Lynchburg Campbell County Bedford County Nannette Saunders ASSOCIATE BROKER

Attorneys practice law. Doctors practice medicine. Realtors practice real estate. Practice, lets see what Webster says:

1 a: carry out, apply <practice what you preach> b: to do or perform often, customarily, or habitually <practice politeness> c: to be professionally engaged in <practice medicine>2 a: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient <practice the act> b: to train by repeated exercises <practice pupils in penmanship>3obsolete : plotintransitive verb1: to do repeated exercises for proficiency2: to pursue a profession actively3archaic : intrigue4: to do something customarily.

This is what I do, real estate transactions. Quite a few every month on a regular basis for several years now. Granny use to tell me "Practice makes perfect." Well, some transactions are perfect. However, if I am honest with you, not very many.

Real estate transactions are customized. That is a euphemism for each one has it's own craziness. (Euphemism: the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant;) There may be some cookie cutter homes, however, there is no such thing as a cookie cutter real estate transaction.

There are so many variables and obstacles which must be over come in order to get an offer of purchase to settlement. There are the basics, qualified buyer, home inspection negotiations, appraisal and title work. But finding a qualified buyer when the mortgage industry changes daily in of itself is a feat. Appraisers are having their own difficulties getting properties to appraise with a volatile market. In addition, getting a clear title is a problem I've been dealing with more and more lately. Lien releases not being filed properly especially on home equity lines seems to be a regular occurrence.

Just like an athlete practices and gets better and better so does a real estate agent. Even though we practice real estate just like a brain surgeon practices medicine. I'd rather have an expert brain surgeon practicing on me rather than a novice.

For more information on buying or selling Real Estate in : Central Virginia or surrounding areas please call or email Nannette Saunders, Associate Broker, Licensed Virginia Real Estate Agent, Bradner, Farmer, Towler and Associates @ 434-546-3078 Direct or email nannette@liveinlynchburg.com

For information on property for sale in Bedford County, Campbell County, Roanoke, Danville or Lynchburg or surrounding areas please visit my website @ www.livein lynchburg.comwhere you can access your FREE relocation package, take an advanced property tour and read more about Central Virginia, Danville and the New River Valley.

Madison Heights is on the northern side of the James right across the river from Lynchburg City. The locals know it as Hog Town. In the late 1800’s Mr. Madison had a pig farm and slaughtered pigs. If you ever been to a pig farm you would know slaughtering pigs has quite an odor. Folks decided that they would enact a law stating that no hogs could be slaughtered inside the city limits. So Mr. Madison was ostracized to the other side of the river, Madison Heights/Hog Town. Many a hog was slaughtered on the flat rock along the James River and then ferried to Lynchburg to be put on the train to be shipped to other markets.

Today one of the selling points of Madison Heights is the low tax rate. In the past, this has drawn many retired persons to Amherst County. Madison Heights has seen some growth recently. Wal-Mart and Lowes employ many of the locals.

When we first bought our home on Myrtle Lane in Altavista I had no intention of living in it. Due to the market changing we ended up moving in, in May of 2007. By then we had done over $100,000 in renovations on the property and actually I started liking the area.

So many people have asked "Where do you live?" and I say "On Myrtle Lane." They say, "Oh.... you live on Myrtle Lane...." It seems that the locals seem to have a high respect for the street. I admit that it is probably the prettiest street I've ever seen. There is a median that runs down the center of the street and the street is lined with trees. Folks walk their dogs and kids ride their bikes in the evening. Neighbors come out to chat and be neighborly. It is the kind of street that everyone knows each other. They even have block parties and neighborhood barbecues. One would not think of driving down the street without waving and saying hello to the neighbors as they sit on their front porch or walk down the sidewalk.

I have heard say that many folks have waited for a house to come on the market on this street just for the opportunity to live on this street. I am proud to live on Myrtle Lane

It is a little complicated. Water rights in the eastern half of the country are normally divvied up based on what is known as riparian rights. Riparian rights means that the owner has the right to a reasonable amount of water that flows next to or through their land.

In a land grant from the British Crown, the King gave Virginia the rights to the James River. It has become an intrical part of the history and the success of Lynchburg.

The General Assembly created the James River Company and later the James River and Kanawha Company to build a canal in 1784. Work on a dam across the river started in 1830 to provide water for residents. In 1832 the James River & Kanawha Company was granted the rights to build dams and canals to divert the river's flow for navigation and other purposes. After the company purchased the city's dam and Kanawha Canal it built the Water Works Canal in 1885 to add to the water available. This agreement allowed the city to withdraw 600,000 gallons per day from the Water Works Canal.

In 1879, the James River & Kanawha Company sold its water rights to a railroad company which took on all its debt related to the dam & canal. Then in 1881 the city released $50,000 in debt in exchange for the right of a fifth of the water in the river in an agreement that the railroad would also build the Scotts Mill Dam.

In 1940 Appalachian Power Company purchased the Scotts Mill Dam and the Water Workds Canal along with the water rights that the railroad had which was four fifths of the water in the James.

The city no longer withdraws water from the canal and in 1997 Griffin Pipe made an agreement with the city to fill a portion of the canal in the event that the city needed to withdrawl water from the canal.

In 1990 Luminaire purchased the dam and APCo's four fifths water rights. The city may have difficulty taking advantage of its water rights should they ever chose to. However, clearly Lynchburg has riparian rights to the James.

Well, it has been a good week. Sold a house Monday, sold one Tuesday and sold another Wednesday. It is already 7:30 a.m. on Thursday I haven't sold one yet but I'm on a roll!

It is either feast or famine in Real Estate and that is just how it seems to work. It's the slow times when you wonder why are you in this business and then it feels like they've opened the gates and let all the buyers and sellers out and it is a banquet!

Although I am grateful for the times it is busy, I enjoy the time I get to focus on my business and develop marketing plans and take a step back to review where I'm going or my next step.

All this real estate activity will mean I can pay the bills for the next few months but does not mean I can rest on my laurels. Prospecting is continuous. Working in my business on my business never ends. Just because times are good now does not mean it will stay that way unless I work it!

The more I sell the more I want to sell. I'm like a blood thirsty animal except more like a Sold Thirsty REALTOR.

I'm grateful that I can count on the referrals from previous and current clients and other networking associates so that I don't have to worry about where the next deal is coming from. I am able to give my clients quality service because I have been doing my follow up and keeping in touch and asking for referrals that it has been come the foundational source of my business.

If you or anyone you know want your house sold today.... I have not sold one yet but I am on a roll just give me a call or stop by my website or shoot me an email and I'll follow up right away and see if we can't make your home the next SOLD!