Can You Lower Your Property Taxes by real estate expert Fulton Gaylord In our society today, we are all looking for ways to cut our expenses. If you own any property in the Charlottesville real estate market, then one of these expenses are your property taxes. In our discussion today, we are going to look at ways to possibly cut your propertytaxes. Tip #1 – Make a trip to the assessment office. This office contains a wealth of knowledge that we don’t take enough advantage of. Get as much information about your property in the Charlottesville real estate market as you can. Make sure that everything that is recorded in that office is true to the best of your knowledge. If it is not, then you definitely want to rectify that. Whatever is not correct, you want to be able to show proof via pi... 12/30/2012

A few years ago, I went on a reading binge on the Colonial period and all of the founding fathers and mothers.  And the player who fascinated me the most was Thomas Jefferson.  So this Memorial Day weekend, my sweetie and I hopped into his really cute convertible and headed for Charlottesville, Virginia to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's plantation.  The ride down was gorgeous, with a detour down Skyline Drive, with it's amazing views of the Shenandoah Valley.  We had the top down, and while the skies were pretty blue over the Shenandoah, on the other side of the mountain, the sky was black with scary looking clouds.  Still, it didn't really rain on us! When we got to Monticello, the tour started with a film about Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence.  But I was more ... 05/27/2009

Home Sellers , If you have never met him before, this is Downtown Hound. Happy Hounds Make the World Go Round! Sometimes the simplest things can be taught to us by our furry friends. I was down on the floor with Downtown Hound, doing the belly rub (his of course, not mine) and that's when I saw it. An ugly X painted on the underside of the kitchen cabinets. Now granted, who's going to see it other than children or visitors under 4feet tall..........and of course Downtown Hound. Oh...wait a minute, if I were a seller trying to sell my home, and a couple had small children, they would see that ugly X. It's just a little reminder that all people look at things from a different view. Your buyer who's very tall is going to see all that dust collecting on the top of the cabinets. Not to menti... 03/10/2008

Recycling in the Charlottesville area is made downright simple by our city. Each home is given a plastic bin to put on the curb weekly on your normal trash day.  There is no additional cost to have your bin picked up.  We are surrounded by Albemarle county which also offers us additional recycling opportunities with numerous locations that you can drop off your products.  They also offer leaf collection at certain times during the year and Christmas tree pick-up in January. Even a local business has become involved, offering to take our E-waste.  Of course there are many items that you can use to make compost in your yards.  Clothing items can be donated to our local clothing donation centers.They also offer ways to dispose of hazardous household chemicals on the following web-site: htt... 02/16/2008

 First of all I want to tell you I am not a lender. However I want to pass on some news to all buyers!I was just informed from one of my favorite lenders that they currently have the following loans:Conventional Loans with a LTV (Loan to Value) of 80%LOANS $417,000 and below30 Day Close!RATE: 5.50% with zero points!If you are on the fence and waiting for the right time, this is your signal!!! Buyers have the best of all worlds, Large inventories, room to negotiate and great rates!________________________________________________________________________________________________If you are looking at homes, land or an estate in the Charlottesville area your first step is to visit my Charlottesville Real Estate website (where all listed properties are available). For detailed information cont... 01/22/2008

There are a lot of statistics out there to look at. The Real Estate market is unique for every area. This is why I have created a page on my website dedicated just for charts and trends regarding Charlottesville Real Estate. Please check out this link:   Trends in Charlottesville Real EstateThis page is updated frequently and the cycles in our market can give you an edge in knowing how to negotiate a sale or purchase of your home.CharlesIf you are looking at homes, land or an estate in the Charlottesville area your first step is to visit my Charlottesville Real Estate website (where all listed properties are available). For detailed information contact Charles McDonald at 434-981-1585 or email at Charles@MyCharlottesvilleAGENT.com  I look forward to our tour! 01/19/2008

The Charlottesville and the Monticello areas of Virginia are great places to live.  Beyond all the wonderful history, shopping, nature that we enjoy here, is the fact that this is a wonderful dog friendly area.  You will meet lots of people walking with man's best friend.The American Kennel Club has the current list of Americans current top dog picks:10.Bulldog9. Shih Tuz8. Poodle7. Dachshund6. Boxer5. Beagle4. Golden Retriever3. German Shepherd2. Yorkshire Terrier1. Labrador RetrieverNo matter what kind of dog you have, this is a great area to play with your friend.  Take him to the dog park. If you don't have a dog yet, just visit our local SPCA.The perfect pal is just waiting for you!  01/19/2008

We now have 2 new and 2 returning members to our County Planning Commission. Tom Loach was appointed to represent the White Hall District, replacing Duane Zobrist.Linda Porterfield was appointed to represent the Scottsville District to replace Petie Craddock.Marcia Joseph was reappointed as the at-large representative.Calvin Morris was reappointed to represent Rivanna District. The appointments are effective immediately, and the new Planning Commission members will be in attendance at the January 15 Planning Commission meeting. Keeping up to date on what is going on is just as important as who is doing what!So when was the last time you attended a meeting?  01/13/2008

     One thing that the Charlottesville area is know for is it's local wine tastings.  The nearest winery to Charlottesville is Oakencroft Vineyard & Winery in Albemarle county.  It is located just 3.5 miles from Barracks Road Shopping Center on Garth Road.  When you visit the Charlottesville area, make sure you stop by and visit.  One of the most beautiful areas of Albemarle county, Oakencroft has been in the wine business since 1978 and boasts 24 medal winning years.  Stop by for wine related gifts, a tasting or a tour.  Oakencroft hosts many special events during the year.  Please visit www.oakencroft.com for more details to plan your visit. For more information on Charlottesville, Monticello, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa and Greene, please visit my website at www.CharlottesvilleBuyHo... 01/11/2008

There is always a lot going on in the Charlottesville area and today there is an event worth seeing at Monroe's home.  Ash Lawn-Highland presents Sounds of the SeasonLocation: Ash Lawn-Highland, which is located just past Monticello in Charlottesville Virginia, This informal concert features classic instrumental music and sing-along carols followed by an evening open house in the festively decorated James Monroe home. Times and ticket prices TBA. Reservations recommended. Call 434-293-9539 for more information.Thursday December 27, 2007Web Site: http://www.ashlawnhighland.org/ If you are visiting our area, Monticello is always a must see, but just a couple of miles away is James Monroe's home Ash Lawn-Highlands and I highly recommend seeing both!Regards, Charles 12/27/2007