Selling
Charlottesville365; Virginia Sales Tax Holiday October 8-11
October 4, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
Every year, Virginia enjoys a four day sales tax holiday on different items and supplies. It always falls on the Friday (through the weekend) of the second Monday in October. This year, it will fall on Friday October 8 – Monday October 11, 2010. This is a great time to make some EnergyStar purchases if you’ve been considering updating the systems or appliances in your home! Note that it covers several appliances, plus HVAC systems, as well as much smaller items- fans, florescent light bulbs, faucets, toilets, etc.
From the Virginia Department of Taxation, Virginia.gov site;
October Sales Tax Holiday: Energy Star and WaterSense Qualified Products
When: This four-day holiday begins on the Friday before the second Monday of October each year. The 2010 holiday will take place Friday, October 8, 2010, through Monday, October 11, 2010.
What’s Exempt: During this period, purchases of certain Energy Star and WaterSense qualified products purchased for non-commercial use and costing $2,500 or less will be exempt from sales tax. The exempt Energy Star items include dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and programmable thermostats that carry the Energy Star designation. The exempt WaterSense items include bathroom sink faucets, faucet accessories, and toilets. Retailers may also choose to absorb the tax on other items during the holiday period, but they are responsible for paying the tax on those items to the Department of Taxation.
via Virginia Department of Taxation.
Return of the Pesky Stink Bug
September 22, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · 2 Comments
It’s right around this time of the year that I start seeing people mentioning a bunch of creepy looking brown bugs infesting their homes in Charlottesville.
Welcome… the Stink Bug!
Appearance
I always describe the stink bug as a little brown bug that looks prehistoric and/or armored and ready to go into battle. These guys are creepy. Every fall they descend upon Charlottesville, and are drawn into houses because of the temperature change between the indoors and outdoors.
Check out the Wikipedia article here.
What do they do?
Well, as best I can tell, they walk in circles and circles around the edge of the ceiling. They don’t seem to harm much. They don’t seem to have any interest in food or clothes, but just in being a nuisance. They seem to sneak in through doors that are left cracked open, or small tears in window screens that they are able to weasel their way through!
How do you get rid of them?
Our experience has been that the only way to get rid of them is time! Usually after 2-3 weeks they completely disappear and stop haunting our house. In the mean time, you can shoo them out, and I have also heard of people vacuuming them up, but I am not endorsing that as my recommendation!
Do they stink?
I haven’t found them to be particularly bad. I think if they are smashed they release a smell that is something like almonds, but I have yet to really experience this.
I’d love to get some feedback on this- has anyone had a less pleasant experience with them?
Charlottesville 365; Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE) Design House in Ednam Forest
May 11, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
The Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE), a non-profit organization whose mission is to end domestic violence in our community, is amidst their annual fundraiser – the SHE Design House. The event runs from May 8th – 16th and takes an otherwise vacant and empty home (that is for sale, by the way!), and assigns a decorator to each room to put forth their decorating best for a good cause. It is incredible to see the transformation that this home has undergone, and the “before” photos that are inside each room are truly eye-opening. It is amazing to see what a difference is made with some great paint colors, beautiful furniture and accessories, and some incredible talent!
The SHE Design House assigned designers in early March, and just two months later has undergone a total transformation. The most unbelievable part of the whole process, though, is that after next week and the final SHE Design House Open House afternoon on May 16, 2010, the pieces will be dismantled, the home emptied, and the walls will even return to their original colors if the home owner so wishes- so don’t miss out, it won’t be around much longer!
No matter whether or not you love interior design and decor, this event is for a great cause. Your $20 donation goes towards providing safe havens for those who have survived domestic violence. The Shelter for Help in Emergency is committed to providing a safe, confidential, and respectful environment for those who have been victims of domestic violence, so this provides us with a great opportunity for the community to work together to continue to ensure that as many people in our community as possible have a place to call home. This past week in Charlottesville has been an unpleasant reminder that domestic violence still exists and sometimes in the most unexpected of places- I hope that as a community, now more than ever, we’ll come together to support the Shelter for Help in Emergency.
For all of you HGTV addicts, this is an awesome way to see a sampling of some of the areas most talented designers all in one place, and not to mention the full manuals that accompany each room, telling you about each individual piece, where they can be purchased, and often, their cost!
Some of the favorites of the afternoon that you won’t want to miss;
- The “suede” paint technique in the informal living areas by Tamara Lacy and Nancy Wardle with Interior Concepts.
- The beautiful dining room chandelier and crisp white lines designed by some of my favorites, The Gibson Design Group.
- The artwork in the Fitness and Jacuzzi Area by Linda Pye, Sheila Hoopman, and Susan Cash of Pye Interiors.
- The beautiful blue Sunroom by Moyanne Harding, which had one of the bleakest of “before” shots.
- The incredible Master Bedroom by Caroline Minsky of the Artful Lodger and Debbie Culp, of Gotcha Covered Blinds.
- Check out the “Designers” Page at the SHE Design House website for the full list of these great designers!
SHE Design House Dates and Details
- Saturday May 8th – Sunday May 16th, 2010
- Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm
- Monday – Wednesday 10am – 2pm
- Thursday & Friday 10am – 2pm , 4pm – 7pm
Design House Cost: $20 tax deductible donation to Shelter for Help in Emergency. Tickets may be purchased online in advance, or at the door by cash or check!
Design House Parking: Enter Boar’s Head Inn from 250, and follow the many SHE Design House signs that lead you to the gravel parking lot behind One Boar’s Head Point (home of the University of Virginia Foundation). From there, the SHE Design House Shuttle will be waiting to greet you and escort you to the home, whose actual address is 533 Rookwood Place, in Ednam Forest. Out of respect for the neighbors, there is no parking at the actual home.
Please note the special comments from the SHE Design House website;
All proceeds from the Design House benefit the Charlottesville community’s Shelter for Help in Emergency. Please no food or drink, children under 8, strollers, photography, pets, or high heels. We apologize that the house is Not handicap accessible and there are no public restrooms available. - SHE Design House Event Notes
Visit the SHE Design House facebook page for updates.
Visit the SHE Design House website for details!
Great photos of the SHE Design House coming soon!
A Map to 533 Rookwood Drive- the actual SHE Design House (please note that this is not the location of the Shuttle Pick-Up for the SHE Design House!);
And, of course, if you like the Ednam Forest area, here are some other nearby homes for sale;
Showing properties
1 - 1 of 1.
See more Ednam tract real estate.
(all data current as of
5/22/2012)
-
4 beds, 3 full baths
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
Just Released: The CAAR First Quarter Market Report!
April 12, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
This was just released, so I wanted to give people the opportunity to check it out. I will be reading it over and making some comments soon!
2010 1st Qtr CAAR Market Report – members.pdf
Great Chart On Credit Scoring; Check this out if your credit might be in danger
March 13, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
I really like this chart on credit scoring- I receive lots of questions from potential buyers about credit, including how they can improve their credit scores in order to prepare for a home purchase.
Whether in the market for real estate or not, these are things that everyone should be aware of pertaining to their credit. If you are interested in learning more about your credit score or looking for ways to improve it, contact me and I will connect you with a lender who can help you through your questions!
[Credit: SpendOnLife.com]
City of Charlottesville to Hold Citywide Tree Debris Collection next week!
February 19, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
From the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce ChamberBits newsletter….
Citywide Tree Debris Collection
The City Public Works Department will provide a FREE citywide collection of winter storm related TREE DEBRIS for City residents during the week of February 22-26.
City Residents may place tree limbs at the curb for collection no later than 7am of their scheduled trash and recycling collection day. Each street will be worked one time only.
Tree debris cut up by contractors for residents should be hauled away by contractors and will not be collected as part of this collection.
Questions may be directed to the Public Service Division at 970-3895.
Trying to Utilize FHA Financing? Check this List of Condo Communities to See if They're Approved!
February 10, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
If you’re planning to utilize FHA financing to purchase your next home, you have to use a little bit of caution when considering condos in Charlottesville, as not all of them are approved for FHA financing.
Check out the link below to see whether or not the condo you’re considering is approved for FHA;
HUD.GOV Condos with FHA Financing
If the condo community you’re considering is not on this list, you may need to check with your mortgage lender to see if you will be able to come up with an alternative type of financing. Additionally, if you live in one of the condos that is not able to provide FHA financing, you should be aware that it may limit the potential number of Purchasers who will have the ability to buy your home on the resale market!
Please give me a call if I can help connect you with a lender who may be able to help you find alternative financing, or get you pre-qualified!
[Photo Credit: http://www.radrounds.com]
