New home construction was up 22% in February compared to January of this year. It is the first time housing starts have increased since June 2008, when they rose 11%. (source: US Commerce Department) Nearly one-quarter of first-time buyers are single females who purchased their first home on a median...
Author Archives: Lisa Oates
Comparing Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Schools
If you are considering relocating to the Harrisonburg area, and if you have children that are or will be attending public school, it is important to get the facts straight about our local schools. Here are some basic statistics and enrollment figures for our local high schools: Want to see...
Is It Time For Spring Planting Yet?
One of the first things I learned about the Harrisonburg area when I moved here in 2004 was that early Spring planting will likely turn out to be a waste of time and money. It is very important to wait for the last frost before planting your new Spring plants....
What Is Your Home’s Walk Score?
I just came across this awesome tool called WalkScore, which allows you to enter your address (or the address of a home you might be interested in purchasing) to find out that home’s Walk Score. It maps out different places near the address you input and tells you how far...
What You Get In Harrisonburg for $500,000
Sometimes I’ll watch that show on HGTV about what you can get in a home for different price points around the country. It is quite interesting, and I always think to myself that we have it pretty good here in the Shenandoah Valley. So to prove that you get a...
$75 Billion Housing Plan: President Obama’s Foreclosure Speech
Today, President Obama gave a speech about his $75 Billion Housing Plan in Mesa, Arizona. Here is a snippet of his speech: Through this plan, we will help between seven and nine million families restructure or refinance their mortgages so they can avoid foreclosure. And we are not just helping...