To me the first cool fall days signal the start of the Virginia fall steeplechase season.  There are races within a short drive of Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County almost every weekend in the fall.

Saturday September 13 – Thornton Hill Hounds Point to Point
Thornton Hill Farm, Sperryville, VA  540 987-8346

Sunday September 14 – Colonial Downs
New Kent, VA 804 966-7223

Saturday, September 20 – Blue Ridge Fall Races
Woodley Farm, Berryville, VA,  540 722-6403  540 539-1577

Sunday, September 28 -  Foxfield Fall Races
Charlottesville, Virginia  434 293-9501

Saturday, October 4 – Virginia Fall Races
Glenwood Park, Middleburg, VA  540 687-5662

Sunday October 5 – Virginia Fall Races
Glenwood Park, Middleburg, VA  540 687-5662

Saturday October 11- Morven Park Steeplechase
Leesburg, VA  703 777-2414

Saturday, October 18 – International Gold Cup Races
Great Meadows Race Course, The Plains, VA  540 347-2612

Sunday October 26 – Steeplechase at Oak Ridge
Lovingston, VA 540 272-0757

Saturday, November 1 – Montpelier Hunt Races
Montpelier Station, VA  540 672-0027

Sample the Virginia lifestyle.  A day at the races offers the excitement of horse racing, the beauty of the fall countryside, and a fun activity to enjoy with family and friends.

If you are looking for a Charlottesville home or a Central Virginia horse farm, come and enjoy fall in Virginia.  While you are here, I would be glad to meet with you and discuss how I can help you find the perfect home.

Search all of the Charlottesville homes currently on the market.

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                                                                                                                                                                 Albemarle County could allow private wind turbines on private property within the next six months.  At this time zoning in the county prohibits the installation of wind turbines.  However the Albemarle Planning Commission is studying whether to permit small personal turbines at private county residences.  These turbines may not be a cost effective way to generate power, but they could help with the reduction of greenhouse gases, which is a long term goal for the county.  Whatever the commission decides regarding personal turbines, there will definately not be commercial wind farms in the counties future.

Read more . 

Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County have increasing numbers of green built and energy efficient homes for sale.  If you are considering buying or selling a "green" home in the Central Virginia real estate market, contact me and I would love to discuss how I can help you with your real estate needs.

Search the Charlottesville and Central Virginia homes for sale.

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When a foreclosed home does not sell at auction, it becomes a (REO) real estate owned or bank owned property.  Since the banks are not interrested in keeping assets, like homes, that require maintenance, they will probably be interested in selling the property.  Usually the banks will get an asset managemant company to handle the sale and this comapny will then retain a local real estate agent to list the property.  The property will usually be listed to sell for whatever the market will bear.

In a purchase of a foreclosure, it is important for buyers to be represented by a
REALTOR who understands the unique processes and paperwork involved in that particular kind of transaction.  Each lending institution has their own addendums and special forms.  Buyers of foreclosed homes should realize that it is necessary to have a great deal of patience as delays, problems and a lot of red tape are the norm.  It is important for these buyers to also realize that the whole transaction is slanted to favor the bank.  In a typical foreclosure purchase the buyer waives many of the rights that they may have in a traditional home purchase.  For that reason, it is a good idea to have the advice of an experienced real estate attorney as well as a buyer's agent who understands the foreclosure process.

However, for the educated buyer the purchase of a foreclosed home may present a very good opportunity.

If you are considering the purchase of a foreclosed home, I will be happy to talk with you about this unique process.  I would also be happy to help you find foreclosed homes in the Charlottesville and Central Virginia real estate market that may suit your particular wants and needs.

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For many people considering a move to an Albemarle County horse farm or country home a determining factor is the quality of the schools.  While Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County are reported to have an excellent system of public schools, the individual schools do differ somewhat in some of the courses offered and demographics.  Listed below are a series of links that will take you to data on the various Albemarle County Virginia public high schools.

If you want to compare the courses offered at the particular schools go to the Monticello High School home page and scroll down to quickk links and click on program of studies.  It will give you a downloadable pdf.  At the end of this document you will find listings of all of the courses offered at each school.  It will also tell you the levels that the particular courses are offered at, such as which classes are AP.

Virginia

Department of Education
  https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=2&schoolName=1795

Albemarle County Public Schools
  http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1

.

High School
  https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=2&schoolName=1751

Albemarle

home page
  http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=1638

Monticello

High School
  https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=2&schoolName=2127

Monticello

home page
  http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/school/school.php?sectionid=19

Western

Albemarle

High School
 https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=2&schoolName=1795

Western Albemarle Home Page
  http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/school/school.php?sectionid=20

Once you decide which school will be the best fit for your children, I can search the homes for sale in Albemarle County by school district and send you listings targeted to the particular school that you want. 

Or you can perform your own search of all of Albemarle County homes currently on the market.

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The horses at Shadowfax LLC at the Glenmore Equestrian Center in Keswick, Virginia are all snug in their stalls as we wait to see which way tropical storm Hannah will go.  Early today the storm was predicted to head up the coast and Albemarle County was forecast to get a total of about an inch of rain.  However things have changed, the storm is tracking further west, and as of 6:00 p.m. the forecast was for 4-7 inches of rain with maybe 3 inches in a hour.  Needless to say we made sure that all of the horses stayed in their stalls for the night. 

Luckily the Glenmore Equestrian Center is on publick water.  This is very important because if the storm knocks out the power there is still water for the horses.  Most farms are farther out in the country and are on a well.  Wells need power for the pump; so if the power is out for several days there is no way to pump the water.  One of the things that I used to do whenever a bad storm was forecast was to fill up every spare bucket, tub and water trough so that there would be a supply of water for the horses.  That works okay if you don't have a very large barn, but since Shadowfax has 26 stalls it would be hard to store enough water to tide the horses over for very long.

The horses at Glenmore are safely tucked in for the night with plenty of water, a supply of feed and bedding, and since Baily who owns the business lives in the barn appartment, there is always someone on site to make sure that all is well.

The Glenmore Equestrian Center which is run by Shadowfax LLC is a full care facility offering boarding, training, instruction and horse sales.  It adjoins the Glenmore Community located in Keswick Virginia just east of Charlottesville, Virginia. 

If you are looking for an equestrian community which offers elegant Charlottesville homes and all the amenities of a gated, golf development, I would love to show you Glenmore.

Or perform your own search of all of the Glenmore and Albemarle County homes on the market.

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