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It isn’t often you to participate in the retirement celebration for an American President. This weekend, October 3rd, you can! Poplar Forest will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s retirement and his return to Virginia. The Richmond Symphony will be entertaining on the beautiful lawn of Poplar Forest, Jefferson’s secluded retreat. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door, they also include a catered reception on the lawns of the retreat.
Jefferson retired from public life in 1809. He returned to what is now the town of Forest in Bedford County VA. The home at Poplar Forest was one of his greatest designs, but unknown to many outside the area. The home itself is described as such: “Poplar Forest is considered Jefferson’s most mature architectural masterpiece. At Poplar Forest, elements from ancient, Renaissance Palladian and 18th century French architecture, as well as British and Virginian design, fuse into a harmonious whole.” It has also been designated a National Historic Landmark.
This weekend also offers a chance to visit with “Jefferson” himself. Bill Barker of Colonial Williamsburg will visit with guests as late president! Mr. Barker has portrayed Jefferson for the last 20 years. He has even portrayed him at the Palace of Versailles and the White House. It isn’t often you can spend the afternoon with Thomas Jefferson and the Richmond Symphony!
Franklin County and Bedford County VA are full of great opportunities! In an area rich with history and natural beauty, there is much to see and do! Come for a visit, if you like it, then move here! If you are interested in relocating to the area, call Vicki Millehan! She can help you find your own Virginia retreat!

For many people, buying a home after retirement is not on the agenda. But with the final days of the tax credit upon us, it may be time to take a second look at purchasing a home. In the boom days of the real estate market, many couples who were retiring decided to sell their homes at top prices. But, instead of buying, they chose to rent or maybe even spend time travelling. Well, now maybe a perfect time to become a first time home buyer… again!

If you have not owned a principal property in the last three years, you may qualify for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) $8000 Tax credit for first time home buyers. Time is quickly coming to a close on the program that is scheduled to end on December 1st. That means if you are considering buying a home you must close no later than November 30th. First time home buyer can qualify for a tax credit of 10% of the purchase price. The maximum credit is $8000. You can find more information in the previous blog, Attention First Time Home Buyers in Franklin and Bedford County, VA! This is good news for retirees that may be ready to purchase a home again!

Smith Mountain Lake is a wonderful place to retire! There are many different types of communities and homes to choose from. With award winning golf courses to beautiful wineries, Franklin and Bedford County in Virginia are wonderful places to call home. If you are looking for an income producing property , there is even a winery for sale with a great family home on site. With the tax credit incentive; the time is perfect to purchase a retirement home now! Home prices are still low, but are starting to rise. In order to qualify for the ARRA, you should begin the contract process no later than October 15th! There is still time to find that perfect home!

Golfing, fishing, hiking and boating are all wonderful ways to spend your golden years! Franklin County and Bedford County offer all of that and more! If you want to see what kind of home can meet your retirement needs call Vicki Millehan! She has lived in Smith Mountain Lake for over 20 years and has been lake properties for over 18 years! Come for a visit, if you like it- move here!!

Golfing, fishing, hiking and boating are all wonderful ways to spend your golden years! Franklin County and Bedford County offer all of that and more! If you want to see what kind of home can meet your retirement needs call Vicki Millehan! She has lived in Smith Mountain Lake for over 20 years and has been lake properties for over 18 years! Come for a visit, if you like it- move here!!

Dear Water’s Edge Member,

I would like to thank you for your patience during the past couple of months with the condition of various greens. As you may be aware, we have struggled with a new disease called “Take-all Patch,” which attacks the root system of new greens. We have worked closely with Virginia Tech over the summer to correct the problems and we are seeing many improvements. The last couple of weeks have been ideal growing conditions and the weaker greens are recovering nicely.

During the course renovation there was much debate as to the type of fairway greens we should use. Currently, we have a mix of Bluegrass and Rye in the fairways along with some Bent. We chose to move forward with Bluegrass because of its playability and the color it provides year-round; however, we have not seen the results we were looking for with the new Bluegrass.

After much consultation and close guidance from Virginia Tech, we are making a change in the fairway grasses. This does not mean we will be closing the course, but we will be interseeding all fairways with “Memorial” Bentgrass, This is a creeping Bentgrass that is one of the top rated fairway grasses on the market. This means fairways will be able to be cut at lower heights and provide a pristine playing surface. In addition, we should be able to keep fairways drier throughout the year giving the ball more roll for distance.

Interseeding with the “Memorial” Bentgrass will begin next week in all fairways. It is important during the germination process and grow-in that we reduce impacts to allow for growth. Carts will be restricted to cart path and roughs only through at least the end of October.

We are excited about this change and are confident that you will see the benefits as the Bentgrass takes over in our fairways. The transition to the Bentgrass will take several years to occur but will offer a playing surface second to none.

Thank you for your continued confidence and please bear with us during this transition.

Ronald L. Willard
President
Willard Construction of Roanoke Valley, Inc.

Dear Water’s Edge Member,

I would like to thank you for your patience during the past couple of months with the condition of various greens. As you may be aware, we have struggled with a new disease called “Take-all Patch,” which attacks the root system of new greens. We have worked closely with Virginia Tech over the summer to correct the problems and we are seeing many improvements. The last couple of weeks have been ideal growing conditions and the weaker greens are recovering nicely.

During the course renovation there was much debate as to the type of fairway greens we should use. Currently, we have a mix of Bluegrass and Rye in the fairways along with some Bent. We chose to move forward with Bluegrass because of its playability and the color it provides year-round; however, we have not seen the results we were looking for with the new Bluegrass.

After much consultation and close guidance from Virginia Tech, we are making a change in the fairway grasses. This does not mean we will be closing the course, but we will be interseeding all fairways with “Memorial” Bentgrass, This is a creeping Bentgrass that is one of the top rated fairway grasses on the market. This means fairways will be able to be cut at lower heights and provide a pristine playing surface. In addition, we should be able to keep fairways drier throughout the year giving the ball more roll for distance.

Interseeding with the “Memorial” Bentgrass will begin next week in all fairways. It is important during the germination process and grow-in that we reduce impacts to allow for growth. Carts will be restricted to cart path and roughs only through at least the end of October.

We are excited about this change and are confident that you will see the benefits as the Bentgrass takes over in our fairways. The transition to the Bentgrass will take several years to occur but will offer a playing surface second to none.

Thank you for your continued confidence and please bear with us during this transition.

Ronald L. Willard
President
Willard Construction of Roanoke Valley, Inc.

D-Day Memorial. Tours will be offered throughout the day. If you just want to take the long weekend to enjoy the great outdoors, you may want to check out the presentation at the James River Visitor Center. You can also visit the demonstration at Peaks of Otter Winery on cultural history of the Southern Appalachians. From soap making to woodworking, there is something for everyone!

buying your own winery, there is something for everyone. So come visit and if you like it MOVE HERE! If you want to take a look at the Savoy-Lee Winery take the Virtual Tour! The price has just been reduced to make a great opportunity even better! For information, please contact Vickie Millehan at (540) 520-2401 or by emailing her for more details.

I am pleased to report that I have it on good authority that appraised values of homes on Smith Mtn Lake are coming in higher than expected.

There have been numerous appraisals (from various appraisal firms) recently completed for purchases and refinancing. Homes that were purchased in 2008 are now being refinanced because of 15 year rates in the 4.25% range and 30 year fixed in the 4.75% range. These appraisals are coming in HIGHER than their purchase prices of 2008.

In addition, underwriting of these appraisals is more strict than ever. Underwriters are taking a hard look at comparables sales. Even with the more strict underwriting of appraisals these loans are closing and interest rates are so low, it’s (almost) like borrowing free money.

Smith Mountain Lake – Abundance In Every Way

From farmland to recreational paradise. the Smith Mountain Lake region in Virginia is some of the most beautifully transformed land/water areas in the country. If you’ve been to Virginia, you know the state is among the picturesque of the national treasures. Amidst all the mountainous countryside there lies a three-county community in Southwest Virginia surrounding Smith Mountain. It is located just southeast of Roanoke, Virginia and southwest of Lynchburg, Virginia.

According to Linda Nardin with the Chamber of Commerce, with the building of Smith Mountain Lake Dam, created with the waters of the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers, operational “full pond” status was reached on March 5, 1966. What resulted was a gorgeous 40-mile long lake with 500 miles of shoreline touching the shores of Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania Counties.

Originally built as a hydroelectric power project by Appalachian Power Company. the lake’s abundance of recreational amenities wasn’t initially imagined. Many residents living there when the lake was formed look back at the modest land prices in the early years – several hundred dollars per acre for lake frontage – and some sigh with regret at the immense financial opportunity lost. Today, those same building lots now can carry price tags of up to and surpassing $1 million.

The Chamber will tell you that the finest quality of life awaits those who relocate to Smith Mountain Lake, including incredible residential opportunities, a wide range of settings, a growing business community, and “small town” atmosphere. You’ll find it’s close proximity to metropolitan areas is just one of the characteristics that attract young professionals, growing families and retirees to the area.

Find your choice of lake front town homes, condo communities, a single family home with great lake views, a quiet vacation retreat, a mountaintop country home, or even a piece of rich farmland. The lake is surrounded by green mountains, rolling farmland, neighborhood communities, or almost anything you desire in location.

It’s no mystery why the lake has become a full-time home for many. Quite simply, there aren’t many places offering a setting that combines spectacular mountains as backdrop to a beautiful lake. Add a genuinely friendly atmosphere and a moderate climate to this mix. Mingle in the ever-growing selection of restaurants, retail centers, art galleries, active civic organizations and it all adds up to an unprecedented quality of life.

Today Smith Mountain Lake is far more than a source of clean hydro-electric power. The region has surpassed its image as a summer vacation spot. It has grown into a solid year-round economic center with a great growth potential still to be explored. That certainly makes it a great place to live, and a great place to work and raise a family as well.

Natural beauty is one part of Smith Mountain Lake’s attractiveness. Each season unfolds with breathtaking natural beauty unique to the area. A sprinkling of snow each winter evokes a festive Holiday spirit. Spring comes early and provides a blaze of brilliant azaleas, roadside daffodil fields, carpets of phlox and mountainsides colored with white dogwoods and red bud trees.

If you are a warm weather enthusiast, summers at Smith Mountain Lake are extraordinary with immense lakeside forests standing tall along the mountainside. The atmosphere is casual and the lifestyle inviting. Those who enjoy outdoor sports such as golf and fishing will be impressed with what they find. There are five excellent 18-hole golf courses at the lake.

Lake dwellers will tell you that nothing compares to gorgeous fall foliage at Smith Mountain Lake. Other amenities include the great fishing, which is unsurpassed in any season. Casual casters have found recreational fun with countless families capturing lifelong memories of “the big ones” caught in friendly waters.

Smith Mountain Lake also attracts professional anglers who are at the top of their game. Competitions, such as CITGO Bassmaster and the ESPN Elite, provide exciting world-class challenges for those who earn the right to compete here.

The area offers much more than natural charm. The communities surrounding Smith Mountain Lake are alive with nearly 80 civic organizations providing innumerable activities year-round. Music lovers delight in the quality of concerts provided by the Roanoke Symphony, blue grass festivals, folk, contemporary, rhythm & blues and jazz.

People flock to the lake for quality art, antiques, crafts and a wide range of shopping choices. Annual events include a business expo, national archery tournament, aquatic poker run, triathlon, fireworks displays, antique boat show, wine festival, home tour, chili festival and a spectacular winter boat parade.

The economy appears to be doing very well around the region. In fact, Vicki Gardner, the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce recently summed up the stability of Smith Mountain Lake with these words to members, “We’ve officially turned the half-way mark and are headed to 2009. As with each of you and your businesses, the SML Chamber is adopting and adapting to the foretold changes in our economy. All indications show that our area is weathering the ‘economic storm’ better than many regions across the country. While some businesses are struggling, many report ‘better than expected’ revenue over the past few months. Boosting the local economy with the SML Chamber’s ad campaign has been the staff and board’s central focus.”

Those are encouraging words to hear, particularly if you are looking for a new home to retire or relocate in the the area.

For more information about the Smith Mountain Lake region, history, businesses, lodging, dining and much more, go to the SML Chamber of Commerce website: wwww.visitsmithmountainlake.com or call 800-676-8203.

This article was published in the November/December issue of Great Places to Live Magazine.
www.greatplacestolivemagazine.com

J.D. Power and Associates Ranks Prudential Real Estate
Highest in Satisfaction Among Home Sellers

Prudential Real Estate is ranked “Highest in Satisfaction for Home Sellers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms,” in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 Home Buyer/Seller Study SM.

The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction of home buyers and sellers with major national real estate companies and includes 3,670 evaluations from 3,205 respondents who bought or sold a home between April 2007 and June 2008.

Among home sellers, Prudential Real Estate achieved a score of 793 on a 1,000-point scale. “We are very proud of this distinction, as it underscores the quality of our affiliates and their hard-working sales professionals,” said Laurie Keenan, president of Prudential Real Estate. “This recognition is especially rewarding because it comes from a most discerning group: our customers. To be sure, our sales professionals are the local experts, and sellers appreciate their ability to market and price homes right.”