Quote for the week...

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

--Reinhold Niebuhr, 1930's-1940's

I live my life by this quote and prayer and it will make your life easier also, if you use it. To me it's automatic, and I just ask myself, "Can I do anything more?" If I've done everything humanly possible, I just let it go. It's like taking a monkey from your shoulders, when you let it go. Life goes on somehow. I hope you can enjoy and use the serenity prayer and it will bring peace to your life as well.

Karen
http://www.move2va.com/

Mortgage rates fell to 6.75% this week

First time they've fallen this month. This article from BankRate.com that discusses how the real estate markets got a mixed back of news this week:

http://bankrate.com/brm/news/bank/July2607_interest_rate_roundupa1.asp?s=2#tab

Let me know if you'd like a list of recommended lenders in the central Virginia area, I'll be happy to send it to you free of charge.

Have a great weekend!

Karen
www.move2va.com

Featured Home - 1925 Historic Home in Downtown Charlottesville

• Enjoy restoring this historic home in the city
• Eat-in kitchen has been re-done with oak cabinets
• Nice large rear yard
• Front porch
• Rear deck

If you'd like more information on this home or any other home in central Virginia, please email me at kehoe@move2va.com or call me at (800) 818-7629.

Karen
http://www.move2va.com/

Do we need the Meadowcreek Parkway?

The Charlottesville City Council asked Albemarle County to sign an agreement before work begins on the Meadowcreek Parkway. The council requested a temporary construction easement to the Virginia Department of Transportation while the agency prepares to accept bids for the city's portion of the project.

Read more about it from CvilleTomorrow:

http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/meadowcreek_parkway/index.html

As far as I'm concerned the Meadowcreek Parkway needs to be in our area. It's been delayed too long. We have traffic north of town that needs to get downtown and points east of town, and this parkway will prevent accidents on the dangerous Rio Road hillside.

Here's an artist's rendition of what it may look like once complete:


Thanks to Senators John Warner and George Allen for getting our funding back in 2005 so we can move forward. Here's the press release:

http://www.senate.gov/~warner/pressoffice/pressreleases/20050729.htm

I'm sure many have noticed the tombstone work of art on Rio and Park Street regarding Meadowcreek Pkwy. "The final resting place that Weldon “Lefty” Showalter has prepared for the Meadowcreek Parkway, replete with shade trees and an impressive tombstone with epitaph, may seem a bit premature to some, but he’s confident it won’t remain vacant for long. A couple years ago, Showalter, 78, constructed and painted the yard art in the shape of a grave marker. It honors the parkway for dying “of old age while in the planning stage” and is dedicated to “stupid politicians.” “I just do it to practice my freedom of speech and poke a little fun,” Showalter said. “At my age there isn’t a lot that I can do for fun.”

Obviously there are all sorts of opinions on this parkway. Please post and tell me what you think about it.

Karen
www.move2va.com

Drought Watch

The Board of Directors of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority has issued a Drought Watch for our area. The watch is “a very strong call for conservation measures,” said Thomas L. Frederick Jr., Executive Director of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority.

Here's a video of the meeting from CvilleTomorrow:



Article from the "Daily Progress" newspaper:

http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP%2FMGArticle%2FCDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352113527&path=!news

Virginia Drought Monitor Map:

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?VA,SE

Water is so important to our area. We've done some things right in the past for sure. Several years ago our county administration turned down Motorola and they moved to Richmond. At that time, I didn't understand, but after further research realized they were going to produce microchips and this would use a large quantity of water. This was an excellence decision by our county administrators.

We all need to respect our water source and be cognizant of saving our precious water.

Here's a site with water conservation tips:

http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/

The car washes are now recycling water as a result of our previous drought, and this is a step in the right direction. Wouldn't it be great if they reduced their prices because they were using less water as well?

Please post your comments... do you think this is necessary? ARe you doing anything to save water?

Karen
www.move2va.com

How "walkable" is your neighborhood?

This is a great site! Try it out... just type in an address, and it calculates the walkability of the address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc.:

http://www.walkscore.com/

Karen
www.move2va.com

Central Virginia Events This Weekend (July 27-29)

Thursday-Sunday, July 26 - 29
ORANGE COUNTY FAIR
A popular, old-time country fair focused on rural life without the carnival rides. Each day is packed with a full schedule of contests, shows, crafts, exhibits, live music, demonstrations and plenty of good old-fashioned fun for the kids. Montpelier. Directions: Rt 20 North toward the City of Orange. Thur and Fri 3 to 10pm; Sat 8:30am to 11pm; Sun 9am to 4pm. $Adults and Children -(over 12) $6, Children -(5 to 12) $3, Children -(4 and under) FREE. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-661-5393.

Wednesday-Saturday, July 25-28
CAMP JEEP FESTIVAL - NELSON COUNTY
More than 2,800 Jeeps will roar into Oak Ridge Estate in Nelson County today for Camp Jeep, the annual festival that brings Jeep lovers together from across the county. The event, which is expected to draw more than 10,000 visitors, begins today and runs through Saturday. It is returning to Nelson County for the sixth time. During the three-day event, participants can enjoy everything from 4 x 4 off-road courses to discussions with DaimlerChrysler engineers who design the jeeps. There will also be mountain biking, a zip line and bungee jumping. The event’s most ambitious idea is to create a snow hill for skiing and snowboarding demonstrations despite the July temperatures. Registration for Camp Jeep, which is open to Jeep vehicle owners, has been reduced by $100 from last year's fees. Camp Jeep registration is $295 per vehicle. Registration and additional information are available at www.jeep.com/campjeep.

Friday, July 27
RAINY DAY UN-BORED GAMES AT THE CROZET LIBRARY
Rainy days or super-hot sunshine, the library’s a great way to get out of the weather. Come and hang out in our game space with snacks and board games – learn a new game or bring an old favorite to play. Drop in and bring a friend. For grades 6-12. Crozet Library. Directions: 5791 Three Notch'd Road. 2pm. $free. Email: mailto:crozet@jmrl.org?subject=Rainy. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/823-4050.

Friday, July 27
THE WINTER'S TALE: SHAKESPEARE
The Winter's Tale: Shakespeare's next-to-last play is a roller-coaster ride from tragedy to comedy and finally to a place that few other works have gone. At the end of this play about the power of love and faith and loyalty, about wives and husbands, about parents and children, audiences arrive at one of the most miraculous moments in the history of theatre. Today's performance is a 2pm matinee. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Friday, July 27
FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE
Sarah White & the Pearls perform this week, http://www.sarah-white.com/, show begins at 5:30pm, open and free for all ages.

Friday, July 27
STOLEN MOMENTS III-ART SHOW IN SCOTTSVILLE
Scottsville Council for the Arts opens its annual photography show today with a reception 5:30-8pm. The show will be up through August 25. 401 Valley Street. 434/286-9599.

Friday, July 27
DIVE-IN MOVIE AT ACAC
Float on the water and watch a cool movie in the indoor pool. ACAC Albemarle Square. 6pm to 8pm. Member $8, Non-member $12. Recommended for ages 8 to 18. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/978-3800.

Friday, July 27
LA BOHEME: ASH LAWN OPERA
Puccini's most famous work, the story of Mimi and Rodolfo and their adventures in Paris's Latin Quarter. Tonight and August 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12. $16-26. Doors at 6pm, curtain at 8pm. Ash Lawn-Highland, Rt. 53. 434/293-4500.

Friday, July 27
"TWELFTH NIGHT" BY FOUR COUNTY PLAYERS
Twelfth Night: The play's famous opening line-- "If music be the food of love, play on"-- strikes the keynote for this Four County Players production. Set in the era of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, and punctuated by songs from the likes of Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart, this Twelfth Night is a celebration of love and music. $16/adults; $14/seniors and students; $10/children. Thursdays and Fridays: all seats $10. 8pm. Barboursville Community Center. http://www.fourcp.org/

Friday, July 27
"LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS" BY PLAY ON
Play On presents this musical about Seymour, a flower shop clerk who finds a strange plant that he names Audrey after his beloved co-worker. $13-$17. 8pm. Theatre at Ix, 983 Second St. SE., Charlottesville, 434/872-0184 or http://www.playontheatre.org/.

Friday-Sunday, July 27-29
WINTERGREEN PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL-CELEBRATION '07
Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort. Wintergreen Performing Arts presents its 11th Summer Music Festival. Celebration '07 will honor the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown and the 200th Anniversary of Nelson County with a full roster of chamber and orchestra concerts, lectures, master classes, and open rehearsals. The concert program will include familiar masterpieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), two chamber music world premieres and what appears to be the American Premiere of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent 1607 opera Orfeo. The festival will conclude with conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Robert McDuffie performing Bruch's magnificent G minor Violin Concerto, a gem of the German Romantic period. The festival will also include the world premiere of Peter Coy's play A Shadow of Honor about a 1907 murder in Nelson County. Consult the Wintergreen Performing Arts website for a detailed schedule and the Wintergreen Resort website (http://www.wintergreenresort.com/ ) for travel packages. for information: (434) 325-8292; (866) 984-6874. Web Site: http://www.wintergreenperformingarts.org/

Saturday, July 28
18TH ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL
Piedmont Council of the Arts. This family-oriented festival opens with a grand entrance by the Spiritwalker, dancers, drums and many other exciting performers. A wide variety of crafts, foods, community organizations and artisans will be found throughout the park. Visitors can listen to the traditional African storyteller, watch musical and dance performances and discover more about local and national African American history and the contributions of African Americans to our community. Booker T. Washington Park. Directions: 10th Street NW and Preston Avenue, west of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, VA. 11am to 7pm. $free. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:cville-aframerfest@email.com?subject=18th. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/979-0582

Saturday, July 28
OAKENCROFT TOMATO/SALSA FEST
11:00 am - 5:00 pmLocation: Oakencroft Vineyard and WineryDescription: Oakencroft Winery, closest winery to Charlottesville only 3 1/2 miles West of Barracks Road welcomes you to their Salsa Fest. Tours, tastings of award winning wines, great LIVE MUSIC and LIGHT FARE. Walk to the vineyard and enjoy the beautiful views of The Blue Ridge Mountains. $10.00 per person includes your wine glass. 434-296-4188 ext. 21. Web Site: http://www.oakencroft.com/

Saturday, July 28
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA, CROZET FARMERS MARKET
Young gardeners have a special place at the table at the Crozet Farmers Market offering special resources and activities just for them. 8am-noon. Free. 1156 Crozet Ave. 434/823-7878.

Saturday, July 28
SUMMER HARVEST FEST WEEEKENDS AT CHESTERFIELD BERRY FARM
Come out for the New Summer Harvest Fest where you can take a hayride and pick your own vine ripened tomatoes, herbs or flowers. There is no shortage of fun things to do like the new tomato cannon, walk through the new corn maze (find the four check points and win), try the new Appomattox Gem mining, watch the new pig races, or look at the new goat walk. Play in the shelled corn play area, bounce in the moon bounce, try out the duck races, ride in the barrel train or pony rides. There will be lots of fun corn games and activities (corn eating contest, corn shucking contest) If your get hungry you can eat some fried green tomato fries, or some fresh roasted corn. You might want some homemade BBQ, coleslaw, or lipsmacking beans. Don't miss our new Summer Harvest Fest Fun.. Chesterfield Berry Farm. Directions: 26002 Pear Orchard Road, Moseley, VA. 9am to 6pm. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:mangnuson73@netzero.com?subject=Summer. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-739-3831.

Saturday, July 28
SUMMER SATURDAYS: LITTLE BREAD HEN BY BAREFOOT PUPPETS
Ash Lawn Opera Festival and AlbemarleFamily. Based upon the classic tale, The Little Red Hen, the story begins in an Austrian bakery. (Didn't you always wonder how the hen learned to bake bread in the first place?) Join the Hen on her quest for a place to raise her eggs in peace – instead of seeing them turned into quiches and meringues! Barefoot Puppet Theatre's original puppets, quilted scenery and innovative staging make this show a hit. Ash Lawn - Highland. Directions: Ash Lawn-Highland is located near I-64 and Route 250, 2.5 miles beyond Monticello on Route 53. 11am. $5 available at the door. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:info@ashlawnopera.org?subject=Summer. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/293-4500.

Saturday, July 28
POSIPALOOZQA CONCERT
Unity Church hosts its first PosiPalooza concert, part of the national concert tour of the New Thought Songwriters Tribute, which features nominees for the best songs that transform lives and promote peace through music with a uniting spiritual message. The tour is co-sponsored by ITOI ministries, which created the awards. $15/advance; $20/at the door. 7pm. 2825 Hydraulic Road. http://www.itoiministries.org/ or 434/978-1062.

Sunday, July 29
B-52'S AT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE PAVILLION
The Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors' "Work Force Housing Fund" benefit concert featuring the B-52’s. Come to the best dance party of the summer—and support our local workforce—by visiting the Pavilion Web Site to purchase tickets. CAAR has reserved the first 10 rows as a special “Party Section” – patrons buying tickets in this section will receive special perks, including entrance into the pre-show party and a chance to win a photo-op with the band just before they take the stage. Tickets in the Gold Circle Party Section will cost $100 (including a $50 tax deductible donation to the Fund). Other tickets will cost $47.50, 37.50 and $27.50. Group Sales (20 or more tickets) can be secured by contacting Tami Keaveny at (434) 245-4925 or tami@charlottesvillepavilion.com. These tickets make great gifts and support a great cause, so purchase yours today!

Karen
www.move2va.com

What Is Genius?

I will try to post a quote each Monday. I'm a little late for this first one. Why Mondays? Because you've got the week in front of you, and you need support and motivation to be your best. Anyone desiring to furnish a quote of inspiration, please post a comment.

Next week I'll discuss the serenity prayer, a great way to live your life.

Attitude is everything, and if you've got a great attitude, you'll be a happy successful person. Success and happiness to each of you.

This quote is SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration".

- Thomas A. Edison (1847 - 1931), Harper’s Monthly, 1932

Very "inspiring"!!

Karen
http://www.move2va.com/

Before Digging, Call Miss Utility

Better safe than sorry... before digging call 1-800-552-7001. For more info, visit the web site:

www.missutilityofvirginia.com

Decorating Tips For Small Spaces

Here are some great tips for decorating small homes and apartments, from HGTV:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_62608,00.html

Do you have any tips you'd like to share? Please post a comment.

Charlottesville Ranked #2 in "Best Places To Retire Young"

Move.com ranked Charlottesville #2 in the nation! Read more at their web site:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0703/gallery.bp_retireyoung_new.moneymag/2.html

Eco-friendly Green Homes

"Bamboo flooring harvested from responsibly managed forests, energy-conscious fluorescent lighting, cement-fiber siding to maximize insulation, carpet manufactured from recycled materials."

More and more people in central Virginia, and across the nation, are building green homes to do their part to help the environment. Here's a great article from the "Daily Progress" newspaper in Charlottesville about one homeowner who went the extra mile:

http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351279293

She bought a lot of her building supplies from Nature Neutral on Greenbrier Drive in Albemarle County. Nature Nurture offers “environmentally preferable” pressure treated lumber, sustainably harvested wood for flooring and trim, paints, insulation, piping products and more.

What do you think? Is this the future of home building?

The Housing Market Should Recover in 2008

The National Association of Realtors says the market should recover in 2008. Homebuilders will limit new construction in 2008, and thus help the overall inventory. Read more in this article from "Originator Times":

http://originatortimes.com/content/templates/standard.aspx?articleid=2462&zoneid=5

Need to buy or sell, give me a call. Let's get creative, and get you your dream home, or allow you to move on. Feel free to call 24 hours/7 days, 1-800-818-7629.

Do you think the market will recover next year? Please post a comment.

Lumber Prices Are Down, Great Time For Home Improvements

The only silver lining to the housing slump... lumber prices are down. So maybe it's time to add a deck or do other home improvements. Read more in this article from RISMedia:

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-07-20/timber-thank-the-housing-%E2%80%98slump%E2%80%99-for-lower-lumber-prices-other-materials-dont-budge/

Homes in Charlottesville are still selling... depends on price, location, and negotiation as well as having a good buyer agent and listing agent. Cooperation is the way to go when trying to buy and sell a home in this market.

We are seeing constant price reductions, and your home can sell. But maybe not for as much as it would have at last year's prices, which were somewhat inflated because it was a buyer's market.

If I can assist you as a buyer or seller in any way, please call me 24 hours/7 days, 1-800-818-7629 or email me kehoe@move2va.com.

Raise Your Credit Score In Only 3 Weeks

Here's a wonderful article from "Originator Times" on "Seven Simple Steps to Raising Credit Scores in Only Three Weeks", I think many will find this helpful:

http://originatortimes.com/content/templates/standard.aspx?articleid=2471&zoneid=5

In this housing market many will need creative lenders to assist.

The best way to buy a home is to first find a creative lender you can trust.

You'll need a team to help you: mortgage lender, realtor, and closing attorney or title company.

If you'd like, I'll email you a list or mortgage lenders and attorneys/title
companies I recommend in central Virginia/Charlottesville. Please email me (kehoe@move2va.com) or call me (800-818-7629) 24 hours/7 days for a free list.

Mortgage rates now 6.82% nationally, for 30-year fixed

Mortgage rates rose a small amount this week, and have been locked in a range between 6.74% and 6.82% for a month. Read more about it in this article from BankRate.com:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bank/July1907_interest_rate_roundupa1.asp?s=2#tab

Keep in touch with your lender. If you need a lender in Charlottesville or central Virginia, please contact me, I'll be happy to provide you with a list of lenders I personally recommend.

Featured Home - Country Home In Fluvanna

- Home with 2+ acres for $359,900

- Home with 14+ acres for $799,900 (includes 5 extra lots)

- Or land only 5 mostly wooded lot subdivision already divided, 2-4.4 acres each, fabulous, rare opportunity for builder/developer or family for neighborhood for $499,900; buy at today's price and close December 2008 (land only).

FEATURES:

- Fluvanna County, near I-64, easy commute to Charlottesville/Richmond

- Large country house

- Bring your farm animals

- Over 2100 square feet

- Old-fashioned wrap-around covered porch

- Extensive ceramic tile floors in great room and first floor

- Kitchen with breakfast nook and appliances

- Bedrooms, including first floor master suite

- 2 car garage

For more information on this home or any other home in central Virginia and Charlottesville, please call me (434-980-2860) or email me (kehoe@move2va.com).

Events in Charlottesville & Central Virginia This Weekend (July 20-22)

Tuesday through Sunday, July 17-22
ROCKBRIDGE REGIONAL FAIR
Rockbridge County, Lexington.Great family entertainment with amusement rides, great food, live music, 4-H livestock competitions, arts and crafts, truck and tractor pulls, and so much more! Virginia Horse Center. Directions: I81 to I64 West. Use Lexington exit 55. Turn right on Route 11. At first stop light, turn left onto Route 39. Horse Center will be approximately 2 miles on the right. varies. $varies. All ages welcome. Contact: Wayne “Rexx” Rexrode. Email: info@rockbridgefair.com. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-463-6263.

Thursday through Saturday, July 19-21
MINERAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
The 24th annual Mineral Bluegrass Festival. The festival is co-sponsored by the Mineral Volunteer Fire Department. Bring the family and enjoy a weekend of music in beautifully shaded Walton Park, Mineral, VA. Many wonderful stars of bluegrass and the Grand Ole Opry will be there to entertain you. Check the concert schedule to the right for a complete listing of musicians and times they will perform each day. Sound by Gene Daniell. Tom Cat Reeder will be the MC. Bring your lawn chairs and remember no alcoholic beverages are allowed in the concert area. Walton Park, Mineral Town. Directions: 200 East Sixth Street, Mineral, VA. 9am to 9pm. $Adult Advance $30, Child - ages 6-13 $15, Child under 6 - free with parent. All ages welcome. Contact: Jimmie Dodd & Lloyd Runnet. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-894-9811.

Friday, July 20
FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE
Charlottesville Pavilion on the Downtown Mall. Free, all ages welcome, show begins at 5:30pm. This week's band is "Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun", band's web site: http://www.mojamusic.net

Friday, July 20
LOVE'S LABORS LOST - STAUNTON
Written around the same time as Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, this giddy, extravagant comedy is Shakespeare's most exuberant wordfest-- a heart-stopping explosion of our English language. Here the Bard presents four young lords ripe for an education in love by four young ladies and, for even more fun, throws in the fantastic love-warrior, Don Armado; the lust-sick clown, Costard; and the pompous scholar, Holofernes. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Friday, July 20
STAR STRUCK
The view is out of this world at Public Night at McCormick Observatory from 9-11pm (weather permitting). UVA's research telescopes on O-Hill will be pointed heavenward, and Astronomy Department staff and students will be on hand with a slide show and answers to starry questions. Free. McCormick Road. 434/924-7494.

Friday, July 20
SHOWERS PREDICTED - RICHMOND
Mother nature's fireworks, the Perseid meteor shower, returns in August with as many as 60 meteors per hour. Astronomers expect the show to peak Sunday, August 12-- the same night as a new moon. Best viewing time is after midnight. The Science Museum of Virginia offers more facts at LiveSky, an interactive planetarium tonight at 6pm. Afterward, the Richmond Astronomical Society set up their 'scopes for Sky Watch on the museum's front lawn at 9pm with views of Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter. Free. Weather permitting. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. www.smv.org.

Friday, July 20
MUSIC AT TWILIGHT: BROADWAY BOUND
Ash Lawn Opera Festival. Festival singers perform a collection of hits from Broadway shows past and present. This energetic show offers everything from favorites by the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, and Cole Porter, to the current hits direct from Broadway. Come hear some of your favorite showtunes and perhaps something you've never heard! Ash Lawn-Highland. Doors open at 6pm. Shows begin at 8pm. $11-$18. All ages welcome. Email: info@ashlawnopera.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/979-0122.

Friday, July 20
SERVING UP ACES
Two of the greatest tennis players of all-time will be facing off in the Serving Up Aces match featuring Pete Sampras and John McEnroe. Following the feature match, Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band will join Sampras, McEnroe and a special guest for a doubles match. John Paul Jones Arena. 7pm. $27, $37, $47, $67, $102. All ages welcome. Contact: John Paul Jones Arena. Email: johnpauljonearenainfo@virginia.edu. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/243-4960.

Friday, July 20
MIDNIGHT MAGIC
Barnes & Noble Bookstore.Harry Potter Party! Come join all your pals from Hogwarts and count down the minutes to midnight when the last and final installment in the popular Harry Potter series goes on sale. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" holds lots of surprises and we're all wondering what its going to be like as Harry grows up! Jr Department of Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Directions: Barracks Road Shopping Center. 9pm. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/984-0461.

Friday, July 20
HARRY POTTER RELEASE PARTY
Join Z-95.1 DJ Jay Lopez this Friday from 10pm-Midnight and get your copy of the latest installment of Harry Potter. register to win free books, gift cards and more! Book go on sale at midnight! Kroger at Rio Hill Shopping Center. 10:00pm-midnight. $free. All ages welcome.

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 & 22
PICNIC WITH RICH AND FAMOUS
Robert and Luciana Duvall host a picnic at their farm to support the efforts of the Piedmont Environmental Council to fight a high-voltage transmission line scheme proposed by Dominion Virginia Power. Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnics and a dessert to share as well as lawn chairs, sunbrellas and blankets. General admission: $50/car. Tickets available only by phone, no tickets sold at gate. 4-8pm. Byrnley, The Plains, near Warrenton. Info: 540-341-0175 ext. 7.

Saturday, July 21
ENVIRONMENTAL ART WORKSHOP
Scheier Natural Area: The Rivanna Conservation Society presents "Right Here, Right Now: Environmental Art Workshop" with James Yates, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 2pm. Meet in the parking lot of Scheier Natural Area, a 100-acre parcel of land 10 miles west of Palmyra and 20 miles southeast of Charlottesville in Fluvanna County. 977-4837 or rivannariver.org.

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 & 22
WINTERGREEN PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL-CELEBRATION '07
Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort. Wintergreen Performing Arts presents its 11th Summer Music Festival. Celebration '07 will honor the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown and the 200th Anniversary of Nelson County with a full roster of chamber and orchestra concerts, lectures, master classes, and open rehearsals. The concert program will include familiar masterpieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), two chamber music world premieres and what appears to be the American Premiere of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent 1607 opera Orfeo. The festival will conclude with conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Robert McDuffie performing Bruch's magnificent G minor Violin Concerto, a gem of the German Romantic period. The festival will also include the world premiere of Peter Coy's play A Shadow of Honor about a 1907 murder in Nelson County. Consult the Wintergreen Performing Arts website for a detailed schedule http://www.wintergreenperformingarts.org and the Wintergreen Resort website (http://www.wintergreenresort.com ) for travel packages. For information: (434) 325-8292; (866) 984-6874

Saturday & Sunday, July 21 and 22
DAYLILY AND WINE FESTIVAL
Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce; ESPOMA Organic Fertilizers and Primary Residential Mortgage.There will be fine wine and entertainment throughout the day, childrens tent with activities, crafters, artist and seminars and more. Andre Viette Farm & Nursery, Fishersville. Directions: I64W to Exit 91, North (right) on Route 608, West (left) on Route 250 (go under the railroad overpass), North (right) on Route 608 - Nursery is 2 1/2 miles on left. Sat 9am to 6pm; Sun 1 to 5pm. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-324-1133.

Saturday, July 21
PRUNING WOODY ORNAMENTALS
This two-hour workshop teaches proper ways to prune plants while enhancing their natural growth habitat. $10, reservations required. 9:30am. Tufton Farm, Monticello. 434/984-9822.

Saturday, July 21
STREAM MONITORING
StreamWatch hosts a volunteer stream monitor training session covering the fundamentals of stream biological sampling-catching and identifying aquatic invertebrates for the purpose of evaluating water quality and stream health. Please bring a lunch and dress for the outdoors. Free. 10am-4pm. Call to register and for directions: 434/962-3527.

Saturday, July 21
HIKE AT SKIMORE FORK
Join Wild Virginia on a hike in the North River Ranger District of George Washington National Forest at Skidmore Fork. This beautiful area includes many special species of biological interest and areas of old growth forest. The hike follows Skidmore Fork stream and includes some elevation gain. Bring lunch, water, and solid hiking boots. 8:30am. Meet at Java Java, 2214 Ivy Road. www.wildvirginia.org.

Saturday, July 21
THE WINTER'S TALE - STAUNTON
Shakespeare's next-to-last play is a roller-coaster ride from tragedy to comedy and finally to a place that few other works have gone. At the end of this play about the power of love and faith and loyalty, about wives and husbands, about parents and children, audiences arrive at one of the most miraculous moments in the history of theatre. Today's performance is a 2pm matinee. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Saturday, July 21
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Part of the 2007 Blandy Summer Concert Series, held at Blandy Experimental Farm, a UVA research station and home of the State Arboretum of Virginia. Come early to explore the Arboretum grounds, and bring a picnic basket and a blanket or lawn chairs. $7/adults; $2/children 5-12; free/anyone under 5 or over 100. Margaret Byrd Stimpson Amphitheater, Route 50 in Clarke County, about 10 miles east of Winchester and 20 miles west of Middleburg, between Route 340 and the Shenandoah River. 540-837-1758 Ext. 0, or www.virginia.edu/blandy.

Saturday, July 21
LA BOHEME ASH LAWN-HIGHLAND
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm. The Ash Lawn Opera Festival is recognized by Money Magazine as one of the top 20 international summer opera companies. Established in 1978, the Festival presents opera and musical theater sung in English and performed in the Boxwood Gardens of Ash Lawn-Highland, home of President James Monroe. In 2007, the Festival will present Puccini's La Boheme. Performances are outdoors at 8 p.m.; grounds open for picnicking at 6:00. In the event of rain, performances are held under the pavilion. Tickets are $25 (weekdays), $26 (Saturdays). Group, senior, and student rates available; call Box Office between June and August for details. For general information, call the office.Visit the website for special packages on lodging and opera tickets with four of Charlottesville's leading hotels. Box Office (434) 979-0122 Office (434) 293-4500. Web Site: http://www.ashlawnopera.org

Saturday, July 21
KIDZ NIGHT OUT ACAC
Children play in the gigantic indoor play structure and enjoy a night of games, sports, computers and movies while parents catch a movie or have a night out on the town! ACAC Adventure Central Clubhouse. Directions: 200 Four Seasons Drive. 6 to 10pm. $Family $12, Member $17, Non-member $20. Recommended for ages 4 to 12. Reservations are required. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/817-1747.

Saturday, July 21
PARENT SURVIVAL NIGHT
The Little Gym.The Little Gym® makes it possible for parents to enjoy a much-needed night out on the town, knowing their kids are safe and having a blast. Children enjoy an evening of friends, games, music and continue their motor skill development under the watchful eyes of our professional instructors. Must be potty trained. The Little Gym. Directions: 907 Gardens Blvd, Rt. 29N behind Pier 1. 6:45 to 9:45pm. $call for cost. Recommended for ages 3 to 12. Contact: The Little Gym. Email: tlgcvl@aol.com. Reservations are required. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/975-5437.

Saturday, July 21
SWING DANCE
Enjoy a high-energy evening of swing dancing and other dance favorites with DJ Stacy Suter. At 8pm, Alyssa Lundgren teaches an Intermediate Cha Cha lesson upstairs. Also at 8pm, Cathleen Rhodes teaches a beginner East Coast Swing lesson downstairs. Lessons included with the dance admission. Singles and couples welcome; no partner needed. 9pm-midnight, $12/person, $9/CSDS members, $6/students with ID. Municipal Arts Center, 1119 5th St. SW. 434/980-2744 or www.cvilleswingdance.com.

Sunday, July 22
PICNIC WITH RICH AND FAMOUS - WARRENTON
Robert and Luciana Duvall host a picnic at their farm to support the efforts of the Piedmont Environmental Council to fight a high-voltage transmission line scheme proposed by Dominion Virginia Power. Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnics and a dessert to share as well as lawn chairs, sunbrellas and blankets. General admission: $50/car. Tickets available only by phone, no tickets sold at gate. 4-8pm. Byrnley, The Plains, near Warrenton. Info: 540-341-0175 ext. 7.

Sunday, July 22
ENVIRONMENTAL ART WORKSHOP
Scheier Natural Area: The Rivanna Conservation Society presents "Right Here, Right Now: Environmental Art Workshop" with James Yates, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 2pm. Meet in the parking lot of Scheier Natural Area, a 100-acre parcel of land 10 miles west of Palmyra and 20 miles southeast of Charlottesville in Fluvanna County. 434/977-4837 or www.rivannariver.org.

Sunday, July 22
SUNDAY FUN-DAYS FOR FAMILIES: SALSA SIZZLER - RICHMOND
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.On the fourth Sunday of each month, families can enjoy children's entertainment, gardening and activities in the Children's Garden. Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Directions: Off I-95 1800 Lakeside Ave., Richmond, VA. 5 to 8pm. $Regular Garden admission. All ages welcome. Contact: Beth. Email: bethm@lewisginter.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-262-9887.

Buying Or Building Green Homes

Green Homes are the latest, greatest thing in new housing. It can save you $’s in utilities, your home and you will be healthier, and you are also helping the environment.

Yes, it will cost you more upfront, but if you live in your home for years it may be worth it. You choose of course, which is most important to you.

Here is a link to an article from RISMedia, "Health Found to be the Most Powerful Motivator for Consumers to Build or Buy a Green Home" so you can learn more:

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-07-17/health-found-to-be-the-most-powerful-motivator-for-consumers-to-build-or-buy-a-green-home/

If you’d like info on Green Builders in central Virginia including Charlottesville and Albemarle, call me (1-800-818-7629) or email me (kehoe@move2va.com) and I’ll be glad to furnish a list to you. We are waking up to a new way of building, and it’s very refreshing.

What do you think of green homes? Are they the wave of the future? Would you buy or build a green home? Please leave a comment with your thoughts.

Keep Your Home Safe While You're On Vacation

You’ve seen the movie "Home Alone", so here’s a great article from RISMedia with vacation tips to keep it safe in your absence:

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-07-17/is-your-home-alone/

I would also suggest you let a neighbor know you’ll be gone and how to reach you in an emergency.

Also check with your insurance agent if you’re gone for an extended period of time because your insurance could be affected over a certain period of time with no one on the premises.

Please post a comment to share your tips.

Tax Tip: Window Tinting

Are tax tips helpful to you? I would suspect everyone likes to save $'s on taxes. Recently the IRS has decided window tinting now falls under the category of "other" energy saving home improvements, and can be used as a tax credit.

Here's an article from BankRate.com about how you can get a tax credit for adding window tinting film to your home's windows.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/tax/20070716_window_tinting_credit_a1.asp

Please share your own tax tips... leave a comment!

Summer Travel Tips

Summer travel lately has seen a change, so be prepared. Here's an article from RISMedia with some great tips to make your travelling safer and less hectic. It also has links to websites to check regarding late flights, etc:

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-07-17/how-to-avoid-summer-travel-snafus/


I'm sure we all know which cities to avoid, because sometimes they are notorious for late flights or cancelled flights.

Please comment and share your tips as well!

Albemarle County Rezonings & Special Use Permits

Rezonings and special use permits in process provided by the Albemarle County Department of Community Development (Excel Spreadsheet):

http://www.homecharlottesville.com/2001-2005-approved-units-zma-sp-and-pending.xls

Rezonings and special use permits are a part of Albemarle County, and this list (link above) shows those approved over the last 6 years. Please note the number of units and where they are, and feel free to check with the county for other special information on any of these areas.

We are growing, and the county is stringent as we grow, and I personally am thankful for that. We want to keep what we have: clean air, no pollution, and growth with care.

Do you agree?

Technology... It's a new world!

Technology is here to stay, we live in a different world now.

Tech knowledge can get you to the next step, and free up time that would be used talking to people or researching at the library.

Google is fun, and some day may replace the phone book, in fact for some it already has.

Scanning is my latest true advantage, and soon no need for overnight mail or faxing!

Here's an article from RISMedia on "Six Technology Travel Tips You Can’t Function Without", I hope you'll find this as interesting as I did, better to be safe than sorry:

http://www.rismedia.com/wp/2007-07-13/be-smart-before-you-hit-the-road-six-technology-travel-tips-you-can%E2%80%99t-function-without/

What's your favorite tech tip?
Happy Tech!

Karen
"The Key To Your Real Estate Success"

2nd Quarter Market Report Out Today

It's absolutely a buyers market, interest rates below 7%, both buyers and sellers can accomplish what they need to do. Just be smart and get comparables and financing, then proceed forward.

Click the following link to open the Charlottesville Association of Realtors 2007 2nd Quarter Market Report, prepared by Dave Phillips, CAAR CEO:

http://www.homecharlottesville.com/caar-2007-2nd-quarter-market-report.pdf

Featured Home - Steger Creek in Palmyra

Almost New One-Level Home With Over 2 Acres!

• Easy commute to Charlottesville & Richmond, only 10 minutes to Pantops!
• Gourmet kitchen with breakfast nook and pantry
• King master bedroom suite
• High ceilings
• Gas log fireplace
• Occupancy 8/1/08, allows time to sell your home while locking in today's prices!
• One-level living with pizzazz!

Please contact me (kehoe@move2va.com or 434/980-2860) for more information on this home or any other homes you are interested in.

Mortgage Rates Nationally

Here are the overnight averages from www.BankRate.com(Rate may contain points):

30 year fixed mortgage
Today: 6.30%
Last Week: 6.28%

Keep in touch with your lender. If you need help finding a mortgage lender, please contact me (kehoe@move2va.com or 434/980-2860) and I'll share my recommended lenders with you.

Any comments or questions?

Central Virginia Events This Weekend (July 13-15)

July 13, Friday
CHICK-FIL-A'S COW APPRECIATION DAY
Chick-fil-A restaurant will award a FREE combo meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) to any customer who visits the chain fully dressed as a cow! The offer is part of the chain's third annual "Cow Appreciation Day" celebration. Chick-fil-A. $free. All ages welcome. Special Needs Accommodation: Cow costume Contact: Wyatt Jefferies. Email: wjefferies@co-p.com. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 404-961-2238.

Friday, July 13
FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE at the Charlottesville Pavilion on the Downtown Mall.
Show starts at 5:30pm. ALL AGES. Band is "New Monsoon" http://www.newmonsoon.com

Friday, July 13
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by The Jefferson Youth Theater
Featuring over 50 local children, presents Beauty and the Beast-- on the Paramount Theater stage! 7pm, $12/adults, $6 children. Downtown Mall. 434/249-2803.

Friday, July 13
ROMEO AND JULIET
With its rapturous language and uproarious comedy, Romeo and Juliet celebrates love's triumphs and its trivialities. In this profoundly human and always surprising masterpiece, Shakespeare puts into theatrical balance the joys of the body and the pleasures of the play's glorious language. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 1-877-682-4236.

Friday-Sunday, July 13-15
WINTERGREEN PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort. Wintergreen Performing Arts presents its 11th Summer Music Festival. Celebration '07 will honor the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown and the 200th Anniversary of Nelson County with a full roster of chamber and orchestra concerts, lectures, master classes, and open rehearsals. The concert program will include familiar masterpieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), two chamber music world premieres and what appears to be the American Premiere of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent 1607 opera Orfeo. The festival will conclude with conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Robert McDuffie performing Bruch's magnificent G minor Violin Concerto, a gem of the German Romantic period. The festival will also include the world premiere of Peter Coy's play A Shadow of Honor about a 1907 murder in Nelson County. Consult the Wintergreen Performing Arts website for a detailed schedule and the Wintergreen Resort website www.wintergreenresort.com for travel packages. For information: (434) 325-8292; (866) 984-6874. Web Site: http://www.wintergreenperformingarts.org

July 13, Friday
PUBLIC NIGHT AT THE OBSERVATORY
UVA McCormick Observatory. Three telescopes at the McCormick Observatory offer amazing views of our galaxy (weather permitting) while astronomy staff and graduate students answer questions. A slide show and tour are also provided. Open every 1st and 3rd Friday. McCormick Observatory. Directions: From Emmet Street (Rt29) near UVA and Ivy Rd (Rt250) turn onto McCormick, follow signs up the hill. 9 to 11pm. $free. All ages welcome. Email: jdh7h@virginia.edu. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/924-7494.

Saturday, July 14
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA
Young gardeners have a special place at the table at the Crozet Farmers Market offering special resources and activities just for them. 8am-noon. Free. 1156 Crozet Ave. 434/823-7878.

Saturday, July 14
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPLORATORY CENTER
is open at the Keelboat barn in Darden Towe Park teaching the skills of exploration: knot-making, compass reading, and nature observation, as well as carpentry and boat building skills such as chiseling and drilling. The 55-foot replica of the Lewis and Clark Expedition keelboat is on display with some recent additions. 10am-2pm. Free admission. On the north end of Darden Towe Park past the parking lots. 434/979-2425. lewisandclarkeast.org.

July 14, Saturday
COSTUME CHARACTER VISIT: PETER RABBIT
Barnes and Noble Bookstore.Peter Rabbit will be at Barnes & Noble to visit his Charlottesville friends. Storytellers will read some of his adventures in Mr. McGregor's garden, and then he will greet his fans. Bring your cameras! Barnes and Noble Bookstore. Directions: 1035A Emmet Street. 11:30am. $free. All ages welcome. Contact: Allyson Johns. Email: CRM2559@bn.com. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/984-6598.

July 14, Saturday
DRAGONFLY WALK AT IVY CREEK
Ivy Creek Foundation. Jim Childress will lead a walk to see the dragonflies and damselflies of Ivy Creek. We will view them with binoculars and catch a few to look at them in hand. Come and learn to identify some of the mid-summer species and their habitats. Ivy Creek Natural Area. Directions: Earlysville Road/Route 743. 11am. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/973-7772.

Saturday, July 14
MEET THE SHUTTERBUGS
Fluvanna County parks and rec hosts a reception today for winners of its annual photography contest. The contest theme-- photography that embodies life in Fluvanna County-- netted over 120 images in 10 categories. Free, 2-4pm. The show is up through July. Fork Union Community Center. 5725 James Madison Highway. 434-842-3150.

Saturday, July 14
GARDEN GATES: The gardens of the Elizabeth Lane property in Batesville
Originally part of the "Maxwell estate," in addition to the gardens, the place offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge. $5, 9am-noon. Dick Woods Road (Rt. 635). 434/872-4580.

Saturday & Sunday, July 14-15
MONTICELLO PLANTATION COMMUNITY WEEKEND
10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Monticello. Plantation Community Weekend. Costumed artisans help bring the sights and sounds of the early 19th century to Mulberry Row, the center of African-American activity at Monticello. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Included in price of general admission. Information: (434) 984-9822. Web Site: http://www.monticello.org

Saturday, July 14
MONTICELLO NATURAL HISTORY OF TREES
9:30 am. Monticello Garden Shop. The Natural History of Trees. This two-hour walking tour focuses on the identification of 50 species of exotic and native trees through an understanding of their ornamental, cultural, and historical character. 9:30 a.m., Garden Shop. $10; reservations required. Information: (434) 984-9822. Web Site: http://www.monticello.org

July 14, Saturday
FAMILY FUN! CREEPY CRAWLY FUN! Charlottesville Northside Library
45 minutes of stories, songs, and crafts your whole family will enjoy. For children of all ages with an accompanying adult. Registration is required. Directions: 300 Albemarle Square. 10:30am. $free. All ages welcome. Email: northside@jmrl.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/973-7893.

July 14, Saturday
HENNA HAPPENING - Louisa County Library
Experience the ancient art of henna in this hands-on workshop led by local expert Alpana Agarwal. Registration is required and begins on Saturday, June 30. Grades 6-12. Louisa County Library. Directions: 881 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA. 2pm. $free. Email: louisa@jmrl.org. Reservations are required. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-894-5853.

July 14, Saturday
INSPECTOR WILD! MAPS N' ME
Wintergreen Nature Foundation. A fun treasure hunt with prizes will introduce basic skills in both reading and making maps. Young naturalists will create their own map and learn to follow those made by the professionals. Wintergreen, VA. Directions: I-64 west to Exit 107 (Crozet, Route 250). Take Route 250 west to Route 151 south, turn left. Follow Route 151 south to Route 664, 14.2 miles. 9 to 11am. $10 members, $15 non-members. Recommended for ages 4 to 6. Email: info@twnf.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/325-8169.

July 14, Saturday
MASKED MARVELS AND WONDERTALES
Mask and mime master Michael Cooper will bring his heart-warming, family-friendly performance to Charlottesville's Paramount Theatre. Cooper's show combines the mythical and the auto-biographical and features breathtaking original masks, stories of courage and wonder, outlandish stilt dancing, mime and a physical repertoire that ranges from madcap to sublime. If you would like to spend more time with the artist, attend the Mask and Mime Master Class with Cooper earlier that day (ages 9 to 11) at 11am. Paramount Theatre. 3pm. For details, please click this link.

July 14, Saturday
RIVANNA TRAILS FOUNDATION SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
Rivanna Trails Foundation. Volunteer to come out to help with trail maintenance. Great for older kids or the whole family. Tools provided, but bring shears or clippers if you have them. Large groups please call in advance. . Directions: Meet at the trailhead on Melbourne Road just east of the Charlottesville High School football field and caravan to the work site. To drive self, call Diana Foster at 434/964-1022. 9am to 12pm. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link.

July 14, Saturday
THE VIRTUES OF HERBS: LIVING HISTORY WALKING EVENT
Agecroft Hall.Take a walking tour of Agecroft's gardens and learn age-old treatments for ailments such as the common cold, headaches, and upset stomachs. Along the tour you will meet some of the manor's 17th century inhabitants, portrayed by living history interpreters. In the event of inclement weather, the tour will be cancelled. Agecroft Hall & Gardens. Directions: 4305 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, Va 23221. 10am. $5. All ages welcome. Contact: Joy Mouledoux. Email: publicrelations@agecrofthall.com. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-353-4241.

July 14, Saturday
WILD! ADVENTURES: ORIENTEERING CHALLENGE
Wintergreen Nature Foundation.Understand your GPS unit by learning the basics of finding your way with a map and compass. Solve fun nature riddles to make your way through the woodland orienteering course. Nellysford, VA . Directions: I-64 west to Exit 107 (Crozet, Route 250). Take Route 250 west to Route 151 south, turn left. Follow Route 151 south to Route 664, 14.2 miles. 1 to 4pm. $15 members, $20 non-members. Recommended for ages 7 to 12. Email: info@twnf.org. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/325-8169.

Saturday, July 14
DOWN UNDER, UP CLOSE: DIDJERIDU PERFORMANCE
Enjoy a solo performance by didjeridu master Ash Dargan. 6pm (doors at 5pm), $7/adults, $4/seniors/students. Outdoors at the Kluge Ruhe Gallery, 400 Worrell Drive, Pantops Mountain. (Rain site: Newcomb Hall Theatre, UVA). 434/244-0234.

Saturday July 14
BASTILLE DAY PARTY
6:00pm, ZINC - 420 West Main St - Next to the Main Street Market. Americans have the Fourth of July, the French have Bastille Day; now Charlottesville has both! Authentic French cuisine, delicious desserts, drink specials, DJ spinning through dinner and into the late night, and more surprises to come. Join us at ZINC (right next to Main Street Market) on July 14th for the biggest Bastille Day Party in Charlottesville! Lunch served from 11:30-2:00. Dinner starting at 6pm. www.comptoirzinc.com 434-245-ZINC(9462).

July 15, Sunday
MIDSUMMER BUTTERFLY WALK
Ivy Creek Foundation.Learn to identify Ivy Creek’s butterflies on a walk with Mike Scott at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. Mike will lead a brief identification workshop before the walk. Meet in the Ed Building. Meet in the Education Building. Directions: Earlysville Road/Route 743. 1pm. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/973-7772.

Sunday, July 15
TUBING ON THE JAMES
Float your cares away with members of the Outdoor Adventure Social Club. $10, plus membership. 11:30am. Monticello Visitor Center. 434/760-HIKE.

Sunday, July 15
DOG FRIENDLY HIKE & PICNIC
Fido, food, and fun, with members of the Outdoor Adventure Social Club. $5, plus membership. 9:30am. Fontaine Research Park. 434/760-HIKE.

Sunday, July 15
RIVANNA RIVER CANOE AND KAYAK TRIP
Get paddling with members of the Rivanna Conservation Society. Free with RCS membership. 10am. Location tbd by river level. 434/984-5678.

July 15, Sunday
SUMMER EVENING AT MONTPELIER
Musical Traditions of 18th-Century African-American People. The slaves on James Madison’s Montpelier plantation would have been familiar with the energy and rhythms of West African and Caribbean song and dance. In the colonial period this music would mix with European forms to generate the early African-American sound. In a program designed especially for families, the Chesapeake Atlantic Ensemble, led by Cheick Hamala Diabate, will play instruments including fiddle, banjo and flute to celebrate this musical journey. BBQ/picnicking at 6:30 and program at 7:30 on the Montpelier lawn. Open to both members and the public. Montpelier. Directions: Route 20, four miles south of Orange. 6:30pm. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-672-2728.

Keeping Your Cool This Summer... The Heat Is On!

Summer is upon us and many homeowners worry as the temperature continues to rise, so will their utility bills. No need to panic. There are several ways to control the comfort level of your indoor air while still keeping energy consumption down.

An Ounce of Prevention

One of the best ways to stay comfortable this summer and keep energy costs down is by properly maintaining your cooling system. A system that is not running properly may be working harder than it needs to be in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. “If properly maintained, your central air conditioner will keep you cool even during the peak summer heat waves,” said Rick Roetken, director of product marketing, Carrier. Roetken recommends these simple steps to ensure that your central air conditioner is kept in tip-top shape:

Regular Maintenance - Have your central air system inspected by a qualified service technician or contractor early on in the summer season. Remember to also clean the standard air filters once a month. When replacing filters, make sure you install a replacement that is the same size as the original. A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, causing the coil in your air conditioner to freeze up significantly increasing energy use. It's also important to make sure the outdoor unit or condenser of a central air conditioner is free of debris. Trim or remove shrubs or obstructions within one foot of the unit.

Proper Operation - Do not run a central air conditioner when the outdoor air temperature is below 70 F. Operating a residential air conditioner in cool temperatures may cause premature compressor failure. Instead, ventilate your home by opening windows. When you are running the central air, remember to keep the thermostat turned up. For most homes, 78 F is a comfortable temperature. Using a fan to circulate the cooler air will allow you to avoid turning down the thermostat. Use a programmable thermostat so you can automatically raise the temperature to 85 F while you are out for the day.

Beware of Wasted Energy
If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a high efficiency model now. Air conditioners are manufactured to meet or exceed minimum efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy. Beginning in January 2006, the new minimum will be 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). These units deliver about 23 percent energy savings compared to the current minimum 10 SEER models. “Purchasing a 13 SEER unit now will allow you to save on your utility bills sooner, rather than later,” said Roetken.

You can also eliminate wasted energy by choosing Energy Star appliances for your home. Older refrigerators tend to consume much more energy than newer models. If your refrigerator is due for replacement, look for an energy efficient model. You should avoid using appliances that use a lot of energy during the day when the outside temperature rises. By:

Running your dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer later at night or first thing in the morning, and washing only full loads of dishes and laundry, you can slash additional utility costs.

Also remember to turn off your computer and monitor when not in use and turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.

Use fluorescent light bulbs, which last 10 times longer than regular light bulbs, wherever possible.

Direct sunlight streaming through windows can substantially raise the temperature inside your home. Close your drapes and curtains during the day to keep sunlight and heat out. Planting trees and bushes is an effective way to shade your home as well. If you plan to replace your windows, consider double-pane windows with spectrally selective coatings.

If you are concerned about the cost of comfort this summer, don't sweat it. These tips will keep you cool throughout the season.

Article courtesy of ARA Content & Jay Coleman at Cornerstone Inspection Services in central Virginia: http://www.cornerstoneinspectionservices.net/

Housing Statistics for June 2007: Madison, Greene, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Nelson, Albemarle and Charlottesville

These stats will help you see current values in central Virginia. Note the Median Selling price is skewed by high and low costs as well.

Albemarle County has a high number of homes for sale, and it is a buyers market as well as in surrounding counties.

Be smart, be prepared, and have knowledge... and you can get a great house! Call or email me 24 hours/ 7 days.

============================

Madison County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 7
Average Selling Price This Month: $283,714
Average Days on the Market This Month: 23
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 1:57:53 PM): 81
Median Selling Price This Month: $235,000

==========================

Greene County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 25
Average Selling Price This Month: $296,437
Average Days on the Market This Month: 105
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:05:00 PM): 205
Median Selling Price This Month: $250,000

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Orange County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 16
Average Selling Price This Month: $315,588
Average Days on the Market This Month: 143
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:05:44 PM): 174
Median Selling Price This Month: $285,000

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Louisa County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 16
Average Selling Price This Month: $256,988
Average Days on the Market This Month: 67
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 1:56:00 PM): 266
Median Selling Price This Month: $215,200

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Fluvanna County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 45
Average Selling Price This Month: $271,473
Average Days on the Market This Month: 75
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:03:09 PM): 356
Median Selling Price This Month: $234,900

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Nelson County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:
Number of Houses Sold This Month: 13
Average Selling Price This Month: $503,015
Average Days on the Market This Month: 79
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:06:28 PM): 310
Median Selling Price This Month: $560,000

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Albemarle County, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 209
Average Selling Price This Month: $385,240
Average Days on the Market This Month: 70
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:03:48 PM): 1032
Median Selling Price This Month: $307,000

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City of Charlottesville, Virginia Housing Statistics, June 2007:

Number of Houses Sold This Month: 79
Average Selling Price This Month: $340,229
Average Days on the Market This Month: 74
Number of Houses on the Market this Month (As of 7/11/2007 2:00:41 PM): 389
Median Selling Price This Month: $320,000

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It certainly is a buyers market. Comments or questions from anybody on this important info?

Help, tips & free advice on moving

Moving? RE/MAX Excellence as well as Lowe's can help you.

Lowes has a web site to assist you in moving:

http://www.lowesmoving.com/

We can also assist you in finding another home or rental anywhere in the world. Call me 24 hours/7 days, (434) 980-2860 or toll-free 1-800-818-7629.

Buying or Selling... I can get you a Lowes discount as a realtor, for setting up or taking down a house.

One-stop-shopping is what I'm offering you, assistance and guidance with mortgages, advice on HELOC or home equity line loans, attorney references, and information on how to make it happen. Please call me for free, no obligation, advice.

Comments? Questions? Please post. Thanks!

House Report Uncovers Homeland Security Staff and Continuity of Government Risks

Wow, this came as an emergency email, and it appears it is crisis time in the security of our nation:

http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=208&z=1

We need good leaders for sure.

Comments anyone?

It's a buyers market, so now is the time to buy a home.

It takes only 30 days to close the loan, so it's not too late even for families to buy a home. Interest rates remained stable, and click this link to read an article from bankrate.com on "Interest Rate Roundup":

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bank/July0507_interest_rate_roundupa1.asp?prodtype=invest

There are so many ways to buy a home including 100% loans, and the sellers can pay all your closing cost, depending on how motivated they are.

For all the listings in Charlottesville & Albemarle County, as well as all of central Virginia, please check out my website at www.Move2Va.com.

Comments anyone?

Great Quote... What Direction Are You Moving In?

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.

- Oliver Wendel Holmes

Mortgage rates have stalled this week

Mortgage rates have stalled as anxiety about inflation has eased. The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage remained at 6.74 percent, according to the Bankrate.com national survey of large lenders. Read more from BankRate.com:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mtga/july0507_mortgage_analysisa1.asp

Keep in touch with your mortgage lender. If you need a lender, contact me and I'll be happy to share those I recommend in the central Virginia area.

Any thoughts on the rates stalling? Please post a comment. I'd love to hear what you think.

This week's Featured Home - Downtown Charlottesville, Almost New

Almost New Home

in Downtown Charlottesville

$284,900

(Reduced $14,000!)

- Gorgeous gourmet kitchen
- 2 Porches on front
- Deck to rear
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2.5 baths
- Bamboo floors on first floor
- Convenient to UVA, the Downtown Mall, I-64

Please email (kehoe@move2va.com) or call me (434) 980-2860 to learn more about this fabulous home or any other homes in the central Virginia area.

Central Virginia events this weekend (July 6-8)

Friday, July 6
STAR STRUCK
The view is out of this world at Public Night at McCormick Observatory from 9-11pm (weather permitting). UVA's research telescopes on O-Hill will be pointed heavenward, and Astronomy Department staff and students will be on hand with a slide show and answers to starry questions. Free. McCormick Road. 434/924-7494.

Friday, July 6
MUSIC AT TWILIGHT: MOZART & MORE
Ash Lawn Opera Festival.Spend a romantic, enchanted evening with our Opera Company as they sing some of the world's best-loved music. Festival singers choose their favorite arias, duets, and ensembles from celebrated composers such as, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and, of course, Mozart! Perfect for the opera aficionado or as an introduction to this beautiful art. Ash Lawn-Highland. Doors open at 6pm. Shows begin at 8pm. $11-$18. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:info@ashlawnopera.org?subject=Music. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/979-0122.

Friday, July 6
ROMEO AND JULIET, CSI
Theaterworks Repertory Company presents Shakespeare's beloved text of passionate discovery and young love as a CSI. Here romance is not the primary focus. This reorientation of the text follows the format of a crime scene investigation. The idea is not to rewrite or abandon Shakespeare, but to find in his words a microcosm of modern life. Pay what you can ($7 suggested donation), 7:30pm. The Hamner Theater, Rockfish Valley Community Center, Rockfish School Lane, Nellysford. 434/361-9092 or http://www.thehamnertheater.com/.

Saturday, July 7
CELEBRATE ORANGE: PICNIC IN THE PARK
Orange Downtown Alliance.Come out to Booster Park for a picnic and fun family entertainment. Booster Park. Directions: near Orange Airport off route 20. 4:30 to 10:30pm. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:info@orangecova.com?subject=Celebrate. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-672-2540.

Saturday, July 7
FIRST SATURDAY BIRD WALK
Ivy Creek Foundation.Jennifer Gaden of the Monticello Bird Club leads this early summer bird walk. Meet in the parking lot. Ivy Creek Natural Area. Directions: Earlysville Road/Route 743 Meet in the parking lot. 7:30am. $free. All ages welcome. Email: mailto:icf@ivycreekfoundation.org?subject=First. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/973-7772.

Saturday, July 7
INTERNATIONAL FOLKDANCERS
Ezher Uremez teaches and leads line, mixers, and circle dances from around the world. Beginners welcome and partners not necessary. Free, 2-4:30pm every Saturday in July. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. 434/823-9705.

Saturday, July 7
EXPEDITION: THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPLORATORY CENTER
Open at the Keelboat barn in Darden Towe Park teaching the skills of exploration: knot-making, compass reading, and nature observation, as well as carpentry and boat building skills such as chiseling and drilling. The 55-foot replica of the Lewis and Clark Expedition keelboat is on display with some recent additions. 10am-2pm. Free. On the north end of Darden Towe Park past the parking lots. 434/979-2425. lewisandclarkeast.org.

Saturday, July 7
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
The hills are alive with the Sound of Music at Ash Lawn Opera Festival. Maria and the von Trapp family tell the familiar story again at historic Ash Lawn-Highland. Doors at 6pm, shows begin at 8pm. $16-$26. 434/979-0122.

Saturday, July 7
SCIENCE SATURDAY (Richmond)
Today is Electrifying Day at the Science Museum of Virginia. Visitors can make their hair stand on end at the static demonstration at noon and 2pm, see lightning-like electricity fly through the air at the Tesla coil at 1 and 3pm, visit the 1893 Chicago World's Fair in the Carpenter Science Theatre Company play, At the End of the Wire, also at 1 and 3pm, and explore the visiting exhibition Savage Ancient Sea. Included in the price of admission. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727.

Saturday, July 7
ROMEO AND JULIET
With its rapturous language and uproarious comedy, Romeo and Juliet celebrates love's triumphs and its trivialities. In this profoundly human and always surprising masterpiece, Shakespeare puts into theatrical balance the joys of the body and the pleasures of the play's glorious language. 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 1-877-682-4236.

Saturday, July 7
LOVE'S LABORS LOST
Written around the same time as Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, this giddy, extravagant comedy is Shakespeare's most exuberant wordfest-- a heart-stopping explosion of our English language. Here the Bard presents four young lords ripe for an education in love by four young ladies and, for even more fun, throws in the fantastic love-warrior, Don Armado; the lust-sick clown, Costard; and the pompous scholar, Holofernes. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 877-682-4236.

Saturday and Sunday, July 7 and 8
SOUTH AFRICAN FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
Grayhaven Winery.Join Grayhaven as they host the 2nd Annual South African Food & Wine Festival. Taste the delectable grilled meats and exotic dishes South Africa is known for. Dutch, Indian and Malaysian influences come together with native dishes to create a melting pot of culture and cuisine that is uniquely South African. Live the adventure as South African chefs whip up a weekend of fantastic food complimented by some of South Africa's best wines. Grayhaven Winery. Directions: 4675 East Grey Fox Circle, Gum Spring, VA. $10 adults, 10 and under free. Email: mailto:max@grayhavenwinery.com?subject=South. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 804-556-3917.

Saturday & Sunday, July 7-8
WINTERGREEN PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL CELEBRATION '07
Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort. Description: Wintergreen Performing Arts presents its 11th Summer Music Festival. Celebration '07 will honor the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown and the 200th Anniversary of Nelson County with a full roster of chamber and orchestra concerts, lectures, master classes, and open rehearsals. The concert program will include familiar masterpieces such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"), two chamber music world premieres and what appears to be the American Premiere of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent 1607 opera Orfeo. The festival will conclude with conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Robert McDuffie performing Bruch's magnificent G minor Violin Concerto, a gem of the German Romantic period. The festival will also include the world premiere of Peter Coy's play A Shadow of Honor about a 1907 murder in Nelson County. Consult the Wintergreen Performing Arts website for a detailed schedule and the Wintergreen Resort website (http://www.wintergreenresort.com/) for travel packages. for information: (434) 325-8292; (866) 984-6874; Web Site: http://www.wintergreenperformingarts.org/

Sunday, July 8
SUMMER BIG WOODS WALK
Montpelier.Tour of the James Madison Landmark Forest. A 200-acre old-growth forest lies just beyond the back lawn of the Mansion. Designated by the U.S. Department of Interior as a National Natural Landmark, the "Big Woods" is recognized as the best example of an old-growth forest in the Piedmont. The tour will be led by Montpelier Horticulturist Sandy Mudrinich. Montpelier. Directions: 11407 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station VA 22957. 2pm. $price included with admission. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 540-672-2728.

Sunday, July 8
EXPLORING SUMMER: A SUNDAY MORNING STROLL
Ivy Creek Foundation.Naturalist Mary Jane Epps, will lead an exploratory walk at Ivy Creek to see the wonders of a summer morning in nature. Wildflowers, ferns, mushrooms and the amazing variety of insects are a few of the topics Mary Jane may cover. Meet at the Ed Bldg. Ivy Creek Natural Area. Directions: Earlysville Road/Route 743. 10am. $free. All ages welcome. For details, please click this link. For more info call: 434/973-7772.

Sunday, July 8
UP ON THE MOUNTAIN: MUSIC AND FUN AT HUMPBACK ROCKS MOUNTAIN FARM
Lexington's Breakin' Nu Ground string band, Bruce Clark and the Sawmill Band, and Harry Baldwin and his Percheron horses (they don't play music) entertain while visitors tour the authentic old homestead. Free, 2-4pm. Milepost 5.8, Blue Ridge Parkway.

4th of July celebrations in central Virginia & Charlottesville

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I have a list of 4th of July events below on my blog. Scroll down to read it.

Have a great holiday! Be safe!

Charlottesville & Albemarle County Utilities

While we were at it, we put together a list of utility companies that service Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Click the link below to see the list:

http://www.homecharlottesville.com/charlottesville-albemarle-utilities.htm

I will be looking for more resource information to post in the future. Please bookmark my blog or add it to your favorites so you can find these utilities easily.

Would you like other reference charts as well, and what would you like to see? Please leave a comment. Thanks!

Lake Monticello Utilities

We did some research recently on utility companies that service the Lake Monticello area. I thought I'd share it with everyone. Click the link below for a list of utility companies that service the Lake Monticello area:

This webpage is from our company web site, HomeCharlottesville.com:

http://www.homecharlottesville.com/lake-monticello-utilities.htm

Unique & Useful Tips

I haven't tried any of these tips yet, but they seem like they would work. Please leave a comment and let me know how they work for you...

Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, Set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy microwaved pizza.

Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Broken Glass

Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of Glass- the fibers catch ones you can't see!

Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone.

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth.

Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with apple cider vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so especially f it rains, and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

Why you should get a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit

Click this link to use an advisor program from Bankrate.com to find out which is best for you, and to learn more:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/calsystem2/calculators/loanvscredit/default.aspx

It's a buyers market, and we need to be creative in buying a home. Every homeowner should have a contingency plan for illness, car replacement/repair, or fun things. It's wise to have one in place prior to buying a home, in case you need to buy without contingency of sale of your home.

It depends on your mortgage lender, but you can get it and never use it, and it will cost you nothing. If and when you do use it, you'll pay at that time.

Your local bank would be a good source, or the lender you're using to purchase your home.

Be prepared for life and all the events that can happen... both positive and negative. Any comments or questions?