Richmond Home Shopper

Get Represented When Buying A New Home From A Builder!

Even in a down real estate market there is no shortage of NEW homes being built and marketed by builders.  Many new home developments in the Richmond area have information or sales centers.  Be cautious when visiting as the builder’s sales agents are paid to represent the builder, regardless of what they may tell you. Due to the high volume nature of new home sales, usually builder’s agents are paid less than a traditional commission; some earn a salary plus incentives, so closing a high volume of deals is important to their livelihood. They are negotiating for the builder, not you and you could lose out on incentives, discounts and upgrades if you go it alone.

Hire a Buyer’s Agent to represent you before you visit an information/sales center.  Sometimes once you visit a development without an agent builders will not let you have representation at a later date.  Your Buyer’s Agent will be paid by the builder a set commission so having representation will not cost you more, you will only save through having your interests represented.

Skye Bruce Properties has new construction experts on staff to help you through the new construction process for any home in the Central Virginia area. Your Skye Bruce Properties REALTOR will represent you, be your fiduciary and will highlight the positives as well as the negatives about the transaction.  Builder’s agents don’t discuss drawbacks. Thinking of buying a new home from a builder?  Contact Skye Bruce Properties first!

Richmond Parade of Homes Information

The 2009 Richmond Parade of Homes kicked off yesterday and runs through October 18th. You may tour 71 new homes throughout the Greater Richmond and Tri-City areas priced from $170,000 to over $1.5 million. The event is put on by the Home Builder Association of Richmond.  Here is a link to the Association’s helpful website which you can use as a tool for selecting homes to tour and planning your route.

If you are considering buying a new home in the Richmond area make sure you have Buyer representation in the process it can save you thousands!  Read the rest of this entry »

New Willow Lawn Area Development

Remember the cool, retro style motel in the movie FORCES OF NATURE starring Ben Affleck and Sandra Bulluck.  That was none other than the old Executive Motor Inn on Broad Street near Willow Lawn.  Today the old hotel/motel is closed, fenced in and looking ready for demolition.  The Henrico County Planning Commission recommended approval to demolish the structure to pave the way for a mixed use of residential, office and retail space.

As development moves farther and farther west on Broad Street to Short Pump and beyond it’s great to see revitalization “back east” on Broad.  The Willow Lawn area was certainly a Short Pump type area in the 60’s and 70’s and today it remains a vibrant and prime location.  A block over in the 5200 block of Monument Ave, a new luxury condo/townhome development called Monument Square is being built where just a few years ago stood old, blighted apartments.

Interested in learning more about new developments around the Richmond area?  Skye Bruce Properties has a team of experts in helping home buyers locate the best new developments and communities.  Contact Skye Bruce Properties today!

Taking Advantage of the Housing Crisis: New Construction

The economic downturn has already caused Richmond area home prices to drop.  Home builders are feeling the pain as well and in some cases they are desperate to turn their inventory of new homes into cash.

How can potential new home buyers turn this to their advantage? Read the rest of this entry »

MILLER and RHOADS Alive Again!

What a refreshing news story in the Monday business section of the Richmond Times Dispatch! The story outlined the new hotel and condo project in the old MILLER & RHOADS Department Store building.  Of late it seems like most stories of businesses, real estate, etc. are full of doom and gloom, but this story made me feel good.  As a native Richmonder it was always a little sad to drive past the closed MILLER & RHOADS Department Store.  Like many Richmonders the store took me back to my childhood with very fond memories of visiting Santa, having lunch in the Tea Room and experiencing “Downtown”.  I am really looking forward to checking out the “New MILLER & RHODES”! Read the rest of this entry »

Local Green Builder, IN THE NEWS!!!

SCANDIA USA, a local Richmond based “Green” home builder was recently profiled in the Richmond Times Dispatch.  “Green” Building is the responsible approach to design and construction which considers the entire lifecycle of a structure. This sustainable approach maximizes energy and resource efficiency, while minimizing the negative effects on the environment and the people who live or work in the building.

Richmond Times Dispatch Article Published 12/28/07:

GREEN BUILDING, BY: DOUG CHILDERS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT A decade ago, Roger Petersen shifted his Scandia USA Inc. home construction business into green building on a hunch that it was the wave of the future. Petersen’s hunch is paying off. MORE…

Skye Bruce Properties chosen to represent Scandia USA Homes at Rocketts Landing

Skye Bruce Properties has been chosen to represent Scandia USA builders for their new Rocketts Landing town-homes. These luxury, energy efficient, green built town-homes offer incredible custom features such as granite counter tops, four piece crown molding, Kountry Kraft handmade cabinets, advance security systems, plus much more! Read the rest of this entry »

September New Home Sales Up

Nationwide sales of newly constructed homes rose in September, but the median selling price dropped.The September report from the US Census Bureau finds new home sales were up 2.7 percent from Aug. to an annualized rate of 464,000. Sales are down 33 percent from September 2007, and far below the pace during the boom years. Read the rest of this entry »

New Homes at New Kent Vinyards!

Exciting news in New Kent County!  Ryan Homes, the largest builder of new homes in Virginia has begun construction in The Arbors at New Kent Vineyards. Homes are slated to start around $270,000, be between 2000 and 5000 square feet and have up to six bedrooms. Read the rest of this entry »

Introducing New Kent Vineyards and Viniterra Golf and Country Club

The roads are in, wine is being made at the Vineyard, the golf course is scheduled to open in 2009 and new homes are on the way at New Kent Vineyards. This unique community just off Interstate 64, about 20 minutes east of downtown Richmond will include a winery, an Inn, an equestrian center and polo field, an 18-hole golf course, 1900 homesites including 300 Estate Homes, 100 Resort Cottages and a Village Center, all surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. Read the rest of this entry »