Mr Williamsburg, Blogging on Life and Real Estate in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads Virginia

A Message from Gov. McDonnell

Posted on May 27, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

From Governor Bob McDonnell as Virginians observe Memorial Day across the Commonwealth.

“As we observe Memorial Day with friends and family members, we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we now enjoy. This year, 40 additional heroes are recognized as Virginians who have paid that sacrifice in the ongoing war on terror with their names to be added to Virginia’s Wall of Honor.

These include from the United States Army Sergeant Zainah C. Creamer – Fairfax County; Sergeant First Class Anthony Venetz, Jr. – Prince William County; Captain Michael W. Newton – Newport News; Specialist Levi E. Nuncio – Harrisonburg; Specialist Douglas J. Green – Sterling; Staff Sergeant James R. Leep, Jr. – Davenport; Specialist Ryan M. Lumley – New Kent County; Private First Class Michael W. Pyron – Hopewell; Sergeant First Class Benjamin B. Wise – Suffolk; Brigadier General Terence J. Hildner – Fairfax; Corporal Timothy J. Conrad, Jr. – Roanoke; Staff Sergeant Brandon F. Eggleston – Pearisburg; Private First Class Richard L. McNulty, III – Chester; Captain Jesse A. Ozbat – Prince George; from The United States Marines Corporal Lucas T. Pyeatt – Newport News; Major Samuel M. Griffith – Virginia Beach; Master Sergeant Travis W. Riddick – Orange County; from the United States Airforce Major Raymond G. Estelle, II – Yorktown; From the United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Jonas B. Kelsall – McLean; Master Chief Petty Officer Louis J. Langlais – Virginia Beach; Senior Chief Petty Officer Thomas A. Ratzlaff – Hampton Roads; Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert J. Reeves – Hampton Roads; Senior Chief Petty Officer Heath M. Robinson – Hampton Roads; Senior Chief Petty Officer Kraig M. K. Vickers – Virginia Beach; Chief Petty Officer Darrik C. Benson – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Brian R. Bill – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Christopher G. Campbell – Virginia Beach; Chief Petty Officer John W. Faas – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Kevin A. Houston – Chesapeake; Chief Petty Officer Matthew D. Mason – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Stephen M. Mills – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Nicholas H. Null – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Jon T. Tumilson – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Aaron C. Vaughn – Hampton Roads; Chief Petty Officer Jason R. Workman – Hampton Roads; Petty Officer 1st Class Jared W. Day – Hampton Roads; Petty Officer First Class John Douangdara – Hampton Roads; Petty Officer 1st Class Michael J. Strange – Hampton Roads; Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson – Norfolk; from the Central Intelligence Agency Agent Jeremy J. Wise – Virginia Beach;

In Virginia, home to so many members of the United States Armed Forces and their families, the meaning of this day takes particular significance. Today, as we remember those we have lost, please thank a service member and a veteran for their service in the defense of freedom.

Memorial Day is also a day to remember those at home in our law enforcement community who place themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve. Since January 2011, seven Virginia state and local law enforcement officers have given their lives in the line of duty including: Deputy Sheriff William Stiltner and Deputy Sheriff Cameron Justus of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department; Sergeant Morton Ford of the Alexandria Police Department; Trooper Adam Bowen of the Virginia Department of State Police; Officer Deriek Crouse of the Virginia Tech Police Department; Police Officer Specialist Timothy Brian Schock of the Chesapeake Police Department; Deputy Sherriff Michael Walizer of the Charles City County Sheriff’s Department.

Seeing the sacrifices so many Virginians have made to protect us is a solemn reminder of the cost of freedom. On behalf of a grateful nation and 8 million Virginians who are able to rest under the blanket of freedom our military members, national guardsmen and law enforcement provide, I wish to personally thank the men and women who serve and their families for all of their sacrifices, and to honor the 40 Virginia military personnel and seven law enforcement officers who were honored this year for making the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom. Virginia is forever grateful.”

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So where are the beaches near Williamsburg VA

Posted on May 27, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Question: We are thinking of moving to the Williamsburg or Hampton Roads area of Virginia and are wondering where the public beaches are.

Answer: Thanks to the ocean, the Chesapeake Bay and multiple rivers, beaches are plentiful the area.. So, weather permitting, break out your blanket and sunscreen and head for a beach near you.

Here is a brief rundown of some of the public beaches in Hampton Roads . This includes Va Beach, Norfolk, Yorktown, Newport News, Hampton, James City County, Gloucester and beyond in the The Outer Banks of North Carolina ( OBX) and the Eastern Shore of VA.

In A-Z order……

See them on a map here

GLOUCESTER POINT BEACH

DSCN3616 This beautiful park has a large, shady and grassy area with picnic tables and a shelter. The swimming area and sandy beach are perfect for sunbathing, wading, sand castles and beach fun! The handicapped accessible Beach House, open seasonally, has a concession stand, restrooms and outdoor shower. volleyball court, and fishing pier.

Picnic areas located throughout the park include picnic tables and charcoal grills. There is no fee for these sites which are available on a first come first served basis.
At the base of the Coleman Bridge — opposite Yorktown Beach.

Swimming: Yes, but about half the water is restricted by the current. Lifeguards: No. Public restrooms: Yes.

Off Route 17 on the Gloucester side of the Coleman Bridge, next to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

buckroe4 in Hampton you will find Buckroe Beach and with it’s mile-long Chesapeake Bay beach. Bordering the Chesapeake Bay, Buckroe Beach offers eight acres of family-friendly sandy beach, a playground for children, picnic shelters with tables and grills by reservation, a great walking and bike path, and spacious car park area. Certified lifeguards are on duty daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During the summer months, visitors can swing to the sounds of the Sunday night Groovin by the Bay concerts, or view an outdoor movie as part of the Tuesday night POMOCO Family Movie Series. Beach chair, umbrella, kayak and paddle boat rentals are available to make your stay at Buckroe Beach completely convenient and enjoyable.

On-site parking is available for two hours for free; all-day parking in lots is available for $2. No dogs allowed on the beach from May 15-Sept. 15. Located near the intersection of Pembroke Avenue and Mallory Street in Hampton.Info: 757 850-5116.

grandviewbeach Also in Hampton is Grandview Nature Preserve a bit farther off the beaten path, but this two-mile stretch of beach along the Chesapeake Bay offers a secluded spot ideal for swimming and beachcombing. The nature trails that meander through some of the park’s 475 acres of salt marsh and tidal creek offer excellent bird watching. There are no lifeguards and parking is limited.

Newport News has Huntington Park, the city’s only public beach, located on the James River, nestled at the base of the James River Bridge at the intersection of Mercury and Warwick boulevards. The park has a giant wooden playground called Fort Fun, the longest fishing pier on the East Coast, a children’s fishing pier extending into Lake Biggins, a boat ramp and snack bar. The swimming area has lifeguards from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

King-Lincoln Park is a beautiful 18-acre park situated along the shore of the Hampton Harbor at the east end of Jefferson Avenue in Newport News.. The Park has a natural beach, basketball courts, playgrounds, a stage, three picnic shelters, restrooms, and tennis courts.

Visit the King-Lincoln Park Interpretive Center to enjoy exhibits highlighting native wildlife and ecosystems along the harbor. King-Lincoln Park Interpretive Center is open weekends only Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Interpretive Center is also available (by reservation) throughout the week for groups requesting special interpretive programs.

Each of the three picnic shelters in King-Lincoln Park will accommodate approximately 35 people. Each shelter has three to four picnic tables and one grill. Electricity is available at all shelters.

NORFOLK

The Ocean View beaches, along the Chesapeake Bay, are local favorites where the waves are gentle and the crowds manageable. The city maintains three beach parks, staffed by lifeguards in season, along the 7 1/2 miles of beaches off Ocean View Avenue. Ocean View Park, 100 W. Ocean View Ave., is home to a boardwalk and hosts a series of special events, including concerts, festivals and fireworks. There’s also Sarah Constant Beach Park, at the intersection of Tidewater Drive and Fourth View, and Community Beach Park, between Tidewater Drive and Chesapeake Boulevard. Norfolk’s beachfront also is home to the new Ocean View Fishing Pier, which juts 1,690 feet into the Bay and is open 24 hours a day, Memorial Day through Labor Day. The pier includes a restaurant, bait shop and game room.

VA Beach

RESORT STRIP BEACHES
When someone mentions “the beach”, this is often the area that comes to mind. The Resort Strip stretches roughly from the Jetty at 1st Street to 40th Street in Virginia Beach. This is the “action-packed” area. Here the banner-towing airplanes fly, the oceanfront cafes cook, and the boardwalk bustles with activity. There are 25 parking lots and metered street parking all along the oceanfront.

Visitors can surf, swim, bask in the sun and stroll the three-mile Boardwalk. Entertainment includes concerts at the 17th and 24th Street stages, a summer-long series of festivals and celebrations, and fireworks shows through July and August. The main resort area, from First to 40th streets, has lifeguards in season, with surfing allowed between Third and Fifth streets. The Oceanfront also has public restrooms, public and private parking and wooden walkways to the beach. The 3 mile long boardwalk stretches along the oceanfront from 3rd street to 40th Street. It is 28-feet wide and features a bike path to accommodate bicycles, surreys and skaters.

The resort area of Va. Beach is likely the best known of the Virginia Beach beaches. This highly popular area has rigid regulations, however, because of the huge number of people that are packed into a relatively small strip of land.

It is a HUGE tourist area. In fact, most the people you will find along the beach are not locals . Most locals prefer some of the smaller, out of the way beaches.

Parking is premium for this beach. You’d better come early if you want to use one of the parking meters or even one of the several hundred available spots allotted by municipal parking lot. If you come after noon, chances are you will be out of luck unless you want to try one of the $10-a-day private lots; which are still somewhat limited.

BEYOND THE VA BEACH OCEANFRONT

Chicks Beach

If you are looking for a safe, friendly, and clean beach, this is the place! The bay is calmer than the nearby oceanfront, so it’s a great place to take the kids! Parking can be tough, since it is a neighborhood beach, but on road parking is allowed, and they have a parking lot where you can pay to park for about $5.00. To get there from the oceanfront take Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, (drive north up Atlantic Avenue until it ends around 83rd Street), through the densely wooded area around First Landing State Park and you shall enter the wonderful world of “Chick’s Beach”.

The beaches lie just over the Lesner Bridge on both sides, to the left and to the right. These are bay beaches, with calmer water. The beach to the left offers restrooms. There is a tremendous amount of power boat, Jet Ski and sailboat traffic on the bay. It is lovely. Just stay away from the bridge when swimming. There have been many drowning’s over the years due to the strong currents that run through that area.

South of the resort area are Croatan Beach, Sandbridge Public Beach, and Little Island Park, all with lifeguards during season.

Croatan Beach is almost hidden from the main drag of General Booth Boulevard. Extending from the rock jetty at Rudee Inlet to nearby Camp Pendleton, the beach provides an amazing mile of soft sand and raging surf. Tucked safely away behind a thick growth of trees and unusually beautiful homes, Croatan is a popular, sometimes VERY CROWDED spot for local surfers, families, and couples alike. open from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and has lifeguards on duty.

Sandbridge -Located 15 miles south of (and 180° opposite) the Resort Area, Sandbridge is a secluded beach hideaway of 5 miles of pristine sand dunes and dancing sea oats. It is a relaxing and peaceful community where you can truly slow down and unwind on your vacation. Beachside, the Atlantic never fails to entertain. And for those craving even more of the great outdoors, the marshes and open waters of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park make for great kayaking, hiking, and fishing

beachatsandbridge Sandbridge Beach is similar in nature to the layout of the Outer Banks, with very few commercial businesses and beach houses and condos surrounding it that tourists can rent during the season.

The beach is typically open during the season, which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours during the week run from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Lifeguards are on duty during those hours.

Parking lots are located near the beach for typical vehicles, however RVs and buses are not allowed. The cost is $3 per weekday and $4 on weekends. Residents with a city sticker can park for $1 per day.

To find Sandbridge, take General Booth Boulevard away from the resort area. Make a left onto Princess Anne Parkway at the Nimmo Church. (Historic, white church). Take another left onto Sandbridge Road. Next, make a left onto Sandfiddler Road. Ahead you will see the water tower, at Sandbridge.

Little Island Park – Sandbridge

This 123-acre beach park was once the home to a Coast Guard Station. Today, Little Island Park features a 2,775 ft. beach and a 400 ft. fishing pier. You may also launch your canoe or kayak into Back Bay. Amenities include: Public Beach with Lifeguards (seasonal) Fishing Pier Surfing/Fishing Area Volleyball Courts Basketball Courts Tennis Courts (lighted) Playground Equipment Vending Machines Picnic Shelters Restrooms Showers/Foot Rinses Changing Area Diaper Changing Area Please note that there is a fee for parking and pier admission.

NORTH END BEACHES ( MY FAVORITE)
North of 38th Street in Virginia Beach is where the locals hang. Here the beach is wider. It becomes downright “huge” the further north you go. The homes that scatter the shoreline are breathtaking! It is truly a lovely place. You need to know, however, that there are no public restrooms or public parking lots near this area of the beach. No one is permitted near or on the sea oats. (Don’t even think about it!). There are no lifeguards. To enjoy the North End beaches, one must get there early to secure a rare “on street” parking spot, pack a lunch or snack, and run the risk of dehydration by abstaining from liquids to avoid the need for a restroom.

North End is popular with a wide variety of people who don’t like frequenting the larger, more commercial spots. It isn’t unusual to see this beach packed with families, children, and even senior citizens.

Volleyball nets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are a number of them throughout the beach area.

Dogs are not allowed on the beach and surfing is forbidden between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Free parking is available along either side of Atlantic Avenue. Parking is fairly easy to find during the week, but can be a bit of a problem on the weekends, so it is best to come early in order to find a spot. Please be courteous to the homeowners when parking. Do not block any driveways.

First Landing State Park

An escape from endless strip malls, condominiums and resort hotels, First Landing State Park, is a surprisingly untouched area in north eastern Virginia Beach. It’s one of the few places you can really enjoy nature without all the city obstructions.
It’s a large wooded marshy park with trails, campgrounds, beach accesses and picnic areas. I like to go along with my dogs (on leash) for hikes. The trees are covered in spanish moss and you feel like you are in an enchanted forest, far removed from Virginia Beach. The park is mostly flat so don’t expect the trails to be anything too rigorous. It’s a wonderful place to spend the day and you’ll never get tired of going.

Many locals still refer to the park as "Seashore State Park." The name was changed in the 1990s to reflect the site’s historic significance as the first landing spot of the English settlers who eventually established Jamestown.
There are basically two main sides to the park. There’s the beach side (turn into the left if you’re headed toward the Oceanfront on Shore Drive), featuring a beautiful undeveloped stretch of Chesapeake Bay front beach (thank God for state parks because that property would be worth billions).
The other side of the park is the part (turn in to the right if you’re heading toward the Oceanfront) with the beautiful shaded trails that wind through prehistoric looking swamps filled with cypress trees dripping in Spanish moss.
There are lots of foot trails and one main bike trail. The bike trail (which can also be used on foot) goes all the way through the park and connects to 64th Street down at the Oceanfront.

THE NARROWS
At the end of 64th Street in Virginia Beach lies, “The Narrows”. You take a left off of Atlantic Avenue to get there, if you are heading North. You’ll see the First Landing State Park entrance at the end. You may be stopped by a Park Ranger upon entering. He may ask for a nominal fee. There is a boat ramp, beach and fishing area that abut Broad Bay. This is one of the loveliest sights in Virginia Beach! Broad Bay is just that – “broad”. It is breathtakingly beautiful! There is lots of boat traffic, which creates an ever-changing and entertaining view. Biking and hiking trails add to the versatility of this great area!

We have taken our kids crabbing and jet skiing back there many times.

view Jamestown Beach park above

In The Williamsburg area has James City County’s Jamestown Beach Park, located at 2205 Jamestown Road across from Jamestown Settlement. The park features a newly restored beach front, completed through a $100,000 Living Shoreline grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Along with a spectacular waterfront view, the park also grilling opportunities and shaded picnic areas. Open year round from 8 a.m. to sunset

Yorktown Beach, located near the George P. Coleman Bridge and the heart of historic Yorktown, is a quiet little beach that is perfect for swimming, windsurfing, surfing, and boating. Although not all tourists are aware of this little gem of a spot, the locals certainly are and that is predominantly what you will find here.

Although this beach doesn’t have the amenities of some of the larger ones located in the Virginia Beach area, you will definitely enjoy the view. The way the water meets the beautiful shoreline is a sight worth seeing all on its own.

Parking is somewhat limited but certainly not impossible to find. next to the beach is the The Riverwalk complex , the anchor for the town’s two-acre public beach, with fine dining, an ice cream shop, boutiques and sightseeing cruises. Restrooms and showers are open April through mid-October. Historic Yorktown’s mile-long pedestrian Riverwalk is the perfect place for casual strolling or serious power walking. You can catch your supper at the fishing pier, dock your boat at the Riverwalk Landing pier and/or book a sunset cruise on the Schooner Alliance. Enjoy a guided Segway PT tour through Historic Yorktown or rent a bicycle for a self-guided tour at Patriot Tours & Provisions

OUTER BANKS NC

The OUTER BANKS of North Carolina offers Dozens of public beach access points along North Carolina’s string of barrier islands, on both the ocean and sound sides. Most have lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and some also offer bathhouses, showers and other amenities

For surfcasters, there is more than 100 miles of accessible beach, and there are several piers along a stretch of the coast from Kitty Hawk to Hatteras. Hot spots for surfing include the areas around Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the S-turns in Rodanthe and First Street in Kill Devil Hills.

For a different kind of beach experience, there’s Jockey’s Ridge State Park, where visitors can climb the largest "living" sand dunes on the East Coast, fly kites and even take hang-gliding lessons.

Other areas Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge includes 13 miles of quiet beaches. Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers striking and pristine scenery with a wide array of amenities for visitors. There’s also Coquina Beach, home to the scattered remnants of the shipwrecked Laura Barnes. Just across Hatteras Inlet, and reachable via a free ferry, is Ocracoke Island, a picturesque town with a beach that regularly makes national "best beach" lists.

At the far northern end of the Outer Banks are beaches accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles, from Corolla north to the Virginia state line. Those who want to explore this less accessible beachfront without climbing behind the wheel can also find guided tours offered by several local businesses.

On the EASTERN SHORE of Virginia you will find the Cape Charles Town Beach, at the end of Mason Avenue, it offers a shallow, protected swimming area in the charming resort town of Cape Charles. There are restrooms and a fishing pier at the southern end of the half-mile-long beach and restaurants within walking distance. Summer concerts, holiday events and a monthly Applaud the Sun beach party take place in and around the beach’s pavilion. Parking is free along Bay Avenue, with a paved walkway running the length of the beach. There are three wooden walkovers providing handicapped access. No lifeguards. Pets are prohibited on the beach Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Also on the Eastern Shore is Kiptopeke State Park just three miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, but worlds away from the hubbub of busier resort areas. Sunken concrete-filled ships form a protected area for swimming on the half-mile beach. Lifeguards are on duty Memorial Day through Labor Day. Pets are not allowed.

Assateague Island has extensive beaches. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day at Toms Cove Beach. Pets are not allowed. Hours vary by season; entry fee is $10 per vehicle, good for a week; for those who enter on foot or by bike, admission is free.

If you want a tranquil and well preserved beach that is free of noise, trash and boardwalks then you have found your paradise here in Assateague and Chincoteague! Plus enroute to Tom’s Cove you hopefully get a great view of the famous Chincoteague ponies within a quarter mile of the road – make sure to go slow to see these wild beauties! Also make sure to take PLENTY of bug spray as depending on the day you may get many mosquitos if you stop to get out and take pictures of the pretty ponies. This is a very family friendly beach and very laid back. Bring your own food as there are no arcades or boardwalks with takeaway food. Last if you are lucky like us you will see pods of dolphins doing back flips!

MILITARY ONLY BEACHES for Active Duty, Retired, Reserve military, or DOD civilian
The Cape Henry Inn and Beach Club at Fort Story in VA Beach boasts a spectacular beach that is open to all registered guests. The Cape Henry Inn and Beach Club

has two outdoor swimming pools. Both pools are open from mid May to mid September (weather permitting).

The pool cabana is located at the main Inn pool. Serving refreshing drinks, burgers, and light snacks, the Pool Cabana is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend (weather permitting).

The beachside Sand Bar at the end of the boardwalk overlooks the Chesapeake Bay and serves refreshing drinks, burgers, and light snacks. Open Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend (weather permitting).

Dam Neck Beach- VA Beach

Although you have to be military to gain access to Dam Neck Beach, it is located just 3.3 miles south-southeast of the tourist-trap and crowded Virginia Beach boardwalk. The Dam Neck Beach is well-guarded during the summer swimming season. Beach volleyball and shower/bathhouse available. Navy Lodge, RV park, and 3-bedroom cottages available on the beach as well via MWR. Great beach that is not too crowded!

Map Directory for beaches in Hampton Roads VA

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Food Lion in Williamsburg awarded LEED certification

Posted on May 26, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The new Food Lion grocery store recently opened in Williamsburg, Va., (Croaker Rd & Richmond Rd) has been awarded a LEED Silver certification for a number of environmentally friendly construction and energy-efficient features.

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification recognizes the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

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Wyndham Plantation Condos-Williamsburg VA Neighborhood Spotlight

Posted on May 25, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

entrance to wyndham Wyndham Plantation is a lovely community of 100 townhome style brick front condos Conveniently located next to the Colonial National Historic Parkway within the city limits of of Williamsburg. Wyndham offers 2 & 3-bedroom condos with first floor master bedrooms, one car garages, cathedral ceilings, walk-in closets, gas fireplaces, and a huge walk-in attics.

It is an easy walk or drive to the College of William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg. Many consider it one of the best kept secrets in the Williamsburg, VA area. All of the homes offer first floor living with master bedrooms on the first floor as well as living, dining, kitchen. All of the models offer additional bedrooms on the second floor. Making for a nice guest suite for out of town guests. The soaring cathedral ceilings make them feel much more spacious than they are. In addition to offering from 1670-2180 square feet of living space, quite a few of the homes offer scenic wooded views and beautiful natural landscapes.

The builder (Lifestyle Homes ) offered three different models with various elevations.The Catesby, Audubon and Bridges plans. Most were built as triplexes with two end units and one interior unit in each building.

Note : Wyndham West is a townhome development across the street from Wyndham Plantation. Built and developed by Dick Ashe in 2007

Fast Facts Wyndham Plantation Condos

Neighborhood: Wyndham Plantation Condos in Williamsburg
Nearest Major Intersection: Parkway Drive and Colonial Parkway
Gated: No
Clubhouse: No
How Many Homes: Approximately 100 townhouse-style condominiums
Size Range: Townhome/ Villas in this neighborhood are between 1670-2180 square feet. ( Most are around 1900
Pedestrian-Friendly: Yes, very.
Nearest Grocery Store: Farm Fresh, Harris Teeter. .
Favorite Neighborhood Feature: Less than a miles to Colonial Williamsburg, Low HOA fee, Close to everything, cut across the railroad tracks to library, Colonial Williamsburg and more.
HOA fees $200 monthly. HOA fees cover: All Yard Maintenance; Common Area Maintenance , Exterior Building Maintenance; Insurance
Lawn Maintenance: Included
Williamsburg/James City County Schools
Elem Mathew Whaley
Middle-Berkeley MS
High- Lafayette HS
Taxes: Average: $1510 annual on a home valued at $265k ( a super low rate of $0.57 per $100 assessed value) one of the lowest in the area. (2013 Rate)
HOA Management : Chesapeake Bay Management (757) 706-3019 WWW.1CBM.COM
Directions: From I 64 take exit 238 Rt 143, bear to the right onto Capital Landing Rd, continue 1.1 miles and turn left onto Parkway Dr, then a left on Zelkova and you are in Wyndham Plantation .

Keep Looking -If you like the Wyndham Plantation Condos in Williamsburg you might also like Brandywyne, Capital Landing Green,Claiborne, New Town, Villages at Powhatan, Colonial Heritage, The Settlement, Foxfield Townhomes, Fairway Villas, Braemar Creek, The Mews, Longhill Gate,Village at Quarterpath, The Oaks, Hilly Hills Carriage Homes or many others. Search neighborhood Spotlights here

Talk Back- Do you live in Wyndham Plantation ? We would love to hear your thoughts on living there both good and bad. Please share in the comment field below.

01graycma House Value-Want to get an idea of what your Wyndham Plantation condo might sell for ? Want to discuss our “No Surprises” Program ?

Fill out the form here and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Do you live in Wyndham Plantation and want to keep up with home prices in the neighborhood ? Fill out my “Nosy Neighbor Update” and keep abreast of sales !

If you have any questions and/or would like to view homes for sale in Wyndham Plantation in Williamsburg or other communities in greater Williamsburg or Hampton Roads, I am here to help. Contact me at 757.254.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Map location for Wyndham Plantation Condos in Williamsburg

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psst … I’m a Realtor! Thanks for stopping by my website. I would love to help you find your dream home and community in the Hampton Roads or Williamsburg areas of Virginia or to sell your existing home. This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of the Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads area and and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and Mr Williamsburg.com were created as a resource for folks who are exploring a move to Williamsburg, VA , Hampton Roads VA and the surrounding areas of the Virginia Peninsula. You can search homes for sale , active adult communities, 55+ communities, condos and townhomes , foreclosures/ REO, land, building lots, commercial property in Williamsburg , Yorktown, New Kent, Gloucester, Poquoson as well as the surrounding areas of Hampton Roads, Virginia You can reach John by phone at 757-254-8136 or email him atJohn@MrWilliamsburg.com I look forward to serving your real estate needs! Best, John

Views from around Wyndham Plantation in Williamsburg VA

wyndham condos

Wyndham plantation

wyndham plantation condos

street view wyndham plantation

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VA Capital Trail Groundbreaking of Sherwood Forest Phase

Posted on May 25, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Approximately fifty people attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the latest section of the Virginia Capital Trail. Held at Charles City Courthouse, the event marks the start of construction of the 12.5 mile, Sherwood Forest segment. This section of the trail will connect the existing Charles City Courthouse segment to the Chickahominy section, completing 28 contiguous miles of the planned 52 mile route.

The trail will pass Sherwood Forest, home of America’s 10th president, John Tyler.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in October, 2013.

The Virginia Capital Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle trail that will connect the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor. The Trail will traverse 50+ miles, four jurisdictions and 400 years rich in history along one of the first inland routes in North America. The Virginia Capital Trail is still under construction, with an estimated completion date of 2014

Currently, there are four open sections of the Virginia Capital Trail:

Richmond Riverfront – .5 miles – open

Parking at Shiplock Park in downtown Richmond along Dock Street. Trail to the west for ½ mile.

Get directions

Charles City Courthouse, 7.5 miles – open

Parking at Charles City Courthouse Visitors Center, just off of Rt. 5. Trail to the west for 7.5 miles.

Get directions

Chickahominy Riverfront, 5 miles – open (connected to completed Greensprings section)

Parking at Chickahominy Riverfront Park or Jamestown High School. Trail to the east (or west if parking at JHS) 5 miles.

Get directions

Greensprings, 2 miles — open (connected to completed Chickahominy section)

Parking at Jamestown Settlement. Trailhead across Rt. 31.

Get directions

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Enjoy the Sounds of Big Bands, the Symphony, and Broadway @ Festival Williamsburg May 25–27, 2012

Posted on May 25, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg has partnered with the Virginia Arts Festival to create fun-filled musical weekend. From the swinging sounds of the Big Bands, to the majesty of Mahler, to the bravado of Broadway, you’ll experience some of the best of today’s performers. Join us for a weekend of stellar entertainment.

Harlem Renaissance Orchestra

Friday, May 25, 8 p.m.
Virginia Room ($45/$35) Reserved table seating

For an authentic Big Band sound, the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra is second to none. Dedicated to keeping the spirit of swing alive and thriving, the Orchestra plays tribute to the great composers and band leaders of the Swing Era: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lucky Millinder, Earl Hines, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, and more. Join us for a dazzling evening at the Williamsburg Lodge.

Click here to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster.

Mahler’s 8th Symphony, A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience

Saturday, May 26, 8 p.m.
William & Mary Hall ($85/$67/$52/$42/$20)

In the classical music world, it’s a monster. Huge and complicated and a bear to pull off.

Mahler’s 8th.

Part of it is the numbers.

During a rehearsal this week at Chrysler Hall some 280 singers clomped up a steep riser, 10 rows deep, behind a Virginia Symphony Orchestra swollen to 120 players.

And that wasn’t everyone. When the Virginia Arts Festival event, presented with the symphony, is performed for the first time on Saturday at William and Mary Hall in Williamsburg, an 85-member Virginia Children’s Chorus will be in place, too. Not to mention eight vocal soloists.

The glory of Gustav Mahler’s vision of divine redemption will envelope the hall with the sound of an orchestra of 100, massed choruses of 300, and 8 soloists, led by the amazing JoAnn Falletta. Dubbed the “Symphony of a Thousand,” the work is rarely performed because of the vast musical resources required. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience a truly awe-inspiring musical event.

Guests of the official Colonial Williamsburg hotels will receive complimentary transportation to William & Mary Hall and back to their hotels: Williamsburg Lodge and Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites. Click here to purchase tickets.

An Evening with Jane Krakowski

Sunday, May 27, 5:30 and 8 p.m.
Virginia Room ($65/$45) Reserve table seating.

There’s towering star power packed into that petite frame, from her hilarious characterization of Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock to her Tony Award-winning performance in Guys and Dolls in London’s West End, and her sold-out cabaret sessions at Feinstein’s at the Regency. Now Jane Krakowski takes her turn in the Festival’s Broadway spotlight. Seating is limited, so order early.

Click here to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster.

Jane Krakowski Preconcert Dinner

More info here

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FREE CONCERT Friday at New Town, May 25, 5:30pm

Posted on May 25, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Kick off your Memorial Day Weekend right with friends and family at New Town’s beautiful Sullivan Square. Bring your blankets and chairs to kick back and relax with free live music by RARE MIXX, playing the best from modern rock to the classics. Enjoy music, great food, drinks and company. And afterwards, be sure to enjoy the many shops and restaurants that New Town has to offer.

Location: Sullivan Square, New Town

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Shagging on the Riverwalk Returns in 2012

Posted on May 24, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

York County is excited to offer the 2012 Shagging on the Riverwalk Beach Music Concert Series, to be held this summer at Riverwalk Landing in Historic Yorktown. Entertainment will take place on the performance stage at Riverwalk Landing, overlooking the York River. This seven-week concert series will feature some of the area’s top acts playing beach favorites, oldies, Motown and more.

Start your weekend early this summer, and join us for Shagging on the Riverwalk every Thursday night from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. June 7 through June 21, and again from July 12 through Aug. 2. The Colonial Shag Club will again provide shag lessons, demonstrations, club information, and answer questions related to this popular form of dance. Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes, as one of the area’s largest outdoor dance floors will give you the opportunity to practice your shagging:

June 7 Mark Roberts and Breeze

June 14 The Main Event Band

June 21 The Holiday Band

July 12 Band of OZ

July 19 Slapwater

July 26 TFC Band

August 2 Atlantic Groove Band

This series is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and/or lawn chairs. Food will be available for purchase. Free parking is available at the Riverwalk Landing parking terrace, York Hall, York-Poquoson Courthouse, County Administration Building, and other designated public parking lots throughout Yorktown. Signage directing motorists to parking lots will be in place.

For more information about Shagging on the Riverwalk or any other events in York County, call the York County Parks and Recreation Office at 890-3500 or visit www.visityorktown.org . Event Weather Hotline: 890-3520.

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Live on the Square Concerts Start tonight at Port Warwick

Posted on May 23, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The summer concert season at Port Warwick in Newport News starts tonight @ 6pm on Styron Square.

Enjoy the summer night air on Styron Square listening to the area’s best music. The concerts are free and all are welcome! Bring your own lawn chairs (no tents), blankets, food and drink

Concerts are EVERY WEDNESDAY from 6-8 pm May 23—August 29, 2012

Concert Schedule for 2012

Read more about the Port Warwick community in Newport News here

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Happenings in Yorktown this summer

Posted on May 23, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

May 23,2012-With the onset of warm weather, Historic Yorktown is the place to be for popular events such as Shagging on the Riverwalk, Yorktown Market Days and new this year, Yorktown Maritime Weekend.

Memorial Day weekend is packed with fun for the whole family. York County is commemorating the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War and will host numerous events throughout the weekend. Yorktown Battlefield presents Civil War Weekend featuring tactical demonstrations, encampments, and a Confederate field hospital interpreting the role Yorktown played during the Civil War Peninsula Campaign.Additionally, The Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, an interactive “museum on wheels” housing a 53-foot expandable tractor-trailer, will be onsite Saturday, May 26, through Monday, May 28, presenting individual stories of the Civil War from the perspectives of those who experienced it. Also taking place at the Yorktown Battlefield is the Civil War Balloon Observation Exhibit featuring Kevin Knapp, retired Army Officer, professional balloon pilot, and Civil War Balloon Corps enthusiast. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the

A local favorite returns on Thursdays in June with the annual “Shagging on the Riverwalk” Beach Music Concert Series from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. And don’t miss the many Fifes and Drums of York Town performances to be held in various locations including the Victory Monument, Yorktown Battlefield and the Yorktown Waterfront.

Riverwalk Restaurant will host live music on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from June through August, in the High Tide Bar & Grill Outdoor Courtyard, weather permitting.

Carrot Tree in Historic Yorktown announces the opening of its Wine Garden every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. serving specially priced beverages, small plates of Carrot Tree appetizers and bushels of Virginia peanuts.

July will feature the annual Yorktown 4^th of July Celebration full of entertainment, a parade, and spectacular fireworks at 9:15 p.m., all held on the Yorktown waterfront. The Liberty Celebration held at the Yorktown Victory Center is a must-see July 3-4 and includes tactical drills, military exercises and demonstrations to salute the anniversary of America’s independence.

The Celebrate Yorktown Committee kicks off its Summer Concert Series at Grace Church beginning July 8 with a performance by Stephen Bennett. Other line-ups for the series include Peninsula Concert Band, Lana Puckett & Kim Person, The Magic of Harmony Show Chorus, and Poisoned Dwarf.

The 4^th annual Bastille Day Wine Dinner will be held on July 14 featuring a five-course French dinner paired with acclaimed wines from France.

Summer events wrap up with the Military Band Concert Series to be held on Tuesdays in August featuring a different ensemble each week from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

River Fruit Tropical Wines shop will offer free wine tastings daily, offering over 25 varieties of fruit wine, made from 100% fruit juice. No grapes are used in the making of the wines.

Patriot Tours & Provisions offers guided Segway tours and bicycle rentals in historic Yorktown. Visit our store for a great selection of kites, flags, beach supplies, and sundries.

Step back into history when you join the crew of the Yorktown Schooners Alliance and Serenity. Lend a hand at setting sail, take the helm and steer the ship, or look for dolphins and osprey as you glide along the shores of the York River. You will relive sailings Golden Age as you cruise past the Victory Monument and Battlefield where our country won its independence.

Operating from the beautiful York River, York River Charters offers guest both fishing and sightseeing on Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay.

While in Yorktown, don’t miss the opportunity to take a ride on our free Yorktown trolley. The trolley is a great way to tour the entire town at no cost.

Event parking is available at Riverwalk Landing in the two-level parking terrace. Additional parking is available in Yorktown at York Hall, the County Administration Building and the Courthouse/Finance Building Complex, which are all within two blocks of the waterfront.

For more information on these activities or any other events in York County, visit www.visityorktown.org.

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James City County Parks & Recreation selected as Gold Medal Finalist

Posted on May 22, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), has announced that the James City County Park and Recreation Department is a finalist for the 2012 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This is the seventh time since 1999 that James City County has been named a finalist.

The Gold Medal Awards program, founded in 1965, honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.

Applications are separated into five classes based on population and agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.

JCC is one of four agencies selected in the 50,001 to 100,000 population to be named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award. The winner of the Gold Medal Award will be announced at the 2012 National Recreation & Parks Association’s Annual Congress and Exposition in Anaheim California in October.

2012 Gold Medal Finalist Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000)

 City of Kettering (OH) Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department

 James City County Parks and Recreation, Williamsburg, VA

 Roswell (GA) Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs

 Waukegan (IL) Park District

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Tickets now available for Kingsmill Championship

Posted on May 22, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The Kingsmill Championship is considered to be one of the premier golf tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Kingsmill Resort first hosted the event in 2003 and has had past champions that include Annika Sorenstam, Grace Park, Karrie Webb and two-time champion Cristie Kerr. Kingsmill Resort announced today that tickets for the upcoming Kingsmill Championship are now on sale. The championship will welcome back the world’s best women golfers to the renowned River Course on Sept. 6-9.

Current LPGA stars who are expected to compete for the $1.3 million purse are Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Michelle Wie, Stacy Lewis, Ai Miyazato and many more. The championship will be seen in over 100 countries with more than 8 hours of live TV coverage on The Golf Channel.

“We are excited to be back in Williamsburg, at Kingsmill Resort. This is an exciting day for the Hampton Roads area, a place known for its enthusiastic galleries.” said Mike Whan, LPGA Commissioner. “On the LPGA, we challenge fans to See Why It’s Different Out Here and we hope everyone has a chance to come out and see the most approachable athletes in sport.”

. Tickets start as low as $25 for Good-Any-Day Grounds and $35 for Clubhouse Tickets. Spectators can also purchase a Weekly Badge good for access to the tournament all five days of play, along with a complimentary greens fee on the River, Plantation or Woods Course. Kids 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Active-duty military members, police officers and firefighters and one guest receive complimentary grounds admission Wednesday – Friday when a valid I.D. is presented at the tournament entrance.

Tickets and more information can be found here

Divaris named leasing agent for Marquis Center in Williamsburg

Posted on May 18, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Divaris Real Estate has been appointed the exclusive leasing and management firm for The Marquis Shopping Center, located at Route 199 and I-64 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Marquis is a 750,000-square-foot, regional power center. At its completion, The Marquis will be the largest retail development in Williamsburg, featuring specialty retailers and restaurants and several big-box retailers including Target, Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy and JCPenney.
All five major anchor tenants are committed to staying in Williamsburg, having signed on with The Marquis during its pre-development stage. “The tenants are pleased with the performance of their stores and happy with the co-tenants that exist in The Marquis,” said Shawn Todd, CEO of Todd Interests, the development company that recently purchased the property. To that extent Dick’s and Best Buy have extended their leases since ownership changed in late 2011.
“Now that Todd Interests have acquired the property and have stabilized the issues of The Marquis’ former developer, we are excited about the ongoing plans for redevelopment,” said David Berndt, Partner in David Berndt Interests, Ltd., who has entered into a joint venture with Todd Interests for the additional development of the site.
Phase I of The Marquis is now open and Phase II is expected to be delivered by the fall of 2013. In addition to the major big box anchor tenants, negotiations are underway with several restaurants, soft goods, apparel and a theater tenant.
“The Marquis is located off Interstate 64 with unique demographics and physical attributes. This makes the large development regional in nature, with a draw that reaches Gloucester,” said Divaris.

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The worst is over for the U.S. housing market

Posted on May 18, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The worst is over for the U.S. housing market. After six years of declining sales and falling prices that wiped $7 trillion from the value of housing assets, a turning point has been reached.

The housing recovery will come in two phases. First, home prices will rise by just under 1 percent in the second half of 2012. In 2013, prices will rise by 1.5 percent, then go up another 2.5 percent in 2014. For the second phase, home prices will increase 3 to 3.5 percent between 2015 and 2017. These are the predictions from a report released by the Demand Institute, which is jointly operated by The Conference Board and Nielsen. The Demand Institute sees average prices rising by up to 1 percent in the second half of 2012 (in seasonally adjusted terms), marking the start of a housing recovery.

Currently, 11 percent of homeowners say they would like to sell their home but their home is not on the market. The commonest reason cited, by half of these homeowners, is that they would not be able to get the price they want.12 We predict that once price growth has risen to the 3 percent forecast for 2015, these homeowners will start to return to the market and the volume of sales of existing homes will increase. Given that homeowners are voluntarily holding back today, they will re-enter the market cautiously and in an orderly fashion, and the potential likelihood of a flood of inventory that could reverse price increases will be avoided.

The recovery will be led by demand from buyers for rental properties, rather than, as in previous cycles, demand from buyers acquiring properties for themselves. More than 50 percent of those planning to move in the next two years say they intend to rent.

Rental demand will help to clear the huge oversupply of existing homes for sale. In 2011, some 14 percent of all housing units were vacant, while almost 13 percent of mortgages were in foreclosure or delinquent—increases of 12 and 129 percent respectively over 2005 levels. It will take two to three years for this oversupply to be cleared, and at that point home ownership rates will rise and return to historical levels. More than 70 percent of those planning to move three to five years from now say they intend to purchase their home.
The housing market recovery will not be uniform across the country. Some states will see annual price gains of 5 percent or more. Others will not recover for many years. The deciding factors will include the level of foreclosed inventory and rates of unemployment.
Despite the number of Americans who have been hurt financially by the housing crash, the desire to own a home remains strong. We do not expect to see a long-term drop in ownership rates. Indeed, one survey has revealed that more than 80 percent of Americans recently thought buying a home remained the best long-term investment they could make.

Read the entire report here

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Dominion Riverrock this weekend in Richmond

Posted on May 17, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Looking for something fun to do this weekend ?

Then head to Richmond VA for the Dominion Riverrock outdoor lifestyle festival, bringing athletes, spectators, musicians, and even dogs to Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar for a three-day festival against the backdrop of downtown Richmond’s urban riverfront.

The festival features a variety of outdoor sports including trail running, kayaking, biking, bouldering, stand up paddleboarding, slacklining and dog jumping. The event was designed to promote Richmond’s unique riverfront, downtown trails and whitewater rapids to outdoor enthusiasts. As a result of the creation of Dominion Riverrock, there is a stronger appreciation for the value of outdoor recreation throughout the entire Richmond region. All events and concerts are FREE to spectators!

More info here

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US Foreclosure filings down in 2012

Posted on May 17, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

National April foreclosure activity decreased 5 percent from March and was down 14 percent from April 2011, according to a report released by RealtyTrac Thursday. One in every 698 U.S. housing units had a foreclosure filing during the month.

RealtyTrac CEO Brandon Moore attributed the drop in part to an increase in short sales, which are becoming a more common alternative to foreclosure among distressed properties.

More distressed loans are being diverted into short sales rather than becoming completed foreclosures,” Moore said in a statement. “Our preliminary first quarter sales data shows that pre-foreclosure sales — typically short sales — are on pace to outnumber sales of bank-owned properties during the quarter in California, Arizona and 10 other states.”

After three straight monthly increases, U.S. foreclosure starts — which include default notices or scheduled foreclosure auctions, depending on the state — decreased 4 percent from March to April. A total of 97,665 properties started the foreclosure process for the first time during the month, down 2 percent from April 2011.

“It is surprising the numbers are staying as low as they have this year,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac, noting that many analysts expected a wave of new foreclosures in the wake of a landmark settlement between the government and big banks over fraudulent foreclosure practices. That wave hasn’t come, at least on a national level, for several reasons, Blomquist said. For starters, the numbers are down in California, which represents about 20 percent of the foreclosure activity in the entire country.

Still, he said the overall decrease is “masking” the fact that foreclosures actually are up in places such as Florida, New Jersey and Indiana, among other states. Despite the overall decrease in foreclosure starts, 26 states posted monthly increases in foreclosure starts.

Despite the lower-than-expected activity, Blomquist believes the number of foreclosures will still rise this year.

“At the end of the day, 2012 is going to be bigger than 2011.”

He said he did not expect “normal” levels of foreclosures to return until at least 2014.

Eleven of the nation’s 20 largest metro areas documented annual increases in foreclosure activity, led by the Florida cities of Tampa (59 percent) and Miami (38 percent), RealtyTrac reported.

Lenders issued 809 foreclosure-related notices in the Hampton Roads VA area last month, up 2.4 percent from the 790 issued in March but down 21 percent from the 1,023 reported in April 2011, according to RealtyTrac

Despite several cities experiencing an increase in foreclosure activity last month, the numbers in every major city in the region were down from year-earlier levels. Portsmouth continued to have the highest percentage of homes that received a foreclosure filing, according to the report.

Among the 20 largest metros areas, cities posting the biggest annual drops in foreclosure activity included Seattle (54 percent), Phoenix (44 percent), San Francisco (34 percent), Washington (30 percent), Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. (30 percent) and Los Angeles (28 percent).

You can search foreclosed bank-owned homes/ REO in all of Hampton Roads & Williamsburg VA with the links below. FREE & No registration required.

Search Chesapeake VA Foreclosures , Search Hampton , Newport News Foreclosures, Search Isle of Wight Foreclosures, Search Norfolk Foreclosures, Search Poquoson Foreclosures, Search Portsmouth Foreclosures, Search Smithfield Foreclosures, Search Suffolk Foreclosures, Search VA Beach Foreclosures, Search Williamsburg Foreclosures, Search Yorktown Foreclosures

This website is authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of the Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads area and and his expertise in the local real estate market.

His websites, WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and Mr Williamsburg.com were created as a resource for folks who are exploring a move to Williamsburg, VA , Hampton Roads VA and the surrounding areas of the Virginia Peninsula.

You can search homes for sale , active adult communities, 55+ communities, condos and townhomes , foreclosures/ REO, land, building lots, commercial property in Williamsburg , Yorktown, New Kent, Gloucester, Poquoson as well as the surrounding areas of Hampton Roads, Virginia

You can reach John by phone at 757-254-8136 or email him at John@MrWilliamsburg.com

I look forward to serving your real estate needs!

Best,

John

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Active duty military and families can get free annual passes to national parks

Posted on May 16, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Starting this Saturday May 19th, 2012, all active-duty military personnel and their dependents can get a free annual pass to visit any of the country’s more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands, the Interior Department announced today.

Saturday is Armed Forces Day. The passes are part of the Joining Forces initiative led by first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, to support military families .

The pass is available to activated members of the National Guard and Reserves, but not veterans.

The passes can be obtained at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee by showing military identification. Family members can obtain their own pass if the service member is deployed or traveling separately.

Service men and women from all five branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, including the Reserves and National Guard – are eligible just by showing a current, valid military identification card. The pass is also available for the family members of active duty military, which is critical because we know that military spouses and children make sacrifices for our country every day too.

FAQ about the pass program

Are there any benefits for veterans?

There is not a pass specifically for veterans; however, many veterans qualify for one of the other discount passes offered as part of our pass program.

If you are 62 or older you qualify for a LIFETIME Senior Pass for $10

If you have a permanent disability you may qualify for an Access Pass. This is a free lifetime pass that you may obtain in person from a participating Federal recreation site or office or by mail.

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Verbolten Coaster Opens to the Public

Posted on May 16, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The anticipation is over. On May 18, guests will finally experience Verbolten, the most technologically advanced roller coaster ever built at Busch Gardens.

Verbolten is not a typical roller coaster. It is an immersive thematic attraction that sends passengers twisting and turning through the verboten Black Forest. Verbolten’s low 48-inch ride-height requirement and exhilarating but not overpowering ride experience, will appeal to extreme coaster aficionados as well as to parents who want to introduce their children to the thrill of a roller coaster ride.

“Verbolten is a next generation roller coaster that incorporates the latest in coaster technology with a storyline inspired by Grimm’s fairy tales. From Verbolten’s unique free-fall drop to its multiple launch elements, Busch Gardens’ newest thrill attraction is destined to be a favorite among coaster enthusiasts of all ages,” said Park President Carl Lum.

Guests interested in learning more about the technology behind Verbolten’s unique ride elements can sign up for daily behind-the-scenes coaster tours. Tour guides will provide little-known facts about the ride and let guests peek inside the special effects building that houses Verbolten’s Black Forest. Tours will start soon. Interested guests should check www.buschgardens.com/va for a complete park tour schedule.

Verbolten is the capstone attraction of a two-year rejuvenation project in the park’s Oktoberfest village. Mäch Tower, the park’s 240-foot drop tower, joins the launch coaster as the park’s newest thrill attractions. An award-winning pretzel-themed restaurant, and a new show inside Germany’s Das Festhaus, round out the largest capital expansion in park history.

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Letting go of the family home

Posted on May 15, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Eileen Vernon gave one of the final tours to friends of her parents’ home on Linkhorn Bay in VA Beach, remembering fondly sneaking out on the slate roof from her bedroom window, listening intently to her grandmother’s tales of the Lindsley family farm, and admiring her father’s meticulous upkeep of the two-story, brick Colonial home where she grew up.

It has been nearly three years since Vernon and her two brothers moved their mother, at first to a retirement community in Virginia Beach, but more recently to an assisted-living home.

They’re also nearing the end of the long, tedious process of taking inventory of all their parents’ possessions and getting the home ready to sell in an unsteady housing market.

For Vernon and her siblings, moving their mother, Eileen Davis, out of the home that she and her husband built 50 years ago was bittersweet.

Every room has a water view, every nook and cranny history. But keeping the home in the family wasn’t an option.

For Vernon, the taxes are more than the mortgage on her Princess Anne Plaza rancher. And paying for Davis’ 24-hour care is expensive.

"I can’t believe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for my mom’s house," Vernon said.

As parents of baby boomers become unable to care for themselves, and as Baby Boomers themselves age, more and more are choosing to sell the homes they grew up in and let another family take over the property.

In 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors, 15 percent of home sales in America were of places that had been in the same hands for more than 20 years.

While some have to make the decision after parents have passed, others, like Vernon and her brothers, decide to cut the ties before that happens.

Nick Sell, president of Caring Transitions in Virginia Beach, receives frequent calls from children of elderly parents who need help navigating the waters of downsizing a large house and moving a parent to a smaller community.

Sell started his business to help people through the process – having experienced first-hand losing parents suddenly at age 22, just weeks before he was to deploy to Afghanistan with the U.S. Navy.

More of the story here

This website was created as a resource for folks who are moving or retiring to Williamsburg, VA and surrounding areas on the Virginia Peninsula and in the Historic Triangle. You can search search homes for sale , active adult communities, 55+ communities, condos and townhomes , foreclosures/ REO, land, building lots, commercial property in Williamsburg , Yorktown, New Kent, Gloucester, Poquoson as well as the surrounding areas of Hampton Roads, Virginia

We know where the best buys are for creating a maintenance free lifestyle!
Mr Williamsburg understands the special needs of those who are downsizing, and has a variety of resources to help you with auctions, estate sales, consignment, de-cluttering and every phase of getting your home ready to sell.

You can reach John by phone at 757-254-8136 or email him at John@MrWilliamsburg.com

I look forward to serving your real estate needs!

Best,

John

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Hampton Roads Real Estate Market Continues to Improve at a Slow and Steady Climb

Posted on May 11, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The Hampton Roads residential real estate market continues to show signs of improvement. April 2012 was categorized by a year-over-year drop in active listings, as well as increases in homes under contract and residential settled sales.

Residential active listings in April 2012 were down 17.8% when compared to the same time last year. All seven of the major cities (Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach) experienced double digit percentage dips in the number of homes for sale. Norfolk and Portsmouth saw the largest drops at 23% and 22% respectively. The months supply of inventory was directly affected by this reduction in active listings, resulting in a new 7.66 months supply of inventory, down from 9.93 months in April 2011. Active inventory for residential new construction has experienced a 16.8% decrease since 2010, and a 23.7% decrease since 2010.

The number of residential under contract sales grew 23% this April when compared to April 2011. Six of the area’s major cities saw an increase in year-over-year under contract sales of at least 15%. Norfolk and Suffolk experienced the largest upturn with 41% and 29%. Of the region’s major cities, Portsmouth was the only city to not realize a year-over-year increase, but instead declined 3%.

Residential settled sales for April 2012 increased 4% when compared to the same time last year. Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Suffolk all saw an improvement in their year-over-year numbers, with Suffolk and Chesapeake experiencing the largest increases of 23% and 17% respectively. Portsmouth, Newport News, and Hampton all underwent year-over-year drops in the number of settled sales, with Hampton falling 17% when compared to last year. Unit sales of residential new construction has shown an increase of 12.4% over 2011, and 16.7% over 2010. Comparing this information to the decrease in active new construction units for sale, indicates a shrinking inventory of new construction units and increased interest in new construction by ready buyers.

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Revised Plans Approved for The Reserve at Williamsburg

Posted on May 11, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The York County Planning Commission Wednesday unanimously approved recommending the Board of Supervisors amend a special use permit for a senior citizen residential community

The Reserve at Williamsburg is a senior housing/independent living Planned Development approved by the Board of Supervisors back in September of 2006

The development, located on the east side of Mooretown Road between two timeshare resorts, was approved as a 63-acre independent living senior housing community with up to 459 dwelling units and a 7.7-acre commercial center (including a future fire station site proffered by the developer) along Mooretown Road. The first phase of the project (Verena at Williamsburg), consisting of 120 rental apartment units, has been completed. Under the current approvals, the remaining units can be any mix of rental apartments, condominium apartments, duplexes, and single-family detached homes, all of which must be age-restricted (age 55 and older). The opportunity for a variety and mix of housing types was intended to allow the developer to respond over time to changing market conditions. In approving the Planned Development, the Board approved three alternative master plan concepts (and a fourth concept plan was subsequently approved as an administrative Limited Deviation) designating different residential portions of the development as either “Condominium/Apartment” or “Single-Family/Duplex.”

For various reasons, primarily the national economic slump, the project has not proceeded as quickly as the developer expected. According to the application submittals from the original rezoning request in 2006, the project was to be fully built out by 2011; to date, a total of 120 of the 459 approved units have been built. The developer hopes to improve the marketability of the project by adding townhouses and assisted living units to the list of permitted senior housing uses, which can only be done through an amendment to the original conditions of Planned Development approval.

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Mortgage rates hit record lows again

Posted on May 11, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The 30-year fixed rate average dropped to an all-time low for the second consecutive week, falling ever so slightly from 3.84 percent last week to 3.83 percent, according to the latest data released Thursday by Freddie Mac. The average stood at 4.63 percent this time last year.

The 15-year average followed suit, dipping to 3.05 percent after setting a new record last week at 3.07 percent. One year ago, the 15-year averaged 3.82 percent.

Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist, largely pegged the drop in rates this week to a dip in bond yields.

“Following April’s weaker than expected employment report, and the French and Greek election results raising concerns over the stability of the Euro currency zone, long-term Treasury bond yields declined allowing fixed mortgage rates to ease to new all-time record lows this week,” he said in a statement.

On Wednesday, new data showed that the number of U.S. homeowners behind on their mortgage payments has also dropped to the lowest level since 2009, with only 5.78 percent of mortgage holders falling behind during the first three months of the year. That’s down from a 6.19 percent delinquency rate during the same period last year and 6.01 percent during the last quarter of 2011, according to the report published by TransUnion.

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A Taste of New Kent

Posted on May 8, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Tickets for the 2012 A Taste of New Kent Wine Festival are now available at the winery. Spend the day tasting wines from 14 wineries, plus enjoy live music, local arts and crafts vendors, carriage rides and a variety of foods! The date for this year’s festival is May 12, 2012. Tickets are $25 at the winery before May 12th or $35 at the gate on the day of the event. Online ticket sales will be available soon.

For more information, visit www.atasteofnewkent.com.

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Yorktown VA Market Days launches season May 12 with Fitness Market

Posted on May 8, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The 6^th Annual Yorktown Market Days season kicks off next Saturday, May 12, along the Yorktown waterfront at Riverwalk Landing between Buckner and Ballard Streets.

The market will operate Saturdays, May 12 through Sept. 15, and monthly markets will be held on Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 15, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. with extended hours until 3 p.m. in Oct., Nov. and Dec.

The market is free and features seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, eggs, poultry, beef and pork; fresh breads, cheeses, baked goods, peanuts, cut flowers, organic and gluten free products, potted plants, coffee, jams and jellies; quality art and live musical entertainment.

The market hosts more than 35 local farmers, producers and vendors throughout the season with a variety of homegrown favorites. The market also hosts over 20 local artists this season, with four to seven featured artists appearing each week. Throughout the summer, the market will feature a variety of entertainment. Confirmed market vendors, entertainment and artists for the 2012 season can be found online at www.yorktownmarketdays.com.

The Fifes and Drums of York Town will kick off the first market of the season with a performance, followed by entertainment at 9 a.m. with music by Lana Puckett and Kim Person, who will entertain guests with their repertoire of folk and country music.

For the opening market, York County Parks and Recreation will host the 2^nd Annual Fitness market, a program to support improving the quality of life for residents by educating citizens about the importance of healthy living and highlighting tools available to make healthy lifestyle choices.

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Jane Krakowski, (from 30 Rock) headlines Festival Williamsburg Concert at Williamsburg Inn

Posted on May 8, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Sunday, May 27, 2012 the Broadway spotlight is on Jane Krakowski, the Tony award-winning and Emmy-nominated star of NBC’s “30 Rock,” who will perform classic Broadway hits under the musical direction of Rob Fisher. Ms. Krakowski has appeared on Broadway in “Guys and Dolls,” “Grand Hotel,” “Company,” “Once upon a Mattress,” “Tartuffe” and “Starlight Express.” In 2003, she won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Carla opposite Antonio Banderas in the musical “Nine.” Tickets are $65 and $45 for reserved table seating at 5:30 and 8 p.m. in the Virginia Room of the Williamsburg Lodge.

On Friday May 25 at 8 p.m., the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra brings the authentic Big Band sound to life. Dedicated to keeping the spirit of swing alive and thriving, the orchestra pays tribute to the great composers and band leaders of the swing era: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Pops Louie Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lucky Millinder, Earl Fatha Hines, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton and more. The New York Times calls their sound “potent music, tailor-made for dancing.”

Filed under: 365 Things to do in Williamsburg, Virginia, Concerts, Entertainment, williamsburg va | Leave a Comment »

Virginia to get lower utility bills

Posted on May 3, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Say it ain’t so. The bills of Dominion Virginia Power customers could drop 4 percent in September because of mild weather and a drop in natural gas prices.

The utility is seeking permission from the State Corporation Commission for two decreases that would offset three smaller increases the company is seeking.

Dominion is requesting a $5.83 drop in the monthly bill of its typical Virginia customer because of lower-than-expected prices to generate electricity, mild weather and the performance of new generating units.

“The abundance of natural gas also has driven the price down, and we have taken full advantage of this at our new Bear Garden Power Station.,” Dominion Virginia Power CEO Paul D. Konce said in a statement. “This highly efficient, natural gas-fired station is projected to save our customers approximately $122 million in fuel costs from June 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, when compared with other fuel sources.”
The company is also proposing a decrease of $2.67 becomes of lower transmission-related costs. The three increases include 34 cents to cover energy efficiency programs, an increase of $1.32 once the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center in Wise County begins commercial operations and an increase of $2.84 on Aug. 1 with the expiration of a credit to customers that has been applied to customers’ bills since February after the SCC reviewed base rates.

The fuel rate, adjusted each year, is a pass-through cost that does not affect Dominion’s profit

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May is Bike month in Williamsburg Virginia

Posted on May 2, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

Saturday, May 5
8 am to 1 pm
Come bike the Colonial Parkway, which will be closed to motorized vehicles from the Newport Avenue exit in Williamsburg to the Jamestown exit (about 10 miles, one way). A rest stop serving free refreshments will be located at the College Creek pull off. A children’s Bike Skills rodeo will held at the Parkway’s Jamestown end; participants will receive free helmets donated by the Active Williamsburg Alliance (AWA), a chapter of BikeWalk Virginia.

Check out the May calendar of the Williamsburg Area Bicycling Association for a variety of bike rides in the Williamsburg Virginia area. There are rides for all skill levels on an almost daily

May 2012 Rides

May 2, Wednesday
New Kent Visitors Center Ride
53 mile C+ ride at 8:30 AM meeting at the New Kent Visitors Center. Call the Deana Sun at (804) 690-6018.
May 3, Thursday
Yorktown Battlefield Ride
Meet at the parking lot behind York Hall for a 14 mile casual ride on the Yorktown Tour Roads at 10:00 AM. Optional lunch will follow the ride at the Carrot Tree Restaurant. Call Jim and Mary Osborn at 229-0655 or email (osbornva@cox.net).
May 4, Friday
Dunbar Ride
25 to 35 miles C+ pace. Meet at Williamsburg Community Chapel Parking lot (Section S) at 9:30 am. POC Charlie Hart 566-0090.
May 5, Saturday
Pedal the Parkway
16th Anniversary of Pedal the Parkway
Bike the Colonial Parkway for 8.2 miles (between Jamestown and Williamsburg) with no cars from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM. FREE to the public! Avoid most of the hills by starting at the Jamestown end of the Parkway. A rest stop with free refreshments will be located at the Archer’s Hope pull-off (3.8 miles from the Jamestown entrance). FREE helmets available for children at the Jamestown and Williamsburg entrances. Child must be present to be fitted with a helmet.
May 6, Sunday
Civil War Ride
16-20 mile casual ride visiting local sites of Civil War action and interest commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg. Meet at 4 PM at the Jefferson Statue in Merchants Square. POC Nancy Carter, 229-4907 or njcarter@starpower.net.

Filed under: 365 Things to do in Williamsburg, Virginia, Cycling, williamsburg va | Leave a Comment »

10 Best Places to Buy Foreclosures in 2012

Posted on May 2, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

In Williamsburg, James City County we are blessed with a low percentage of bank owned foreclosures on the market. In the past 12 months they accounted for only 9.3% of sales.

Other areas have been hit much harder. As a point of comparison in the rest of Hampton Roads, 25% of sales in March of 2012 were distressed sales ( REO, Foreclosures, Short sales). On average they were selling for a 41% discount from non distressed properties.

Prices for residential real estate, which plunged more than 50 percent in some markets after the housing bubble burst, appear to be stabilizing. Some real estate markets are better than others. But where are the best opportunities to buy discounted foreclosures? Which metropolitan areas offer homebuyers and investors the biggest discounts and the highest potential return on investment (ROI)?

RealtyTrac has selected the 10 best places in America to buy a foreclosure in 2012.

To compile their Top 10 list, they started with the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas based on population. From there, the list was narrowed further by selecting market with at least 200 sales transactions in January 2012. The list was then pared down by selecting metros where the average foreclosure sales price was at least 30 percent below the average price of a non-foreclosure home.

You can search foreclosed , bank-owned homes/ REO in all of Hampton Roads VA with the links below. No registration required. FREE

Search Chesapeake VA Foreclosures

Search Hampton , Newport News Foreclosures

Search Isle of Wight Foreclosures

Search Norfolk Foreclosures

Search Poquoson Foreclosures

Search Portsmouth Foreclosures

Search Smithfield Foreclosures

Search Suffolk Foreclosures

Search VA Beach Foreclosures

Search Williamsburg Foreclosures

Search Yorktown Foreclosures

This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of the Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads area and and his expertise in the local real estate market.

Here you can search homes for sale , active adult communities, 55+ communities, condos and townhomes , foreclosures/ REO, land, building lots, commercial property in Williamsburg , Yorktown, New Kent, Gloucester, Poquoson as well as the surrounding areas of Hampton Roads, Virginia
You can reach John by phone at 757-254-8136 or email him atJohn@MrWilliamsburg.com

I look forward to serving your real estate needs!

Best,

John

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150th anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg

Posted on April 30, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

The American Civil War arrived early along the shores of the James and York Rivers. A mere two months after the Constitution of the Confederates States of America was adopted, tearing asunder this still young nation, cannon fire was overheard. Just off Sewell’s Point, where the James River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, two Union gunboats dueled with Confederate batteries in an attempt to enforce the Union blockade of Hampton Roads. Over the next four years this peninsula, this tiny strip of land, witnessed many of the war’s major battles, all within 50 miles of its epicenter – Williamsburg.

Union and Confederate Army re-enactors participate in the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg during a special commemorative ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 5 on Market Square adjacent to the Courthouse of 1770 in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.

The commemoration honors the 4,000+ casualties of both armies in the battle with a special address by nationally renowned Civil War historian Prof. James I. Robertson Jr. titled “The Uncontrollable War.”

Robertson is the Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus in History at Virginia Tech. He is also executive director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, created by the university in 1999, and is a charter member of Virginia’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission. He previously served as executive director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission to mark the conflict’s 100th anniversary. Robertson is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include award-winning studies of the Civil War. His massive biography of Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the basis for the Warner Bros. movie, “Gods and Generals,” for which Robertson was chief historical consultant.

The public is invited to the commemorative ceremony. No admission ticket is required. For more information, visit www.history.org or telephone toll-free 1-800-HISTORY

Civil War Williamsburg Brochure
This brochure contains valuable information (including maps) on local points of interest within America’s Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown & Yorktown during the Civil War. You can click here to download a copy

Other Civil War Events in Williamsburg VA

Wolf by the Ear, Thomas Jefferson and the Pursuit of Freedom
05/04/2012
7:30 PM
$24.95
Event Website

Founding Father Thomas Jefferson awaits news of whether Missouri will be admitted to the Union as a free state or a slave state. He reflects on the years since the American Revolution and the great debates over the institution of slavery. Appearing during the drama are Patrick Henry and Edmund Randolph, who debate ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the Haitian revolutionary Jean Jacque Dessalines and Henry Clay, the renowned orator and speaker of the House of Representatives. Live music from the early years of the American republic accent this program. 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4 at the Kimball Theatre. Tickets are $24.95. Call 800-HISTORY or visit the website for more info.

Williamsburg Civil War Tour
05/04/2012
Event Website

Williamsburg Civil War Tour tells stories about the important role Williamsburg played in the American Civil War. In addition to witnessing both the Northern and Southern Armies, it experienced a tragic battle on its doorstep. Join the tour and meet people who were here and learn more about Williamsburg’s role in this heart-rending period of American history. The one-hour walking tour is offered evenings at 7, 7:20, 7:40, 8:20, 8:40 and 9 on Fridays through June 15 at the Courthouse in the Historic Area. Cost for this program is $15 for adults and $7.50 for children under six.

The Civil War 150 Legacy Project is Visiting Williamsburg to Scan Historic Documents
05/05/2012
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Event Website

The Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission and the Library of Virginia have partnered to create a state-wide online collection of original Civil War manuscripts that still remain in private hands. The Civil War 150 Legacy Project: Document Digitation and access focuses on manuscript materials created during the period 1859-1867 that reflect social, political, military, business and religious life in Virginia during the period of the Civil War and the early period of Reconstruction. Citizens are encouraged to bring original family materials to be scanned and included in the Project. Scanned materials will be made available on the web via the Library of Virginia web site and the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission web site.

Understanding the Civil War in Williamsburg
05/05/2012 – 05/06/2012
Event Website

Guests meet with a historian and explore the events that lead up to the arrival of the armies in Williamsburg in 1862. 9:30 and 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 5 and 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 6 at the Courthouse steps. Admission is included in all Historic Area tickets. Call 800-HISTORY or visit the website for more info.

Tours of the Civil War Camps – Colonial Williamsburg
05/05/2012
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Historic Area Tickets
Event Website

Take a guided tour of the camps and learn about military life in 1862. The Confederate camp is located on Nassau Street in the Custis Pasture (across from the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum) and the Union camp is located near the Capitol. 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 5. Admission is included in all Historic Area tickets.

More events listed here

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Costco now offering mortgages

Posted on April 28, 2012 by mrwilliamsburg

First coffins now mortgages.

Costco shoppers can now land themselves a mortgage.

After a year of testing, Costco is rolling out a full-service mortgage lending program on its website in partnership with First Choice Bank, a New Jersey-based community bank, and 10 other lenders. .

Costco’s partners have issued more than 10,000 mortgages to members under the program

Mortgages are just one of several financial products available to Costco’s members. The warehouse club also offers health and auto insurance, as well as stock brokerage services.

Up next: Auto loans and student loans.

Costco had started offering mortgages a couple of years ago but the service provider it was using didn’t share enough details about how it was dealing with Costco’s members, so Costco started over from scratch, partnering with First Choice Bank to build a new mortgage lending portal.

Much like LendingTree, the site gathers quotes from various lenders. However, there is one key difference. Under the Costco program, the borrower’s identity is revealed only after they officially select the lender.

With many other lead-generation sites, the consumer fills out an application and any lender can make an offer and begin sending marketing communications to the applicant without restrictions.

Costco members will still need to do their homework and compare offers, though,

First Choice said it will police the other lenders to ensure they comply with Costco’s policies, which include giving accurate rates and terms and following up quickly on questions and requests. The technology enables Costco to monitor individual applications and make sure they are handled properly and expeditiously.

Costco takes no profit on the lending itself, but it does get paid to market the service.

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Jane Krakowski Preconcert Dinner

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Friday, May 25, 8 p.m.
Virginia Room ($45/$35) Reserved table seating