Area Features Archives

Buy Fresh Buy Local – PEC 2023

Each year the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) compiles a directory to find the best of agricultural products in the Central Virginia region. It is a wonderful guide to food products and food events in specific areas for your convenience.

Their directory will connect you to farms, artisans, farmer’s markets, vineyards, orchards, food festivals, maps, farm-to-market restaurants, retailers, and much more….. each in the region of your choice. Click on either of the button links below to see their full brochures and information.
Really.
Just click below, you’ll be amazed.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA

PIEDMONT AREA

Charlottesville Health Care

Charlottesville and the Central Virginia area is blessed with an extensive network of hospitals and medical health care services. The two main hospital systems in Charlottesville are the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System and the Sentara Martha Jefferson hospital. In addition there are various other holistic, alternative, and acupuncture options, but for now let’s discuss the two main hospitals.

UVA Health System
The UVA hospital system is the largest in the area, anchored by the UVA hospital facilities in Charlottesville and affiliated with the university as an academic hospital. The UVA main hospital features outpatient services, 700 inpatient beds, surgical and diagnostic treatments, and 71 neonatal intensive care beds. You can click here to access Details of UVA Hospital

A large part of the UVA Health System is its satellite network of regional centers to offer access to specialized care in nearby counties across the area. Those services include inpatient/outpatient, imaging, primary care, surgery, and a clincial cancer center. You can click here to see specific Locations of UVA Medical Facilities

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
Sentara Martha Jefferson was formed when the former Martha Jefferson Hospital merged with Sentara Healthcare in 2011 to expand the range of its services and treatment options. The Charlottesville hospital is a 176-bed care center with 365 affiliated physicians.

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital enjoys a spectacular location on Pantops Mountain in Charlottesville with a new facility built in the early 2000’s. This allows services that include a Cancer Care Center, Digestive Care Center, Cardiology Care Center, Orthopedics including Spine Surgery & Joint Replacement Surgery, Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery, Neurosciences including Neurosurgery and a Sleep Medicine Center, Stroke Care Center, Thoracic Surgery, Vascular Medicine & Surgery, and a Women’s Health Center.
You can click here to see specific Details of Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Care

Broadband and Internet Access in Virginia

People love to purchase country homes or rural properties in Virginia…. often as an alternative to their previous homes in cities or suburbs. We get it. The sheer beauty of our state, the horse farms, the privacy of large acreage, all combine for very good reasons to purchase country properties. So, in the enthusiasm of choosing possible properties, there is a detail that can be overlooked. Most people want or need internet access in their new homes.

The last thing you want to discover in your new home… is that nobody in your new area has access to the internet.

Below are tools for you to use, to research the various broadband connections for your next Virginia property.

You can look up specific addresses to know in advance what is available before you even look at potential property listings.

STATE OF VIRGINIA BROADBAND:
The state sponsors an online tool called Commonwealth Connection. Here is INSTRUCTION TO GET AND USE COMMONWEALTH CONNECTION.

After you’ve gotten some search tips, you can look for details of Virginia broadband by looking up specific addresses at THIS SITE TO SEARCH FOR INTERNET ACCESS BY ADDRESS.

NATIONAL BROADBAND & INTERNET ACCESS:
Nationally, the FCC sponsors a site where you can look up the broadband access anywhere in the country. It will tell you if there’s wireless, DSL, cable, fiber, satellite, or other methods to access broadband at a particular address. You can CLICK HERE FOR AN FCC MAP TO FIND BROADBAND ACCESS ACROSS THE U.S..

In addition, your realtor may provide more details of internet access for each listing as well as advice on local broadband options for properties.

CAAR Home Sales Report – 2021 Q3

Each quarter of the year Virginia Realtors and the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR) compile market data of sold and listed properties during the quarter. HERE IN THIS LINK, and below, are direct links to the full 2021 Q3 Market Report which you can view or download if you prefer.

We are continuing to see strong market activity. Inventory in our area has continued to fall although some parts of the state have seen an increase in listings. An important number to note is 1.5; there is only 1.5 months of inventory in the Central Virginia market. In other words at the current rate of sales it would only take 1.5 months to sell all of the homes that are currently listed for sale. This is down from 2.5 months a year ago.

The median sales price has continued to climb to $365,000

We are also seeing a return of buyers to some of the more urban markets, with an uptick in condos and multi-family in certain areas. There has been a start of cooling in some areas of the state. Last year during the pandemic we lost all of the seasonality in the market, but maybe now we are starting to see a return to seasonality. Going forward we expect to remain in a sellers’ market due to the low inventory. To note, 6 months of inventory is considered a balanced market and anything below 6 months is a sellers’ market.

Wineries and Cideries

The Central Virginia area is blessed with ideal conditions for growing grapes and other fruits. Our hillsides tip gently to welcome the sun, create breezes, and provide great drainage for soils. As a result, the local countryside boasts dozens of first class wineries and cideries. It’s a perfect way to enjoy a lovely day in the gorgeous scenery of the Charlottesville area.

For fellow equestrians, one of my favorite winery settings is the beautiful King Family Vineyard located just a few minutes west of Charlottesville. There you can savor your favorite beverage while enjoying a Sunday polo match or listening to live music in the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s only one example of the wonderful offerings from our local vineyards.

Here’s a list plus details of other local Wineries and Cideries.