• 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

Nye Asks Banks, Mortgage Lenders to Aid Chinese Drywall Victims

In order to aid homeowners with chinese drywall issues Congressman Glenn Nye (VA-02) is asking banks and mortgage servicers to provide assistance to homeowners struggling with toxic drywall. On Thursday, Nye announced that he had introduced a Concurrent Resolution (H.Con.Res. 197) in the House of Representatives, calling on mortgage holders to allow homeowners to apply for a temporary forbearance in their mortgage payments.

Due to the toxic fumes emitted by the drywall, many families have been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter with friends, relatives and neighbors. Families that have been forced to move into rental housing now have to pay both the cost of their mortgage and the cost of renting.

Some homeowners have been successful in applying for forbearance, but not all lenders have been willing to cooperate.

Families in Hampton Roads are now paying for both rent and a mortgage on an uninhabitable home, and at a time when the economy is already struggling, this is simply too great a hardship,” said Congressman Glenn Nye. “Recognizing this issue in Congress and formally asking lenders to be a part of the solution will give families more leverage when working with banks or mortgage holders who may be unfamiliar with the seriousness of this problem. While we work to get families back in their homes, I’m going to try every possible avenue to offer them some relief.”

On Thursday afternoon, Nye discussed the resolution with more than twenty homeowners from Hampton Roads who had traveled to Washington to meet with lawmakers. Due to the size of the group, Nye arranged to move the meeting to the House Small Business Committee hearing room in the Rayburn House Office Building. Nye is the Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology.

Last Saturday, Nye toured two homes in Virginia Beach that were built with toxic drywall and met with homeowners. In May, Nye toured the Virginia Beach home of Colleen Nguyen and held a meeting with approximately a dozen families to discuss the challenges they faced.

The text of Congressman Nye’s resolution, H.Con.Res. 197, is attached below.

 Download a Copy of Congressman Nye’s Resolution: H.Con.Res.197
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Foreclosure looms for Realtec/ Fords Colony Developer has defaulted on loans in Williamsburg, VA

fords colony williamsburg va Posted :August 8, 2009- 6 am

Have you been on the fence about buying a lot in Ford’s Colony in Williamsburg, VA ? Well now may be the time to get off the fence. Citizens & Farmers Bank, one of the lenders to Realtec/ The developer of Ford’s Colony will be selling 36 lots at a foreclosure sale next week. The combined assessed value of these lots is over $6 million.

Realtec has defaulted on a loan which has triggered a Trustee’s sale of quite a few properties it owns within Ford’s Colony. The sale is scheduled to occur on August 20th, 2009 at the James City County Courthouse.

This follows another legal proceeding against Realtec and Rocky Mount, NC Ford’s Colony development which I wrote about here back in May of 2009.

The list if properties, thirty six in total includes the following properties:

116 Knob Hill, 104 Knob Hill and 100 Knob Hill 224 Ashford Manor, 220 Ashford Manor and 204 Ashford Manor 201, 220, 216 and 204 Brick Hampton 140, 136, 128, 124, 120, 112, 108 and 104 Freshwater Bay 116, 108, 115 and 104 Entry Hill 100 and 116 Eagles Cliffe 104 and 100 Edenbridge 124 James Bray Drive 204 Coxmoor 124 and 168 Nottinghamshire 219 Oakmere Park 209 Kilton Forest 205 Royal County Down 205 and 208 Tralee and 101 John Pott Drive.

Most likely if no reasonable individual bids are received the lender will foreclose on the entire lot portfolio. The lots would then be marketed individually after the sale to net the highest return for the lender.

The Terms of Sale are: Cash and settlement must occur within 30 days of sale. A bidders deposit of ten (10%) percent of the successful bid may be required.

This information was from a public sale notice posted in a local Williamsburg VA newspaper on August 7, 2009

Update August 20th, 2009
Although the sale brought many interested parties no lots were sold at the foreclosure auction on Thursday. Five people bid on properties but all were outbid by the lender.

The lender ( Citizens and Farmers bank)  offered a special on financing of 3.99 percent interest,with interest-only payments for the first 36 months.

Stay tuned for further details. You can sign up for email updates here to insure you have the latest news.

 

Click here to search homes for sale in Ford’s Colony Williamsburg VA

Click here to search land/lots for sale in Ford’s Colony, Williamsburg, VA

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 historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market.  His websites, www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and  www.mrwilliamsburg.com   were created as a comprehensive resource about living in Williamsburg, with the hopes of selling a house now and again.  You can reach him at 757.236.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Williamsburg VA Windmill Meadows New Homes Update

windmill meadows new homes williamsburg va Associated Developers and Beamon Construction have opened a new community off of Centerville Rd in Williamsburg James City County Virginia.  more information at www.williamsburgsrealestate.com Associated Developers and Beamon Construction have opened a new community off of Centerville Rd in Williamsburg James City County Virginia. 

The Village at Windmill Meadows is  a 40 acre community with new homes starting from the $400,000’s . Originally the site of a farm. The old windmill from that farm has been restored and now stands sentry at the entrance to the neighborhood.

Seventy Eight new homes are slated for construction. There two models finished and available for viewing.

 Search homes for sale in Windmill Meadows in Williamsburg/ James City County , Virginia

Williamsburg/ James City County Schools assigned at this time are Norge Elementary, Toano Middle and the new Warhill High School although there will be redistricting in 2010 when the new middle and elementary schools open. There is a high probability that the neighborhood will be zoned for the new Elementary and Middle Schools.

The new elementary school will bear the name of the late Dr. J. Blaine Blayton, a well‐known African American physician who practiced medicine for 50 years in the Williamsburg area and beyond. The new middle school will honor Lois S. Hornsby, a longtime fixture in the Williamsburg , VA community.

 

Explore Williamsburg/ James City County Schools website here

Fox Hill and Longhill Station are the nearest neighborhoods to Windmill Meadows.

windmill meadows williamsburg va Associated Developers and Beamon Construction have opened a new community off of Centerville Rd in Williamsburg James City County Virginia. Upon researching the approval of the neighborhood on the James City County Planning site I noticed that there is a restrictive covenant which prohibits outdoor irrigation of any kind from the public water supply. This apparently is part of A Water Conservation Agreement with our local water supplier JCSA ( James City County Service Authority). This is a pretty radical proposal. NO watering your yard !

It will be interesting to see if anyone installs a cistern to store rainwater. I am assuming this would be the only way you can water a yard in Windmill Meadows.

Homes are being built by Beamer Construction of Williamsburg VA. Beamer has built many homes in the area and was the developer of the Powhatan Secondary community.

The homes being built by Beamer Construction at Windmill Meadows are Earthcraft Certified.

EarthCraft House is a green building program that serves as a blueprint for healthy comfortable homes that reduce utility bills and protect the environment. The aim of the program is to help home builders be leaders in smart growth management and environmental stewardship.

Building an EarthCraft House is about constructing a healthy, more valuable home while minimizing environmental impacts. EarthCraft House follows a systems approach to home building that stresses an understanding of how the different components of a home work together. This approach results in a home that performs better, is more economical for the homeowner and costs little more to build than a comparable home built with standard construction practices.

EarthCraft House guidelines address energy efficiency, durability, indoor air quality, resource efficiency, waste management, and water conservation.

Today’s home buyers want to get the most house for their money. In addition to paying a monthly mortgage, home owners must also pay for utilities, maintenance and repair. All of these factors must be taken into consideration when determining the true cost of home ownership. A durable energy efficient house can be more economical and affordable even if it has a higher asking price than another home built with standard construction practices. (True cost of home ownership ).

 

Read more about the Earthcraft Home builder program in Virginia here

Contact John Womeldorf/ Mr Williamsburg for information on ALL New Homes and New Home Communities in the Williamsburg/ James City County/ York County, Gloucester and New Kent areas of Virginia.

You can email me here John@MrWilliamsburg.com or call me directly at 757 254 8136 

Location Map of the Windmill Meadows Neighborhood in Williamsburg VA

 

View Windmill Meadows-Williamsburg VA in a larger map

The Oaks at Fenton Mill, Williamsburg, VA- Community Spotlight

the oaks at fenton mill york county va The Oaks at Fenton Mill, located in Upper York County near Rochambeau Drive and Route 199, features homes by some of Williamsburg’s premier custom home builders including Wayne Harbin and Lawson Homes. The Oaks at Fenton Mill features rolling terrain, walking trails, a pond, recreational areas adn a picnic pavilliosn for resiedents. Home sites range in size from one-half acre to two acres.
The community developed by Lawson Homes is located on wooded property just over interstate I-64 from the retail centers of Upper York and James City counties, including Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Starbucks and the new location of Sentara Community Hospital.
A variety of plans are available, ranging from ranchers to two story homes. A select group of Southern Living House Plans will be featured.Prices start in the $400,000’sThe community  features wooded country size lots, beautiful rolling terrain, walking trails, a pond, and recreational areas .The  wooded home sites range in size from one-half acre to two acres. 

Click here to search all homes currently for sale in The Oaks at Fenton Mills, York County, Williamsburg, VA

Schools for The Oaks at Fenton Mill York County
High School Bruton
Middle Queens Lake
Elementary Waller Mill

Location map of The Oaks at Fenton Mill 

Map picture
The oaks at fenton mill

Fairway Villas Photo Tour- Williamsburg VA Town Home/ Condos

entrancefairwayvillas.jpeg
fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
 fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
Fairwayvillas pool fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
 fairwayvillas trail fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos
fairwayvillas playground fairway villas williamsburg va james city county condos

 

Read more about Fairway Villas here:

Search Homes and Condos for sale in Fairway Villas, Williamsburg, VA

Search All Condos / Town Homes for sale in Williamsburg, VA

Location Map for Fairway Villas:

Map picture

Buying property in a down economy

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Buying property in a down economy“, posted with vodpod

 

 

 

TODAYs Meredith Vieira talks to real estate expert Barbara Corcoran about investing in a home in this troubled economy.

 

Thought I would pass this on for anyone considering buying a foreclosure/ Bank Owned Home in the Hampton Roads , Virginia area.

Most of the biggest real estate fortunes were not made in good times, but in bad times like this” Barbara Corcoran reminds us in this talk with NBC

It’s important perspective for Americans wondering how to invest in foreclosed properties without losing their cash or their credit rating.

In the 4-minute interview, Corcoran quips on the basics and the essentials of foreclosure investing,

  • “Everyone who loses their shirt loses it somewhere else.”
  • “Every big shark started small.”
  • “The house on the corner sets the tone for the block.”

She also lends some personal perspective to rent rolls, the cost of losing a tenant, and finding a good business partner.

Banks are anxious to sell their foreclosed homes and that makes this an ideal time for shrewd real estate investors.  If you’re new to the game, watch the video and take good notes.

Click here for a short one line listing of over 500 Foreclosed Bank Owned Homes Currently for sale in Hampton Roads VA.

For detailed up to date list of Bank Owned Foreclosed homes in the Hampton Roads Va area send me an email with Area & Price range John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Click this link to see Stats on Current Foreclosures in Hampton Roads VA

Where is Waldo and is he reading Mr Williamsburg’s Blog ?

feedjit

Apparently real estate in the Williamsburg and Hampton Roads  areas is of interest to readers worldwide. The picture at left was from early Saturday morning on March 14,2009. I have noticed more and more readers from all over the world perusing this blog.
As you can see on this day there were readers from Copenhagen Denmark, Calcutta, India, France, Salzburg, Austria and Khabarovsk, Russia along with many more from the U.S..

If you have any questions about the area, communities, neighborhoods,  golf, cultural activities, museums,recreation, homes for sale, sales statistics, financing a home, kids activities, shopping, opening a business, waterfront ,schools, condos, town homes,neighborhoods, living in or selling a home in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads VA please drop me an email at John@MrWilliamsburg.com  I am happy to answer any and all that I can. If I don’t have the answer I will know where to send you to for a response.

 

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Williamsburg VA Real Estate- Longhill Gate Spotlight

longhill gate 001 Set on 44 picturesque acres just a few minutes west of Colonial Williamsburg is the community of Longhill Gate. All homes are attached town homes.  There are one level , two level and even some three level attached homes to choose from with Longhill Gate. The 3rd floors are typically  basements on the few homes that have them.  Some of the homes offer attached garages. Sizes of the Longhill Gate attached  homes range from 1100 square feet to 2800 square feet and from 2-4 bedrooms. John Grier ,Jay Carter and Gordon Berryman are some  of the Williamsburg VA builders who built homes in Longhill Gate.

longhill gate 009 Surrounded by a wooded buffer/ greenbelt. You will feel as if you are in a state park when living in Longhill Gate in Williamsburg. Directly across the street from Longhill Gate is the Warhill Park/ WISC ( Williamsburg Indoor Sports Complex. Down the street is Freedom Park.

Amenities for home owners include walking trails, pool, tennis court and a playground.

longhill gate 013 HOA ( Home Owner Association ) Fees in Longhill Gate are $96 monthly which covers yard maintenance, use of the pool, tennis courts and playground and maintenance and management of those and trash service. Note: Longhill Gate homes are not condos. These are attached town homes where you own your yard and dwelling.

Homes in Longhill Gate were built from 1988 – 2003.

Williamsburg/ James City County School Zones are :

DJ Montague Elementary, Toano Middle School and Lafayette School.

See School Statistics for these schools here

See a few more photos of the homes and amenities at Longhill Gate in Williamsburg/ James City County VA

View Longhill Gate

Sale prices in the last 12 months in Longhill Gate  ranged from$235,000 to $320,000. List prices as of today range from $1999,900 to $335,000. The average days on market for  homes in Longhill Gate in the last 12 months was 120 days . The average price per square foot on homes sold in Longhill Gate in the last 12 months was $152.00 . 3 homes sold in Longhill Gate in the last 12 months. 5 are currently for sale.  (Statistics from WAAR WMLS)

Longhill Gate- Only homesearch Williamsburg VA Area/ WAAR/ WMLS homesearch Southside/ Peninsula Hampton Roads/ REIN homesearch
 
 

Location map of Longhill Gate Community

Where are the people coming from who move to Williamsburg VA ?

There is a lot of speculation about the origins of Williamsburg, VA home buyers. Some would have you believe that we are somehow a southern colony of the northeast. In my personal experience I do work with a lot of home buyers coming from up north. Primarily New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the Washington D.C. area.

Why Williamsburg VA ? Better weather, for one.  Lower Taxes, Lots of activities , museums , cultural events. The Beach and Mountains within a short drive. In recent years, the pipeline of previously arrived friends and family members has also fueled the trend..

These aren’t just the traditional retirees moving south, but families and recent college graduates.

Here is a link to a neat interactive map courtesy of the The Charlotte Observer it shows what areas people are coming from in their move to Williamsburg/ James City County VA.   Te map is based on 2000-2005 IRS tax returns, confirming we are a mobile society. The data shows most moves are relatively local, such as from the urban areas to the suburbs or adjacent counties. In the chart below we see that out of the top 18 areas where people relocated from, the only two northeastern states are Suffolk, NY and Fairfield CT.

 

    Newport News, VA 3,659
    York, VA 1,933
    Williamsburg, VA 1,057
    Hampton, VA 930
    Fairfax, VA 825
    Virginia Beach, VA 570
    Gloucester, VA 480
    Henrico, VA 443
    New Kent, VA 357
    Chesterfield, VA 310
    Norfolk, VA 243
    Suffolk, NY 226
    Chesapeake, VA 210
    Prince William, VA 199
    Montgomery, MD 191
    Richmond City, VA 188
    Fairfield, CT 173
    Anne Arundel, MD 128

     

     

In an analysis of migration data from a more recent  2007 IRS Report. Of the 3503 people who moved into Williamsburg/  James City County  1575 of those were from out of state. 45% or almost have of our population is coming from other states.

The next question for home sellers in the Williamsburg / James City County area of Virginia. How do you reach these prospective home buyers ?

I would welcome an opportunity to show you how Mr Williamsburg reaches these prospects !

Williamsburg VA Migration Data  Click here to see where people are coming from who are moving to Williamsburg, James City County, Newport News, Mathews County, Isle of Wight, Gloucester County, Hampton, York County and Middlesex County Virginia. This data is from 2007 IRS information

Brokaw to speak at W&M commencement

tombrokawwilliamsburgLongtime “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw, one of the most highly regarded figures in broadcast journalism, will receive an honorary degree and deliver the main address at the College of William & Mary Commencement Exercises on May 17, 2009 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Read more here

Williamsburg/ Toano VA New Homes Fenwick Hills

Just announced ! Single Family Detached Homes in James City County near Williamsburg VA starting at $212,990 on 1/4 acre lots in the established community of Fenwick Hills.

Siennaryanhomes With easy access to Interstate 64 The location is super convenient. The  single-family detached homes will have anywhere from 1,800-3,000 square feet, 3-5 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Only 18 home sites are available and they will all be on crawl spaces, with the exception of 4 home sites that have basements.
No models are built at this time. Several are under construction in the Richmond area for viewing.

Five models are available to be built in the Fenwick Hills Community.

1. The Avery  floor plan offers style and functionality. Features include  separate living and dining rooms, ample family room with optional fireplace, dinette area, open kitchen, half bath, laundry closet and one-car garage.  The second floor follows suite, leaving no square inch wasted! The owner’s bedroom features a walk-in closet, full bath with optional luxury upgrade, and optional sitting area! Three additional bedrooms, full hall bath, and large bonus room over the garage.

Sq Footage ranges from  1,868-1,950 sq. ft.

2. The Sienna floorplan is ideal for today’s busy families! The first floor features a two-car garage that opens to a mudroom. The kitchen with large pantry and optional island flows straight into the dinette and open great room! The first floor is complete with an airy morning room included off the dinette area! The second floor offers a large owner’s bedroom with full bath, two additional bedrooms, full hall bath, and a spacious laundry room. Unfinished or finished walk-out basements with full bath are options

Square Footage 1,800 sq. ft.

3. The Florence  floor plan features a two-car garage, laundry room, living or dining room, large family room that opens up to the dinette area and kitchen with large pantry and optional island  Options include a morning/ sun room and optional fireplace. The second floor features a large owner’s bedroom with walk-in closet and full bath with optional luxury upgrade, two additional bedrooms, full hall bath and loft complete the second floor. Convert the loft into an optional fourth bedroom to meet your families needs.  Offers the  option of adding  an unfinished or finished walk-out basement with optional full bath.

Square Footage ranges from 1,952-2,072 sq. ft.

The Venice floor plan features  a two-car garage, living or dining room, half bath, mudroom, large family room that opens to a dinette and kitchen with optional island . Available options include a fireplace and morning room. The second floor features large owner’s bedroom with walk-in closet and full bath with optional luxury upgrade.  Three large additional bedrooms, full hall bath and spacious laundry room complete the second floor. You can customize this home by adding an unfinished or finished walk-out basement with optional full bath.

Square Footage ranges from 2,224-2,344 sq. ft.

The Milan  features a two-car garage, mudroom, half bath, living and dinning rooms, large family room that opens up to a spacious kitchen with optional island, and dinette area. Options include a fireplace and morning room. The second floor offers a large owner’s bedroom with walk-in closet and full bath with optional luxury upgrade. Two additional bedrooms, full hall bath and loft complete the second floor. Convert the loft into a fourth bedroom for the space you need! Customize this home by adding an unfinished or finished walk-out basement with optional full bath.

Square Footage Ranges from 2,528-2,648 sq. ft.

Standard Features at FENWICK HILLS, Toano VA

Poured Concrete Wall Foundations, Structural Steel Support Beams, Tongue and Groove Sub Floor, Nailed and Glued Sub Floors, Engineered Roof Truss System, Underground Utilities, Professionally Designed Landscaping with Sodded Lawns, Central A/C & Gas Heat , Gas Hot Water Heater, 200 Amp Electrical Service, Washer & Electric Dryer Hookups, Single Hung Windows (Low E), Double Pane Insulated Windows (with screens), Bronze Exterior Hardware Finish, Shingles 25 year warranty, KP Beaded Vinyl Siding (Lifetime Warranty), Seamless Aluminum Gutters & Downspouts, Custom Paneled Shutters & Doors, Fiberglass Insulated Front Door, GE Electric Range, GE Sound Insulated Dishwasher, Single Bowl Stainless Steel Sink w/ 1/3 H.P. Garbage Disposal, Timberlake Oak Kitchen Cabinetry , Laminate Countertops (Choice of Colors) , 8 Ft. Ceilings 1st Floor with 30” Wall Cabinetry, Bath tubs include Ceramic Surround in Owner’s Bath and hall tubs, Single bowl vanity with knee space in Owner’s Bath, Moen Eva Chrome Bath Faucets, Timberlake Oak Vanities (Natural Oak), White Cultured Marble Vanity Tops, 2 ½ Bathrooms

Interior Features:, Stain Resistant Wall-to-Wall Carpet, Capped stair ½ walls , Six Panel Doors, Satin Nickel Door Knobs & Hinges, Ventilated Closet Shelving, Smooth Finish Ceilings and Walls,  1-2-10-Year Transferable Warranty, Pre-Construction Meeting with Project Manager, Pre-Settlement House Demonstration, Post-Settlement House Inspection, 10 Month Post-Settlement Inspection, One Year Drywall Inspection & Warranty

In addition to the standard features many options are available to tailor these homes to your exact desires. Options include: Granite, Silestone Countertops, Hardwood Floors, Upgraded Carpet, Basements. ( on select home sites.) and much more.

The Fenwick Hills community amenities include a playground, basketball court, and landscaped common areas.

Click here to view  Site Plan for the Fenwick Hills Community

Click here to view all homes for sale in Fenwick Hills currently listed in the WAAR MLS

Click here to search all Williamsburg, James City, York County,New Kent , Gloucester homes for sale currently listed in the WMLS

Please note there are new construction homes available that are not in the MLS. Email John@MrWilliamsburg.com for new home opportunities in Toano , Williamsburg, New Kent, York County, Glocucester or all surrounding areas.

Here are the sales statistics for Fenwick Hills, Toano, VA for the last 12 months. There are 18 homes currently on the market in Fenwick Hills with prices ranging from $260,000 to $314,900. Nine homes sold in Fenwick Hills in the last 12 months. Sold prices for homes in Fenwich Hills ranged from $289,900 to $340,000. The average days on market for the sold homes was 210 days. All Sales Stats are from the Williamsburg Area Assoc of Realtors (WAAR)  WMLS.

Status # Listings       List Price Sold Price Sale/List Price Est. Fin. SqFt List Price Per Est. Fin. SqFt Sold Price Per Est. Fin. SqFt Days On Market
Active 18     Low
Avg
High
260,000
299,474
314,900
0
0
0
  1,899
2,373
2,702
103.59
127.71
163.22
   
Closed 9     Low
Avg
High
289,900
317,494
340,000
289,900
309,850
328,000
1.00
0.98
0.96
2,411
2,527
2,724
110.10
125.90
139.75
110.10
122.88
136.04
38
210
327
             
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 

Williamsburg James City County Schools for Fenwick Hills are:

Stonehouse Elementary , Toano Middle School and Warhill High School

You can explore schools at www.SchoolMatters.com

Location Map for Fenwick Hills Toano VA

Map picture

Longhill Station Neighborhood, Williamsburg VA Real Estate

jamescitycountylonghillstation_edited Longhill Station is a neighborhood in the middle part of James City County. Like a lot of the neighborhoods it has a Williamsburg VA mailing address although it it not in the City of Williamsburg. Longhill Station offers  a wide range of resale homes . Current home prices currently start in high $200,000’s to $300,000’s.

The Longhill Station community  offers it’s residents  a swimming pool for summertime enjoyment. An active homeowner association has many  social events  throughout the year.

resalehomeinlonghillstation Detached homes in Longhill Station offer a wide array of architectural styles  and  home choices. From 3 bedrooms to 5 bedroom models. Square footage’s range from 1500+ to over 2400 square feet. The builder for Longhill Station was Atlantic Homes of Williamsburg, VA. Builder of many landmark communities throughout the are. For over 30 years they have been one of the largest and most admired home building companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Atlantic Home is building in the following communities: New Town, Stonehouse, Kensington Woods in Williamsburg and Church Squarelonghillstationneighborhood_edited in Smithfield. They also build homes in the Richmond Va and Raleigh/ Durham areas  of North Carolina.

Most of the homes in Longhill Station are two story models. Most of these have all the bedrooms on the second floor. There were a few ranches built as well as a few two story homes that had first floor master bedrooms. The community was started in the late 1990’s and completed around 2003.

poollonghillstation Located on approximately 97 acres, approximately 175 homes have been built in the neighborhood.  The parcel of land where it is located was originally known as the Wallace Estate Parcel . It contains a 35 foot wooded conservation buffer around most of the perimeter of the neighborhood which give lots of privacy to the backyards and the community.

The neighborhood as a mandatory home owner association.  The annual home longhillstationranchhome_edited owner fee in Longhill Station   is $330 . It covers all common Area Maintenance ,  Use of the  Pool  and maintenance of  facilities.

Home sale prices in the last 12 months ranged from$265,000 to $305,000. List prices as of today range from $285,000 to $324,900 average days on market for  homes sold in Longhill Station in the last 12 months was  81 days . The average price per square foot on homes was $145.53 . 6 homes sold in the last 12 months. 7 are currently for sale.Current Sales  and sold activity in Longhill Station Statistics are from WAAR ( Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors/ WMLS)

Current Williamsburg/ James City County Schools for The Longhill Station  Community are Norge Elementary, James Blair Middle and Warhill High School
See School Statistics for these schools here

Click here to Search all homes for sale in Longhill Station

Click here to search all Williamsburg, James City, York County,New Kent , Gloucester homes for sale currently listed in the WMLS

Click here to see Census Data/ Demographics for this area

 

 
View Longhill Station- Williamsburg/ James City County Va  map

The Mews Town home community-Williamsburg VA

The definition of mews :
a. A group of buildings originally containing private stables, often converted into residential apartments.
b. A small street, alley, or courtyard on which such buildings stand

A fitting description for “The Mews” in Williamsburg, James City County, VA.

With the feel of a village in Europe ,The Mews in James City County offers a wide array of town home choices. From 2 bedrooms to 4 bedroom models. Square footage ranges from 1300+ to over 2000 square feet. A few models were built with basements.
mews111One of the most scenic points in the community of The Mews is the Lake. It’s observation pier is the perfect place to watch relax and enjoy the sunset or watch the ducks frolic in the fountain. There is a trail that meanders around the lake for those who want to walk the neighborhood.

Offering a clubhouse, pool and tennis , town homes in the Mews are perfect for second home buyers and families alike.

mews2222 The are approximately 111 town homes in the Mews, constructed  between 1987 and 1994 . The quarterly home owner fee in The Mews is $314 and covers all Yard Maintenance, Common Area Maintenance, Garbage removal Use of the  Pool, Clubhouse , Tennis and maintenance of those  facilities.

mewsclubhouse.jpegFrom the chart below you will see that  sale prices in 2008 ranged from$145,000 to $264,000. List prices as of today range from $223,000 to $269,000. The average days on market for town homes in the Mews in the last 12 months was 151 days.

View of video of The Mews Town Home community in Williamsburg, VA

Current James City County/ Williamsburg Schools for The Mews are DJ Montague Elementary, James Blair Middle and Warhill High School

Click here to Search all homes for sale in The Mews

Click here to search all town homes and condos for sale in the Williamsburg, VA area

Click here to search all Williamsburg, James City, York County,New Kent , Gloucester homes for sale currently listed in the WMLS

Current Sales activity in The Mews (Statistics from WAAR WMLS)

Low, Average, Median, and High Comparisons
  Closed Active Overall
Low $145,000 $223,000 $145,000
Average $210,975 $239,071 $224,087
Median $217,500 $225,000 $224,000
High $264,000 $269,900 $269,900

Location Map of The Mews in Williamsburg, VA

Map picture

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Click the link below to “Take a drive thru The Mews in Williamsburg, VA using Google Street View”

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Call or email John Womeldorf/ Mr Williamsburg with any questions about Williamsburg, VA Real Estate.

John@MrWilliamsburg.com

757 254 8136

Senate Unanimously Approves Isakson Amendment to Stimulate Housing Market Homebuyer Tax Credit Revived Market in 1975 and Would Work Today

 

Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia has proposed a tax credit of up to $15,000 for homebuyers.

Here is a press release from his website:

The U.S. Senate today unanimously approved an amendment by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., to stimulate the nation’s declining housing market by offering a $15,000 tax credit to individuals who purchase a home in the next year.

“It is time to fix America’s problem, not throw money at the symptoms. It is time to fix housing first. It is rare that we have a road map to success in times of difficulty, but this country has once before realized a housing crisis every bit as bad as the one we have today and economic troubles every bit as dangerous,” Isakson said. “We have a pervasive housing problem, and we have a historical precedent that works. I am proud this Senate has joined together, learned from history and repeated a method that worked by adopting this amendment.”

Specifically, Isakson’s amendment to the pending economic stimulus bill would provide a direct tax credit to any homebuyer who purchases any home. The amount of the tax credit would be $15,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price, whichever is less. Purchases must be made within one year of the legislation’s enactment, and the tax credit would not have to be repaid.

The amendment would allow taxpayers to claim the credit on their 2008 income tax return. It also seeks to prevent misuse by only allowing purchases of a principle residence and by recapturing the credit if the home is sold within two years of purchase. The amendment would sunset the current $7,500 housing tax credit on the date of enactment.

Isakson has pushed hard for a non-repayable tax credit for homebuyers because he knows that it will work. In the mid-1970s, America faced a similar housing crisis when a period of easy credit and loose underwriting flooded the market with new construction.  Interest rates rose, the economy slowed and America was left with a three-year supply of vacant homes. Congress responded by passing a $2,000 tax credit for anyone purchasing a new home for their principal residence. Isakson believes the results were clear and swift as home values stabilized, housing inventory dropped and the market recovered.

Last year, Isakson introduced legislation to specifically target those homes that were causing the unprecedented increase in housing inventory by offering tax credits to individuals purchasing a foreclosed home or a home where foreclosure is pending. In April 2008, the Senate passed legislation to stimulate the nation’s declining housing market that included Isakson’s proposal. However, the final version of the legislation that was signed into law included only a $7,500 tax credit for first-time homebuyers that must be repaid over a 15-year period. Isakson’s amendment that passed today would sunset that $7,500 tax credit.

 

Isakson has not made a decision regarding his vote on the overall economic stimulus legislation.

Wiliamsburg/ Hampton Roads VA Real Estate Update- Statistics

The housing market on the Peninsula and Middle Peninsula finished up 2008 with prices down only 1.8 percent to $216,000 from 2007

Most agree that prices are mostly back to levels before the heated real estate market peaked in 2005.

Virginia has been able to ride out the storm better than other states, said John McClain, senior fellow with George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis. The state saw a 13.6 percent drop in sales between 2007 and 2008 but only a 1.2 percent slip in the median sales price, which was $244,493.
A dramatic turn in the state’s housing market won’t happen in the first part of 2009, according to a report by the Virginia Association of Realtors and George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis. State and federal policies, including those directed at homeowners at risk of foreclosure, will have an effect on how quickly the state’s housing market picks up, the report said.
The state in 2008 saw a spate of foreclosures tied to subprime loans from the housing boom. Northern Virginia’s foreclosure rate leads the state. Its third-quarter foreclosure rate is roughly nine times the rate seen in Hampton Roads.
Real estate professionals across the state said they’ve noticed interest in buying has picked up since the holidays.

Some buyers — overwhelmed with the number of available homes — have been slow to put a contract down on a house. Others are coming in with bids 10 to 15 percent below the asking price, hoping to get a deal.

The fourth quarter in the Hampton Roads area, which includes South Hampton Roads, saw an uptick in business. Sales were down just 3.8 percent from the same period in 2007 — better than the year-ending percentage of 18.7 percent — with the median sales price down 22.6 percent to $221,857.

The Williamsburg and Middle Peninsula areas saw double-digit median sales price increases during the fourth quarter. In the Williamsburg area, sales were down 42.4 percent but the median sales price was up 11 percent. For counties on and around the Middle Peninsula, sales were down 44.4 percent but the median sales price was up 14.6 percent.

The Williamsburg-area market’s median sales price was propped up by sales of high-end condos in Braemar Creek and Foundation Square in New Town. The median sales price of condos in Williamsburg, Yorktown, James City and New Kent was up 17 percent, according to information from WAAR the Williamsburg-area association of Realtors.

Statistics for this article were compiled from the REIN MLS ( Real Estate Information Network) and The WMLS ( Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors MLS)

If you would like a detailed report of real estate statistics of any neighborhood or community in Hampton Roads or Williamsburg VA email John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Williamsburg VA- Mortgage Lenders

Question:Are you able to give a short list of mortgage companies in the Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads VA. area which I might want to consider.  I understand that you can’t really recommend one over another.  But a short list of generally approved businesses would be a help.

 

Answer: To achieve a preferred status with out company Lenders had to agree to not charge for credit reports and not to charge junk fees, Admin Fees, etc.  That´s the pledge from lenders we have hand selected to earn ‘preferred’ status to offer mortgage services to Liz Moore & Associates´ buyers.  And adding up the dollars NOT spent on extraneous fees results in an amazing amount of money our buyers now have to spend on their new homes!  When it´s your home, everything counts. They work out of an office in our building and are available seven days a week.

You would be surprised at what these extraneous fees add up to. I have seen mortgages where the fees  added up to over $4000.

Our preferred lender list includes B.F. Saul, Wells Fargo, Suntrust and a local company Atlantic Bay. Contrary to popular belief our Broker (Liz Moore) has advised us that we can recommend one lender or home inspector or contractor or surveyor, etc.

Her reasoning was if a client is asking who should they should work with, who has the best service , who has the best rates then why can’t we tell them ?

To that end I would recommend Ginny Phillips at BF Saul. Great to work with, great rates, Great service.

In the last five years of selling real estate, the only times I have had issues was with out of state lenders who we don’t have relationships with. I could fill a book with the last minute snafus and displeasure that they have caused .

Ginny’s contact info is below.

http://www.bfsaulmortgage.com/lo_home2.html?gphillips

Ginny Phillips Loan Officer BF Saul

 

Phone:
(757) 599-2827

Cell:
(757) 572-9635


Send her an email

Read her bio

BF Saul Mortgage

721 Lakefront Commons
Suite 201
Newport News, VA 23606

WALT- Williamsburg Area Learning Tree

For eight years, the Williamsburg Area Learning Tree has been providing enlightening, unique and fun opportunities for everyone, young and old, in greater Williamsburg to learn something new. From the beginning, as a public service project ,WALT has strived to create an environment for those who have an enthusiasm for a subject to share their knowledge with others. Today more than 50 classes are offered each spring and fall. This is only possible because talented people are willing to give of themselves.

Look  Here for New Spring 2009 Classes on January 31 or check the VA GAzette

WALT is a not-for-profit education program that brings you and your neighbors together to share in the excitement and fun of learning.  Individuals in our community have stepped forward to offer their knowledge of a subject that they love so that the rest of us can learn from them.  With the help of these people and many businesses and service organizations, we present this catalog of classes.

Classes are offered to everyone in the community from teenager to senior citizen.  Look over the listings.  If you have questions, call their staff.  Carefully fill out the Registration Form and mail it with a check to the address provided.  Registration will continue until a class fills or starts.  Refunds are available until one week before a class begins.  Scholarship help is available.

Classes in the past have included: 

Adventures in Sailing , Organize Like A Pro , Researching and Preserving Family Histories,Household Document Organization – ,65 Years Young. Is Medicare For You?, Medicare Part D – Maximize Your Drug Benefit , Basic Meditation  , Watercolor Painting , Sculpting the Human Face , Beginning Blues Harmonica ,Introduction to Pointed Pen Calligraphy ,  Basic Bicycle Maintenance ,  Basic Repairs for your Home , Managing the College Admissions Maze ,  Basic Wine Appreciation , Burn Without Crashing: Maintaining your Personal or Small Business Computer, Tech Stuff for the Technophobic ,  Intro to Tai Chi , Intro Yoga  Boot Camp” for New Digital Camera Owners  Writing your Life: The Art of the Memoir , Take the Pain Out of Your Golf Game , *Spanish for Fun  -, Understand Planned Giving ,   Living with Arthritis

Sponsors Include: Anahata Yoga Center, Bike Beat, Computer Concepts of Williamsburg, Virginia Dominion Power, The Virginia Gazette, James City and York Counties, Cities Grill, Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists Church, Sentara/Williamsburg Regional Hospital, Williamsburg Landing, Williamsburg/James City County Library and Ukrop’s for providing class space. 

WALT is always looking for new instructors.  If you are interested in teaching a future WALT course, give  them a call.

Williamsburg Area Learning Tree (WALT)
3051 Ironbound Road
Williamsburg, VA  23185-2391
757-220-9975
Questions or comments?
To contact WALT, send email to walt@wuu.org

Click here for 2009 course availability after Jan 31, 2009

Williamsburg VA- Golf Specials

Williamsburg National

Winter Residents Golf Special
( for people who live in the areas from Richmond VA to Virginia Beach VA)

$30 Green Fee and Cart
(any day through the end of February 2009)

Not valid with any other promotions and tee times may be made 3 days in advance . . . see you at the National!
3700 Centerville Rd. • Williamsburg, VA , 23188

Phone:  757-258-9642

At Williamsburg National Golf Course you can play two different 18 hole courses the Nicklaus designed Jamestown Course and the new Yorktown Course designed by Tom Clark. Both courses offer their own “great beauty” and “noble challenges” as today’s visitors enjoy golfing at the award-winning Williamsburg National Golf Club.

Note if you would like to live on or near the Williamsburg National Golf Course there are numerous communities adjacent to it.

Click here to search detached homes in the Greensprings West and Greensprings Plantation neighborhood. There are numerous golf course frontage homes available within both neighborhoods. Both offer swimming pools and tennis courts to their residents. Prices start in the $300’s.

Click here If you prefer a no maintenance home Braemar Creek offers town home style condos surrounded by the Williamsburg National Golf Course. This community offers a swimming pool, clubhouse, playground and tennis courts for it’s residents . Homes at Braemar Creek start in the low $200’s .

Would you rather build your own dream home on the Williamsburg National Golf Course. Click here to search all available building lots in Greensprings West . As of today there are still golf course frontage lots available..

Williamsburg VA – Job Fair

The Greater Williamsburg, VA. Chamber & Tourism Alliance will bring prospective employers and workers together at its 23rd Annual Williamsburg Area Job Fair.

Job seekers can submit applications and meet and interview with representatives of area businesses and organizations. Local employers are expected to offer full-time, part-time and seasonal employment in areas such
as hotel and restaurant services, management, administrative support
staff, accounting, marketing, retail sales, housekeeping, nursing
and education.

The job fair will be held Wednesday, Feb. 18 2009, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Woodlands Conference Center.

Location: 105 Visitor Center Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23195

Map:

 

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Prudential, GSH, TowneBank- Merge

Although we are competitors I wanted to pass on this news..

TowneBank  announced today the merger of GSH Real Estate, a wholly owned subsidiary, with Virginia Beach based Prudential Decker Realty and Prudential McCardle Realty of Williamsburg. The resulting new company, Prudential Towne Realty, will be one of the largest home marketing firms in Hampton Roads. With almost $1 billion in combined closings in 2008, Prudential Towne will rank among the top 5% of all Prudential franchises in the country.

Richard B. Thurmond, William E. Wood’s president, said he had expected more mergers to happen by now. Last year, William E. Wood and Associates Realtors acquired Norfolk-based Cooke & Neff Inc., a property-management group.

“It was expected we would see consolidation in the real estate market because of the slowdown,” Thurmond said.

Companies will have to merge because there’s less business out there and fewer agents than there were a year ago, he said.

“We are combining the strengths of the highly respected Prudential brand with the experience, talents and relationships of over 600 real estate professionals in the greater Hampton Roads area to bring more and better services to home buyers and sellers,” said G. Robert Aston, Jr. Chairman and CEO of TowneBank. “In a 2008 Home Buyers/Sellers Study by J. D. Power and Associates, Prudential Real Estate was ranked highest in Seller Satisfaction. This recognition is indicative of the service quality our community can expect from Prudential Towne.”

TowneBank will own 65% of the new company. The former owners of Prudential Decker and Prudential McCardle will control the balance.

The executive leadership of Prudential Towne will be provided by Barbara Wolcott as Chairman and CEO, Kimber Smith, President and Carol “Randy” Smith as Senior Vice President. Sandee Ferebee, formerly the President of GSH, will become Chairman Emeritus and will also serve on the company’s board of directors.

J. Morgan Davis, President of Towne Financial Services Group, will also join the board along with Jon and Trey Decker.

In addition, Wolcott serves on the Virginia Beach board of TowneBank, Kimber Smith is a member of TowneBank’s Williamsburg board, and Ferebee is a member of the bank’s Hampton Roads Board.

The acquisition will mean the paring of 19 offices to 12, and probably 25 to 30 positions will be eliminated. The company is expected to have more than 600 associates, Aston said.

As one of Virginia’s top community banks, TowneBank operates  banking offices in Chesapeake, Hampton, Portsmouth, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Williamsburg and York County. Towne also offers a full range of financial services through its controlled divisions and subsidiaries that include Towne Investment Group, Towne Insurance Agency, TFA Benefits, TowneBank Mortgage, TowneBank Commercial Mortgage, GSH Real Estate Corporation, Corolla Classic Vacations and Corolla Real Estate. Local decision-making is a hallmark of its hometown banking strategy that is delivered through the leadership of each group’s President and Board of Directors. With total assets of $3.13 billion as of December 31, 2008, TowneBank is one of the largest banks headquartered in Virginia.

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Hampton Roads VA Foreclosures

Foreclosure-related notices throughout Hampton Roads are up 2-1/2 times from year-ago levels, according to RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure-monitoring service based in Irvine, Calif. The growth in local foreclosure activity is outpacing the nation, where activity grew 4 1 percent in December compared with a year earlier.

Foreclosures here are not as prevalent as in such hard-hit places as California and Nevada, but the trend has touched nearly every neighborhood in Hampton Roads, from working-class Norfolk enclaves to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront with its million-dollar homes.

Even with interest rates at 40-year lows and relief packages being debated by Congress, economists and real estate experts expect foreclosures to get worse this year as home prices continue to fall, adjustable-rate mortgages reset and more homeowners lose jobs in the flagging economy.

Three years ago, one in every 13,000 homes in the region had a foreclosure-related filing. At the beginning of 2008, that number had risen to one in nearly 1,800 homes.

In December, it was one in 513 homes.

Such filings include bank repossessions, auctions of foreclosed houses and notices of default, which mark the beginning of the foreclosure process.

Part of the spike can be attributed to people losing their jobs,  but resets on adjustable-rate mortgages deserve a healthy share of the blame.

Last year, 7,522 adjustable-rate mortgages in Hampton Roads reset to higher rates, according to mortgage-data tracker First American CoreLogic. This year, the firm predicts 4,728 more will reset.

In Virginia Beach, the worst foreclosure concentrations appear south of Interstate 264, running from Kempsville to Green Run and the area around Lynnhaven Mall. But Great Neck, Sandbridge and even the North End are not immune.

Foreclosures in Chesapeake dot neighborhoods throughout the city but are particularly concentrated in South Norfolk.

Working-class neighborhoods such as South Norfolk seem to have borne the brunt of the foreclosures to date. Few such neighborhoods in Norfolk and Portsmouth have been spared.

Olde Huntersville, Lindenwood and Barraud Park in Norfolk are particularly hard hit, as is Brighton/Prentiss Park in Portsmouth. Many foreclosures in those communities can be attributed to the now-defunct CM Development, which owned more than 250 homes in them before declaring bankruptcy in 2007.

In Suffolk, foreclosures are dense around downtown but also can be seen in the newer North Suffolk neighborhoods of Harbour View and off Shoulders Hill Road.

Home prices in Hampton Roads fell 7.3 percent in 2008.

Falling prices contribute to rising foreclosures. As prices fall, homeowners who purchased at the price peak begin to owe their lenders more than their homes are worth.

Williamsburg VA Real Estate- Condos/ Town Homes

Mr Williamsburg :My wife and I are considering Williamsburg VA as a place to relocate to. We are looking for one floor living under $250k. What communities and homes would you recommend ?

Answer: First I would want to know a little more about what you are looking for . How many bedrooms ? How many square feet ? Is an attached home ok ?  Where do you want to be ?  Do you want a garage ? Close to the outlets ? Close to Golf ? Close to New Town ? It also depends on when you want to move. As of today here are a few choices to consider. Do you want to be in a 55+ active Adult community ? or a neighborhood with kids and neighbors of all ages ?

These are my favorites and everybody has their own likes and dislikes..

Braemar_2 If you, want to be surrounded by a golf course and are ok with a brand new 1244 sq foot 2 bedroom first floor condo without a garage.  I would suggest Braemar Creek. It’s only 2.5 miles from Monticello Marketplace with Grocery Stores, Restaurants, banks, Target and most other needs. New Town is approximate 3 miles away with it’s 19 places to eat, 12 screen movie theater, Barnes and Noble, many shops , Doctors , dentists and just about any business you would want including a Trader Joe’s.. The HOA at Braemar Creek is $148 a month.  Taxes are approximate $1700 a year as of 2008. Braemar Creek as a very nice clubhouse with kitchen, big screen TV, fireplace, patio overlooking the pool, tennis courts, playground . Not sure if it’s allowed but my happy clients who have bought there ( I can put you in touch with them for first person recommendations ) walk the Williamsburg National Golf course which is adjacent to Braemar Creek. 

Here are a few pictures and floor plans of the homes at Braemar Creek

 

Click here to search all new and resale condo/ town homes for sale at Braemar Creek in Williamsburg VA

#2 recommendations would be Fairway Villas within a 1/4 mile of Braemar Creek surrounded by woods, close to everything above. Resale @ $200k  , pool, tennis.  HOA is $145 monthly and includes all exterior maintenance of home and yard, use of pool, tennis, trash collection.

Click this link to go to Google Street Views and you can pretend you are driving around the community:  You have to try it if you haven’t used it before !

Call me if you can’t it figure it out I can walk you thru how to use it.

Here are all the condo/ town homes available for sale in Fairway Villas

5555555555555555_edited #3 would be Claiborne on Richmond Rd.  By the way all of the communities were built by the same builder Fransicus Homes.( well respected quality builder in the area) So they all have similar floor plans.  The main difference is the location and amenities. Claiborne has a clubhouse only, no pool or tennis. It’s a little closer to CW, very close to the Outback Restaurant on Richmond Rd. There is one resale there for $208k, 1429 sq feet, 2 bedroom, HOA is $165 monthly. This is the only one in The City of Williamsburg which has a lower tax rate than the others in James City County.. .54 per $100 versus .77 per $100

Here are all the available condos/ town homes currently available in the Claiborne Community of Williamsburg VA

Taxes are only $1230 annually as of 2008. 

Here is a Google Street View of Claiborne.

There are a few others that have a first floor configuration. Bristol Commons next to High Street. I only mentioned the top choices that have availability at present.

Click here to search all new and resale homes , town homes, condos for sale in 55+ active adult communities in the Williamsburg VA area

 

Click here to search all new and resale condos and town homes for sale in the Williamsburg/ James City County/ York County areas of Virginia

 

 ch6 Lastly if you want a garage ( most of my clients do )   That’s another list altogether but prices will start at around $260k. If you increase your price range slightly to $275,000 that brings up a lot more possibilities. There area few home currently available in the 55+ active adult community of Colonial Heritage. All homes are almost maintenance free. All have first floor living. The community of Colonial Heritage in Williamsburg VA offers many different social clubs, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness centers a grand 26,000 square foot clubhouse with restaurant, meeting rooms, ballroom, library and much more. an 18 hole golf course is available. You don’t have to be a country club member to play. ( golf fees are optional and not required of home owners in Colonial Heritage) It is quickly becoming a very popular place to live in the Williamsburg VA area.

One other 55+ active adult community in Williamsburg VA that will not appear in the Williamsburg VA MLS/ home search above is the Villas at Five Forks.

You can click here to read information about Villas at Five Forks in Williamsburg VA prices start below $290,000

 

Click here to search all new and resale homes , town homes, condos for sale in 55+ active adult communities in the Williamsburg VA area

Note: Once you open any of the searches you can sort them by:

Price (high to low) Price (low to high) or Bedrooms (high to low) Bedrooms (low to high) or Sq. ft. (high to low) Sq. ft. (low to high) or Date Listed (new to old) Date Listed (old to new)  All by clicking the   icon that looks like this :

 Sort by: Price (high to low) Price (low to high) Bedrooms (high to low) Bedrooms (low to high) Sq. ft. (high to low) Sq. ft. (low to high) Date Listed (new to old) Date Listed (old to new)

One point I would like to make. I would never try to sell someone a more expensive home. A common thread I have noticed with most people I work with is, They always start low. ( which I can understand)  Quite a few will start in one range and then increase to a higher point to find what they like. Since they don’t know the price range of the area they will always start low.

By moving up in price from $250k to $270k and below you open up a lot more possibilities in communities and homes with  garages and other features. Also remember the prices you are seeing on my website are typically negotiable and simply a starting point. ( note: no two sellers are alike)

If you would like/ appreciate Colonial Heritage there is a detached home in there for $269k list price. I would bet it can be bought for less. Interesting the lowest price sale in the last 12 months was $280K

It’s interesting there is always a 50/50 split on where the folks I work with want to live.
One group does not want to live with a bunch of old fogies…

The others do !

Hope this helps

Call me or email me for further information, a personal tour or to receive an updated list of all homes that fit your criteria.

Cheers,

John

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Why we love living in Williamsburg VA

Ok. It’s been awhile . I am plagiarizing myself from an earlier post.

Reasons We like living in Williamsburg, VA

Voted one of the Top 5 Best places to retire by Money Magazine ( when we reach that age)
Good neighbor passes to Colonial Williamsburg
Grand Illumination at Christmas
Great Wolf Lodge
Farmers Market on Duke on Gloucester St
Kimball Theater
Williamsburg Regional Library Concert series
Williamsburg/ James City County School System
Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Yorktown
Williamsburg Winery/ Wedmore Place
Dinner at Chownings Tavern/ Fat Canary/ Blue Talon/ Opus 9
Desert at the Trellis ” Death by Chocolate”
Capital to Capital Bicycle Trail
Muscarelle Museum of Art
Dewey Decibel Concert Series at the Williamsburg Library Theatre
Golf at Golden Horshoe Golf Club, Williamsburg National, Stonehouse, Kiskiak, etc 17 Local Courses
First Night Williamsburg
County Recreation Center
Grocery Shopping at Ukrops, The Fresh Market, Trader Joes
An Occasion for the Arts
Brewster’s Ice Cream
SUMMER BREEZE CONCERT SERIES Concerts on Duke of Gloucester Street
Shopping at Prime Outlets, Merchants Square, Williamsburg Pottery
Bush Neck Farm – Pick-your-own strawberries, apples, blueberries, asparagus, sweet corn, peaches, pumpkins.
Busch Gardens Seasons Passes “Howl-Scream”
Water Country
The Plantations along Rt 5 , Shirley, Sherwood, Berkley etc.
Williamsburg Ale Werks Williamsburg’s only Microbrewery
William & Mary Football/ Tailgate Parties in the Fall
Mountain Bike Trails Freedom Park, New Quarter Park York River State Park
Kayaking/ paddle boats at Chickahominy Riverfront Park, Waller Mill Park and Little Creek Reservoir
Concerts at the newly renovated amphitheater at William & Mary
Paul’s Deli, Greenleafe Cafe
The wonderful playground Kidsburg/ Mid County Park
Skate Park at JCC Rec Center
New Town and it’s wonderful shops and restaurants
Prime Outlets
Phi Beta Kappa Hall – Performing Arts Series
Ewell Hall, Department of Music – Performing Arts Series
Christopher Wren Society at William and Mary
Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Classics at St. Bede Concert Series
The Virginia Arts Festival presents performances by the world’s top-flight artists in classical music, dance, theatre and jazz.
The Williamsburg Symphonia, Classical Music Series
Virginia Shakespeare Festival @ W&M
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
at Colonial Williamsburg
Aromas Coffeehouse
An Occasion for the Arts
Colonial Polo Cup
Tavern Ghost Walks in Colonial Williamsburg
“Revolutionary City,”
Spending the night in a Colonial Home in Williamsburg
4th of July fireworks at Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg
The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg
McCormick-Nagelsen Tennis Center
Spending the night at the Williamsburg Inn or Lodge
Youth Sports Teams: Baseball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Swimming, Football, Volleyball, Wrestling, Karate, Ballet, gymnastics, etc.
WISC (Williamsburg Indoor Sports Center)
Blueberry pancakes at Chickahominy House
Christmas Parade in Colonial Williamsburg
Tide Radio and WBACH radio stations and WRRW
William & Mary College”The second Oldest College in the U.S.
Kingsmill, Fords Colony, Governors Land, Stonehouse, Greensprings neighborhoods all with wonderful golf facilities.
Rock and Roll half Marathon in VA Beach
Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach
Paul Shagrue ” Out of the Box on 89.5
North End of Va Beach Ocean Front
VA Living Museum
Hampton Bay Days
Mariners Museum
ECSC East Coast Surfing Championships at VA Beach
Proximity to the Mountains/ Skiing
Proximity to Va Beach and the Outer Banks
Harborfest in Norfolk
Ghent in Norfolk
Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in VB
Ferguson Center in NN
nTelos Pavilion in Portsmouth
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Va Beach
VA Aquarium
Sailing on the Chesapeake Bay
Rafting up on the Chickahominy
Boating on the Chick and realizing it looks just like it did in 1607 ( they filmed the movie here)

Relatively low taxes..

Williamsburg VA- Foundation Square Condos

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Amazing… you can live in Foundation Square in New Town for as little as $914 per month (principal and interest on your mortgage payment) for the first year.  Now is the time to act!

During the first year, you’ll benefit from a 2% reduction on your rate.  You’ll pay based on the locked-in rate of 4.25% (4.603% APR).  For example, on a $299,900 luxury condo with 20% down payment on a 30-year $239,920 fixed-rate mortgage you would make:

12 monthly payments of $914 with an interest rate of 2.25%. 

This will be followed by 348 payments of $1177 with an interest rate of 4.25%.

Why wait when you can take advantage of the great interest rates & wonderful limited time incentives!

* Offer may not exceed maximum seller contribution limits established by lender.  Payments and rates listed above are based upon 1/16/09 SunTrust Mortgage Rates.  Payments and rates provided by Jolynn Musel, SunTrust Mortgage, 

Rates subject to change.  See below for SunTrust Mortgage Disclosure.

Foundation Square’s architect, Magoon & Associates,

recently won the Award of Merit by the

Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate

for their beautiful work over at Foundation Square!

call anytime for an appointment!   John Womeldorf/ Buyers Agent with Liz Moore and Associates at (757)  254- 8136.

Living in Foundation Square makes life easier!

Free yourself from the daily upkeep of house and yardwork!

Have the ability to leave for faraway destinations on a moments notice!

Tired of walking up steps all the time?  With direct elevator access from the private underground garage level to your residential floor, here you will find true one-level living.  There is even a generator dedicated only to Foundation Square that operates the elevators in case of a power outage!

Enjoy your own assigned deeded parking space in Foundation Square’s gated and private underground garage!

At Foundation Square, you will be living in the center of New Town!  Stroll down tree lined streets to fantastic restaurants, shopping, the bookstore, the movie theater, doctors, dentists and more!

Living in Foundation Square affords you the opportunity to focus your energy on where it should be… YOU!

Be it rock bottom interest rates or the possibility of no mortgage payments for up to the first six months, we will work with you to determine the most advantageous way to use the limited time incentives!  We look forward to speaking with you soon!

 

John@MrWilliamsburg.com

www.MrWilliamsburg.com

Williamsburg VA-Restaurant Week Jan 25-Feb 1,2009

Williamsburg VA Restaurant Week featuring some of the best  in town Sun, Jan 25, 2009 until Sun, Feb 1, 2009

The Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association presents the 3rd Annual Williamsburg Restaurant Week. Celebrate the New Year and off season by dining at a selection of more than twenty restaurants offering dining at a fraction of the price. Two-course prix fixe lunch menus are $10.09 and three-course prix fixe dinner menus are $20.09 or $30.09. Tax, alcohol and gratuity not included. Reservations suggested for dinner.

More information visit: http://www.williamsburgarearestaurants.com

2009. 
Enjoy Williamsburg’s finest dining at a fraction of the price…
Select from two course prix fixe lunch menus for $10.09
and three course prix fixe dinner menus for $20.09 or $30.09

Here is a list of participating restaurants in the Williamsburg VA Area

    415 Grill at the Williamsburg Hospitality House * L/D $20.09
    Backfin Seafood Restaurant * D $20.09
    Berret’s Seafood Restaurant * L/D $20.09
    Black Angus Grille * D $20.09
    Blue Talon Bistro * L/D $20.09
    Buon Amici * L/D $20.09
    Capitol Pancake House * L
    Cities Grille * D $20.09
    Dudley’s Farmhouse Grille * L/D $30.09
    Gaberial Archer Tavern * L/D $20.09
       (at the Williamsburg Winery)
    Giuseppe’s Italian Café * L/D $20.09
    LeYaca * D $30.09
    The Magnolia Dining Room * L/D $20.09
       (at Colonial Heritage)
    Opus 9 Steakhouse * L/D $30.09
    Outback Steakhouse * D $20.09
    Riverwalk Restaurant * L/D $20.09
    Shackleford’s II Restaurant & Raw Bar * D $20.09
    Spectator’s Family Sports Pub * L/D $20.09
    The Trellis * D $30.09
    *Beverage*Alcohol*Tax*Gratuity not included
    *Reservations suggested
    *May not be combined with any other promotions or discounts.

Explore the menu’s here

.

Email:
info@williamsburgarearestaurants.com

Williamsburg VA Real Estate Tax Rates Income Tax, Sales tax, Personal Property Tax

Common questions I am asked from people are considering moving to Wiiliamsburg VA or Hampton Roads VA.

 Question:What are your taxes for real estate ? Personal Property Tax ? Income Tax ? Sales Tax ?  Gas Tax ?  Cigarette Tax ? What about for York County ? James City County ? The State of Virginia ?

This information is current as of Jan 1, 2009

City of Williamsburg VA   real estate tax .54 Per $100, 3.50 personal property tax

James City County VA Real Estate Tax .77 per $100 , 4.00 per $100 personal Property Tax
York 0.698  per $100 real estate tax, $4.00 per $100 personal property tax rate

No tax on first $20k in value click below for explanation  

You can read the exemption details for automotive personal property tax rates here

 Virginia’s income tax rates are assessed over five tax brackets:

 — 2 percent on the first $3,000 of taxable income.
— 3 percent on taxable income between $3,001 and $5,000.
— 5 percent on taxable income between $5,001 and $17,000.
— 5.75 percent on taxable income of $17,001 and above.

 Sales Taxes
State Sales Tax: 5.0% (includes statewide local tax of 1%) (prescription and non-prescription drugs exempt); Food purchased for home consumption is taxed at 1.5%. 
Gasoline Tax: 19.6 cents/gallon
Diesel Fuel Tax: 19.6 cents/gallon
(Local option tax adds 2% to fuel tax)
Cigarette Tax: 30 cents/pack of 20

Personal Income Taxes
Tax Rate Range: Low – 2.0%; High – 5.75%
Income Brackets: Lowest – $3,000; Highest – $17,000
Number of Brackets: 4
Personal Exemptions: Single – $930; Married – $1,860; Dependents – $930 (Tax year 2008)
Standard Deduction: Single – $3,000; Married filing jointly – $5,000

Property Taxes
In the State of Virginia property taxes are administered by the state’s cities, counties and towns and are based on 100% of fair market value.  Tangible personal property is also taxed at the local level and is based on a percentage of the original cost.  A county, city, or town may enact a program for senior citizens and disabled persons allowing for exemption, deferral (or a combination of both) for property taxes on realty and manufactured homes owned and occupied as the sole dwelling of a person 65 years of age or older.  Annual family income is generally limited to $50,000, but may be higher in certain Northern Virginia communities.  Net worth limits may apply.  There are no adjustments at the state level.  

Click here for more information on Virginia State Income taxes:

Or find the exact info below that you are looking for

  • Tax Forms and Instructions — Download printable forms and instructions
  • Filing Requirements — Learn about who needs to file and filing thresholds
  • Individual FAQs — Frequently Asked Questions for Individual Income Tax
  • Residency Status — Are you a Resident, a Nonresident, or a Part-Year Resident? Find out the correct method to file.
  • Military Tax Tips — Find information on all special filing provisions for members of the military and their spouses.
  • Completing Your Return — Information on how to complete your return. Information on subtractions, deductions, credits, contributions, etc is available here.

Medical/Dental Deduction: Partial. Individuals may deduct long-term health care insurance premiums, provided the premiums have not been deducted for federal income tax purposes. The premiums must be paid specifically for a long-term health care policy.  The amount to be subtracted is the cost of long-term health care insurance premiums that has not been deducted on your federal return.

Federal Income Tax Deduction: None

Retirement Income Taxes: Taxpayers age 65 and older are eligible for a deduction of $12,000, subject to the following income limitations.  The deduction of $12,000 will be reduced by one dollar for each dollar that their Adjusted Federal Adjusted Gross Income exceeds the following thresholds: single – $50,000, married – $75,000 (total for both), married filing separately – $75,000 (total for both).  “Adjusted federal adjusted gross income” means the federal adjusted gross income reduced by the taxable Social Security and Tier 1 Railroad Retirement benefits reported as a Virginia subtraction.  Virginia law exempts Social Security and Tier 1 Railroad Retirement benefits fro taxation.  If you are required to include any of your benefits in federal adjusted gross income, subtract that amount on your Virginia return.  Pension income received while you are a Virginia resident is taxable by Virginia, even though it may have been received from another state.  However, federal legislation enacted January 1, 1996 prohibits any state from taxing pension payments made to a resident of another state.  Even though your pension from another state is taxable in Virginia, it should not be taxed by the other state.  Virginia residents are subject to tax on their entire incomes, including federal annuities and military pensions.  To the extent that these payments are reported in federal adjusted gross income, they are also subject to Virginia income tax.

Retired Military Pay: Follows federal tax rules.  Military retirement income received by those awarded the Medal of Honor can be subtracted from federal gross income for tax purposes.
Military Disability Retired Pay: Disability Portion – Length of Service Pay; Member on September 24, 1975 – No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 – Taxed, unless combat incurred.  Retired Pay – Based solely on disability: Member on September 24, 1975 – No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 – Taxed, unless all pay based on disability and disability resulted from armed conflict, extra-hazardous service, simulated war, or an instrumentality of war.

VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: Not subject to federal or state taxes
Military SBP/SSBP/RCSBP/RSFPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax.  Check with state department of revenue office.

Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real EstateJohn 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!

 Mr Williamsburg is 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 ,taxes,employment, 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 building lots in James City County, York County, City of Williamsburg and New Kent County

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 Virginia

Below is a breakdown of state and county taxes in the Williamsburg VA area. Please

Foreclosures/ REO – Williamsburg VA

Coming soon. Not yet listed. Williamsburg VA Foreclosures/ REO/ Short Sales, James City County VA/ York County , VA.

Address:  LOW RIDGE, WILLIAMSBURG, VA, Penniman East, almost 2000 square feet, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, built in 2001, priced below $240k

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Address:  SMALLPAGE TR, Pointe at Jamestown, WILLIAMSBURG, VA
     4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths,   Price: 324,880.00

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Address:  QUEEN BISHOP LN, WILLIAMSBURG, VA, Off of Jamestown Rd

3 Bedroom with loft, very open floor plan, Lake Powell Point, Built in 2004, located on a cul de sac. Price TBD

____________________________________________________

For further information on any of these properties or updates on foreclosures/ REO’s in the Williamsburg or greater Hampton Roads, VA. area contact John Womeldorf     John@MrWilliamsburg.com  or on his website www.MrWilliamsburg.com

mrwmbglogo.jpeg

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!

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.

Research the area at www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com

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

 

Williamsburg VA Tennis

mntcThe McCormack Nagelsen Tennis Center is home to William and Mary Tennis and the ITA Women’s Collegiate Hall of Fame.  This award winning facility welcomes both Williamsburg area residents and out of town visitors to play tennis and all are eligible to participate in programs with space permitting.  Contact the Center today for further information and program availability!

***Junior Tennis Program***
  • Classes are one day per 8 week session with 10% discounts offered for multiple days & siblings
  • Student to Pro Ratio is 6:1, unless otherwise specified

**Little Fedderer’s : Beginner, 5 – 6 years old. Learn basic tennis strokes, hand-eye coordination through drills and games. The emphasis is on FUN, FUN, & more FUN! Tuesday and or Thursday, 4:30 – 5:30pm,  $80 Member, $120 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

**Blake’s Beginners : Beginner/Advanced Beginner, 7 – 12 years old. Learn basic tennis strokes, hand-eye coordination through drills and games. The emphasis is on FUN & Stroke Development. Tuesday and or Thursday, 4:30 – 5:30pm, $80 Member, $120 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

**Roddick’s Intermediate 1 : Low Intermediate/Intermediate, The emphasis is on controlling the ball, directional intent,and the beginnings of Singles and Doubles. The emphasis is on “Decision-making” strategies. Tuesday and or Thursday, 5:30 – 7pm,   $120 Member, $145 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

**Roddick’s Intermediate 2 : Intermediate/Low Advanced, The emphasis is learning to implement “Decision-making” strategies with concentration on refining stroke production and fitness. The emphasis is on incorporating sound footwork with stroke production.   Tuesday and or Thursday, 5:30 – 7pm,     $120 Member, $145 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

**Agassi’s Advanced Training : For USTA Sanctioned Tournament players, concentrating on fitness, match play situational drills and matches.  Monday and or Wednesday 6 – 8pm,  $160 Member, $190 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

**Competitive Play Program : For Intermediate Players and above will play singles and doubles matches against their peers.  Friday, 4 – 6pm     $56 Member, $84 Non-member, Prices are for one class per week.

Director of Tennis

Tom Hawkins, USPTA

Tom is a career tennis professional with more than 39 years of experience in the tennis industry. Prior to coming to the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center, he was the Corporate Director for the Sport & Health Company managing the tennis department at nine tennis clubs in the Metro DC area. For eight years, Tom was also the Head Men’s Coach for the Division 1, George Washington University Men’s Tennis Team in the Atlantic 10 conference. Since 1989, Tom has been a Tester for the US Professional Tennis Association, evaluating and certifying tennis teaching professionals for the association.

 

Head Professional

Steve Clark, USPTA

Steve has been involved in the tennis industry for over 15 years. He has attained the highest certification levels in both the USPTA and PTR Teaching Certification Organizations. Prior to coming to MNTC, he was the Head Pro/Adult Tennis Program Director at the Regency Sport & Health Club in McLean, Virginia for four years. Hampton Roads has always been a favorite area for Steve, from his prior position of Head Pro/Junior Director at the Tidewater Tennis Center and his Collegiate playing and coaching at Virginia Wesleyan College. He graduated in 1997 and is passionate about the game so he will bring the latest teaching techniques to all levels and ages of players.

 

Resident Professional

Holden Knight, USPTA

With 18 years of tennis instructional experience, Holden is another career tennis professional having taught all over the Hampton Roads area. He is a former All-American at Christopher Newport University. Holden has been at MNTC for the past six years.

 

Tennis Coordinator

Becky Strohmeier

Becky has been with the MNTC since opening in 1995 and is one of the mainstays in Center Happenings. Becky coordinates the front desk and is the point person for all activities, lessons, and membership information

McCormack Nagelsen Tennis Center
Adult Tennis Programs 2008-2009

Adult Tennis Academy:

The Adult Team Academy Program at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center continues to grow and be successful. Each Year 10-15 USTA Teams or non USTA groups come to Williamsburg both for high-quality tennis instruction, as well as for a great vacation experience. Williamsburg offers historical sites, unique restaurants, and outlet shopping all in close proximity to MNTC. Features

  • Academy days usually Friday, Saturday, Sunday
  • Lodging for two nights at suite hotel
  • 20% off Pro-shop items Unlimited Court Time during Academy Weekend
  • Team Competition vs MNTC
  • Adult USTA Teams Emphasis on Doubles Strategies, Court Positioning, Ball Placement, and High Percentage Tennis
  • ITA Women’s Hall of Fame
  • To schedule an Adult Academy please call Tom Hawkins at (757) 221-7378.
    In order to ensure the dates you prefer please book at least three months in advance. Also, when reserving your program, inquire about the availablity of discounted tickets for area attractions.

    Find out more here : http://web.wm.edu/mntc/index.php

    Or call 757 221 7378
    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!

    Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real EstateContact 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.

    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,

    map of Mccormack Nagelson Tennis Williamsburg VA

    Williamsburg VA 2008 A Year In Review

    From an article in the Va Gazette By Cortney Langley  Dec. 2008

    The recession slowed the growth of housing and commerce for the first time in 10 years. Still, there was plenty left to propose and oppose.

    James City County set out to revise the Comprehensive Plan with various forums and committees taking the public pulse.

    A new slow-growth group called J4C produced research papers challenging various assumptions and projects. The outgoing Democratic majority tightened a James City ordinance to expand stream buffers to 300 feet instead of 100. The new Republican majority promptly unwound that and eventually compromised at 225 feet, then defeated the whole measure. The stream buffers were among many disputes in which four of the five members criticized each other as politically partisan. Almost 900 Ford’s Colony residents petitioned to block a big continuing care facility across the road as too big, generating too much traffic and burdening the HOA. They found a zoning loophole to support their case legally.

    The HOA agreed not to sue when management backed down on applying full residential rights to those in a proposed senior care facility. Others still opposed the project on grounds of traffic and scale, even after it was scaled back from 944 units to 739. Despite a last-minute gimmick to stop it, the James City supervisors approved, but the financing dried up during the national credit crisis.

    Also near Ford’s Colony, a plan for 240 workforce housing units on News Road was pulled back to weave it into the new Comp Plan. It was considered DOA after the continuing care controversy. Ford’s Colony announced Westport as 100 large homesites across Centerville Road but removed from the controversial continuing care facility.

    Two-year assessments found York home values up an average of 15%. The Board of Supervisors reduced the real esate tax rate from 69.75 cents per $100 of assessed value to 65.75 cents.

    York county administrator James McReynolds said he needed $26 million worth of expansion and new buildings for his various departments.

    A new task force promised to have ideas on developing workforce housing by summer. Work languished, but the group plans to take up the mantle in 2009.

    High Street scaled back 99 townhouses to 36 in the first phase as real estate sales continued soft. The Movie Tavern theater that was supposed to open by Labor Day was delayed to November, and then to March along with the retail shops. By year-end, two of five apartment buildings at High Street began to be occupied.

    Two new sets of stoplights were erected for High Street, bringing the total in greater Williamsburg to 87. Yet very few were synchronized to keep traffic moving.

    The Salvation Army set out on a feasibility study for a $6 million complex of teen center, child care, computer lab, food pantry and other services to the community. The site is on Richmond Road near 199.

    An extended runway was ruled out at Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport, which seemed to scotch any federal subsidy for acquisition. By year-end, it was going to take more than $3 million to buy the airport or $16 million to rebuild elsewhere. Some citizens were adamantly against James City County putting up the money. The death of co-owner Jean Waltrip complicated matters.

    Philip Morris completed the expansion and conversion of the Route 143 plant to make spit-free tobacco. 1,200 acres were put on the market by Williamsburg Pottery, though Kim Maloney clarified the business would remain intact. With no buyers at hand, the property was later taken off the market. Longtime farmer Don Hunt closed Hill Pleasant Farm. He had no plans to sell to developers but asked for the land-use designation to change to mixed-use with the Comp Plan update. The York supervisors compromised on requiring Kiln Creek Golf Club & Resort owner Dick Ashe to cut the grass of its abandoned nine-hole course.

    Overcrowding worsened at Stonehouse Elementary, but a 9th school was still two years away.

    Pockets of retail vacancies were showing up at Patriot Plaza and were persisting at Williamsburg Crossing.

    A revised version of controversial condos were approved on South Henry Street despite criticism that they were out of scale.

    Williamsburg Community Chapel spent $15 million to expand to 70,000 square feet with an auditorium for 1,500.

    York denied its first mixed-use development of apartments and stores, on Route 17 at Battlefield Road. 10 four-story buildings for mixed use at Route 17 and Battle Road worried York residents as too massive.

    The York supervisors were lobbied heavily to approve in a 3-2 vote a house on the Chesapeake Bay that was within the 100-foot Chesapeake Bay resource protection area.

    The Honda dealership in Norge sought to expand, but neighbors complained of encroachment. Neighbors in Chisel Run protested Prime Outlets expanding across Olde Towne Road after two dozen older trees were cut down. James City had a raft of road projects, but the state budget was cut in half to $3.5 million. Two James City supervisors had second thoughts about approving a $50 million contract with Newport News Waterworks. It’s good for up to 5 million gallons a day. Water rates raised 12%- 15%, with more to come.

    VDOT ramped up its traffic studies in ways that would cost developers more time and money, but slow-growth advocates hailed the move for reflecting a more cumulative impact.

    J4C came up with six pages of ways to prevent flooding through improved draining. The crux of the problem was assigning responsibility for flooding after a development is built.

    Three days of citizen meetings led to a vision of the Eastern State campus for mixed uses and housing around various mental health components. Sites emerged for at least one new school, an office park, apartments, “Geriatric Square” for research, and faculty housing.

    Neighbors near Hubbard Lane protested expansion plans for a mini-warehouse behind James-York Plaza. The Planning Commission recommended denial of the proposal and the application has yet to go to the Board of Supervisors.

    Seasons Trace sought a second road out of the subdivision in the event of hurricane flooding.

    The city budget was ho-hum except for a 15% hike in water rates to pay Newport News Waterworks in times of need. Last year the rates went up 10% and more hikes are coming, in part to cover costs of the new King William Reservoir. Geologist Gerald Johnson lost his fight to save the last patch of 5-million-year-old fossils along the bluffs of the James River. Kingsmill wanted the site for more homes.

    You know you’re from Williamsburg when…….

    This was authored by Williamsburg VA resident Jill Carter it originally appeared in the VA Gazette and is now on Facebook. Just thought I would share.

    YOU KNOW YOU’RE FROM WILLIAMSBURG WHEN:
    1.You can get to the Williamsburg Regional Library…without using Rt. 60 or 199.
    2.You were excited when Lowe’s opened.
    3.You know who has right-of-way at Confusion Corner.
    4.When you hear “It’s tourist season,” you automatically think to pull out your guns.
    5.You know seven different ways to get to one place.
    6.You know your way around William and Mary…but you’re not a student.
    7.You see someone getting excited about pictures from Colonial Williamsburg, and you usually follow up with a story beginning with “I was there once with my friends…”
    8.You have a sudden urge to back slap every little child you come across wearing colonial garb with tennis shoes.
    9.Seeing someone dressed in colonial clothing at 7-11 or a grocery store no longer fazes you.
    10.You know where the Amphitheatre is.
    11.You use Kidsburg more as a teenager than you ever did while a child.
    12.And it’s usually after dark.
    13.You know where to find radioactive jellyfish.
    14.Busch Gardens is a regular hangout place.
    15.You know at least five people that work at Busch Gardens.
    16.You drive past a historic landmark at least three times a day.
    17.You make fun of said historic landmarks.
    18.You visit the neglected corpses in Colonial Williamsburg.
    19.You know who “Kennedy” is.
    20.You have at least one friend who was born in Williamsburg.
    21.Most of your graduating class is going to VA Tech, VCU, CNU, JMU, or William and Mary.
    22.You don’t have to look at some one’s license plate to know that they’re a tourist. They just suck at driving.
    23.You say “The Climbing Tree” and everyone knows what you’re talking about.
    24.You’ve been swimming at College Creek, despite the radioactive waters.
    25.You actually know where College Creek is.
    26.You know where the signs on the Parkway switch from “Do Not Pass” to “Pass With Care.”
    27.You can think of at least five bed-and-breakfasts off the top of your head.
    28.You know that when people say “The Sunken Gardens,” they are actually referring to a rather large field with sidewalks.
    29.You know what “LP” means.
    30.And you don’t care.
    31.You know where the “Four Minute Stoplight” is.
    32.Everyone else in the country is excited about Jamestown 2007. You’re dreading it because you won’t be able to get out of your neighborhood.
    33.You know the ferry schedule.
    34.And you were happy when they FINALLY made it free!
    35.Your friends find really cheap gas and call EVERYONE they know. Even people they haven’t talked to in at least six months.
    36.You know where at least three thrift stores are. And none of them are run by the same organization.
    37.You’re at PBK more than the college students are.
    38.You know what PBK is.
    39.Two of the most feared words in consecutive order: Grand Illumination.
    40.You know about the free parking garage.
    41.You know where “The Underground” is.
    42.You know that “The Underground” and the free parking garage are the same place.
    43.And you marvel at the fact that tourists are willing to pay $9 to park.
    44.You remember when the Cheese Shop was not in Merchant’s Square.
    45.You were sad when Baskin Robins and The Blue Talon burned.
    46.You’re bloody pissed that the College Delly is turning into another damned Starbucks.
    47.And you know that the new Starbucks will give the greater Williamsburg area 8 Starbucks total. And that pisses you off, too.
    48.You know at least 4 Polish people and at least 5 Russians.
    49.You know the double meaning behind the name of “Lafayette” High School.
    50.You remember when Jamestown High did not exist.
    51.You remember when 199 East did not exist.
    52.The construction of 199 affected your family’s finances.
    53.Your house could be considered a historic landmark.
    54.The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation can make you repaint your house because “it’s not the right colour.”
    55.You can’t remember the last time Lafayette High had a good JV Football team.
    56.You know which of the middle schools used to be a high school.
    57.You still don’t understand the school redistricting.
    58.You’ve been busted by the William and Mary cops.
    59.You know one of these people: Brian Ready or Jessica Harms.
    60.You know who Mr. Snyder is. And you cringe in fear at the mention of his name.
    61.You know where New Kent is.
    62.You know three different ways to get to Newport News. And none of those ways involve 64 or 199.
    63.You know how to pronounce the words “Chickahominy,” “Poquoson,” “Boutetourte,” and “Gloucester.”
    64.You know who the Guinea Men are.
    65.You remember BEFORE Wawa. And you were so happy when we finally got one!
    66.You managed to live six months without a movie theatre.
    67.You know what “Tommy Tech,” “CW,” and “The Burg” are.
    68.You know EXACTLY what faults there are in Disney’s version of “Pocahontas.”
    69.And you’ve practically smacked every little kid that asked where the waterfall was.
    70.Mapquest got directions to your house wrong.
    71.You don’t think Norfolk Airport should be considered an international airport just because it goes to Puerto Rico. After all, Puerto Rico is one of the United States’ territories.
    72.You know what bars Colin Farrell frequented while filming “The New World.”
    73.You hear “Hurricane Warning” and get excited because you’ll probably have at least three days off from school.
    74.Noreasters don’t bother you anymore.
    75.You know where the “Hurricane Evacuation Route” is, but you’ve never actually had to use it.
    76.You’ve heard about the time that “Lafayette High School almost blew up.”
    77.You most likely knew one of the people responsible for that.
    78.You know what the real name of Confusion Corner is.
    79.You hear that we have a really good chance of getting snow, and we never see a flake.
    80.When we really do get snow, a half-inch will get us out of school for at least one day.
    81.You can name over half the restaurant on Restaurant Row.
    82.You know what Restaurant Row is.
    83.You spent time in “learning cottages” during elementary, middle, or high school, or more than likely, all three.
    84.You’ve memorized the layout of Busch Gardens (including a few shortcuts).
    85.You wish Sno-to-Go was open year-round, despite freezing temperatures in the fall/winter.
    86.You think Presidential Park was the biggest waste of any one’s money EVER.
    87.Yet you still go there just to pretend to pick the Presidents’ noses.
    88.You know at least two Fife and Drummers.
    89.You freaked out the day Target came to town and immediately started calling it “tar-jay.”
    90.You know where every single one of the five million pharmacies are.
    91.And you can’t believe there was just another one added.
    92.You remember how pissed off everyone over 40 was when they heard about Hooter’s being built, despite the fact that Hooters is in York County, not Williamsburg.
    93.You know what “Rhino Poop” is.
    94.You went to Jamestown High and could bet money on a bomb threat happening at least once a day.
    95.You remember when New town was just the new Corner Pocket.
    96.You remember when the Jewish Mother caught on fire.
    97.You know that the Prime Outlets was first called Berkley Commons.
    98.You no longer have to go to the Patrick Henry Mall for Old Navy or any other good shopping.
    99.You don’t have to go on the ghost tour to know Matthew Whaley is haunted.
    100.You remember when feeding the animals at Waller Mill Park was allowed
    101.You still are friends with someone you knew in kindergarten.
    102.You remember what life was like before Wal-Mart, but you still shop there.
    103.The Pottery used to be the only mall in town.
    104.You can’t go out without running into someone you know.
    105.You know that DOG Street has nothing to do with furry pets.
    106.If you remember were Roses used to be.
    107.If you remember when the Outlet Mall had more than 5 shops open in it.
    108.If you remember when The Pottery was actually halfway decent looking, and you still wonder to this day why it maintains its status as a tourist attraction.
    109.You remember when the Last Word was filled for weeks with nothing but parents arguing about whether or not “Pimp and Ho” Parties are appropriate.
    110.You were most likely at said “Pimp and Ho” Party.
    111.You know that the Colonial Parkway has three lanes- one for each direction of traffic and one for passing.
    112.And you laugh and swear at people who drive 30 mph while driving in the middle of the three lanes.
    113.When vacationing you never understood why everyone doesn’t have amusement parks 5 minutes away.
    114.You take a field trip the Living Museum every year K-8.
    115.A little kid asks where Miko is, and you say that you saw him in several bloody pieces across the road.
    116.Or that you ran him over on your way to work/school/home that day.
    117.And then you laugh when they start to cry.
    118.You’ve memorized when Quota Time starts, ends, and where the prime locations are for the Quota to be filled.
    119.And yet you’ve still managed to be pulled over.
    120.And it’s rather likely that you were pulled over a few days later, as well, for the same violation.
    121.You’ve done the same stupid thing several times, and yet you still do it anyways because it provides some entertainment.
    122.You would follow the ghost tours at night and try to scare the tourists.
    123.You swam out to the sandbar at College Creek, even though you knew people had died from the undercurrent before.
    124.You go to the College Delly more often than the William and Mary students do.
    125.Everyone you meet was born somewhere else.
    126.You claim you hate the Last Word, but it’s the first thing you read when you get the paper.
    127.It takes you five minutes to get out of a parking space because no one will let you out.
    128.When you go to IHOP at the late/early hours it takes you hours to get your food and often walk out before it gets to you.
    129.You know at least two places were the speed limit is 8 or 18 mph.
    130.You’ve been stuck behind an old person in a Buick going 30 on 199.
    131.You know the fireworks have three locations and you know where to stand to see all three.
    132.You know which three fireworks were mentioned.
    133.You go to one school, but your friend, who lives on the other side of the street, goes to a different one.
    134.Extra points if they go to another school system.
    135.You know how to pronounce Toano.
    136.You know not to go on the parkway at night.
    137.You think it’s funny that people actually visit CW and Jamestown.
    138.It’s normal to wait 30 minutes to an hour in line at sno to go… and it’s worth it
    139.You know what CW, FC, WF, BG, and WC are… and you’ve been to them all at least 5 times
    140.If you go to LHS… class color day is the most important day of the year.
    141.And every year the administration says there won’t be another one because of how horrible the behavior was.
    142.You know where you can find a speed limit of 12 3/4
    143.You know how to get to Richmond without using 64
    144.You can tell what neighborhood people live in by the sticker on their bumper.
    145.Your high school student lot had nicer cars than the teacher lot.
    146.You know what “The Pile of Poop” is.
    147.And you’ve played mini-golf there several times.
    147.You have trouble remembering what the real name to “The Pile of Poop” is.
    148.You know where you can find the speed limit 23 1/2.
    149.Every one you know has taken at least 1 AP Class
    150.You can name at least five people who shouldn’t have
    151.You go to Yorktown Beach in the winter
    152.You get offended when people say “its not a real beach”
    153.You can pick out historical inaccuracies in movies.
    154.You’ll stop watching a movie because of the historical inaccuracies.
    155.You argued over the historical accuracy of Elizabeth Swan’s wedding dress in Pirates of the Caribbean
    156.You know that both Thomas Jefferson and Jon Stewart hate WM.
    157.You own something that says William and Mary on it even though you have no intention of actually going there.
    158.The only reason someone goes out of state for college is because they got accepted into an Ivy League.
    159.You don’t care about the Wren cross but want them to put it back so that way everyone will shut up!
    160.Over half the population of your town are college students.
    161.You’re more scared of stubbing your toe on a brick than you are of getting mugged.
    162. The weather man may say one thing, but what actually happens is a completely different story.
    163.You know that once the light turns yellow, you can fit at least four more cars through before it turns red.
    164.The light is orange, not red.
    165.You’ve used that excuse in court.
    166.In the summer, you wish it was colder, and in the winter you wish it was summer.
    167.You know that Williamsburg was voted in the Top 5 Places to retire in 2006 by Money Magazine.
    168.You swim in the James River, despite the riptide warnings and knowing that it’s radioactive.
    169.You explode the radioactive jellyfish at College Creek.
    170.You know the best places to get your boom-boom on at College Creek.
    171.You’ve never actually used any of those places.
    172.But you’ve seen someone else using them.
    173.You’ve had at least one teacher that talked to him or herself.
    174.And you’ve participated in his or her conversations with him or herself.
    175.You’ve had at least one of the Crawfords.
    176.You know that there’s nothing to do after 9pm.
    177.And yet you still manage to get yourself in trouble with either a business owner or the police.
    178.While in CW, you curb your appetite on the free peanuts and the Peanut Shop.
    179.You’ve straddled Thomas Jefferson.
    180.You’ve also burned yourself on him in the process of straddling him.
    181.You bask in 86* and sunny weather at the beach, then wake up five days later with an inch and a half of snow on the ground…and it’s still snowing…in April.
    182.You forget when the last time Haynes had a “Half off everything” day. Not because it was a long time ago, but because they have some sort of huge sale three times a week.
    183.You’ve taken a random road trip and ended up in the depths of New Kent.
    184.You felt fine about being in New Kent because you knew it wasn’t hard to get back home.
    185.You’ve figured out which stoplights have real cameras at them.
    186.You know which cars are undercover cops because our police force has problems with hiding all of the equipment.
    187.You give someone three different times as to how long it’s going to be before you get somewhere: one if there’s traffic, one if it’s steady traffic, and one of there’s NO ONE on the road.
    188.You can’t understand why it took so long for the county supervisors to figure out that a third high school was, in fact, needed…about five years ago.
    189.You give directions not by road names, but by landmarks. Example: Turn left at the Crown, then go about a mile, then turn left in front of the IHOP. Go over the bridge. Hooters is the second building on the right.
    190.You aren’t getting the day off from school for Jamestown 400th because the schools like you. Oh no. It’s because the Jamestown 400th is renting the school buses for tourist transportation.
    191.You’ll drive all the way over to Surrey to get gas that’s only 10 cents cheaper. But you enjoy the ferry ride!
    192.You’ve gotten lost while driving IN Williamsburg, and somehow ended up at the Ferry, or in either York, Yorktown, or Newport News. Extra points if you end up in the middle of New Kent…without even knowing you were in New Kent.
    193.You’ve been stuck in the “Four Minute Stoplight” for an excess of 8 minutes. Extra points if you’ve been stuck for more than 11 minutes.
    194.You’ve been at the “Four Minute Stoplight” in the middle of the night, with no one around, looked both ways, and if there was no traffic in your immediate vicinity, went through the red light.
    195.You’ve done #194 at any red light.
    196.You speed up when the light turns yellow just so that you don’t have to wait…even if you end up running a red light.
    197.You laugh at the tourists that freak out at the sight of those little black snakes. You then proceed to go pick it up and carry it over to them.
    198.You think you tripped over a branch? Oh no no no. That was one of those little black snakes.
    199.You’ve resorted to some form of illegal activity to amuse yourself, yet you’ve never been arrested.
    200.You’ve mastered the art of lying to the cops.
    201.You’ve been pulled over multiple times for the same infraction within a one-week time period.
    202.You’ve filled out the “Best of Williamsburg” although you were under the age of 18. You just put in your parent’s name. Or just made one up.
    203.You know I-64 traffic patterns so well that you can exactly time your trips according to the check-in times to the houses and hotels in the Outer Banks.
    204.50% or more of your neighborhood is made up of the elderly.
    205.You’ve been pulled over for listening to your music “too loudly.”
    206.You’ve done donuts in at least one of the school parking lots.
    207.You’ve given a campus cop the finger.
    208.Girls: The William and Mary men’s cross-country team has been the cause of many of your near-accidents.
    209.You can tell a friend that you’re at the place with trees by the flag and they have a general idea where you are.
    210.You drive by what used to be an empty lot, and now there’s a new building there. But you don’t remember the construction of it.
    212.You heard the story about the guys jumping off of the big bridge in Busch gardens.
    213.You remember when the same guys lit off fireworks in the Walsingham Academy girls’ locker room later, and got expelled.
    214.Those guys are your heroes.
    215.You laugh every time you see the donut tire-marks in the St. Bede’s parking lot.
    216.You remember when New Town was a big, pretty field.
    217.You hear the words “move-in day” and cringe.
    218.You hear “parent’s weekend” and do the same.
    219.You know the book-mobile schedule.
    220.You laughed when you heard about the greenleafe giving food poisoning to My Chemical Romance and Muse, as well as a huge wedding, and then getting depressed when you realize that no band would ever come back.
    221.You miss the old movie theater, if only for the DDR machine.
    222.You’ve seen the graffiti near the old movie theater and it never fails to make you laugh.
    223.You know to what school the “dancing pigs” refers to.
    224.You know someone who’s gone there, and you laugh at their uniforms.
    225.You know that Queen Anne dairy snack, even while looking like a deserted trucker stop, has the best ice cream, burgers, fries, and onion rings in all of the east coast.
    225.You’re sure that if kingsmill were to succeed from the united states, it could easily support itself.
    226.You remember how awesome the Ice Storm was.
    227.You hear that your bus has a double run and you cry because not only will you not get home for another hour and a half, but you’ll also have to sit at least three to a seat.
    228.You flash your lights at other drivers to warn them of hidden cop cars.
    229.You have been pulled over on Jamestown Road for speeding.
    230.You’ve been pulled over right where the speed limit turns from 45 to 25 on Monticello.
    231.You remember getting two weeks off for Hurricane Isabel.
    232.You remember going to school on Saturday to make up for all of the lost days of school.
    233.You remember having to go to school for 30 minutes extra every day for two months because of Isabel.
    234.You refer to the Wawa in CW as the Wee-Wawa. It’s smaller than the average Wawa, but dammit, it’s trying!
    235.Verizon has just about created a mobile-phone monopoly.
    236.Your family is watching Jeopardy and someone gets asked a question on CW or Jamestown and everyone in the room answers it out loud.
    237.The new Arby’s being built, was the old Arby’s, and since then its been a string of failed sandwich shops and eateries.
    238.You remember they tore down the Taco Bell to build another Taco Bell on Richmond Road
    239.You remember the green 7-11
    240.When driving 199 or 60, you pass at least three people you know.
    241.You remember the day Fabio got hit by a goose, and probably laughed.
    242.If you’re a college kid, you come home for break and see all of your old friends within the first three days, but not because you planned it that way.
    243.When you see a picture or TV ad for Williamsburg, and the Fife & Drum are in it, you look for people you know.

     

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    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!

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