Posts from November 2019

While showing our clients the best Richmond homes for sale, many of our REALTORS® have gotten questions about HOAs.

An HOA – Homeowners Association – is an organization that oversees property maintenance and special amenities for a particular group of homes. HOAs can be established in an average neighborhood, but you will usually find them in planned communities and some apartments.

Before you move into an HOA home, you need to meet with a representative. That person will go over the guidelines contained in a document called the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions. This spells out what residents can and can't do.

Naturally, there are pros and cons to the decision to move forward:

Pros of an HOA

1. More Responsive Maintenance
   A significant portion of HOA fees goes back into the property, including all types of maintenance. Residents are not responsible for maintaining the grounds, usually get lawn care, and might even have certain repairs on their own homes performed at a discount or for free.
2. Better Home Amenities
   HOA neighborhoods tend to have "centerpiece amenities" to make them attractive to prospective residents. For example, they may have a pool, golf course, or clubhouse. All of these are maintained out of the general HOA fund and kept available for you to use.

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Between packing and loading the truck to transporting kids, pets, and belongings to a new home, moving can be stressful. Although most people breathe a big sigh of relief when they land in their new surroundings, getting settled can also be overwhelming. Our REALTORS® know that there's so much more to settling in than moving furniture and unpacking. Here are some tips on how to make the process run smoothly and get settled into your new place.

• Forward mail and transfer utilities.
  Before you move, fill out a change of address form on the USPS website and have the utilities transferred and turned on at your new home. This will help you avoid headaches such as walking into a dark house with no electricity or missing important mail. To change your address with your bank, credit card companies, and other financial institutions contact them directly.
  
  
• Check out your home's safety features.
  You have no idea how many keys were made, so it's vital to change the locks as soon as you move into your new home. Take a look around and locate the circuit breakers, fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and water and gas shutoff valves.
  
  

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Small Business Saturday is an excellent opportunity to find deals on holiday gifts at Richmond small businesses, and the big day is right around the corner. The event is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and this year Small Business Saturday will be on November 30th. Whether you're shopping for fashion, art, books, a personalized gift basket, or nearly anything else under the sun, you'll find it in Richmond. Our REALTORS® are ready to shop, and we've got the local scoop on where to go in Richmond for your local holiday shopping.

1. Mod & Soul – 323 West Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220
   Richmond homes for sale make it easy to visit so many amazing, local small businesses, and Mod & Soul is a great place to start for fashion lovers. Mod & Soul specializes in dresses, skirts, accessories, jewelry, gifts, and so much more. Visit anytime to take a look at the latest styles, and pick out something new for your wardrobe. Small Business Saturday is also a great chance to grab unique gifts from Mod & Soul.

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Whether you're looking to celebrate National Cappuccino Day or you treat every day like a holiday for your favorite drink, Richmond has excellent coffee shops. The coffee shops of Richmond are as diverse as the city itself, with a mix of small cafes, diners, breakfast shops, and simple coffee retailers that deliver fabulous flavors from around the world.

Our REALTORS® are ready for National Cappuccino Day, and we've got the details on 6 of the best spots to get your caffeine fix around Richmond.

• Black Hand Coffee Co. – 3101 Patterson Ave., Richmond, VA 23221
  With an incredible selection of coffee, cappuccinos, and more from around the world, Black Hand Coffee Co. is the perfect place to get your caffeine fix close to Richmond homes for sale. Locally owned and operated, Black Hand Coffee Co. imports its beans from farms across the world and uses them to create unique, flavorful blends.

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