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Capital Alehouse Coming to Harrisonburg

June 20, 2011 By 2 Comments

Well, the weekend rumors are confirmed: Cally’s will become another location for the Richmond-based Capital Alehouse.  Renovations will begin July 12, with an opening expected on Harrisonburg’s Court Square in October.

Harrisonburg marks the fifth location for the Capital Alehouse, with others being in Richmond, Innsbrook Fredericksburg, and Midlothian.  It also marks the only non-locally owned chain restaurant in downtown Harrisonburg since (I think) the Daily Grind had a coffee shop on Court Square.

I’ll certainly miss Harrisonburg’s Cally’s (which I still call Calhoun’s most of the time), and having locally-brewed beer on tap.  That said, I’ve enjoyed my experiences at other Capital Alehouse and will be curious how the renovations and new menu impact downtown.

Capital Alehouse Harrisonburg

Here’s the press release, from VAcraftBeer.com:

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matthew Simmons
Phone-804-822-3072
matt@capitalalehouse.com

June 16, 2010
www.CapitalAleHouse.com

Capital Ale House announces an agreement has been made to open our company’s fifth restaurant to be located at 41-A Court Square, Harrisonburg, Virginia 23801. This location is the current Cally’s Restaurant and Brewing Company. Capital Ale House will take possession and begin renovations on July 12, 2011 with a projected opening in October 2011.

This location will employ 70 staff members and will feature more than 100 fine ales and lager beers from Virginia and around the world on draught, two dining areas, banquet space, darts and billiards and a rooftop deck.

We are proud to join the many great restaurants, shops, galleries, museums, theaters and historic landmarks that make Downtown Harrisonburg a thriving destination.

For more information please contact Matthew Simmons.

 

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Filed Under: Announcements, Featured Post, Local News

Appointed to Governor’s Foreclosure Task Force

June 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I was honored to receive a call on Thursday stating I have been appointed to Governor McDonnell’s Foreclosure Task Force as the Virginia Municipal League’s representative. The Foreclosure Task Force, “serves as an advisory group to the Governor, and its findings and results will help inform the work of the Governor’s Housing Policy Initiative.”  The next meeting is Tuesday in Richmond.

VHDA Virginia Foreclosure Trends March 15, 2011 Source: http://www.virginiaforeclosureprevention.com/pdf/Review_of_Virginia_Foreclosure_Trends_03152011.pdf

About 18,000 foreclosured properties were on the market in Virginia in March 2011 (Source: VHDA).

My involvement in the Governor’s Foreclosure Task Force comes about after having recently attended the Virginia Municipal League’s Legislative Policy Committee meeting.  As a city council member, I represent Harrisonburg on this VML committee, which focuses on promoting, amending, or defending against the passage of policies by the Virginia General Assembly depending on their impact on local municipal governments.  At that meeting, the committee was presented with a budget analysis and projection.  The bottom line was this: local government revenues will recover much more slowly than state revenues.

At the state level, tax revenues are largely from sales tax and income tax.  The “ups and downs” of these revenue sources are felt just months, maybe even weeks, after the state’s economy ticks up or down.  This is in stark contrast to local government revenue, which comes in much larger proportion from property taxes.  Property taxes are based on assessments, which we know lag behind because homes are only reassessed in many Virginia communities every two years (Harrisonburg is now reassessing annually).  So, if prices are on the upswing, local governments don’t see higher revenues until two years later.  However, if they are on the downswing, property owners can feel frustration that assessments seem higher than the market value of the property.

In Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, for example, we’ve seen about an 8% drop in average home prices in the last two years.  That’s much better than the national average over the same period of time, but it’s still significant: as real estate is reassessed, the new property assessments will reflect the lower average prices – and local property tax collections will reduce accordingly.

Harrisonburg’s 2011 Adopted Budget projects real property taxes to total about $22.8 million.  An 8% reduction would be $1.8 million.  Rockingham County’s 2010-11 Budget projects $64.7 million collected in general property taxes.  An 8% reduction in these revenues would mean about $5.2 million fewer dollars.

Indeed, the Daily News-Record reported on November 23, 2010, that, compared to 2009, “single-family homes [in Harrisonburg] declined 1.4 percent and townhouses dropped 0.3 percent, according to city officials.”  As reassessments continue, it can be expected that they will continue to decline.  (Keep in mind, these are averages. Some subdivisions have decreased much more, while others have increased slightly in value.  From the same DNR article, “Old Town’s assessed value increased by 0.8 of a percent.”)

If home prices were to begin rising today, assessments – and property tax revenue – wouldn’t correspond for another year or two.  So while the local budget did not see an immediate decline in property tax revenue in 2008, it will see a decline for a couple years past when traditional economic indicators (sales and jobs) turn around.

Keep in mind why this matters: the general rule is that property taxes are the primary way for municipalities to fund education.  Indeed, the same Harrisonburg budget that projects $22.8 in property tax revenue includes $24.9 million budgeted for Harrisonburg schools – over 90% of school funding is provided by property taxes.  Declines in property tax revenue thus have the potential to negatively impact resources available for perhaps the important investment communities can make: educating our youth.

So, given that foreclosures are a major negative driver of home prices and eventual lower assessments (read: school funding), working to remedy and expedite the lengthy, convoluted, and error-ridden foreclosure process should be a top priority for those in local government.  Consider this recent scenario in Harrisonburg (true story):

A Harrisonburg property owner could no longer pay her mortgage, and put her home on the market about a year ago.  It became clear given current market rates, it will likely sell as a short sale.  This means the market value would be less than what the property owner owes the bank.  In this scenario, the lending institution needs to give a “third party approval” for any offer less than what is owed to them.  The property had two offers, both well over $100,000, for the better part of six weeks.  The bank never responded to these offers, and the property was auctioned off at the Court House steps for $75,000.  The result was a foreclosure and much higher deficiency for the property owner and depressed property values for the nearby homes (yes, the bank also lost over $25,000 but I’m less concerned about that).  All because the bank, for whatever reason, wouldn’t process or accept the higher short sale offers.

This circumstance is inexcusable in my mind, foremost because of its detrimental financial impact to my constituents and their families, and furthermore because of its long-term impact on our available education dollars.  It is a circumstance I have seen all to often from my front row seat as a real estate agent -and I can only imagine how often it plays out throughout the entire Commonwealth.  One hint is included in the Review of Virginia Foreclosure Trends from the VHDA:

While delinquency levels have peaked and begun to decline, processing issues have caused foreclosure inventories to again grow.  It will take substantial time to fully resolve the inventory of distressed loans and properties. – VHDA

I am eager to explore how the Commonwealth can address these processing issues, and the myriad of other issues associated with foreclosures.  Thus, I am pleased and honored to bring the local government perspective to the Governor’s Foreclosure Task Force on behalf of Harrisonburg and the Virginia Municipal League.  I’m also looking forward to learning from the experienced members, who have been working on this issue for many years and decades.

For those of you interested in recent statewide data and trends, check out the March 15, 2011 Review of Virginia Foreclosure Trends from the Virginia Housing Development Authority.  I look forward to the latest numbers on Tuesday at the next meeting of the Governors Foreclosure Task Force.

What are your experiences with foreclosures in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area?  What are your questions and insights?

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Filed Under: Announcements, Featured Post, Local News Tagged With:

Harrisonburg Amphitheater Proposal – What do you think?

June 16, 2011 By 13 Comments
Harrisonburg Amphitheater Rendering

This is a preliminary vision of a Harrisonburg ampitheater presented to the Harrisonburg City Council on June 14, 2011. The map was printed in the Daily News-Record's e-edition on June 16, 2011 courtesy of the Downtown Dining Alliance and the Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

On Tuesday evening, Dave Miller presented to the Harrisonburg City Council a vision for an amphitheater in downtown.  This presentation has been covered by both the Daily News-Record and WHSV since then, and I know it is sparking interest and questions among many people in the community.

The project proposal, in its current form, includes building a stage across from Blacks Run near the Harrisonburg Electric Commission on what is currently the Municipal Parking Lot.  The stage location would place the audience of 3-7,000 people be on a new green space between it and the current Turner Pavilion (the Farmers’ Market Pavilion).  A new parking lot would be built on the other side of Turner Pavilion on the space commonly known as the, “grassy area across from the Daily News-Record.”

The idea for an entertainment venue has been discussed for years, but this is the first time such a vision was officially presented to the city council for review. The presentation puts the vision “officially” into the public sphere so we can explore its feasibility and potential impact.   Judging by the calls and emails I’m getting, people are paying attention to the process surrounding the decision!

The city council did not agree to commit specific resources to this Harrisonburg amphitheater project at this early stage, after seeing just for the first time this specific presentation and request.   We are proceeding cautiously, and plan to discuss the matter again at our next city council meeting.

For me, like many people in Harrisonburg, there are a number of questions that need satisfactory answers.

  • What do city voters think about having an amphitheater and entertainment venue downtown?
  • How much will it cost the city tax payers?
  • What is a reasonable and conservative estimate of revenue and expense for operations?
  • How much private financial support is there for the project?
  • How can parking be accommodated – not just for normal uses but for the anticipated well-attended events?
  • How exactly would the lease and operation be assigned?  Who owns the venue?
  • What have been the positive impacts and challenges with other such venues, like in Charlottesville?
  • How does such a venue contribute to the goal of revitalization of downtown?
  • Does such a venue support local businesses and jobs?
  • Are there different scales of the stage and build out that could be considered based on the costs and benefits (i.e. what would a two million dollar solution look like vs the proposed five-to-seven million dollar solution)?
  • How much tax revenue would the city collect from the economic impact of such a venue, and what might the payback time be for any investment the city might make in the project?
  • How many large events per year can we really expect to fill the venue?  At what ticket price?
  • What will the traffic impact be during large events?
  • What will the noise impact be for surrounding neighborhoods?

Without satisfactory answers for questions like these (and other questions not listed), I do not anticipate the Harrisonburg amphitheater project will proceed.  However, if there are reasoned and supported satisfactory answers and feasible solutions to the anticipated challenges, the Harrisonburg ampitheater venue ought to at least be given serious consideration – an “up or down” vote.

The challenge today is we don’t have all the answers to these questions – indeed, we haven’t even identified all the questions yet!  For my part, I would like to see a path forward for doing this research and to get reasoned estimates and a comprehensive proposal in place.  If that research shows the project is not viable for certain reasons, we can move away from the vision with a clear explanation of why.  If that research proves a viable way for an amphitheater to function, a more comprehensive plan can be put forward to the public and to the council for consideration.

At the next city council meeting, I anticipate we will discuss in more details how to best begin answering these questions.

In the mean time, I’m curious what your thoughts are on the Harrisonburg amphitheater project.  A number of you are catching me at work or in our fine local establishments, and some have begun emailing.  Obviously, feel free to continue to do that – but also feel free to leave your comments and thoughts below.  It’s an important conversation and your input is valued.

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Filed Under: Announcements, Featured Post, Local News Tagged With:

What’s the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Brand? Survey Results

June 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

Rockingham County Court House in Harrisonburg

The Harrisonburg-Rockingham metro area is undergoing a branding exercise to determine how to introduce and frame the region in a concise manner that captures all of its many assets for working and living.  Harrisonburg and Rockingham County released a joint statement today with the results of a branding survey that had 241 respondents.  Here is the release in full.

HARRISONBURG, Va., June 15, 2011 – Respondents to an online branding survey identified the topographical beauty, values, sense of family and community, economic opportunity, and quality of life as the key attributes of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Area.

The findings are consistent with the results of more than 65 in-depth interviews and a subsequent brainstorming session with more than 40 area residents, which were conducted to aid development of a brand for the Metro Area.

A total of 241 respondents took the survey. The survey found:

  • Ninety-five percent (95%) of the respondents strongly or somewhat agree that the Metro Area is “among the most beautiful places to live.”
  • Nearly 90 percent (89.8%) of the respondents strongly or somewhat agree that the Metro Area “benefits from having a slower pace of life than larger cities.”
  • Nearly 84 percent (83.7%) of the respondents strongly or somewhat agree that “the beauty, the pace of life, the people, and the policies of the Metro Area contribute to its success in economic development and tourism.”

“The survey results show that residents appreciate the Metro Area on several levels,” said Joseph S. Paxton, Rockingham County administrator. “Now our challenge is to combine the beauty of the area, the character of its people, and the attractive economic climate in a brand that can be used to encourage tourism and invite outside businesses and industries to invest here.”

“In coming days, we will study the survey results carefully, work with the task group, and move forward with the Council and Board to develop a brand that accurately captures the unique nature of our community,” said Harrisonburg City Manager Kurt D. Hodgen. “The City and County also want to thank everyone who has provided opinions and suggestions.”

One survey question asked respondents to rate words and phrases that had been suggested by city and county residents for inclusion in a brand. The respondents gave high marks to terms that described the area’s location as well as words that characterize the community’s personality. The three terms rated the highest were “Virginia,” “Shenandoah Valley,” and “heart.”

The online survey was launched May 19, and city and county residents were invited to provide their input on a Metro Area brand. In addition to ranking certain terms, respondents also suggested new words and phrases that were not identified in the interviews and brainstorming session. Nearly half of the respondents submitted comments containing potential brands.

A brand is a critical component of a marketing campaign. A brand is a phrase, often depicted in a memorable graphic treatment, which captures the essence of a location, company, or product.

The Metro Area’s brand is expected to be finalized and unveiled later this summer.

###

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Filed Under: Announcements

Newest Harrisonburg Taxi Cab Service

June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Checkered Cab Harrisonburg Taxi

Catching a taxi cab in Harrisonburg has never been easier, as a new taxi company has opened to serve all area residents, including James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University.  Checkered Cab is the newest Harrisonburg taxi cab service.

Russell Presnell, a veteran taxi cab driver in the Harrisonburg area, is the owner of Checkered Cab.  “I wanted to open a taxi cab company in Harrisonburg that has high quality service to anyone at any time to get anywhere in the area,” says Presnell.  “The difference for Checkered Cab is our drivers: who only hire the very best taxi cab drivers, drivers who have experience, love their job, and pride themselves in customer service.”

Besides the everyday uses riders might have for a taxi cab ride, the Checkered Cab website advertises some creative ways to take advantage of their service, including letting their driver drop you off and pick you up from a tubing trip on the Shenandoah River.

The bright orange-colored taxi cabs are hard to miss in Harrisonburg, especially while they wait for needy riders in downtown.  The distinctive logo grabs people’s attention, too.  But that’s not the only way Presnell is making his company stand out.  Social media and short videos are part of the strategy.  The Checkered Cab Facebook page is approaching 100 fans already.

Part of the Facebook appeal is short (less than a minute) videos with seemingly random snippets that interest the viewer just long enough before the ending logo, phone number, and narrated “Checkered Cab.”  In addition the historic Harrisonburg video aimed at JMU graduation attendees (included in this post), one commercial shows Presnell offloading trash at the dump with French commentary, and another has directions for how to “renegade” a beer (with a reminder the drinking and driving is a no-no and Checkered Cab is ready assist anyone who needs a safe ride).

The Checkered Cab taxi service serves the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area.

 

 

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Filed Under: Announcements

Should you get a pre-qualification or a pre-approval letter?

June 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Should you ask your lender for a “pre-qualification letter” or a “pre-approval letter” to know if you can buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County?

Assuming you plan to finance a portion of your purchase, you will want to meet with at least one mortgage lender or broker at the beginning of your process so you can know the answer to an important question: “How much money can will bank lend me for a home?”  That dollar amount helps focus the home search.

There are many professional and qualified lenders in the local area who can evaluate your financial position and give you an idea of what you can pay to buy a home (contact us if you need a few suggestions for professional lenders).

Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval

It is common to confuse these two very different analyses.  Pre-qualification letters and pre-approval letters are both useful, but only one carries with it the credibility of a full study of financial history.

  1. “Pre-Qualification” – A Ballpark Estimate
    With some basic information about your income, credit history, and current debt, a lender can usually issue a pre-qualification within a day or so – sometimes within an hour.  A pre-qualification is an educated guess about how much home you can afford to buy.  It can be done in a quick meeting, over the phone, and even online – and it’s usually free. 

    A pre-qualification is a starting point to understand how much of a mortgage you can afford, but it does not take all aspects of your financial history into account.  It’s a ballpark figure, that can change with a more detailed analysis.  Because a pre-qualification is based surface level information – perhaps without any documentation, credit check, or proof of income – it should not be relied on as completely accurate.

  2. “Pre-Approval” Letter – The Real Deal
    A pre-approval letter carries much more weight and is an important step in buying a home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  A pre-approval analysis requires documents such as tax records, proof of income, bank statements, credits reports, current debt-to-income ratio, and more. 

    By the end of this pre-approval analysis, a lender can give a confident estimate of how much of a mortgage you can afford.  Showing a pre-approval letter to a seller can give them confidence in your offer to buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.

So, if you are very early in your home search process and just curious about what you might be able to afford, get a pre-qualification letter.  If you then plan to get more serious, contact the Kai Degner Homes Team to start your home search and simultaneously begin the process to get a pre-approval letter.

Questions about real estate in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County?  Contact the Kai Degner Homes Team anytime!

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Filed Under: For Buyers

Steps to Buy a Home In Harrisonburg or Rockingham County

June 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you want to buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County, Virginia?  It’s a great choice!

The decision to buy a home is obviously one of the biggest for an individual or family.  The Kai Degner Homes Team prides itself in providing professional and comprehensive service helping people buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.

There are a number of key stages to buy a home, each of which the Kai Degner Homes Team can assist with.

Steps to Buy a Home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County

  1. Decide to Buy a Home in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Area!
    This might seem obvious, but it is important!  Some people dabble, searching through the homes on the market because it is interesting and fun.  Deciding to buy a home is a higher level commitment and should be approached in a serious manner.
  2. Meet with the Kai Degner Homes Team
    Don’t be shy, let’s start a conversation about your goals to buy a home.  Perhaps you want to a buy a home next year – or perhaps next month.  Whatever your timeline, let’s start a conversation about your goals and how we can make a plan to achieve them.  Contact us!
  3. Meet with Your Lender(s)
    Assuming you plan to finance a portion of your purchase, you will want to meet with at least one mortgage lender or broker at the beginning of your path to buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.  There are many professional and qualified lenders in the local area who can evaluate your financial position and give you an idea of what you pay to buy a home. 

    1. Just dabbling? Ask for a “Pre-Qualification”
      With some basic information about your income, credit history, and current debt, a lender can usually issue a pre-qualification within a day or so – sometimes within an hour.  A pre-qualification is an educated guess about how much home you can afford to buy.  It is a starting point to understand how much of a mortgage you can afford, but it does not take all aspects of your financial history into account.  It’s a ballpark figure, that can change with a more detailed analysis.  
    2. Getting Serious?  Ask for a “Pre-Approval”
      A pre-approval letter carries much more weight and is an important step in buying a home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  This analysis requires documents such as tax records, proof of income, bank statements, credits reports, and more.  By the end of this analysis, a lender can give a confident estimate of how much of a mortgage you can afford.
  4. Search the Market
    1. Let the Kai Degner Homes Team Search for You!
      Being members of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of REALTORS© gives us access to powerful search tools that let us customize searches based on your desires.
    2. Search Yourself at SearchShenandoah.com
      The Kai Degner Homes Team has a custom online real estate property search tool designed for home buyers the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area.  The features let you save search results and get automatic email updates when properties that fit your interests hit the market or lower their price.  You can register at www.SearchShenandoah.com right now!
  5. Visit Selected Homes for Sale
    Your online search of homes for sale in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County will identify homes you want to visit – and the Kai Degner Homes Team will organize these visits and come with you on each appointment.  We can can give extra insight into the property’s history, characteristics, and competitiveness.
  6. Make an Offer
    At some point, you will have found a home to buy and you will want to submit a offer to purchase the property.  The Kai Degner Homes Team uses official, legally-sound forms from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of REALTORS.  We will walk you through these questions and considerations before making an offer to buy a home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County: 

    1. Price (What’s a good price to offer?)
    2. Closing Date (How long should you leave yourself to secure financing?)
    3. Personal Property (Should you ask for that washer and dryer?)
    4. Home Inspection (How do you request an inspection be done before you buy?)
    5. Closing Company (What company should do your settlement)
    6. Closing Costs (Do you want the seller to pay some of these costs?)
    7. More!
  7. Negotiation
    The sellers may make a counter offer – and you might counter back – before agreeing to the final terms.  The Kai Degner Homes Team assists throughout this entire process.
  8. Home Inspection
    The home inspection is a critical part of many home purchases.  We will coordinate this inspection, help interpret the results, and work with you to determine what items you can ask to be fixed by the sellers.  This is done through a contractual process that we help facilitate.
  9. Pursuing Financing
    You will work closely with your lenders to provide necessary information for you to apply for a loan to buy a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.  We provide real estate specific information during this process.
  10. Final Walk-Through
    Assuming the financing comes through, the home inspection rep/airs are complete, and other contingencies are met, you will do one final walk-through of the home prior to closing.
  11. Transferring Utilities
    The Kai Degner Homes Team will assist in making sure all your utilities are ready when you walk in your new home!
  12. Closing and Settlement
    The Kai Degner Homes Team will accompany you to the closing table and make sure that the settlement statement reflects what was agreed to in the purchase contract.  Assuming all is correct, closing will proceed – and you will own a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County!

It would be a pleasure to help you buy a home in the area!  If you are ready to have a conversation about taking the steps to buy a home, let’s begin a conversation.  Contact us today!

See Recent Tips for Home Buyers by the Kai Degner Homes Team

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Filed Under: For Buyers, Real Estate Tips & Info

Sell a Home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County

June 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you want to sell a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County?

To sell a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County requires a combination of key strategies that the Kai Degner Homes Team prides itself in providing home sellers.  The Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area is in a buyers market, which means selling real estate is a competitive process – only a combination of best home-selling strategies guarantees that your home is best positioned to sell (see the latest Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Real Estate Market Analysis).

The Kai Degner Homes Team focuses on key strategies to sell a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.  There are many things you cannot change about your real estate, each of which may make your real estate more attractive or not (location, layout, neighborhood, slope of yard, the market, etc).  The Kai Degner Homes Team Key Strategies are based on what IS in the home owner’s control.

Professional photography can best present your home so online searchers will come to see your home.

  1. SMART Presentation – Make Your Home Shine!
    Your best opportunity to sell a home is when a potential home buyer comes to see inside!  What are the most important characteristics that buyers notice?  What should you fix before putting your home on the market?  Should you paint or not?  How can you best stage your home?  The Kai Degner Homes Team knows these answers, and we work with home owners to prepare their home to shine when someone visits the home!
  2. SMART Marketing – Be Where the Buyers are Looking!
    So, how do you get people INTO your home to see it?!  That’s where the Kai Degner Homes Team‘s comprehensive, strategic marketing plan comes into play. 

    1. Professional photography is critical: you should demand it, and we don’t settle for anything less (look at the amazing photography included in this article).
    2. Strategic online advertising is an absolute priority – almost 90% of home buyers searched online during their home search (that’s why professional photography is so important).  Do you know what the Top 10 Real Estate websites are?  We do – and your property will be featured on them.
    3. Strategic print advertising. Did you know only 3% (yes, THREE PERCENT) of buyers said they bought a home because they saw it advertised in print (like the newspaper)?  News flash: just printing newspaper advertisements is NOT effective marketing to sell a home today.  We balance print advertising so it is focused, and helps actually sell a home – we don’t rely on it too much (that’s a mistake).
    4. Much more! Contact us to learn about the rest of our marketing strategies to sell a home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County (we’re obviously not going to put ALL (or even most) of our best marketing strategies on this page – we want to share those in person with you!).
  3. SMART Pricing & Market Analysis – The Most Important Decision to Sell a Home
    At what price should you sell your home?  How much higher than you are willing to take should you price your home?  This is the most important part of selling a home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  It is no secret that this is not the best market for your home to sell: the average home sits on the market for over 200 days – many times because it’s priced too high.  This doesn’t mean you need to give your home away.  We are going to do the detailed research to show you how to price it so you can sell your home and get the most the current market will bear.  We will be honest and upfront with pricing, and give you the facts, to make a smart decision on pricing.
  4. SMART Innovations – What can YOU offer that NO ONE else can?
    What are some creative ideas that work in your home?  What can you offer that no one else can?  We will identify these and use them to sell your home in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
  5. SMART Negotiating – Let’s Make a Deal
    A home for sale that is marketed correctly, shines at the showing, and is priced competitively will receive an offer from the prospective buyer.  The Kai Degner Homes Team helps evaluate the many different components of the offer: price, closing date, financing contingency, home inspection contingency, personal property requested, and more.  Negotiations and communication will continue through closing.
  6. BONUS Strategy – The Kline May Realty Company of Real Estate Agents
    The Kai Degner Homes Team is proud to be part of Kline May Realty, the highest producing real estate brokerage in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  No other brokerage in the area sells more residential real estate than Kline May Realty (contact us for evidence of that claim – we’re happy to provide it).  Our agents work together extremely well, and assist each other in helping home buyers and sellers meet their goals.

If you need to sell a home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County, give the Kai Degner Homes Team an opportunity to earn your business. We only get paid when we sell your home, and we put your interests first.

We know you have many options for real estate agents to sell your home, so we are prepared to give a full presentation of how we would prepare, market, price, and position your home so you have the best chance to meet your goals.

Contact us today - call (540) 442-0316, email Kai.Degner@KlineMay.com, or use this simple form.  Let’s start a conversation about how to sell your home in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County.

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Filed Under: For Sellers

#55: Attend Green Jobs for the Shenandoah Valley Panel

June 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

“Green jobs” is a broad term and can mean many things – but we know they are desirable and valuable for our region.  Here is a great opportunity to learn about economic development efforts in the Shenandoah Valley region, especially in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  I’ll be at the Harrisonburg City Council meeting at the time and thus won’t be able to attend, so I hope someone can take good notes for me!

June, 2011: Green Jobs Panel Discussion

When: Tuesday, June 14th, 7:00 PM
Where: Clementine Cafe, Harrisonburg

Join us to learn more about current opportunities for green jobs, education and training opportunities, and what each of us can do to encourage our state and local representatives to make green jobs a priority.

Green Jobs for the Valley panel participants include Erik Curren, advocate and marketer for green  industry in the valley; Sharon Johnson, Director of Regional Workforce  Development for the Shenandoah Valley, and Ivy Main, specialist on renewable energy with the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.

About the Panelists:
Erik Curren publishes Transition Voice (http://transitionvoice.com), an international online magazine about peak oil, climate change and the transition to a clean energy economy. He is also co-founder of Transition Staunton Augusta, a citizens group dedicated to helping the central Shenandoah Valley become more self-sufficient in the goods and services we use every day through local food and other pillars of a strong local economy. Erik ran as the Democratic candidate for the 20th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009 on a platform of green jobs and creating a Green Enterprise Zone in the Shenandoah Valley. He runs the Curren Media Group (http://currengroup.com), a green marketing agency that represents the installer of the largest solar array in the state (located at EMU in Harrisonburg) and a variety of local small businesses.

Sharon Johnson is Director, Regional Workforce Development for the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board, Inc. and Director for the Shenandoah Valley Energy Partnership (SVEP) initiative funded by a $5 million grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor. She has more than 20 years experience in corporate training, workforce development planning, consulting and project management working with the public workforce system, economic development, and the community college system.

Ivy Main has been an advocate of offshore wind energy with the Sierra Club since 2007. She was the lead author of the Sierra Club’s guidance for the siting of offshore renewable energy and transmission projects, published October 2010, and has produced videos and presentations about offshore wind that are used to educate east coast activists and the public. She currently serves as the Virginia Chapter’s Renewable Energy Chair as well as its Vice Chair and Legislative Chair and is active in lobbying for policies to support the development of offshore wind in Virginia. Ivy is a lawyer and a freelance writer and editor. Her background includes work as an attorney in private practice and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and five years as a newspaper columnist. She received her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and her JD from Boston College.

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Filed Under: 365 Things To Do in the Shenandoah Valley, Announcements, Green Living and Design

Up, Down, and Around the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Real Estate Market

June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The graphic shows how many residential properties have sold in the HRAR MLS so far in 2011. Overall, the market is slightly down when compared to last year, due at least in part to home buyers tax credit available in 2010.

The Kline May Realty Market Harrisonburg-Rockingham Real Estate Market Report is published for the period ending May 31, 2011.  Let’s take a look at what’s going on.

Residential sales figures for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of REALTORS Multiple Listing Service (HRAR MLS) in May declined slightly from April, but Buyer activity (property showings and new contracts) remains steady. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Featured Post, Housing Market Analysis, Real Estate Tips & Info
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