At the declaration of World War II in 1941, the nation was put on alert for foreign invasion. Over the entire country, on the East and West Coasts, groups were formed for the safety and protection of people in all communities. Men and women were selected from each neighborhood to form a Civil Defense Patrol.
In the Court, it was decided a meeting place had to be found where the workers could hold gatherings and to store equipment. One of my former listings, the dwelling known as 345 Lexington Road, was chosen because it had a basement, and was one of the few places that could be entered from the outside without going through the house.
Shelves and racks were installed in the basement to hold the steel helmets, special flashlights, stretchers, splints, and other first-aid equipment needed in emergencies. Thick black shades covered all the windows and doors of homes on the Court.
When Sirens wailed in the night, Wardens reported immediately to pick up their helmets and lights. Streets were patrolled to insure that no light was visible from any building and to verify that everyone was off the street. It was something right out of Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life".
The wardens stayed at their posts until the "all clear" signal was given. Then they returned to headquarters to replace the equipment (and perhaps socialize).
World War II ended with a community drawn closely together by a common interest. It was decided by the group that they should remain together, meeting in the same place, but calling themselves the Stonewall Court Civic Association.
The purpose of the new association was to further the community interest in civic affairs and to encourage a friendly relationship between all families.
The people who have come to live in the Court continue to pick up the torch by carrying on the ideals and sprit of the Air Raid Wardens of 1941. This is a vibrant neighborhood with a close, caring community; it is one of many in the area I am happy to represent!
[Source of Information provided through the Stonewall Court Civic Association]
Unless someone is an automobile enthusiast the garage in residential construction doesn't get the attention it deserves. By today's automobile standards the car barn is too small; the inside space, the doors as well as the area required to access it are just a few of the considerations that are often overlooked or under-considered by the common builder, and I believe most often done in an effort to cut costs. We also stretch and pull our homes in so many directions further infringing on auto space without any compensation or adjustments. We as consumers should be asking the question, why does the garage suffer so much and what can be done about it?
For one thing, our cars are so wide today that an eight foot garage door is barely enough to squeeze the average car through it. Even some moderately sized and compact cars have trouble making the fit without losing a mirror once in a while. A nine foot wide door should perhaps be the industry standard. Not only will this give us the space we need to get in and out of the house, but will in turn provide the needed space to circulate properly around the vehicle. We will also be able to get in and out of one car without bumping doors into the adjacent auto while inside this space.
We get into more trouble with rear and side-load carriage sheds because the driveway isn't wide enough to properly make the turn. As a result, we end up making three-point turns to go inside, or worse scrape the garage door track because we turn prior to clearing the opening. Both the car and garage are now in need of repair. This situation is compounded by the aforementioned skinny garage door. Even a full double wide sixteen foot door doesn't provide the space we need if another vehicle is already parked.
If you have a truck or SUV the standard seven foot tall door height may give you fits too. Add a cargo or recreational roof rack to that and forget accessing your car refuge. Fortunately doors come in eight and nine foot heights, but good luck finding one of these in any builder's list of standard features. You will most assuredly pay extra for this bonus, but it may well be worth the cost.
I can tell you many architects and designers don't like garages at all. They feel it either detracts from the home or simply does not belong where people live, and if we must have one it should be separated from the home completely. Nevertheless, architect or builder, if you are going to provide a garage then properly plan for it; don't take the short cut because we need to save on the budget. If it is not in the budget take it off the wish list and make more modest improvements in other areas of the home. It can always be added later.
The cost of these larger spaces as well as the engineering required to structurally support the seemingly excessive span of these rooms seems unnecessary, especially when we consider that it's not even living space. As a result, we continue to cut back on the dimensions until it is impractical to park a car inside, much less get out of the vehicle once we've stopped.
If the client or perhaps the neighborhood standard dictates a garage we should insist it be large enough to accommodate the intended purpose. Plan on a suitable depth and width to house the largest of automobiles and you will err on the side of greater satisfaction to the end user. A properly designed garage will also add value upon resale of the property.
Some rules of thumb:
•1. Allow a minimum of two feet around the sides of each vehicle. This space should not overlap the bay of the adjacent vehicle. The width of each bay should be approximately twelve feet.
•2. Allow a minimum of two feet behind the vehicle, just in case access around the rear of the car is needed while the garage door is shut.
•3. Allow a minimum of two-and-a-half feet in the front of the car for all the obvious reasons.
•4. Do not allow storage areas, bins, shelving or work benches to encroach into these minimums; your satisfaction will be elevated and frustration eliminated.
•5. Increase the width of the garage door to nine feet, and consider a height of eight feet.
•6. If you are a diehard owner of compact cars you can disregard this advice, but keep the notion of resale to an SUV owner in the back of your mind.
Every situation is different and should always be evaluated by a professional prior to implementing a plan. These suggestions are generated from feedback we have received from clients in both real estate and in the practice of architecture. Please contact us if we may be of assistance to you or your garage.
"Somebody Just back of you while you are fishing is as bad as someone looking over your shoulder while you write a letter to your girl."
Ernest Heminngway
This just struck a chord with me today which compelled me to share it. Have a great day!
These days with the unique nature of our housing market it sometimes feels presumptuous to proclaim to be an expert in anything related to real estate. Our business of buying and selling homes is so kinetic, with a fluidity that is constantly changing and evolving, that it requires vigilant, almost daily monitoring in order to truly be called REALTOR®.
Many people don't realize that every licensed real estate agent cannot legally use the term "realtor" in order to identify themselves. Over the years that term has often been universally used to refer to any person selling real property. And while all licensees are required to take continuing education classes mandated by their state licensing board, Realtors are generally required to have additional training that extends to conduct, ethics and consumer protection, and who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
But the idea of being a real estate professional implies so much more than being educated and trained to transact property. There are certain traditions that are universal to people in sales, but in real estate, perhaps more than in most other sales positions, it is also the ability to communicate and maintain relationships that determines who the real experts are. Probably because of the very personal nature of our homes, real estate agents often become entrenched with the people they are entrusted to help find their next place to live, and grow, and love.
The true real estate experts are the ones you as the consumer trusts; the one who will listen to you, will put your needs first, is experienced and knowledgeable in your market, and who conducts themselves in an ethical manner. Don't stop searching until you find the expert meeting your strict criteria.
Ann & John VanderSyde - Virginia Properties 2009 Sales Team of the Year. (804) 282-7300
"Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership." - WSJ 9/16/2010
WOW! If that quote was attributed to the National Association of Realtors or the National Association of Home Builders, it would have been quickly dismissed. However, it was the Wall Street Journal that was calling for the end of the ‘doom and gloom' talk surrounding real estate.
We are finally seeing a powerful backlash to all the recent claims that homeownership should never have been part of the American Dream. It is about time!
The WSJ has been posting on the financial advantages and the other non-financial benefits of homeownership for over a year. "We must admit that, at times, we felt very lonely. It now seems that we are part of an ever growing army of believers preaching the advantages and opportunities available in today's real estate market. Who have joined this cause? Let's name a few."
The Nation's Real Estate Pricing Expert
Karl E. Case is a professor emeritus of economics at Wellesley. Professor Case is also co-creator of Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller House Price Index and is recognized as the one of the foremost authorities on real estate today. In a New York Times op-ed piece earlier this month titled, A Dream House After All, he said:
"I have never quite understood what the American dream really means when it comes to housing. For some people, it means having a solid and fairly safe long-term investment that is coupled with the satisfaction of owning the house they live in. That dream is still alive."
"Others, however, think the American dream is owning property that appreciates by 30 percent a year, making a house into a vehicle for paying bills. But those kinds of dreams have become nightmares for the millions of foreclosed property owners who have found themselves sliding toward bankruptcy."
But for people with a more realistic version of the American dream, buying a house now can make a lot of sense.
The Wealthy
The only segments of the housing market that are showing sales growth are the price points over $1 million. That market is up 6.1 % in the second quarter of this year vs. the second quarter last year. A recent survey showed that over 30% affluent buyers are planning to either build/buy a new primary residence or a second/vacation home in the next twelve months. It appears the wealthy believe now is the time to buy!
Everybody Else
Fannie Mae just released their National Housing Survey. The survey reported:
Bottom Line
Our iconic financial newspaper, our nation's real estate pricing expert, the wealthiest people in the country and 70% of everyone else think now is the time to buy a home. It probably makes sense to listen to them.
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Licensed Realtor, Associate Broker, Commonwealth of Virginia; Licensed Architect, Commonwealth of Virginia & District of Columbia NCARB Certified; Senior Housing Specialist Certified
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