A gentleman from New Jersey stopped by our office today asking about the area, and trying to get a sense of where the main growth areas of the city and county are located.  I explained to him, as I have explained to many people lately, that most of the growth in the County is focused just south and east of Harrisonburg in an area bound by Route 33, Port Republic Road, Boyers Road and Cross Keys Road.  It's a diamond shape area (seen above), and within that are you will find many of the subdivisions that have been developed over the last 10-15 years. 

Click on any subdivision in the map above to jump to active listings in that neighborhood.

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As we pulled up in front of the home pictured above earlier this week, my dad asked "that's a single family home?" -- as it turns out, he was surprised at how large the single family home was.

In fact, this beautiful home is a "paired home" --- two homes that share a wall and have opposite side entry.  Paired homes offer the following benefits:

• Paired homes have the appearance of single family homes.
• Paired homes have greater privacy than duplexes with entrances on the same side.
• Paired homes offer the affordability of duplexes because of smaller lot sizes.

Paired homes like the one pictured above are currently selling just under $300,000, and boast 2,300-2,600 square feet, three or four bedrooms, two-car garages, and many luxurious interior features.

View Paired Homes or sale in these exciting communities:

• The Glen at Cross Keys
• Heritage Estates
  

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Construction is flying along at Urban Exchange (196 condos for sale and for lease in downtown Harrisonburg).  Here are a few updates on the progress:

• The courtyard is really shaping up!  The photo above starts to show how large of an area this will be, with raised decking, landscaping, and seating areas.  More courtyard photos here.
  
• The bridges will be installed soon!  As you can see in the photo above, the end segments of the yellow bridge (2nd floor) have been installed.  In roughly 4 weeks, all of the bridges will be installed via a crane!  More bridge photos here.
  
• The apartments in the East Wing (for lease) are moving along quickly, with rough mechanicals and insulation nearing completion and drywall in progress!
• The East Wing is now scheduled to be complete on July 1, 2009.  Completion of the West Wing is scheduled for August 20, 2009.

See the progress at Urban Exchange via these construction photos from earlier this afternoon.

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Click on the photo above to view updated Urban Exchange construction photos, showing the dramatic progress that is taking place just one block from Court Square. 

Also, if you'd like to take a tour of Urban Exchange, please either stop by during our office hours, or also feel free to call or e-mail to make an appointment to meet on site:

Condo Sales
Scott Rogers
540-578-0102
scott@LiveUE.com

Apartment Leasing
540-421-9341
info@LiveUE.com

Are you interested in living in downtown Harrisonburg?

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Yesterday, I accompanied my clients on a framing meeting at the home (pictured above) that is being built for them at Preston Lake.  One of the impressive aspects of Preston Lake construction is that every residence (single family homes as well as rowhouses) will be EarthCraft and EnergyStar certified.

Here's one small example of the difference you'll find in an EarthCraft home...

The average duct leakage on new construction homes is 28% --- that is to say that 28% of the heated or cooled air being pumped into the ductwork never makes it into the living areas of the house.  In contrast, an EarthCraft home MUST have 6% or less duct leakage --- which, as you can imagine, provides for a great deal of energy savings for a homeowner.

Thus far, I have been very impressed with the construction process, materials and quality at Preston Lake.  As the house moves further along, I'll post some additional photos showing some additional innovations found at Preston Lake.

Here are some other communities and houses incorporating green building practices, materials or philosophies:

• Urban Exchange
  
• The Glen at Cross Keys
• The Cottages at Stone Spring
• 1091 James Place (Sunset Heights)
• 1830 Manor Drive (Stone Spring Manor)
  

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Before I attended an EarthCraft training this week, I had heard of EarthCraft homes, and had been in EarthCraft homes, but I couldn't have given a very good definition of what they are, and what makes such a home different from a traditionally built home.

Here's what I now know about homes that are certified as "EarthCraft Houses"...

1. Higher Quality - an incredible focus is put on building homes as "tight" and as energy efficient as possible.  This is not to say that all non-EarthCraft homes ar of lower quality, but that in general, EarthCraft homes are of higher quality than traditionally built homes.
2. Lower Cost - because these homes are more energy efficient, the homeowner will almost always pay less for electricity and water in an EarthCraft home.
3. Healthier - an EarthCraft home uses fewer building supplies with VOC's and other chemicals and allows fewer outside air contaminants in because the homes are built to be much "tighter" than a traditional home.
   
4. More Comfortable - with such a significant focus on insulation, air flow, and controlled ventilation, an EarthCraft home is often much more comfortable to live in, with fewer drafts and with more consistent temperature and humidity.

Another perspective that was helpful for me as I came to understand EarthCraft homes was to better understand the 300+ criteria for which an EarthCraft builder can receive points.  The criteria fall into the following categories:

• Site Planning
• Energy Efficiency Building Envelope and Systems
• Resource Efficient Design
• Resource Efficient Building Materials
• Waste Management
• Indood Air Quality
• Water Conservation
• Homebuyer Education
• Builder Operations

As you can see, the EarthCraft program encourages well-built, energy-efficent homes --- which is a benefit to the homeowners and the environment!

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I spent the day today at an EarthCraft certification course learning about how to build higher quality homes, that are healthier, more comfortable, and have lower utility costs for homeowners.

Click below to watch a brief interview with Aaron Yoder, the president of the Green Building Committee of the Shenandoah Valley Builders Association.



I learned a lot today, which I'll continue to share over the coming weeks in this space --- but if you are considering building or buying a green home, please be in touch --- I'd love to fill you in on what you should be looking for in a builder and a home.

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As Harrisonburg has grown, we have begun to see an increasing number of housing trends from across the country find their way to Harrisonburg, for example, Harrisonburg's first downtown condo project. 

The beautiful home pictured above is another example of a first --- a 55+ community in Harrisonburg!

Here are some high points of Heritage Estates, a stunning new community on Garbers Church Road, on the western edge of Harrisonburg:

• Award-winning French Country designs
• Maintenance-Free lifestyle
• Private community pool
• Next-door access to Heritage Oaks Golf Course

Learn more by visiting www.HeritageEstates.US, or by calling me at 540-578-0102.

Heritage Estates is being developed and built by Scripture Communities, and marketed and sold by Coldwell Banker Funkhouser Realtors.

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Have you heard of an EarthCraft home? 

EarthCraft Virginia provides a new construction certification process that serves as a blueprint for healthy, comfortable homes that reduces utility bills and protects the environment.

More specifically, EarthCraft promotes diligent airsealing and energy efficiency. Airsealing of the building envelope and its mechanical systems, while still allowing for fresh air intake, provides a tighter building envelope at little additional cost. There is less communication of air and sound between units and better indoor air quality through the use of managed fresh-air intakes. Thus, projects are more energy efficient, less costly to occupy, and more durable overall.

EarthCraft homes also make use of EnergyStar appliances.

Here are several new subdivisions where you will find EarthCraft homes in and around Harrisonburg...

• Covenant Heights
• Preston Lake

Here are several homes currently being built to EarthCraft standards...

• 1270 Cottage Circle (Stone Spring Road)
  
• 160 Craigmore Drive (The Glen at Cross Keys)
  
• 1091 James Place (Sunset Heights)
  
• 1830 Manor Drive (Stone Spring Manor)
  

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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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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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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 prices 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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Yesterday, I wrote an article that talked about the costs and challenges of residential fire sprinklers, given that they may soon be required on all new single family homes and townhomes. Some of the data that I provided was provided by the National Association of Home Builders, who are not in favor of residential code requiring the installation of fire sprinklers.

Today, I received from feedback from two individuals who are advocating for mandatory residential fire sprinklers:

• Ryan Ankrom (email)
  www.IRCFireSprinkler.org
  Report that Ryan provided
  
  
• Ryan Smith (email)
  www.residentialfiresprinklers.com
  Report available on web site
  

These two residential fire sprinkler advocates offer some good perspectives on the great sprinkler debate, such as:

• Fire sprinklers go to work immediately to reduce danger, as opposed to a smoke detector which relies upon human factors.
  
  
• Many people assume a sprinkler system would douse an entire home with water, when in fact only the sprinkler(s) in areas affected by fire would be activated in the event of a fire.
  
  
• Most structure fires in the U.S. take place in residential properties, yet residential properties don't require sprinkler systems.
  

Yet with all of the information that both Ryans provided (strange that they share a name), I have not yet received from either of them some feedback on whether the issues that I raised have merit.  Specifically....

• Is it true that installing a residential fire sprinkler would require different water (more expensive) water lines and water meters?
  
  
• Is it true that it is difficult (or impossible) to use a water softener in tandem with a residential fire sprinkler system without having to add a second incoming water line and water meter?
  

Hopefully we'll get some more feedback from the Ryans --- but I would also be interested in my other blog readers' feedback on residential fire sprinklers:

• Cost aside, would you want them in your home?
  
  
• If they were optional in a new home, would you be willing to pay to have them included?
  

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In its September meeting, the International Code Council will be considering a change to the International Residential Code which would mandate the installation of sprinklers in all new single family homes and townhouses.

At first you might think "why not mandate sprinklers, if they'd make our families and our homes safer!?"

But before we encourage our local building inspectors to vote for this change to the IRC, let's take a look at some of the technical and cost issues involved:

1. Water Supply
   The typical domestic water supply does not provide adequate water flow rate for a residential fire sprinkler system. A larger incoming water line will have to be installed, and the water meter and pressure regulator will likely need to be modified as well.
   
   
2. Water Softeners
   Typical residential water softeners are designed for low flow rates, and the drop in water pressure as it passes through the water softener would cause most fire sprinkler systems not to function.
   
   
3. Malfunctioning Systems
   The fire sprinkler piping is always full of water in a "wet" system, which if the pipes freeze can cause significant damage. The alternatives to wet systems (multi-function, dry) have limitations relative to cost, approval by the IRC, and dependency on electricity.
   
   
4. Increased Cost To Home Buyers
   In 2007, a survey was conducted of residential builders to gauge the cost of adding a residential sprinkler system. The media cost of a fire sprinkler system with a public water source was between $3500 and $5000. On a private water source, the media cost was between $8000 and $9000.

With all of these issues, could homeowners really want sprinklers in their home?

• According to a national poll conducted by sprinkler advocates, 63 percent of those surveyed indicated that they were aware that residential sprinkler systems are available, but the number of homes built annually that are equipped with sprinklers continue to be less than 2 percent, many of which are required by local ordinance and not as an option elected by the home buyer.
  
  
• When asked in a 2007 survey of 800 likely voters by Public Opinion Strategies if fire sprinklers should be required in new homes, an overwhelming 89 percent of consumers said that smoke detectors already do an adequate job of protecting them in their homes and 28 percent would not want sprinklers at all, even if they were provided free of charge. Survey results show that only 15 percent of consumers in the sample were willing to pay $4,800 or more for a residential fire sprinkler system.
  

Mandating sprinkler systems in single family homes / townhomes seems like a bad idea to me.

What do you think?

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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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For the past seven years, Coldwell Banker Funkhouser Realtors (the company where I work) has represented the builder/developer of Beacon Hill Townes.  Up until the most recent six months, the townhouses that have been built have been of high quality, with several exciting standard features such as hardwood floors on the main level.

Now, everything has changed!  All of a sudden, the builder has decided to throw in even more upgraded features as standard components to the townhouses currently being built. 

Gone are the standard "builder's brass" light fixtures, door knobs, etc.  Now, you'll find exciting (and contemporary) features such as decorative lighting and plumbing fixtures, upgraded cabinetry, decorative door hardware, and more.

Why, you might ask?  Was the change made to try to eek a little bit more profit out of each townhouse sale?  Actually --- the prices have remained some of the most competitive (low) prices of all new construction townhome subdivisions in Harrisonburg.  One reason for the upgrades is to finish out the last section of Beacon Hill with the most exciting units yet, to keep the excitiment for the subdivision high all the way to the end.

Whatever the reason --- the new townhouses being built are quite stylish, and give a wonderful impression to buyers who have been shopping around and looking at other new construction townhomes.  I'm curious to see how long it will be until other new townhomes in Harrisonburg start to include some of these stylish upgrades.  Soon, I hope --- as it certainly benefits Harrisonburg townhome buyers!

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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:

• growth has some negative consequences
• growth does not have a net positive impact on all involved

But what is the alternative? To halt growth?
To do so, a locality would need to either:

• stop rezoning land, and/or
• stop issuing building permits

Taking either of these steps would (in my opinion) have some rather negative consequences:

• housing costs increase (since supply is limited), making it harder for existing residents to afford housing in their own community
• economy stays stagnant, or shrinks, as a result of higher housing prices and a locality's desire to limit growth --- employers won't move here (or stay here) if their employees (or potential employees) can't find housing they can afford --- thus, existing residents would then have fewer job opportunities without moving out of the area

Thus, I would submit that:

• Harrisonburg and Rockingham County will not continue to be desirable places to live UNLESS growth occurs.
• Said growth needs to be well-planned to preserve the character and history of this area.

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Be sure to stop by JMU's Convocation Center this coming weekend for the SVBA's 2008 Home & Garden Show.  The show hours include:

• Friday, April 4, 4p-9p
• Saturday, April 5, 10a-9p
• Sunday, April 6, 12p-5p

Tickets are $2.00 per person, with children under 12 and Scouts in uniform gaining free admission.  Coldwell Banker Funkhouser Realtors will have a booth on the lower level, highlighting our web site, the many new communities we represent, and some outstanding espresso beverages! 

Award-winning garden designer, author and owner of Rockcastle River Trading Company --- Jon Carloftis (pictured above, to the right) will join us this year at the 2008 SVBA Home & Garden Show.  Jon is a contributing editor of Garden Design magazine, and a regional writer for Country Gardens.  Jon will be appearing on Saturday, April 5 at 1:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. in Builders Square at JMU's Convocation Center.

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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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As you consider buying a newly constructed home, it is important to be aware of what is often referred to as a one-year builder warranty.

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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