Virginia Real Estate Blog: October 2008

I had great success on Saturday at the Tanners Creek Wharehouse sale!  Pots of pansies and heuchera for $2 each!   For this week and weeke3nd, here are just a few things to do around town... 

1. Soaring Gull Circuit All Breed Dog Show - Today through Sunday at the VB Convention Center. Cheer on ROSE, the Sealyham Terrier, shown by my friend Patty!  Admission is Free!
2. Plant Swap and Sale - Fred Huette Center, Norfolk - 1pm- 4pm on Sunday the Exchange is from 1pm-3pm and the sale is 3pm-4pm Fall Pumpkin Patch - Larchmont United Methodist Church on Jamestown Crescent in Norfolk - 10am to 6pm M-F
3. Learn more about ‘moving up' in today's real estate market. Contact Bethany Phillips for information on to buy and sell today.
4. Christmas Craft Show - Francis Land House on VAB Blvd - 12pm-5pm Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday, and 12pm -4pm on Sunday
5. Holiday Bazaar - Cypress Point Circle of the Kings Daughter at the Quality Inn, Northampton Blvd. 10am-4pm Sunday.
6. Lantern Tours -Ferry Plantation House at 4136 Cheswick Lane - starting at 7pm on Friday night only
7. 9th Annual Masquerade in Ghent Halloween Block Party and Costume Walk on Friday, October 24th from 6PM - 10PM.
8. Native American Heritage Day with Songs, dancing, games and crafts 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday Children's Museum of Virginia
9. Call Bethany Phillips to learn more about real estate in today's market. Talk about values in waterfront property, investment homes, duplexes, etc!
10. Look for an open house to attend on Saturday or Sunday. Go to the website and search by city!

 Real Estate Hampton Roads including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth!

Just few of our Great Neighborhoods for Dogs!

 •      Lafayette Residence Park (N) - Great Dog Park, quite streets

•      Colonial Place (N) - Romp along the waterfront, hang out with the big dogs at the park

•      Downtown (N)- Who can resist a stroll with a pooch along the waterfront? And with the PETA close-by for swimming - even better! Plus, dogs are welcome on the ferry for free for a walk in...

•      Old Towne Portsmouth - stroll the High Street, Check out the architecture

•      Chesapeake Beach (VB) - Beach walking, hiking in First Landing State park!  Awesome.

•      Greenbrier, Chesapeake, VA - Close to City Park which has off-leash, fenced-in park for dogs contains benches, water fountain for dogs and owners, poop-scoop bags and covered trash cans

•      Bennett's Creek area, Suffolk - take your dog to the 50 acre park, hop on a boat (two ramps!), walk the nature trail, and more!

For a home in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, or Suffolk, contact Bethany Phillips!  Buying or selling real estate in Norfolk VA or throughout Hampton Roads; I can help!  Search for Hampton Roads Homes here.

 N=Norfolk, VB=Virginia Beach!

TOP TEN List of Places to RE-USE in Norfolk! 

 These are in no particular order! 

1. Hope House Thrift Shop, Norfolk, VA -  open Monday through Saturday, from 10 am to 6 pm, and are located at 1800 Monticello Avenue across from Doumar's. 625-7493
2. Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters - locations throughout south-eastern Virginia and north-eastern North Carolina 
3. Mommy and Me, Norfolk - upscale consignment shop in Norfolk - Tidewater Drive.  Specializing in infant, children, and maternity items; we offer a wide variety of infant through materinity clothes & shoes, toys, strollers, swings, bouncers, cribs, household items, and so much more!  588-6755‎
4. Savvy Seconds is a great place to find like-new consignments. On Monticello Ave.   623-9300‎
5. Boobala's Importers IncBoobala's Importers on Granby at 21^st - some imported antiques as well. Large selection of stained glass and furniture. 627-6645
6. Habitat for Humanity General Stores - 900 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk - lost of stuff, furniture and more! 455-0050‎
7. White Rabbit on 21^st street - children's consignment shop that also carries new items. 627-4169‎
8. Disabled American Vets on Virginia Beach Blvd. Toys, furniture, stuff for the whole family. 461-4938
9. Norfolk.craigslist.org - the name says it all
10. FREECYLCE.ORG - Again, the name says it all!

Norfolk Real Estate Search

CAMELLIAS really show their stuff in this area!  Here is a great way to learn more about them and to add these plants to your garden.  Also -- think about the coming holidays - wouldn't planting a camellia for someone be a nice gift!??

FALL CAMELLIA SHOW & PLANT SALE

Saturday, November 1, 2008    

10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

BAKER HALL

 CAMELLIA SHOW OPENS TO PUBLIC WHEN JUDGING IS COMPLETE (approx. 12:00 p.m.)

 PLANT SALES will begin at 10:00 a.m.-NOT  before. 

PLANT SALES END WHEN CURRENT SUPPLY IS SOLD OUT, or at 4:00 p.m.  

3 gallon plants $27   1 gallon plants $15

(Cash or personal checks for plant sales--sorry no credit or debit cards.)

Free Heirloom air layered camellia for new Virginia Camellia Society members and all new American Camellia Society members. We encourage all visitors to our shows, workshops and plant sales to become members of the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Our plant and air layer sale profits go back into the Hofheimer Camellia Garden to maintain and increase the collection.

Search for home in Norfolk and Hampton Roads  or check out a Norfolk Real Estate Blog

Lafayette Residence Park Market Snapshot

Wanted to share some information on this terrific neighborhood in Norfolk that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  This neighborhood is cool! Bungalows, Cape Cods, Craftsman, Victorian, Colonial, even a ranch or two!

Some Features:

•      Lots of water with the Lafayette River adjacent to the neighborhood. 

•      A great dog park, fully fenced, with obstacles courtesy of the local boy scout!

•      Childrens park with swings, jungle gyms and more

•      Great open spaces, quiet streets for walking, and super neighbors.

Lafayette Residence Park, Norfolk Market Report : January 1 - October 7, 2008

• Residential Sold or Pending : 11
• Median Days on Market: 64
• Average Days on Market: 80
• Median Sale price: $ 275,000
• Average price : $263,809
• List Price / Sale Price : 98.3%
• Median Price/Sqft : $145
• Average Price/Sqft: $152

Hampton Roads Real Estate

Hampton Roads Real Estate Blog

I was just reading a recent USA Today article. The author was quoting a number of sources but one in particular was a survey:

Shea Homes and Harris Interactive recently polled Baby Boomers ages 45 to 62 about their interest in the environment:

• 81% are concerned about the environmental legacy they will leave for their grandchildren.

• 94% have taken steps in the past six months to go green.

• 79% want to do more to reduce their carbon footprint.

• 36% say a green home saves money, 27% say it improves health, and 25% say a home built from green products and technologies is the smartest green investment, second only to a hybrid car or other alternative-fuel vehicle.

So the question remains... DO YOU HAVE TO BE OLD to Be GREEN??

Link to the full article

Hampton Roads and Norfolk Real Estate

Hampton Roads and Norfolk Real Estate Blog

Conservation is King with Kaine

Governor Kaine issued a press conference release last week asking residents of Virginia to focus on energy efficiency and conservation in their homes. This is a reminder that comes at an important time of the year - just before we start heating our houses for winter.  You may have read in my earlier blogs about some of the efforts I have taken to reduce energy consumption in my home.  That effort continues and I encourage you all to take steps in the same way.  This week, I finally purchased the PULLEY SEALS I need for my windows. These should decrease the energy loss during both the heating and cooling seasons.  I will let you know how it goes!

The website I used for these is http://www.jrproductsinc.com/shop/pc/home.asp

Real Estate Norfolk and Hampton Roads Real Estate

Hampton Roads Real Estate Blog

I had a friend recently ask me if I understood what was happening in the financial markets. I know I have an MBA, and I try to use it but... this is scary!  Given that halloween and fright night is just around the corner, perhaps this is appropriate... Anyway, I do know that big drops in the stock arket often trigger 'buy' motivations in investors. We see that happening today in the market - even with the overall stock market dropping, certain stocks will increase or be scooped up by savvy investors.

So, where is a safe place for your money?  I would contend that it is in property... real estate. Houses will not just up an disappear like a company or its stock.  Will prices fluctuate? Of course! Will your house be worth ZERO tomorrow?  Highly unlikely.

And of course you have heard it before, it is a buyers market. There are bargains out there! Sellers NEED to sell. Many are offering fabulous incentives to buyers. Interest rates are low. There are a record number of homes to choose from. Realtors have the time to give buyers the attention they need and deserve!  So... don't put your money in a mattress... unless you buy the house for the mattress FIRST! 

Norfolk Real Estate Blog

Norfolk Real Estate

The Colonial Place/Riverview annual ARTWALK is scheduled for this weekend!   Sunday, October 12, 2008 from noon to 5pm

The CPRV website has the following information!
A list of participating artists is now available as well as a download of the brochure and the poster.

Real Estate Norfolk VA

Norfolk Real Estate Blog

Well, I am torn on the new $700B bailout passed last week. ON the one hand, I think we are doing a dissevice to our children by increasing the deficit that they will be saddled with (along with us).  On the other hand, I have to be confident that it will make a difference!  Here are a few of the highlights (from Reuters) of the bill that allowed it to pass the House the second time around.

* The bill would raise the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp's current insurance limit to $250,000 per account from $100,000. The FDIC also would receive temporary unlimited borrowing authority from the Treasury under the bill. The measure is intended to boost banking system confidence and could be well-received in wealthier Republican congressional districts.

* Some 24 million middle-class taxpayers would get relief from a one-year fix that shields them from higher tax rates under the Alternative Minimum Tax. The issue comes up every year and temporary fixes routinely win broad support in Congress.

* It extends tax deductions for state and local sales taxes and allows deductions for state and local property taxes and higher education expenses for taxpayers who do not itemize their tax returns.

* The bill includes $18 billion in tax breaks for clean and renewable energy by continuing production tax credits for wind and refined coal, as well as breaks for solar and plug-in electric vehicles.

* The bill includes extension of favorable business tax provisions, such as tax credits related to new markets and research and development as well as the tax treatment of costs for retail and restaurant improvements.

* The bill would require insurance plans that offer mental health benefits to offer them at the same level as medical-surgical benefits. 

There is more to it obviously... Here is the FULL ARTICLE. Time will tell what immediate impact this will hvae on Hampton Roads, our real estate market, or the financial situation that we are now in, as a country (and globally).

Ready to buy or sell a home?  Norfolk Real Estate and Norfolk Real Estate Blog can help!