The Best Little Market in Belmont

If you're a resident in the Belmont Neighborhood than you have surely been to the C'ville Market, and if you haven't , then you need to give it a stop. Located near the intersection of Carlton Road and Carlton Avenue, the C'ville Market is in the same shopping center as Belmont Pizza and Pub.

As the retail arm of Cavalier Produce, they have all of the most fresh local produce and maintain their motto, "If it's in Season, we have it!" You won't find a huge store when you walk in, but rather a rather unassuming market that has a great selection of not only local produce, but meats produced by local farms as well. Breads by local mills and bakeries and a great selection of chocolate of all varieties positioned near the check out registers so that, on the rare occasion you have to wait to check out, you can survey just what chocolate you want to take home with you to go with those fresh strawberries and that bottle of wine from their extensive selection.

CLICK HERE to go to the C'ville Market Home Page

Locally owned and operated by Steve and Denise Yetzer, the Market has a strong focus on supporting
their local community that can be seen in the Local Artist Wall behind the register, their support of non-commercial public radio as well as the local ASPCA. Now, I am always one that loves to have local businesses, with local products that support their community, and because of that I never mind paying a little extra to keep the economy that I live and work in strong. But at the C'ville Market, you can step out the door with a bag of groceries that is not just full of variety but also very inexpensive! You can't do your full spectrum of shopping their - if you need a ton of cleaning products or expect to be able to pick up a package of lightbulbs and a quart of motor oil with your asparagus and gallon of milk, then this may not be the place for you. But for your regular day to day picking up things on the way home from work and stocking the kitchen pantry, this is a great stop that you should check out. And don't forget to look up their deal on Cardagin, you can get a free reusable grocery bag as a part of their commitment to the environment AND $5 dollars off any purchase of $25 or more, once a month, every month. And that's just the beginning.

So, if you are a Belmont Resident who hasn't been to visit the C'ville Market, you need to make a stop and check it out, I think you'll be surprised.

And if you are not a resident of Belmont but would like to be, check out the links below for homes for sale in the City of Charlottesville.

Belmont Homes for Sale
Condos in the City of Charlottesville
Johnson Village Homes for Sale


Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville
Quinton Beckham
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-home-charlottesville.com

Charlottesville Downtown - Park and Food Drop

Headed downtown to walk the Mall, see a show or enjoy some dining? You can help your local community as you park!

From March 25 through April 1, the Charlottesville Parking Center will be holding a food drive benefiting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. The Food Bank serves as an emergency food assistance agency that helps more than 120,000 Virginians have enough to eat, every month. The Three CPC parking lots will boxes for you to deposit non-perishable goods, canned foods and cash as you enter or leave the parking areas for the Water Street Garage, Water Street Lot or Main Street Garage.

So celebrate the nice weather we are having this weekend, go to the mall and do a little window shopping or have a nice meal and then help your community on your way out! Every donation helps and CPC makes is simple for you to be a part of keeping your community healthy and fed!

Charlottesville Homes for Sale
Belmont Neighborhood Homes for Sale
Estates for Sale in Charlottesville

Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty
Quinton Beckham
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Local Food in Charlottesville, VA - Bellair CSA

The Bellair Farm in Albemarle County, VA has a history dating back to the 1700's. As a part of its current mission to "develop an ecologically sound plan for Bellair Farm so it can be sustained as an agricultural, historic and natural resource benefitting the local community" the Bellair Farm is now offering participation to the community in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

CSA Programs allow members of the community to participate in the support of, and directly benefit from, local farms by purchasing shares of crops to be grown that year. It benefits both the farm and the community as the person purchasing the share in advance gets the produce at about half of the market price. It benefits the farm by allowing them to have monetary resources when they most need them - in the spring when farmers must buy seeds and equipment for the coming season - without having borrow money from lenders. The community benefits by having a direct connection to a local food source, maintaining agricultural land and otherwise providing for a more stable and sustainable local economy.

Bellair Farm's CSA Program comes at a cost of $600 per share. This can be billed wherein the buyer sends in a $100 deposit and then pays off the remainder in two equal installments. Each week the shareholder can pick up their share of the crops either at the farm or on a designated day or time at a market in town. Bellair Farm's plan seeks to provide 360 pounds of produce for each shareholder. From 12-20 different types of vegetables are available each week and you have an opportunity to choose what comes in your weekly share so that you have items you will actually use.

Bellair Farm grows its produce using organic standards and a respect for the land.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.bellairfarm.com or call 434-262-9021.

Albemarle County Homes for Sale
Homes for Sale in Cherry Hill
Farms and Estates for Sale in Albemarle and Charlottesville

If you are looking to Buy a Home, Sell a Home, or Invest in Real Estate - CALL ME!

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

51 Ways to Make Your Home Sell Faster - Tip #6

In our ongoing series on 51 Ways to Make your Home Sell Faster we now reach Tip #6



Homes for Sale in Charlottesville, VA
Homes for Sale in Belmont 
Luxury Homes for Sale in Charlottesville, VA

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

2013 Real Estate Market so far, and what it may mean to you in Charlottesville, VA

We have been saying it for weeks now, months even - The Real Estate Market is Picking up, getting stronger and moving faster. So lets take a look at Charlottesville and see how it's doing compared to  last year...

So what does this mean? I am not a statistician, but I can tell you what I see in my own business and that of my office and associates. 

Properties Sold - 

The beginning of 2012 saw a lot more movement by investors snapping up properties that were short sales or foreclosed on. These were not first time home buyers, but investors or those whose financial status was such that they were "looking for a deal" on a house. January of this year also saw a lot of that leftover inventory being taken. This is the last movement of investors who are looking for properties to flip or rent out before they number of them on the market decreases. 

Days on Market

Yep , things are picking up speed. Although there are still a lot of people who are unemployed or under-employed, there is still an overall decrease in unemployment and an increasing confidence in the economy as a whole. Combine this with continued mortgage interest rates at record lows and the average family or first time home buyer has an opportunity to break out of being trapped in a rental market and get that very first home of their own. I have clients who make the average amount of money for the area (about $25,500 per year) and others who are making six figures and have been renting. No matter where they fall, they are recognizing the unique opportunity that exists right now: 

Homes that have not regained their prior price tag and interest rates that make buying with a monthly payment that is the same or lower than renting. 

Median Prices

Everywhere you look, the number of distressed properties is decreasing and Charlottesville is no different. For them to decrease, they must be sold. The low prices on these homes water down the overall median prices, which is why we see a little bit of a drop in January 2013. But hold on to your checkbook, because I would predict that as these properties continue to disappear and the pace of the market as a whole picks up, we will see that Median price continue to climb - and at a pace that we have not seen for years. 

So why should you care? 

All of this means that no matter who you are or what your circumstance is, you have an opportunity to move from renting to owning, from being packed into a smaller home to upgrading to a home that better suits your family. It means that the economy and the Real Estate Market is set to let you explore making some personal gains and gaining some tax advantages that you can not have renting. 

And one quick note about Short Sales

And if you are reading this and angry at the predictions because you are still in one of the homes that is upside down, there is some good news for you as well. There are still those families out there that are in homes that are deeply underwater - by $30,000 to $100,000. The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, originally scheduled to expire on December 31, 2012, was extended through the end of 2013. WIthout this important piece of legislation if you did manage to short sale your home and get out from under a crippling mortgage you then got hit with a tax on the amount of debt that was forgiven. Let's say you sold a home for $100,000 to avoid a foreclosure but had a mortgage note of $200,000. On your taxes at the end of the year you had to claim $100,000 as income, as a gift from your lender, and then be taxed on it. (This is an oversimplification, see your tax professional for details about your particular situation.) The point is, you have a chance to get out from under the mortgage, have the difference in debt forgiven AND not be taxed on it. Your best shot to do this is in the time between now and August. 

Points to Take Away

- Thinking you can not afford a home? 

You may be wrong. Make an appointment to see your lender or call your REALTOR to see who they would recommend you talk to. You might be surprised at the opportunities that exist for you. 

- Ready to upgrade your home? 

Talk to your REALTOR. The timing could not be better as there more families out there that could afford to buy the home you are in and better opportunity for you to upgrade the home you live in without a huge increase in your payments. 

- Stuck in a home that is upside down? 

Again, talk to your REALTOR and let them recommend some Attorneys or CPAs to talk you through your options - this may be your last best option for getting out of an upside down home, taking a break for a few years and then purchasing a home again in 2015. Three years sound like a long time? It may not be when you look at how long it would take the home you are in to regain the value it had when you bought it. If you bought at the peak of the housing market, this could be especially true for you. 

See City of Charlottesville, VA Homes for Sale

Homes for Sale in Belmont

Condos and Townhomes for Sale in Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville

1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100

Charlottesville, VA 22901

434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Spring is here Charlottesville, plant a tree - FOR FREE!

Despite the threatened Sunday snowfall, of which I remain skeptical, spring is here and the time has come to turn your attention to your yards, clean out the leftover leaves and get ready for plantings. One of the items on your plantings list should be a tree! Trees are wonderful parts of the environment and there are many good reasons to have them as a part of your property.

- Everyone knows the 'good old established' neighborhoods by their full and mature trees
- Trees actually can increase property values as they offer a wonderful curb appeal
- In the summer, trees can help to keep your home cool as they shade your home from the sun; deciduous trees have the helpful effect of shedding their leaves during winter to allow all of the warming and utility saving sunlight to help your home stay warm as well
- A properly cared for tree can actually help to slow and reduce the adverse effects of strong winds on your property
- Trees are good for our health and can increase our sense of belonging in our home
- Trees increase water quality by reducing surface water runoff rates and soil erosion
- And of course, trees make oxygen, that brain feeding amazing unseen companion of all things living

And what's even better than planting a tree? Planting a FREE TREE!

Yes, that's right, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards are offering you a $25 voucher towards the purchase of your new tree. The vouchers are limited and only available on a first-come first-served basis. You can reserve your tree voucher by emailing CATSTreeVoucher@gmail.com. In the email include your address and best phone number to reach you with.

For more information, limitations and where vouchers may be redeemed, go to charlottesvilletreestewards.org

This project is funded by the BAMA Works project of the Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville area Community Foundation and an anonymous donor. For more information on BAMA Works, go to
http://www.cacfonline.org/bama-works-fund-dave-matthews-band-cacf

And as always, if you are looking to purchase, sell or invest in Real Estate, please contact me, I would love to help you achieve your goals!

Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood
Homes for Sale in the Cherry Hill Neighborhood
Condominiums for Sale in the City of Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

51 Ways to Make your Home Sell Faster - Tip #5

Number five in our continuing series of simple tips to make your home SELL!
And yes, we started playing with the special effects...

Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA

Homes for Sale in Redfields Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA

Luxury Homes for Sale in Charlottesville / Albemarle

Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham

1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100

Charlottesville, VA 22901

434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

51 Ways to Make your Home Sell Faster - Tip #4

The fourth of our weekly installments on 51 ways to make your home sell faster



Homes for Sale in Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA
Homes for Sale in Rugby Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Think you can't get a home loan? Think again

I think what is probably the most frequent fear of first time home buyers - or rather, those who dream of being first time home buyers - is that they won't be able to qualify for a mortgage.

I think most of us have been there at one time or another; whether you were a teen-ager sitting across from the car salesman or you have just been through the wringer with the economy and are trying to get out of paying high rents for something that is not yours, the fear of being turned town for a mortgage can paralyze you into not even trying.
Just this week I had a meeting with  a family that was in a similar position. They had owned a home that was their 'dream home.' But then there was a flood. After the flood there was mold. The wife slipped and fractured her hip, requiring she be on temporary disability for six months. When they went to call their homeowner's insurance company, the company didn't know who they were. Lo and behold, after having had their mortgage sold off from company to the next a few times, there had been a mix up and the premiums that should have been protecting their home against just such a disaster were not being paid by the latest company to own their home.
After numerous phone calls and an attorney they did the only thing they could do to escape the black mold that was rising out of the basement and into their home: they left.

They called me not too long ago after having found me online and you could hear the emotion over the phone as they told me their story. They had left the home they owned and moved into a home that they are still leasing, but now the owner of the home that they are leasing wants to sell and they need a place to live. After talking to them I explained that the best thing to do was to come in to the office, meet with our mortgage officer - movement mortgage, a great company that we work with who keeps an office right with us to help our clients - and to just take a look and see what things looked like.
The couple was nearly tearful as they explained their story to us and gave us permission to check into their credit history and see what was possible.
Lo and behold, they are not that bad off. Yes, their old home shows negatively on their credit, but it was nearly three years ago that this happened and otherwise, they have good income, decent credit and can make some small changes that will allow us to get them into a home of their very own. Many handshakes and hugs later, they left with a plan to do some simple things to raise their credit scores and help them put money away to pay closing costs. It helped too that the husband had served in the Marines and they qualified for a VA loan.
In about three or four months, we should be able to have them in a home that they can own again, along with all of the tax advantages that go along with it and the simple pride of having a place to call their own.
What's the moral of this story? Simply this: No matter how bad you think things are, not taking the time to pre-qualify always works against you. Even the worst of credit can be repaired and a good lender has loan officers that can give you a plan, a time line and some hope. And who knows who these loan officers are? You REALTOR.
Think you can't buy a home because of your credit, you income or your past? You might be surprised. But you won't know if you don't ask.

If you want to know if you can own a home of your own, call me, I can help.

Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA
Homes for Sale in the Rugby Neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA
Resources and tips for Home Sellers in Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlotteville.com

Routines and the Betrayal of Small Appliances

Yesterday I woke up at 5am - my usual time - and stumbled into the kitchen to hit the start button on the coffee pot that I had set up the night before. I pushed the button and the face of the coffee pot lit up with it's cheerful morning light. I am always pleased with its little LED glow; the promise of hot coffee, buzzing synapses and the jolt to full consciousness so that I can face my day is exactly what everyone should be greeted with in the pearly pre-dawn light. I stood there in the fuzzy pants and sweatshirt that I had thrown on before making the trek to the kitchen and stretched and yawned as I waited for my pot of ambition. 

Considering that I was only half-conscious it took me more than a few minutes to realize that I was not hearing that happy little burble of hot water pouring through ground coffee beans. My still-sleep-addled brain wondered at the lack of sound. 
Was I losing my hearing? 
Had last night's water have such low viscosity that it was simply sliding noiselessly through the filter and the other mechanics of my early-morning-make-me-smart machine. I pushed the button again turning it off. Then turned it back on. I put my hand on the hot plate to see if it was warm (not the best move, but hey, I was not fully awake yet) and all I could feel was the cold dread of a coffee pot that was not going to work. 

Like a Comcast repairman, I unplugged it, counted to thirty and then plugged it back in. Pushed the button. No warmth. No water moving through coffee grinds. No love. 

My hands and feet went numb, there was darkness stirring at the edges of my vision as I leaned on the edge of the counter unable to move or react. 
HOW COULD I START MY DAY IF THERE WAS NO COFFEE?????? 

I didn't understand. This coffee pot and I have had a great relationship. For years it has been my friend and confidante; always greeting me in the morning and helping me to get started, to move, to think. It listened when I complained about life and relationships and gave me wise counsel to move forward with life and not to look back, to set goals and work steadily towards them, to honor my emotions but not let them rule me. How could it just sit there with that stoic look on its little electronic clock face and refuse me now? 

Hurt and disillusioned, I went and laid back down on my bed. As I stared in mute disppointment I could hear my iPhone buzzing as the morning emails began to arrive. I was stuck. Motionless. Completely lacking in ambition. Unable to open my laptop to blog or post an ad; to check on any of the deals that were in negotiation. 

Taking a deep breath, I got up. I checked the coffee pot again.

Still broke. 

I laid back down. 

As the room brightened with the rising sun, I forced myself out of bed, showered angrily and drove to Shenandoah Joes and ordered coffee to drink as I sulked on the used sofa in the corner and read every bit of bad news CNN and USA Today had to offer on my iPhone app. Terrorism? Boy, tell me about it. 

I did eventually break myself out of it (I am sure the coffee and Shenandoah Joe's helped) and managed to get to a meeting on time, sign a listing agreement, ratify one contract for a buyer and get an offer on another listing of mine. All in all, I survived and it ended up being not such a bad day. When i got home last night I went to get a glass out of the cubbard and happened to glance up. There, staring accusingly at me, was my old fashioned French Press coffee pot.  

So what's the point of this little drama of my life? As I sit at the counter this morning sipping the amazingly good coffee from my French Press I am reminded that although routines are wonderful things - they help us to build happy and productive habits, after all - that we must also be prepared to improvise and flex when life throws us things that were not in our plan. As noted by the wise Mother of John Connor; The Future Is Not Set. 

If we are ready for our routine to go awry, willing to face it with curiosity and not be bound by the thought-wall of "but I always do it this way" then perhaps we will be more open to other solutions. Any agent who has weathered the bursting of the bubble can tell you, its about reading the changes and following them, not about succumbing to them and paralysis is the worst reaction of all. 

So, when you feel your business (or your life) changing and the routines that have served you for years are no longer working, look in your mental bubbards for the french press and do not give in to the paralysing emotions that may occur - there is a solution out there, if we let ourselves think of it. 

And of course, If you are looking to buy a home, sell a home, or invest in Real Estate, please call me. I will grab a cup of coffee for us both and work to get you the best deal possible!

Luxury Homes for Sale in Charlottesville
Homes for sale in Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville
Homes for Sale in Redfields Neighborhood of Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Real Estate is BACK!

Data provided by ActiveRain, the #1 social community for real estate professionals.

Luxury Homes for Sale in Charlottesville / Albemarle
Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

51 Ways to Make your Home Sell Faster - Tip #3

The third of our Short Weblogs with tips to help you sell your Home faster!

Click the links below for:

 All Homes for Sale in Charlottesville
Homes for Sale in Belmont
Homes for Sale in the Rugby Neighborhood
Homes for Sale in Redfields

For more Information or a Home Sale Consultation, Contact me:

Quinton Beckham, Keller Williams Realty
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville VA, 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Looking to get money back on your remodel? Here's the top ten ways to do it

No matter who we are, we fix up our homes and then when we go to sell them, we want to get our money back. Now, we all know you don't get it ALL back, but here's a look at the top ten ways to increase the sale price of your home with a remodel and what you can expect recoup:

Selling your Home in Charlottesville? I can help you get the most for your home!

Search Homes for Sale in Charlottesville, VA

Search Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty

1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100

Charlottesville, VA 22901

434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com 

51 tips to make you home SELL - Tip #2

I know many of these tips seem silly as you listen to them and you think, "what? no buyer would ever notice that..."

But I dare you, go look out of your windows before you hit the play button, look carefully, then come back and watch...





And as always,
If you are looking to Buy a Home in Charlottesville,
Sell your Home in Charlottesville
Or Invest in Real Estate.

I want to help!

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

• 
  
  Every day as I look around the house I see things that I think I want to clean, or at least ought to clean, and each day I walk past them to hurry out to the office or to meet clients and show them the more pristine homes that I am trying to sell. At least four times a month I lecture those seeking to sell their homes on the value of a pristine Kitchen, yet in mine, there is a sad lack of organization and floors that you could eat of off.
  
  Maybe housework is the secret, but I am not sure that I will ever know. 

  Is Housework the Secret to a Happier, Healthier Life?

  Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Looking to Sell your Charlottesville home?
Buy a Condominium in Charlottesville?
Maybe you want to See Homes for Sale in Belmont?
Invest in Real Estate?

Contact me and let me help you have a smooth and easy transaction with the quickest closing possible!

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Beautiful Home across from Belmont Park!

Click here to see this Belmont Home that is FULL OF CHARM!

It's About Community... And Brunch

Most Real Estate Agents will spend time talking to you about your neighborhood or your community. That's our job - to know the neighborhoods and to help you find not just a house, but a home. When you think about it, that's really a tall order. If you take a minute and search the internet there is a ton of poetry, essays and commentary about what makes a house a home.

Depending on who you read or what your particular bent is, homes are made by having our families in them, by having the lawn and landscaping be perfect, by decorating and entertaining or by the community itself - whether we all go to the same church, like the same sports team or maybe just that we can go next door and borrow a rake or a shovel, a cup of sugar or a serving dish when we need one. No matter which of the many things make you think of your house as a home, it all means having a place where we help make the lives of the people around us better.

Richard, Chris and Keira

On Saturday I got to have brunch at La Taza in Belmont with a few of the people who help make me feel like I am home. They are an incredible bunch who have one thing in common - they all participate in a bicycle ride that covers about 425 miles between Burlington, VT and Portland, ME every year in August. And they have been doing it for over a decade. The ride is called the Charity Treks Ride and details can be found at www.charitytreks.org.

Steve "Wonderdog"

Charity Treks' first ride was in 2002 when a group of people came together to raise money by riding bicycles and raising money to help fund research by the UCLA AIDS Institute and the Emory Vaccine Center that brings us closer each year to finding a vaccine for HIV. They come from all walks of life and all across the country. Richard is from Sacramento. Mark, Aims, Kat, Peter and Chris are from here in Charlottesville, Steve is from Montana. Over the years, along with a few hundred of others, we have ridden literally thousands of miles together and raised over a million dollars that have gone on to provide seed grants to researchers who have leveraged that money into tens of millions of dollars in funding from NIH and other groups - all towards a cure for a pandemic that no continent, no race - no neighborhood - has managed to hide from.

There is no way to explain the sense of family we have built in a short blog posting. They are not necessarily my neighbors but the group has formed many bonds over the decade+ that we have all spent time on the road together; and though no one comes knocking on your tent flap asking for a cup of sugar or to borrow a rake (yes, we camp for the five days it takes to bicycle that far) there is plenty of sharing and being a small, mobile community whose goal is to make the world a little better, a little easier to smile in, a little less scary. And that isn't what community really is about anyways? We find it surrounded by people that we both expect and surprise us, in ways both common and unique, but in the end, we all find it when we set out to make a difference and find that there are others who want to make a difference too.

I am riding in August to support research into a Vaccine against HIV, if you would like to support me in this cause, CLICK HERE
My goal this year is to raise $5000 - I have $4300 dollars to go!

And since I am still a Real Estate Agent,
Click Here to See homes for Sale in Belmont
Click Here to See homes for Sale in Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Let's Talk about Short Sales... But only for 2013

While perusing Facebook and catching up in what my friends across the country were doing I ran across one Tucker Griffin and Barnes' postings which talked about the Debt Forgiveness Act. Forgive me if I sound like I am quoting, and I guess in many ways I am, but Bill tucker is a lawyer in Charlottesville with over 30 years experience leading the Firm's Real Estate Group in all manner of Real Estate related issues. Tucker Griffin and Barnes is an excellent firm with a stellar reputation that, despite being a full service law firm, has managed to stay focused on their community.

Homes for Sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville

What he pointed out in this posting was that the Debt Forgiveness Act has been extended to December 31, 2013. This allows homeowners who are are at risk of foreclosure - upside down on their mortgages and going through financial issues that could make them fall behind on payments - to have an opportunity to sell the home they are in while avoiding being taxed on the "forgiven" debt. This is an incredible boon to any family that is feeling trapped in a home that they bought at the peak of the market that they can no longer keep up with after the recession.

For the full posting from Tucker, Griffin and Barnes, click here. 

If you or someone you know is falling behind on their mortgage payments or at risk of foreclosure, a short sale offers you unique opportunities to get a fresh start without having to file bankruptcy or pay an enormous tax bill. For more information, contact me at 434.242.6212 and I strongly recommend that you read the link above.

Condominiums for sale in the City of Charlottesville

If you are looking to Buy a Home, Sell a Home or Invest in Real Estate, call me -

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams  Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Mortgage Rates Decline - Home Buyers Rise

If you were paying attention this week you saw that mortgage rates declined once again. A 30-year fixed rate had risen to 3.56% but yesterday reached the low of 3.51 - just a few tenths of a point from the all time low of 3.31% (click here for the full article from USA TODAY.) New home sales jumped 16% in January over December and the number of people who signed contracts to purchase resale homes also rose, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Following this increase in demand, home prices also rose. All based on purchasing power.

NAR tracks the Pending Home Sales Index which measures the number of homes that are placed under contract. Although this does not measure actual sales, it is a good indicator of consumer confidence. This has seen a relatively steady climb over the last 12 months with a good jump in January. NAR offers this data to the public and you can view it by clicking here. Additionally, overall financial forecasts remain on the upswing with unemployment dropping, mortgage rates making modest climbs to reach break into the 4% territory in the fourth quarter of the year. This data can be seen by clicking here.

Overall, this continues to be a good home buying season for everyone involved with rising home prices benefitting sellers, decreasing unemployment putting cash in the hands of more consumers and low mortgage rates keeping homes affordable for anyone who is seeking to upgrade their home or get out of renting and become a homeowner.

If you are interested in becoming one of those homeowners, click this link to see all properties for sale in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia.

If you have questions on buying or selling a home, you can check out my website or contact me directly at 434.242.6212

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com