I have found the ♥ of TEXTING....even before Craigslist allowed responses to their postings via TEXT....I found TEXTING as a viable alternative to voicemail a few years ago. contact info email  wallace@landlordwhisperer.com  CL mail relay (recommended) [?] show my real email address no replies to this email   users can also contact me: by phone by text  phone number   contact name My smartyphone allowes for me to put a "signature" in my texts so I have my name and an active link to my website at the bottom of my texts AUTOMATICALLY. I can keep track of our texting conversations because if my correspondant is already in my Google Contacts, their name and contact phone # shows up so I can see prior texts. I also ask for confirming texts prior to a property viewing....this tells me that 1)... 04/03/2014

There seems to be confusion with which type of smartyphone to use....♥ Android ♥ iPhone ♥ Windows ♥.....any one will do with the RIGHT applications. Just like teenage boys of my generation wanted to know what was under the hood of their parents' cars, I want to know what applications other real estate professionals are using in their business. Our local realtor association has scheduled lunchtime classes for use of Google...first one was Google Voice (I have my # do you have your's?  It's FREE), then Google Docs, etc.  ALL CAN BE USED ON ANY SMARTYPHONE! One of the first apps I used with my first smartyphone was the Tiny Flashlight+LED application when a townhouse I was showing did not have electricity and the rental prospect wanted to view the basement. It is a great app for showing ba... 04/01/2014

As someone who NEVER wants to be ahead of the curve, I'm on my 3rd smartyphone - ALL Google/Android - all through Sprint PCS.       Somehow I came to the realization that I did not want to be stuck with iTunes/Apple platform and I went ALL Google/Android and ALL Samsung which has made life a lot easier....I don't get to buy my phone cases from Vera Bradley OR Kate Spade; however, I have lots of apps AND my Google Contacts/Email/+, etc. As a sole operator of my property management business, I can keep almost everything except my property management softward IN THE CLOUD. I scan and upload all of my documents to my GoogleDrive; keep my TENANT * CLIENT * BUSINESS * FREQUENT CALLS * PERSONAL contacts in my Google Contacts AND I even have a category for my property KEY TAGS that correspond w... 03/31/2014

Get Your Charlottesville House Value Free Online!   Get Your House Value Today Online Free   Knowing and understanding your Charlottesville House Value can be a value asset to have. You will make better and more informed decisions. With my free report you'll have the same accurate and up to date data an appraiser would use and what many lending institutions use.  Your Charlottesville house value report will include the following   Recent home sales that compare to your home What your home is likely to appraise for Average sales prices Average price per square foot Detailed market information specific to your area Pricing strategies and statistics Current Inventory Average days on market   You'll also receive a free my FREE report on "Increasing Your Charlottesville House Value The Most ... 03/25/2014

Finally ready to make the move? You've been dreaming of opening that business forever but still........... Well, you're time has come and there's no time for excuses! This property is available within 3 weeks and it's not going to last! Best of all, the existing business is moving downstairs and will continue to attract customers to YOUR business! Don't wait for the opportunity you've been dreaming of for so long!            http://www.sellcvilleandrvahomes.com/ 03/24/2014

Last week we started looking at the myths that discourage many people from seeking the relief a short sale can afford. Today we finish up our list!   Myth Number Five:  A short sale will prevent me from qualifying for a new mortgage.   Wrong! You could qualify for a new home loan within just 2-4 years of a short sale; even less if you never fell behind on payments! Comparatively, a foreclosure can ruin your chances of getting a home loan for many more years.   Myth Number Six:  It’s hopeless - short sales take months, even up to a year to complete, so the bank will probably foreclose on me first.   Wrong! New guidelines ensure the short sale process works swiftly. If you have a short sale agent to help streamline the process, you could have your short sale completed in as little as 60-9... 03/18/2014

The Carrsbrook Neighborhood in Charlottesville, Virginia -  Located just north of Rio Road East, the Carrsbrook neighborhood is comprised of around 160 homes, mostly single family detached brick ranches and 2-story colonials, but also some splits/tri-levels. The development's neighborhoods are off windy, hilly Carrsbrook Rd, which, if followed, leads you back into Still Meadow subdivision and the backsides of the Northfields and Raintree neighborhoods.  Some streets are named after Native American tribes: Monacan, Indian Springs, Powhatan, Cherokee. Others have been named after, well...I'd say Massachusetts towns because I'm a New Englander...but probably named after British townships back from colonial times. Names like Dover, Marlboro, Gloucester, Carrsbrook, Clarke, and Highview. The... 03/17/2014

When a property is sold for less than the balance remaining on the mortgage loan, that is called a short sale. A Charlottesville short sale can benefit homeowners in many ways, by helping them get out of an upside-down loan, avoid foreclosure and eliminate their mortgage debt.  Charlottesville Short sales today are also, on average, taking less time to process than before - thanks to tighter regulations and better practices in the industry. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions about short sales floating around out there, and we are tackling eight of them to help homeowners in the market to short sell know what the real deal is!   Myth Number One: I will still be responsible for paying off the total amount of the mortgage after a short sale.   Wrong! If your short sale is han... 03/07/2014

The 403-acre Belmont neighborhood forms the southeast corner of the City and is bounded by the CSX Railway on the north, Moore’s Creek on the south and east and 6th St. SW on the west. Modern-day Belmont is actually the combination of the Belmont and Carlton neighborhoods. Belmont is a late 19th Century neighborhood consisting primarily of two “1890’s era subdivisions, “Belmont” and “Carlton”. The neighborhood serves as a significant entrance to the City from Monticello as it is easily accessible to I-64 by way of Monticello Avenue (Route 20). With its rolling topography and setting, Belmont affords excellent views of both the Downtown and the surrounding mountains.  Originally, the county estate “Belmont” was the prosperous farm estate of John M. Carr, the nephew of Dabney Carr, a boyh... 02/28/2014

Find Out What Your Home Is Worth For Free! If you’ve ever wondered about what your Charlottesville home could be worth, here’s a really simple way to find out what your home (and one’s like yours) are selling for in today’s market.   Plus you’ll get a free report with stats based on all the homes for sale and also one’s that have sold in your area over the last few months.         To get your Free 2014 report on your home, just go to www.SellACharlottesvilleHome.com   Author Bio: Rob Alley earned a bachelors degree at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, VA in Biology. Rob Alley has been licensed for 8 years, he and his team of 4 agents consults with homeowners regarding Real Estate transactions and speciliazes in listing and selling Central Virginia Real Estate - Charlottesville, Louisa, Oran... 02/27/2014

                       Winter Storm of 2014                            Charlottesville VA   Before:      During:    After:    Heavy, wet snow, probably around 10", so far. Currently 5:42pm Thursday, still snowing and expected to continue 'till around 9pm. Schools have been cancelled, again, so kidlets get a long weekend!Tomorrow will be the 5th school closing this year. Three others were complete busts with NO snow at all. The other was about 1/2" and sent everyone into a tizzy as pre-storm forecasts had been calling for 6-10" for that one!       02/13/2014

-Learning The Fine Art Of Asking-What A 1st-Time Buyer Taught Me My Mom always told me, "If you don't ask, you don't get". And during a new construction negotiation, I was reminded of this by my buyers. I would also be schooled to not always form preconceived expectations according to market conditions - in other words, just because the market was strong and builders were pretty much ruling the roost, didn't mean that one couldn't, or shouldn't, challenge prevailing trends and accepted practices. Look here at all Homes For Sale in Charlottesville! So here's what happened in a nutshell: My buyers had been referred to me. They were from India. I had been cultivating this niche because I LOVED their genuiness, and their intelligence. I knew that they in turn appreciated my knowledge and lo... 02/13/2014

* Multi-Family Properties For Sale In Charlottesville VA Some of the best investment properties around the Charlottesville area are 2-4 unit multi-family buildings. There are many construction styles - brick exterior, wood, vinyl, clapboard, as well as many designs - side-by-side, over/under, larger main floor unit with legally rentable lower level. Prices for a 2-unit property have ranged between $89,900 to $1,760,000 in the past year (get the 2013 Sold list). Difference between list-to-sale price is usually less than single family homes primarily because there has been little inventory for the savvy investor to choose from and oftentimes investors are bidding against eachother if it is a particularly strong property. And, what makes for a strong investment property? * Good bones - i.e... 02/11/2014

How Much Is Your Charlottesville VA Home Worth?                          (703) 655-2223 Get informed and understand why knowing your Charlottesville house value can be valuable information. Whether your considering selling your home or are  just curious,  knowing your home's value can help you make better and more informed decisions. Home values in the area of Charlottesville VA are changing rapidly. Nationally home prices were up from last year 9.9% and 1.3% from last month. After mortgage rates hovered around historic lows they are now back on the rise. Locally in Charlottesville Virginia in the 22911 zip code the median estimated home value is down 2.4% from this time last year with an average home value of $285,000. The median estimated list price is down .6% to $277,000. The averag... 02/07/2014

Why Three Story Townhomes? Find the Current 3 Story Townhomes for Sale in Charlottesville  Our economy is stagnant in Charlottesville. But then, why are there so many townhomes being constructed?                                             It seems wherever you look there are newly built, or  soon-to-be-built, condos going up everywhere?! Why? Well, some of the reasons are: ⇒ City/County Planners believe that the best way to preserve a greater amount of free, open space, is to restrict development into tighter confines - often referred to as Cluster Zoning. ⇒ Builders then figure best way to maximize return is to build more on less, and  ⇒ Build up rather than out, because cheaper to do so. Almost always less expensive to reduce footprint and build skyward than to widen and build say a ... 01/28/2014

Mistakes To Avoid When Selling Your Charlottesville Home When you are selling your Charlottesville home, it is important to listen to your real estate agent so that your home has the biggest chance of selling for the most money in the shortest amount of time.   Below is an infografic that outlines the biggest mistakes that a seller can make that prevent their home from selling.   As you can see the biggest mistake is pricing your Charlottesville home too high.  A seller often thinks that when their home is not getting showings it is because their agent is not marketing it properly.  When in fact, it is usually price.  We see this all the time; a properly priced home that is in good condition will get showings and will sell quickly.  It does not matter what your home is worth or what you... 01/27/2014

* Northfields Neighborhood Charlottesville VA 22901 Located just north of Rio Road East, the Northfields neighborhood is comprised of 230 homes, mostly single family detached brick ranches, but also some splits/tri-levels, and a few 2-story colonials. Streets are named Huntington, Dellwood, Sun Ridge, and Northfield. Wakefield and Chapel Hill, are actually located across (south) of Rio Road and not apparently directly connected to the neighborhood of Northfields. About half of the homes in the Northfields neighborhood have garages or carports. The community doesn't have any amenities, but it is within steps to the Fairview Swim and Tennis Club.The community enjoys close proximity to every shopping, eating, and service you would ever want just minutes drive west to Rte 29 North/South, or... 01/23/2014

How Do Charlottesville Horse Farms Get Ready For Snow? At the first mention of snow in the weather forcast everyone goes running to the grocery store to buy milk and bread, but what is different if you live on a Charlottesville horse farm?  In addition to the advance preparations for the people, there is advance planning that is necessary to ensure that the horses have what they need to comfortably make it through a snow storm. First is a trip to the feed store to make sure that you have plenty of grain and whatever vitamin supplements each horse needs. Make sure that you have an adequate supply of hay as it could be sometime before your hay broker's truck can make it back to your hay storage area. Get in a supply of shavings or your bedding of choice for your stalls Fill all of your wa... 01/21/2014

* Mill Creek Neighborhood Charlottesville VA  22903 Located just south of I-64, 2 1/2 miles south of the Downtown Mall (in the Center of Charlottesville), this subdivision has approximately 430 homes, most on lots between .16 and .35 acres (customary subdivision size). Homes built in the mid-1980's up to the mid-2000's, Home styles look like these:   * Mill Creek Neighborhood Charlottesville VA  22903 Preview all available homes for sale in the Mill Creek neighborhood--> HEREThere is an HOA, and fees range from $55/month to $102/yr. which covers common area maintenance and insurance, snow removal.The development does not have a community pool, or other amenities, hence the low HOA fees.  UVA, UVA Medical Ctr, and downtown are about a 10-15 minute drive due north.Mill Creek Market Statis... 01/21/2014

* Redfields Neighborhood Charlottesville VA 22903 Located just south of I-64, 1 1/2 miles south of the Downtown Mall in the Center of Charlottesville, this subdivision has approximately 445 homes, most on lots between .16 and .35 acres (customary subdivision size). Most of the homes were built in the 1990's, in the front section - seen here:   Preview all available homes for sale in the Redfields neighborhood--> HERE Redfields Community Association Web-SiteOr in the 2000's, as seen with these attached and duplex units located in the newer back section of the development:  These units have two HOA's, one for Redfields ($45/mo) and one for Pebble Hill Villas ($46.50/mo). The development has a community pool, playground, lake, and walking trails. UVA, UVA Medical Ctr, and downtown are abou... 01/16/2014