Aug 6th is the B.B. King Concert!

B.B. King is nothing less than a musical legend and always puts on a great show, so come on down and enjoy an evening with the king of the blues. Oh, and make your fellow CAAR members serve you a beverage, because they'll be working concessions that night to benefit the Fund!

Don't forget that there are four levels of tickets available, including Gold Circle tickets.

Anyone purchasing Gold Circle tickets is guaranteed seats in the first ten rows and admission to the CAAR pre-party for concert sponsors and Gold Circle ticketholders ONLY.

You'll also receive free B.B. King merchandise, and $29 of each Gold Circle ticket is a direct donation to the CAAR Work Force Housing Fund.

Buy one for yourself, or remember, these tickets make great client gifts, too!

To purchase tickets online, simply follow this link. Encourage your friends and family to come and support a great cause, too!

(NOTE: This message/post was recieved by email from our friends at CAAR, no AR points please)

Over the next 5 years the city of Charlottesville, Virginia plans to spend nearly $550,000 each year on urban tree preservation and city trail and greenway development, according to the Daily Progress.

Mike Svetz, the director of Charlottesville's Parks and Recreation estimates that the city has a tree canopy of about 34% with a goal of increasing the canopy to 40%. Tree canopies reduce urban heat, improve air quality and prevent erosion.

Walking trails are increasingly becoming a desirable urban amenity. The city of Charlottesville currently has about 8.5 miles of trails outside of the Rivanna trail sustem. A goal has been set to build an additional 10 miles of trails by 2015. To quote the Daily Progress "construction of all proposed trails is planned to begin by 2011, with many set for this year and 2009. But available funding could also become an obstacle."

Read the Daily Progress article

Initiatives such as the above and the City of Charlottesville's commitment to preserving the natural beauty are one of the reasons that Charlottesville continues to be nationally ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States.

Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com

Just because the closing went smoothly and everything is perfect in Mayberry, your work isn't over yet. You just made a huge leap into homeownership and the work has just started. Below are is a small list of things that can help you stay on track now that you own your own home...

Give your mortgage an annual once over If the last time you looked at your mortgage was when you closed on your loan, it's time to take it out for an annual once over. New loan programs and opportunities to leverage your home equity can bring you lower mortgage payments and new investment opportunities.

Is a fixed rate mortgage the best choice for you? Many of us opt for the certainty of a 20 year or 30 year fixed rate mortgage when we get our first mortgage. If you anticipate selling your home within the next 10 years, one of the new hybrid loans, such as an ARM, may be a better financial fit for you. Hybrid loans typically have a lower fixed rate than a traditional 20 or 30 year mortgage. The savings you receive can well be worth switching to a hybrid loan.

Are you paying for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)? There are a lot of new loan programs available that can help you eliminate PMI, even if you have less than 20% equity in your home. The monthly savings adds up quickly. This money can be put to better use to help you achieve other short-term and long-term financial goals.

Are your taxes and insurance up to date? Even though the lender servicing your mortgage is responsible for paying your taxes and insurance out of your escrow account, it just makes sense to periodically check to see that these payments are being made properly. While you're at it, you'll want to review your homeowner's insurance policy. It's a good idea to review your policy every two to three years to make sure it covers recent home improvements, replacement costs for the contents of your home, and that its reconstruction coverage is keeping pace with inflation.

Do you have a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) for emergencies? Many homeowners are making the proactive choice to secure a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) for emergencies. A HELOC is a revolving line of credit that only charges interest when you actually draw money from the line of credit. As you repay the balance of the draw, the credit becomes available again. Securing a HELOC in advance can be a great help if you're ever laid off or have an unexpected medical or other emergency.

How's your credit report? The information in your credit report has a huge impact on whether or not you will again qualify for a mortgage loan. That's why it's important to periodically check your credit report. Now it's even easy to do so. A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandates that each credit reporting company provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once a year. To request your free credit report, visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

Are you making the most of your home's equity? You may have more equity in your home than you realize, even with plummeting home vaules. Taking out a home equity loan to payoff credit card debt, student loans, car loans and other higher interest debts may make good financial sense.

Is it time to refinance?The timing might be right to refinance your mortgage loan. (see my section: "When Should I Refinance My Home?) New rates may help you significantly lower your monthly payment. Or you might want to "cash out" some of the built-up equity in your home, which you can use to consolidate debt or improve your home. Perhaps by refinancing you can even pay off your mortgage sooner by switching to a 15 or 20 year mortgage!

For More Tips and Information, visit my website at www.nakedrealestate.org

Valorie Ford

Keller Williams Realty

Charlottesville, Virginia

How Is Your FICO?

You may pride yourself on your high credit score, but have you checked it lately? Unfortunately, bad credit scores happen, and sometimes it is through no fault of your own. A credit card company or department store may make a mistake recording one of your payments. Or you may have fallen pray to identity theft! Your score can take a dive when you are not looking and this can cost you thousands. It is your responsibility to monitor your credit, continue good financial habits and report any fraudulent activity. If your score is not so great, right now is the time to start repairing it. Why? Because with a good score, you may get better rates on loans, insurance and credit cards to name a few. It will also save you money in the long run. Potential employers sometimes request and review your credit when you are job hunting to see if you are financially responsible. You need to make sure to keep your score stellar! Here's how...

1. Know what the numbers mean. Most lenders use what is known as the FICO score, for the Fain Isaac Corp. While a perfect score is 850, that may be a bit high to shoot for. I recommend aiming for a 780 as a suitable target score.
2. Pay current bills on time. This has the single greatest effect on your credit score. Under the current FICO system, 35% of your actual credit "score" is calculated based on how well you pay your bills. For more information, visit www.fico.com . If you aren't good about mailing off a check every month, look into setting up automatic payments with your bank's online bill pay system. Whatever you do, do not pay your bills more than 31 days late because it will be recorded on your credit report.
3. Consider a Credit Monitoring Service. Sometimes banks offer monthly monitoring services. This can aid in monitoring any and all account activity. It also helps because you can make sure all agencies are reporting correctly i.e. no mortgage or credit card lates reported incorrectly.
4. Pay Down Debt. When you go to purchase a home, lenders use what is called a debt-to-income ratio to determine how much house you can afford. Excessive debt will lower your credit score and reduce your buying power. You should strive to use no more than 30% of your available credit. For example, if you have a credit card with a $1000 limit, don't carry a balance on the card of more than $300. Your debt ration accounts for 30% of your FICO score!
5. Use your credit card responsibly. Credit cards are NOT bad! Some people hear credit card and their palms start to sweat. Credit cards help to build credit worthiness. However, reckless credit card use can also destroy it. Not everyone is hard wired to handle a credit card responsibly. If credit card debt has caused your credit score to tank, grab the scissors! You do need to keep one card open to help establish a solid credit patter moving forward. Try buying all of your gas on a credit card every month then paying them off at the end of the month. Do the same with groceries. Some cards help you to get frequent flier miles. Why not build your credit and your miles at the same time? Keep your credit cards open rather than closing them as this helps to establish a long credit history. It is good to have two or three credit cards, but much over that can hurt you.
6. Do not fall prey to credit repair scams. If you have some bad credit history, you have probably seen the signs on the side of the road talking about how they will "erase" bad credit? If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it! These credit repair companies make promises that vary, but some are rather outlandish. Keep in mind that if you become involved with any illegal activity you could potentially face criminal charges! Some companies promise to give you a new credit identity (which isn't possible...legally!). Whatever you need to do to repair your credit, you can do yourself for free. From this day forward, start moving forward establishing new credit and make a plan to fix or pay off what you have as bad debt. You can start seeing improvements in as little as a few months. A complete credit overhaul, however, may be a few years off.

For More Credit Score and Homebuying Tips, visit my website at www.nakedrealestate.org

Valorie Ford

Keller Williams Realty

Charlottesville, Virginia

Renouned blues artist B.B. King is coming to Charlottesville, Virginia on August 6. The concert which is sponsored by the Charlottesville Albemarle Association of Realtors to benefit the workforce housing fund will be held at the Charlottesville Pavillion at the east end of the downtown pedestrian mall. One of B.B. King's best known songs is The Thrill is Gone.

The Workforce Housing Fund is set up to help provide downpayment assistance to Charlottesville's workforce to enable them to purchase homes in the area where they work. The workforce is considered to be firemen, policemen, teachers and healthcare workers. The fund is administered by the Piedmont Housing Alliance.

To purchase tickets click here.

For information on real estate and life in Charlottesville, Virginia and the surrounding area contact:

Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com

NGIC - National Ground Intelligence Center

Located in Northern Albemarle County Virginia, just south of Greene County Virginia is NGIC. This center provides scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI) and also General Military Intelligence (GMI) on foreign ground forces.

There are several agencies that work with NGIC, including and not limited to the CIA, NSA, DIA and FBI.

Working at NGIC is an honor and we are pleased to have new members to our community who are coming to work in our area.

The housing market near NGIC is unique. We have homes from around 200K up to 1 million+. Depending on schools, driving patterns and personal preference will help to determine the best locations for you.

Here are a few of the neighborhoods that are close to NGIC:

FOREST LAKES BRIARWOOD HOLLYMEAD DUNLORA CARRSBROOK

As always, drop me an email or call me anytime regarding specific homes or to set up a custom search for that perfect home near NGIC!

We are very proud that you are working for all of us and let me be one of the first to welcome you and your families to the Charlottesville Area.

Charles McDonald
Associate BROKER, RE/MAX Assured Properties
Licensed to sell Real Estate in Virginia

"Your Outstanding RE/MAX Agent in Charlottesville Virginia

These days with energy prices so high, many are turning to "Green" building in hopes of reducing our environmental footprint (and to ease the strain on our pocket books!). Today, homes with the "Green" label areone of the few hot trends in an otherwise morbid real estate industry and builders are jumping on board! This has given some builders a much-needed niche, but it's spurring others to apply the term with very little to back it up - a problem that is being termed "greenwashing" and it is spreading throughout the building industry like wildfire.

This has been a common complaint from both real estate professional and builders alike and advocates fear that the ever-more-widespread use of "green" confuses and misleads the public. "Some of these builders are putting that on as a tagline, when all they might be doing is putting in compact fluorescent light bulbs and Green Label carpet," says Drew Smith, a founding member of the Florida Green Building Coalition. So how do we as agents and consumers know if we are getting the real deal? The only real way for valid assurance seems to be an independent, third-party inspection that can verify what has been done will actually provide a green benefit.

There are sites that you can look at to further increase your "green" knowledge and soak your brain with the LEED for Homes, NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, the SBIC Green Building Guidelines, and the ICC-NAHB National Green BUilding Standards, and you will begin to find common threads between the different programs. They are based off of project design, energy efficiency, water efficiency, construction best practices, renewable energy source, material selection, lot planning and site preparation, and indoor air quality and maintenance. There is a LOT more to it than energy efficient lights and recycled carpet!

Always remember, buyer beware! Just because it says green, doesn't mean it is!

One of the treats of summer is eating fresh vegetables. Unfortunately not all of us are lucky enough to have the ability to pick fresh vegetables out of our own gardens. However in the Charlottesville, Virginia area we have a number of local farmers markets selling fresh produce to choose from:

• Forest Lakes Farmer's Market - Tuesdays 4-7pm, 1650 Ashwood Boulevard, South recreational Facility parking lot in Forest Lakes.
• Crozet Market - 8am-noon on Saturdays in Crozet.
• Nelson County Farmers Market - Saturdays, Rt 151, Nellysford
• Fluvanna Farmer's Market - Tuesdays 3-7pm at Pleasant Grove
• Scottsville Farmer's Market - Saturdays, 8-11am at Dorrier Park
• Charlottesville City Market - 7am-noon on Saturdays on Water Street
• Market at Meade Park - 3-7pm, Wednesdays

So head out to one of the farmer's markets, enjoy the bounty and "buy fresh, buy local".

If you are interested in information on life in the Charlottesville area or information on the local real estate market, please contact me, I would be happy to talk with you.

Pam Dent
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com

The International School of Charlottesville offers preschool education within a foreign language environment.

They say that "The language center in the brain undergoes the greatest development in the first years of life. Exposing a child to a second language at an early age broadens cognitive ability in later years."

We all want the best for our children and when you are considering Charlottesville Real Estate, you also want to look into the schools and other programs for your kids.

Here is some additional information from The International School of Charlottesville:

Learning and thinking in another language also encourages multicultural awareness. At The International School of Charlottesville, the new language is not introduced as a separate subject but is an intrinsic part of the environment. In an immersion program the teachers communicate with the children predominantly in the target language. As the children work and play in this new environment, the target language gradually becomes their preferred means of communication at school.

Since these classes are offered for Preschool to Kindergarten, you need to act quickly. For a full curriculum visit the website at www.TheISC.org

Your children will love it!

Buy Fresh Buy Local is a campaign supported by the Piedmont Environmental Council to enable consumers in Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County to find locally produced foods. This program makes residents aware of the local foods that are available at area farms, farmer's markets, grocery stores and restaurants. The Buy Fresh Buy Local website has information on how to find the participating farms, merchants and restaurants. In addition marketing materials have been made available through the program to help publicise businesses and restaurants that are supporting the program. Purchasing locally grown food has a positive impact on the local ecconomy as well as making the freshest food choices available to area residents.

Remember to support your area farmers and the local ecconomy. Buy Fresh Buy Local!

Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
434 960-0161
www.JumpintoGreenerPastures.com
www.CharlottesvilleHorseFarmsandCountryHomes.com