Brick’s Blog

     When Will Ferrell made his movie, Talladega Nights, my first thought was why would you antagonize part of your fan base by making a parody of what so many of your fans hold dear. Well, I was wrong. Ferrell succeeded, but mainly by making a greater parody of what all true Southern men despise and that is the French.  The character of Jean Girard and his Evian sponsored car (ever noticed Evian is Naive spelled backwards) provide the perfect element to keep Ferrell from completely lampooning his Southern fans.

     So is life imitating art this Sunday at the Daytona 500? (I can’t believe I refer to anything by Ferrell as art.) For this good ol’ boy, this could well be my last season with any interest in NASCAR. It was bad enough when Mark Martin started driving the Viagra car. A product no true Southern man would ever admit needing. Sad when the Winston Cup became the Nextel Cup. For a true Southern man, your cigarette brand told as much about you as anything. Who cares what cell service you have. And starting Sunday, there will be a Toyota in the field at Daytona. 

     Hell’s bells, America, especially Southern America, still doesn’t even know how to pronounce this brand - is it To’yo’ta or Toy’ota? A automobile that was first imported as the gas sipping alternative to Detroit’s gas guzzling muscle cars are now on the same track? And because NASCAR has always started its season with its "Super Bowl", the Daytona 500, the venue is Daytona? Somehow having a future driver being known as "The Samurai" ain’t quite the same as "The Intimidator." RIP, Dale.

     Ladies, help me out here. Is it just me or do you also find the Vermont Teddy Bear ads obnoxious? For several weeks now, I feel I have been bombarded with their sexist and sexual message.  In their tv ad, we men are promised a "sure thing", while their radio ad guarantees us a "happy ending." All the while you ladies aren’t exactly portrayed as rocket scientists. Even if the Vermont Teddy Bear did all that it promises and a man got one for his special someone, don’t you think that special someone would always wonder if it was a last minute thought due to the "guaranteed delivery?" 

    Oh well, in the immortal words of Emily Litella "never mind."  Now there’s a name for you to X’ers and Y’ers to google.  

     This story and half Cape Cod is located on large corner lot off Three Chopt and east of Skipwith. I sold this home to this young couple about 2 1/2 years ago. Since then, they have had their second child and have now outgrown it. After almost 25 years of selling real estate, you tend to become a little jaundiced and look at  houses as "product" and not someone’s "home." 

     Monday I had a "great awakening" while doing my normal marketing chores (measurements, Visual Tour, postcards, fliers, yada, yada, yada) for this home. Suddenly, I was just struck by simply how much "love" this young couple had put into this home.  The paint schemes are delightful, the kitchen renovation pure joy, and the bath as elegant as the existing space permitted and the list goes on. But you don’t have to believe me, you can see for yourself by taking the Visual Tour here. My wife will be hosting an Open House there Sunday, 2/11 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. The address is 7300 Harlow Road, 23226. Click the Map at the Visual Tour for directions.

        I report monthly to Realty Times the market conditions for Richmond area. Below are this month’s comments for January:

     This month marks the first time that I have one year of data reporting in this current format. From this time on, I’ll be able to make meaningful year on year comparisons, which should allow me greater accuracy in reporting the current market trends. So just what can I glean from my ever growing databank about Richmond’s current market condition?

     The next few months will determine if our recent slowdown will continue. Year to year comparisons for January 06 to January 07 have some favorable indications. While overall inventory levels are substantially increased, the number of homes placed under contract for January 2007 match almost identically with 2006 figures. In January 2006, I felt we were finally overcoming the effects of Hurricane Katrina. In fact, I was surprised how strong the market was as 2006 began. What did not materialize in 2006 was the historic Spring Market. I firmly believe that we will see an above average Spring Market; not only because 2006 lacked one, but none of the historic factors for a real estate slowdown currently exist or have existed for the last 15 months. The fact that we are in a slowdown despite low interest rates, full employment, rising wages and an all time high stock market flies in the face of past slowdowns. What is absence is consumer confidence.

     Want to know what I am confident about?  If you’re a buyer and are still hem hawing around about buying, than I can assure you the home you want to buy will only get more expense. Why? Despite a slower 2006 compared to 2005, the average home sale price increased by approximately 13 % in 2006. Inventory levels are starting to moderate. Why not get out there while some real bargains still exist. If I am right about the Spring Market, there could be no better time than right now.