Raleigh Court Roanoke VA Homes for sale and things to do.  The Raleigh Court area has about 11,000 residents as of the 2000 Census.  Most of Raleigh Court and Grandin Court was developed by the end of the 1920's.  During that time frame the Memorial Bridge was completed and this "bridged the gap" from down town Roanoke City and its infrastructure to Raleigh Court/Grandin Court.  The name Raleigh Court was derived from the Raleigh Court Corporation which was the name of the corporation that was responsible for selling the majority of the land in and around Raleigh Court.  Raleigh Court was declared "Neighborhood of the Year" by Neighborhoods USA in 1992. 04/01/2010

Roanoke VA short sale and foreclosure blog.  Hi All!  I believe that this is the only blog in Roanoke VA dedicated to short sales and foreclosures.  Many people are waiting until it is too late to talk to someone about a loan modification or a short sale.  If you are late, going to be late, lost your job, going to lose your job....don't wait to start the discussion in regard to the short sale process or a loan modification until you are late.  Once you receive a NOD (notice of default) it only takes 120 days to foreclose.  I am not saying that you will be foreclosed on but it CAN be that soon. Smaller banks and institutions tend to foreclose quicker.  Call me about any short sale or foreclosure questions that you might have.  I have a team of professionals ready to help you.  Damon 03/30/2010

Fine dining in Roanoke VA, Table 50, located on the Market in Downtown Roanoke VA.  I went to dinner tonight with my brother to one of my favorite Roanoke VA restaurants, Table 50.  Table 50 is located in historic Downtown Roanoke VA at 309 Market Street.  Over the past year Table 50 has become on of my favorite restaurants in Roanoke for Fine Dining.  While there is another restaurant in Roanoke that has, in the past, had a reputation for fine dining, I feel that Table 50 has surpassed them by far in regard to not only the food but the presentation and the overall experience.  Table 50 is open in Roanoke Virginia six days a week for lunch and dinner.  They seat for dinner till 10:00 PM but the bar is open till midnight (ish) for those wanting an after dinner refreshment.  There are onl... 03/29/2010

Raleigh Court VA Homes for sale and places to go!  In a continuation of my mini-series on Raleigh Court I thought I would include pictures of some of the places to go in Grandin Court since Grandin Court is so much of the allure of buying a home and living in Raleigh Court.        Norbertos is one of my favorite Roanoke VA restaurants!  Not only is it located in the heart of Grandin Court, just a half block from Grandin Road on Memorial Ave but it is locally owned and has great food.  The atmosphere is a little 1985 but I think this ads to the charm of a true "mom and pop" eating experience. Rockfish is also in the heart of Grandin Court.  Rockfish had a well rounded menu ranging from Salmon, Trout and Crab Cakes to Steak.  I have enjoyed Rockfish several times over the past year and th... 03/28/2010

Concealed Carry on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke VA.  For those of you who possess Concealed Weapons Permits in the Commonwealth of Virginia, you will be relieved to know that you can now travel the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive without fear of being ticketed, arrested or harassed by United States Park Rangers.  Effective February 21, 2010 a law that Congress passed last year went into effect and you are now allowed to carry any gun on United States Park Service property in the same manner you would in compliance with the local laws.  Here is an exert from the law: FIREARMS IN PARKS As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows people who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws, to legally possess firearms in this park. The Credit Card A... 03/26/2010

Free Cupcakes in Roanoke VA, Bubblecakes in South Roanoke VA!  Wow!  What a headline!  Is it believable?  Why yes it is! If you haven't already heard, there is a new restaurant/store in town and they are making smiles all over South Roanoke!  The store is called "Bubblecake Bake Shop" and it is "oh so good"!  I knew I was in trouble the day Rob Lusk (Husband of Lisa Lusk Owner and operator of Bubblecake) walked into my RE/MAX 1st REALTY office with samples of a "new idea for Roanoke". You see, there is nothing my girlfriend likes better than cupcakes!  And her opinion is that anything "cute", or pretty, HAS TO BE GOOD!  Now, you add Cute or Pretty and Cupcake and we have a problem!  It was not long before we were pulling up to a "Cute", Little, white house at 2132 Crystal Spring Avenue.... 03/26/2010

Raleigh Court VA Homes and Shopping- I posted a blog the other day about Raleigh Court VA and said that I would follow up.....so here you go! The majority of the homes in Raleigh Court were built in the early 1900's with most being built before 1950.  Raleigh Court is bordered by Grandin Court on the south side, Wasena on the East, railroad tracks and commercial on the North and more commercial on the West.   Raleigh Court is home to one of Roanoke City's newest high schools, Patrick Henry.  The middle school, Woodrow Wilson, is located in the heart of Raleigh Court in conjunction with Raleigh Court Park.  Raleigh Court Park is always in use during the spring and summer with a ballpark and ample room for kids and pets to romp and play.  Highland Park Elementary is located at the junctio... 03/26/2010

Raleigh Court Homes for Sale, Roanoke VA!  Raleigh Court is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Roanoke Virginia area.  In the Roanoke market there are really only two "Neighborhoods" where people know all of the neighbors on the street, walk the dogs, and sit on the porch sipping a cold beverage on warm summer nights.  The streets are tree lined with sidewalks on both sides.  Raleigh Court is highly desirable to young Roanoke professionals and to young married couples.  Raleigh Court has scattered duplex homes and home rentals scattered throughout although single family homes are predominant.  Prices range from the $140's to a top of about $250K with the average being below $200K.  The vast majority of Raleigh Court homes are priced between $150 and $200k.  The vast array of... 03/24/2010

If you are behind on your mortgage....are you at least reading the mail they are sending you?  Believe it or not, as much as I dislike the banks now, they really don't want to foreclose on you.  The lender will try to work out terms and conditions with you.  If you are late on a mortgage it is time to talk to me now.  I highly encourage you to open the mail and talk to the bank.  Most homeowners that are late on their mortgage have NEVER opened the mail from the bank.  If you have an open discussion with the bank at least you will know where you stand.  Ignoring the letters will not make this situation go away unfortunately.  We all try to avoid bad news but facing this news will make it easier to work through this process. The bank may be willing to do a loan modification so that you c... 03/23/2010

I wanted to take a second to warn Roanoke area residents who might be facing foreclosure or thinking of doing a short sale about a scam to beware of.  There are companies and people out there posing as banks or as resources to help you save your home.  They might pose as your financial institution or as a company that will negotiate on your behalf with the bank.  These companies are FRAUDS!  These companies are out to take your money!  They do not have that "special" relationship with your bank.  DO NOT PAY ANYONE TO HELP YOU SAVE YOUR HOUSE!!  WHEN IN DOUBT CALL AN ATTORNEY! I know many of you are on hard times and don't have any extra cash to pay an attorney.  I beg you, before writing checks to a third party, contact an attorney and pay him a couple of hundred as opposed to paying a ... 03/23/2010

How do I get the word out to Home Owners that are in distress to do something about it before it is too late?  The perfect time to face the fact that a Roanoke Foreclosures or Short Sale is looming is when a Roanoke homeowner realizes that they will not be able to make their mortgage payments at some time in the near future.  A Roanoke homeowner DOES NOT have to be late on their mortgage payment to talk to me about doing a Short Sale.  It seems that I find out that a homeowner needs help when the Foreclosure Notice appears in the Roanoke Newspaper.....too late guys.  If you know that you will not be able to pay your payments in the future...call, email or text...please?  If you know that you are losing your job....call, email or text....please?  If you think that your house is not worth... 03/22/2010

USDA is running out of money soon.  USDA loans are some of, if not the, most popular loan for homeowners in Roanoke VA, Bedford VA, Franklin County VA and Botetourt County Virginia.  It appears that the Government has officially run out of money and these loans will go away in April.  There are very few lenders still accepting loan applications for USDA loans at this time.  If you are a fence sitter I would highly encourage you to get off the fence and get a contract on a property ASAP.  More information will follow as it become available. 03/22/2010

      How much does an overpriced listing cost you in the current Roanoke Va. real estate market?       Overpricing your home in this market is a very costly endeavor. Last year the Roanoke Real Estate Teams average time on market was 31 days. The average of the agents with the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors was 102. Those 71 days represent a minimum of two extra mortgage payments, figuring an average mortgage paymeny in this are of $1,200 that is an extra $2,400 out of your pocket.       The other side of the coin is how much didi the property sell for as opposed to the original list price. The average of the agents with the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors was 90.09% sales price compared to the average listing price. The Roanoke Real Estate Team was 98.44% of the origina... 03/21/2010

I was working on a Roanoke VA foreclosure today that will be hitting the market sometime in the near future.  I was amazed at the condition the previous owner left the home in!  There was dog and cat feces everywhere!  Everywhere means, on the carpet, hardwoods, stairs, laundry room, kitchen and the screened in porch.  All of the carpets will have to be replaced and the decking will have to be pressure washed to hopefully make this home livable again.  Where has the pride gone?  It is bad enough that someone is in a position where they will lose their home but why destroy it?  Why bring the value of the neighborhood down?  Why take the cabinets out of the home?  Why take the heating system?  Out of spite?  I just don't understand.  I do have a great idea though.....don't get foreclosed ... 03/10/2010

Short sales and Foreclosures are on a slight rise in the Roanoke Va, Salem VA and Franklin County VA areas.  I am somewhat surprised at the number of people who are allowing the banks to foreclose without trying to sell the home first.  Some houses actually have equity in them when the seller is just walking away.  Others have not even attempted to do a short sale.  Please be aware, a foreclosure stays on your record forever.  It seems that a short sale will only affect you for two years.  It helps you and your neighbors to try to sell your house as opposed to letting the bank have it back and sell it for penny's on the dollar. Call us, we can help.  We are trained in pre-forclosure and short sales.  We know the Roanoke VA, Salem VA and Franklin County markets.  We have an expansive web... 03/08/2010

I hope it isn't a false sense of hope but it seems that for the last couple of days spring has sprung in Roanoke VA!  The last of the snow has finally melted away and I am hoping that the Farmer's Almanac is wrong for the rest of this winter! House showings were up this past weekend with some areas having a lot of showings.  It is becoming more and more important to get with a loan officer ASAP if you are thinking of buying a home.  If you don't have a loan officer, give Joel Balsley with Atlantic Bay Mortgage a call.  His number is 540-278-1430.  Joel is a great loan officer and has helped a ton of people realize their home buying dreams. A lot of my buyers in Roanoke, Botetourt , Franklin, and Vinton VA are finding that there are more loan programs available than they thought and that... 03/08/2010

If you haven't swung by the Jefferson Center in Roanoke for awhile, you have a great excuse to do that on March 12th! Blue Highway will be celebrating their 15th anniversary with a night of music at the Jefferson's Shaftman Performance Hall. It will be quite a show! Blue Highway has a big following in bluegrass and other music genres. Beyond bluegrass, they will also be performing some Gospel music favorites and original work as well. But don't expect just music! There is usually a good bit of humor thrown in to the mix as well. You can even purchase a VIP pass for a meet and greet with the band! If humor is what you want then laughs is what you'll get at the Big Lick Conspiracy show on March 13th at 8pm. Roanoke's only improve group operates without a net! No script, no set and no cost... 03/07/2010

      Curb appeal... what to do before selling your home this spring in Roanoke Va. Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.       Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway. This will give your home a much cleaner and appealing first impression. Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools, clutter will detract from your homes strong points. Clean windows and gutters, you want the sunshine streaming in to give the home a bright and cheery apperance inside. Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks this will help the home look brighter. Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks, this gives a sharper, crisper first impression. Mow the lawn, get rid of weeds, ra... 03/07/2010

      Roanoke Va. to try for world record longest Riverdance line! We're going to challenge the Longest Riverdance Line World Record - but we need all of Roanoke to participate!       Everyone who can move their feet and chew gum at the same time is encouraged to participate - we'll show you how that day. Come ready to Riverdance with the whole community in the middle of Jefferson Street - just before the parade. Get there early, the Riverdance Challenge starts at 10:30am!       For more info follow this link  http://www.roanokesaintpats.org/html/activities.html  and help Roanoke Va. break a worlds record. 03/07/2010

Good Afternoon!  I wanted to post a quick blog to let everyone know that the team and I are separating the blogs out.  We are doing a lot with foreclosures, pre-foreclosures and short sales but that is not all that we do.  Unfortunately our blogging has caused some confusion.  Hopefully this will clear it up.  We will try to post foreclosure and short sale related posts on our sister blog- www.RoanokeShortSaleSuperstars.com We will keep this blog centered around Roanoke VA, the surrounding Counties, and information pertenant to real estate in general.  Happy reading! Damon 03/05/2010