Recently voted Best REALTOR ® in Charlottesville in the C-Ville Weekly Best of C-Ville Polls, Sasha Farmer specializes in representing home buyers, home sellers, corporate transferees, and University of Virginia faculty, students, and staff.

Early in her career, Sasha was chosen as the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTOR’s Rookie of the Year in her first year in the industry, and most recently was named the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors Sales Associate of the Year in 2012. Additionally, Sasha is a Certified Residential Specialist- an achievement that only 4% of all REALTORS ® worldwide have attained. She is currently in the top one percent (1%) of all agents in Charlottesville and Central Virginia.

Sasha prides herself on a strong commitment to the community, and spends numerous hours volunteering for organizations such as Computers4Kids, Charlottesville/Albemarle SPCA, the Junior League of Charlottesville, the City of Charlottesville Housing Advisory Council, the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Charlottesville program. She is also the past Chair of the Technology committee at the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors, is on the Virginia Association of Realtors’ technology committee, and is the Chair of Marketing for the Virginia Chapter of Certified Residential specialists.

She attributes her success in the real estate industry largely in part to her ability to successfully market homes for sale, along with her use of technology marketing to stay on the leading edge of her industry and her competition in both innovation and education. Sasha makes consumer research, market insight, and marketing communications the center of all her strategies. Sasha’s strong technical skills and advertising instinct were honed from years as a web designer, newspaper editor, and social media expert.

Originally from Northern Virginia, Farmer chose Charlottesville as her permanent home after falling in love with the city during her undergraduate years at the University of Virginia.  She finds Charlottesville to be the perfect place to live and work because of its beauty, history, and culture.  She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and is married to classmate and UVA Swimmer, John Farmer. Sasha spends her free time reading, scrap booking, designing websites, and is a self-proclaimed home-improvement and interior design “expert.” She is a tireless UVA sports fan, and can be found cheering on the ‘Hoo’s year-round!

Sasha’s clients have always found her prompt, friendly service a joy, and her knowledge and analytical skills invaluable. As her recommendations will attest, Sasha works tirelessly for her clients. Her passion for Charlottesville, in addition to her technical abilities, patience, thoroughness, and dedication to her clients is sure to keep them coming back.

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It is actually quite often that people I run into have been completely misguided about their home values.  With the incredible technology and information online about real estate and home searches, people often feel that real estate websites are getting to the point where they are extremely accurate and reliable.  In some large cities, evidently this is true.  In Charlottesville, there still seems to be a huge void between what these websites predict about our real estate values and local market, as compared to market reality.

Zillow and Trulia seem to be the two biggest offenders when it comes to this as they offer automated home valuations that people like to use to predict their home values from year to year.  Zillow’s Zestimates seem like they are based on enough data and information that they would at least be able to give you a reasonable range within which you could expect your home price to fall.  However, that does not often seem to be the case.

According to Zillow themselves, almost every market area in Central Virginia has an extremely low accuracy level- check out the charts below that they provide to set your expectations!

Their self-reported accuracy level is extremely low (almost all nearby counties are a 1 out of 4 star rating) and I can absolutely attest to that!

All that being said, please do not let automated estimates of value set your expectations about your own home or homes you may be interested in buying!  If you need pricing analysis and recommendations, please consult with a real estate professional- ideally me! – for guidance.

This is a great video produced by a local UVa law student here in town.  Great overview of all that Charlottesville has to offer and the rich lifestyle that so many are drawn to!

Click below to download the CAAR Mid Year Market Report for 2011. This is a hyper-local report that shows us exactly what to be expecting in the real estate market. Provided by the local real estate association, it gives us a great glimpse of the major areas served by CAAR agents, and the respective markets there.

2011 Mid-Year CAAR Market Report

In the current market, there are many homeowners out there who would like to have a larger/nicer home but are patiently waiting for the market to improve. A frequently heard objection is that they can’t sell their home for what they think it should be worth, so they are trying to wait for the market to improve a bit and sell then.

Buying up in a down market is actually advantageous because while you might get less for the home you’re selling, you’re also getting the larger home for less. For instance, if you had to sell a $200,000 home for a 10% discount, you might feel that you left $20,000 on the table. However, buying a $300,000 for the same 10% discount would put you $10,000 ahead on the sale and purchase.

The other obvious matter is that when the mortgage rates increase while you’re waiting for the market to improve, it dramatically increases your cost of housing with higher payments. The cost of housing is affected by price and mortgage rates. Take a look at the image below for an example.

Rising Interest Rates vs. Rising Home Prices

To accurately evaluate your current options, you need facts and assessment tools that will provide you the information to make an informed decision. Please contact me if this is something you have been recently debating!

Happy Match Day to our incoming UVA residents!

Today is Match Day, which falls on the third Thursday of every March, and is when the graduating medical school students all across the nation will find out what residency program they’ve matched with, where they will spend the next several years of their lives, and what City they’ll soon call home!

This is an exciting time, especially for incoming U.Va. residents, as many, many U.Va. doctors (47) have recently been recognized as the top in their fields.  Incoming residents will be in good company!

Match Day is the culmination of four years of study, and months of an intense process leading up to this moment. These students have applied to hospitals and residency programs, selecting the field of medicine they hope to work in, the city they hope to live in. They have interviewed with doctors and program directors. They have created lists ranking their top choices, as have the residency programs, submitting it to a computer program to make their match. And they have waited, wondering where they will work and train in just a few short months after their medical school graduations. Today, inside those envelopes, a fragment of a sentence on a single sheet of paper, will inform them where they will begin this important stage of their lives.

Each medical school has its own tradition as to how the envelopes are handed out—some providing a mad dash to various corners of a room where staff members have divided the piles; others using a slow, nerve-wracking yet thrilling manner of calling students to the front of the room one by one. At Eastern Virginia Medical School, students dress in costumes, lightening the mood and adding to a party atmosphere. At Vanderbilt, they broadcast the ceremony online to any friends and family unable to attend. Often, the students are not alone. Spouses wonder where they will move, and children await the reactions on their parents’ faces.

Then they open the envelopes.

At the same hour today, screams, tears, hugs, and shouts of joy will erupt from rooms across the country. Much of the future of their field will remain unknown, as the country works through health care reform. But for the country’s newest class of doctors, today will give them a little more information as to their futures as doctors. And what awaits in their immediate future are long hours of intense training, sleepless nights of residency, and the rewards and responsibilities of caring for the lives of others.

via Match Day and how each medical school celebrates.

So what does this mean for you?

If you are a home seller in Charlottesville:

If you have a home to sell near the hospital, near Downtown, or near UVA, this will be a busy couple of upcoming weeks!  If you have not listed your home yet and have thought of waiting until later in the Summer or Fall, there is still time- you may want to consider listing your home as soon as possible, if your home is a good candidate for students in any of these programs.

If you are searching for a home to buy in Charlottesville:

If you find your dream home and it is in very close proximity to UVA, the hoe hospitals, or other areas where incoming residents may be attracted, don’t drag your feet if you find the perfect home!  You will have more competition over the next couple of weeks, and while there is still more than enough inventory out there, the homes that are priced well and in excellent condition will not last long!

If you are an incoming resident:

Give me a call!  If you will only likely be here for the length of your residency, buying a home may not be a great investment unless you would be willing to hold it as a rental after you leave Charlottesville.  If you are comfortable owning an investment property, or plan to reside in Charlottesville longer, then maybe looking at making a purchase is right for you.  Give me a call to discuss your options!  I am well-versed in helping residents and doctors find homes that will suit them in Charlottesville, and I can make the process seamless while saving you lots of time!

If you’d like to start your search now, check out my home search tool!  You can pull homes up on a map and check them in proximity to a specific point of interest.

http://www.charlottesville365.com/homesearch

I look forward to a busy couple of weeks!

This upcoming Saturday, March 19 from 9:00am – 1:00pm, is the annual Junior League of Charlottesville Kids in the Kitchen event. This is a “healthy kids fair” aiming to teach young children (primarily ages 4-10) and their families about leading a healthy lifestyle, and health wellness in general. This annual event is always held at a local high school, is free, and is open to the public.

This year, Kids in the Kitchen is being held at Albemarle High School, and some of the activities include a smoothie station, growing gardens, featured U.Va. athletes, a mountain bike station, cookbook creation, backpack safety, oral health, and nutrition bingo.

This event is fun for the whole family, and is one where you can easily stay for the whole day or just stop and swing by at your leisure. The PDF flier is attached, but feel free to email me with any questions about the event!

This event is free for both children and adults and no RSVP is necessary- please just come enjoy!  If you’ve ever been before, I’d love for you to share your photos and memories here!

The Junior League of Charlottesville is;

“an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”

If you have any questions about the Junior League or any interest in becoming involved with the group, let me know that too! It is a wonderful group of women that has a great impact on the Charlottesville community.

Kids in the kitchen promotes healthy eating and lifestyle decisions for children and their families.

4775 Woodbound Rd, KESWICK (ALBEMARLE), VA 22947 (MLS # 486298)

View Virtual Tour

Completely unique transitional home situated on 48+ acres in Keswick Hunt. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a first floor master, stunning great room w/cathedral ceilings, and a huge unfinished basement for expansion- this home has it all. 48 acres of hearty hardwoods- could be ideal for hunting, horses, or clearing for a small vineyard, with the home serving as a private retreat- country tranquility and land just minutes away from City conveniences. Priced below $561,000 tax assessment- in land use now!

Property Type(s): Residential / All, Residential / Detached

Last Updated	10/14/2011	Tract	KESWICK HUNT
Year Built	1999	Community	Albemarle
Garage Spaces	n/a	County	n/a
Total Parking	n/a	Walk Score ®	0

Schools

Additional Details

Features

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with MONTAGUE, MILLER & CO. - DOWNTOWN

(view all details for MLS #486298)

I was recently honored among 3 other incredible women as one of Charlottesville’s 4 Women Under 40 Award Winners. I could not have been more flattered to be amongst such good company and I truly look forward to getting to know each of the other 3 women even better! The Inaugural 4 Under 40 Award winners were Liza Borches, Andrea Copeland, Sasha Farmer, and Audrey Storm. Strangely enough I am friends with all three of the other recipients and could not be more honored to stand amongst them!

Here is the coverage from the 4 Under 40 Award Magazine insert in the March Issue of Charlottesville Woman;
Charlottesville Woman 4 Under 40 Awards

This is a great award that will sure to be a hit in Charlottesville for years to come. Another big congratulations to my fellow award winners and thanks for all that you do in the Charlottesville community!

As someone who doesn’t really often watch the Oscar’s, one of the great parties of the year last year in Charlottesville was Oscar Night America at the Paramount. Tonight the event takes place again, and tickets are still on sale for $45.

To benefit the VA film festival and the Paramount Theatre, Oscar Night is officially sanctioned by the Academy Awards and last your was brought to just 51 cities, raising over $3 Million in dollars that all stay within their local communities. Guests receive the actual program that is handed out at the Oscar Party, walk the red carpet, and sample delicious food and spirits from a large list of the most successul restaurants in Charlottesville.

This brings a little bit of Hollywood glitz and glam to Charlottesville, all while being a great local event to support local restaurants, business, and the economy.

From the VA Film Festival website;

The excitement and glamour of Hollywood are coming to Charlottesville on Oscar Night. Movie fans are invited to wear Hollywood-inspired attire and experience the thrills and surprises of the 83rd Academy Awards® on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at Charlottesville’s own Oscar Night America party.

Benefiting the Virginia Film Festival and The Paramount Theater, the Oscar Night celebration will be held at the Paramount beginning at 6:30pm. The Charlottesville event is one of 50 parties officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that will be held across the country on Oscar Night.

General admission tickets are $45.00 and are on sale at 10am today. Tickets include admission to the live HD broadcast; food and wine; the official Oscars program; coffee, popcorn and soda.

“We are honored and thrilled to have the Virginia Film Festival and The Paramount Theater chosen as one of only 50 venues nationwide officially sanctioned to broadcast Hollywood’s biggest night! Oscar Night generates excitement all over the world, and with the Academy’s help, our guests will feel like they are on the A-list,” says Jody Kielbasa, Virginia Film Festival Director.

Charlottesville guests will walk the red carpet into the theater and sample tastes from over ten of Charlottesville’s top restaurants. There will also be a raffle that evening, and prizes will include exclusive tickets to local arts events, Hollywood inspired gift baskets, gift certificates from Charlottesville’s favorite business and much more.

The mission of The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville, Inc., is to operate the historic Paramount Theater as a nonprofit performing arts center for the artistic, educational, and charitable benefit of its community, including the city of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the entire Central Virginia region.

The Virginia Film Festival is a four-day celebration of the magic of the movies featuring first-run features and timeless classics, high-profile industry insiders and up-and-coming stars, and filmmakers from throughout Virginia and beyond. The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. For more information visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

Charlottesville’s Oscar Night America party is presented by Virginia National Bank with additional support provided by Charlottesville Newsplex WVAW ABC16, C-ville Weekly, 1070 WINA Newsradio, 106.1 The Corner and Lite Rock Z95.1.

CAAR is releasing it’s 4th quarter market report tomorrow, so this is fresh off the presses!

Some pieces that I thought were relevant if you’re in the market to buy or sell;

Good news for buyers;

Price Per Square Foot (Finished)—Pockets of Value for Buyers

The current area average of $139 per finished square foot is the lowest number since 2004, indicating true “pockets of value” for buyers. Prices declined for the past four years—a $32 per square foot drop since peaking for buyers in 2006.

And as I’ve been saying for months;

Greg Slater, 2010 CAAR President cautions that, “until the inventory reaches and maintains level we consider historically level, there will continue to be uncertainty in predicting the pace of sales and stability of pricing.”

Take a look for yourself and let me know your thoughts.  I will be running my own numbers next week.

2010 Year-End CAAR Market Report

Cville Sheblogs- Virginia’s premier women bloggers.

Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at Virginia National Bank – Pantops to discuss blogging issues. Join us! 8:30AM – 10:00AM. You are welcome to attend twice before choosing whether or not to join!

Visit the Sheblogs page on Facebook to find out the topic for the upcoming meeting.

Mission:
Our mission is to support and educate all levels of women bloggers. Whether you’re in the process of launching a blog, or you’re actively blogging, this group is for you!

Membership:
Cville Sheblogs offers two levels of involvement, which are focused on connecting both training and educating beginning bloggers and offering more experienced bloggers a chance to meet other bloggers, learn from each other, and participate in training and educating our novice participants.Membership dues are assessed each December and dues are prorated on a quarterly basis throughout the year.

• Basic Membership: $50 for 12 months. Basic members will get the latest information on Cville Sheblogs discussions through the Google groups mailing group plus the opportunity to attend monthly meetings and social events.
• Elite Membership: $75 for 12 months. Elite members may have up to two blogs featured on the Cville Sheblogs website aggregate (plus have the option to pay $5 for each additional blog), and each member’s blog/biz will be featured on the Cville Sheblogs Facebook favorite pages and blog posts from Cville Sheblogs entered into Facebook and Twitter for additional social media and Google exposure for your blog and your brand. As an elite member, you’ll be among the first to know about conference registration, and receive priority admission for workshops and seminars. Through our local blog workshops and seminars, seasoned bloggers that are elite members have the potential to gain experience and compensation as conference speakers. All elite members will help shape the growth and focus of our group!

Even now that Restaurant Week is a Charlottesville tradition, I still get excited as ever when they are announced!

From January 24-30, 2011, Charlottesville has 16 restaurants participating in “Restaurant Week”, which involves $26/person prix-fixe menus, all of three courses- an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  According to the Restaurant Week website, previous Restaurant weeks held in Charlottesville have earned over $10,000 for the local food bank!  ($1 of every $26 meal is donated!)  It’s tough to pass up the opportunity to dine at some of Charlottesville’s most highly desired restaurants all for a low cost and a great cause!

It’s not too early to start making reservations, and most of these restaurants will completely fill up, so book your plans now!

As of January 9, the following 16 restaurants are participating in the January 2011 Charlottesville Restaurant Week;

• Aberdeen Barn


Photo Courtesy of the Charlottesville Restaurant Week Website; http://cvilleyum.com/

• Bang!
• Blue Light Grill
• Brassiere Montiel
• Brookville
• C&O
• Camino
• Carmello’s
• Fossett’s at Keswick Hall
• Horse and Hound
• l’etoile
• Maya
• The Melting Pot
• Orzo Kitchen and Wine Shop
• Old Mill Room at The Boar’s Head Inn
• Ten

Visit the Restaurant Week website to check out the prix-fixe menus for each restaurant!

Some insider’s tips for Restaurant Week;

• Start looking through the menu’s now and pinpoint some places you’d like to go.
• Book, now!
• Call each restaurant individually to make your reservation, and make sure to tell them you are participating in Restaurant Week!
• Make your reservation on time, or you may get skipped!
• All reservations are first come, first served, and some of the restaurants will fill up very early!  If you can’t get a reservation at a place you’d like, you can try calling them on the day-of to see if any of their booked reservations had to cancel.
• Don’t forget that tax and tip aren’t included!  Plan accordingly!

From the Restaurant Week website;

“For any diner who has ever dreamed about fine dining without breaking the bank, Restaurant Week is that dream… come true. Modeled on similar events in other cities, this is seven days of good food and good fun. Diners get to choose from each participating restaurant’s special prix fixe menu and enjoy three courses— an appetizer, an entree, and dessert— for just $25 [CORRECTION- actually $26 this year]. (Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included.)

Charlottesville Restaurant Week is January 24-30, 2011.

The University of Virginia has received yet another world-wide ranking in the eyes of Forbes Magazine; it is amongst their list of most beautiful college campuses in the world.

From the Forbes website;

Charlottesville, Va.

Thomas Jefferson said his proudest achievement was creating this campus in 1819. Jefferson believed that real learning could only happen in an “academical village” setting, and toward that end, he designed the campus around an imposing rotunda with a great lawn at its feet and 10 neo-classical pavilions (classrooms) lining the green. Professors’ quarters were directly above the classrooms, so that discussions–and learning–could happen organically and freely. The Lawn is considered one of the great architectural achievements of the 19th century, symbolizing the harmony between professor and student and university and landscape. Today the university also features major architectural works by McKim, Mead & White, Michael Graves and Billie Tsien.

It doesn’t hurt to live in a town that is influenced by this history and architecture throughout, and it’s always such a pleasure to see homes in our area that reflect the Jeffersonian design and architecture that defines Charlottesville!

Do you have a home that you think mirrors this style and extends this beautiful architecture out beyond the University?  If so, we’d love to post some photos!