Author: REW Writers

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Do fences make good neighbors?

No, we’re not going to quote Robert Frost here, but we are going to talk about fences. For homeowners seeking a little more privacy or to keep children and animals in (or out), we’ll discuss when you can and cannot put up a fence and the best materials to use for your construction.  

”There’s definitely a lot to think about when you’re installing a fence,” declares Bethany Gonzales, the third generation working at a local fence company founded by her grandparents. Her father is Joe Phillips, who operates as Joe Phillips Fence in Madison as well as Charlottesville Fence Company. Says Gonzales with a chuckle, “I do everything but install the fences.”

Before you even start shopping for a fence, she recommends checking with your local zoning and planning agency to see if there are specific rules on fences. In addition, many homeowner associations have bylaws dictating height, materials, and locations.

“If you’re close to a road, especially on a corner,” Gonzales continues, “you can’t do a solid fence that would hide traffic. You even have to plan about where the plow might push the snow.”

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, it’s time to consider the kind of fencing you want. Nowadays fences are made from a variety of materials and can be installed at any height, although four feet or six feet are pretty standard.

*Chain link is durable and provides security by keeping animals and children in. (Or, in some cases, keeping them out.) Some chain link is vinyl coated and slats can be used to add privacy. While chain link is often the most cost-effective, many people find it institutional in appearance and prefer more attractive boundaries around their homes.

*Wood is classic, whether as a decorative picket fence, post-and-rail installation, or a solid stockade fence. Wood can be stained or painted to compliment the property. More expensive than chain link, but a handy homeowner can usually install a wooden fence.

*Vinyl fencing comes in a variety of colors and in styles similar to wood including pickets, panels, or rails. More expensive than wood, but it’s durable and maintenance free.

*Aluminum can be manufactured to look like traditional wrought-iron fencing complete with ornamental gates. It comes in a variety of colors and it’s low maintenance and durable. The cost is comparable to vinyl.

Once, you’ve chosen your fence, Gonzales says, “surveys are definitely a good thing to have when you have a small lot to be sure the fence is on your own property.” With a large property a survey isn’t so important, she says, because you can easily build the fence inside the property line.

She also suggests consulting with neighbors if the fence will be between your properties.

”A lot of times I recommend that they write something up or at least have a verbal agreement in case there are any damages to property when putting up the fence,” she says. She adds that neighbors will often share the cost, but not always.

And of course Gonzales has a fence. “I’m working weekends on my own fence,” she says. “It’s aluminum across the front so that’s prettier where people can see it. I’m doing a post-and-wire in the back which is more cost effective and almost invisible against the landscape.”

Invisible Fences keep pets at home

“To keep my dogs safe and from wandering, I chose to put an invisible fence around the entire perimeter my property,” says REALTOR® Sara Greenfield, Associate Broker for RE/MAX Realty Specialists and Principal Broker for Charlottesville Fine Homes and Properties. “They learned that going past it was not a good option, although I must say that if the collar battery is low it’s not as effective.”

Greenfield, who lives in Albemarle County, suggests plantings along an invisible fence line as an additional visual reminder. “I have bayberry plants, and trees close to my line,” she says. “Invisible fences are not inexpensive, but they work. The Invisible Fence Company here in town installed mine and they do a good job of warranting their work.”

Fences Are a Must for Pool Safety

Pool and Spa owners are required by law to install a childproof barrier at least five feet from the edge of any in-ground, on-ground, or aboveground pool or hot tub that can hold water more than two feet deep. There may be additional specific requirements which can differ from one jurisdiction to another regarding pool alarms, self-latching gates, and other safety features.

General fencing requirements are:

*Fence must be at least 4 feet tall.

*No more than a 2-inch gap below the fence.

*Openings must be small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through.

*The fence can have no decorations that could be used to climb over it.

*The maximum mesh for a chain link fence is 1¼ inches.

Glenn Pribus lives with his wife in Albemarle County near Charlottesville.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Amazonas: the 2014 Wintergreen Summer Music Festival

Ask orchestra conductor Larry Alan Smith about the continent to the south of us, and he’ll tell you about rhythm and color. South American music can be “mournful and soulful,” Smith says, but by and large “it’s very perky, very bright, very sunny.” Smith’s frequent conducting stints in Brazil in the 80s and 90s engendered a passion for South American music that he will share at this summer’s annual Wintergreen Summer Music Festival and Academy, July 7 – August 3 at Nelson County’s Wintergreen Resort.

Under Smith’s nine-year leadership, a festival that began with a few concerts in Wintergreen homes has grown into a month-long artistic affair comprising hundreds of events for the ear, eye, skin (breezy Wintergreen is about 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding valley), mind and tongue. Entitled Amazonas: The Rhythms and Colors of South America,the 2014 fiesta will comprise orchestral and chamber ensemble concerts, pre-concert talks and master classes, breakfast buffets and wine tastings, sound installations and gallery tours, tango lessons and much more.

The summer’s musical fare will combine the classic and the contemporary, the familiar and the surprising, and feature works by leading South American composers largely unknown to North American audiences. Venezuelan-born Ricardo Lorenz will be one of four composers taking part, teaching, lecturing and conducting. Five South American pianists will play. “We have a guitarist from Paraguay,” Smith says, “and a clarinetist from Venezuela who will also be playing a concerto for maracas and orchestra. We have a conductor from Columbia, a film producer from Argentina, and a soprano from Bolivia. One of our violinists is coming from Uruguay, so we’ve really got the continent pretty covered.”

“People are going to find themselves really pulled into the complicated, fast, fun rhythms that you hear in the popular music as well as in the classical music,” Smith says. “A lot of it is very, very fresh.” Along with sounds from south of the border, we have an incredible mixture of things on the programs, including Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn, “universal composers who defy and region or country.”

“What I’m proud about with the Wintergreen audience is that over the past eight years they’re heard a lot of really interesting new things and it actually has become something that people look forward to because they also realize I’m going to give them things that are more well known.”

The festival kicks off officially on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. in a program consisting of the Star-Spangled Banner, the Argentine national anthem, and selections by four South American composers: Julián Orbón (Cuban), and Luis Gianneo, Alberto Ginastera, and Ástor Piazzolla (Argentinian). Piazzolla “had one foot in the popular world and one foot in the classical world,” Smith notes of the man who introduced elements of jazz and classical music into the traditional tango genre of his native land. Reservations for Opening Night are required and must be made by July 7.

Orchestral Concerts

As always, the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra will play four Classics concerts, with performances Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. on consecutive weekends beginning July 12. Guest conductor Carl St. Clair will lead the Classics 1 performances of Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas brasileiras No. 9 (1945), Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major (1878), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major (1784) with soloist Mirian Conti. Smith’s pre-concert talks begin 45 minutes before each performance.

Chamber Music

While a full orchestra can sweep listeners away with its power and enthrall them with the colors in a great score, smaller, “chamber” ensembles allow each instrument to be heard clearly, providing a more intimate listening experience. Once again, there will be plenty of chamber music to be heard on the mountain this season.

The Wintergreen Chamber Players and guest artists will perform together twice. The Tuesday, program on July 15 at 7:30 p.m. includes Tango for four violas (2013), one oftwo world premieres by guest composer and lecturer Michael White, written specifically, he says, for the festival’s “great viola players.” Rounding out the program will be Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Quinteto em forma de chôros, W231 (1928) and String Quartet No. 6, W399 (1938), and Reynaldo Hahn’s Sonata for violin and piano in C Major (1926) and Romanesque in C Major for flute, viola and piano (1905, 1910).

Coffee Concerts

While the focus is on South America this year, the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Coffee Concert series, featuring hour-long concerts by the Wintergreen Chamber Players, Academy Ensembles and guest artists, is modeled on Sunday morning performances popular in much of Europe. Coffee and children’s drinks will be served. Performances will take place without intermissions.

The series kicks off on July 13 at 11:00 a.m. with a program of five pieces including Alberto Ginastera’s Pampanea No. 2, Op. 21 for cello and piano (1950), Heitor Villa-Lobos’ String Quartet No. 3, W112 (1916), and Composer-in-Residence Michael White’s second world premiere, Sonata for Piano Four-Hands (2013).

“This is actually the third piece that I’ve written for four hands piano in the last three years,” White says, noting that the combination was common in the 18th century, when “the piano had just been invented. Writing for a husband and wife or two lovers or a brother and sister was very popular, and then it died out. Not for any particular reason I have been able to understand. I kind of wanted to bring it back. Larry’s wife, Marguerita (Oundjian Smith) is a pianist, and Mirian Conti is also a wonderful pianist. I wanted to write for the two of them.”

Seminars

This year’s weekday Morning Seminars will examine Mozart concertos, Haydn and Beethoven’s string quartets, and Chopin’s Mazurkas, among other works. White will lecture on Mozart concerti July 7 and 8, including Piano Concerto #17, which Conti will play on July 12 and 13. The Seventeenth “just happens to be, in my opinion, the best concerto that Mozart ever wrote for any instrument,” White says. “It’s my favorite concerto. What we’re going to do is something special. Mirian will play excerpts during his lecture.”

White will talk about two of Beethoven’s most famous sonatas, the Moonlight and the Tempest, on July 14, 15, 17 and 18 at 9:30 am. “I feel like I owe them some background on Beethoven,” White says, noting that at Wintergreen he has never lectured on this giant of Romanticism, concentrating instead on Mozart, “the composer that I really love the most.”

Along with European and South American classics both familiar and less well known, Wintergreen concertgoers this summer can hear music newly composed, and music designed to be approached and processed in new ways. Besides writing for the concert hall, Composer-in-Residence Ken Steen creates soundscapes intended for gardens, landscapes and art galleries. “Typically as a sound artist,” Steen says, “I would focus my work on sounds from the natural environment combined with instrumental sounds that have been modified in some way and then put back into a space. Sound art grows more out of the visual art tradition.”

Steen will have two sound installations at Wintergreen this year, Singing Pots/Peeper Pots, a collaboration with his wife, Lyn Harper, and The Garden of Sonic Delights, which he’ll devise with this year’s seven composition students.

Harper and Steen have collaborated before, Steen says, but “this is something new because we’re using clay pots – she’s a ceramic artist – and a set of transducer speakers that are like little magnetic hockey pucks that we attach to the pots, that allow the pots to become speakers. The sonic material is actually taken from recordings of peep frogs that live out in our backyard.”

“What I’m doing with the sound is taking the sound of the frogs that I’ve recorded and then applying other transformative processes to it electronically. And then those will be played back through the pots, which have gone a similar kind of transformation from mud into something else.”

Steen and Harper’s heal the wounds of war is a video composed from newsreel footage of war victims broadcast on Veterans Day in 1987. Conceived “as a timeless homage to the victims of war on a global level,” it will be heard six times on Monday, July 14. The 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m. showings will be accompanied by a live performance of the score on clarinet. The 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. showings will feature a recording on electronic cello.

“heal the wounds of war is in the form of a conceptual representation of traditional methods of prayer,” Steen writes. “In particular, reference is made to the burning of incense, the Christian rosary and the Buddhist prayer wheel. These are represented by the continually rising melodic line and the repetitive/circular nature of the accompaniment – all of which stand in stark contrast to the horrific images on screen. Due to the nature of the subject, some of the scenes may be disturbing, as well as inappropriate for children.”

Steen’s string quartet, Upon Second Hearing, will be heard – twice – Wednesday, July 16 at 4:00 p.m. “I am not at liberty to discuss the piece or its origins,” he says slyly. “The idea is for the music alone to provide that communication between composer and audience without any of the trappings we customarily use to give insight into what we were thinking or may have been going after.”

Once the audience has encountered the work without preconceived notions of what to expect, Steen says, “In a kind of reveal moment I’ll introduce the ideas that were the genesis of the piece. And then the piece will be played again, and we’ll probably discuss it a little more after that.”

Community

Larry Alan Smith is moving on at the end of the summer, but his programming as Artistic and Executive Director has made Nelson County a destination point for arts lovers – as many as 11,000 each summer. “Larry took something that was a small festival known to very few people and turned it into something really sensational,” White says. “For one month, everybody concentrates on one country or period of time. I don’t know of any other festival in this country that does that.”

Attracting musicians from around the world the festival enriches – and enlarges – the Central Virginia art community. “We’re getting lots of people coming and staying for a week or two weeks,” Smith says, “and we’ve even had a couple of instances where people have decided to buy a home because of the festival.”

“The summer music festival brings a diverse group of people to Wintergreen, some for the first time,” says Tim Hess of Wintergreen Real Estate Company. “The festival has provided a very special contribution to the fabric of the Wintergreen community that often weighs in the decision to own here versus somewhere else.”

“It’s a real community – the musicians, but also the people who come to the concerts and the people who live on the mountain,” says cellist and chamber music coach Sara Sitzer, who has been coming since 2009. “Wintergreen is a very special environment.”

By Ken Wilson

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

A primer on closing costs

Negotiating and agreeing on the price for a new home may seem like the final step of a long process. In fact, it’s just the beginning of maneuvering through the long list of closing costs.

These costs and payments are typically organized by a settlement company and paid to lenders and other third parties involved in the purchase of a property when the final documents are signed.

“While closing costs can be negotiated, there are very customary ways they are shared in our area,” explains Karla Floyd of Charlottesville’s CloSure Title & Settlement Company.  On the other hand, nothing is in stone, and the buyer and the seller can share closing costs in various ways. In fact, this sharing can be a negotiating point when buying a property

What are typical fees?

Closing costs can vary from one property to another, one jurisdiction to another, and one purchase contract to another. But as a rule of thumb, here’s a list of how these costs usually break down in Central Virginia.

Typical costs for buyers include:

*Fees for home appraisal.  Usually the lender hires a licensed appraiser to confirm the property has no health or safety problems and is safe to occupy. This will also ensure the lender is not financing it for more than the property is worth.

*Cost of a survey which verifies property lines. (This does not apply to condominium units.)

*Charges for a home inspection if one is performed. In some cases, the seller will correct all or some deficiencies. Other times, a price adjustment may be negotiated prior to closing.

*Fees for running a credit report.

*Underwriting fee for evaluating the loan application.

*Loan origination fee covering the cost of processing loan paperwork.

*Points: money paid in exchange for a lower interest rate. Each point equals one percent of the mortgage and creates a reduction in interest rate with lower monthly mortgage payments. Points can save significant amounts of money over the life of a mortgage.

*Title search to ensure there are no liens or unpaid tax or mortgage payments.

*Title insurance. The cost is based on the loan amount and price of the property. “The lender will normally require title insurance,” says Floyd, “and because the lender’s title insurance doesn’t protect the buyer, I highly suggest owner’s title insurance although it isn’t required.”

*Homeowners insurance.  All lenders require insurance, possibly including flood insurance depending on the location of the property. Often a prepayment of 3-12 months is required at closing. If the down payment is less than 20 percent, the lender may also require mortgage insurance.

*Recording fee and transfer taxes paid to the jurisdiction to record the new deed.

*Escrow deposit to prepay taxes and insurance. These are not really fees, since they would have to be paid eventually, but still may be due at closing.

*Fee for buyer’s attorney if one is used. “Some buyers and sellers retain real estate attorneys,” says Floyd, “but in Virginia settlement agents are legally allowed to conduct real estate transactions apart from attorneys.”

Usually sellers are responsible for:

*Charges for termite inspection.

*Deed preparation cost.

*Grantor’s tax on deed transfer.

*Real estate commissions, if due.

*Fee for seller’s attorney if one is used.

How much are closing costs?

In some cases, buyers can find loans without closing costs. However, these mortgages generally require a higher interest rate or the closing costs are added to the mortgage. Both these tactics mean significantly higher long-term costs.

Lenders are legally obligated to provide a “good faith estimate” of expected closing costs within three days of the loan application and buyers should plan on spending between 2 to 5 percent of the cost of the property.

Armed with several estimates, buyers can compare settlement companies, however these figures may be legally increased by up to 10 percent. Within a day of the closing, buyers must receive a HUD-1 settlement statement with the final closing costs. If there is a large increase, demand an explanation of each item why it is needed. Since buyers can choose among lenders, some of these fees—especially administrative costs—might be negotiated with lenders who want to hold a mortgage.

“Rates among settlement companies are pretty competitive in Charlottesville,” notes Floyd. “Service is going to be the key for people and many companies rely on word-of-mouth referrals.”

So do your homework when it comes to closing costs to find the best deal and the best service. Finally, be sure to consult with your tax preparer or consult IRS publication 530 because some closing costs may be deductible on your taxes.

Marilyn Pribus and her husband live in Albemarle County near Charlottesville.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

July 4th naturalization ceremony at Monticello welcomes new citizens

The band played on July 4, despite hackers. Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello photo by Jack Looney

Like George M. Cohan, composer of such patriotic favorites as Grand Old Flag and Yankee Doodle Dandy, Charlottesville’s Hiromi Johnson was born on the Fourth of July. Well, sort of.  Cohan’s birthday was actually July 3rd, and Johnson calls Independence Day her second birthday.

“That day,” she says with deep feeling, “is my birthday of being a citizen.”  It almost didn’t happen, though. Last year she had been looking forward to taking her oath at Monticello when, with no explanation, she received a “de-scheduling” notice. “Thomas Jefferson is my hero,” she says, “The letter did not say why it was cancelled. I was so disappointed.”

Johnson had moved here from Japan with her American husband, Martin. She brought her own long-time practice of t’ai chi and established Hiromi T’ai Chi in Charlottesville with classes and outreach to persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and after-school programs. She also made many friends.

When her friends and students learned of the de-scheduling, they leaped into action and several days later Johnson reported, “Senator Warner’s office emailed me that the de-schedule notice was wrong. And Congressman Hurt’s office confirmed this is true.”

So Johnson she joined with more than 75 men and women from more than 40 different nations as they took their Oath of Citizenship on the lawn at Monticello. And how did she feel?

“I was speechless,” she confesses. “I had been dreaming and waiting for a long time for that day.” There’s a hint of tears in her eyes as she recalls the ceremony. “It was nice to see other people waiting for that day, too. Almost like a family.”

Coming to America

Many things draw people from all parts of the globe to Charlottesville and often they remain. The University of Virginia is a main attraction. Other times it’s been an Internet meeting leading to marriage, a new job, or leaving a homeland become dangerous.

“Charlottesville is increasingly cosmopolitan and we all benefit from that,” says Charlottesville Vice Mayor Kristin Szakos. “Our public schools have students who are native speakers of more than 60 languages. Although that can be a huge challenge in getting students up to speed in English, it’s also an amazing experience for all our kids to get to know folks from so many other cultures. Immigration is one of the things that has defined the strength of this country, and Charlottesville’s no exception.”

“In some cases, people coming here are fleeing political or religious persecution,” observes former Charlottesville mayor Kay Slaughter, citing new residents from Tibet and the Balkans. “We continue to be a nation of immigrants.”

The Monticello ceremony punctuates the nation-of-immigrants theme. Since 1963, more than 3,000 people from many nations have become naturalized at this memorable annual ceremony. This Independence Day will mark the 52nd Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello—a powerful experience celebrating what Thomas Jefferson termed “the great birthday of our Republic.”

Standing on the steps of Monticello as new Americans, their faces wearing wide smiles often coupled with emotional tears, these new citizens create a living snapshot of our “melting pot” nation.

An Interaction of Cultures

“We who live in and around Charlottesville are privileged to witness an interaction of cultures,” says REALTOR® John Ince, President of the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors and an Associate Broker at Nest Realty. “We see it on an international level and a local level as academics and blue collars, good ol’ boys and preppies, goths and jocks all mingle on the stage that Thomas Jefferson set so long ago. On the whole, I think we do it very well.”

The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service’s Demographics Research Group reported earlier this year that about 9 percent of Charlottesville’s population is foreign born.

This diversity is reflected in education from UVa to local elementary schools. It’s also very visible in local businesses, restaurants, religious settings, Fridays After Five, and every facet of life.

REALTOR ® Olga Morse, who works with Sloan Milby Real Estate Partners, was born in Puerto Rico so she is automatically an American citizen. Still, she remembers it wasn’t easy when she came to U.S. in the mid-70s. “I felt like an outsider trying to learn the language,” she recalls.

When she moved to Charlottesville in 1987, however, she was surprised to feel at home. “It was very special from the first day,” she says. “People were welcoming and it was friendly hearing people talking other languages.”

Morse definitely has a niche in real estate. “Because of its diversity, Charlottesville is a welcoming city,” she explains. “I can facilitate services, especially for Spanish-speakers who may be fluent in English but unfamiliar with the special language of real estate.”

Morse is also the founder of FORWARD/ADELANTE BUSINESS ALLIANCE (FABA) and publisher of FORWARD-ADELANTE, a bilingual magazine with its main circulation in the greater Charlottesville area.  “The mission of FABA,” she explains, “is to connect the English-speaking business owner with the Spanish-speaking market place where professionals, business leaders, and organizations can share ideas and build relationships.”  

Connections to the world

While many American cities have a foreign “sister” city, Charlottesville has not one, but four with formal ties to Besançon (France), Pleven (Bulgaria), Poggio a Caiano (Italy), and Winneba (Ghana). The city is an active member of  HYPERLINK “http://www.sister-cities.org/” Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities, seeking to build global cooperation, promote cultural understanding, and stimulate economic development.

The Charlottesville Sister City Commission, appointed by the City Council, is the organizing body devoted to assisting the individual Sister City relationships with community activities and promotion. The City of Charlottesville website has information and photos of the sister cities and local citizens may propose additional sister cities.

“I love that we have real relationships with our sister cities,” says Vice Mayor Kristin Szakos enthusiastically. The sister-city program is aimed at both adults and young people, she explains. “In the past year, we’ve had various exchanges with our sister cities in France and Ghana that have been real examples of mutual benefit.”

One particularly visible example of Charlottesville’s welcoming atmosphere is its mayor. “It says a great deal about our community that they accept diversity,” says Mayor Satyendra Huja, a Sikh who came from India in 1960 to attend Cornell University. He became a citizen at Monticello on Independence Day in 1987. “It was wonderful,” he says of that day.  “I go back every year.”

Mayor Huja sees our region as offering an appealing environment with cultural facilities that most communities don’t have, saying, “I think it enriches the lives of all the people when you see other cultures and ideas.”

Marilyn Pribus and her husband live near Monticello. One of their daughters-in-law is a recently naturalized citizen from Kazakhstan and Marilyn’s paternal grandparents were naturalized citizens from the Netherlands.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Projects Reflect Confidence in Cville’s Commercial Real Estate Market

News about commercial real estate both nationally and locally continues to be positive.  The Urban Land Institute’s 2014 annual report entitled Emerging Trends in Real Estate (based on interviews with 1,000 experts in the field) states that respondents “expect growth to be sufficient to generate consistent and growing demand for commercial real estate across all property types.”

Our local agents also describe an improving commercial market citing very low vacancy rates in the office and retail sectors and a continuing demand for space.  Along with the good news about existing space comes that of anticipated new activity from Costco on 29 North to Wegmans on the south side, to some significant new developments downtown.

Residential Growth Supports Commercial Expansion

Our strong residential market positively impacts commercial development, and the news there continues to be good.  CAAR reported 10 percent growth in yearly home sales in 2013. In the first quarter of this year, the median number of days on the market declined by 18 and the average sales price increased by 20 percent.

This kind of residential market strength is good news for developers of retail properties like Costco, Wegmans and the new Pantops area Starbucks.

Ed Brownfield, with Real Estate III Commercial Properties, looks forward to the opening of Costco.  He explained that having a Charlottesville store will keep dollars in our local economy and bring new jobs to the area.  “Costco has a reputation of being a wonderful employer,” he continued and “people who work there love it.”

Brownfield also anticipates the 2015 opening of Wegmans, the upscale grocery store coming to the south end of town at Fifth Street Station.  This should cut down on the number of people traveling north on Route 29, he explained, adding that things will  “be more balanced which will help with congestion.”  Wegmans also has a good reputation, ranking 12th in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2014.

Next year will also see the opening of the new Pantops Plaza which, Brownfield said, will be the new home of the Pantops’ area Starbucks.  This 10,500-foot development will also house a Chipotle Mexican Grill and Jersey Mike’s Subs.  Rumor has it the Starbucks will feature a drive through window, the first in our area.

Commercial Growth Reflects Strength of Local Economy

Commercial investors like markets with a strong economy, as reflected in part by the number of major employers. In recent years we have seen the growth at NGIC and UVA Research Park.  These and other commercial establishments north of town, such as GE, Kohl’s and now Gander Mountain, generate as much as 50 percent of Albemarle’s total tax revenues and attract other commercial development, said United Land’s Wendell Wood.

While growth and expansion is happening all over our area, there is significant activity in and around downtown.  The former Martha Jefferson Hospital building is now home to the CFA Institute, which occupies 100,000 square feet, said Mark Mascotte, Principal Broker at the Jefferson Real Estate Group.  The Institute’s newly renovated space includes green features such as solar panels and a grey water reuse system.

The former Cardwell Building at the old hospital site is also home to some smaller, though still substantial 20,000 square foot tenants.  It’s hard to find space for companies with this kind of large footprint, Mascotte added.

HemoShear, one of these new tenants, is a bio tech company described on their website as the “leading developer of human relevant systems for drug development and discovery.”  Senator Mark Warner recently stopped to admire the company’s new headquarters and spoke of their importance for creating jobs in our area.

Another major new downtown development is the 925 Market Street project, featuring views of Carter Mountain and Monticello, said Mason Graham with CBRE Charlottesville.  This is a mixed-use project that will have 18,000 square feet of Class A office space available for sale and high-end residential apartments for lease. The seven story building will be walking distance from the downtown mall, the new CFA offices and Court Square.   Delivery of the office space is anticipated for late 2015.

The new building will help meet the demand for Class A office space downtown for which the vacancy rate is currently very low, just one percent, Graham said.

Real estate suitable for a medical office building is also in short supply, according to Michael Johnson, President of PMI Charlottesville, who currently has a multi-million dollar client looking for just such a property.

Overall, the commercial market is doing well, and, Graham said it is “very competitive. ”  While this poses its own set challenges, it is good news for our area and especially for a market that has just come through a serious recession.  It also makes for a lot of excitement about all the new developments coming on line over the next two years.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author.  She lives near Charlottesville.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Charlottesville’s Golf Course Communities

If you love golf and want to live near your favorite course, our area offers a lot of options.

Home buyers seeking a golf course community with a country club atmosphere can pick from neighborhoods such as Glenmore or the Estates at Keswick Hall where a newly designed course will open soon.  Public courses are available at Old Trail in Crozet or Stoney Creek, owned by Wintergreen, in Nelson County, while Spring Creek and Lake Monticello are good examples of semi-private options. If your goal is to enjoy spectacular views and cooler summer temperatures, the private course at Devil’s Knob on Wintergreen offers all of that. In winter when skiers take over, Nelson County golfers and their guests can still enjoy Stoney Creek, which is open most months of the year.

Local courses offer plenty of variety, with different kinds of challenges, scenery and topography. There is also variety in features such as water, sand or the types of grass used for the course. Golfers looking for a good game will have “no problem finding a place to play,” said Michael Guthrie Principal Broker for Roy Wheeler Realty Co.

Studies show that a golf course in your subdivision can positively impact the value of your home, and adjacent lots often bring substantially higher prices than those on nearby streets.  Communities with golf courses also benefit from the amount and quality of green space they offer.   Houses adjacent to the course enjoy extra privacy as well as a large and well manicured back yard which they don’t have to mow.  Those who live nearby can still enjoy the views and vistas when they are out and about their neighborhood.

Golf Courses Enhance Property Values

A neighborhood golf course can be a real advantage to homeowners whether or not they actually play the game.

People comparing several different neighborhoods may prefer one with a golf course because they consider the  “perceived value of the whole,” and are willing to pay more because they are getting more, said Barbara McCurry with Montague Miller and Co.

“A golf course can have a major impact on property values,” said Bo Newell with Mountain Area Realty.  While Wintergreen may be best known as a ski area, many people buy there for the golf courses.  Without them, he continued, the demand for property in this area would be less keeping property values lower.

In general actual golf course lots are considered more valuable, Newell said. He stated that an average golf course lot may have 25 percent more value than a comparable lot elsewhere in the same subdivision.  However, if the golf course lot also has other amenities such as the spectacular views available in Wintergreen, then the value may be as much as 50 or 75 percent more.

Marina Ringstrom, with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate III, lives in Glenmore and, while not a golfer herself, she appreciates what the course adds to the property values there.  For example, she estimates that lots on the golf course may have assessed values as much as $100,000 higher than those elsewhere in the subdivision.

There is another reason that helps explain why properties in golf communities can typically sell for more. Golf is not an inexpensive sport, and tends to attract people who are relatively more affluent.  In general this means they are also home buyers who can afford larger nicer homes and who are also willing to pay a little more to be conveniently located near their favorite course, explained Greg Slater with Nest Realty, a long time golfer.

Having a nearby golf course can benefit the whole area, said Julie Bendle who is an agent and director of marketing for Mountain Area Realty.  The public golf course at Stoney Creek is a big draw for people looking at homes in Nelson County, whether or not they actually live in that subdivision, she added.

Golf Courses Benefit Golfers and Non-Golfers Alike

Everyone in a community can benefit from what a golf course adds in the way of amenities and natural beauty.  Intangible benefits like these add to the popularity of golf course neighborhoods improving both the quality of life and the value of properties there.

“Golf courses add large amounts of green space, less density and better views,” said Denise Ramey with Roy Wheeler Realty, Co.  These benefits are attractive not only to golfers but to their neighbors who may not even own a set of clubs.

Having a golf course nearby is a big convenience for those who play regularly, Guthrie said.  However, the course also provides “wonderful open areas and lots of common ground which is not developed.”  The result is home owners can enjoy lovely extended views rather than looking into someone else’s back yard.  The vistas are also nice for people taking early morning walks or riding their bike through the area, and golfers who are taking a day off may be able to sit on their deck and enjoy watching others play.

When a golf course is your back yard you can enjoy “no maintenance and a lot of privacy,” Ringstrom said.  Golf courses usually also come with other associated amenities, such as a club with tennis courts, workout facilities or a community pool.  She added that the gated community of Glenmore may be unique in being the only one in the country that has both a golf course and an on-site equestrian facility.

“You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the activities on the course and the changing scenery it provides,” Ringstrom added.  One of her favorite golf course sights is the giant fountains that come on at night when they turn on the watering system.  “The fountains put out big spinning plumes that are fun to watch,” she continued.

It was the natural beauty of Devils Knob at Wintergreen that caused Steve Marianella with Roy Wheeler Realty Co. and his family to become one of 150 households who live on the mountain year round.  Marianella was introduced to golf at a very early age and had always dreamed of living on a course. Eventually he and his family relocated from Richmond and moved into what was once their second home and where today they can enjoy all four seasons of the Wintergreen lifestyle.

“Wintergreen is a very natural environment with wild life, birds, and beautiful wild flowers,” Marianella said.  “All of that enhances the golf course views and experience.”  He also enjoys the convenience of living right on the course where he practices putts on the green at his back yard after other golfers are through for the day.

If you are looking for the perfect lot right on the golf course, Guthrie suggests avoiding locations subject to a lot of errant shots.  Most golfers will know which locations to watch out for, he said, but if you don’t play, ask your agent for help, or knock on the doors of people in the areas where you might buy a home.

On the plus side, if your yard is a recipient of errant shots, “you may never have to worry about buying golf balls,” Guthrie joked.

Golf is for Everyone

Golfing is a social activity that appeals to people from young children to retirees.  It also brings people together and helps build a sense of community.

People moving to this area will not have a problem finding a place to get to know others through golf, Guthrie said, adding that golfers looking for reasonable cost places to play will find them.  One great option is the Spring Creek golf course, which Golf Digest rated as the best new affordable public course in America in 2007 and in 2011 as number 70 in the top 100 public courses.

Many golf related amenities are available in our area including clinics and good teaching professionals for people serious about improving their game as well as special opportunities such as twilight leagues for working people who play late in the day because of business commitments.

A year ago noted golf pro Kandi Comer,  named one of the top 5 teachers in the state of Virginia by Golf Digest, moved her golf academy to Old Trail.   Today many children participate in junior golf clinics and after school programs and take part in team golf. Her popular program for junior golfers, which Slater said, “sailed off the charts,” attracted over 25 kids in the first spring clinic alone.  When it comes to golf at Old Trail, Comer is “a game changer,” Slater continued.

Since she is affiliated with a public course like Old Trail, a golf pro with Comer’s following can reach out and bring in lots of new people, Guthrie added, who may then ultimately become homeowners there.

The Market in Golf Course Communities

“Golf course communities are in a better place than they were in a year ago,” Guthrie said.  As the economy recovers, more people are playing because they have money to spend.  This means there is also more money to put towards improving the golf courses which in turn brings more people out to play.

Lake Monticello recently repaired their course, which was damaged due to extreme heat in 2010.  Thanks to the recent renovations, the Faulconer Invitational Golf Tournament returned there this year. These improvements, and the attention paid to neighborhoods like Lake Monticello as a result, will also bring more home buyers to the area Guthrie said.  He referenced the newly redesigned course at Keswick Estates which he said will cause buyers to want to move there.

Do people choose a community because of the golf course?  Marianella said that it is definitely a factor as many people choose to “buy where they like to play.”

One of Ramey’s clients recently bought a house in Spring Creek after checking out the other options.  In the end he bought there in large part because he was impressed by the quality of the course, which is said to reflect the “leading edge of design.”  Spring Creek homeowners can also take advantage of special rates and other benefits available to people who live there.

Something for Everyone

When it comes to golf communities there are housing options to meet every need, and buyers can choose from a variety of home styles and price ranges.

Proximity to the golf course offers other kinds of benefits. At Old Trail, golfers have the choice to walk to the driving range and friends and relatives can walk to the course to watch them play. In Glenmore’s gated community, private roads mean homeowners who want to leave their cars in the garage can ride to the course in golf carts.

Regardless of your needs, you will find what you are looking for in one of Charlottesville’s golf course communities.  Call your REALTOR® today for more information.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author. She lives near Charlottesville.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Charlottesville Named #2 Friendly Small City in USA

MOVOTO.com’s blog—which dubs itself “the lighter side of real estate”—recently named Charlottesville as the #2 Friendly Small City in the nation. What exactly makes a city friendly? “When we decided to tackle this question,” the blog says, “we realized that we’d need to look at it in some unique ways,” They decided some measures such the per capita number of high-fives in a week or cups of sugar given to neighbors, are pretty tough to tally.

Instead, they chose some not-necessarily-traditional criteria for evaluation including violent crime (friendlier residents commit fewer crimes), percent of income given to charity (friendly folks spread around the wealth) and Facebook likes (friendly places make more digital friends.)

They also looked at per capita data for farmers markets and bars (good places to socialize and interact with others), religious organizations (since loving one’s neighbors is the foundation of most religions), and gift and flowers shops (because more demand for gifts means more stores.)
With this mix of “serious and fun data points,” they looked at 100 cities with populations under 50,000 and gathered statistics from sources as diverse as the FBI and Philanthropy.com to arrive at their rankings.

“Charlottesville was the first city I experienced with a truly cosmopolitan view that was also friendly,” declares REALTOR® Katie Corish, Owner/Principal Broker of The New House Company. “It’s friendly, neat as a pin, and immensely evolved by southern standards. I was happy to move here as the environment felt like what I wanted as a home for my then-small sons.”

Socializing
Corish’s “desirable environment” is exactly what MOVOTO.com was winkling out. The region does have a number of the bars identified as being good places to socialize. Cville undoubtedly trumps many cities with the Downtown Mall and summer-long Fridays After Five where people cheerfully jostle with neighbors and meet new people through a common friend.

Farmer’s markets definitely abound in the area. There are nearly 250 across Virginia with a number in Charlottesville and the seven-county area surrounding the city. They are not only a fresh-food source, they serve as today’s village square where people see friends.

“I always run into people I know on Saturdays at the City Market,” confirms REALTOR® Kelly Ceppa of Nest Realty Ceppa.  “Besides I want to know where my family’s food comes from, because it’s important that what I put on our table is healthy, locally raised, and fresh. At City Market, I’m on a first-name basis with the farmers raising that food.”
And certainly we have a number of gift and cards shops—most locally owned. Add in the numerous art galleries and studios in town and on the Monticello Art Trail where artisans welcome visitors and you have a friendly way to find gifts.

Religious Life
The religious life mentioned by MOVOTO is important to many people in our area as well. Corish, who likes Charlottesville’s environment, says, “My story is as personal and unique as everyone’s. After a health crisis in 2007, I was drawn to the Unitarian church on Rugby Road where I learned about IMPACT.”

IMPACT, begun by local clergy in 2006, has a mission “to empower the faith community of greater Charlottesville to create significant social change through unified direct action.” It is spiritually, racially, and economically diverse and works to build strong relationships among its 26 congregations, which include more than 15,000 people in Central Virginia including Roman Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Unitarian, and Muslim traditions.

“What better idea could there be,” Corish asks, “than to combine the moral force and impressive numbers of the collected faiths of our community in the interest of changing lives for the better here in this city we love?” As an example, she cites initiatives addressing homelessness, youth unemployment, and mental health care.

“IMPACT is one of the evidences that we are indeed a friendly and a justice-oriented community,” she emphasizes. “The work with others of the caring mindset is life-enhancing—both for those for whom the work is done, and for those who do it. I love this community. I feel this deeply about my physical and my faith communities and consider myself a fortunate person indeed to experience each.”

Charitable Giving
Generosity is another trait MOVOTO deems friendly. The Charlottesville community gives well over 4 percent of their money to charity and there is no better example of that generosity than Give4Good effort last May 6th. The program was organized by the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) to encourage online contributions to nearly 150 non-profits in Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange Counties, and Charlottesville.
The non-profits included: Arts & Culture, Animal Welfare, Education, Community Enrichment, Environment, Health, Human Services, and Children and Youth services. It was part of a national event to inspire our community to come together for 24 hours to maximize its philanthropic impact and we were definitely inspired. Here’s just one example.

“Seniors Safe At Home is a partnership between CAAR, the Blue Ridge Homebuilders, and AHIP [ HYPERLINK “http://www.ahipva.org/” Albemarle Housing Improvement Program],” explains Charlottesville REALTOR ® Pam Dent of Gayle Harvey Real Estate. “We started out the day not knowing what to expect from our initial experience with Give4Good. And by starting out, I mean one minute after midnight. It was so exciting to watch the numbers climb.” While the group had hoped to reach $5000, by the end of the 24 hours over $20,000 had been raised for that program alone.

“It shows that Charlottesville is a generous, caring community,” Dent says. “It was truly a group effort and a heartwarming experience with folks from different organizations all over the area working together to raise more than a half million dollars for their favorite nonprofits.”

The impressive results were announced online by CACF: [Is it possible to use a different font to depict internet posting?]
Final Total: $507,086.47 from 3,764 gifts!! Thank you and congratulations to everyone that helped to make Give4Good such a great success!! YOU ROCK CVILLE AREA!!!

Volunteering
Central Virginians aren’t just generous with their wallets, they are generous with their time and for many, volunteering is an important part of their lives. From the Jefferson Area Board on Aging (JABA) to local hospitals, animal shelters, schools, theaters, and many other organizations, people serve.

“Volunteering is a good measure of a friendly community,” says Mary Jane King, who retired from the Development Office at PVCC where one of her responsibilities was managing the college’s scholarship program. She is now Vice President of the Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle. “People want to make connections,” she says. “They want to help in their community and also have the experience of getting to know people in a different way. This speaks to the whole business of being a friendly city.”

There are several Internet sites listing nearly endless volunteer opportunities in our seven-county area. For example, the United Way website posts 19 alphabetical pages of groups seeking volunteers from 100 Black Men of Central Virginia to Yancey Elementary School. VolunteerMatch.org lists more than 70 flexible-hour volunteer assignments ranging from playing the piano at the Habitat for Humanity Resale store to visiting seniors with a pet to doing laundry at Charlottesville’s Ronald McDonald House and many more.

Music
A distinctly friendly aspect of the region is music, although surprisingly it wasn’t among the categories that MOVOTO explored. Music brings people—from law enforcement to REALTORS®, educators to gardeners, healthcare workers to students—together in a unique way.

A remarkable number of local enterprises serve up live music along with food and drink including many eateries such as the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Escafe, and Fellini’s #9. Regional wineries, breweries, and cideries host musical performances from casual combos to concerts. Carter Mountain Orchard has a Thursday Evening Concert Series during the summer.
More formal venues range from the John Paul Jones Center for major performances to Charlottesville’s Southern Café and Music Hall, Jefferson Theater, and Paramount Theater to Rapunzel’s in Lovingston.

The nTelos Wireless Pavilion is another popular spot for concerts, festivals, benefits, and the free Fridays After Five programs that feature a variety of artists all summer long. In addition, the Pavilion engages members of non-profit groups as workers with their hourly “pay” going to their respective groups.

Music also brings local amateur musicians together in a wide variety of activities from Rapunzel’s open mic on the second Friday of each month to a dramatic partnership of the Charlottesville Oratorio Society and the Ashlawn Opera presenting Candide last month [May] at the Paramount Theater.
The Charlottesville Municipal Band is certainly one of the oldest musical organizations in town, performing together since 1923. Members are accomplished volunteer musicians ranging from students in the eighth grade to PVCC enrollees to retirees. The group offers a number of free concerts during the year and always plays inspiring patriotic numbers at Monticello for the Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremonies.

“Music is my community within the community,” says Ceppa, the City Market shopper who is also a member of the Charlottesville Women’s Choir, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of singing for the environment, peace and justice. Their annual concert raises funds for a local non-profit and this year the beneficiary was the Barrett Early Learning Center.

Then there’s the Charlottesville Threshold Choir which sings at the bedsides of hospice patients and others in need of comfort, healing, and peace. Add in the our local Sweet Adelines (known as the Skyline Harmony Chorus), the Virginia Consort, FIRE, the Senior Center’s Second Wind Band, the Charlottesville Jazz Society, the varied musical organizations of UVa, many other organized groups as well as plenty of casual jam sessions and gatherings and Central Virginia is alive with music. Some musical groups require auditions while others welcome anyone interested in music. Many have websites for more information.

Nowhere is this musical community better demonstrated than at the annual December Messiah Sing-In at UVa. Singers come with friends to sit in soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections in the house, while instrumental musicians take to the stage with their strings, brass, and wind instruments. You might even spot a mandolin.

As the final notes of the Hallelujah Chorus fade (and it is often sung twice, simply for the joy of it), there is a wonderful moment of community that is the essence of Charlottesville.

Marilyn Pribus and her husband live in Albemarle Country near Charlottesville. She sings with several groups. Her sister, Gloria, lives in San Luis Obispo, the #1 Friendly City.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Organic Lawn Care is Good for Your Family and Your Community

For those who are environmentally conscious, we want to offer some “green” tips on how to keep your lawn healthy and be a good steward of our environment at the same time.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that as much as 80 percent of the water falling on lawns—from rain or sprinklers—doesn’t stay there.  Instead it runs off carrying fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into our creeks, ponds, and rivers.

One tactic is to reduce the area of lawn. Take former Charlottesville mayor Kay Slaughter, for example. While she has a lawn at the rear of her home, her front yard is a cheerful symphony of easy-care perennials, flowering trees such as lilacs and white-blossomed fringe trees, and shrubs including azalea and butterfly bush.

“The oak leaf hydrangea are white with pinkish touches,” she says. “The early daffodils are followed by tulips, iris, peonies, cone flowers, daylilies, sedum, roses, and red bee balm.” She also plants herbs like basil and oregano as annuals.

Still, most people, including Slaughter, want some lawn area for a game of croquet or badminton and have that lawn safe for children and pets to play. An “organic” lawn is healthier and better for the environment.

“Organic lawn care is important for reducing pollutants in our environment,” declares Nancy Whitman, a Master Gardener with the Piedmont Master Gardeners chapter.

“That’s very important because what does in our water ends up in the Chesapeake Bay,” chimes in Master Gardener Penny Crisp. “Being organic might take a little more effort than using traditional methods, but if you start by seeding properly and keeping your grass healthy, you force the weeds not to show up.”

Where do I start?

“Your first step is a soil sample,” says Whitman. “We have little boxes people can come and get, fill with soil, and send off to Virginia Tech. VT will send back a report with feedback about what supplementation might be needed and information on changing the Ph, if necessary, to maximize your grass.”

The next step is to use seed that is well suited to your yard, most likely a mix of warm- and cool-season grasses. “You might change the ratio by region,” continues Whitman, “and it makes a difference whether you have lots of sun or shade.” Again, get information on the best grass for your area from your Extension Office.

Having a healthy lawn reduces the need for weed killers and pesticides. And if you have pests, you know whom to call. “Your extension service might have some organic remedies depending on what pests you have,” says Whitman. “Ground-up corn is one example. It can smother pests like grubs, but it won’t hurt your worms.”

Here are some other important tips:

Don’t mow more than 1/3 of the length of the blade of grass.

Leave clippings on the lawn or, if you have not applied herbicides, add them to your compost heap. This lessens the need for fertilizer, especially nitrogen. It’s estimated that leaving clippings on the lawn will reduce the need for nitrogen applications 20-30 percent after the first year and 35-45 percent after the second year.

Use a self-mulching blade on your lawnmower and mow 3 to 6 inches in height. This will capture and filter rainwater, slowing it from running off.  “Never mow your lawn bald,” urges Crisp.  “It puts too much stress on it.”

Fertilize when grass is growing and can actually use the nutrients. Choose fertilizers with 30 percent or more slowly available nitrogen.

Never over fertilize. More is not better.

An excellent way to keep your lawn healthy is to compost it 2 to 3 times a year rather than using chemical-based fertilizers. Compost includes nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and often has trace elements you don’t ordinarily find in commercial fertilizers. Make your own compost or buy it.

Spread the compost evenly about 1/4 inch thick so you don’t smother your grass and the nutrients will enter the lawn more quickly. Water the compost in for 5-20 minutes. Mow only after a week to ten days.

Following these pointers will make your lawn green and “green,” too.

Glenn Pribus and his wife live in Albemarle County near Charlottesville where he leaves the clippings on their very small lawn when he mows.

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

LOOK3: Photography in Charlottesville

Joel Sartore’s “Photo Ark,” featuring endangered wildlife, is this year’s “TREES” exhibition on the Downtown Mall.

Look up in the trees when you’re having coffee on the Downtown Mall this June. Note the Budgett’s Frog facing off with the Green Tree Python, mouths agape, outside of the Nook. Check out the Indian Rhinoceros, the Golden snub-nosed monkey, the Sulawesi Crested Macaque and the Matchie’s Kangaroo. The larger-than-life animal images on the 20 double-sided banners on the Mall right now represent just 40 of the 3,500 species thus far documented by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. Each annual TREES exhibition is a natural history lesson, a visual delight, and the most widely seen presentation put on by LOOK3, a non-profit group whose purpose it is “to celebrate the vision of extraordinary photographers, ignite conversations about critical issues, and foster the next generation of artists.”

LOOK3 has been bringing shutter bugs and arts lovers to Central Virginia since 1988, when National Geographic photographer Michael “Nick” Nichols began holding evenings of “peace, love, and photography” in his Albemarle County backyard, drawing as many as 500 people from as far away as Washington D.C. and New York City.

Each summer, for three years running, LOOK3 presents festivals on the Downtown Mall showcasing contemporary photography with exhibitions, presentations and community events. The group sets aside every fourth year for its LOOKbetween, a series of programs devoted to mentoring and celebrating an international selection of early-career photographers.

“We think of 2014 as the Year of Emerging Visionaries and Endangered Species,” says new LOOK3 director Victoria Hindley of this year’s LOOKbetween goings-on, which will bring emerging photographers together with established pros June 13-15 at Deep Rock Farm in White Hall. Joel Sartore’s public presentation at The Paramount Theater on Wednesday June 18, his workshops at ten area schools, and two public evenings of photo projections will round out this year’s array of LOOK3 events.

Trees

Photographer, speaker, author, and conservationist Sartore developed an interest in nature as a child, when he read about the last passenger pigeon in one of his mother’s Time-Life picture books. As an adult, Sartore has produced more than 30 stories on the natural world for National Geographic in his 20 years with the magazine, traveling to every continent on the planet and being chased by wolves, grizzlies, musk oxen, lions, elephants and polar bears in an effort to . . . well, save their skins.

What Satore is up to is documenting endangered species and landscapes “in order to show a world worth saving. It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity,” he says. “When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.” After reading an essay on amphibian decline, “I needed to do something to show these species to the world before they were gone forever.” What he did was begin his Photo Ark Project, a series of animal portrait photos taken at zoos and rescue facilities and funded by National Geographic and online sales. The photos on the Mall are drawn from this project.

“My goal is to photograph as many of the world’s captive species as I can before time runs out,” Sartore says. “I’m at about 3,500 now, and just getting started. I work mostly at zoos and aquariums, today’s keepers of the kingdom. Many species would already be gone without their heroic captive-breeding efforts.”

The Photo Ark project and TREES exhibit give the public the opportunity “to look these creatures in the eye, and care enough to save them while there is still time,” Hindley says. “LOOK3 transforms the Charlottesville Mall into an immersive arts experience.  An acquaintance recently described the TREES exhibit as “magical.” It will run through July 8th.

Sartore will show large-scale projected images from the Photo Ark project, and share stories from his life’s work, on June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at The Paramount Theater. Tickets are $16.50 for adults and $13.50 for children 18 and under.

Fostering the Next Generation

As part of its focus on mentorship this year, LOOK3 is underwriting a day-long Sartore workshop for local high school students on June 17th. Photography and art teachers at Charlottesville’s ten public and private high schools have chosen the thirty students who will participate. “This event will be a special opportunity for these young students to learn from a master photographer about the importance of conservation photography,” Hindley says. “Our hope is that the students will take away a deeper understanding of photography, their own work, and how their work can advocate for important causes.”

While Sartore’s workshops will help promising area teens develop their techniques and artistic visions, the LOOKbetween programs at Deep Rock Farm will mentor up-and-coming professionals who will camp onsite, share meals under a tent, and present their work to the public and each other under the open evening skies.

“LOOKbetween is the anchor event of our Mentorship Program—and it takes place only once every four years,” Hindley says. “The purpose of is to identify early-career photographers with exceptional skill, commitment, and vision—and to foster their growth by uniting them with leaders in the field with whom they actively engage in presentations, discussions, and collaborative projects. From over 230 nominations made by 70 photography leaders worldwide, LOOK3 selected 75 visionary emerging visionaries from around the globe. LOOKbetween attendees come from 22 countries and 15 American States. With voices represented from all over the US and as far as Tanzania, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Brazil, we expect—and encourage!—a dynamic and diverse dialogue.”

With visual culture changing radically across the globe, LOOKbetween events “provide a forum for exploration and reflection in the midst of this flux, a place “to openly engage the questions that arise in the face of this revolutionary time in photography—and history,” Hindley says. Questions like “How does the unprecedented amount of imagery affect our work and our audiences? How do we as photographers continue to make relevant, provocative, and meaningful work?” LOOKbetween intends “to create an environment that supports such exploration—that helps attendees deepen craft while provoking new ways of seeing. In this way, we think of ‘inbetweeness’ as a rich territory for experimentation beyond boundaries.”

“We’re thrilled to have this extraordinary group of international early-career photographers with us,” Hindley says, “as well as leaders in the photographic field from around the country – people like James Wellford, a New York-based photography editor, curator and former International Photo Editor at Newsweek, and Alice Gabriner, a senior photo editor at National Geographic magazine.”

Hindley calls Deep Rock Farm, a site provided by LOOK3 founding board member Jessica Nagle, “a spectacular setting for LOOKbetween. In fact, it’s hard to describe just how picturesque this enchanting place is.”

The public is invited out to Deep Rock Farm to see everything from fine art photography to international photojournalism to human-interest stories at two evening dinner parties and projection events on June 13th and 14. $49 tickets for either the 13th or 14th include dinner at the farm, evening projections, plus round trip transportation departing from Bank of America at Barracks Road Shopping Center at 5:30 p.m. and leaving the farm at 11:30 p.m. Parking is also available for ticketholders who prefer to drive their own vehicles. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Projections begin at 8:30 pm and will end by 11:30 pm.

$20 tickets ($12.00 for youths 18 and under) provide admission and parking, beginning at 8:00 p.m., for the evening’s projections. Alcohol and pets are prohibited. Deep Rock Farm is 20 miles west of town out Garth Road.

Where Photography and the Arts Flourish 

Hindley came to town as the new Executive Director for LOOK3.” I had been to Charlottesville once before, but many years ago,” she remembers. “I kept hearing great things from friends and colleagues about how it had developed, and I love the lifestyle born of a thriving pedestrian center. Plus, I am a big fan of hiking. I have to say that I find this to be a wonderful place to live. The reality truly exceeded my hopes.”

Christian DeBaun, LOOK3’s Volunteer Coordinator, has been attending and volunteering at LOOK3 events since 2009. A photographer himself, DeBaun remembers when the festival “was a much smaller thing than it is now,” operating “out of a tiny office across from Fellini’s.”

“It’s a lovely thing – it brings a lot of visitors to Charlottesville, a lot of money to our city,” DeBaun says of the festival today. “People get so excited. Photographers from all over the world come here to enjoy it, and when you see what a good time they’re having, it makes you feel kind of nice because you’re sharing something artistically not only with the local community but with people from the international community.”

“Charlottesville has to be one of the best places in the mid-Atlantic region for people who love live performance and live music and all sorts of art and sculpture, and we’ve obviously got an extremely artistically-minded community. It’s like having all the trappings you might get in a big city like New York or Washington here in a smaller, more intimate community. I think we’re very, very lucky to have Charlottesville be as artistic as it is.”

DeBaun has made his own contribution to the local arts scene, co-founding the Charlottesville Photography Initiative, a social and educational non-profit, in 2009. “Seven or eight of us would get together at C’Ville Coffee with laptops,” he remembers, “and we’d look at each other’s photos and do a little informal critique, and talk about different photography problems we were having.”

Now headquartered at 300 W. Main Street, the group numbers over 525 members. “Besides doing field trips and workshops and educational types of things, the other 50 percent of what we do is community outreach,” DeBaun says. “We reach out to the UVA Children’s Hospital, the SPCA, and other non-profits that couldn’t normally afford a photographer.”

LOOK3 has grown from its informal backyard roots into an internationally recognized organization, often noted as the preeminent photography festival in the United States. This year’s events are the second quadrennial LOOKbetween. Full festival programming, with multiple artists talks and full-screen projections at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion, will resume in 2015.

“Having joined LOOK3 after working in the arts in Europe for the last five years and for over ten years in the US prior to that, my belief in our mission and the power of photography has never been stronger,” Hindley says. “I see, time and again, how photography and visual storytelling not only have the power to deepen awareness about the forces that shape our world—they really can, and do, change it for the better.”

by Ken Wilson

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Crozet: A Vibrant Community Surrounded by Natural Beauty

Drive twelve miles west from Charlottesville and you’ll find Crozet, a quaint village and a popular residential area surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery.  One of Albemarle County’s fastest growing areas,  Crozet  features the walking community of Old Trail and a growing number of other subdivisions where residents can experience a relaxed country lifestyle  and still be within easy driving distance of the jobs and amenities found in nearby Charlottesville, Staunton, and Harrisonburg.

Originally called Wayland’s Crossing, Crozet was renamed in 1870 for Colonel Claudius Crozet, a Frenchman who engineered and oversaw the construction of the Blue Ridge Tunnel, completed in 1858.  Although the area has remained largely agricultural through the years, two corporations, Morton Frozen Foods and Acme Visible Records located there in the mid-1900s.  While they are both long gone,  different companies now call  Crozet  home including US Joiner, which installs interiors for large ocean going vessels, Starr Hill Brewery and Music Today,

In recent history, local author Rita Mae Brown made Crozet famous as the setting for her Mrs. Murphy mystery series featuring the cat Sneaky Pie Brown.   In 2007 it gained more fame when the movie Evan Almighty was partially filmed there.

The real estate market in Crozet is strong and offers a range of prices and property styles to suit just about everyone.   Whether you are a first time buyer looking for a town home, a family wanting an elegant estate property, a retiree wanting maintenance free living or someone who wants the freedom and privacy of a multi-acre spread, chances are good you will find what you are looking for in Crozet.

A Popular Place to Live

In an effort to accommodate development but still maintain its rural character, Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plan set aside five percent of the county as designated growth areas, most of which are near Charlottesville.  Crozet was named one of these designated areas in 1971 and the result has been growth and expansion as more and more people recognize the benefits of living in this scenic part of the county.

“Crozet has it all,” said Justin Kent with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate III who represents Craig Builders.  He listed the “beautiful views from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, great schools, shopping, and a variety of restaurants serving local food and supporting local music,” as just some of the many reasons Crozet is such a popular choice among homebuyers.

Kathryn Bentley, with Roy Wheeler Realty, Co., agrees, describing Crozet as the “perfect combination of everything.”

Bentley was born at Martha Jefferson Hospital and has lived in Crozet all of her life.  She said “I totally think the growth was needed,” in describing Crozet’s transition from a small, largely blue collar, country town to a bedroom community of Charlottesville.  She explained that people like living where they have a village kind of setting, yet can enjoy the amenities of town and the cultural and educational benefits of UVA.

In spite of its growth, and the infusion of so many new people, Crozet still retains its sense of identity as a community, Bentley said.   When she grew up there, everyone literally knew everyone else. However, that sense of community persists today, Bentley explained.  She described Crozet as a friendly place where people are neighborly and genuinely enjoy each other’s company, unlike in subdivisions in more urban areas where neighbors barely acknowledge each other as they go to and from work.

Crozet’s small town feel is an important part of its appeal, said Jim Duncan with Nest Realty, but it also helps that it is a place where residents can breathe clean air and enjoy mountain views.  People  appreciate the “slower pace of life,” here, he added, saying that he often gets calls from out of town buyers who have read his blog, RealCrozetVA.com and are looking for just those qualities in their search for the perfect place to live.

The Crozet Real Estate Market

In Bentley’s view Crozet and Western Albemarle were shielded somewhat from the recession of a few years ago.  “We definitely saw values drop,” she said explaining that she lost money on a home she bought at the height of the market.  She still lives in Crozet, but relocated to a home on a much larger lot where she can look out onto her very own pond.

Nevertheless, Bentley described the today’s real estate market as “very strong,” including both resale and new construction.  She referenced the new community of Grayrock West where three new homes have sold in the last six months.

“Some pockets are increasing while others are stable,” Duncan said about the Crozet market.  Like many parts of our region, there is a shortage of inventory in general reflecting the market’s strength.  However, Duncan said this shortage is especially severe in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range. He is looking forward to a continuing strong market stating that it is “poised for increase” over the next 18 months.

People Move to Crozet from Everywhere

Crozet appeals to people from as close as Charlottesville and from as far away as Europe and Australia.

“Crozet welcomes home buyers from all over the world,” Kent said.  “However,” he continued, “I think one of the biggest testaments to its appeal is that there are more and more residents selling their current Crozet homes to buy new ones.  Whether they’re moving up to a larger home for their growing families or scaling down to purchase a new Crozet home that requires less maintenance, the fact that so many are staying right here is a strong indication of how much this vibrant community as a whole has to offer.”

Bentley couldn’t agree more, stating that “Crozet has something for everyone from young families to people purchasing homes costing in excess of $800,000.” Her clients include young families and first time buyers as well as retirees relocating here from urban areas like northern Virginia and New York because they love the Blue Ridge Mountains.

While many people like Old Trail and some of the newer subdivisions, Laurel Hills, an older neighborhood which has been there since the 50s, is also growing in popularity, Bentley said, especially amongst younger buyers.  These are “well built” homes, Bentley added, explaining that many young families are enjoying the process of moving in and renovating to update and meet their needs.

People move to Crozet from Charlottesville and further away because they want to enjoy a quieter lifestyle, Duncan explained.  He regularly hears from out of towners who do a Google search and like the “feel” of Crozet which they get from reading his blog that describes the local culture and community.  “It’s nice to know that people are doing this kind of research,” he added.

Opportunities for First Time Buyers

There are definitely first time buyer opportunities in Crozet.

Old Trail has some higher end first timer opportunities Bentley said including town homes and smaller single-family homes.  She currently has a resale listing in the low $300,000 range, which she described as “a perfect starter home for a buyer who qualifies.”  However, she has also worked successfully with Crozet bound clients in the $200,000 and under range.  Recently she helped a first time buyer look at five homes all between $175,000 and $200,000.  These are smaller homes, some have been remodeled, she said and she described most as “very nice.”

“I work with a lot of first time buyers,” Duncan said.  He described Crozet as “truly a great area to come and stay.”  For families who want to stay put, Crozet is a place where “you can find the right house and stay for twenty years,” he continued.

First timers who like the idea of owning a brand new home will also find options in their price range.  “Craig Builders recently offered Cottages in Old Trail Village from around $200,000 and continues to offer some larger town homes from under $300,000,” Kent said.  The town homes come with a list of amenities such as attached two-car garages, maintenance free decks, hardwood floors and granite countertops, all of which appeal to today’s younger buyers, Craig added.

A Community with Lots to Do

Crozet is often described as a welcoming place where people know and look out for each other.  For this, Bentley gives a lot of credit to Old Trail, which she says “forged the way” in making Crozet a true community.

One of the ways they do this is by welcoming their neighbors from outside of Old Trail to come and be part of activities there.  For example, there are summer concerts, a Halloween party in the fall, and an Easter Egg Hunt in the spring featuring the Easter bunny, hayrides and children’s activities.  All are open to Old Trail residents and to the larger community.

The village of Crozet has also embraced walk and bike trails, Bentley said, which are “changing the face of downtown,” making it more inviting to come visit the restaurants and shops there.  Recently the area has also benefited from the additions of sidewalks and bike lanes on Jarman’s Gap Road between Crozet Avenue and Old Trail Drive.

There are many more activities that make Crozet a popular place to visit and to live.  A good example is the bi-annual arts and crafts festival at Claudius Crozet Park that attracts lots of people from all over the region.  The festival takes place every May and October and includes food, entertainment and a juried art show.  Proceeds fund the growth and upkeep of the 22 acre park.

Crozet residents can also easily enjoy activities such as  “swimming, golf, visiting wineries and breweries, hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains, enjoying some great fishing spots or scenic drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive,” Kent said.

Buy a Home and Find a Community

“I just love Crozet,” Bentley said, describing her deep roots there and stating that she continues to be friends with people she has known since she was born.  However, she also has many new friends who have relocated there more recently and live in neighborhoods like Old Trail.  “Most people welcome the sense of community they find in Crozet which makes it hard to leave once they put down roots here,” she added.

For home buyers this means Crozet can be a good financial investment with stable property values, Bentley said.  More importantly, however, it is also a place where people feel at home and form the kinds of relationships that turn into long-term friendships as they share a commitment to a lifestyle that has something for everyone.

If you work in nearby Charlottesville or just like the idea of unwinding in a place that offers a quiet, rural atmosphere with plenty of amenities of its own, then Crozet may be just what you are looking for.  Call your REALTOR® today for more information.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author.  She lives near Charlottesville.