Photo by Pear BiterIt’s been well nigh a year and a half since I last updated this real estate blog. A lot has happened in home buying and selling and right now we’re on the end (hopefully) of this recession, the job market is slowly starting to stabilize (and the last report from March showed positive indications), and lots of you are considering this year as the time to buy a new home and/or sell your existing home or investment property.

Springtime is always the best time to be getting your house ready for sale. The flowers are blooming, the feel of warm breezes on your face and the sweet fragrance of blooming things abounds heralds warmer weather to come. Folks are thinking about their gardens (and already planting, yikes, I better get a move on!) and making outdoor plans for the coming months.

And while I haven’t gone anywhere in Roanoke, I’ve still been selling with the best/rest of them, I haven’t given much attention to this site (sorry!).

My wife and I have a new baby (4 months old), our oldest is heading off to college this year and there are promising things on the horizon for everyone.

I’m looking forward to talking with you through this medium again!

Best wishes for a warm, happy spring!

Technorati Tags: hypermilers, gas prices

Exxon, that great behemoth of carbon fuel producers earned $11.68 billion (yes, BILLION) which factors out to about $1,500 per second over the last three months.

I have no problem with a business making profits. I own stocks so I like to see business make money. But when these oil-cartel-flunkies are decrying they have no control over the price of oil, then how can they produce such record profits? If their own costs have truly gone up, and they have raised their prices to protect their profits, then you would expect them to continue along a profit line, but this is blatant abuse of the American consumer.

This second quarter profit is “the biggest quarterly profit ever by any U.S. corporation” [emphasis added] according to the reporter. At a time when our country is suffering, people are losing their jobs due to company cuts, homeowners are losing their homes to foreclosure and hard-working citizens can’t afford to put gas in their cars, I call it criminal that a company like Exxon could produce a record profit like this one.

Where are our politicians/protectors now? (On vacation starting tomorrow…) We need to call them to task to regulate these abuses. There are some initiatives out there, but as usual, partisan lines are getting in the way. It’ll be a great day when our representatives actually look out for us, and not their party platforms. I don’t care what side of the aisle you’re on, when Americans and our economy are suffering, we need to come together.

You can read more here, here and here.

And it’s the sidewalk that is the subject of this email. I was picking up a pizza from Grace’s Pizzeria (one of the two best pizza joints in Roanoke) and as I was walking out, I couldn’t help but notice this large SUV parked directly on the sidewalk. The hilarious part is the sign right beside the offending vehicle.

So all you bicyclists and skateboarders keep off the sidewalk. The SUVs need the space. :o)

The second annual Roanoke Arts Festival, re-timed this year to help celebrate the opening of the new Taubman Museum of Art, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8-9 with free and ticketed events and activities to appeal to a wide range of audiences.

The 2008 Roanoke Arts Festival will complement the museum’s grand opening weekend and once again pay tribute to arts of the region and beyond with a host of rich offerings capped by a performance by Country-music legend Crystal Gayle. The Festival will include a free downtown rock ‘n’ roll concert, great Bluegrass music, a musical puppet show, an exposition of the culinary arts, theatrical performances, classical music and more.

The Festival will also serve as the grand finale to “40 Days and 40 Nights,” a celebration of arts and culture with daily activities and exhibits coordinated by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge.

“This year’s Festival – timed for the museum’s opening and this historic moment for the arts and culture for our region – is a great way to celebrate all facets of the arts,” says Susan Jennings, Roanoke’s public art coordinator. “The 2008 Roanoke Arts Festival will extend this excitement onto the streets of downtown Roanoke and into venues in Roanoke Valley.”

“With the Taubman Museum opening its doors as one of the most impressive museums of its kind, we felt the Arts Festival should tie into that spirit and welcome visitors to explore not just the visual arts, but music, drama, film – even the culinary arts,” adds Festival manager Rick Salzberg.

As the final touches are being made to this year’s schedule, planning already is under way for the third annual Roanoke Arts Festival, scheduled to be held next fall.

“With strong interest and broad audience appeal from our inaugural Festival last year, we’ve heard from fans of the arts from throughout Virginia urging us to offer even more choices in years ahead,” Salzberg says. “That’s why we’re already looking ahead to next year, when we will resume a four-day Festival.”
The 2007 Arts Festival was recognized as one of the year’s best festivals by the readers of City Magazine, and even nationally renowned performers lauded the Festival.

Visit the website for more information: www.RoanokeArtsFest.org/

What can Jack do for you?

Every time I turn on the television, there’s bad news about the economy, real estate and the foreclosure crisis. There is truth amongst all the scare mongering, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Houses are still selling. If you’re looking to sell your home and buy a new home, it’s a good time. If you’re a first-time buyer with decent credit and income, it’s a great time to buy! So what are you waiting for?

Folks are looking to buy and sell real estate this year, contrary to the nay saying we hear in the media.

1. I am an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. As a Boy Scout I was able to do a lot of amazing things and take some really fantastic trips to places like Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico!
2. I spent almost 7 years in jail from 1998-2005. (I actually worked there as a magistrate!) One midnight shift I smashed a giant jail roach with a volume from the Code of Virginia, quite literally throwing the book at it.
3. While in college I volunteered with the Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department as a cardiac technician on the rescue squad. Saw many tragic things.
4. We have a golden retriever named Rooster. He’s a mischievous fellow and likes to raid the laundry for his favorite item to play keep-away…our socks.
5. I worked for 4 summers at Camp Bethel near Troutville on the summer staff. One of the things I enjoyed most was working as the naturalist and one of my assumed responsibilities was to rid the main areas of any snakes that wondered in. I was given the nickname “Snakeman” by the kids!

So it is now time to pass this along to someone else.  I think I will tap Todd Hester and Rhett Fleitz.

“Roanoke police officers challenged the city’s top prosecutor Tuesday, rejecting remarks in which he compared a city officer to Barney Fife in open court.

Caldwell criticized police for allowing Workman, an off-duty Drug Enforcement Administration agent, to walk around and speak with investigators after the shooting rather than handcuffing him and isolating him like any other suspect.

Comparing Garrett to the bungling deputy sheriff on “The Andy Griffith Show,” Caldwell described him as “the good-hearted guy who tries to help out, but he doesn’t quite get it right.”

As a former Magistrate in Roanoke City, I have worked with the criticized police officer on many occasions and besides always being extremely professional and competent with me, I found him to always be respectful to those under arrest as well.

In this instance, it seems to me like another opportunity for the City’s elected prosecutor to sling mud and blame someone else for his own office’s blunders. I often found Mr. Caldwell’s office uncooperative (they are charged with advising the magistrates if necessary) and condescending towards victims, professionals and others on more than once occasions. Enough to classify it as an attitude endemic to himself and his employees.

Rather than fighting with federal authorities over which crimes they prosecute, it seems like the CA would want the Feds to prosecute in the cases where the criminals would get more time and therefore keep them out of our community longer. Instead, it smacks of a childish, territorial game played out at the expense and slandering of an otherwise professional police officer.

From Roanoke’s Chief of Police, Joe Gaskins-

Roanoke Police Chief Joe Gaskins said he is unaware of any complaint against Garrett in the officer’s 17-year career with the department.

“Kenny Garrett is a fine officer and for anyone to assume they knew what was in his mind without any proof was erroneous, period,” Gaskins said.

I just received a press release from the tba: Thomas Becher Agency about the upcoming Roanoke festival and want to pass it on to you.

Highlights of this year’s festival include performances from Judy Collins, Grammy Award winner Ramsey Lewis and the Ramsey Lewis Trio & Little Feat.  Also there will be literature and poetry reading from the faculty and students of Hollins University Graduate Program in Creative Writing (which is a real treat if you’ve never attended a Hollins reading) and of course the Downtown Living Tour.

See more things to do here.

Here are some photos from the install!

svgallery=kiosk-install

More kiosks coming soon to-

Tanglewood Mall
Smith Mountain Lake
New River Valley Mall
River Ridge Mall

The policy will require anyone under the age of eighteen to be escorted by a parent or guardian on Friday and Saturday evenings after 6:00pm.  Valley View Mall advises ID will be required at mall entrances.

You can read Valley View Mall’s announcement here.  I wonder how many extra security guards and Roanoke City Police officers that’s going to take?

“I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly“
John Denver from Rocky Mountain High

Although not a Smith Mountain Lake real estate story per se, I felt that writing about the delisting from the endangered species list today of the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was definitely a topic worth writing about. The Bald Eagle has always held a special place in my heart as the symbol of our great country and also having earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a younger me in the Boy Scouts it holds even more significance (did you know only 5% of boys who enter Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank?).

Several news organizations wrote on the delisting today-

Washington Post – U.S. Declares Bald Eagles No Longer Threatened
CNN – Bald eagle soars off endangered list
New York Times – Bald Eagles, Thriving, Settle Into Suburban Life

You can read more from the Roanoke Times and this Botetourt County blog.

It’d be nice if Roanoke City, Roanoke County and other surrounding police departments did the same.  It’d be a real service to home buyers who want to check out the crime stats in the neighborhoods they’re looking to buy real estate in.

You can check out Vinton’s crimes here-  http://vinton.va.crimeviewcommunity.com/

It’s also being reported that the Yankees will play an exhibition game against the VT baseball team next spring somewhere near the Blacksburg campus.  The Salem Avalanche stadium in Salem, Virginia has been mentioned as one possibility.  That would be pretty cool!

Visit their site: www.retailmenot.com

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You can see these and more at Matt’s video page.

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• Virginia Tech Tragedy website
• Main VT website

This afternoon we went to Virginia Tech to participate in the candlelight vigil organized by the students at VT. It was a beautiful experience of community healing, mourning and comfort. I’ve debated since yesterday, which seems an eternity ago, about whether I would post any comments or feelings about this tragedy. After tonight, I do feel like posting, not so much about the events of yesterday but the experiences of today.

After arriving in Blacksburg, we drove to Lane Stadium and parked in one of the overflow lots nearby. From there we walked toward the drill field. Neither my wife or I knew exactly where we were going and after a few minutes of walking we found ourselves beside the West A.J. dormitory. Allison had a very visceral reaction to being so close to this scene and my heart was troubled. We quickly moved away and found our way to the drill field well ahead of the candlelight vigil.

Reprinted with permission from Ben Lansing.

There was the constant reminder that this was a crime scene. Norris Hall is visible from the drill field with crime scene tape still intact and stuck in trees, placed there by the blustery winds. I counted 15 to 20 Virginia State Troopers around the drill field and we passed twice as many on our way to the drill field.

One thing that struck me was how quiet the campus was and how few people were around. Having been at the VT campus before I was expecting students to be out in the field, throwing the frisbee and socializing but there were probably less than 100 people out there. We found some candles and walked around the field. There was a minister playing guitar and singing songs of comfort, people were gathered around the impromptu memorial and gathered in small groups. It was a beautiful afternoon…brilliant blue skies and white clouds.

Shortly before the vigil began students and people began pouring out of dormitories and buildings, streaming in from the surrounding sidewalks. Estimates are around 20,000 to 40,000 people in attendance. What a privilege it was. Everyone was packed closely together holding the cold at bay and holding their candles of hope and comfort. The service was short but packed with good things. The media keeps playing the Hokie chant but the thing that struck me most was the playing of taps and the spontaneous singing of Amazing Grace by the large crowd.

Tonight, I was a Hokie.

In an effort to address the needs of the changing population and increase the quality of life of residents and visitors, a program to aggressively seek and attract retailers to Roanoke will be rolled out on February 6. The City of Roanoke will announce a new Web-based program, MyRetailRoanoke.com, to assist in economic development efforts focused on attracting new retailers and service providers to Roanoke. Join Roanoke Mayor Nelson Harris and City Manager Darlene Burcham on February 6 at 11 a.m. at Valley View Mall’s Marble Court on the 1st floors adjacent to JC Penney. We encourage all local bloggers to attend.

I’ll see you there!