectors and homeowners aren’t going to remove snow, so be aware that some things may become obvious when the snow melts.

    Final Walk-Through:  Before closing, you’ll do a final walk-through, and that means a sort of mini-inspection with yourself and your agent.  Again, if the property was snow-free when you did your initial inspection, and now there’s snow everywhere (or worse, ice), it’ll be more of a challenge.  The biggest one is often everyone wanting to rush the process because the house is cold…and that can lead to missed opportunities and overlooked issues.  Bring a hat and boots, and take your time.

    Looking at homes in winter can be fun…and there can be some great opportunities since many folks take their homes off the market in winter, leaving on the must-sells, and therefore perhaps a better negotiating opportunity.  Don’t let the weather get you off your game.  Do a bit of planning and reap the benefits!

     

    The Amtrak lot may be paved. Finally.

    Could this be the Amtrak lot future?

    by Deborah A. Rutter on January 28, 2010

    Since Amtrak service was added last October, it’s been a great service for Charlottesville.  The parking lot has been an eyesore, and has not been an asset to the Midtown area…it’s a happening neighborhood with great access, good walkability and some pretty unique retailers.

    From C’ville News:

    The 3.44-acre property at 820 W. Main St., owned by local developers Gabe Silver-man and Allan Cadgene, is also up for sale for $13.5 million. The city has had an approved preliminary site plan for the parking lot for roughly five years, but it was only last week that the final one was signed off by Tolbert.

    Like anyone trying to sell, making improvements is usually a good idea…first impressions count, and this property has some pretty big curb-appeal impact for the surrounding are. 

    I am all for it.  Whether more people see it as a place to park, more people spend more time walking the neighborhood, Amtrak ridership goes up, it’s all good.

    Charlottesville does an annual count of the homeless…today’s the day!

    by Deborah A. Rutter on January 25, 2010

    Each year across the country on a coordinated timeframe, communities do their best to take an annual count of the homeless.

    Did you sleep inside last night?

    There are hundreds of homeless in greater Charlottesville...

    Social service agencies, volunteers at the state and local levels their efforts to get an accurate count of who is homeless, why and for how long, who is employed, etc.  This helps service providers and municipalities understand what resources are needed at the local levels and if homelessness is trending up or down.

    In Virginia, the count is scheduled for the 29th, but C’ville will be taking its count today

    Certainly, not everyone homeless will be accounted for.  Some won’t be contacted due to their circumstances, their remote living location, health issues, etc., but its the most accurate count and it’s done annually.

    If you survived the torrential rains last night around Albemarle County, be thankful.  If you woke up dry, be thankful.  For hundreds of people in our community, they will be reporting today that they had no dry place to be last night, and the same will be true this morning.

    Is your agent using a pricing team to get the best possible price for your home?

    by Deborah A. Rutter on January 20, 2010

    Is your agent collaborating?

    Agents who work together provide better results for their clients...

    In the real estate world, collaboration isn’t always the word of the day…agents compete with one another, over the same geographic areas, often with similar potential clients, and the results can either be messy or mutually beneficial.

    One great result of working in a smaller office with top-shelf fellow agents is that we can use pricing-team concept to help fellow agents determine the optimum price for a new listing…you get one chance to get it right out of the gate, and if you miss that chance, price reductions and extra days-on-market are inevitable.

    Pricing team consist of two or more agents with similar geographic area, house-style and neighborhood knowledge, agreeing to look at a property to help the lead agent determine the sweet-spot in pricing: the place that garners the greatest amount of interest in the shortest amount of time.

    Agents will inspect the property together, and independently create a market analysis based on their own observations, and then present to the other members. Everyone sees something a little different, and those subtle viewpoints can create windows of opportunity for the primary agent to seize and create the most robust overview of the property in terms of pricing.

    Great pricing is a crafty combination of data, knowledge, insights and art. Like most things in life, collaboration almost always leads to better outcomes, as a rich tapestry of ideas and observations can be better had by more than one.

    If your listing agent is using a pricing team, that says a lot about the agent, their relationships within their community, their agency and their willingness to enlist outside expertise. If you agent is NOT using a pricing team…why not?

    Selling a Home during the Holidays? Don’t make these 5 mistakes.

    by Deborah A. Rutter on December 17, 2009

    Holiday time is selling time!

    Holiday time is selling time!

    Lucky you…your home is on the market during the holidays (which, according to my local mall, means starting 2 weeks before Halloween).  Whether by choice or by neccesity, it’s a great time to be selling!

    What?  Here’s why.  If buyers are  looking for a home during the holidays, it’s one of two reasons:

    1)  They are in a sutation where they have to move; job transfer, family issues, timing.  Buyers who are looking before the holidays typically suspend their search once Thanksgiving rolls around.  Or,

    2)  They are savvy buyers who realize that folks who are still marketing (your agent is marketing your home, right?) during the holidays need to keep up the momentum, and realize there are deals to be had.

    Either way, as a seller you win.  However, now is not the time to let it all hang out and think the selling-rules are suspended.  Here are 5 dont’s that can ruin your holiday-offer opportunities:

    1)  Decorations:  Just because you like decorations all over the house, doesn’t mean potential buyers do.  Not every buyer celebrates this time of year (or maybe not in the same way you do), so like the advice to take away family photos and clear the clutter, ditto on the garland and glitter in every room of the house.  The lighted life-size manger scene with a real donkey?  Save it for next year.

    2)  Lights!  Outside lights are fun and festive for sure.  But for evening showings, they can be a distraction.  If you can’t help yourself, restrain…keep lights to a minimum.  Poorly hung or spaced lights can leave a dim (heh, heh) impression.

    3)  Clutter:  When family is in from out of town, or there’s extra baking and cooking going on, or you’ve got presents piling up under the tree, the clutter-factor can skyrocket.  Remember, the reason for clutter doesn’t create an excuse for savvy buyers.  Keep it under wraps (I can’t help myself) and take step to be sure that your floor and surfaces are free of extras.

    4)  Showings:  Like always, you must be flexible about showings.  Now is not the time be picky about your schedule…when buyers are rady to look, they’re ready.  A showing means your house has made the cut from the many, many others that buyer may have driven by, seen online or heard about from their agent.  A showing is a huge leap, and your nimble ability to vacate quickly for a showing is especially critical.  Buyers who set up showings this time of year are typically doing it because of timing, and need to be accomodated.

    5)  Be prepared:  If you sell it, they will come.  Are you prepared for an offer 2 days before Christmas?  Are you reachable if you’re out of town?  Will all your deed holders be available to sign documents if you get an offer?  Don’t fool yourself into thinking, ‘it won’t happen,’ and then be caught off guard.  That IS why you’re home is on the market, isn’t it?  To get offers and make a sale?  Be ready.

    If you’re home is on the market, count your opportunities as well as your blessings.  In the right light and approach, selling now can be the greatest gift of the year!

    Fences Are Not Always Property Lines and Other Myths

    by Deborah A. Rutter on June 22, 2009

    There are a number of myths surrounding property lines. As more people take the first-time owner plunge, understanding where your property begins and ends is key to good neighbor relations and being compliant with local laws.

    Don't assume fence lines and property lines are interchangeable

    Don't assume fence lines and property lines are interchangeable

    Understanding Property Lines

    It is amazing what I hear when I show homes to buyers about where they think property lines start and end. Part of it is assumption, a little bit of hope and what is represented visually.

    There are a number of misconceptions about where property lines are and how to tell. Here are some of the more popular misconceptions:
    1) “Property lines are where the fence (trees, rocks, creek, etc.) are:”Property lines exist on paper. These are recorded in the deed to the property, and it is the source information for where property lines begin and end. Deeds are typically on file with the county registry of deeds, where the property is located. A fence, a line of trees, a stream may create a natural barrier that over time becomes adopted informally by adjoining property owners as the de facto property boundary, but only the deed shows where the lines actually are.

    2) “Property lines are where the pins/markers are:” Many properties have been surveyed in the past as a result of new construction, requirement by the local municipality for a building expansion, swimming pools and the like. These surveys typically include the placement of markers or pins on the property at the corners in the form of iron posts, pins, cement monuments, etc. These sometimes stay in the same location for years. Some property owners remove them, kids pull them out and play with them and replace them randomly; owners move or remove for planting, etc. A marked boundary line is not necessarily the official identification.

    3) “The bank survey is where my property lines are:”When getting a mortgage to make a home purchase, the lending institution will typically require that a mortgage inspection be done for the lender’s benefit (but paid for by the purchaser).  This is an informal survey using deed details and often a visual inspection o the property to ensure that structures of abutter’s property are not on or encroaching the purchaser’s property. These are not boundary surveys. They are typically a single page, with the property lines drawn out, and all structures shown in their approximate place within the property lines. There is usually a disclaimer that the documents is NOT a boundary survey or to be used as one.

    4) “My (new) neighbors told me where they property lines are.”Unless the neighbor had the land recently surveyed, is the original owner or subdivided their land and the property is still (correctly) marked, chances are the owner is using history and former owner assumptions to identify boundaries. As neighbors come and go, and formal structures are placed (like fences, trees and shrubs, etc.), these can become assumed lines for purposes of neighbor harmony, but not necessarily where the deed identifies the boundary to lie.

    5) “As long as I don’t make changes or need a formal survey, it doesn’t matter if I know exactly where the boundaries are.”Many owners move into a new place and are never sure where their property starts and ends, especially if they don’t make improvements, additions like a deck or new rooms, put up fencing, etc. But absent adding additional structures, knowing who owns things like sick and dying trees that may be a hazard if they fall or who owns which part of a brook, stream or other potential dangers is good risk management. Being a responsible owner means in part knowing what is yours, and then maintaining it to minimize injury and damage to you and your neighbors.

    Property lines are invisible for most property owners. Knowing where they begin and end starts with the deed and a professional survey to be sure you are responsible for what’s truly yours.

    from my article:  http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1746968/fences_are_not_always_property_lines.html

    Five Pricing Tips to Help Your Home Sell, Not Sit

    by Deborah A. Rutter on June 22, 2009

    In every culture and country, there are natural pricing breaks, tendencies and underlying principals that help buyers narrow their decisions. Take advantage of these principals when you price your home.

    Two Options: Priced to sell or sit?

    Two Options: Priced to sell or sit?

    In every corner of the world, there are ‘magic price’ points. In the U.S., prices ending in .98 or .99 often garner the biggest attention in sales and promotions. We tend to think of $1.00 as expensive, but ninety-nine cents as a bargain. The same principals apply for pricing a property, too.

    In every market, homes that are market-priced are selling well. Even now. Homes that go under contract in less than 30 days are everywhere, but don’t make the news. Savvy sellers and agents understand that buyers and the economy have always driven the final price. Giving yourself the advantage of rock-solid market knowledge and a bit of understanding about human nature and technology can give you the upper hand when it comes time to sell.

    There are natural price breaks and numbers that buyers gravitate towards. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you, and/or your agent are pricing a property:

    1) Be sure you’re in the ballpark to being with: Unless you are working daily with property sales, local pricing trends and really understand sold-property statistics, get professional assistance. There are no magic bullets, but starting at the right place is critical. No one who plays pricing catch-up ever gets top dollar. Hire an agent, or if you’re selling yourself, at least pay an agent a flat fee to help you determine the right price to start.

    2) Begin with the end in mind: The end of your price matters…$300,000 looks much different than $299,900 to most buyers, which is why many homes are priced that way. Some agents and regions of the country have started playing with odd-end pricing, like $299,781, but there’s no direct evidence that it produces any noticeable additional interest to buyers, compelling them to write offers.

    3) Understand how buyers search: More than 75% of buyers start their search online and most search engines create artificial price ‘breaks’ in even amounts of $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 increments. If you are one dollar over those breaks, you lose out on a tremendous number of potential buyers.

    For example: A house priced at $202,000 misses out on everyone looking up to $200,000, and is at the low-end of buyers in the $200,000-$225,000 range. Most buyers tend to start their search at the higher end of their range.

    4) Some buyers are simply waiting: There is a trend among some buyers, regardless of how market-smart the starting price, to wait until a first price drop before considering a property. While this is frustrating for sellers, it means that your ‘real’ price needs to be as considered as the starting price. It’s a bit of a contradiction, for sure. If you need to sell, consider price drop soon after your home goes on the market to show potential buyers you’re serious about selling.

     5) Death by a thousand cuts-don’t do it: Every day, I see properties that have $1,000 price reductions every 2 or 3 weeks. These are homes that are over-priced to begin with, and unfortunately, the message that send to buyers is, “I’ll just wait to see how low they’ll go.” If you need to sell (and isn’t that why your house is on the market?) consider a price reduction that sends a stronger buyer message.

    For example: If you’ve started at $225,000, your first drop might be to $199,900. You’ll see a whole new crop of interested buyers. Naturally, this isn’t an issue for a market-priced home, but if you must reduce your price, do it by a strong enough margin so that a potential buyer recognizes the significance.

    As the adage says, “All real estate is local,” so not all of these principles apply in every market, all the time. Seek out smart advice and experience, consider some of the suggestions above and be sure that you understand that buyers compare homes primarily by price, to other homes. Buyers don’t buy in a vacuum, so remember that every other house on the market in your price range is your competition, not the buyer. The goal is to beat out the other homes on the market so that your homes get attention, a strong offer and ultimately sold.

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