Kate Elim, Lake Anna Real Estate Specialist: January 2009

2008 - During the past year we saw a slow down in the real estate market across the board.  There were 50 Lake Anna waterfront homes sold between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008.

The least expensive home was located at 200 Lakeview in Aspen Hill Subdivision.  This home was initially priced at $444,900.  Then it was reduced to $424,900 and finally to $174,900.  It sold after 356 days on the market for $179,900.  The remarks in the listing state that the home was priced according to the apparent condition and was being sold as is.  Buyers were advised to obtain requirements from the county on prior permits.  The house had 115' of waterfront and 1800 sq. ft. of interior living space.  (See least expensive home sold in 2007.)

The most expensive waterfront home sold last year sold for $1,300,000.  Located in Bear Castle, this home had 5500 sq. ft. and approximately 700' of waterfront.  Originally listed at $1,700,000 it was subsequently reduced to $1,395,000.  It was on the market for 187 days.

Avg. List Price      $734,347         Avg. Sold Price     $684,859

Med. List Price     $659,450          Med. Sold Price     $632,500

Low List Price      $174,900          Low Sold Price      $179,900

High List Price   $1,500,000         High Sold Price   $1,300,000

Avg. Days on Market     178        

Med. Days on Market     139

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

2007 - There were 69 waterfront homes sold at Lake Anna between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. 

The least expensive home sold was the same one, 200 Lakeview in Aspen Hill, which sold again in 2008.  It was listed at $329,000 and sold for $300,000 in 127 days.  At that time it was 1000 sq. ft.

The highest price paid was for a home located at Bear Castle Drive in Bear Castle Subdivision.  Listed initially at $1,750,000 it was reduced to $1,375,000 and sold for that price.  It was on the market for a total of 67 days.  This home had 5136 square feet and 250' of waterfront.

Avg. List Price       $691,828          Avg. Sold Price          $654,993

Med. List Price       $675,000          Med. Sold Price          $625,000

Low List Price        $329,000          Low Sold Price           $300,000

High List Price    $1,499,000          High Sold Price       $1, 375,000

Avg. Days on Market        142

Med. Days on Market          90

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If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property at or near Lake Anna, Virginia please contact Kathleen "Kate" Elim, REALTOR®.

Kate lives at Lake Anna, knows Lake Anna, loves Lake Anna, and specializes in Lake Anna area real estate. 

Contact Kate at 540-226-1964 or lakeanna.kate@gmail.com. Be sure to check Kate's Web site http://lakeannacountry.com/.

Copyright © 2008 By Kathleen "Kate" Elim, All Rights Reserved. *Lake Anna Waterfront Homes Sold in 2008 vs. 2007*.

© Copyright 2009 - This photo is the property of Kate Elim, Lake Anna, VA, All Rights Reserved

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About an hour ago I called Tina Merritt, a fellow member of Active Rain.  I needed help. Tina came to mind because I know she knows her area. Reading her posts taught me that.

I contacted Tina because I had a call from my brother-in-law in Connecticut.  Bill  is trying to find someone that was flying to Haiti and had a medical emergency in flight.  The plane landed in Norfolk, VA and the passanger was taken to a hospital.

Bill is a pastor of a church in Wallingford, CT and has done extensive work in Haiti.  The passenger taken sick is someone that was going down to Haiti as a volunteer.

Bill thought I might be able to help him locate the hospital where the passenger was taken.  When you Google hospitals in Norfolk you will find several.  I knew immediately that Tina would be able to give me the name of the closests ones.  Sure enough that is exactly what happened.

It felt good to know that I had a resource that knew Norfolk.  Once I realized that, I also realized that I have resources across the country including the special ones in Alaska and Hawaii.  That is what Active Rain has given me and each of you.

REALTORS® know their area like few others.  Think about it.  They become our combination Yellow Pages and Google maps.

REALTORS® are the local experts...and you can call them when all the government and Chamber of Commerce offices are closed up tight for the night or week-end.

I also knew I could call Tina because I know that REALTORS® are helpers.  That is what we do.  We provide information and services.  We problem-solve. There was no doubt in my mind that Tina would do what she could for me.

I was right.

We have seen many changes in real estate within the past two years.  Many of them have not been for the best.  Yes, we may have seen the cost of housing appreciating at an unreasonable rate, but the turnaround has come too swiftly and is hurting too many people.  What long range affect this will have on our nation's economy is unknown as yet.  We do know the short term affect and it has been devastating.

While this has been happening we have been going through other changes.  We have seen a non-Caucasian become the President-Elect.  I am using the term non-Caucasian because not only have we never had a Black President, we have never had an Asian President, an Hispanic President, nor a Native American President.

Now we do.

This is in spite of the fact that there is still racism.  Yes, we all know it yet there are times we are confronted with it and it comes as a surprise.

Shortly before the election on November 4, 2008 I was driving on a country road close to my home.  I had seen the large Obama sign posted on private property more than once.  On this particular day I saw something that made me stop. 

My first thought was that the wind must have blown it down.  It was not until I got closer did I realize that more than the wind was at work here. 

I could hardly believe my eyes.

It is one thing not to want to vote for a candidate but to try to obstruct their campaign is another thing.

Is racism still alive and well in your part of our country?  I hope many of you can answer no to that question. 

I grew up in an area where we did not have segregated schools and I graduated from high school in 1955, well before the Civil Rights Act.   I never needed an Act to tell me how to be decent.  I have never felt superior to another group of people.  I, and my children, have had friends of many different ethnic and racial backgrounds.  They welcome us and we welcome them as friends.

This was the first time I was confronted face to face with the work of the KKK. 

I went home, made a phone call, found a couple of tools and some electrical wire and went back.  Fortunately, I was able to put the sign back up.  At first the concern was did we want this sign up showing what the KKK had done.  My thought was that I wanted others to know that the struggle was not over.  We need to be mindful that there is still bigotry and hatred to contend with even when it is seldom right in our faces.

November 4, 2008 came and went.  The KKK did not win.  President-Elect Barack Obama did and all of those that believe in equality.  Many of those that did not vote for Barack Obama still believed in his right to run, to be a candidate to lead our nation.  That is what counts.

We are making progress.   We will make progress in turning our economy around also.  It is imperative.

I wrote this post after reading a very moving one by Broker Bryant, Honoring Martin Luther King This Day....

Fortunately, I met Rev. Martin Luther King when I heard him speak back in either 1962 or 1963 (I cannot remember the date although I know it was not too long before his famous "Dream" speech).  My husband at the time was on the faculty/administration of Inter-American University of Puerto Rico in San German.  The President of the University invited Dr. King and he accepted.  It was a very special occasion. 

As I sit in my sun room talking on speakerphone with my sister up in Connecticut I am wondering about Tuesday.  We are watching the Obama Express travel from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.  I am elated.

We are still three days away from the Inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama.  Will this feeling be able to be with me from now until then?  Is this excitement too much, too soon?

I believe the answer to the first question is yes and the second answer is no.

Obama is speaking to the crowd in Baltimore right now.  Someone from the crowd must have shouted something out to him and he responded with, "I Love You Back."

When have we heard such words from an elected official?

Is Barack Obama different?  Perhaps yes, perhaps no.  Time will tell. 

Will he be able to make a difference in how our lives play out?  It is up to us also.  We cannot sit back to see what this new administration will do for us.  We have to be actively involved as much as we possibly can be in the direction our nation takes.

If you, like me, are feeling a sense of promise, a sense of renewal, a ray of hope, cling to that and help make it become reality.

I am so excited and hopeful.  Perhaps you are too.

I wanted to share my feelings.

When I spell check Barack and Obama both get the red squiggly line.  When will that change?