• 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

See homes with ZERO ELECTRIC BILLS in Hampton Roads

Imagine a home with No Electricity Bills.

The 2014 Hampton Roads Solar Tour is a self-guided tour of over two dozen Hampton Roads homes and businesses that run on solar energy, as well as homes with other renewable energy and sustainable technologies.  Selected sites throughout all of Hampton Roads will have free open-house tours to showcase technology and share information on solar energy. This year four specific tour areas will be available: Southside, Peninsula, Middle Peninsula and Eastern Shore.
Experts will be on-hand at each site to answer questions.
The 2014 Hampton Roads Solar Tour will be held on Saturday October 4, 2014. The central site at [TBD] will have educational material, speakers on sustainability and renewable energy technology, and vendor displays for renewable energy firms.
As energy prices rise, this event offers participants the opportunity to tour homes and buildings to see how Virginians are using solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce their monthly utility bills and help tackle climate change.
The 2014 Hampton Roads Solar Tour is sponsored by the Hampton Roads Green Building Council. The local tour is part of the  National Solar Tour. This year, more than 170,000 participants are expected to visit some 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the United States. Now in its 18th year, the National Solar Tour is coordinated by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), a non-profit organization,  This is the seventh year for the local tour here in Hampton Roads, and last year there were over 600 participants!

Get stamps at three sites you visit on the tour, including the central site, and you can enter in a drawing for great local prizes: a folding bike from Origami Bikes, wine from Good Luck Cellars, beer growlers from Smartmouth, and a $50 gift certificate for Crocs!

Registration is free! Register HERE today!

When: Saturday Oct 4, 2014

More info here

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“Everything were looking for is in Williamsburg Bluffs” the Crosby Story

In 1997, Ed and Sun Crosby were just coming out of military housing, where they’d known only one or two of their frequently-changing neighbors. They were excited about getting into a more static community, one where they could form long-term friendships with other residents. Their new community also needed to have an “optimum location” that would allow easy access to Hampton, where Ed worked as a network consultant.

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The Crosbys found everything they were looking for at Williamsburg Bluffs, then a new development in York County, offering high-quality schools and good accessibility to both Richmond (45-minute drive) and Hampton (30 minutes away). “It’s great that the neighborhood is so close to I-64,” Ed notes. “But it’s not so close that we have road noise.” 

More importantly, Williamsburg Bluffs turned out to be the friendly, close-knit type of neighborhood that Ed and Sun had yearned for. “We know all of the neighbors on our block, even their kids’ names,” says Ed. “That’s a great plus for us. You just don’t see this type of closeness in a lot of neighborhoods today.”

“There’s a big variety here, with many retired military families, but also a lot that aren’t,” Ed adds. “People on our cul-de-sac routinely have block parties with another, close-by cul-de-sac. About every two months we get our grills together and everyone brings a covered dish. There are usually about 3 to 12 kids, although maybe half the people don’t have any children. It’s a really nice mix.”

In addition to neighborhood events ranging from wine-and-cheese parties to crab fests, residents can mingle at the tennis courts, playground, picnic pavilion, or community pool, all maintained by the community’s HOA for a modest fee of  $33/month. “The pool is rarely crowded,” Ed says. “Sometimes it’s like your own private pool.” Ed also uses the community’s sports field to practice his golf swing.

Ed, who has a 7-year-old daughter, describes Williamsburg Bluffs as “absolutely a great place for kids. All the streets in the neighborhood end in cul-de-sacs. There is single access, and no through-traffic, keeping it very child-friendly.”

The house the couple built, a two-story, traditional-style home, is similarly family-friendly. It has four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a relaxing family room adjacent to an eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and ceramic tile floors. “The family room is our main area,” Ed says. “There’s a wood-burning fireplace there, and it’s so close to the kitchen. We like that it’s on the back of the house and overlooks the back yard. The family room also opens to the deck through French doors.”

 

The house has a good flow between rooms. “There are no doors to any of the rooms on the first floor,” Ed points out. “And, there’s a nice flow from the living room to the family room, with the dining room in-between. That works great for our Super Bowl parties, when one group can be in the family room and another in the living room, with the dining room central to both.” The living and dining rooms, along with the two-story foyer, all have oak hardwood floors.

But it’s a private space, the master bedroom suite, that is Ed’s favorite spot in the house. The generously sized bedroom features a tray ceiling, crown and chair rail molding, and plush carpeting. (The couple upgraded all of the home’s carpeting two years ago.) It connects to a large master bathroom with a jetted tub nestled beneath a bay window, and a step-down sitting room that Sun uses for her work room. That work space is where Sun creates one of the home’s more unique features: sophisticated custom window treatments. “Sun was an interior design professional before she became a full-time mom,” Ed notes. “Her window treatments are all custom and very elaborate. Some of them even include cornices.” The custom window treatments convey with the house.

Sun’s personal touch is also evident outside the home, in the landscaping that she has done in the quarter-acre yard. “We left the very back of the yard as natural woods to create a nice buffer from our neighbors,” Ed says. “Then we planted flowering trees such as dogwood and weeping cherry, and maples along the sides. The weeping cherry, which attracts butterflies, is at window level in the kitchen, and it’s beautiful to see.”

Sun also planted flowers such as calla lilies and cannas for back yard color, and added a moveable, cast iron fire pit (it conveys) that can be used in the yard or on the deck. The result is a yard that exudes serenity beneath a treed canopy. “The deck sits up high and it’s shaded from the summer sun,” Ed says. “In the evening, you can see the sun setting over the trees. Relaxing on the deck is very nice, very comfortable. We use it a lot and we love it.”

The Crosby family is relocating and has put the home on the market through John “Mr. Williamsburg” Womeldorf. “John came recommended by a neighbor,” Ed says. “She had used him to buy into this neighborhood.”

————————————-

Why the stories? Because these aren’t just houses, they’re homes.

 Mr. Williamsburg knows that when you’re looking for a new place, you’re searching for more than just four walls plus amenities, you’re looking for that welcoming refuge we call home.  That’s why we go beyond the standard “4 bedrooms, 3 baths on large lot” statistics, to share how others have lived in this house, to reveal the home’s unique personality, to help you decide whether this is a place where your family could thrive.

Likewise, we realize that you’re seeking not simply a development within a particular zip code, but also an opportunity to become part of a community. That’s why we share our sellers’ experiences as members of that neighborhood.

 We trust these stories will assist you in finding your way home.

 Want to tell your home’s story? Contact John “Mr. Williamsburg” Womeldorf at (757) 254-8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com  and we’ll get you started.  

Football University’s Top Gun All-Star Camp Returns To Williamsburg In 2011

The Top Gun football camp will return to the Warhill Sports Complex in Williamsburg VA for 2011.

The camp which showcases  the country’s top middle and high school  top high school football players will run from  July 21 to Saturday, July 23, 2011.

The three-day camp offers on-field training, classroom sessions, parents seminar, NFL player symposium, individual performance analysis and more.

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FBU was founded as an elite educational football camp, and will be using an invitation policy as its guide to enrollment for the upcoming 2011 camp season. FBU is designed to train a small and elite class of football athletes who have already demonstrated their elite football ability, their seriousness for football, and have chosen football as their primary sport.
At the heart of FBU is its elite instructional staff made up of former NFL coaches and NFL athletes – the best technicians ever assembled.

Top Gun is the culmination of Football University’s 43-camp nationwide tour gathering the most elite performers from across the United States and allowing them to display their abilities together on one stage. Football University has an impressive alumni list that includes some of the top college football players in the nation, such as 2008’s No. 1 prospect and current Ohio State Buckeye Terrelle Pryor, 2009’s No. 1 prospect Bryce Brown, and 2010’s No. 1 prospect Ronald Powell, as well as U.S. Army All-Americans, Football University Youth All-Americans, and hundreds of Division I players. 

More details on Football University can be found at www.FootballUniversity.org.

Highlight video from last years camp in Williamsburg VA

 

Virginia forms Chinese Drywall Task Force

Jim Cheng the, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade has appointed a task force to develop the state’s strategy for dealing with drywall from China that has prompted complaints nationwide.

chinese-drywall virginia Cheng decided to form the group after a visit last month to Newport News, where dozens of homes in Hollymeade have been identified as containing the Chinese drywall. Cheng says the panel will form a plan for responding to any action taken by the federal government on the drywall problem

Cheng’s office announced Thursday that the state would gather together a group of experts, state officials, lawmakers and homeowners  to try to come up with a way for the state to help people trapped in toxic homes The working group includes Del. G. Glenn Oder, R-Newport News, who helped arrange for Cheng to visit, and Sen. John Miller, D-Newport News.

More than 2,360 homeowners nationwide have said the drywall made them sick and corroded wiring and HVAC systems throughout their homes.

Locally, Chinese drywall has affected homes in Newport News, York County, Williamsburg and South Hampton Roads.  Neighborhoods where the product has been discovered include :Hollymeade,  Braemar Creek, New Town, Wellington and Kensington Woods, all in James City,  Overlook Point in York, The Hampshires at Greenbrier, and Cromwell Park on the Southside.

The Chinese Drywall Information Center is a great resource for homeowners who believe their home may have been built with defective drywall.  It seems as if the majority of homes constructed with Chinese drywall were built during the years of 2004-2008.  This period was an era of “Hurricane Reconstruction,” during which the supply of American drywall could not meet the levels of demand.  An influx in imported drywall ensued, now at the center of multidistrict litigation in federal court.

Read more about Chinese Drywall in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads here

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5395 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 Hampton Roads and 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 and Hampton Roads, with the hopes of selling a house now and again.  You can reach him at 757.254.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com.

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.

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..

Virginia Beach Real Estate- Median Income Facts

va beachHere is a surprising fact. Forbes Magazine looked at the 2004 US Census and came up with a list of cities with the highest median income.  You would think that LA, New York City would definitely be on the list of the top 10. Not so.

Surprisingly our own VA Beach was ranked 4th on the list.

Median income is the level at which half of the households make more and half less.

 San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are in the top 10 as well although New York, Boston and Miami are nowhere to be seen in the top ten. California cities make up 40% of the rankings, and the rest is made up by some surprising locales, including Anchorage, Raleigh, N.C., and Virginia Beach, Va. While pleasant places, they aren’t generally thought of as homes for the rich and famous.

What gives? A combination of local economic strength, geographical quirks and the limitations of the analysis, which measures the middle of the income distribution, rather than the extremes.

Newer cities also have higher median incomes than more established places, like Boston or Chicago, because they are growing and have people moving in rather than out. Look just outside the city of Philadelphia (which also did not make the top ten), for example, and you will see an abundance of wealthy suburbs.

Virginia Beach is also helped by its strong military economic base. Military areas tend to have less-extreme income distributions (a reason San Diego makes the list as well), and retirees in the area tend to have comfortable military pensions.

 

Rank

City

State

Median Household Income

Median Home Price

1

San Jose

California

$71,765

$625,000

2

Anchorage

Alaska

$61,595

$294,374

3

San Francisco

California

$60,031

$726,900

4

Virginia Beach

Virginia

$55,781

$192,000

5

San Diego

California

$51,382

$605,600

6

Anaheim

California

$49,622

$696,100

7

Raleigh

North Carolina

$47,878

$185,200

8

Seattle

Washington

$46,650

$310,300

9

Washington

District of Columbia

$46,574

$429,900

10

Honolulu

Hawaii

$46,500

 

Click here to search all homes, town homes, condos, building lots, 55+ communities, golf course communities both new and resale for sale in Va Beach , Virginia

Williamsburg VA Volunteer Opportunities “FISH”

FISH – sounds like part of the dinner menu from last night, but FISH is a local agency that helps those in need by providing food, clothing and transportation to thousands of people in the community each year.  The agency is run entirely by volunteers. 

Fish offers help to local families throughout our community. A family or person in need may receive food such as dry ingredients, canned goods and infant formula, along with sanitation supplies on a monthly basis. Throughout the year FISH offers clothing and household goods. FISH offers their services with the help of hundreds of community volunteers. These folks interact with the families and individuals who come to FISH for help.In addition, FISH provides transportation to medical appointments for people who call to make those arrangements in advance.

 Bud Voorhess, president of the board for FISH, says the number of clients served by FISH is up 13 percent this year over last.  Folks getting food from the agency jumped from 5,424 in 2007 to 6,178 by this November.

Voorhess says the economic conditions are certainly a driving factor behind the rise in clients FISH serves.  The number of new households visiting FISH in 2008 has grown by 22 percent, which is a clear indicator to Voorhess that families here are being affected by the poor economy.

FISH needs support to help its growing number of local clients.  Even if you think you can’t help, there’s a lot you can do just by cleaning out the pantry and closet in your home.  Here are some items they can use that you may be able to provide: any warm clothing, especially coats, hats, and gloves; also food items that are non-perishable like canned fruit, cereal (hot or cold), instant coffee, spaghetti and sauce, tuna fish, Spam, macaroni and cheese boxes, and soup.

If you have an extra few dollars and would like to purchase goods, FISH needs diapers of all sizes, dish and laundry detergent, toilet paper and other toiletries.

“Also, if you’ve got time, volunteer,” Voorhess says.  “Everyone has something that they can find to share, even time.”

He says FISH is feeling the pinch of the recession, too, but he also says that “donations are holding.  I think we can keep our head above water.  The community has really come through for us so far.”

Drop off your donations at the FISH office, 312 Waller Mill Road in Williamsburg, 23185 or call them at (757) 220-9379 to volunteer. Can’t do it right now? Not to worry – help is needed year round.

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,

Williamsburg/ James City County Water Conservation

By Cortney Langley VA Gazette Dec 2008
While the James City Service Authority’s rebate program is
aggressive enough, the James City County
Citizens Coalition is taking it one step further.
The activist group has teamed up with
Ferguson Enterprises to provide even
deeper discounts on water-saving appliances.
The new program, dubbed “Flush &
Save,” builds on the $75 rebate JCSA
offers on WaterSense toilets.
Ferguson has agreed to provide an additional
20% discount to county residents
participating in the program, according to
a release.
WaterSense appliances are rated for
efficiency under a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency program. It applies to
toilets with a 1.28-gallon maximum flush.
In this area, the toilets run $250-$750,
according to the James City Service
Authority. A 20% discount can shave $50-
$150 off that.
Additionally, the EPA estimates that a
family of four saves, on average, 4,000
gallons of water a year with the efficient
toilets, equaling another $90 annual savings.
Meanwhile, the J4C is met this month
with a number of local plumbers to try to
negotiate installation rates down, also. The
group is hoping that plumbers will agree
to trim $25 from installation costs.
J4C member Kensett Teller said the J4C
was already planning Flush & Save when
county officials rolled out the expanded
rebate program.
If the program is taken up en masse, she
said, the impact on the county’s water use
could be profound. She estimates savings
to exceed more than 500 million gallons
per year if 30,000 toilets are swapped out.
Although toilets account for almost a
third of indoor water use, the EPA estimates
come in lower, with about 120 million
gallons per year.
Teller said the J4C hopes to make a list
of participating plumbers available.
While Ferguson and some plumbers
may be willing to offer discounts, the service
authority does not endorse any specific
vendor.
More — Find out more at http://bewatersmart.
org or http://jcc-j4c.org. Contact
Heather Sewell with Ferguson Enterprises
at 220-0200 or at 6540 Mooretown Rd.

Williamsburg VA Locals Restaurant Specials

BLACK ANGUS GRILLE
Chef/Proprietor is an alumnus of the Culinary
Institute of America
NEW $10 Menu Available for a limited time only.
Expires Jan. 31, 2009. Not valid with any
other discount. For local diners only.
Quality food at chain restaurant prices.
Prime Rib
Salmon
Crab Cakes
Any Pasta Entreé
Baby Back Ribs
Fried Shrimp
Catfish
Roasted Garlic &
Spinach Meatloaf
Chicken Parmigiana
Add an extra
$5 Get Cup of Soup & Dessert
All entrées, except pasta entrée, come with a choice of roasted garlic
mashed potatoes, wild rice blend, pasta or roasted red skin potatoes.
* Year around Locals 20% discount on all regular entrées (except $10 menu and excluding tax).
Please inform your server that you are ordering from the $10 menu.
Coming in 2009!
Burgers, Paninis, Pita Sandwiches & Pasta in addition to our regular menu.

1433 Richmond Grill, Williamsburg VA
757 229 6823
www.BlackAngusGrille.com

___________________________________________________________________________

The Seafare Restaurant 1632 Richmond Road • Williamsburg VA
(757) 229-0099
Williamsburg VA LOCALS’ APPRECIATION SPECIAL
$39.95* per couple
Offer valid December 20 – January 15
For Starters
Homemade Rum Bread
Along With
Your choice of one of our Homemade Soups (French Onion, Crab
Bisque, Clam Chowder) or salads (Special Caesar or House)
Next Enjoy
Your choice of one entrée per person:
• Broiled Seafood Combination including shrimp, scallops, oysters
flounder filet, jumbo lump crabmeat.
• Broiled Norwegian Salmon Filet topped with dill sauce
• New York Strip Steak broiled to perfection
Entrées served with either Baked Potato, Steak Cut French Fries
or Rice Pilaf
Top Off Your Meal With Our
Chocolate Lava Cake for Two with Ice Cream
* Not to be combined with any other offer. Reservations suggested. Must present ad in the Gazette

Williamsburg VA Luxury Apartment Rentals

Although I don’t work in the rental market in Williamsburg VA I thought I would take a minute to share one of the nicest apartment developments in the Williamsburg VA area. Located in the newly developed High Street Community. Very close to Colonial Williamsburg and the College of Williams and Mary .Sterling Manor will consist of 191 apartment homes. Within High Street  there will also be condominiums, town homes, office space and a 250,000 square foot lifestyle retail center. A New Movie Theater is slated to open in 2009 along with various others stores and eateries.

Various floor plan apartments are available at Sterling Manor at High Street from a spacious one bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment home with a porch or balcony, the choice is yours and the options are endless. Garages are also available as an option.

Apartment living has never been more comfortable or convenient. Each apartment home sets the stage for a hassle-free, upscale lifestyle.

The kitchen, with its refrigerator, dishwasher and self-cleaning oven, takes the work out of dining, while the full size stack-able washer and dryer make cleaning less of a hassle. Wall-to-wall carpeting, ceramic-tiled kitchen and bathroom floors and designer mini-blinds add that extra feeling of “home.”  

High Street will offer entertainment, luxury, convenience, and modern amenities all within a traditional Colonial American urban setting. Halfway between Richmond and the Chesapeake Bay on the Virginia peninsula, Williamsburg is part of the greater Hampton Roads metropolitan area of southeastern Virginia. Located in the heart of the city, it is a true urban mixed-use development and a dramatic addition to the City of Williamsburg.

At Sterling Manor, residents can take full advantage of the exclusive Clubhouse designed to reflect a refined Georgian style, located centrally within the apartment community. It is designed to offer the ultimate in entertainment, comfort and convenience. The amenities will include a resort-style outdoor swimming pool, lavish clubroom, a cinema screening room,  business center, billiards room and a full fitness facility.  

Currently there are special incentives being offered for those signing new 13 month leases at Sterling Manor Apartments at High Street. Please inquire to find out the latest specials !

I would be happy to forward further information to schedule an appointment for you to come by  Please let me know

If you click the link below it will take you to a few of the floor-plans offered at Sterling Manor Apartments. If you then click the interactive tab it will allow you to to place your furniture within the floor plan !

One Bedroom Floor Plan

Two Bedroom Floor Plan

Two Bedroom/ two bath  Floor Plan

 

 

( Roads are not yet shown on the map)
You can click here to explore/ search all town homes/ condos For Sale in the High Street Community in Williamsburg VA

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 High Street

First Night 2009 Williamsburg Virginia

Celebrate the New Year in Williamsburg at First Night Williamsburg 2009. Over 65 performing acts are scheduled to provide entertainment throughout the College of William & Mary campus and select locations around Historic Williamsburg. It’s a great event the whole family will enjoy!

Find out more at their website here : http://www.firstnightwilliamsburg.org/

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.

 

FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR OWN IN COMMENTS !

 

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,

Hampton Roads Crossing Neighborhood Spotlight Suffolk, VA

Finally a builder is listening. I have always been astounded at the price ranges that have been showcased in previous Parade of New Homes, Homeramas, etc. In this past year we had the PHBA Peninsula Home Builder Association Parade of Homes in our Taylor Farms community in York County. Surprisingly it was the builders who participated who decided that the prices should be in the $800k to $1.4 million dollar price range ( whew) Granted the homes were breathtaking and loaded with many unique features. The  major downside was that hardly any of the attendees needed or could afford homes that size and price.

Well someones listinening the  Tidewater Builders Association has announced that the 2009 Homearama showcase of homes will be held at Hampton Roads Crossing, a mixed-use community located in northern Suffolk.

Members of the Tidewater Builders Association said they would change course this year, moving the annual Homearama event from its scheduled location in Virginia Beach’s exclusive North Shore community to a somewhat less-exclusive mixed-use development in North Suffolk.

Search For Homes For Sale in Hampton Roads Crossing

Homes in the North Shore community range in price from $700,000 to more than $1 million. Homes in Hampton Roads Crossing, the Suffolk community that now will host the event, are expected to sell for around $400,000. Those currently selling in the area are fetching even less princely sums, from just under $200,000 to a little more than $300,000.

Considering the state of the housing market in Hampton Roads and the nation, changing the venue for the area’s showcase real estate event was a good public relations move and a smart business decision.

The vast majority of Hampton Roads home buyers could only dream of setting up house in one of the million-dollar mansions under construction in Virginia Beach, and those dreams are even further out of reach with the collapse of the nation’s mortgage-lending sector. Showing potential home buyers the quality they can expect at attainable price points will be more likely to endear the home builders to their potential customers.

The city of Suffolk will come out as a big winner in the deal, as potential home buyers and browsers, alike, have a chance to see all that the city has to offer. It’s a testament to good planning in the North Suffolk area that the city was ready with a community to host the event. Here’s to hoping that it’s a success.

Homearama 2009 will demonstrate traditional neighborhood design in a pedestrian-friendly, walkable community, a new urbanist trend that is sweeping the country and is showcased in many of the current home and living publications.

These traditional two-story homes will feature front porches and rear-loading garages reminiscent of the bungalow and craftsman architecture of yesteryear while, in keeping with the tradition of previous shows homes, providing the custom craftsmanship that has become the hallmark of Homearama. The builders association is also working with Southern Living to sponsor one or more of the showcase homes.

The homes are expected to average 2,500 square feet and sell for approximately $400,000, putting them in reach of many of the attendees to the annual show. The schedule for Homearama 2009 is currently proposed to run from September 19 through October 4.

“It’s a Homearama tradition to showcase trends in home designs,” added Kotarides. “Our guests have been asking us to show off what can be done in a more moderately priced home. We’re confident they’ll be pleased to see the level of detailing and creativity we can offer in a home more suited to the typical Hampton Roads family.”

The community is being developed by The Terry Peterson Companies, who approached TBA after being originally awarded Homearama for their Virginia Beach North Shore community with an idea that showcasing affordable homes in an exciting mixed-use setting might be a better fit.  ( YEA !)

Hampton Roads Crossing is designed in a mixed-use campus environment where residential, retail and commercial business districts will develop over time. The office campus is currently anchored by Old Dominion University’s VMASC (Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center) and Tri-Cities buildings. The residential campus features The Residences At Hampton Roads Crossing where the home show will take place. Luxury apartments will break ground in early 2009 and the anchor tenant for the retail district is on contract and should begin construction in 2010.

The site is located in the northern Suffolk growth corridor with easy access to Interstate 664 and the Western Freeway, making it easily accessible to all of Hampton Roads and placing it only minutes from the Peninsula and downtown Norfolk and Portsmouth.
Currently, the commercial campus is comprised of three state-of-the-art buildings situated along the Western Freeway. The MAST Center is home to the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) and the Tri-Cities Center, both operated by Old Dominion University. These buildings, along with office space located in the Mast One building, add a high-tech sophistication to the Hampton Roads Crossing community. Additional office buildings and a hotel site are planned for the future.

The Hampton Roads Crossing retail campus will front College Drive. Once developed, this exciting shopping district will feature key anchor tenants and boutique shops, as well as several out-parcels. Live/work residences may also be added to the mix. And with all three campuses located within easy walking distance of one another, you’ll discover that The Residences at Hampton Roads Crossing will become an incredibly convenient place to live.

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,

Williamsburg/ James City County Youth Sports Programs

Colonial Capital Basketball Club (boys and
girls ages 9-16)
This year round AAU/YBOA basketball program offers
a fall/winter league and a summer league. For information:
565-0758 or www.eteamz.com/ccbcbball.

HR LAX (boys and girls ages 7-18)
Hampton Roads Lacrosse practices are held locally
with games held throughout the area. For information,
email Brian Erwin at blerwin@msn.com or visit
www.hrlax.com.
Neighborhood Basketball League (NBL)
(boys and girls ages 10-18)
A Williamsburg/JCC Community Action Agency (CAA)
program that provides a structured sports activity with
mentorship in developing self-esteem, self-discipline,
leadership and sportsmanship as well as offering
encouragement to excel academically. Season runs
March-June. For information, call CAA at 229-3316.
StageLights (girls and boys ages 6-13)

StageLights, Williamsburg’s theatre for children, introduces
youth to the techniques of acting, voice, dance and stagecraft
while increasing their appreciation of the Theatre.
For more information: 229-ACTS or stagelightstheatre.org

Team Flash Track and Field
(boys and girls ages 6-18)
Local track and field team offering running, throwing
and jumping events. Practices are held from mid-
March through mid-June. For information, contact
Ellen Womeldorf at 240-3713,
e-mail teamflashtrack@cox.net or visit www.teamflashtrack.com

Affiliated Organizations
Virginia Legacy Soccer Club
The club offers a year round youth development
program (ages 2-10), a premier travel team program
(ages 10-18) and the Premier Development Team
which plays in the professional league structure of
the United Soccer Leagues. For information, contact
admin@valegacysoccer.com or 253-1947 or visit
www.valegacysoccer.com

Williamsburg Aquatic Club (ages 6-18)
WAC is a year round program which gives swimmers
an opportunity to compete statewide and regionally.
For information, contact 229-8662.
Williamsburg Area Bicyclists
WAB has weekly bicycle trips offering four ride levels
(A, B, C and Casual). All ages and skill levels are
welcome to join or participate in any WAB activities.
For information, contact 229-4907, visit
www.wabonline.org or write:
Williamsburg Area Bicyclists
P.O. Box 2222
Williamsburg, VA 23187-2222

Williamsburg Lacrosse Club
(boys ages 12-19)
The club offers an opportunity for boys to compete
at the junior varsity and varsity levels (grades 7-12)
against state and nationally recognized teams while
adhering to Virginia High School League guidelines for
eligibility and participation. For information, contact
Mark Hofmeister at 564-8486 or Monty Hill, 565-2755
or visit www.williamsburgwarriorslax.com

Williamsburg Youth Baseball League, Inc.
(ages 5-17)
Local provider of T-ball, baseball and the Buddy
Ball Division. Buddy Ball is designed for children and
young adults, ages 5-20, with special needs who are
not able to participate in the established Cal Ripken/
Babe Ruth Leagues. Program operates in the spring,
summer and fall. Call 220-1530 for information.
Williamsburg Youth Football and
Cheerleading League (boys and girls ages 6-14)
Provides youth football and cheerleading. For information,
e-mail williamsburghornets@yahoo.com or visit
www.WilliamsburgHornets.com  or www.leaguelineup.com/wyfcl

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

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James City County Park Locations

Chickahominy Riverfront Park (CRP)
1350 John Tyler Highway, Williamsburg, VA 23185
258-5020, open daily sunrise to sunset

Come enjoy this 140-acre park located on the
Chickahominy River. Facilities include two outdoor
swimming pools, boat ramp, fishing pier, camp sites,
a playground, picnic shelters, a small store and
access to the Virginia Capital Trail. Bring your
boat or rent one at the park to enjoy fishing or
exploring the Chickahominy River and Gordon Creek.
The large fields and picnic shelters are available for
special events.

 
Brickyard Landing (BYL)
990 Brickyard Road (off Forge Road)
259-5360
Brickyard Landing is a public boat ramp that provides
citizens access to the Chickahominy River from the
upper end of the James City County.

Community Centers/Outdoor Facilities
James City/Williamsburg Community Center
5301 Longhill Road
• two softball fields with lights (rental)
• two natural grass fields with lights (rental)
• 2.2-mile walking trail encircling the Center
• Skate Park
James River Community Center
8901 Pocahontas Trail
• softball field, no lights (rental)
• natural grass field (rental)
• award winning nature trail

Diascund Reservoir (DR)
9551 Diascund Reservoir Park Road
Off Route 60 West pass Toano in Lanexa
259-5360, open daily sunrise to sunset

This reservoir, provided and operated jointly by
Newport News, James City County and the Division
of Game and Inland Fisheries, is open to the public for
boating access and fishing. Electric trolling motors are
the only motors permitted on the reservoir.

Freedom Park (FRD)
5535 Centerville Road
259-5360, open daily 7am to sunset

This forested retreat of over 600 acres features
1.8 miles of hiking trails and almost 10 miles of
mountain bike trails winding through historical sites,
forests and along creeks. Visit the first Free Black
Settlement where three historically accurate recreated
cabins are located in a meadow and are furnished
with items authentic to the period (1803-1850).
The park is also the site of an 18th-century graveyard,
the Revolutionary War Battle of Spencer’s Ordinary
(1781), a 17th century domicile and the Williamsburg
Botanical “Ellipse Garden.”

Greensprings Interpretive Trail (GST)
3751 John Tyler Highway
259-5360, open daily 8am to sunset
Wander along this 3.5-mile nature trail that loops
through a landscape of beaver ponds, wetlands
and forests. The trail includes interpretative signs
about the environment, historical events of the early
colonists and American Indians and area wildlife.
The trail is on wetlands adjacent to Mainland Farm,
the oldest continuously cultivated farm in America.
The trailhead also provides convenient parking and
paved trail access to the Virginia Capital Trail.
Over 200 species of birds have been documented
on this site and it’s part of the Virginia Birding Trail.

James City County Stadium (STADM)
4725 Stadium Road, off Opportunity Way across
from the Williamsburg Outlet Mall in the Warhill
Sports Complex 259-5360

This 3,000-seat stadium is designed for a variety of
sports and community activities. The surface is
rubber infilled synthetic turf with permanent lines for
football, soccer and field hockey. There are two locker
rooms and two restroom/concession facilities located
at each end of the stadium.

Jamestown Beach Park (JBP)
2217 Jamestown Road
259-5360, Beachfront open year round, 9am to sunset
The Park features a small beach front on the James
River. There is a fee for beach parking ($5/day);
$50 annual passes available. Picnic tables and grills
are available.

Little Creek Reservoir Park (LCR)
180 Lakeview Road in Toano (off Forge Road)
566-1702, open March-November, M-F, 7am-sunset;
opens 6am to sunset on weekends and holidays;
December-February, opens 7am-5pm on
weekends only.
LCR is a fisherman’s paradise! This scenic park
overlooks a 996-acre reservoir offering year round
fishing, boating and picnicking. The park also has
a concession facility, playground, soft mulch nature
trail and two shelters with grills plus rental canoes,
kayaks and Jon boats and a launch-your-own
boat ramp. Electric trolling motors are the only
motors permitted on the reservoir.

Mid County Park (MCP): Home of Kidsburg
3793 Ironbound Road
229-1232, open daily 7am-10pm

This 19-acre park has something for the whole family!
Children can play at Kidsburg, a community-built
playground that has become an area attraction.
Adults can enjoy lighted recreation areas including
softball and baseball fields, basketball and tennis
courts, as well as sand volleyball courts. Walk the
paved 2/3 mile ADA accessible multi-use path that
encircles the park. Are you planning a small family
outing, family reunion, or perhaps a group meeting?
Then you may want to consider Mid County Park.
There is a large picnic shelter and a small picnic
shelter and play areas for games or other functions.

Powhatan Creek Park (PCP)
1831 Jamestown Road
259-5360, open sunrise to sunset
This one-acre facility is part of the Chesapeake
Gateways Network and provides access to the James
River at Jamestown Island, including scenic views
of Historic Jamestowne. Powhatan Creek is listed
on the Natural Resources Inventory as the most
biodiverse creek on the Peninsula. Scenic views of
tidal marshes and an abundance of wildlife highlight
trips on this beautiful waterway. Park consists of a
small non-motorized boat/canoe/kayak launch with
parking for 20 vehicles and five observation/fishing piers.

Skate Park and Multiuse Trail (SP)
Located adjacent to JCWCC – Free
259-5360, open daily 9am to sunset; park will
close in the event of inclement weather.
This bowl-style skate park is 10,000 square feet of
concrete jumps and ramps. It also features two
movable ramps, a rail, a hand rail and multiple
grinding edges. There are separate times for bikes
and boards – and they are not permitted to use the
facility at the same time. Designated bike times are
Tuesdays and Saturdays, noon-3pm; Sundays and
Thursdays, 3-6pm. Helmets and protective gear are
highly recommended. The site also features a one
mile, 10 foot-wide paved multiuse trail which
connects to nearby sidewalks and James Blair
Middle School for a 2.2-mile walking loop.
Upper County Park (UCP)
180 Leisure Road in Toano
566-1451, Park open daily 8am to sunset. Pool
is open 11am-8pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day
(Memorial Day – mid-June, weekends only).

This 91-acre park is located in the upper end of JCC.
Amenities include a 25m swimming pool and a
toddler pool, playgrounds, sand volleyball and basketball
courts, multi-use trails and a 3.5-mile mountain
bike trail, horseshoe pits and picnic shelters. There is
a nominal charge to swim or rent the shelter.
During its operating season, the pool may be rented
after hours.

Virginia Capital Trail (VCT)
Trail starts in the parking lots of Chickahominy
Riverfront Park and Greensprings Trail and
connects to Jamestown Settlement
JCC is a partner of the VCT, a regional 55-mile
multiuse trail connecting all of Virginia’s capitals –
Jamestown, Williamsburg and Richmond. The first
7.5 miles of trail, all in JCC, are completed. The trail
is a cooperative effort of the Virginia Department
of Transportation, Game and Inland Fisheries and
Conservation and Recreation, as well as the VCT
Foundation and Williamsburg Land Conservancy.

Waller Mill Dog Park
Route 645, Airport Road (Waller Mill Park)
259-3778
The 1.5-acre park is a joint venture with Williamsburg
offering two areas – one for small dogs, 20 lbs. or
less, and an area for larger dogs over 20 lbs. Annual
memberships are available. Call for operating hours.

Warhill Sports Complex (WSC)
5700 Warhill Trail
259-5360, open daily 7am to 10pm

This complex is host to most local sporting events for
County league play. The baseball complex includes
three lighted youth baseball fields, one lighted majors
baseball field, four tee-ball fields, a concession building
with rest rooms and a playground. The soccer
complex includes four premier turf soccer fields and
a concession building with restrooms. The Park also
includes three outdoor basketball courts, a 5,200-foot
paved multiuse trail, a 3.5-mile hiking trail, two ponds
for shoreline fishing, the stadium and the indoor athletic
facility – Williamsburg Indoor Sports Complex.

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,

Williamsburg Virginia Land Conservancy

The Williamsburg Land Conservancy’s Board of Directors recently voted to accept the donation of a conservation easement from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation on 82 acres of land situated on Route 132. This parcel is located directly across from a 230-acre tract that the
conservancy already protects, thanks to an easement placed on the property by the foundation in 2006.

The permanent protection of these two parcels was a critical step to ensure that a major entryway into our region will forever remain the same. Take a ride along Route 132 between Route 60 Bypass Road and Route 143. What you will see is a landscape of some of Mother Nature’s finest work.
Tributaries to Queen’s Creek weave through the properties that are home to beautiful flora and fauna and wildlife. Wetlands, a mature deciduous forest, and historic sites all reside on this land. There are other landscapes within our  community that will remain intact to enrich our lives thanks to the generosity of landowners who made the decision to preserve the conservation values of their land.
There’s Greenswamp Farm, 167 acres along Centerville Road. Those amber waves of grain will never become mortar and brick. Then there’s the Williamsburg Winery, with 270 acres of land that will forever stay in agriculture vs a residential subdivision.

 Forge Road is host to protected parcels of land, and most recently the
190-acre easement placed on the River’s Bend at Uncle’s Neck property showcased how preservation and progress can work together, with the development of 35 residential lots and over 50% of the property being maintained for wildlife management .

We all benefit from a landowner’s decision to conserve land. So in this special season of giving and glad tidings, we should all say thank you to those who have had the vision and commitment to give this community a gift that will keep on giving into perpetuity.
Caren Schumacher, Executive Director
Williamsburg Land Conservancy

You can learn more about the Williamburg Land Conservancy Here

 

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,

 

Williamsburg VA- Thomas Nelson Community College Opening New Campus

  The new Historic Triangle Campus at Opportunity Way begins a new era in the life of Thomas Nelson Community College and the communities we serve.

 

 In a region steeped in our nation’s history, Thomas Nelson Community College is proud to make its own history. The campus’s 120,000 square foot building is on nearly 74 acres of land at the Warhill site, strategically located next to Williamsburg-James City County’s newest high school.

 

 

The new campus will play a major role in providing quality education, serving the workforce development needs of businesses and industry, and helping individual citizens achieve their goals.

For more information, please call 757-253-4300 or visit us online at www.tncc.edu

 

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,

Williamsburg VA Real Estate High Street Update

Williamsburg virginia real estate high street Town Homes

Williamsburg virginia real estate high street Town Homes

WILLIAMSBURG VA From an article in the VA Gazette by Steve Vaughn, Dec, 17 2008

  —High Street has a new real estate agent for the residential properties and a new emphasis as well.

 Dan Aston of Roseland Property Co., the developer of High Street, said market demand has spurred construction of the condos sooner than planned, starting in spring.

 

“The demographics that we’re appealing to tell us that’s what we want, so we’ll be starting them sooner than we originally planned,” he said.

Sixteen townhomes are built and another 16 are planned. William E. Wood had been handling sales of the townhomes.

“The contract was up and we chose to go with Prudential McCardle instead,” Aston said. Roseland itself manages rental of the the King’s Manor apartments, which are already open.

Roseland will also manage the more than 200,000 feet of commercial space in High Street, although Aston said the company uses a nationally known commercial leasing agent based in Michigan to help attract clients.

The first of those commercial clients will open soon. Five Guys Burgers & Fries ( my favorite) is opening Jan. 5. There’s also a firm date for the opening of High Street’s anchor attraction, the Movie Tavern theater. It will open March 20.

High Street’s only other announced commercial tenant, Kilwin’s ice cream parlor, should open prior to the theater, according to Aston.

Other possibilities include coffeehouses, more restaurants and possibly a supermarket

Click here to search all New, Resale, Condos and Town Homes in the High Street community/ PUD in the city of Williamsburg Virginia

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!

Contact me at John@MrWilliamsburg.com

Research the area at www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com

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

Search Homes for Sale

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

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

Wiliamsburg VA Real Estate “Fords Colony News”

From an article in the VA Gazette 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Skeptics feel Realtec is still in charge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hampton Roads School Links Public and Private

If you are thinking of moving or relocating to Hampton Roads Virginia and want to contact any of the private or public schools in the regions the links are provided below.

 

 

I would also recommend visiting www.SchoolMatters.com to compare schools around the area.

Public School Links Hampton Roads Virginia

Private Schools in Hampton Roads Virginia

Colleges/Universities in Hampton Roads Virginia

 Mr Williamsburg.com " Williamsburg VA. Real Estate

 This information provided my Mr Williamsburg.com . A Realtor assisting home buyers and sellers in the Hampton Roads and Williamsburg areas of Virginia.

You can search all homes for sale in the area at www.MrWilliamsburg.com

Research the area at www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com

Or ask any questions about homes, neighborhoods, etc  John@MrWilliamsburg.com

 

 

Close out deals on New Homes in Hampton Roads Virginia

Year End Closeout! Every Day is Different! 
HURRY, only 1 deal per day on standing inventory homes will be accepted! 
 Don’t let the deals pass you by on this schedule of amazing incentives at Chesapeake Homes that will change every day! These incentives are designed to help you own the home of your dreams! 

 

Want more information on any new home deal closeout pricing in Hampton Roads/ Tidewater Virginia  ?

Contact John Womeldorf/ Realtor/ New Homes Specialist

Liz Moore and Associates

757 254 8136 John@MrWilliamsburg.com

 

www.MrWilliamsburg.com

www.MrHamptonRoads.com

Anheuser Busch Shareholders approve Inbev purchase.

By LAUREN SHEPHERD and EMILY FREDRIX 

Shareholders of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. approved the $52 billion sale of the business to Belgium-based InBev SA on Wednesday, a deal that is set to create the world’s largest brewer.

The vote was the latest step necessary to form the company that will be known as Anheuser-Busch InBev and combine brands such as Bud Light and Budweiser with Stella Artois and Beck’s. The deal, reached in July, is expected to close by the end of the year. It is subject to regulatory approval in the U.S., Britain and China.

August A. Busch IV, Anheuser-Busch’s president and chief executive, said the decision to sell the nation’s largest brewer was a difficult one.

“Every alternative was considered,” he told shareholders at the meeting just outside of New York. “In the end, we all agreed the InBev proposal was in the best interest of you, the shareholders.”

The new company brings about the end of the more than 150 years of family rule of the St. Louis-based company, though the newly combined company’s North American headquarters will stay there. InBev has said it will keep open all 12 of Anheuser-Busch’s North American breweries.

Busch will move into a non-executive role, but will be on the new company’s board. He said he was excited about the future of the new company, especially expanding the brands worldwide, which he said helps in “fulfilling the global ambition of my family.”

Anheuser-Busch agreed this summer to accept the buyout from InBev worth $70 a share. The deal ended back-and-forth wrangling between the two sides, with Anheuser-Busch spurning InBev’s unsolicited offers at first, claiming they were bad for business and were an “illegal scheme” that threatened to defraud shareholders.

InBev shareholders approved the deal in September.

The sale price is a premium to Anheuser-Busch shareholders over the company’s current stock price. On Wednesday, its shares fell 51 cents to close at $66.33. InBev said last week it will not reduce or change its $70-a-share offer, even though Anheuser-Busch’s share price has dropped amid larger market turmoil.

The deal gives InBev a key inroad to the U.S. market, where Anheuser-Busch dominates with about a 50 percent share. InBev, meanwhile, has a small fraction. It also gives the company about one-fifth of the markets in China and Russia, two areas poised for growth.

InBev has said it wants to tap into Anheuser-Busch’s marketing power and make its top-selling Budweiser and Bud Light brands into global powerhouses like Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

Leadership for the new company has already been decided, pulling from executives within both companies. Luiz Fernando Edmond will lead North American operations, leaving his post as InBev’s president of Latin America North.

David A. Peacock, an Anheuser-Busch vice president, will become Anheuser-Busch president and oversee U.S. operations and management of the Budweiser and Bud Light brands.

In St. Louis and Williamsburg, VA, where the company and its heritage play a big role in the community, some residents were sad about the vote, even though they knew it had been coming. “I think people are having a hard time with it, because now it’s finalized,” said O’Brien, who works in the city and lives in the suburb of Florissant. “It’s like the grieving process, something we have to go through. There are certain things you’re proud of in your city – the Arch, the brewery, Busch Stadium. It seems to be a loss.”

Flood Zones in Hampton Roads Virginia

Question: I am thinking of purchasing a home in Hampton Roads, Virginia. I know that that are certain areas in Hampton, James City County, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Poquoson, York County and other nearby areas  are prone to flooding. How can I find out if a home I am interested in is in a flood zone ? How can I find out how much flood insurance will cost ? What are flood zones?


Flood zones are land areas identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each flood zone describes that land area in terms of its risk of flooding. Everyone lives in a flood zone—it’s just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high risk area.

How do I find out whether or not a property is at risk of flooding, and if it is, at what level?
Go to the website http://www.floodsmart.gov and fill out the Flood Risk Profile on the left hand site of the site.

 What is a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)?
Land areas that are at high risk for flooding are called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), or floodplains. These areas are indicated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

A home located within an SFHA has a 26 percent chance of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage.

What is a Non-Special Flood Hazard Area (NSFHA)?
A Non-Special Flood Hazard Area (NSFHA) is an area that is in a low-to-moderate risk flood zone (Zones B, C, X Pre- and Post-FIRM). An NSFHA is not in any immediate danger from flooding caused by overflowing rivers or hard rains.

However, it’s important to note that structures within a NSFHA are still at risk. In fact, one out of four floods occurs in an NSFHA! Get the facts before you decide that your property is not at risk.

Is there a special risk-rating procedure for coastal high hazard areas (V zones)?
Yes. When calculating the risk of a V zone property, the formula takes into account the ability of the building to withstand the impact of wave action.

USA Today Article about Williamsburg VA

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

A look at three Williamsburg neighborhoods:

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

contact: John Womeldorf/ REALTOR

Liz Moore & Associates

757 254 8136

John@MrWilliamsburg.com email

www.MrWilliamsburg.com/ website

www.MrBurg.com website

www.MrTidewater.com/ website

www.MrVaBeach.com/ website

 

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

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog II

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog

Williamsburg Happenings/ Events Blog

 

Williamsburg Va real estate search

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What is a Blog ? Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads Virginia Real Estate

Question :Who the heck is Mr Williamsburg ? I have searched for properties many times and this name keeps popping up.

Answer: Mr Williamsburg is my alter ego. I am John Womeldorf dba www.MrWilliamsburg.com  A native of Virginia now living in the Williamsburg/ James City County area of Virginia. I am a local Realtor working with Liz Moore and Associates in New Town Williamsburg VA ,  who with my family have fallen in love with our very special community, and now  make my living helping others experience the same good fortune.  Because I live and work in town, and have kids in school here, I can answer just about any question you can ask!  In the course of my work I have answered  thousands of questions about the area. I have created a Website / Blog/ Journal/ Digest  ( you pick the best description) with a search-able field where you can find answers to a lot of the questions that I have been asked.   www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com is the site

 Surprisingly quite a few of the Questions about Williamsburg and Hampton Roads VA are not real estate related. Some of the questions asked by others include: What type of cultural scene is there in Williamsburg ? What about nightlife in Williamsburg ? I heard Williamsburg is all older people ? What about the Schools in Williamsburg ? What about recreation/ gyms ? Do you have any parks in Williamsburg ? Are there any private Schools in Williamsburg ? Where can I find employment postings for Williamsburg or Hampton Roads ? What restaurants are good ? What about activities for kids ? Sports for Kids ? Private Schools in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads ? Where are some good areas to fish ? What about shopping in Williamsburg ? What’s the best grocery store ? Where is the Mall in Williamsburg ? ( What you don’t have a Mall ? Perfect ! ) Where is the Trader Joes ? Where is the Whole Foods in Williamsburg ( Not Yet ) Costco ? ( not yet ) Where do you run in Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads Va ? Where are some good places to mountain bike, cycle in Williamsburg ? Where’s the Hospital ? Doctors offices ?  What about veterinarians/ animal hospitals ? Do you know a good mortgage company, title company lawyer in Williamsburg/ Hampton Roads VA  ? Where is the Movie Theater ? Museums ? What’s a Good Neighbor Pass ? What are the local newspapers ? Are there any 55+ Active Adult communities in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads VA ? Where do people work in Williamsburg ? What industries are here ? What are the good Golf Courses in Williamsburg ?  Where are the new home developments being built in Williamsburg ? What are they going to build ? What communities are there in Williamsburg that have swimming pools ? Tennis ? gated ? 55+ active adult ? waterfront ? have Marinas ? Where are the condo town home developments in Williamsburg VA ? What is New Town Like ?What is the BAH Allowance for the area ? Where is the nearest commissary ?What’s the closest Airport ? IS there a train station in Williamsburg VA ? Are there buses in town ? What about High Street ? What’s the story with Stonehouse ? Which is better Ford’s Colony , Governors Land, Stonehouse or Kingsmill ? ( answer, It’s personal what appeals to you may not appeal to others I will explain the differences if asked ) Where is Viniterra ? How far is it from Stonehouse to the nearest shopping ? Where is the nearest marina ? Can I keep a sailboat there ? are any builders building Green Homes there ? Who are the best new home builders ? Are any of the builders in financial trouble ? Do you have the tax information rates for the area ? Why don’t some of the listings have pictures ? Why don’t some of the listings have more pictures ? What does AS IS mean ? What does REO mean ? How about Short Sale ? Do you have any video movies of the area ? Do you list houses ? How do you market homes you have listed ?  Is there any place to play Pool ? Is there a bakery in town ? Should I buy Title Insurance ? What have homes in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads Virginia  been selling for ? Any Horse Stables in Williamsburg ? We want to buy a house but we are in Europe, Japan, Germany, Guam, can you help us ? I saw a home on another website but can’t find it anywhere else ? What social clubs are there for adults ? Can I still get a mortgage in Williamsburg VA ? Isn’t Williamsburg Va full of older people ? Whats the average discount from list prices that sellers have been accepting in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads  Va  AS you can see the list goes on and on.. I may have already answered the questions you have on your mind. To find out  Put a topic in  the upper right search area   and see.If you don’t see an answer simply email John@MrWilliamsburg.com or call 757 254 8136. I use a phone that allows me to respond to emails quickly. If you don’t hear back within a few hours try again or call . Our email filters sometimes block valid emails.

I understand that many Internet home searchers start their hunt many months or years in advance, and are just in the research stage.  I respect that, and I’m here to help…as much or as little as you would like.

 Are you planning a visit to the area any time soon?  I would be happy to recommend some places to stay, or to give you a quick, introductory tour of some neighborhoods and/or homes.

 Or, if you would like to get a feel for our market, I would be happy to set you up to receive e-mail notices of new listings in a price range or area that interests you.  I can also send you sold info, so you can see what sellers in today’s market are willing to negotiate.

 

 

Social Clubs at Fords Colony Williamsburg VA

Questions : Can you tell me what clubs or social activities they have for residents of Fords Colony in Williamsburg VA ?

Answer: Here is a full list of all of the current clubs that are open to Fords Colony Residents/ Homeowners in Williamsburg , VA

 

Ahoy Mates – Sailing Club
Every Wednesday and Sunday at 3pm (2pm in the winter) we sail our “POND BOATS,” weather permitting. The pond is called Chisel Run where there is a waterfall and wooden bridge. It’s on Williamsburg West Drive near the exit to Longhill Road. Bring your radio controlled sailboat, or come to observe. See what it is all about. If you would like to build your own boat, members have much expertise to help you.
Auto Enthusiasts
If you enjoy automobiles (antique, new, or something in between) then perhaps the Colony Auto Enthusiasts is the club for you. You do not need to own an antique or classic car to belong—half of our members do, the others don’t. All you need is an interest in cars and an hour’s worth of free time a month (perhaps more when we take a trip to a nearby location that’s sponsoring a car show or other vehicle related event). During the past year, for example, we visited the Ferrari exhibit at Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum of Art, were visited by a group of Model A Club members (with their cars), and took several day trips to “show off” members’ cars. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 P. M. at the Swim & Tennis Club. 
Bid Whist
Bid Whist Players meet every second Thursday of the month at the Swim & Tennis Club at 7:30pm with the exception of July and August. All are welcome.
Monday Morning Bridge
Players meet each Monday morning at the Swim & Tennis Club from 9:30a.m. till noon. There are four progressions of six hands each of party bridge. There are usually between seven and ten tables. Players alternate volunteering as host/hostess. 

No dues required.

Duplicate Bridge
The Duplicate Bridge group meets every Wednesday at noon at the Swim & Tennis Club. This is a very friendly, easy to play in duplicate bridge group. It is not necessary to come with a partner—just show up and the director will always find a partner for you. For those who already belong to the ACBL, this is a sanctioned group, so you can earn master points while having fun and meeting many of your Ford’s Colony neighbors.
Bowling
More than 165 men and women participate in a league comprised of two divisions. The American Division bowls on Monday afternoons and the National Division bowls on Tuesday afternoons. Substitutes bowl whenever needed. The season is from late October through the end of March with an awards banquet in April.

Bowling fees and dues are required.

Fit For Life & Aerobics
Fit for Life is an exercise program of movements that will help improve flexibility and circulation to all parts of the body. It will also increase awareness of how your own particular body functions. Fit for Life is for men and women of all ages, no matter what the level of physical fitness. As the body ages, exercise becomes more critical to keep it strong and flexible.

Low impact aerobics is a combination of endurance, flexibility and muscular strengthening movements to enhance aerobic capacity providing an increase in your cardiovascular system and stimulating muscular function to supply and process oxygen. This program is designed for seniors and can be achieved by the majority of participants.

Caring Neighbors
“Caring Neighbors” of Ford’s Colony was formed to:

Act as a source of information on local services available for: health care – ER, extended and therapy, in home services– nursing, cleaning and meals, equipment rental – wheel chairs, crutches, walkers, etc.

Help to organize and provide limited assistance to residents in times of temporary health problems, medical emergencies, or death in the family with respect to: transportation, visitation, a meal, if needed.

Set up lists of items owned by residents who are willing to lend items to others having a short-term need – for themselves or visitors. Items include: medical aids, roll away beds or cots, baby/toddler equipment (gates, high chairs, strollers, playpens, toys, bikes, etc.)

Caring Neighbors continues to help our friends and neighbors in every way possible to provide that extra bit of “TLC” that each of us needs from time to time. Please remember that we are standing by—ready and willing to help.

Our community is growing very rapidly. In order for our committee to work more effectively, we ask for your assistance in letting us know if there is a problem or need in your neighborhood. Please make that phone call so we may help.

We are very proud of the Caring Neighbors program. It our wish that it continue to expand so it may better serve the community of Ford’s Colony.

There are no dues.

Computer Club
Ford’s Colony Computer Users Group (FCCUG)

Membership: All Ford’s Colony residents and property owners. We welcome newcomers and young residents.

Mission: To improve our members’ knowledge, skills, and enjoyment of personal computers through information presentations, discussion, learning, and sharing of common interests.

Focus: Software applications, tools & techniques, computer security, operating systems, performance, the Internet, networking, multimedia, digital photography, computer accessories, and emerging technologies.

Plans: Our plan for the 2004 season is to expand member services to include computer course offering designed specifically for members, and to establish a Lending Library.

Meetings: Third Monday every month, except July and August, at the Swim & Tennis Club.

Typical meetings begin with a brief overview of club business, a Show & Tell session which demonstrates a new product or technique, a technical Tip of the Month, followed by a Main Topic, presented by an expert, (see Focus, above). A Hospitality Committee provides refreshments..

Craft Club
The craft club supports numerous charities in the area. Members meet weekly enjoying the camaraderie of the group while honing their own craft skills and learning new techniques from others. Frequently, members work on charitable projects, such as quilting, knitting, crocheting and making items for special occasions throughout the year for nursing homes and other community groups. Often, club members offer to teach special skills, like decorative painting, beading, watercolor, basket making, sewing and specialty needlework to other members.

This club meets weekly from 1-4 P.M. The club accepts donations of materials and yarn for projects made for charity. 

The club has supported the following charitable organizations in the past: Sentara/Williamsburg Hospital, Catholic charities, local nursing homes, VA hospital – Hampton, Avalon, Premie Unit MCV. Some of the items made and donated include quilts, afghans, lap blankets, crocheted blankets and hats for premature babies, woolen hats and scarves, and stuffed animals for children awaiting emergency care.

Dinner Etcetera
Membership is open to all residents. Participation involves getting together on a quarterly basis at different homes for dinner to meet new friends and share a pleasant evening. You may attend once or as often as you would like. When you see an announcement in the Talk of the Colony, just call and sign up. We have a dinner in the autumn, late winter and mid-spring. The club has a final get-together in early summer. Attendance varies for each function.
Garden Club
With about 150 members participating at regular scheduled meetings from September through June, the club makes arrangements for guest speakers, demonstrations, tours and special events. The club is proud to have the largest membership in the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs. Discussions concerning indoor/outdoor planting, flower arranging and related activities are highlighted.
Hospitality
Members of this committee extend a warm welcome to new Ford’s Colony residents. This greeting is also offered to property owners in transit and living in Williamsburg.

Members distribute a welcome package, which includes maps, discount coupons, health information and other promotional materials. Hosts and hostesses try to answer any questions newcomers may have concerning Ford’s Colony and the Williamsburg area while they make new residents feel welcome and comfortable in our community. New volunteers are always welcome and needed. Call the chair to offer your time and talents as a host or hostess to welcome new residents.

Newcomers
The purpose of Newcomers Club is to provide a means for newcomers to Ford’s Colony, both singles and couples, to get acquainted on a informal basis and learn about the many activities offered in and around the community. Each month, newcomers sponsors numerous activities designed to expand your group of friends and knowledge of the area.

The Newcomers meeting, listed in the Talk of the Colony, is usually held on the 3rd Friday of each month at 6:45pm at the Swim & Tennis Club. This is a time to socialize and sign-up for activities that are planned throughout the month and to hear an entertaining guest speaker. In December and June, special potluck dinner meetings provide a special festive atmosphere.

Pinochle

The Pinochle Club meets once a month on the fourth Friday. We meet at the Swim & Tennis club at 7:30pm. We play partnership Pinochle, single deck alternating partners after four hands of play.

The rules of play are available for anyone interested in joining. We are a group of players who relax and have fun with the game.

Swim Team
The Swim Team is open to all residents children, age 5 to 18, and all swimming abilities. Practices start after Memorial Day, after school, Monday—Friday. Once school breaks, practice switches to mornings by age groups. Our meets are competitive but our mission is fitness, stroke technique, community spirit, goal setting in a fun and friendly environment. Team membership has ranged from 90 –125 children. A coach and assistant coaches provide the proper attention and training for all levels. The season consists of six dual meets and a championship meet in June and July.

Relay carnival, B Meets, and mini-meets for those not yet swimming championship times round out our season. It is an action packed two months, but accommodations are made for summer school, work, family vacations and other activities.

The swim team board meets at the Swim & Tennis Club on the first Sunday of each month (normally February-November) at 4pm. Meetings are announced in the Talk of the Colony.

Fundraising includes dues, an adult party in the Fall and Spring. Concessions offer dinner and snacks at home swim meets and on weekends from noon –2pm. Residents are encouraged to participate in the fundraising events and home meets to support the community swim team.

Model Railroad Club
If you are interested in trains then you may want to participate in the Model Railroad Club. It does not matter if you have a sophisticated train layout or your train is still in the boxes, this group covers a broad range of model railroading interests. The Club usually meets at 7pm on the fourth Thursday every month at the Swim & Tennis Club.
Fly Fishing Club
Meetings are the third Tuesday every month at 7pm at the Swim & Tennis Club, with exceptions in July, August & December. This group welcomes beginners as well as seasoned anglers. Fish stories are the order of business, as is the planning of group outings, both in– and out-of-state. No dues.
Solitaires
The “Solitaires” is a group in Ford’s Colony which includes any single people living here. It is a great way to meet other singles, make friends, and enjoy activities together. We meet once a month for a dinner, day trip, game night, etc. The monthly event is announced in the Talk of the Colony. Planning meetings are held every other month. Come join us for some great get-togethers!
Tennis Club
The purpose of the Tennis Club is to encourage and facilitate tennis activities among Ford’s Colony residents of all ages and abilities.

Tennis is a healthful, recreational activity that can be engaged in by individuals throughout their lifetime. Playing tennis develops fitness, fosters competitive spirit and promotes friendships.

Daily leagues are promoted for men and women’s doubles play for Club members throughout the year by preparation of schedules using the Club’s specialty software.

The Tennis Club sponsors social mixed doubles Round Robin play followed by dinner for its members at least twice a year.

The Tennis Club encourages and promotes junior tennis by facilitating lessons and play activity in the summer months.

The Tennis Club also serves as an advocate for tennis matters for all residents, as well as members of the Club, through its contributions to the monthly newsletter, its participation in the Activities Committee and by maintaining a relationship with the Ford’s Colony Property Owner Management.

Tai Chi
The Ford’s Colony Tai Chi Club was begun in September of 2001. It consists of beginning and intermediate classes taught by resident/instructor Helen Davis with occasional visits from guest instructors.

Tai Chi is a gentle exercise routine that can be learned by anyone at any age. It involves a series of slow, graceful movements combined with concentrated breath control. It is known to improve strength, balance and flexibility, reduce stress and control blood pressure. No particular skills, equipment or clothing are required.

Classes are held at the Swim & Tennis Club, September through May. Beginners meet on Mondays at 2:30pm and Intermediates on Thursdays at 5:00pm.

Theater Club
The Ford’s Colony Theater Club is composed of amateur actors, singers, musicians and stage hands living here in Ford’s Colony.

The Theater Club provides periodic entertainment in instrumental, vocal, dance, dramatic and comedy presentations for all Ford’s Colony residents and guests; traditionally there is no admission fee except for the major production of the year. Performers may be club members or guest talent, although members are encouraged to develop their own productions. Group rates are also arranged for local plays.

This group has a great deal of fun and heartily welcomes anyone interested.

Players meet the second Tuesday every month at the Swim & Tennis Club at 7:30pm.

Friends & Neighbors Club
Club meetings feature entertaining speakers followed by a social hour. Meeting old friends, making new ones and seeing our neighbors is what Friends and Neighbors is all about. Every third meeting will be a completely social meeting designed to increase your enjoyment in living in Ford’s Colony.

We are the Colony’s fastest growing club because our members want to have fun, learn about new things and meet old and new friends.

Trailblazers
A nature trail within Ford’s Colony was first proposed in the early 90’s by interested residents to allow them to hike in remote areas of the “Colony” while conserving and enjoying its natural resources. Several potential sites were identified, with the wetlands/greenspace running from John Pott and Edinburgh to Westbury Park being selected as most suitable. In the late 90’s intensified interest led to including proposals for building a nature trail and a bird observation station in the 2001 Long Range Plan.

Resident enthusiasm for these projects led to dozens of volunteers completing the planning and construction phase. They blazed the trail; built bridges, walkways, bulletin boards, benches and bike racks; spread wood chips; and placed signs identifying trees, bushes, vines and wild flowers. Generous companies donated telephone poles, railroad ties and treated lumber. A proffer to James City County, in the area of environmental support, lead Realtec to provide manpower and financial assistance for construction. The Ford’s Colony Homeowners Association now supports maintenance and enhancement activities on these community assets.

Trailblazers, officially approved as an Activities Committee Club in August 1999, grew from those volunteers who participated in building the Nature Trail. There are now over 110 members. The Club’s mission is to maintain and enhance the Ford’s Colony Nature Trail; to provide opportunities for trail recreation, environmental education and interpretation; and to protect endangered species. Monthly meetings, open to all, feature wildlife biologists, forestry experts, bird enthusiasts, horticulturists, and environmentalists. Club members also share their expertise, lead trips to other trails in the area, and continue to supply the workforce to maintain and enhance our trail.

Travel Club
Over 500 Ford’s Colony residents participate in activities of the Travel Club. The Club conducts trips of interest to its membership, including dinner theaters, concerts and plays and visits to local historical sites. These include both day and overnight trips. Upcoming events are listed each month in the Talk of the Colony. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, except during the summer.

At meetings members share travel information and experiences through slides, videos, and discussions. Meetings are held at the Swim & Tennis Club, beginning with a social gathering at 7:00pm. All residents are welcome.

William & Mary Fan Club
The W & M Fan Club arranges for Ford’s Colony residents to purchase season tickets for football games at reduced prices. Before each game, fan Club members gather for a tailgate party adjacent to the William & Mary Hall parking lot…. A great way to meet new people. Fan Club members are assigned seats in the same area, so we have our own cheering section. Each year, in the spring, we have a “kick-off meeting” at the Swim & Tennis Club to meet the coaches, hear their comments about the prospects for the upcoming year and take orders for season tickets. This is the Club’s only meeting for the year.

No dues are required and you don’t have to be an alumni to join. What a great organization!

Wine & Dine
Wine & Dine groups have been organized for the enjoyment of the entire Ford’s Colony community. A Wine & Dine group is generally composed of 16-18 people. Each month, one person or couple host hor d’oeuvers and wine for an hour at their home, after which the group goes to dinner at a restaurant chosen by the host couple. The groups are organized each January, giving all the opportunity to meet and socialize with a wide variety of neighbors.

Each Fall there are announcements in the Talk of the Colony about whom to call to get included. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this great opportunity to meet and mingle with neighbors with whom you might not otherwise have contact since our community has grown so large.

Youth Activities
The Youth Activities committee is made up of a small group of parents in Ford’s Colony. Our group holds fundraisers (the Chili Cook-off, the Adult Halloween costume party and Luau) to help raise funds for Children’s events. We also plan and organize events for the children. We have previously run the Children’s Christmas party, Fourth of July parade, Halloween party and Easter brunch.

We also work with the Swim Team board on the End of Summer/ Back to School party and the adult Luau.

We are always looking for new parents in the community who would like to help with adult socials and children’s events.

Peninsula Hampton, Yorktown & Newport News Virginia Beaches

Williamsburg Va real estate search There’s no reason to spend a tank full of gas looking for the perfect beach spot this Memorial Day. Instead, stay near home and experience a beach party atmosphere at Buckroe Beach in Hampton, try your hand at saltwater fishing at Gloucester Point Beach or take the more reflective approach at Grandview Beach in Newport News.

To help you find your Peninsula Beach paradise, Here is a list of beaches and their features.

Closest to the Virginia Beach experience — Buckroe Beach, Hampton Virginia. The largest beach on the Peninsula, Buckroe has a small amphitheater and about 3/4 of a mile of shoreline. For those who want a little more action, kayaks and paddle boats are available for rent, and there is a children’s playground nearby. Location: North First Street, Hampton Swimming: Lifeguards are there from: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Public restrooms available Free
Parking on First Street and Pembroke Avenue and two free parking lots on either end of Buckroe Beach park. The lots that were previously paid are now used for special event and overflow parking. Dogs are not allowed on the beach, and the dog park has been closed. Guests hoping to find treasure, however, are now allowed to bring their metal detectors on the beach after watching a short video about how to recognize artillery shells. The construction you’ll see during a visit this summer is a new condo complex.

Best place to spot a fisherman — Gloucester Point Park. With two boat landings and a saltwater fishing pier, this river shore beach is a popular spot for fishermen. You can also take a stroll along the Point Walk, a trail along the York River that tells all about Gloucester’s history.  Location: 1255 Greate Road, Gloucester, Virginia, Swimming: Yes No Lifeguards Public restrooms Free  Parking A concession stand is currently open on weekends. Beginning June 14, the stand will be open daily. Picnic tables, volleyball nets and a playground are also available for use.

The nature beach — Grandview Beach, Hampton . This “no-service” beach is best for people seeking a quiet atmosphere. Be sure to pack light, though, it’s about a 15-minute walk from the park’s parking lot to the beach area.  Location: Once on Fox Hill Road, turn left on Beach Road, and then turn left on Grundland Drive. Swimming is allowed  No Lifeguards  No Public restrooms Parking: Free parking at the edge of Grandview Nature Preserve. A trail winds through the park to the beach.

Most variety in one spot — Huntington Park, Newport News. If you’re only up for a few minutes of sunbathing, you and the kids can walk to the nearby Fort Fun, a 15,000 square foot wooden playground, or take up a game of tennis or basketball on the nearby courts. To escape, head over to the Rose Garden, which is situated near the Warwick Boulevard entrance. Location: 5500 W. Mercury Blvd., Newport News Swimming: Yes, but the water is shallow. A barrier marks off the swimming area.  Lifeguards: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Public restrooms  Free Parking You could pack some snacks, or take advantage of the concession stand on site. There’s also a boat ramp available and picnic shelters you can rent.

Historic bathing — Yorktown Beach, Virginia. History buffs need a tan, too, and Yorktown Beach may be just the place where they can have it all. Just a short drive from Yorktown Battlefield and just down the hill from the Yorktown Memorial, the beach’s calm waters are also good for young swimmers. Location: Along Water Street in downtown Yorktown, Virginia right off the Colonial Parkway Swimming is allowed  No Lifeguards Public restrooms
Free Parking Bring a cover-up and take advantage of the bars, restaurants and shops along Water Street and Riverwalk Landing 

Misleading Headlines about real estate in Hampton Roads Virginia !

Williamsburg Va real estate search

From my broker’s( Liz Moore ) Blog Post

Last week, the Daily Press featured a story on the front page of the paper with the headline “Area Home Sales Down 23%!”  Reporter Chris Flores went on to regale the grim state of the declining local housing market.  If, and only if, you read the article very carefully, you might pick out the nuggets that really should have  made the headlines:

Hampton Roads Virginia Makes Top Ten List of LEAST Riskiest Markets for Foreclosures!

Despite National Housing Slump, Local ( Peninsula) Median Sales Prices Remain Steady!

Peninsula Real Estate Market Outperforms both the State ( VA.) and the Nation!

But no.  Flores chose to lump together Peninsula housing statistics with Southside statistics, resulting in a far worse picture than the truth.  Here is what you need to know:  On the Peninsula, closings are down approximately 14% over last year, the result of a sluggish fourth quarter of 2007, and a slow start to the year.  Pending sales are only off 8%, suggesting that the market is beginning to rebound.

Sellers:  Despite a drop in the number of units sold, values are holding steady.  This is key, and means that there is still time to capitalize on the equity growth that we all experienced during the boom cycle.  Realistic expectations about market time and aggressive positioning are critical; however, if you are thinking about moving up, there is definitely an upside in the current market climate.

Buyers:  It’s truly a great time to buy.  Plentiful inventory, low interest rates, and sellers frightened by the onslaught of media hype about the market create an ideal market environment for buyers.

Given the mortgage liquidity crisis that stalled the national economy last August, and the volatile economy that resulted, our Peninsula housing market is *definitely* a bright spot in the big picture.

Consumer confidence is a key ingredient to balance in both the economy and housing market, so please help me spread the good news!

For further information about real estate in Williamsburg, James City, New Kent or York County Virginia  contact:

John Womeldorf/ REALTOR

Liz Moore & Associates

757 254 8136

John@MrWilliamsburg.com  email

www.MrWilliamsburg.com/   website

www.MrBurg.com website

www.MrHamptonroads.com/  website

www.MrTidewater.com/   website

www.MrVaBeach.com/  website

Williamsburg Real Estate Resource. Search for Homes & Land in Williamsburg Virginia & surrounding areas  click here :CLICK HERE WILLIAMSBURG VA MLS HOME SEARCH

CLICK HERE FOR Real Estate Home Search  Tidewater Hampton Roads Va 

 

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

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog II

Williamsburg Real Estate Blog

Williamsburg Happenings/ Events Blog

 

Williamsburg Va real estate search