PAM DENT

Jump into Greener Pastures


434-960-0161
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An Insider’s Guide to Buying A Charlottesville Country Property

Are you considering buying a “main home” or a “second home”?

Buying country property is a dream for many people.

With the constantly increasing cost of homes in the city or suburbs, moving to the countryside is ideal. Just imagine having a big house on a vast parcel of land where you can enjoy fresh air every day, raise pets, grow a garden, and your kids can play and run freely.

If you are not fully committed to living in the countryside just yet, having a country retreat as your vacation home is also a wonderful arrangement. Many people buy rural properties as their second home, though some of them actually don’t have a first home yet.

Your vacation home is a great place to spend the weekend, the summers, the holidays, and for when you just want to get away and leave all the stress behind.

Come and experience the unique charm of Charlottesville!

Charlottesville in VA is one of the best places to buy a country home. If you haven’t fully decided, watch this video and you’ll see why.

(Click this link if you can’t watch the video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ0mLZE1doQ)

Downtown Charlottesville is fun, vibrant and dynamic. It is a great shopping district with a lot of restaurants and boutiques to choose from. It is a city but it has a small-town feel, which is why many people love it.

If you love being outdoors, Charlottesville is perfect. Depending on the season, you can go hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, skiing, snow-tubing and more. You’ll never run out of activities here.

How to buy a country property in Charlottesville

When it’s time to buy an acreage in the countryside, you might feel overwhelmed by all the choices and decisions you’ll have to make. Let me help you make it easier.

Here’s a step-by-step process to help you take it one day at a time.

 

Step 1. Conduct preliminary research.

As soon as you decide to buy a property, start visiting websites that offer estates, farms and ranches in Charlottesville’s countryside.

Your goal is to see what real estate you like, and have an idea of the price range. Take note of specific listings that catch your interest, and see how they are positioned  in the market. Also, note if those properties experienced any price changes.

This is also the time to determine how you intend to use the land and if your favorites will have the necessary features. When you decide to buy a country property in Charlottesville, you already have a general idea of why you want it and what you want to do with it.

 

Step 2. Know how much you can afford.

Knowing your budget easily streamlines the country homes available to you.  The expression, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew” fits this situation.

The first question you want to ask yourself when it comes to your purchase ability is, “How will I pay for this property?”

Will it be a cash purchase? Or will you opt for bank financing?

When you have substantial savings, you may want to make it a cash purchase. This will allow more room for negotiation, and it makes the whole buying process easier.

 

Step 3. Get Prequalified and Preapproved.

Knowing your possible budget range based from your own computations, and knowing how much you actually qualify for are two different things.

Before you buy the country property that you’ve been checking online every night, you first need to know how much you can actually spend, and the best way to find out is to be pre-qualified.

Getting a pre qualification allows you to know what loan program is best suited for you. It also gives you an idea of how much you can borrow.  Securing a pre qualification will prove beneficial in the other steps of the buying process, like in budget preparation.

Once you know how much you can secure for the financing, get pre-approved.

A pre-qualification is helpful, but a pre-approval is more valuable because it tells the seller that a lender has checked your credit, verified your papers and has approved a loan amount for a particular time period.

Getting a pre-approval has many advantages:

1. It makes the home selection process easy for your agent. When agents know the price range you have been approved for, it is easier for your agent to know which properties to show you.

This is a better solution that your agent showing you properties way over your price range. You could fall in love with a country farm you cannot afford. After that, the lower price point properties just don’t have the same appeal to you.

Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.

2. Sellers are more likely to take your offer seriously when you have been pre-approved.

3. It lessens stress knowing you have already been approved by the lender. It gives you assurance that the buying process will be smoother.

 

Step 4. Hire the right real estate agent.

There are real estate agents, and there’s the right real estate agent.

When you are looking for a home in Charlottesville’s lovely countryside, you need someone who is not just a residential real estate agent. You want someone who specializes in selling country properties, farms, and ranches, and that would be me, Pam Dent.

My knowledge of the area, of the ranches, of Charlottesville’s land itself came many years before I was even actively involved in real estate.  I grew up exploring the countryside on the back of a horse.

I raised my kids in Charlottesville’s countryside. I know what you need to look for when purchasing land, being a long time owner myself.

My skills as a real estate agent allow me to guide you through the home buying process, aid you during the negotiation, provide assistance for all the paperwork, and share with you information about anything you’d like to know as a countryside home owner in Charlottesville.

With my skills, experience and professionalism, our home buying process will be less challenging and stressful.

 

Step 5. Find the acreage you like and make an offer.

This is the most exciting part! This is the part you usually see on TV, the part where buyers visit different properties, checking out the features and amenities, seeing if the farms offer what they need.

This is also a really difficult part. This is what the decision of where you’ll be living and what type of real estate you’ll be buying heavily relies on. This is the part you have to get right because it will affect your future drastically.

Start by looking at the homes in your price range. Bring your “Needs and Wants” list and take note which farms or ranches fit your list.

Since this step is crucial, let me share with you my top considerations if you are buying a country home. Carefully read the different factors you must make note of. Knowing these considerations can make a huge difference in the selection process.

Top considerations for buying a country property

  • Location. When you are buying a city or suburban real estate property, you want a home that’s in a safe neighborhood, close to school and other amenities, easy commute to work, etc.  The same things factor in when you are looking for a Charlottesville country home.

Here are a few questions you should be asking yourself :

 

  • How close (or far) do you want to be to shopping, hospitals, and many other amenities?  
  • Should there be a water feature close to the property?
  • Is there access to electricity, water, cable and other utilities?  There will usually be electricity but country farms  will have well and septic.  There will rarely be cable but often dsl is available.
  • What’s the road condition?
  • Do you want a place y that’s easily accessible from the main road, or one that’s miles off from the main road?
  • What’s the productivity of the soil type in the area?

 

Also, know why the home is being sold. Learn its history.  Drive around the area of the acreage  you are considering to purchase and see what the neighbors are like.

Get a feel of the area and decide if you can live in that setting. Visit more than once, on different times of the day, to see if your first impression of the farm still holds, and if you still like it.

  • Type of country property. Think of your definition of country living and know the type of property you intend to purchase.  For some buyers, country living means a home with country views, easy  access to water, electricity and other utilities, and neighbors a couple of minutes away.  For others it means being surrounded by extensive land, with its own wells, a reserve power generator, and where the nearest neighbors are a 10 to 15 minute drive away.

What will you do with the land? Do you plan to raise livestock? Are you going to use it as a horse farm or as an agricultural land? Will you hunt?  Or do you just want a get away?

  • Property size. The size of farm you will purchase depends on what you are going to use it for. It also depends on your purchasing power.

If you plan to use the property as a vacation home, how many acres do you need to secure privacy and retreat? If you’re going to start a Charlottesville horse farm, how many acres is a good start-up size? If you intend to use it for outdoor and recreational activities like hunting, how many acres would be sufficient?

  • Zoning and property restrictions. Zoning rules vary on different types of property.  Generally, farms with 20 acres or more are agricultural lands, which allows all types of animals and livestock. If you intend to hunt in your land, you need sufficient acreage in a rural location, and it should  neighbor with lands that also have large acreage, but remember that you will only be able to hunt on neighboring properties with permission.

Find out building codes, zoning and restrictions. Can you build a chicken coop on the property? How about a ranch? How about a pond?

Check with the seller and the municipality for any existing easements in the area.

Know if the property is part of a conservation area or under conservation easement.

  • Neighbors. You may think that being out in the vast countryside, you’ll have little chance to see your neighbors so it doesn’t really matter what kind you have.

However, you have to remember that neighbors are a great help especially if you have questions about how to develop the acreage. They have extensive knowledge of the land and the weather. They know what to do during emergencies.

Significant research goes into finding the right property.

Take your time in deciding which Central Virginia real estate   to buy.

Once you’ve chosen “the one”, work with your real estate agent and negotiate an offer based on the comparables in the area.

In your offer, include any contingencies, like home inspections, well and septic tests, building and safety code requirement for the house, etc. You have to be specific in writing any requests and repairs to be included in the sale.

Determine the amount of “earnest money” you’ll be putting in.

When both parties are in agreement regarding the terms, you can then put your name on the Purchase and Sale Agreement form.

 

Step 6. Get a home inspection and a land survey

You have to know what you’re buying.

A home inspection is conducted so you’ll know everything that’s going on in the property, from the condition of the house, to the plumbing, the structural strength,  and of course, the deal breakers.  You may also want to have an environmental study (think home inspection for the land).

A land survey will tell you the exactly where the property line is. You’ll know where your farm begins and ends through this survey.  

These surveys and inspections should be clearly stated as contingencies when you make an offer.

 

Step 7. Secure your loan.

This is the part where you choose the lender. Before you decide, shop around for mortgages with the lowest interest rates and best programs.

Choose the mortgage where you’ll be financially comfortable.   Be aware that many mortgage companies do not lend on farms and land.  Your Realtor will be able to give you a list of lenders who can assist you with this type of property.

 

Step 8. Get a property appraisal.

Your lender will want to ensure it is paying the right market value of the Charlottesville acreage.

A professional appraiser will be hired to check the farm’s value.

 

Step 9. Prepare the necessary paperwork and finalize the deal.

Once the terms are set, and the property is appraised, you can use the result for renegotiating the terms if needed. Your agent will negotiate on your behalf.

To verify if the seller is the rightful owner of the home, your attorney or closing company will use the service of a title company to take care of all the paperwork.

 

Step 10.  Close the deal.

 

This is the easiest yet costliest part of the buying process. Review everything prior to the closing, going over the fine details, ensuring everything is to your liking before handing over the payment to the seller.

 

Congratulations! You’ve now reached the end of your country home buying journey. The final step is to move in to your new home.

 

Call me, Pam Dent, at 434-960-0161. I am your golf and equestrian property specialist here in Charlottesville. I am also a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, as well as being experienced in working with first time buyers. I have lived here in Central Virginia almost all my life and have a deep love for the countryside and its preservation. My long involvement with equestrian activities, along with my professionalism and in-depth knowledge of the area makes me uniquely suited to take care of all your real estate needs. You, my client, are my first priority, and I am dedicated to ensuring that your real estate experience goes smoothly. 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Central Virginia Horse Farm for Sale, Charlottesville, Charlottesville VA Homes, Charlottesville VA Horse Farms for Sale, Farms and Estates, Homes in Charlottesville VA, Real Estate Tagged With: Central Virginia, Central Virginia homes for sale, Central Virginia Real Estate, Charlottesville, Charlottesville country homes, Charlottesville country properties, Charlottesville real estate, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, homes for sale in Charlottesville, Real Estate Properties for Sale in Charlottesville VA

Relocating to a Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm – Facts You Can Use

When you are relocating to a Charlottesville Virginia horse farm there are many things that you want to know about the area.

 Clients often want to know if this particular Virginia horse farm is in the best school district.  Or they might ask what kind of people live in a particular neighborhood, or sometimes they would like to find a neighborhood with children or maybe a neighborhood where there are not many children.  Also they might ask which is the safest area in which to live.

You may be surprised to discover that under Federal and State Fair Housing Laws Realtors are prohibited from answering those very questions.  We are not allowed to discuss matters of race, color, religion, national origion, sex, disabilities, familial status or elderliness.  Any discussion of such topics could subject the agent, client or customer to an accusation of violating Fair Housing Laws.  In addition, recommending a particular school system or neighborhood can be construed to be steering.  We can search for homes for you by criteria such as price, square footage, acreage,  distance from town, amenities etc.

Of course you still want to be able to find out the answers to these other questions before you decide on the best location for your Charlottesville Virginia horse farm.  Listed below are a list of websites where you can find out the answers to those questions that your Realtor cannot legally answer.

Relocation information:

  • INFO/US Census demographics
  • Lead Paint Information
  • Radon Information
  • VA State Police Sex Offender Registry (Megan's Law)
  • Albemarle County Crime Statistics  Albemarle County – 434 296-5807
  • Charlottesville Crime Statistics  Charlottesville 434 970-3274
  • Albemarle County Schools  434 296-5881
  • Charlottesville Schools  434 970-3274
  • Greene County Schools  434 985-5254
  • Fluvanna County Schools  434 589-8208
  • Nelson County Schools  434 263-7100  

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Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate
III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434
960-0161
to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore,
Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County,
Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek,
Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County,
Ruckersville.

 

View all of the Charlottesville Virginia
homes for sale
.

 

View my website Charlottesville Horse Farms
or visit my other blog Charlottesville
Real Estate Talk
  for more information on

Charlottesville

Virginia


horse farms, homes, events and real estate. 

 

Copyright © 2009 by Pam Dent, all rights reserved "Relocating to a Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm – Facts You Can Use".

 

Filed Under: Blog, Information for buyers Tagged With: Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Fair Housing Laws, relocation information, Virginia horse farm

My Top 8 Ways To Get Ready For Spring On A Virginia Horse Farm

This post will share my 8 top ways to get ready for spring on a Virginia horse farm.

Each season of the year brings its own particular set of chores to anyone who has a Virginia horse farm.  While the rest of the Charlottesville community is busy spring cleaning their homes, Virginia horse property owners are doing a little spring cleaning of their own.  I will list the main items on my spring to do list for my Charlottesville Virginia horse farm.  If you have additional items that are musts on your equestrian property, please share them with us.

  1. Spring Vaccinations – On any Charlottesville Virginia horse farm the first priority is the horses.  Like most horse owners I vaccinate my horses in the spring and the fall.  There are some shots that are only given once a year and others are given more often.  Also certain shots such as the Potomac horse fever vaccination are most effective when given in a certain season.  Chaec with your veterinarian to set up a vaccination program to suit your horses.
  2. Take ponies and easy keepers off of the lush pastures.  Rich spring grass can be harmful for ponies and overweight horses.  Too rich pasture can cause certain horses to "founder" which is a potentially life threatening disease.  Prevention is key.  Either removing at risk equines to paddocks with less grass or limiting their turnout time is important.
  3. Spring can be a good time to fertilize and seed your fields.  Your extension agent will be able to assess your pastures and help you determine the best plan to maintain them.
  4. If you did not service your tractor and bushhog in the fall, now is the time to perform this maintainance.  Having this equiptment in prime working order is crucial with all of the mowing that you will be doing throughout the growing season on your Charlottesville Virginia horse farm.
  5. Now is the time to send off your horse blankets to be washed and repaired.  Then when they come back they will be ready to be stored for the remainder of the summer until they are needed in the fall.
  6. Get out turnout sheets, stable sheets, and fly scrims.  While it is not cold enough to need heavy blankets anymore, we are still seeing cool nights and some cool days.  This is the perfect weather for sheets.
  7. Get the fans out of storage and put them on the stalls.  Make sure that all are in working order and that you have enough for each horse.  It seems like box fans don't have a very long working life in the environment of a stable, so it is a good idea to have several extra.
  8. Plant Flowers – This is my favorite task.  My barn always has whiskey barrels of flowers out front, hanging baskets on the shed row and window baskets on the office windows.  I love picking out combinations of annuals for these planters to dress up my barn.

Once I am finished with all of these tasks, I know that my Virginia horse farm is ready for spring.  Now its time to ride, train horses and focus on this year's show season.  Happy riding!

Virginia Horse Farms In The Spring Real Estate Market

So You're Selling Your Virginia Horse Farm

Postdivider

Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate
III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434
960-0161
to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore,
Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County,
Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek,
Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County,
Ruckersville.

 

View all of the Charlottesville Virginia
homes for sale
.

 

View my website Charlottesville Horse Farms
or visit my blogs Charlottesville
Real Estate Talk
and Charlottesville
Horse Farms and Country Homes
for more information on

Charlottesville

Virginia

horse farms, homes, events and real estate. 

 

Copyright © 2009 by Pam Dent, all rights reserved, "My Top 8 Ways To Get Ready For Spring On A Virginia Horse Farm".

Filed Under: Blog, Equestrian news, Farms and Estates Tagged With: Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Virginia horse farm

Charlottesville VA Horse Farms – The Keswick Hunt Country

Charlottesville VA Horse Farms – The Keswick Hunt Country.  The Keswick Hunt Country is located in Albemarle County to the east of Charlottesville Virginia and centered around Keswick Virginia.  The Keswick Hunt area runs primarily along routes 231 and 22. 

The best known area of the Keswick hunt country is a long stretch of continuous farmland which runs along route 22 and is boardered by the southwest mountains.  This is one of the most beautiful drives that you will find in the state of Virginia.  There is one big beautiful Virginia horse farm after another providing perfect gently rolling countryside to ride across.

If you are considering buying a Charlottesville VA horse farm, you should not miss looking at farms for sale in the Keswick community.  Due to the stewardship of the land owners many of these farms have been put in conservation easement ensuring that we will still be able to see the vista of one farm after another unbroken by developments.

The Keswick Hunt Club's kennels are located in Keswick along with their clubhouse and horseshow grounds.  The club puts on an A horseshow every May which draws some of the best show horses from across the kennels.  Hounds go out three times a week from October into MarcH.

There are currently 9 Keswick VA horse properties for sale ranging in size from 4.21 acres to 514 acres and in price from $499,000 to $18,000,000.

If you are looking for a Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, don't miss looking at farms in the Keswick hunt country.  

Postdivider

Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate
III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434
960-0161
to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore,
Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County,
Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek,
Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County,
Ruckersville.

 

View all of the Charlottesville Virginia
homes for sale
.

 

View my website Charlottesville Horse Farms
or visit my other blog Charlottesville
Real Estate Talk
  for more information on

Charlottesville

Virginia

horse farms, homes, events and real estate. 

 

 

Copyright © 2009 by Pam Dent, all rights reserved ,"Charlottesville VA Horse Farms – The Keswick Hunt Country".

Filed Under: Blog, Farms and Estates Tagged With: Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Keswick hunt country, Keswick Virginia horse properties, Virginia horse farms

Buying A Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm

Buying a Charlottesville Virginia horse farm can mean that you will have  a lot of choices of properties to buy.  The area offers a wide range of equestrian properties in many different price ranges.  Whether you are looking for a mini farm, huntbox, or a large estate Albemarle County has a horse property to suit.Dessert trot 2 (WinCE)

There are currently 40 Charlottesville Virginia horse farms actively listed on the Albemarle County real estate market.  These equestrian properties range from 4 acres to large estates of 514 acres, with listing prices of $247,500 – $18,000,000.  Home sizes range from 1,092 sq ft with 1 bedroom and 1 bath to 10,000 sq ft and 6 bedrooms and 3 full plus 2 half baths. 

The Charlottesville real estate market offers 18 horse properties priced at under $1,000,000.  There are an additional 22 Charlottesville VA horse farms on the market priced from $1,000,000 to $18,000,000.   Albemarle County is in the heart of horse country and an Albemarle horse property comes in  a variety of price ranges and equestrian needs.

If you are considering buying a Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, you will want to hire an agent who is knows horses and their needs to help you find the farm that will be the perfect choice for your family and your horses.

You Can Buy A Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm For Under $700,000

Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farms – The Farmington Hunt Country

Postdivider

Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate
III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434
960-0161
to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore,
Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County,
Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek,
Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County,
Ruckersville.

 

View all of the Charlottesville Virginia
homes for sale
.

 

View my website Charlottesville Horse Farms
or visit myother  blog Charlottesville
Real Estate Talk
  for more information on

Charlottesville

Virginia


horse farms, homes, events and real estate. 

 

Copyright © 2009 by Pam Dent, all rights reserved, "Buying A Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm".

Filed Under: Blog, Farms and Estates Tagged With: Albemarle horse property, Charlottesville VA horse farm, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm

Charlottesville Horse Farms in the Farmington Hunt Country

One of the mosr difficult parts of searching for a Charlottesville, Virginia horse farm is deciding what part of the Central Virginia area you like best.  One choice is a farm in the Farmington Hunt Country to the west of Charlottesville.

Read more about Charlottesville equestrian properties

Postdivider

Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, [email protected], to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

 

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

 Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville homes, events and real estate.

Filed Under: Blog, Farms and Estates, Information for buyers Tagged With: Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Farmington Hunt Country

Selling A Charlottesville Horse Farm

You are considering putting your Charlottesville horse farm on the market for sale.  One of your first tasks will be to choose a Realtor to market your property.  Many area Realtors will be very well Landscape, river, Old Trail 018 (Small) qualified to explain the various features of the house to potential buyers.  However most of them will know nothing about the equestrian amenities.  When I am looking for horse properties to show to clients very few of the listings describe the features for the horses in very much detail.  However it is precisely those details that will determine whether the serious rider will even want to look at your farm. 

The listing for your farm should paint a detailed picture of why this is the perfect horse property.  It may be cross fenced and have a ring with all weather footing for the showring rider.  It may have a runin and access to miles of trails for the pleasure rider.  It may be close the area hunt country for foxhunters.  What kind of fencing does your farm have, how many stalls, wash rack, hay storage?  What size is the ring, will it accomodate a course of jumps or is it dressage size.  These are all facts that your agent needs to be comfortable with in order to market your farm.  Afterall the horseman wants his horses to be comfortable and if the horses will be happy, then he will consider the house and try to make it work.

As a former professional in the horse business I understand all aspects of horsefarms.  I foxhunted, horseshowed and trail rode.  As someone who understands horsepeople and their particular wants and needs, I an especially suited to market your Charlottesville, Virginia horse farm.

Also since 84% of buyers now start their search for a home or farm on line, it is important to hire an agent who has a strong internet presence.  I would be happy to discuss my internet marketing strategy with you to draw up a marketing plan for your particular property.

Postdivider

Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, [email protected], to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

 

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

 

 Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk

for more information on Charlottesville homes, farms, events and real estate.

Filed Under: Blog, Farms and Estates, Information for sellers Tagged With: Charlottesville horse farm, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, selling a Charlottesville horse farm

Winterizing Your Stable

In Central Virginia, one of the attractions is that we have 4 distinct seasons.  We’re lucky that our weather is rarely severe; however we might see an occasional snowfall and very cold temperatures.  This kind of weather presents special challenges for Charlottesville horse farm owners.

For many years I had a Charlottesville horse farm, and these are some of my winter preparations.

IN THE BARN

We made sure that there were lights on the spigot in the wash stall and also turned on the lamp aimed at the pipes to the hot water heater in the feed room.  Next an extra space heater was installed in the bath room and laundry room.

Winter Horse BlanketIf you are lucky you will have heaters on the outside water troughs or better yet have frost free automatic waterers.  Otherwise it is necessary to make sure to disconnect and drain the hoses, and you will be faced with breaking ice every morning and shoveling out the ice chunks so that the horses will have water to drink in the paddocks.  In the winter time it is most important to make sure that the horses drink plenty of water or you run the risk of an impaction colic.

Another thing to note is…. some horses do not like to drink cold water, hence the importance of heated water troughs.

THE COMFORT OF YOUR HORSE

Horse owners spend a lot of time in the cold weather changing blankets, adding or subtracting layers depending on the temperature and how much coat the particular horse has. It is just as important that your horse does not get too hot as it is to protect from the cold. If your horse lives outdoors, you’ll want to make sure he has some sort of shelter to protect him from the wind and wet.

Horse in SnowThen there is the problem of riding and frozen footing.  Sometimes there is a small window of opportunity in the middle of the day when it has just warmed up enough and the sun has been on the ring for the footing to thaw for a couple of hours so that you can get in a quick ride before it refreezes.

In winter horses may expend more energy keeping warm. You will want to carefully monitor their weight. If your horse is unclipped and has grown a thick coat, you will do that by “feel” because they may appear fatter than they really are. You should adjust their feed accordingly and you’ll almost certainly need to feed additional amounts of hay. In the winter when the grass has little nutrition, you’ll also need to feed hay to the horses that live out in the fields.

Sunday was a special day in the winter for my horses. On Sunday night all of the horses were treated to a hot bran mash with carrots and oats.

VIRGINIA WINTER HORSE FARM

You may be comfortable if each horse has its personal stall and it is turned out for only a few hours a day; or you may prefer that your horse lives outdoors with access to a run-in shelter to get out of the worst weather.   If you are coming to Charlottesville from the north, you may be surprised to find that very few farms have an indoor arena.  In this area there really are not very many days when you are not able to ride outside.

In Charlottesville and Central Virginia we are lucky that the bitter cold weather is generally short lived.  Usually after a few days or a week at the most, temperatures moderate and we get a break before another cold blast;  by March the worst is over.

 

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Pam Dent

Filed Under: Blog, Equestrian news, Farms and Estates, Virginia Horse Farms Tagged With: Central Virginia horse farms, Charlottesville Equestrian Estates, Charlottesville equestrian properties, Charlottesville horse farm, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Virginia horse farms

Today Is The Perfect Reason To Buy A Central Virginia Horse Farm

Horse in sunToday is December 29.  The middle of winter in most parts of the country.  In Charlottesville we were treated to sunshine and highs in the mid 50's.  This follows two days of highs in the 60's.  Perfect riding weather!  And the perfect reason to own a farm in Charlottesville and Central Virginia.

I am not saying that this is the norm for winter weather in Virginia, but we do get some of everything.  We can get several weeks at a time of cold wintery weather with snow and ice.  However, we will also often get a little break with weather in the 50's as well.  You can usually keep horses in work outside throughout the winter with only a few days missed due to weather conditions that make it impossible to ride.  When people first come to Virginia to shop for a farm, one of the first things that they remark on is the fact that very few of the farms have indoor arenas.  While an indoor is definately a plus it is by no means a necessity if you want to keep riding throughout the winter.

Visit Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County to see some of the most beautiful horse farms on the east coast and enjoy the moderate climate with four distinct seasons… but don't tell that sometimes we get little glimpses of spring in the winter time. 

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Contact

Pam Dent

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, [email protected], to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

 

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

 

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk for more information on Central Virginia homes, events and real estate.

Filed Under: Blog, Charlottesville, Farms and Estates, Information for buyers Tagged With: Albemarle County horse farm, Central Virginia horse farm, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm

Relocating to a Charlottesville Virginia Horse Farm – local tack shops

You are moving to an Albemarle County horse farm, but where do you go in Central Virginia for all the necessary supplies for your horse and farm?  Listed below is a selection of area saddleries and tack shops.

The Gifted Horse – 1417 Emmet St., Charlottesville, VA  434-979-0965

Dover Saddlery – 242 Zan Rd., Charlottesville, VA  434-964-1301

Boot'Vil – 8633 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, VA  434-985-4574

Crawford Saddlery -  8629 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, VA  434-985-4262

Scottsville Saddlery – 975 Valley St., Scottsville, VA  434 286-2101

The Saddle Fitter Inc  –  2967 Dawaons Mill Rd., Esmont, VA  434-286-7000

Tad Coffin Performance Saddles Inc – 1151 Dairy Rd., Ruckersville, VA  434-985-8948

If you are looking for that perfect Albemarle County horse farm, I can help you.  As a REALTOR and a professional in the horse business I understand the wants and needs of the equestrian buyer and know the Central Virginia real estate market.  I am familar with the farms on the market in Albemarle County, Keswick Virginia, Fluvanna County, Orange County, Greener County and Louisa County.
If you would like to perform your own mls search click here.

Filed Under: Blog, Farms and Estates, Information for buyers, Information for sellers, Virginia Tagged With: Albemarle County horse farm, Central Virginia Real Estate, Charlottesville Virginia horse farm, Keswick Virginia, tack shops

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Contact Pam

Pam Dent
Phone: (434) 960-0161
Email: [email protected]
Gayle Harvey Real Estate Inc.
198 Spotnap Rd, #C-5,
Charlottesville, VA 22911


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