Blacksburg's newest development project, The Colosseum, has broken ground.  Here's a link to the recap in Multi-Housing News. I wrote in January that I thought it was too much for the area - too much product right now.  I still do; condos are lagging behind the rest of the market. Only time will tell how this project does.  Just like to say that this picture was taken by my wife on a trip she took to Italy over the summer. It's my absolute favorite - I'm so proud. 09/30/2008

A few weeks ago, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Colosseum project in Blacksburg.  The event featured speakers, all kinds of food and drinks, Roman gladiators (I mean, honestly - can you name something "The Colosseum" without gladiators?) and golden shovels.  I took video to show you, in fact. Stupid video - somehow, everything was corrupted and I lost it all.  So I'll recap the project here, as best I can.  Sorry about that, but I DO have answers to some of the common questions people have been asking about the project.  From the project's marketing department: What exactly is a condominium hotel - Condominium hotels operate as a hotel but also add the legal and financial structure of a condominium.  Buyers receive a deed for a real property interest that they can i... 09/30/2008

The Blacksburg Town Council unanimously approved major changes to a 1/2 mile stretch of North Main Street (460-Business) here in Blacksburg, including additional turn lanes and a two-lane roundabout at Main and Price's Fork.  It's been discussed before here, here and here.  Is this a benefit to the long-term viability of Main Street businesses in Blacksburg, or a short-sighted reaction to Virginia Tech's expansion? Download vt_construction_narrative.pdf here. 09/12/2008

As I mentioned last week, the Town of Blacksburg is using Twitter to broadcast news and notes to citizens regarding things happening in the Town.  I love the idea, and yesterday I saw two things posted that caught my eye, so I took a screenshot from my phone and posted it here: * a reminder that carboard can now be recycled during the weekly pickup.  Just make sure to break down the pieces and lay them under your blue bin when you set it out.  They must be less than 3 feet long by 3 feet wide when broken down.  You can find out more regarding the Recycling guidelines at Blacksburg.gov/recycling. *  Sustainability Week in Blacksburg is coming up, October 20-25.  More information to follow - there's not much on their website right now, but they do have the Executive Summary from last year... 09/10/2008

Last week, we had several properties having home inspections being done, all by the same inspector.  We try to use the same vendors, over and over, because they consistently bring their best to the job each and every time, which is one reason why we like John.  And he shares my affinity for all things Mac related, but that's for another post.  So we kept John busy last week, and in the course of those inspections I got to thinking about the purpose of the home inspection.  On the Contract we use, the home inspection clause reads: "A home inspection for the purposes of this Contract is RESTRICTED TO DETERMINING ONLY that the plumbing (including well, well pump and septic systems, if any), heating, air conditioning (if any), electrical systems and appliances are in safe working order, the... 09/09/2008

Down. The government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac made big news over the weekend.  First, the takeover took place on a weekend.  Who knew government worked on weekends?  Second, Wall Street has responded and mortgage rates have gone DOWN.  Why? Because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are considered to be much stronger, now that they are under government control.  They were government entities before, just thinly veiled as such, but now they are considered much more stable, pushing rates down and lowering the cost to borrow.  And they fund so many of the nation's mortgages - about $6 TRILLION of the country's $12.1 trillion in outstanding mortgages - so confidence is critical. Good news for homeowners.  Current homeowners - now would be a good time to refinance if it would save you ... 09/09/2008

Let's hope so.  I'm encouraged to see Sonic making an attempt to revamp its' approach.  Don't take no for an answer, don't fight, just find a new way to make it work for everyone.  Updated 9/6 - there's no guarantee it'll go through a second time; I still think too many people are just going to kick and scream on anything regarding this project at this point, but I like the approach. Including Steve and his strawberry Limeade fix. 09/05/2008

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak to the Blacksburg Rotary Club on how to use social media for business.   Christy Brown of LL Brown Insurance asked me a few weeks ago to speak to their group on how I use things like this blog, or Twitter, to reach out to consumers.  This was the first public speaking event I've ever done, and true to form I waited until the last minute to prepare.  I thought it went well; I HOPE it went well, anyway, and that those who were interested found something of value to takeaway and add to their business.  Apparently it has, because as early as last night I started receiving emails from some of the attendees, and I hope to be helping some folks start their new blogs in the very near future!  Will be sure to post them here when they do. But one of the c... 09/05/2008

On a bike ride this evening, I noticed destruction and carnage where a Blacksburg landmark once stood.  Where am I going to get my Makers Mark? It's the state-run ABC store that once stood at the corner of Country Club Drive and South Main Street.  I'm sure the demolition is all part of Kroger's planned 30000 square foot addition to their current store.  But never fear, upon further investigation I found the new location, open just in time - SHOCKER - for football season! It's in the same shopping center, and obviously the students have already found it.  Your investigative reporter signing off ... By the way, have you noticed all the bikes on the roads these days?  I think it's a great thing - I'm seeing dozens of people commuting, riding to and from class, or just getting some miles i... 09/04/2008

Have you seen this site, Homethinking.com? According to their home page, it's designed to show consumers the "transactional histories of real estate agents and mortgage lenders.  In theory the idea is great - find out what kind of experience your REALTOR® or mortgage lender has before contacting them.  One of the great things the internet has provided is the ability to research and qualify BEFORE ever talking with a practitioner.  I'm sure what they're doing is just compiling statistics from public records and MLS statistics, I just wish the figures Homethinking gives were right ... If you look at my bio, it says that I sell 3 bedroom homes, averaging $214000 per sale.  When I compare that to statistics from the New River Valley's MLS, I see that they got that ALMOST right.  My average ... 08/29/2008

Stuart Mease reposted an article from the NY Times on his blog. I'm curious what people think - and I'd encourage you to leave comments on his post - should parents be following their kids to school? Photo credit 08/27/2008

"How to Pick a New School for Your Child When You Move to Montgomery County, VA" Advice from a Blacksburg, VA Student's Mom Your new co-workers tell you that you their children are in the "best" area school.  Is the school that is best for their children, good for your child?   This Realtor® who is the mother of a school aged child believes that parents should pick their school district before they buy their homes.  Many times a month while working with clients relocating to the New River Valley, I am asked questions about local schools such as, "Are Blacksburg and Radford Schools better than other area schools because of the involvement of parents who are educators at Virginia Tech or Radford University?" We are fortunate to benefit from participation with our local universities- Find ... 08/27/2008

Virginia Tech parents, are you in a bind for housing this semester?  Tired of paying rent, and would like to move your child into a place that actually EARNS you money every year?Whether your student is living on campus or off, most housing options have been decided at this point.  However, there are some folks out there that still need housing in the Blacksburg area immediately, or are just fed up with the rental options.  There ARE some options available, but we need to act quickly.If you need: a one or two bedroom place that's vacant and ready to go, low HOA dues with no exterior maintenance so your child can study :) , a place close to public transportation, then I've got some ideas.  If you want: strong appreciation on your investment, thousands of potential renters, tax benefits ... 08/19/2008

Do you have plans for August 1st and 2nd?? Come by and see the Farm Bureau booth at Steppin' Out! We have brand new Membership brochures and copies of the new magazine Cultivate! We will be set up in front of Sharkey's and the Main Stage. For more information go to www.downtownblacksburg.com. 07/23/2008

Today's post comes from the NRVLiving Real Estate Group's very own Steve Ayers, a Blacksburg Townie and Food Afficionado of some  kind.  I've been bugging him for a year to bring us something here on the blog, and we've finally found a topic that's near and dear to his stomach - err, heart.  Welcome, Steve! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lendy's South Main Street in Blacksburg ... A covered canopy with rows of speakers that you pulled into to order treats.  Ice Cream, Milkshakes, Fresh fries, Buddy Boys, with a side of Friends. If you remember these, you remember Lendy's. Lendy's was a great meeting place in Blacksburg, at least in the late fifties, sixties, and early seventies. A classic American Drive-In restaurant. Push button call stations, wonderful curb service. You sat in the comfo... 07/22/2008

Full disclosure - I'm a Blacksburg resident, have been since 2001.  Now that's out of the way. Excellent op-ed in Sunday's Roanoke Times regarding the high cost of elitism.  My favorite line (emphasis mine): "The costs came in the forms of economic stagnation, limited job opportunities, underfunding for the social infrastructure of bridges, roads and schools, and high property taxes." Hat tip to New River Journal - he's got several good links there regarding the First & Main debate. If you enjoyed this post, why not leave a comment and subscribe via RSS or email here to be sure you don't miss the next post?   07/14/2008

Remember the Keystone Light beer commercials, with their Bitter Beer Face theme? This post isn't about that - but those were still funny commercials. I did read in the Roanoke Times that the Town of Blacksburg is considering ways to keep moped riders from breaking their face.  With rising gas prices, moped - and motorcycle - ridership has increased throughout the New River Valley, and particularly in Blacksburg.  Currently, anything with a motor of 50cc or less is classified as a moped, and no helmet is required to ride on the road.  Anything higher than 50cc (and really, if you're going to put yourself in traffic, why would you ride something so small?) requires a helmet. The proposed Blacksburg ordinance requiring all moped riders, regardless of their whip's engine size, to wear a hel... 07/13/2008

It was only a matter of time, I think, until we saw this one added to the mix.  According to the Roanoke Times, this is the third suit filed so far regarding Blacksburg's First & Main Development. On Wednesday, attorneys for Fairmount Properties filed an appeal to last month's Blacksburg Town Council's vote against the installation of a Sonic Drive-In restaurant at the new First & Main development on South Main Street.  Some quotes from the article:"The council has in the recent past approved similar special-use permits for other restaurants, including a Wendy's across the street from the site of the proposed Sonic.""On Aug. 5, the town's planning commission is scheduled to hear public comments on another special-use permit for phase one, this one for an Arby's restaurant at 1450 S. Ma... 07/10/2008

The residential properties sold in the month of June here in the New River Valley have been closed out in MLS, and the new numbers are in (thank you, Aaron, for compiling them).  Since we now have two complete quarters in the book, we'll first post the numbers for this month, then dig a little deeper into reports for the entire year.  When it comes to absorption rates, we're looking at how long it would take to sell the existing residential inventory in a particular area, if nothing else came on the market until supply was exhausted.  Anything over 5 months is typically a buyers' market, and anything less than 5 months is typically a seller's market. Area Active    Sold      Absorption Rate    Buyer/Seller Market  Blacksburg 235 62 3.79 Months Seller Christiansburg 276 54 5.11 Months Ba... 07/03/2008

 From Blacksburg Alert: Open Forum Public Hearing - North Main Street (Rte. 460 Business)Wednesday July 9, 5 - 7 p.m.,Blacksburg Community Center,725 Patrick Henry Drive, Blacksburg. Find out about the proposed reconstruction of the intersection of North Main Street and Prices Fork Road to provide a roundabout in place of the existing "T" intersection. The project will begin at 0.008 mile north of the intersection of North Main Street and Kabrich Street and end 0.004 miles south of the intersection of North Main Street and College Avenue. Review the proposed project plans depicting the major design features and the environmental documentation in the form of a Categorical Exclusion at the public hearing, or at VDOT's Salem District office located at 731 Harrison Avenue in the City of Sal... 07/02/2008