Amissville, Virginia
An ongoing dialog on real estate news, opinion and trends in Northern Virginia and the greater Piedmont area.
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Aug. 29, 2008
I'm fully booked this weekend showing properties to potential buyers.
Great news, right?
Here's the thing, out of all those buyers, not one of them wants to see anything in Fauquier, Culpeper, Rappahannock or Warren Counties.
Next week I'm going to do a very, very specific analysis between a few houses in comparable subdivisions in Fauquier, Prince William and Loudon counties. I think the price comparisons will be surprising to a lot of people.
Other Coming Attractions Next Week:
- Early Peek at August Numbers
- Poplar Springs Efforts to Go Green
- Re-inventing Warrenton
Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
Jul. 30, 2008
Lake Whippoorwill is a subdivision on the DC side of Warrenton, just off of 605. The tax records show 122 homes in this community. The homes here are mostly colonials, generally on lots between 1 and 2 acres.
In 2007, 7 homes were sold in Lake Whippoorwill. The net sales prices ranged from a low of $455,000 to a high of $625,000. The average price per square foot on those homes sold was $85. (Price per square foot has been calculated using information available in MLS and county tax records.) There were no foreclosure sales.
Contrast that with 2008. No homes have sold thus far in this community, 7 full months into the year. There are currently 6 homes for sale with one of them under contract. Three of the six are foreclosures. Two other homeowners have given up for now and taken their homes off the market. The highest listed price for any of these homes is $599,999. The lowest is $424,900. The asking price per square foot remains high at an average of $88, although some are now as low as $72/sq. ft.
The likelihood is that none of these homes will sell for their asking price. In this market it's pretty rare to see an offer at asking price. Watch this neighborhood for further price declines as the banks do whatever they need to in order to sell the foreclosures.
Jul. 23, 2008
Categorized in: Local News
Warrenton and Culpeper have, for some time now, been considered bedroom communities. Basically the people who have been moving here were commuting to someplace far away to work each day and coming home to sleep.
As more and more families couldn't afford homes closer to their jobs, they came looking out this way. Often they put up with miserable commutes in order to get that new house for their family.
This was part of what fueled the boom in real estate in our communities. And, the end of that flock of commuters moving here has had much to do with the real estate bust, at a local level.
Even with the recent decline in the price of oil, a real long-term reduction in gas prices now seems unlikely. And, as long as gas is at or above $4/gallon, those commuters are probably not coming back.
So, what's next? Who is going to buy these homes?
It seems clear to me that both Warrenton and Culpeper are going to need to reinvent themselves. Whatever we're going to be in the future, it's probably not what we've been in the past.
It's probably unrealistic to think that we're going to bulldoze all those new subdivisions and go back to the sleepy small towns that we once were.
It's equally unrealistic to believe that the commuters are coming back and that we can thrive as a bedroom community.
So, who do we want to be? Clearly we're going to need to attract businesses that pay high enough wages that families can afford to buy homes. What kind of businesses do we want to attract? What's a good fit with who we are today, our history and who we want to be in the future?
I'm not sure our local governments have yet figured out that we need to re-imagine ourselves as something different. Although I see signs of hope in each community.
Warrenton is talking about turning trash into energy. Might this be the start of becoming a green city and a push to attract green industry?
Culpeper is building new condos downtown next to the train depot where they hope to soon have another train headed into DC. This could be the start of the new Culpeper.
These are clearly seeds of something new. Now let's start public discussion and brainstorming around this challenge and potential solutions. It's going to take years to figure this all out and to begin to make these changes. Let's get started now!
Jul. 16, 2008
Categorized in: Green Building
Earlier this week I attended the monthly meeting of Green Drinks Warrenton. Green Drinks is an international organization designed to connect people involved in environmental causes. These monthly get togethers happen all over the world. And, now they're right here in Warrenton. Deborah Williamson started the group after a friend from Maryland invited her to one there. She got excited about the concept and went online to find one nearer Warrenton. Unfortunately, the closest one she could find was in DC. She attended a gathering there, but knew she didn't want to travel into DC all the time. So, she did the only sensible thing and decided to start one here. The initial event took place in May and was very well attended. Warrenton's mayor, George Fitch, attended to tell us all about the plans for turning our trash into energy. At this week's Green Drinks we had representatives from Brumfield Elementary School's PTO. They're working on an initiative to not only make Brumfield more green, but eventually, they hope, the entire school system. They're plans involve a lot of wonderful learning opportunities for the students. And, a splinter group from Green Drinks will be joining them to help. Green Drinks is a great place to meet other like-minded people. It's a great place to kick around ideas. I throw out my wildest ideas for making Warrenton a greener place and find enthusiastic support for them! And, it's also a lot of fun! As the group grows and matures I look for them to make a lot of very positive changes in our community. If you'd like to come to the next meeting and check it out, you can contact Deborah directly to get on the mailing list. Her e-mail is gallentina@aol.com
Nov. 7, 2007
Categorized in: Fauquier County
The Fauquier TImes Democrat this week features an interview with local real estate broker, Joe Allen. It was an interesting article and I found much to agree with there.
In fact, it was interesting that Joe Allen's words very closely matched those of Washington Mutual's head of their mortgage department who yesterday said this market was unlike any he'd ever seen. Joe says it's the worst housing slump he's seen in his 34 years in the business. And, that seems consistent with what I'm seeing and the sentiment of many of those who've been in this business for many years.
And, I share his skepticism about NAR's 2008 forecasts. But you should also remember that those are national forecasts and real estate is very, very local.
And while he's right that there are always buyers I would have like to see a more in-depth discussion about how many buyers it's going to take locally to pull us out of this slump and what might be discouraging those buyers right now. There was no mention of the unique local factors that we face.
Still, all in all, a good interview. Joe's been around a long time and his opinions are usually worth listening to!
Oct. 31, 2007
Categorized in: Fauquier County
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Warrenton, Virginia
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The largest town and county seat for Fauquier County. With quite a bit of new residential construction and growth, commercial conveniences are springing up around town. Home Depot and Borders are the latest "adds" but if you prefer the personalized attention and relationships created in a small town environment, Warrenton still has that too. Main Street is lined with charming clothing and antique shops, delightful restaurants and gran; In the summertime there are boats for rent on the parks lake, performances in the amphitheater, and plenty of playground fun for the kids.
The town was incorporated in 1810 and named after the Revolutionary War hero, General Joesph Warren. But you will probably see many more landmarks noted around town for Colonel John S. Mosby who raided the area during the Civil War, and later settled here and practiced law in Warrenton.The Old Jail was build in 1808 and now holds a museum of local history. The Old Courthouse on Main Street is still in use and a great historic landmark for the town.
The Fauquier public school system serves Warrenton and several elementary schools, the Warrenton Middle School and Fauquier High School are all located in town.
The Fauquier Hospital is located in town and there are countless top-quality health care practices throughout the town and vicinity.
Fauquier County, Warrenton is located just about 40 miles Southwest of Washington, DC.It is the county seat and located in the northern region of Virginia. The primary arteries that run through the town are Routes 29,17,15 and 211 and provide easy access to Interstates 66, 64, 81, and 95. With the smaller community feel, while remaining close to more urban areas, many people are taking advantage of the lower cost of living and moving to the Virginia countryside.
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Oct. 31, 2007
Categorized in: Fauquier County
FAUQUIER COUNTY WINERIES
Fox Meadow Vineyards & Winery
3310 Freezeland Road
Linden, VA 22642
540-636-6777
http://www.foxmeadowwinery.com
Linden Vineyards
3708 Harrels Corner Road
Linden, VA
540-364-1997
http://www.lindenvineyards.com
Mediterranean Cellars
8295 Falcon Glen Road
Warrenton, VA
540-428-1984
http://www.mediterraneancellars.com
Naked Moutain Vineyard
2747 Leeds Manor Road
Markham, VA
540-364-1609
Http://www.nakedmtn.com
Oasis Winery
14141 Hume Road
Hume, VA
540-364-1609
http://www.oasiswine.com
Pearmund Cellars
6190 Georgetown Road
Broad Run, VA
540-347-3475
http://www.pearmundcellars.com
Piedmont Vineyards & Winery
2546-D Halfway Road
Middleburg, VA
540-687-5528
http://www.piedmontwines.com
Rogers Ford Farm Winery
14674 Rogers Ford Road
Sumerduck, VA
540-439-3707
Http://www.rogersfordwine.com
Stillhouse Vineyards
4366 Stillhouse Road
Hume, VA 22639
540-364-1203
http://www.stillhousevineyards.com
Three Fox Vineyards
10100 Three Foxes Lane
Delaplane, VA
540-364-6073
Http://www.threefoxvineyards
Oct. 31, 2007
Categorized in: Fauquier County
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Fauquier County, Virginia
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Nestled between booming Northern Virginia and the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, residents of Fauquier County enjoy the best of both worlds. Developing communities and towns of commerce offer fine restaurants, great shopping and an inviting area for new business. All the while, maintaining beautiful farmland and the county's agricultural history. For those who enjoy spending time outdoors, the county offers many areas for great hiking or horseback riding, such as Sky Meadow State Park. There are many vineyards to explore and sample some of Virginia's finest wines.
As a somewhat "horsey" community, the county holds many point-to-point and steeplechase races throughout the season. The best known races, the Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup steeplechase races, are held every spring and fall at Great Meadow Park. Great Meadow also has twilight polo matches every weekend throughout the summer. The Upperville and Warrenton Horse Shows are two of the oldest, and best known equine events. The Bluemont Concert Series make its rounds about the towns each summer and Bealeton boasts the Flying Circus Air shows.
Fauquier Hospital is located in Warrenton and serves the entire county. In 2003 it embarked on a $50 million dollar, hospital-wide renovation project to build new wings and expand and enhance current facilities.
The public school system consists of 2 high schools, 5 middle schools and 10 elementary schools and is currently in the midst of a six year improvement plan to address the growth the county is experiencing. For more information on the district, go to www.fcps1.org. The county offers many reputable private and parochial schools as well.
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MM Piecre Elementary in Remington serves about 540 children from pre-K through 5th grade.
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Liberty High School is the home of the "Eagles" and serves students in grades
9-12.
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With a population of about 63,000 the county is enjoying significant growth.There is a lot of new residential construction, but there are still many grand old Virginia homes, charming farmhouses and everything in between.
Some of the communities and subdivisions in the Fauquier County area include:
Lake Whippoorwill
Warrenton Lakes
White's Mill
For more information on FauquierCounty, visit The Fauquier Chamber of Commerce and/or the Fauquier County website.
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Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains
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Oct. 31, 2007
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Amissville, Virginia
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Some time around 1763, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron divided the land now known as Amissville to Joseph Bayse and Joseph Amiss. In the early 1800s, descendants of both families wanted the town named in their own honor. So an election was held and the Amiss family won by a one vote margin, hence, the name Amissville.
Amissville is located in Rappahannock County with outlying areas falling in Culpeper County and a tiny piece in Fauquier County.There is definitely the charm of small town living here, but the conveniences in Warrenton, Virginia are just 15 minutes away.
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Amissville is a community of beautiful farms and good people.In the summer, residents can gather at Hackleys General Store for some blue grass music and every June the Amissville fire station hosts the annual carnival.Grey Ghost Vineyards is located right on Route 211 and is putting Virginia on the international wine map by producing acclaimed wines from immaculate vineyards.
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In about 1763, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron divided the land now known as Amissville to Joseph Bayse and Joseph Amiss. In the early 1800´s, decendents of both families wanted the town named in their own honor.
So an election was held and the Amiss family won by a one vote margin, hence, the name Amissville.
Most of the area is service by the Rappahannock school system, but again some outlying areas fall into the Culpeper public school district.
For more information see http://www.amissville.com
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May. 25, 2007
Categorized in: Home Improvement
Regular readers of this space will know that I have an interest in green building and alternative energy solutions. If you're passionate about the subject or just a little curious, there's a great opportunity this next Saturday in Warrenton.
This is the second year for this event and I'm really excited! It's a wonderful opportunity to have this kind of information this close! Please stop by if you have a chance!
2007 PIEDMONT ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EXPO!
Saturday, June 2
9 a.m.–4:30 p.m
Fauquier County Fairgrounds
6209 Old Auburn Rd, Warrenton, VA 20187-4353
Admission: $5 for adults
Free for children and students
The region's only one-stop shopping opportunity for consumer-friendly alternatives to fossil-fuel energy returns for a second year.
NEW for 2007 is an added emphasis on green building, energy conservation, and sustainability.
WHAT'S NEW ? WHAT'S HOT ? WHAT'S COOL? WHAT WORKS?
Featured technologies for the 2007 Piedmont Alternative Energy Expo include solar, wind, and biofuels solutions, plus energy-efficient heating and cooling options—such as geothermal systems, high velocity duct systems, tankless water heaters, radiant systems, and alternative fuel boilers.
New exhibitors include ECO Solutions, LLC (water and air purification systems) , Green Man Forest Management (conservation-minded tools for responsible forest management), MoreSun Custom Woodworking, Inc. (timber frames, furniture, cabinetry and timber frame design using environmentally-friendly materials), RASP Technologies (alternative fuels), Blue Ridge Yurts (alternative buildings), and COTEFCO Corporation (energy efficiency consulting and products).
Lining up to return for a second year are… Appleton Campbell of Warrenton (energy-efficient heating and cooling systems), Oesch Environmental Design (solar and zero energy homes, green oak timber frame, straw bale construction, living earth roofs, and healthful environmental control systems), Piedmont Biofuels Cooperative of North Carolina (biofuels cooperative), Recovered Energy Resources (small-scale power plants fueled through biomass, animal manure, wood wastes, and trash), TerraBuilt (subsoil brick manufacturing and construction system), and Solar Connexion (solar design and installation services), among others.
TALK TO THE EXPERTS
Among the most popular Expo offerings are the chance to talk through individual applications with a wide range of experts and a variety of hands-on educational opportunities. A number of not-for-profits will also be on hand to provide information on energy use strategies.
PRESENTED BY RLEP AND THE RIPTIDE FUND
The 2007 Piedmont Alternative Energy Expo is presented by the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP) and the Riptide Fund. RLEP is a 35-year old membership organization dedicated to preserving the natural resources and rural character of Rappahannock County, Virginia.
For more information, visit www.RLEP.org.
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