About Chesterfield County, VA

To everyone a very Merry Christmas!

A safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

Our family sends out special prayers to all those that have lost or in danger of losing their homes. We hope for better times ahead and help for you all!

The Eugene's

In my last post I gave a couple of simple examples of folks who are taking action rather than waiting for relief from Washington. I think it's good for us to also engage with state and local governments to carve value out of them. I am going to talk specifically about Richmond, Va. since that is where I live and with what I am familiar. After all, all politics is local. The principle can certainly be applied to any region of the country.

And while I am going to list off specific ideas and examples, I want to impress upon you that these are based on well thought out ideas, not well thought out research...

Unlock Value - As I look over a map of the Richmond region, I notice a couple of pieces of land that are very intriguing to me. Land occupied by some state agency or another. The thing about land owned by the state is it generates no tax revenue. That's certainly appropriate, as the state paying taxes to a locality is a bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul, so I am not writing to criticize that. What does strike me as unusual is the location of some of these tracts. For instance (you should be able to google map these):

Bon Air Juvenile Detention & Intake Facility: This facility, operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, sits on 385 acres of largely undeveloped land in an older part of Chesterfield very close to city limits. What a waste. There may have been a time when this location brought some value to the area, but that time has past. This is certainly not the best current use for this tract and could generate huge revenues for the cash strapped Commonwealth of Virginia. They could relocate the facility to another area, consolidate existing corrections facilities, whatever they think is best. Just clear the way for a sensible mixed use development that could generate multiple sources of state and local tax revenues. Additionally, I think this would also be consistent with controlling suburban sprawl, as this conforms to the principle some folks call "back-filling."

GRTC Headquarters: On my way to an appointment this morning, I passed by the headquarters of the Greater Richmond Transit Company. They are doing a fine job and I hope they continue to find ways to innovate: natural gas powered buses, express bus routes in Chesterfield, more ad revenue from bus ads. Did you know that it was named the best metro transit company for 2008? Good for them. They should sell their headquarters and help anchor the redevelopment of more vulnerable area of the city. As it is, they sit at the intersection of Carytown and the Fan on a full block and a half (about 6 acres I think) of prime city real estate. Again, that may have been a valuable asset at one time, but its best use will come only when a private enterprise takes ownership and develops that tract and pays taxes on the real value of it. And considering its location, it would be considerable.

City Stadium: University of Richmond will be occupying its own, on campus stadium soon. A great reward to a team that is in the hunt for the Division II championship. So what's to become of City Stadium? Will is sit there? It's also common knowledge the Pres. Trani is retiring from his post at VCU. The man who swore VCU would not have a football team as long as he was president is no longer going to be president. What are the chances? It's like the universe is looking at us and saying: "start a football team already." The appetite is there, an initial place to play will be available, and the city and VCU could certainly negotiate a better deal than the $1/year UofR paid for the term of its use (that may have changed at some point, but was true for most of its tenure).

A successful Div I college football team, and VCU has the elements in place to grow such a program, can become a marquis event for a city. I know we're all still bitter about losing the R Braves, but college football is the most likely major sporting event to have a positive economic impact on a region (according to a study I read a few years ago and am unable to re-locate at this time)

None of these would bring swift help now. But they lay the ground work for sustainable future growth and if you think about what stimulus should really be, the idea behind it is not to solve immediate financial needs but to intiate and sustain long lasting growth.

When I first started my career in real estate, some of the first advice I received was to get out and meet people. Once I let every one of my friends and family members, and anyone else I have ever come in contact with know my new career status, I should then join local or community organizations or functions.

I thought about this bit of advice for awhile. I am basically a shy person. Now, that doesn't mean I can't talk your ears off, BUT that MAY only happen once I've gotten to know you really well. I'm more the kind of person who likes to watch and listen to people. I feel I learn so much about people that way. This bit of advice would take some courage for me to follow through with.

Anyway, recently I was invited to join a group. Not the civic minded, community helpful groups that were probably what those with the advice were thinking of. Instead I joined a group of lovely ladies with the main goal of having a good time and FUN! I can't think of anything better. You see, I love to laugh, or giggle, as most say I do. These ladies make me that possible.

Last week I had another birthday. So in this group I've joined I'm considered a "young one". If you haven't guessed yet, I have a joined a local group of Red Hatters. Now, officially to wear the outlandishly decorated and flamboyant red hat, you must be at least 50 years old. I have a few more years to reach that mark, so I and few other "young" ladies in the group get to wear pink hats. That's fine with me, pink is my favorite color anyway.

The ladies meet monthly for dinner at different restaurants. They also do some charity work during the holidays. They also plan outings depending on the season. We have a great trip planned for October to visit a plantation near Williamsburg, Virginia for a haunting good time and tea. I can' wait. The ride should be lovely with the changing foilage and I love antiques and history.

Needless to say, I've made new friends and I've gone shopping for a new pink hat!

As home prices decline and mortgage funding dries up, many Realtors® and home sellers have looked to "staging" to help move a home. However, a fresh coat of paint and a little de-cluttering won't necessarily make a savvy buyer overlook more serious problems with a house.

The art of staging prepares a home for sale by removing certain personal items, rearranging furnishings, adding furnishings in empty homes and making minor cosmetic changes to neutralize the home's decor while highlighting the home's virtues. Staging is an important tool that can help make a positive first impression, but today's home buyer is more cautious than ever and still wants to know the true condition of the home behind the fresh coat of paint.

More than 40 percent of resale homes on the market - that's two out of every five - will have at least one serious defect when they are listed for sale. HouseMaster franchises have conducted almost 2 million home inspections system-wide, and their experience revealed that the following issues are most likely to be a major issue to a homebuyer.

•· cracked heat exchanger in furnace

•· failing air-conditioning system

•· environmental hazards, such as radon, water contamination, and asbestos

•· signs of a wet basement

•· defective roofing and/or flashings (or signs of leakage)

•· insect infestation, such as termites or carpenter ants

•· mixed plumbing

•· aluminum wiring

•· horizontal foundation cracks

•· major house settlement

•· undersized electrical system

•· chimney settling/separation/deterioration

Staging a home definitely helps make it more appealing, but making select repairs adds value and marketability to a serious buyer. More home sellers are using a pre-listing home inspection to better understand how potential buyers might view the home's condition. This information can be used to invest in repairs that will make the home more desirable and competitive, or it can be shared with prospective buyers to show that the house was priced in a thoughtful and educated manner. Both approaches give the seller a little more control over the process.

Many homebuyers do purchase houses with aging appliances or other issues. They simply want to factor these repair costs into the home buying equation. Having good, credible information on hand can help people budget wisely and contribute to a smoother negotiation process on both sides of the table.

For more information about common home deficiencies, finding reputable home inspectors, and negotiating tips, visit www.housemaster.com. Or call us at 804-745-4588

Students living in Chesterfield County are enjoying their last week of summer vacation and freedom! Public school here in Chesterfield starts back for the 2008-2009 school year on Tuesday, September 2nd.

Chesterfield County Public School system is an awarding winning school system with approximately 58,000 students enrolled at 62 schools within the county. This number of students makes Chesterfield County School system one of the 100 largest school systems in the country and the fourth largest school system in Virginia.

Chesterfield County Public Schools focus on academic excellence in a safe and supportive environment for all students. The school system is part of the "No Child Left Behind" program. Because of this commitment to the youth, families continue to enjoy living and growing here in Chesterfield.

For a third year in a row, Chesterfield County Public Schools have been voted one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by the America's Promise Alliance for Youth. Also, a national research and relocation firm chose Chesterfield County School system as one of the top school districts in the nation.

If you and your family are new to the county or if you need to get information concerning orientation times, bus schedules, supplies lists (for elementary and middle schools), special needs, directions to schools or any other pertinent information, you can call 804-748-1405 or visit www.chesterfield.k12.va.us.

Have a safe Labor Day weekend and a great school year!!