Homes For Sale Charlottesville VA: October 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

Everything You Need to Handle Your Move Yourself

Performing a residential move by yourself is a formidable task that requires careful planning, a resourceful approach and proper preparation.

The rich experience of professional movers allows them to handle the relocation process quickly and efficiently, but if you decide to do without their services, you'd better come up with a good moving strategy, allow yourself enough time, maintain your focus and get hold of all the essentials for your moving endeavor.

Moving boxes

Convenient, practical and affordable, moving boxes provide the most efficient method for shipping household items. For a successful DIY move, you will need plenty of clean and sturdy packing boxes of assorted sizes.

You can order brand new ones online, or purchase them from local moving companies, but it is also possible to get empty boxes in good condition for free from local businesses or friends, colleagues or neighbors who have recently moved.

Cushioning and wrapping materials

To prevent damage to your possessions during transportation, you need to avoid shifting inside the boxes, and be sure to seal them properly. Make sure you have plenty of adequate packing materials, such as bubble wrap, packing paper, cushioning foam and packing peanuts.

A dolly or hand cart

Having a dolly is of paramount importance when moving by yourself. An upright utility dolly with two wheels allows you to stack and move multiple boxes at once, while a furniture dolly with a large flat base and four wheels is very convenient for moving bulky furniture and large appliances.

Furniture pads

To pack larger household items, such as furniture and appliances, you’ll need plastic wrap and furniture pads. Wrap the entire piece, paying special attention to the corners and the protruding parts, such as legs or handles, and use lots of packing tape to hold the wrapping in place.

Furniture pads also provide a reliable and easy method of sliding large and heavy items without scraping and denting the floors. Bulky and awkwardly-shaped furniture and appliances cannot be just lifted and carried around, so pads will be of unparalleled assistance.

Moving straps and ropes

When it comes to carrying heavy pieces, moving straps are key. They can also be used to secure items to a dolly, and hold them in place inside the moving truck.

Hand tools

Various small tools will be your best friends during the moving process. You’ll need them for disassembling furniture pieces, removing doors from the hinges, measuring the available space and the dimensions of your belongings, cutting, sealing, repackaging, and securing items.

Make sure you have a pair of scissors, a box cutter or a razor blade, screwdrivers, a hammer and a wrench, and a measuring tape.

Personal protection gear and property protection materials

On moving day you will need maximum protection and flexibility, so opt for:

Comfortable clothes made of breathable and flexible materials according to the current climate conditions.
Sturdy shoes with anti-slip soles.
Work gloves, which will provide a better grip, as well as protection for your hands.

Don't forget that you need to prevent damage to your property to be able to get your security deposit back (if you are moving out of a rented home) or to sell your place under favorable condition.

Use plywood sheets, carpet film protectors (or large cardboard pieces and old fabrics taped securely together), corner guards and foam padding to keep your old property intact. Some cleaning supplies will also be necessary to ensure the good condition of the home you are leaving.

A good moving strategy

Organizational skills, a focused approach and flexibility are as crucial for a successful DIY move as the right tools, reliable moving equipment and adequate packing supplies. So, make sure you have:

Enough time. Start the moving preparations as early as possible.
A good plan. Create a moving calendar that includes all the relocation-related tasks you need to take care of (according to their priority and chronological order), and determine the time frame for their completion.
A detailed inventory. Sort out your possessions, sell or donate the ones you will no longer need, and make a detailed inventory list of everything you are going to take with you.
The right attitude. Remain focused and keep your sense of humor throughout the entire moving process. Avoid hasty decisions and hectic actions, and don't allow stress to build up and ruin your moving experience.

Helping hands

The assistance of family and friends is essential for a successful self-move. It is simply impossible to plan and organize all the aspects of the moving process, sort out and pack all your belongings, and lift and carry all your household items to and from the moving vehicle all by yourself.

Ask your reliable friends for help, provide some snacks and drinks, and use the opportunity to spend some fun moments together.

Means of transportation

Last but not least, however perfect your preparations may be, you just cannot move house without a moving vehicle. You will need to rent an appropriate-sized moving truck to transport all your household items to your new home.

Don't forget that in addition to the rent, you will have to pay for the fuel, vehicle insurance, road tolls and parking fees.

All the above essentials will make your DIY move easier and safer. Good luck!

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/handle-your-move-yourself-185879/
via Reveeo

Thursday, October 29, 2015

10 Gothic Homes Worthy of an Addams Family

With a cup of tea in hand and her pinky finger alert, Morticia Addams would doubtless approve of these Gothic and Gothic Revival homes that — like her — are romantic, but with a spooky edge.

Charleston, SC

13 Johnson Rd, Charleston, SC

For Sale: $5.9 million

It’s easy to picture Tish snipping roses on the grounds of this lakefront estate. Built in 2007, its Gothic features meld with modern luxuries such as an outdoor kitchen by the pool, an airy home gym and a spa-like master bath with heated floors and towel-warming drawers.

Check out more listings in Charleston.

Great Neck, NY

Pond Rd, Great Neck, NY

For Sale: $100 million

What better place to knit like an Addams while contemplating all things creepy and crawly than a gated, eight-acre estate with views of Manhattan? The compound includes 60,000 square feet of Gothic Revival living space, including 35 bathrooms.

See more homes for sale in Great Neck.

New York, NY

45 Tudor City Pl APT 1818, New York, NY

For Sale: $610,000

Built in 1927, this New York City co-op is an example of urban Gothic Revival style, right down to the arched windows and doorways in its lobby.

View more homes on the market in Manhattan.

Oak Grove, VA

6073 Leedstown Rd, Route 638, Oak Grove, VA

For Sale: $1.595 million

Billed in the listing as “the finest example of Gothic Revival Architecture in all of Virginia,” this 1840 home boasts marble and heart pine floors, 13-foot ceilings and an expanse of 112 acres.

Check out more listings in the Oak Grove area.

Hot Springs, AR

868 Quapaw Ave, Hot Springs, AR

For Sale: $379,900

Nothing says Gothic Revival like a parlor with high ceilings, ornate trim and a wide, arched doorway. This 1889 home from the height of the Victorian era is listed on the National Historic Register.

See what else is on the market in Hot Springs.

Newburgh, IN

619 E Jennings St, Newburgh, IN

For Sale: $1,399,900

Uncle Fester and Lurch could knock around in this 6,312-square-foot Gothic Revival home without bothering a soul. Overlooking the Ohio River, it’s a vision in white, inside and out.

Check out more listings in Newburgh.

Mount Pleasant, SC

196 Hibben St, Mt Pleasant, SC

For Sale: $2.4 million

Converted from a church to a home in 2005, this property still has a bell hanging above a vestibule. Its soaring ceilings and exposed trusses bring a light, airy touch to its “gleaming antique heart.”

View more properties for sale in Mount Pleasant.

Copemish, MI

18361 Viaduct Rd, Copemish, MI

For Sale: $350,000

Less imposing than some Gothic Revival properties, this home has a gingerbread look with all sorts of nooks and crannies inside. It dates to 1872, with additions built in 1911, 1942, 1997 and 2001.

See other listings in Copemish.

Elm Grove, WI

14115 Juneau Blvd, Elm Grove, WI

For Sale: $2.99 million

Bubble, bubble: Here’s the arched kitchen of a grand Gothic Revival mansion spanning more than 10,000 square feet with hand-carved limestone, wrought iron and other features suited to a 13th-century French Gothic manor.

Check out more homes for sale in Elm Grove.

Idaho Falls, ID

13576 N 105 E, Idaho Falls, ID

For Sale: $575,000

With a tower to rival the “real” Addams Family home, this property was a church built from stone slabs from a local creek in 1909. It has tall, arched windows, cathedral ceilings and gorgeous views from the belfry.

View more homes for sale in Idaho Falls.

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/10-gothic-homes-186078/
via Reveeo

10 Houseplants You Can't Kill

A home packed with healthy houseplants says a lot about the person who lives there. They’re nurturing, knowledgeable, responsible.

Or maybe they just know how to pick plants that can thrive without a lot of attention.

If you’re looking for low-key houseplants, this list is for you. These 10 varieties will fill your home with green - even if your thumb isn’t.

Aspidistra

It withstood Victorian England's coal soot, cold drafts and depressing lack of light, so surely “cast iron plant” can survive in your home.

Bromeliad flowers come in a range of colors to create visual interest.

It's cold-tolerant enough to grow in the Lower South, handles the deepest shade of your home - well, almost - and survives for long periods without water. It has strappy leaves of glossy deep green, but if that sounds boring, keep an eye out for unusual variegated varieties.

Bromeliads

If you never know when to water your houseplants, bromeliads are for you. Their tightly overlapping leaves form a cup, and all you have to do is keep it filled with water. Just let a little dribble over the sides of the plant to wet the potting mix.

Unlike many of the bloomless houseplants on this list, bromeliads have enough different flower types and colors to make your head spin. The leathery leaves themselves are often just as interesting, with all sorts of colors and patterns. Most do best in bright, indirect light.

Fiddle leaf fig

Rubber ficus is way overused, and weeping ficus (also overused) sheds leaves at the drop of a hat.

Fiddle leaf fig, on the other hand, is just as tough as the rest, but has large, friendly bright green leaves in the shape of a guitar or fiddle.

They can grow quite tall, but respond well to pruning. I often go over a month without watering mine because it takes that long to start looking thirsty.

Haworthia

Haworthia is a great option for gardeners who like lots of variety in one plant.

Succulents are notoriously needy when it comes to sunlight, but this is not the case with Haworthia. These South-African succulents are a collector's dream, with multitudes of species and unusual forms, ranging from rosettes of narrow leaves with black-and-white zebra stripes to clear and fleshy leaves that look like something between translucent gems and bubbles.

Parlor palm

If it's a tropical look you're after, you could do no better than the parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) and its glossy, feathery fronds. The ones you'll find for sale are almost always seedlings, but given enough time and some bright, indirect light, they'll form narrow green trunks, insignificant flowers and bright red berries.

Although parlor palm is quite resilient, water deeply since they're sensitive to hard water buildup.

Pothos

You could call it a classic, or you could call it washed up. You could call their distinctive patterning of gold, green and cream something fancy like “marbling,” or you could call it radioactive throw-up. Both descriptions apply.

Killing golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) takes a considerable amount of overwatering or neglect. Trim it when it gets too lanky, and place the stems in a vase. When roots form, plant them in fresh potting mix for brand new houseplants.

Rhipsalis

Picture a cactus: Prickly, lives in a desert - pretty predictable. But when you see a mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis species), with its deep green and spineless stems hanging like angel's hair from the pot, you'd never ever think it was a cactus.

Not only does it look decidedly un-cactus-like, Rhipsalis grows on tree limbs in the rainforest. They can take more shade and survive on neglect, but still look a lot better with a little TLC.

Snake plant

Snake plant and ZZ plant coexist happily in a cheerful container.

Plain ol' variegated snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) has been a staple of doctors' offices since the middle of the last century, but now there are all sorts of variegated forms and interesting shapes to complement any modern decor.

Some are short and squat, and would be at home in the smallest of cubicles. Others are tall and pointy. All are very tolerant of drought and low light.

Yucca

Most yuccas are too spiky to be grown safely in close quarters with people, but soft-leaved Yucca (Yucca elephantipes) only looks spiky. It is, however, tough as nails. It's so hardcore that it survived the ownership of my sister, who watered it maybe once or twice over the course of a year. Yucca is a desert plant and prefers direct to bright indirect sunlight, though it can survive in less.

ZZ Plant

With a name like “ZZ Plant,” you know it just has to be cool. Like a cross between a succulent, a fern and a philodendron, ZZ plant (Zamioculcas) sports fleshy, shiny green fronds that like something out of the Cretaceous period.

Though a newcomer to the houseplant scene, it will last a very long time in the hands of a black-thumbed indoor gardener. I should know, since I keep forgetting I even have it.

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/10-houseplants-you-cant-kill-185910/
via Reveeo

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

House of the Week: Historic Lodge on Lake Superior

The luxury of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a grand, force-of-nature luxury, with skies that rival Montana’s and lakes as large as the sea.

It’s rugged territory, where the weather and the landscape collide in a great, tempestuous beauty.

No wonder, then, that an early 1900s New York financier with Michigan roots chose the shores of Lake Superior for a luxurious, sprawling lodge that remains one of the largest log structures in the country. It’s on the market for $40 million.

The 34,000-square-foot lodge is listed in the Register of Historic Places, as first reported by Mlive.com.

It boasts all the rooms a financier might require: 23 bedrooms, 13 baths, a game room, card room, media room, workout room, steam room, gym, wine cellar and breakfast solarium.

A salvaged shipwreck adorns the massive stone fireplace in the great room, and the current owner — legendary Chicago bond trader Tom Baldwin — has filled that and many other rooms with taxidermied animals.

He used to visit Granot Loma, as the estate is called, on weekends, but it’s been his family’s primary residence for the past decade, according to listing agent Bob Sullivan of Northern Michigan Land Brokers.

Like grand lodges in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, it was used for family and entertaining, he said. “People would come from the East Coast and stay there.”

And there was plenty of room.

The 5,000-acre property features 3.7 miles of Lake Superior shoreline, plus riverfront, a four-apartment guesthouse, servants’ quarters, a play house and a tennis court.

A farm on the estate features two additional homes, fields, an orchard, a poolhouse with an outdoor pool and a massive barn that once housed 200 cows.

There’s also a 4- or 5-acre island just offshore, and not included in the property’s official acreage.

“It’s like a bonus,” Sullivan said.

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/historic-lodge-on-lake-superior-185797/
via Reveeo

With Cubs on Upswing, Wrigleyville Teardown Lists for $9.8M

The Chicago Cubs have a special shine to them these days, and the longtime owner of a home near Wrigley Field hopes it rubs off on her property — the tune of $9.8 million.

“The seller strongly feels that this is the price,” said real estate agent Amy Duong Kim of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, who’s marketing the listing as about 536 feet from home plate.

It’s hard to find comparable prices, she explained, because most Wrigleyville properties with special zoning rights were sold long ago — and some went quite high. In 2011, the family that owns the Cubs paid $20 million for a nearby McDonald’s parking lot, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The seller, who’s lived in the home since the ’70s, has watched the country’s oldest ballfield after Boston’s Fenway Park become a venue for more night games and concerts, while the neighborhood around it morphs into an ever livelier entertainment scene with plans for a hotel, open-air plaza and street fair next to the ballfield.

She’s listed the home before, including in 2012 for $9.9 million, Kim said.

Hat tip to Curbed Chicago for finding the listing.

Photos by Kristen Norman

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/wrigleyville-teardown-186055/
via Reveeo

It's a Catio, Daddio! A Video Tour by the Feline Himself

It’s hard to underestimate a cat’s love of the outdoors — or the risk of letting felines roam freely.

They can be hit by cars, trapped in garages and just plain lost. Then there are the birds they kill (although windows also do major damage to bird populations).

Forward-thinking cat owners have devised a solution: the catio.

Little perch2

Basically, catios are screened-in porches glorified with stairs, shelves, cushions and scratching posts — as well as sturdy walls, roofs and floors to keep cats in and other critters out. Catios come in all shapes and sizes and can be homemade, custom made or ordered online, with prices ranging from $500 to $5,000.

From these enclosed perches, cats can mock-chirp at birds and squirrels all the livelong day without anyone coming to harm.

They can also bask in the sun, as Little Lord Fauntleroy demonstrates in his Seattle catio:

Little’s catio, which he shares with four other cats, was featured on a Catio Tour earlier this year. His human mama, Jennifer Hillman, jokes that she sometimes feels like a pestering mom to her feline family: “Go on out; it’s beautiful out!”

Jean White of Bellevue, WA, spent about $1,200 on a catio for her cats.

“It may sound pricey, but a vet bill is way more,” said White, who lives near a bus route and in an area where there are coyotes and raccoons. Like most catios, hers is connected to the house by cat doors.

At first, one of her cats didn’t get the concept and thought her Siamese friend was disappearing into a curtain.

Once it clicked, the two began chasing each other in a loop through the catio and White’s home, a tradition that continues — when they’re not napping.

Video and photos by Erik Hecht

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/catios-177480/
via Reveeo

Fall's Best Gothic Design Elements

Gothic design brings to mind giant gargoyles and towering wrought-iron gates guarding a spooky graveyard. While these elements add a chilling look to creepy movies and Halloween festivities, they can also bring subtle drama to your home.

Here are four favorite Gothic design elements perfect for imparting welcome mystique to your home this fall.

Maintain mystery with dark colors

Dark, rich colors are at the heart of Gothic design. Black and charcoal contrast gorgeously with beige and some shades of brown for a mysterious, medieval look.

To add a bit of Gothic style to your home, replace your light, summery shades of white with warm charcoal hues for depth and ambiance.

Courtesy of Zillow Digs.

Give it a Gothic shape

Arches are a key Gothic design element, and they can be placed anywhere throughout the home. From entryways to door frames, arches lend a romantic touch to any interior style.

If your home features an arched entryway, complement it with a contemporary light fixture and minimal decor to keep the focus on the enchanting Gothic motif.

If you want the Gothic look but don’t have an arch and can’t alter your home’s architectural features, consider introducing smaller-scale arches in your fireplace grate, a room divider, or a picture frame.

Courtesy of Zillow Digs.

Make it about mood lighting

One distinct Gothic design feature is moody ambiance produced by using abundant candles, pendant lights, chandeliers, and other lighting fixtures.

Mixing candelabras of different shapes, sizes, and finishes adds a glamorous glow to any room. Juxtaposing a piece of contemporary abstract art with a gothic chandelier lends a transitional vibe if your style is more modern.

Courtesy of Zillow Digs.

Finish with decor

One of the most fun aspects of Gothic design is its unique decor. If you've taken tips from above you can start tying it all together with simple Gothic motifs like faux taxidermy, glass jars, apothecary tables, and other dark, glamorous pieces.

Try a dark charcoal accent wall featuring a stark white mounted deer head, or a patinaed apothecary table with glass jars and candelabras scattered across its surface.

craftsman-home-office-with-clerestory-windows-i_g-ISd838ndjj5urt0000000000-RYk3_

Courtesy of Zillow Digs.

With fall in full swing, there isn't a better time to consider adding Gothic design elements to your home. Start with dark colors and textures, add in a few arches where appropriate, sprinkle in moody light fixtures, and finish with delightful decor for a Gothic sanctuary of your very own.

Related:

from Zillow Blog - Real Estate Market Stats, Celebrity Real Estate, and Zillow News http://www.zillow.com/blog/falls-best-gothic-design-elements-185770/
via Reveeo

2015 Zillow Digs Design Awards: National Competition

Interior designers and builders across the U.S. entered their best design projects for your vote. During the month of August, Zillow Digs users selected their favorite designs from hundreds of submissions. Images with the most digs advanced to regional votes in the South, West, Northeast and Midwest.

Now, the five top designs from each region compete head-to-head for the national title of the best design in the 2015 Zillow Digs Design Awards.

Scroll through and select your favorite kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom and patio designs. As if money were no object, ponder your dream home and go with the style that moves you most. Will America’s favorites align with your picks?

Revisit on November 4 to discover the most desired designs of the year.

Kitchen