Catching up on local goings on...

January 31, 2007

• Supervisors approve One Loudoun: One Loudoun is a proposed development with "World Trade Center Status." It is located on Route 7 south at the intersection of Loudoun County Parkway. A planned development that will include upscale office space, hotel, retail, restaurants, high density residential and open space. proffers include land for schools and open park space. Good for the world status of Loudoun, bad for transportation. It will take 10 years to build out. Read more at One Loudoun.
• County officials under investigation: Based on a series of articles in the Washington Post, the Commonwealth Attorney is launching an investigation of the ties between current and past county officials and the development community. Even if not illegal activity, it will still smell. Ethics is such an allusive concept.
• Developers sue the county over shutdown: The county has halted taking new applications for exceptions to the comprehensive plan. Developers are now suing. Who woulda thunk? Until we get our transportation issues resolved, slowing the process is a good thing.
• Virginia Legislators close in on a transportation plan: Lots of nail biting and hand wringing. Who is going to blink? Politics and common sense don't seem to mix well. Maybe we will get a plan this session. It will probably cost us but will be worth it if we can commute at more than 25 (or less) miles an hour.
• Varied opinions on the direction of the real estate market:I'll never understand economists. There is still a divergence of views on where the market is headed. From recovery by mid year to recovery sometime in 2008. I tend to believe the latter (and could be dead wrong). Watching my local charts, it appears we are getting somewhat if a "surge" in new contract activity since the first of the year. Prince William County is still fairing the worse of the big three (Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William) in Northern Virginia. Prices seem to be holding too. keep watching.
• One final note: I am ready for spring. Temperatures below 30 degrees with 10 to 20 mile an hour winds is not my idea of a good time to be out in it. Where did our spring like weather go that we had over the holidays? In fact, I have a flowering apricot tree that was fooled into blooming in early January. It was quite a sight.
• One final final note: I am sad to report that Pam put her license into inactive status at the first of the year. Her attention is diverted to her aging father in California who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Anyone who has an elderly relative with this terrible disease will understand how difficult it can be caring for them...even more difficult 3,000 miles away. Even though she cannot advise clients during this inactive status, she will be a wealth of council to me. She will still be able to advise clients on "showing condition" and what can be done to get a home into best shape.

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