• 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 area or to sell your existing home. 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 Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, 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. On his website you can search homes for sale , foreclosures, 55+ active adult communities, condos and town homes , land and commercial property for sale in Williamsburg, Yorktown, New Kent, Poquoson, and Gloucester, VA as well as surrounding markets of Carrolton, Chesapeake,Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Mathews, Newport News Norfolk, Poquoson, Smithfield, , Suffolk, Surry, Va Beach, Yorktown and York County Virginia You can reach John by email John@MrWilliamsburg.com or phone @ 757-254-813

September 2013 Real Estate Market Share-Williamsburg VA

October 2013-The numbers are in for September 2013 in the Williamsburg VA real estate market. While it was a close race in 2012 for market share with the lead changing between the offices of William E. Wood and Liz Moore and Associates. Year to date for 2013 our office (Liz Moore and Associates) has a commanding lead in market share with over 16.61 % of the market.

Our office’s listings and sales were greater then the combined listings and  sales of  Century 21 Nachman, Twiddy Realty, Coldwell Banker Traditions, Fords Colony Realty and Kingsmill Realty and Abbitt Realty who were the 6th-10th place finishers in sales in the Williamsburg VA real estate market year to date in 2013

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Two more telling statistics : Of the top four real estate brokerages in town we enjoy the lowest days on market at 90 days, compared to the 118-150 days of our competitors.

And lastly , our company with 37 agents selling has the highest productivity per agent in town.!

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Time is running out

First of all I am not going to tell you that now is the best time to buy a home. For some it is for others it isn’t but  that’s a much longer discussion.

highlandinsidepages If you are on the fence about buying a home in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads Va realize that the clock is running down on the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. There is  less than four months to go before the Nov. 30 deadline.

Even though December 1 is still months away, when you add in possible delays to an already lengthy process, those few months start to look like barely enough time to settle a Real Estate transaction. With inspections, negotiations, and new Truth in Lending laws, delays are looking more inevitable than ever.

As a First-time buyer you should also anticipate tighter lending standards that generally don’t allow 100% financing, making you responsible for coming up with enough money prior to closing to meet your required down-payment and closing costs.

What is the Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers?

Here are two links to the IRS website that asks and then answers all the relevant questions about the tax credit.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=206291,00.html

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=206293,00.html

The tax credit is for first time home buyers, if you have not owned a home in over 3 years you are a first time home buyer. You can claim up to 10% of the sales price or $8,000 whichever is the lesser.

Can I Use the $8,000 as my Down Payment?

The State of Virginia has a program available through the Virginia Housing Development  Authority ( VHDA) , that will monetize a portion of the $8,000 tax credit. The VHDA. Click here for more information on that program. NOte this is an income restricted program

Home buyers who may need additional information can find answers to frequently asked questions about the tax credit at www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com or

VA Free Home Ownership Education Classes- VHDA

After living in an apartment in Hampton for several years, Genea did some simple math and realized how much she had been spending on rent. "I couldn’t believe how much money I was throwing away each year – I knew I had to do something," she said.

VHDA Free Class

That "something" came in the form of a Virginia Housing Development Authority homeownership education class she read about in her local newspaper. Genea jumped at the opportunity.

As a full-time accounts receivable professional for a local non-profit organization, Genea was pleased to find a class time that fit her schedule. She was even more impressed with the knowledgeable VHDA instructor. "My instructor was wonderful," said Genea. "The most beneficial information dealt with the role of the lender and the importance of a person’s creditworthiness. At the end of the class, it all fit together like a puzzle."

After completing the class, Genea qualified for a VHDA home loan. She remembers the exact date that she closed on her property. "I purchased my home on October 23, 2008," she said. "This class was worth my time because it changed my life – VHDA provided a great gift to the community by sponsoring this course."

VHDA homeownership education classes cover topics including credit issues, personal finances, home inspections, the role of lenders and real estate agents, and the closing process. In addition to helping people understand the home buying process, the completion of a homeownership education class is now required of all borrowers before applying for a VHDA home loan.

"Are you interested in taking a free VHDA Homeownership Class? Sign up for an in-person or online class at http://www.vhdafreeclass.com.

Watch this first person testimonial about the VHDA Homeownership Class

Wiliamsburg VA Real Estate “Fords Colony News”

From an article in the VA Gazette 

JAMES CITY – In a stunning affront, homeowners in Ford’s Colony are looking outside the gates to find a new management company. That threatens developer Realtec’s hold over the sprawling planned community.

The potential shakeup is the latest wedge in a series of disputes that date back to an attempt to build 220 workforce homes across News Road. Realtec hoped to roll the project into the Ford’s Colony master plan, which homeowners vehemently opposed. Things went downhill when management pushed a big continuing care facility as well.

The homeowner association president downplayed any animosity. Deborah Gatzek-Kratter said, “This isn’t anything adverse about RCS,” referring to Realtec Community Services. “It’s just a normal process. It doesn’t reflect anything about anybody. There’s no problem [with Realtec]. This is about getting the best value, the best service, for the money.”

It is nonetheless the first time the Homeowner Association has challenged an arrangement forged 23 years ago by opening the management contract to outside bidders. Last week six bids came in, including one from Realtec.

What’s at stake is a contract worth $4.5 million that covers more than 25 employees in 24-hour security, 30 in maintenance, five in management and two in recreation, plus summer temp help. Community Services maintains 45 miles of private roads and 250 acres of common area.

Realtec the company oversaw the compound until 2000, when it ceded control to the Homeowner Association after a series of phases.

Insiders said this week that with Realtec’s “veto power” over association decisions set to expire in 2010, now’s the time to recast the contract or retain a new company altogether.

Realtec general manager Drew Mulhare said, “We believe that keeping the interests of the developer and the HOA aligned is in the best interest of both entities and, of course, the folks who own property here.” He said Community Services drew a 90% approval rating in a recent survey.

Skeptics feel Realtec is still in charge.

Ousting Community Services is more complicated than hiring a new company. It owns the project maintenance facility, which houses management offices, storage, a mechanic’s shop and a fuel depot. The HOA pays into a shared-use agreement, but the cost is half of what homeowners can expect to pay in mortgage or lease costs for separate facilities, Mulhare said.

Indeed, Community Services would be under no obligation to let the homeowner association use the facility.

“Maintenance companies, large landscape companies and construction companies have spoken to us in the past regarding co-op agreements, mergers or leases,” Mulhare said. They are attracted to being close to the 3,000 lots, 2,400 homes and 600 to-be-built units at Ford’s Colony.

Then there are the 60 or so Community Services employees. Realtec could be subcontracted by the new company, Mulhare noted, which moves the negotiations mostly to a matter of the $436,000 upper management portion of the contract.

“It would separate me and my development connection from the management agent,” Mulhare said. “However, there is no evidence that my dual relationships have been a determent to the [Home­owner Association].”

Village at Ford’s Colony, the controversial continuing care facility on News Road, will come online in a matter of years, Mulhare said, providing more business for whoever runs the compound.

Gatzek-Kratter carefully noted that the decision was not based on the controversy over the continuing care facility. More than 900 Ford’s Colony residents initially opposed the plan, and the HOA later tried to block it through legal means. Eventually both residents and the HOA supported the retirement home, or at least agreed to not fight it anymore.

Williamsburg VA Real Estate “Free House in Colonial Williamsburg”

 Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real Estate

John Womeldorf is Mr. Williamsburg, sharing his thoughts, real estate expertise, and “all things Williamsburg” in an effort to spread the word that Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, Virginia is the greatest place on earth to live!

 

 Anybody want a free house in Colonial Williamsburg ? Anybody want to be paid to take away a free house ?

The Billups House in Colonial Williamsburg VA pre-Second World War home on Armistead Avenue is available FREE to anyone who wants to provide a piece of land to house it.
And the developers who received City Council permission on Thursday to knock it down for a mixed commercial-residential development will pay the amount of money they’re going to fork over for demolition to the proud new owners.  Approximately $15,000
Since Thanksgiving two people have shown an interest in finding a new home for the 80-year-old home. But so far, no one has followed through.

If anybody is interested, call John Womeldorf 757 254 8136 or email John@MrWilliamsburg.com
The house at 203 Armistead Avenue was once the residence of Henry Billups, who rang the Wren Building bells at the College of William and Mary from the 1890s to the 1950s.
It and two commercial buildings on Prince George Street, including the former Mama Mia’s Pizza and Deli, will be demolished to make way for a 10,500-square-foot development.
The new project, designed by Magoon Architects for property owners Nick Saras and Steve Manos, will incorporate the architectural style of the block of Prince George Street closer to Colonial Williamsburg. It will have seven apartments on the second floor.

The hope is to create a strong corner, and that one day, the property in between (his planned development and North Boundary Street) will be remodeled and updated, in a mode consistent with the block.”

One after another, city council members lavished praise on the development in voting 5-0 to allow the project to The Billups House Williamsburg VAproceed.”In our own community, projects have basically stopped,” said Council Member Paul Freiling. “Here we have a property owner willing to invest what I think is a large amount of money in this development.
“There aren’t a lot of places and people that would be doing that right now.”
No one even rose in the public comments portion of the meeting to offer a defense of the lonely white house.
But it will stand at least until mid-April. Because of its age, Billups House found itself on Williamsburg’s list of historic structures, forcing the developers to appear before the Architectural Review Board as part of its rezoning application process.

In searching for a lot for this home there is one on South Boundary listed for $250,000. There maybe be others available as well. Please contact me for further information. I would think if they can move the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse we should be able to save and move this house !

 

Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real Estate This informational update provided by Mr Williamsburg.com/ John Womeldorf . A local Realtor assisting home buyers and sellers in the Hampton Roads and Williamsburg areas of Virginia.

Contact me at John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Research the area at www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com

Or ask any questions about homes, neighborhoods, schools, amenities, recreation , shopping or anything else about the area.

Search Homes for Sale

Click here to Search all homes, town homes, condos and building lots for sale in Williamsburg, James City, New Kent, York, Gloucester, Charles City Virginia

Click here to search all homes, town homes, condos and building lots for sale in Va Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth,Franklin, Sussex, Southhampton, Emporia, Greenville, Mathews, Suffolk, Surry, Smithfield, Newport News, Hampton , Poquoson, Gloucester or York County VA

Holly Hills Neighborhood Williamsburg Virginia

Holly Hills is a community of single family residences located within the city of Williamsburg, Virginia in the heart of the Historic Triangle. Within walking distance to Colonial Williamsburg, Merchants Square, and the campus of William and Mary. 

Some of this information was derived from the Holly Hills Homeowner Association website which can be found here http://hollyhillshoa.org/Home/tabid/2268/Default.aspx

There are a total of approximately 150 homes in the Holly Hills neighborhood.  

Holly Hills has a Neighbor Awareness For Neighbor (NAFN) group that ensures that new residents are familiar with what the Association and area have to offer and makes sure that all new comers feel welcome to participate in any activity that interests them.  This group also ensures appropriate Emergency Response whether the emergency is a family crisis or a broader area threat such as storm damage.  The NAFN group is organized on an area basis within the community with qualified trained people to assist in protecting our neighbors and property. 

This is a community which cares for one another but also respects the privacy of our neighbors.  

History

The history of Williamsburg is well known to all of you but the history of the area now known as Holly Hills is also full of interest.  We are grateful to Anne Geddy Cross for providing much of this information in an article in the Williamsburg Gazette a few years ago. 

Holly Hills is located on part of what was the Rich Neck Plantation patented in 1635 by George Menefie and was acquired by Richard Kemp, Secretary of the Colony, who built a house near what is now Yorkshire Drive that passes through Holly Hills.  Richard Kemp died in 1650 and his wife, Elizabeth, married Sir Thomas Lunsford for whom one of the streets in Holly Hills is named. Sir Thomas was a notorious supporter of King Charles but unlike Charles he managed to keep his head by leaving for the Colony.  One of his claims to notoriety is his record shortness of tenure as lieutenant of the Tower of London; four day.  Elizabeth was Sir Thomas’ third wife and he died in 1653 to be buried in a Williamsburg graveyard.  Around 1665 the property passed to Thomas Ludwell, Secretary of the Colony, who renovated and enlarged the buildings.  The property stayed in the Ludwell family until 1808. 

Robert F. T. Cole purchased Rich Neck from the estate of William Edloe and his brother Lucius Edloe in 1846..  William Edloe’s widow, Elizabeth Travis Edloe had married Robert Cole’s father, Jesse Cole in 1842. Both had been widowed.  Jesse Cole died in 1845.  Robert Cole inherited his father’s home in Williamsburg now called “The Taliaferro-Cole House” and then purchased Rich Neck.   Cole died in 1887 and his son, Henry Denison Cole, inherited his property.  In 1951 “Den” Cole’s widow, Caroline Lane Cole, sold part of the Rich Neck property to the Sisters of Mercy to build Walsingham Academy. 

In 1940 Mrs. Cole gave her niece, Carrie Cole, who had been raised by the Coles, and her husband, Vernon M Geddy, Sr. a piece of land at Rich Neck on which to build  a new home . They called it “Holly Hill” for the many large hollies in the front yard.  Mr. Geddy, an attorney, was the first Executive Vice President of Colonial Williamsburg.  He was a descendent of James and Ann Geddy, a silversmith in 18th century Williamsburg.

Mrs. Geddy inherited the rest of the Rich Neck farm in 1952 when her aunt died.  During her lifetime Mrs. Geddy sold part of Rich Neck, including what is now Walnut Hills, Village Green, Rich Neck Heights and the shopping center at the corner of Jamestown Rd. and Rt. 199.  When Route 199 was built, it cut off some of the property, which later became part of Williamsburg Landing. 

Mrs. Geddy told many wonderful stories about driving her horse and buggy “out to the farm” as a youngster. After Mrs. Geddy’s death in 1987 her daughter and son sold part of Rich Neck to a developer who called his new development “Holly Hills” after Mrs. Geddy’s house.  The remaining acreage along College Creek was purchased by the City of Williamsburg. Vernon M. Geddy, III and his family still own his grandparents’ home “Holly Hill”.

You can find more interesting information on the archaeological research of the Rich Neck Plantation.

Click here to Search all detached homes for sale in Holly Hills in the city of Williamsburg VA  

As of 11/25/2008 there were 3 homes  for sale in Holly Hills in the City of Williamsburg VA. Prices ranged from $549,000 to $849,900. Sizes ranged from 2398 to 3294 square feet of living space. In the last 24 months there were 16 home sale in Holy Hills . the sold home prices ranged from $565,000 for a 2952 sq foot home to $1,2000,000 for a 5138 square foot home. the average sales price per square foot was $215.54.  1 home is currently under contract, this home was listed at $1,490,000,000.  All sales  figures are supplied from the Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors MLS ( WAAR)

If you’re searching for a home in Holly Hills or any other neighborhood in the city of Williamsburg, VA, we’re bound to have one that’s just right for you. Whether you area searching for new construction, new homes, condos or waterfront homes, we have homes for sale in all areas of Williamsburg, VA.

If your live out of the area and are looking to purchase real estate in Holly Hills, Williamsburg, VA, contact our Mr Williamsburg and we’ll make your move a smooth one. Our one-stop shopping for mortgages, title insurance, and settlement services is conveniently located  nearby at our office in New Town, Williamsburg VA.

If you’re a buyer or seller who’s looking for help with home repairs, home improvements, or home maintenance, our concierge can recommend only the most tested, proven, and thoroughly professional people to help you repair, improve, or maintain your home, no matter where it is in  Williamsburg, VA.

When you’re ready to buy, sell, or invest in real estate, Mr Williamsburg and He’ll get you moving!

Here is a photo galley of a few photos taken in the Holly Hills neighborhood in Williamsburg VA

Free house in Williamsburg Va

The Billups House Williamsburg VA

The Billups House Williamsburg VA

Would you like to have a house for free in Williamsburg VA ?  If no one takes it, The Billups House in Williamsburg VA will be torn down. The developers have offered to pay someone what they would have paid to tear it down if they want to move it to a lot nearby.

The  Billups House, an 80-year-old house at 203 Armistead Avenue that was once the residence of Henry Billups, who rang the Wren Building bells at the College of William and Mary from the 1890s to the 1950s.
Last month, the Williamsburg VA Architecture Review Board asked that developers Nick Saras and Steve Manos spend the next six months trying to find someone willing to take Billups House if it can be moved to another location.
Bob Magoon, architect for the project, says there have so far been no takers. And it would prove more difficult to move the property than originally suspected.
“At the last Architecture Review Board meeting, one of the board members mentioned that the house is probably ‘balloon’ framed,” Magoon told the Planning Commission. That means the studs run from the ground all the way up to the roof, instead of each floor of the house being constructed separately. “That compounds the problem of where we the house could be moved.

The Billups House has been vacant for almost 30 years. White paint is peeling off the wood siding above the porch. . A peek in the windows reveals dusty wood floors and exposed wiring.

The project to replace Billups House and Mama Mia’s Pizza and Deli (recently closed) is a 10,500-square-foot commercial building, designed to look like the buildings at the corner of Prince George and North Boundary Streets. It will have seven apartments on the second floor.
Magoon hopes, with council zoning approval, that construction begins on the project as soon as the six-month moratorium imposed by the Architecture Review Board lapses next April 14.
The city has told the developers they won’t issue a demolition permit for Billups House (if it can’t be moved) until demolition begins on the Mama Mia’s building.
“They don’t want a developer to walk away from the project and leave an empty lot,” Magoon said.

If you are interested in saving this home let me know. In the meantime I will research moving costs and possible nearby lot locations.

John Womeldorf/ Realtor

John@MrWilliamsburg.com

www.MrWilliamsburg.com

 

Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real Estate

USA Today Article about Williamsburg VA

 Saw this article in USA Today and thought I would share. A previous article in Money Magazine rated Williamsburg as one of the top five place to retire in the USA. Now USA Today is recommending Williamsburg as a great area for a 2nd home purchase.
It’s great to receive all of this national and worldwide attention to out area. The Today Show was here recently filming a live episode from the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg. The 3 hour remote feed gave viewers a look into our wonderful region.

You can read the full article by Larry Olmstead in USA Today. Below are some highlights from the article.

Williamsburg , Virginia ,The best known city in  a region of Virginia known as the “Historic Triangle,” aptly nicknamed “where America began.” The claim is no exaggeration: In 1607, 13 years before the Pilgrims reached the shores of Massachusetts, three ships of pioneers landed in Jamestown, Va., the first permanent English settlement in the USA.

 

Today, Jamestown Settlement is just one of several historic sites packed into the area. The most popular is Colonial Williamsburg, which occupies the city of Williamsburg’s Historic Area. It’s a place where life today goes on just as it did more than 200 years ago, down to blacksmiths and farmers dressed for the part, all thanks to the non-profit Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is the hub of our wheel, the centerpiece of the entire community .A lot of the people looking at second homes have visited it once or twice, or in some cases every year, and just fell in love with the place.

 

In addition to its wealth of historic sites and newer attractions such as the Busch Gardens amusement park, the region also is appealing for what residents say is its quality of life.

Everyone has a checklist of things they look for in a place, in ‘quality of life.’ We have a lot of things on those lists: small-town feel, a college town, four distinct seasons yet a mild climate. We are just an hour from the Atlantic and 2½ from the nation’s capital.”

The area is popular, too, with members of the military because of several large bases and stations nearby. Moreover, compared with other desirable second-home destinations, home prices in Williamsburg are reasonable: Seven-figure properties are almost unheard of.

The city of Williamsburg is small, just 9 square miles. Its population is 13,000 — nearly half of whom are students at the College of William & Mary. Much of the city is occupied by the Historic Area and the college, but most locals don’t differentiate between “downtown” and the nearby suburbs, just few minutes away.

Until not so long ago, most second homes have been in large, gated golf communities such as Kingsmill and Ford’s Colony. But a “new urbanism” has taken hold, an in-town mix of retail, commercial, residential, dining, services and entertainment.

A look at three Williamsburg neighborhoods:

• Kingsmill. Occupying nearly 3,000 acres, this resort development is owned by brewery giant Anheuser Busch. In addition to condos, townhouses and single-family houses, Kingsmill includes a hotel, spa, marina, restaurants, golf and tennis. Most townhouses or single-family houses are in the $300,000 to $500,000 range.

New Town. This 365-acre mixed-use village just outside the city, is an ongoing partnership between a construction company and the College of William & Mary’s endowment. It includes shopping and dining as well as condos and townhouses, with single-family houses planned. One-bedroom condos start at $229,000.

Downtown. Port Anne and Holly Hills and High Street are the primary options here. Port Anne and Holly are quiet, upscale neighborhoods of single-family houses near the college. Expect to pay $500,000 to $800,000. High Street is a new mixed-use development similar to New Town, except smaller at about 50 acres and without an office/business park component. Home prices also are similar to those in New Town.

 

I have posted this article as a local REALTOR living and working in the Williamsburg Va area. I would be happy to assist you in buying or selling a  home there.  Click this link to search all real estate ,homes, condos town homes ,new and resale  currently for sale in New Town/ James City County Williamsburg VA

Click here to search all other real estate/ homes, condos ,townhomes, land for sale in the Williamsburg, James City, New Kent or York County Virginia

Click here to search for real estate,land,homes,condomiuns, town homes, commercial, in any of the following areas through the REIN MLS Database ( real estate information network) Chesapeake, Gloucester, Emporia, Greenvile, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Mathews,  Newport News, Norfolk, Northampton,  Poquoson, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Southampton, Suffolk, Sussex, Surry, VA Beach, York, Yorktown, Virginia

Click here to search real estate, land, homes, condos, town homes, commercial in the following counties of North Carolina Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Elizabeth City, Gates, Hertford, Moyock, Pasquotank, Perquimans using the REIN MLS Database

contact: John Womeldorf/ REALTOR

Liz Moore & Associates

757 254 8136

John@MrWilliamsburg.com email

www.MrWilliamsburg.com/ website

www.MrBurg.com website

www.MrTidewater.com/ website

www.MrVaBeach.com/ website

 

My other area Real Estate and Information Blogs for Hampton Roads/ Tidewater/ Williamsburg Virignia and surrounding areas

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog II

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog

Williamsburg Happenings/ Events Blog

 

Williamsburg Va real estate search

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