The annual Blessing of the Hounds is held on Thanksgiving Day at Grace Episcopal Church in Cismont VA.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, not only because it offers the chance to eat too much good food, but also because for many years it meant the Blessing of the Hounds and the following foxhunt. 

The Blessing of the Hounds is held at the historic Grace Episcopal Church in Cismont, VA.  The service starts at 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning and is open to the public.  How many church services have you been to with riders on horseback and a whole pack of foxhounds, and with a picturesque stone church in the background?  This is a must do event.

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Several Charlottesville horse farms sent entries to the Virginia Thoroughbred Celebration.

At many hunter-jumper shows we see an entry of predominately warmbloods.  However thoroughbreds can do this job very will too.  Entry in the Thoroughbred Celebration is limited to thoroughbreds.  One of the fun aspects of this show was the bio of each horse that was read when it entered the ring.  So many of the competitors had started their careers as racehorses, some very successful and then have gone on to a second life in the hunter -jumper ring. 

Below is a video of my daughter Baily and Shadowfax LLC’s entry Buddhaful.  This is Buddha’s very first horse show; in fact this special youngster has only been cantering courses for 3 weeks.  It looks like the start of a great show ring career.

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This morning I drove out to Louisa County for a home inspection.  After yesterday’s rains the countryside was washed clean and gleamed under the early morning sunshine.  There are still a few leaves left on the trees for a hint of fall color.  I always attend the home inspections for my buyers.

I always advise my clients to have a home inspection.  Even when a home looks perfect to our untrained eyes there are usually at least a few items that are apparent to a trained home inspector.  My inspector not only pointed out items of concern but he also showed the buyer the many good features in the home.  If at all possible it is important for the buyer to be present at the inspection so that the inspector will be able to thoroughly explain all of his findings.  Also he shows the buyer the location of important things such as the main water cutoff.

The last thing the inspector did was to set up the radon test.  This device will measure the radon levels hourly in the home for 48 hours.  Then an average of those figures will tell us if the radon levels are within acceptable levels.

Modern technology is wonderful and thanks to a laptop, digital camera, and a portable printer the buyer left the inspection with a notebook containing the inspection report.  She will also receive the report in a pdf file later today.  On Friday when we receive the radon report, we will decide what, if any, repairs we will ask the seller to make.

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Many people are exploring the idea of purchasing a foreclosed or bank owned property. They have heard stories of great deals to be had on buying a REO. And while these homes may be obtained at a discounted price they may or may not be a great deal. Usually these homes will require some amount of remodeling. Every now and then you find one that is in move in condition, but more often than not extensive remodeling is required to end up with the home of your dreams. Even if the home looks good on the surface the homeowner who was struggling to make mortgage payments for a time before the home was foreclosed on has probably deferred maintenance on what may be crucial systems in the home. Before you make the decision to buy it is necessary to carefully weigh the hidden costs in order to answer the question “should you buy a fixer upper”.

If you woud like a list of the foreclosures for sale in a particular area, contact me; I would be happy you a list of Charlottesville foreclosures for sale.

This article may provide you with some helpful information.

How to Assess the Real Cost of a Fixer-Upper House

When you buy a fixer-upper house, you can save a ton of money, or get yourself in a financial fix. Read

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If you are relocating to Charlottesville VA with pets, you will have some very specific features that your new property will be required to possess.

I currently am working with a client who shows and breeds dogs. She has some very particular needs that a property must have to make it work for her. To begin with since she has 11 dogs we need to find a home that is not in a subdivision with covenants and restrictions. Also the placement of the home on the land is crucial. Since she wants to add an attached dog room which leads into runs, we have to make sure that the land will allow this and also that the dog runs will not be too close to neighboring homes.

Not everyone who has dogs breeds or has 11 dogs, but most pet owners want to have a home where they are free to enjoy their pets. It is important if you are considering a purchase in a subdivision to read carefully for any restrictions on pets. There may be a cap on the number of pets allowed, the kinds of pets that you may have and also the type and placement of any fencing.

You will find that it is helpful to have a real estate agent who is familiar not only with the real estate market, but also with the requirements of pet owners. Afterall these pets are important members of your family.  I specialize not only in Charlottesville VA  horse  farms and country homes, but also pet friendly real estate is an area of focus.

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