What's unique about the best selling new home community in the Hampton Roads area in the last decade?   The Riverfront at Harbour View, a master planned community developed by East West Communities, was recently awarded the Stanley Hall of Fame award from the Tidewater Builders Association for having the best quality community development and achieving unprecedented success in our region. The golf course waterfront community has received multiple "Community of the Year" awards and numerous other awards for its new homes and amenities.  What are some of the reasons the community has attracted over 1,000 families since it's grand opening in the spring of 2000? Seven of the unique reasons are listed below: 1. Location- Besides the natural beauty of the property, it has it all from a commun... 03/28/2011

The Bucknell Place is one of the Southern Living House Plans selected for the Tidewater Builders Association Fall Homearama which is scheduled to be held in The Riverfront at Harbour View community in Virginia this October, 2011. A Frank Betz Associates, Inc design, the Bucknell Place, features 3850 square feet of living space, a main floor master bedroom suite, large floating island Kitchen, screened back porch, and plenty of "flex space" over the three garage. The plan is being enlarged and modified to create a large Game Room/Media Room as well. Ore Builders recently selected this plan because it incorporates what many of the popular new home trends for 2011. (The Frank Betz Associates, Inc. Southern Living Design Collection of home plans is an exclusive collaboration between Frank ... 03/17/2011

Suffolk's population has boomed over the past decade, outpacing most cities and counties in the state with a 32.8 percent increase in residents. The spike in population and new high tech companies relocating to the Harbour View area of Suffolk help make the Suffolk/Isle of Wight County area one of the hottest growth areas in Virginia. The count, released Thursday, was among the first local figures to come from the 2010 census. Fueled mostly by new development in the northern part of Suffolk, the number of city residents jumped to 84,585 - a figure that shows that the once-rural county in the western part of Tidewater (now referred to as Hampton Roads) is closing in on the shrinking city of Portsmouth. "I don't think it comes as a surprise," Suffolk Mayor Linda Johnson told the Virginian... 02/04/2011

The Riverfront at Harbour View community creates a resort lifestyle for its residents through the many first class amenities it provides.  But it's the human element that really brings it all to life.  Anyone can build a swimming pool, playgrounds, even waterfront parks, tennis & volleyball courts, and babbling brooks, but the programming of these facilities is the vital component that creates that sense of community people are yearning for. At The Riverfront Swim Club, it's the full time Activities Director that functions as the heartbeat of the community, bringing it all to life.   Summertime fun at the pool is only a small portion of what this popular club offers its members.  The year-round activity calendar includes something for just about every age, interest, activity level, and... 01/28/2011

One of the fastest growing areas in Viriginia the past decade is the Harbour View area of Suffolk, located in the southeastern part of the state, near Virginia Beach/Norfolk. The Harbour View area, once pastures and farm land, has emerged as a strategic residential area for commuters from both the Southside hampton Roads area and the Peninsula (Newport News/Hampton area). This influx of new homeowners is bringing with it an emerging commercial boom.  Many new retail, medical and business establishments are under construction or have been recently completed. One of the largest projects slated for this area is the Harbour View Town Center, developed by Landonomics Group.  This project will occupy 126 acres, between Harbour View Boulevard and I-664, with a mixed use development that is bei... 12/24/2010

East West Communities is very proud to announce that Sadler Building Corporation has been chosen as one of the Preferred Builders in the Southern Living® Custom Home Builder Program and is one of the top custom builders in Virginia. Sadler Building has been developing and building residential communities in the greater Hampton Roads area for almost two decades. With a background in biology and then real estate, President Ed Sadler began building homes one by one. The Savannah is available for sale for $689,000 in The Riverfront at Harbour View community. Since 1987, Sadler Building Corporation has built hundreds of homes in a wide variety of exclusive neighborhoods, and during this time has established a reputation for honesty and integrity. It is this, that he and his staff are most p... 12/19/2010

 Many Benefits come from living in a golf course community.  Not into golf? Well, many of the families moving into a golf course community actually don't play the game all that often. Why are so many homebuyers choosing to buy into one? It used to be a known fact that if one lived in a neighborhood that had a golf course and club house, their primary for doing so was to be closer to the game they love. Not any more. They like living in a golfing community because of the quality of homes and the other fun recreational opportunities that come by living in the community. At The Riverfront at Harbour View community in the northern part of Suffolk, VA for example, we've seen many families relocate there because of the overall sense of community, the amount of open space, and the other amenit... 10/02/2010

  People are used to imagining luxurious resort living when they go on vacation. But, homeowners at The Riverfront in Suffolk, experience lavish amenities in a spectacular waterfront setting all year around. Located in the Harbor View area of northern Suffolk, VA, The Riverfront at Harbour View features an expansive aquatic complex complete with clubhouse and cabana bar. The community also offers second pool with a dramatic infinity edge design overlooking one of the two community lakes. Other amenities in the community include two waterfront parks, biking/walking trails, a lakefront amphitheater, playgrounds, volleyball courts, tennis courts, and an 18-hole Tom Doak-designed championship golf course. www.the-riverfront.comHere, the best keeps getting better. The new Village Square Plac... 09/26/2010

If you are looking for a smartphone in Suffolk and not sure which one you want, try this website at http://www.tryphone.com/home.seam  It allows you to look at pictures and play with buttons to see what each one can do.  It is not a complete list but can be helpful.  Most of these should be helpful in the real estate market.   07/20/2010

This week, it looks like everyone is snapping up the REO's in Suffolk with 16% fewer available bank owned properties than the city had last week.  Suffolk typically has larger houses and lots because people buy there knowing they will have a longer commute but they are willing to make that trade for the right house.  Builders realized this several years ago and built some nice large houses in Suffolk that have been priced below other cities in the area.  Consequently, as we reached the deadline for the tax credit, many of those homes were snatched up contributing to this week's results.  The other cities in Southside Hampton Roads had losses or remained constant with the exception of Chesapeake which had one more REO property available than the week before for a new total of 139. Forecl... 05/02/2010

I was out showing homes in Suffolk recently and saw a pellet stove.  So I did some research on pellet and corn stoves.  These type stoves are convenient and energy efficient.  Although the materials are similiar they require different combustion air/fuel ratios and ash removal rates.  Most stoves that burn corn can burn pellets but not the other way so make sure you buy a dual fuel stove.  The firepot design in the stoves makes them efficient and clean-burning.  Combustion air is drawn into the firepot and all around the pellets and/or corn.  With the high ratio of surface area to weight of the fuel, compared to firewood, the combustion is very complete.  With such high efficiency little heat is left in the exhaust gases so they can be vented outdoors througha s small double-walled meta... 02/23/2010

Finally someone cares about the beautiful Nansemond River.  The Nansemond River Preservation Alliance was recently formed to better protect the Nansemond River from more growing pains.  Every new road, every new house in the watershed adversely affects the river in one way or another.  The alliance wants to check poorly planned development which would open more of the river to shellfish harvesting and cleaner waters.  The mission of the group is to work together with government, business and civic organizations to better manage the environmental stewardship of hte Chuckatuck Creek, Bennett Creek, the Nansmond River, tributaries and wetlands.  With all the new development coming online both residential and commercial, it is important to have some group looking over the shoulders of those... 02/22/2010

Recently the Jewish Chapel at the Norfolk Naval Station was rededicated.  This Jewish Chapel is the oldest land based chapel in the Navy and was rededicated to Commodore Uriah P. Levy almost 50 years after it was named for him.  The Commodore had quite a career: he chased pirates, wrote books, spent 16 months in a British prison during the War of 1812 helped to end the harsh punishment of flogging.  Just for that he should have had something named after him.  01/29/2010

No phone at any speed in Hampton Roads is a safe way to drive but how do you accomplish it?  Use the off button of course.  What if you don't want your teenagers driving and talking when you are not there.  What if you aren't disciplined enough.  What would your insurance company think when you are in an accident talking on the phone with your buyers in the car? There is a service out there called ZoomSafer that uses a phones GPS to determine if a phone user is moving at driving speeds.  If so, the phone is disabled.  The system can be overridden but then an email is sent to the person who set the system up so if it is the kids driving you will know about it.  When driving, you can have ZoomSafer: Activate automatically or manually Auto-reply to text messages, emails and unanswered phon... 01/27/2010

Do you have stinky water in Suffolk?  Do you have well water?  What causes the smell and how can the typical homeowner in Suffolk fix it?  Often water pipes are contaminated during construction with soil and the soil is deposited in the bottom of the tank. The soil contains Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB).  The SRB react to the metal rods in the water heater creating hydrogen sufide which is harmless but smelly.  Here are three cures that might help you out. 1.  Replace your current magnesium metal rod in the water heater with an aluminum one.  The rod is used to improve the life of the glass liner but produces hydrogen sulfide as a by product.  The aluminum rod does the same thing but generates less hydrogen gas. 2.  Completely remove the metal rod and put a plug in its place.  This me... 01/22/2010

Suffolk has rejected a school site for a new elementary school.  The spot was in Holland just off of US 58 near O"Kelly Drive.  The school is supposed to open in 2012 and will replace Robertson and Southwestern elementary schools.  The School Board has another site in mind but hasn't said where it is yet.   http://www.hamptonroadsrealestate.ws Come and see ALL the Homes for Sale in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, as well as the rest of Hampton Roads. This site is updated daily with new real estate listings, pictures and other information vital to your home search. 01/16/2010

Rents prices rose slightly in Suffolk and Hampton Roads last year.  Good news for landlords and not so good for renters.  They were up almost 1.5% from April to Oct and the vacancy rate is down to 6.9%.  That probably will go up after new figures are in for the next quarter.  More houses were bought and taken out of the rental market.  That should drive vacancy rates down and rents up.  More investors are being foreclosed on at the same time.  Planned new construction for apartments dropped dramatically as well from nearly 3,800 to 1,500.  That is a really big fall off from April 2009. http://www.hamptonroadsrealestate.ws Come and see ALL the Homes for Sale in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, as well as the rest of Hampton Roads. This site is updated daily with new real estate listi... 01/06/2010

EVERNOTE for the DROID is now available.  This is a neat product available for other platforms as well but since the DROID is in my immeadiate future I put a link to that page but you can easily naviagate to others. Capture Everything!!!  Create notes, snap photos, record audio and attach files, PDF, text, audio or images to the notes. Find Your Notes Anytime!!!  EVERNOTE comes with native note browsing for easy browsing.  It syncs to your desktop or web version so you always have the notes handy wherever you are. Different Views!!!  Choose between fancy thumbnails or a simple list view, your choice. Know your location!!!  If you are writing a note about a resturant, EVERNOTE will even capture your current location. Very handy when you are out looking at real estate for your buyers, esp... 12/31/2009

BING the new way to search the internet in Suffolk.  I just opened the browser on my smartphone and it came up with a new name called BING.  I usually use YAHOO so didn't know what that was all about.  It is a new search engine from Microsoft.  It is just crazy useful depending on the phone you have.  On the Blackberry Curve it turns on the phones microphone so that you can talk to it.  YOU DON"T HAVE TO TYPE, JUST TALK (watch out for big brother).  If you have a web site for your real estate listing, a buyer driving by just has to say the address and the listing would pop up.  How cool is that. Being on Verizon this is pretty nifty because you can't use the built in GPS for navigating but you can turn the GPS on and BING will find you.  You can get directions from where you are to wher... 12/24/2009

Want to spend just a buck on Xmas this year and do it online while sitting at home in Suffolk?  You can.  Dollar Tree has gone online to sell but you have to buy in bulk.  Want a Santa hat, have to buy 48.  A candy filled Xmas mug, only by the case of 24 but hey each item is a buck or less.  Check out Dollar Tree now. http://www.geneallen.com Come and see ALL the Homes for Sale in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, as well as the rest of Hampton Roads. This site is updated daily with new real estate listings, pictures and other information vital to your home search. 12/04/2009