Greenbuilding
Charlottesville365; 2010 Blue Ridge Home Builders Parade of Homes
October 4, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
2010 Annual Parade of Homes!
The Blue Ridge Home Builders Parade of Homes is an annual Charlottesville tradition that always occurs across two weekends (this year- October 9-10 and October 16-17) and showcases the best in new construction that Charlottesville has to offer. I know that for many people in Charlottesville who like to keep their eye on real estate, this is one of the most fun real estate events of the year! What better than touring through beautiful mint condition homes that are decorated impeccably to get great new ideas for your own home?!
I just had the privilege of judging several of the homes for the “Realtor’s Choice Award” that is awarded annually for each price range, and here are a few of my favorites you should be sure to check out if you’re in the market for new construction!
- 838 Belvedere Boulevard; Belvedere (Wendell Gibson)
- 854 Belvedere Boulevard; Belvedere (Stonehaus)
- 760 Belvedere Boulevard; Belvedere (Piedmont Realty and Construction)
- 821 Cole Street; Belvedere (Southern Development)
- Blandemar Farm Estates (Doug Kingma)
- 848 Colridge Drive; Kenridge (Craig Builders) Attached Home.
- 2123 Sundown Court; Pavilions at Pantops (Southern Development) Attached Home.
- 5237 Raven Stone Road; Foothill Crossing (Craig Builders)
- 393 Claremont Lane; Old Trail (Craig Builders) Attached Home.
- 2580 Palmer Drive; Keswick Estates (Alexander Nicholson)
- 118 Turkey Trot Lane; Spring Creek (Piedmont Realty & Construction)
But I just bought a home/am not looking to buy a home!
Whether you are in the market to buy a home or are just looking for fun and interesting remodeling ideas for the home you’re already in, this is really an excellent opportunity to learn more about our local builders, learn about the local new construction landscape, and check out the new and upcoming trends in real estate construction.
For a full list of the 28 homes on display in the 2010 Parade of Homes, click here!
Just don’t get all googley-eyed and forget to involve your favorite Realtor!
Remember: If you are currently in the the market to buy a home, many of these developments are represented by salespeople who are employees of the builder and who aren’t licensed real estate professionals. I always recommend getting involved with a Realtor before making any significant real estate decisions!
Which home is your favorite??
Dates: Saturday October 9 – Sunday October 10, AND Saturday October 16 – Sunday October 17, 12P – 5P.
Below is a chunk of the full map that can be found on the Parade of Homes Site;
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.
January is National Radon Month!
December 28, 2009 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment
For those of you who aren’t yet familiar with radon, it is an odorless gas that is undetectable by humans. As described on the EPA website;
Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims about 20,000 lives annually. Learn how you can protect your family. Test Your Home for Radon — it’s easy and inexpensive. Fix your home if you have a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more.
In Charlottesville, the standard is to test for radon when you purchase your home during the inspection period (and some people will opt not to test at all) but for most people, that is the first and only test for radon that they will do on their home. There are many areas in Charlottesville where radon gas is present in homes, so if you’ve never checked- now is a great time!
Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive, and the EPA Radon site has lots of local and national links to help connect you with how to purchase a self-test, connect with someone locally to administer a professional test, and find people to mitigate a radon problem should you have one.
Locally, one of my preferred home inspectors, John Handloser with Pillar to Post Home Inspections, will be happy to administer a professional radon test in your home- call him a few days in advance to schedule him to come out.
