It originated outside the Omni Hotel in 1988, and it quickly became a Charlottesville tradition. In the 90s it moved to the grassy bowl at the other end of the Mall, and when the Pavilion opened in 2005, it took up residence there. If the Downtown Mall is the locus of Charlottesville civic life, the […]
It originated outside the Omni Hotel in 1988, and it quickly became a Charlottesville tradition. In the 90s it moved to the grassy bowl at the other end of the Mall, and when the Pavilion opened in 2005, it took up residence there. If the Downtown Mall is the locus of Charlottesville civic life, the […]
If you walk along the serpentine brick walls by the Pavilion Gardens on the grounds of the University of Virginia, you will see a plaque commemorating the restoration work of the Garden Club of Virginia. Inside, right about now, the daffodils and periwinkle are blooming, and the tulips are on their way. In fact, thanks […]
While some people live on country estates with ample acreage, many people these days have less-than-spacious yards—especially in condominium or townhouse communities. “There are challenges in having a small yard,” points out Charlottesville Horticulturist Karyn Smith. It can be tempting, she says, to visit a nursery or garden store, buy a bunch of good-sized trees […]
Since spring is busting out all around central Virginia, it’s a perfect time to consider upgrades to outdoor living space. An ideal project might be a deck addition or a screened porch. Another welcome addition could be an outdoor kitchen with counter space, a grill, a built-in ice chest, or even a small refrigerator. Families […]
The resurgence of low-down financing seems dangerous on the surface. However, since the 2008 recession, things have drastically changed, including requirements regarding down payments. What’s different this time? According to Karen Dowell of Real Estate Solutions (www.karendowell.com), the primary difference is the underwriting criteria. Although there are still some low credit score types of programs […]
As Executive Vice-President of the Blue Ridge Home Builders Association (BRHBA), Kristin O’Connell Sorokti might be expected to think that Central Virginia is “a very, very good place” for homebuilders and home improvement buffs. But O’Connell doesn’t ask us to take her word for it. O’Connell invites us to see for ourselves. The BRHBA shows it […]
Experienced REALTORS® will tell you it’s critical to price a property appropriately from the get-go. Research shows overpricing a home and then dropping the price several times often leads to a final selling price that’s less than what you originally should have asked. In fact, the longer a property stays on the market, the lower […]
“Mature and young trees as well as herbaceous shrubs and fruiting species add value and curb appeal to most properties,” declares REALTOR® Sara Greenfield. The founder of Charlottesville Fine Homes and Properties, her college degree was in Forest Management and Outdoor Education. Greenfield explains she was very specific about leaving mature oak, maple, and elm trees […]
It’s an online world these days, but here in Central Virginia we still love books. We still love books a lot. See us read. See us hold a book festival. See us celebrate reading, literacy, and literary culture with five days of events for print and language lovers on every level and with every taste, from Dick […]
“Kitchens have historically served as a gathering place for friends and family, originally because it was usually the warmest place in the house,” observes REALTOR® Janet Matthews, founder of Charlottesville Town and Country. “The open floor plans that are prevalent today help with creating space and make the kitchen much more visible and integrated in […]