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Is Harrisonburg turning into Northern Virginia? |
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A letter to the editor in the Daily News Record this week suggests that we are. I concede that Harrisonburg and Rockingham County need to continue to focus on their infrastructure to support any growth that does occur. But...to suggest that we're turning into Northern Virginia?? That seems to be a bit of a stretch to me --- here are two Google Map views to help you make up your mind. Harrisonburg, Virginia . . . Vienna, Virginia . . . Of note --- almost all of Harrisonburg is viewable within the map above, however you can zoom out of the Vienna map and move it all around, and you will continue to see dense development for miles around. Despite the growth in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, it still seems to me to be a bit different from Northern Virginia. What about to you? | |
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Rockingham County single family home building activity slows |
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This is probably no surprise, but the number of single family homes being built each year has diminished for the past few years. The graph below shows the number of single family home building permits that have been issued for each of the past few years. ![]() The 2008 figure is extrapolated from the January 2008 - June 2008 data showing 208 permits. This is likely a good thing for our market, as some price ranges still have a significant excess of housing supply. For example, 27 months of inventory exist in the $400k+ price range for the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Perhaps this gradual decrease in the number of new single family homes being built is what has allowed our market to continue to see (slow and steady) increases in price --- median sales prices are up 3.5% over last year. | |
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Selling Building Lots via Auction |
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Stone Spring Manor is a newly developed subdivision in the City of Harrisonburg featuring 19 building lots. Prior to July 2008, seven of these building lots had sold, several of them having homes built on them. The lot sales included sales prices between $58,000 and $79,800. The home sales included sales prices between $262,000 and $292,000. Yesterday (7/16/08), the remaining 12 building lots were to be sold at auction. The auction generated a quite a bit of interest, with close to 30 or 35 people present. Much of the draw was likely a curiosity of the price at which these lots would sell. So, how did it go down? ![]() The plat above and the chart below show the order in which the six lots sold at auction, and their prices. Lot Sale #1 Lot 14 $46,000 Lot Sale #2 Lot 15 $38,000 Lot Sale #3 Lot 16 $39,000 Lot Sale #4 Lot 3 $34,000 Lot Sale #5 Lot 11 $33,000 Lot Sale #6 Lot 9 $38,000 The remaining lots are for sale with asking prices between $46,500 and $64,400. | |
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What are the SIZES of new construction single family homes being sold in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County? |
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Over the past 18 months (January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008) 138 single family homes have been built and sold in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, as reflected in the HRAR MLS. The sizes of new construction homes that are selling might be of interest to home buyers, home sellers, builders and developers... ![]() Click on the graph above for a printable PDF. | |
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What are the PRICES of new construction single family homes being sold in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County? |
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Over the past 18 months (January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008) 138 single family homes have been built and sold in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, as reflected in the HRAR MLS. | |
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Urban Exchange - Done Digging, Now Building UP! |
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After MANY weeks of digging down (down, down, down), the foundation for Urban Exchange is finally coming up out of the ground! ![]() For those of you who are not familiar with the project, Urban Exchange is a new construction project in downtown Harrisonburg to feature condos, apartments and retail space. Check out more photos of the construction process here! | |
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What Is The Big Economic News in Page County?? |
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I received this letter today. Does anyone have any insight into Thursday's announcement? | |
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Is Growth Good Or Evil? |
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![]() Well, perhaps we don't have to narrow it down with such extreme labels, but there has been some interesting debate over the subject over at hburgnews.com, all of which began with the issue of funding disappearing for the expansion of Port Republic Road. Here are some of my thoughts, though I would love to hear other perspectives on the subject: WHY GROWTH OCCURS: Desirable area -> people want to live here -> they need a place to live -> many want to buy -> more homes are needed -> land is rezoned -> lots are developed -> houses are built. While growth stems from a positive situation (an area being desirable), it is also true that:
But what is the alternative? To halt growth? To do so, a locality would need to either:
Taking either of these steps would (in my opinion) have some rather negative consequences:
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Calling All Harrisonburg Residential Developers |
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The City of Harrisonburg is accepting bids on the two parcels of R-2 land labeled below. The first parcel (labeled "1" below) contains 3.119 acres. The second parcel (labeled "2" below) contains 5.018 acres. ![]() This land, zoned R-2, provides for a great residential development opportunity --- a convenient location close to Route 11, Route 42, Port Republic Road, Keister Elementary, and more. Bids will be accepted until 9:00AM on April 8, 2008, and the bids will be opened at the City Council meeting at 7:00PM on April 8, 2008. View Larger Map | |
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Digging Deep --- Harrisonburg's Downtown Condos |
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I am delighted to be a part of marketing and selling the Urban Exchange project --- an exciting new construction project in downtown Harrisonburg featuring retail space on the first floor and almost 200 apartments and condos. The photo below shows the excavation progress (these aren't just really deep footers, there will be two levels of underground covered parking). See more photos of the progress by clicking here. ![]() | |
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Harrisonburg Planning Commission -- Public Hearing |
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Don't miss the Harrisonburg Planning Commission public hearing meeting on Wednesday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 409 South Main Street. As usual, it's not easy to tell what some of the proposals actually mean --- but I have included a summary and explanation of the ones that I can decipher, and I welcome anyone else's insight. Again, the information below is what I can piece together about the proposals from various sources. Attend the meeting to find out more about the proposals, or to voice your support or concerns.
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One Year Builder's Warranty on New Construction |
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![]() Technically, what we are referring to are "Implied warranties on new homes" per Virginia statute 55-70.1. What is covered by the warranty? The builder warrants that the "dwelling with all its fixtures is, to the best of the actual knowledge of the vendor or his agents, sufficiently (i) free from structural defects, so as to pass without objection in the trade, and (ii) constructed in a workmanlike manner, so as to pass without objection in the trade." Essentially, no structural defects, and workmanlike construction. When does the one year start? The earlier of when the title is transferred, or when the buyer takes possession of the property. I bought a house three months ago and have discovered structural defects. The builder is telling me a warranty doesn't exist, because "as is" was written into the contract. Is this possible? It is possible to modify or exclude the Virginia statute based implied warranty. However --- it is likely that the builder did not follow the statute when selling the property to you as is. To sell a new property "as is" and exclude the implied home warranty, the fact that the house is being sold "as is" must be written on the face of the contract, in capital letters, in a font size at least two points larger than the other type in the contract. This doesn't happen too often. I have a structural issue, what do I do? The statute specifies that you have a cause of action against the builder, but that you must first notify the builder of the defect and allow them a reasonable period of time (no longer than six months) to cure the defect. What about the foundation? The foundation is warrantied for five years (instead of just one) --- though if a foundation issue exists, it must be reported to the builder within two years of when it is discovered. The Virginia statute keeps referring to a "structural defect" --- what is that? Per the code, "a defect or defects that reduce the stability or safety of the structure below accepted standards or that restrict the normal use thereof." Yes, that is about as vague as you can get. My builder is asking me to sign a warranty document at closing --- why? And should I sign it? First, take time to read the document. In most cases, such a document includes verbiage that limits the (vague) rights you would have had under the broad Virginia statute. Builders ask buyers to sign these documents to narrow the scope of buyer's possible warranty requests --- and this desire often comes from past buyers who have been unreasonable in asking the builder to address cosmetic (or other non-structural) issues within the first year. If the document only includes language that restricts or eliminates your rights under the broad Virginia statute, kindly refuse to sign the document. Unless all parties agreed in the sales contract that a warranty document would be signed at closing, the builder can not require you to sign the document --- it is imposing a new contract term on the buyer, when that was not included in the original negotiations. One caveat --- sometimes the document serves both the builder and the buyer --- it can do so by specifically stating items that the builder will indeed repair that might otherwise be in a gray area given the vague nature of the Virginia statute. | |
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Downtown Sewer & Gas Lines |
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Yesterday's issue of the Daily News Record included a letter to the editor from Dr. Bob Alotta commenting on the "local rock blasting" taking place at Urban Exchange -- or, as Dr. Alotta put it, "the new luxury condominiums on East Market Street." (the site of the demolition is pictured below) 1. Dr. Alotta states that "Since work began on this project, the water department had to replace three sections of sewer line in the middle of Newman Avenue..." 2. Dr. Alotta goes on to say that "A gas line was also ruptured." and that "...the city shouldn't have to absorb the cost of repairs..." that the builder should. | |
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Demolition Underway at Urban Exchange |
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Have you driven by Market Street, Mason Street or Water Street lately? Here's what you have been missing --- lots of demolition on the Urban Exchange site . . . ![]() Urban Exchange will be comprised of retail space, and four floors of condos and apartments. ![]() To see more photos, visit: http://www.ueharrisonburg.com/photos. | |
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Cause & Effect :: Development Patterns & Traffic Problems |
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![]() Distributed neighborhoods, that are not integrated into the community, lead to more driving, and thus, more traffic. Many new residential developments in this area (think of Route 33 East) are:
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Harrisonburg Water & Sewer Connection Fees Increase |
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![]() The Change Example #1: three-quarter-inch water meter --- in this example, the sum of the water and sewer connection fees will soon be $7,000, instead of the existing $2,000. This size would be typical for a single family residence. Example #2: a six-inch water meter --- in this example, the sum of the water and sewer connection fees will soon be $300,000, instead of the existing $17,500. This size would be typical for a large commercial project. Peruse the current fee schedule here, and the new schedule here (effective July 1, 2008). The Effect As Todd Rhea, of Clark & Bradshaw, commented at last week's Smart Growth Symposium, when builders or developers are faced with new fees, we're fooling ourselves if we think they absorb those costs. They ultimately get passed on to the buyer. With this logic, one could argue that city housing costs will increase universally by $5,000 come July. Action Item Builders and developers should note that the fees are charged at the time of obtaining the building permit --- so as long as a lot has a building permit prior to July 1, 2008, you can take advantage of the lower fee schedule. For a developer of a major residential or commercial project, this could equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings. | |
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Will Rockingham County Be Paved Over? |
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I have heard some people talk about development as if in the next few years, or decades, all of Rockingham County will be developed --- with the farm land destroyed, and our history no longer preserved. Below I'll try to put that thought in the context of actual land use, but for the record --- I don't think many at today's Smart Growth Symposium thought that the above statement is true. (Lest anyone conclude that I am referring to any of the attendees). ![]() The data above is extracted from the Rockingham County Comprehensive Plan, particularly page 18 of the section on Strategies, Policies and Actions. Here's the full list of how Rockingham County land is being used:
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In Theory, Construction Is Booming! |
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![]() Are builders gearing up? (Daily News Record) Yes, and no! Read on... Building Permits Issued Per Year:
So....the number of building permits has definitely increased, BUT a large portion of the City of Harrisonburg building permits are for multi-family student housing projects. Though not having conducted a wide survey, I would guess:
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Smart(er) Growth For Harrisonburg and Rockingham County? |
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Wow! Today's Smart Growth Symposium, orchestrated by the Shenandoah Valley Builders Association was a fantastic primer on growth issues and how to plan for them in the central Shenandoah Valley. Stewart Schwartz, the Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, provided a great overview of smart growth principles and policies that provided a helpful framework for thinking about and planning for the future of our area. One key point that he made, that stuck with me, was a need to focus on developing in the right place. Those present included conservationists, builders, farmers, real estate agents, bankers, local planning staff, elected officials, engaged citizens, and more. There seemed to be a great desire for and capacity to consider working together for the best future for our valley, despite the varying perspectives each of us bring to the table. | |
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Preston Lake -- Diving Into The Details |
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![]() General Information News Articles / Opinion Pieces
A few more notes and disclaimers:
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Scott Rogers
Funkhouser Real
Estate Group
540-578-0102
scott@funkhousergroup.com
Licensed in the
Commonwealth of Virginia
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