As a homeowner, one of your challenges is figuring out ways to reduce your regular monthly bills. These continuous expenses can leave a big hole in your monthly budget, essentially leaving you with less money to invest for the future, and even less money to spend on more leisure pleasures. When you find yourself short […]

Predictions for the 2015 commercial real estate market are encouraging.  A recent report from Deloitte states, “In many ways, the commercial real estate (CRE) industry is on more solid footing than it has been for quite some time. The US economy continues to progress and investors are generally seeing robust performance across most property types […]

Built-ins—permanent installations of anything from shelving to bunk beds—can be space savers or space makers, adding convenience, value, and personality to a home. “Today’s buyers want homes that are open and uncluttered,” declares Kelly Ceppa, a REALTOR® associate with Charlottesville’s Nest Realty Group. “Built-ins can make a home look ‘finished’ or custom built.” There’s no […]

Augusta County lies west of Charlottesville on the other side of Afton Mountain.  It is known for its spectacular scenery and panoramic mountain views and for its slower paced lifestyle that includes many of the conveniences of city life, along with an arts scene that features music of all varieties, and both professional and community […]

Let’s call the REALTOR® “Joan,” since she’d rather not use her real name. She says that after the activity and energy of the December holidays, she always felt like she’d hit the bottom of a roller coaster in January and February. At home she felt lazy, slept late, and skipped her daily mile-long walk in […]

So you have an extra room? Lucky you! Maybe it’s the bedroom of a now-out-in-the-world young person. Or an elderly relative has entered assisted living. Or you’ve relocated to a larger home. There are a number of choices you can make for that room, depending on your needs and interests. Home offices popular “The most […]

House-hunters always have “enough storage” near the top of their “want-to-have” lists, along with energy efficiency, a fireplace, a laundry room, and a garage. In fact, having good storage options is a positive selling point for any dwelling. There are two kinds of storage, of course, and it’s good to have options for both. First […]

According to trulia.com’s recent survey, twice as many buyers prefer new homes over existing ones. In fact, the survey reveals that two in five Americans strongly or somewhat prefer a newly built home over one that was previously occupied. That’s a sizeable 41 percent of the population that prefers shiny and new. Interestingly, the results also […]

“We recently responded to a fire started by a pizza box left in an oven,” says Donna Walker, a Master Firefighter with Albemarle County Fire Marshall’s Division,” Actually, she continues, that’s not surprising since kitchen fires comprise the largest category of residential fires. “Clutter around the kitchen stove and things hanging over stoves can start […]