The All Around Town Auction features tons of participating companies around town, all of whom have different auction items present at their stores and shops, that shoppers may bid on while they peek around.

All proceeds benefit the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area toward furthering their mission to serve those at the greatest risk and with the greatest need.

Areas all over Charlottesville are participating, and are broken down into the following segments of town;

• 250 West
• 29 North
• Barracks Road
• Crozet
• Downtown Charlottesville
• Pantops/East

There are definitely plenty of stores participating, so if you’re out and about taking care of your shopping, or looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, consider stopping in some of these stores to bid on their featured items.

Click here for a PDF Auction Brochure of all of the stores represented, along with their auction items! PDF Auction Brochure

Additionally, here is a brochure listing all auction items, and where they can be found! AuctionList2010.pdf

This is a great program, for a great cause- keep it in mind over the next two weeks!

Happy Shopping!

Related posts:

1. Kim Connolly, Director of Marketing & Communications, United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area
2. February Give Where You Live: Charlottesville’s Salvation Army Shoe Drive
3. Charlottesville’s Restaurant Week January 25-31!

This month’s “Give Where You Live” focuses on the Salvation Army Shoe Drive.

U.Va’s Office of Community Relations and the Salvation Army are running a shoe drive!

This is a great chance to donate your used, but usable men’s, women’s and children’s shoes to those in need.

Monday Feb. 1 – Friday Feb. 5!

Drop Off Points:

• Fontaine Research Park (1st Floor Kitchen)
• Piedmont Center
• Health System Development (2410 Old Ivy Road)

Additionally, volunteers are needed for shoe sorting!

• February 12 @ 4:00P
• February 13 @ 12:00P

Click here for more information!

—–

Every month, I will post a segment called “Give Where You Live,” which will be focused on Charlottesville and the surrounding counties, reminding us of little things we can do to make our community a better place. There are tons of incredible non-profits and charities around the area, and hopefully these segments will help residents become more familiar with some of the different needs in the community and maybe even inspire some giving!   

I will try to post about a variety of needs and programs, from big to small, so if you know of a great local cause that is running a donation-based or volunteer campaign, please feel free to send the details my way and I will make an effort to include them in an upcoming “Give Where You Live”!

Related posts:

1. Give Where You Live: December: Charlottesville SPCA Blanket Drive
2. Check Out The United Way- Thomas Jefferson Area “All Around Town” Auction in Charlottesville February 3-10
3. #18 Out of 100 Best Places to Live and Launch (CNN Money)

It’s hard to debate it- Charlottesville is a great place to live!

From the January 21 Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce ChamberBits Newsletter;

Recent other acknowledgements for the City of Charlottesville include:

• 4th Best Place to Live in the Country - Kiplinger’s Magazine 2009
• Best Place to Launch a Business – Fortune Magazine 2009
• 11th Best Town to Find a Job - Forbes Magazine 2009
• One of the 30 Coolest Neighborhoods, Belmont - Men’s Health Magazine 2009
• 18th Safest Mid-Sized Cities in the Country (populations between 150,000 and 500,000), Farmers Insurance 2009
• AARP, Top 10 Healthiest Places to Retire, 2008
• Best Places to Retire, Black Enterprise Magazine, 2nd in 2008
• Best City for Living and Launching a Business by Fortune and Money Magazines – 18th Place in 2008.
• Best Small Market for Business by Forbes Magazine - 9th Place in 2008.

Related posts:

1. Danielle Fitz-Hugh, Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce
2. Sasha Farmer Announced as Chamber of Commerce Ambassador
3. Money Magazine Names Charlottesville in the Top 50 Places to Launch a Small Business

Men’s Journal Magazine

February 2010

Volume 19, Number 1

According to Men’s Journal Magazine, Charlottesville is competitive on the following items;

• Local Farms
• Short Commutes
• Sidewalks
• Low Pollution
• Green Spaces
• Good Weather

The other top ranking cities were;

• Iowa City, IA
• Boulder, CO (we are often compared to this city)
• Logan, UT
• Northampton, MA

Related posts:

1. Money Magazine Names Charlottesville in the Top 50 Places to Launch a Small Business
2. Charlottesville Named by National Geographic as one of the 50 Best Adventure Towns
3. Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Summarizes some of Charlottesville’s Recent Rankings

Click here to download and read the full report. 2009 CAAR Year-End Market Report

I will be doing a more thorough analysis this weekend, but until then, some of the salient points…

Some people have suggested that the first time home buyer credit hasn’t been effective, but I have completely disagreed with that, and while this data isn’t a clear indicator that the credit is working, it would suggest that more first time buyers (in the below $300,000 price range) have been in our market in Q4 2009, than we are typically used to.

As reported for the past two quarterly reports, significantly lower home prices (down 20% or more) are driving the pick-up in sales. In addition, the $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers supercharged the sale of starter homes (below $300,000) in 2009. 67.5% of home sales for the year were in this starter home category, which is approximately a 10% increase in this category.

- CAAR Year End Market Report.

One thing to be aware of is the average price per square foot we’re seeing across the different counties. This is one of the more profound ways to see that our pricing has returned to that of 2005 levels (at least), if not gone lower. My personal belief is that our prices are actually closer to what they were in 2004. Take a look at the $/SF analysis below to see how your county has fared.

Price Per Square Foot (Finished)

Another indicator that allows us to see the decline in home prices is a major drop in the price per square foot numbers. The average price per square foot of finished space in homes is not a scientific number, but a downward trend over the years clearly indicates a decrease in prices (and vice versa). According to the chart below, prices peaked in 2006 and have declined for the past three years. There has been a $28 per square foot drop since the peak in 2006. The current $143 per square foot is the lowest number since 2004.

- CAAR Year End Market Report.

According to the CAAR Year End market Report, our inventory of homes is slowly declining. Of course this was the main aim of the First TIme Home Buyer tax credit, and we are all anxious to see what will happen to inventory once it expires.

Inventory of Homes for Sale

“The inventory of homes for sale in the Charlottesville has continued to decline very slowly. As we have reported for the past several quarters, the excess of inventory is causing many of the problems with our local housing market. The decline in inventory is very encouraging, but we will still have too many homes on the market for the current demand. This could change very quickly going into the busy spring market.”

- CAAR Year End Market Report.

Average Days on Market

One piece of information that I always want future sellers to be acutely aware of is the average days on market. The days on market is a measure of homes SOLD BY AN AGENT THROUGH THE MLS, and how long they’re taken on the market being actively marketed before they have sold. This number does not include some very high days on market numbers for all of the homes that never sell, it only calculated DOM for solds, so it is artificially lower than days on market of ALL HOMES. If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future, you need to be acutely aware of the average days on market for your county and be sure to give your real estate agent a reasonable amount of time to accomplish your goals.

Will be elaborating more on this report later, but would love some questions from all of you!

Related posts:

1. CAAR 2007 Year End Market Report
2. CAAR Releases it's Third Quarter Market Report
3. CAAR Mid Year Market Report 2009

The University of Virginia has been named the top university in The Princeton Review’s latest “Best Value Public Colleges” list.

The College of William and Mary is ranked third in the 2009 list, behind New College of Florida. State University of New York at Binghamton and Florida State University round out the top 5. UVa came in fourth in the previous rankings, released in 2007.

The “Best Value” rankings, which the test-preparation company jointly released with USA Today, are based on surveys of students and administrators at hundreds of colleges and universities.

[From UVa Named Best Value]

Evidently the choices are made on over 30 criteria;

Overall selection criteria included more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs and financial aid. Academic ratings were based on student surveys about such issues as professors’ accessibility and class sizes, as well as institutional reports about student-faculty ratios and percent of classes taught by teaching assistants.

[From Best Value Colleges for 2010 and how they were chosen - USATODAY.com]

Photo Credit: GetMoreU

Related posts:

1. UVA Named #1 in Nation as Best Public School in Terms of Quality to Value
2. According to Kiplinger.com, UVA is #3 in the Nation for Best Value in Public Colleges
3. John Garwell; Greene County Public Schools

So far, the following restaurants are participating;

• Aberdeen Barn
• Blue Light Grill
• The Boat House
• Brassiere Montiel
• C&O
• Camino
• Carmello’s
• Cassis
• Fossett’s at Keswick Hall
• Horse and Hound
• l’etoile
• Maya
• The Melting Pot
• Old Mill Room at The Boar’s Head Inn
• The Pointe at The Om
• Ventana
• Vivace
• Zinc

Visit the Restaurant Week website to check out the prix-fixe menus for each restaurant!

From the Restaurant Week website;

“For any diner who has ever dreamed about fine dining without breaking the bank, Restaurant Week is that dream… come true. Modeled on similar events in other cities, this is seven days of good food and good fun. Diners get to choose from each participating restaurant’s special prix fixe menu and enjoy three courses— an appetizer, an entree, and dessert— for just $25 [CORRECTION- actually $26 this year]. (Beverages, tax, and gratuity not included.)

Charlottesville Restaurant Week is January 25-31 and July 12-18, 2010.

[From About Restaurant Week » Charlottesville Restaurant Week - ]

Related posts:

1. Charlottesville's First Annual Restaurant Week!
2. City of Charlottesville to Hold Citywide Tree Debris Collection next week!
3. January is National Radon Month!

How is this determined? According to Kiplinger.com;

“Kiplinger’s bases its rankings on a combination of academics and affordability. We start with data from more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities, provided by Peterson’s/Nelnet, then add our own reporting.

We narrow the list to about 120 schools based on measures of academic quality — including SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, which most schools reported for the class entering in 2002.

We then rank each school based on cost and financial aid. In our scoring system, academic quality carries more weight than costs (almost two-thirds of the total).

To assess costs, we look at total expenses for in-state students (tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and books); the average cost for a student with need after subtracting grants (but not loans); the average cost for a student without need after subtracting non-need-based grants; the average percentage of need met by aid; and the average debt per student before graduation. (In the table, aid is need-based assistance.)

To determine out-of-state rankings, we run the academic-quality and expense numbers again, this time using total costs for out-of-state residents and average costs after aid.”

[From How We Rank the Schools - Kiplinger.com]

Related posts:

1. UVA Named #1 in Nation as Best Public School in Terms of Quality to Value
2. Once Again, UVA is Named by Princeton Review as the Best Value in Public Schools
3. John Garwell; Greene County Public Schools

BEST NEW ARENA: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Va.

The University of Virginia spent $140 million to build John Paul Jones Arena, which opened in 2006. The arena is a perfect size (capacity 14,593), includes state-of-the-art practice, training and academic facilities, and it blends perfectly into UVA’s stately campus.

[From Tyler Hansbrough, Jonny Flynn shaped decade in college hoops - 2000s: The Decade in Sports - SI.com]

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Creative Commons

Related posts:

1. John Paul Jones Arena
2. Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Summarizes some of Charlottesville’s Recent Rankings
3. John Garwell; Greene County Public Schools

There is no better time than now to support this drive, as I’m sure we are all mindful of the bitter temperatures Charlottesville has been experiencing! While we are all trying to keep warm from the bitter cold this winter, many of the SPCA animals are housed in outdoor runs and kennels and can use any extra warmth that we might be able to spare! If you have old blankets that won’t hold up in your home much longer, make sure to drop them off at the Albemarle SPCA (Berkmar Drive) or Charlottesville City Hall in Downtown Charlottesville!

[From 4th Annual SPCA Blanket Drive - NBC29]

Charlottesville is teaming up with the SPCA for the 4th Annual Blanket Drive to make sure man’s best friend isn’t left out in the cold.

The shelter houses dozens of animals, and while a lot of the kennels are indoors, several have an outdoor component as well. Last year, the drive brought in 600 blankets. This year the city is hoping for 750.

Susanne Kogut of the Charlottesville – Albemarle SPCA said, “It’s really incredible, I mean during the winter it gets pretty cold. We have the outdoor runs and it gets pretty cold no matter what you do so having the dogs have the blankets, it’s really awesome.”

If you would like to help, you can drop off your donation in the front lobby at Charlottesville City Hall or the Charlottesville – Albemarle SPCA on Berkmar Drive.

For more information, call 434-970-3129.

[Photo Credit: Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA]

—–

Every month, I will post a segment called “Give Where You Live,” which will be focused on Charlottesville and the surrounding counties, reminding us of little things we can do to make our community a better place. There are tons of incredible non-profits and charities around the area, and hopefully these segments will help residents become more familiar with some of the different needs in the community and maybe even inspire some giving!   

I will try to post about a variety of needs and programs, from big to small, so if you know of a great local cause that is running a donation-based or volunteer campaign, please feel free to send the details my way and I will make an effort to include them in an upcoming “Give Where You Live”!

Related posts:

1. February Give Where You Live: Charlottesville’s Salvation Army Shoe Drive
2. #18 Out of 100 Best Places to Live and Launch (CNN Money)
3. Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Summarizes some of Charlottesville’s Recent Rankings

Chandler Law Group isn’t paying for you to party-hop!

Please note the local phone numbers and keep them handy during your holiday celebrations! Thank you Chandler Law Group!

General Facts (From the Chandler Law Group Website):

• Campaign began in 1990 making this the twentieth year.
• Through the past nineteen years, The Chandler Law Group has provided nearly 40,000 safe rides home.
• The following cities are participating this year: 2009- Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Staunton, Winchester, and Front Royal.
• Cab rides will be paid for by The Chandler Law Group within a ten mile radius of the city.
• Riders must be going home; The Chandler Law Group will NOT pay for a ride to another party or drinking establishment.
• Campaign runs December 18th, through New Year’s Day.
• In Charlottesville call 295-4131
• In Staunton call 886-3471
• In Waynesboro call 949-8245
• In Front Royal call 683-1305 or 631-1306
• In Harrisonburg call 438-7777
• In Winchester call 662-1199

[From THE CHANDLER LAW GROUP OFFERS SAFE RIDE HOME FOR 20TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR | Chandler Law Group]

[Image Credit: https://www.tlw.org/public/content/Documents/TLW_Logos/SafeRideLogo_edited.jpg]

Related posts:

1. Give Where You Live: December: Charlottesville SPCA Blanket Drive
2. Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Summarizes some of Charlottesville’s Recent Rankings
3. Just Released! The Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors’ Year-End Market Report

I am excited to let you know about a collaborative effort that MACAA is participating in with The Boys and Girls Club, The Junior League, The National Coalition to End Homelessness, Sears and Land’s End. Once the coats are collected I will be in touch with area service providers to get a list of families in need and the coats will be distributed through the service providers.

You can get more information at the website www.bigwarmupcville.com

Related posts:

1. Charlottesville is extremely lucky to have been the home of Dave Matthews!
2. Charlottesville’s Restaurant Week January 25-31!
3. Digital Voter Guide for Albemarle Board of Supervisors and Charlottesville City Council

This new initiative will continue the current $8,000 first time home buyer credit to eligible participants until 2010- July 1, 2010 to be exact, which is when all closings must have occurred. In order to be eligible for this credit, you must have the property under contract no later than April 30, 2010.

It has also expanded the credit to current home owners. Anyone who has used their residence as a primary residence consecutively for 5 our of the last 8 years are also eligible for a tax credit when making their next home purchase. This is a $6,500 credit and the same deadlines still apply; April 30, 2010 for homes to be under contract, and July 1, 2010 for the sale to have closed.

Many of the details are explained in the following PDF document- please contact me with any specific questions!

Click here to download the November 7, 2010 Extended and Expanded Tax Credit.

Related posts:

1. Great Chart On Credit Scoring; Check this out if your credit might be in danger
2. Answer these questions to determine if purchasing a bank owned home/foreclosure is right for you…
3. New Forms to Claim The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

This is a great interactive guide with lots of live links to get in touch with several of the candidates and for listening to podcast interviews of each one. Have fun while getting informed.

Click here for the 2010 Digital Voter Guide

Related posts:

1. City of Charlottesville Housing Affordability Program
2. City of Charlottesville to Hold Citywide Tree Debris Collection next week!
3. Check Out The United Way- Thomas Jefferson Area “All Around Town” Auction in Charlottesville February 3-10

Check out the market report here;

CAAR Third Quarter Market Report

Related posts:

1. Just Released! The Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors’ Year-End Market Report
2. CAAR Mid Year Market Report 2009
3. CAAR 2007 Year End Market Report