Time to Walk the Land

Whether you’re looking for a Equestrian Property, a 200 acre tree farm, a 1/2 acre home site, water front get away, or a Blue Ridge Mountain vacation home, winter remains a great time to walk the land.  The greenbriar, vines and other annuals die back making it easier to walk and view the property.  We’ve got lots of great parcels of land for sale in Central Virginia so if you’re interested in buying land in 2018 or just have questions, let’s talk!  I am here to help.

Lake Front or Lake Access

Lake Anna, Lake Louisa/Blue Ridge Shores, Lake Monticello, Lake Albemarle and other Central Virginia lakes feature year round and vacation home sites.  Some provide direct lake frontage while others include deeded lake access.

Mountain Views

It’s great helping buyers and sellers of homes, farms and land in the Virginia Piedmont region.  We’ve got both the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southwest Mountains providing both mountain views and elevated home/cabin sites.

Equestrian Properties

Being in the heart of Virginia Horse Country presents many opportunities for buyers with one to twenty horses.

Renovated Virginia Farmhouse w/ barn & paddocks

One example of the available homes w/ stables & paddocks waiting for new owners!

River Front Land

Walk to from your home or vacation retreat to the River for swimming, canoeing, fishing or relaxing on your own beach!

Tree Farm / Timber Investment

Central Virginia continues to possess a strong timber market with forestry land available in various stages of succession.  If you’re looking for a Tree Farm, let’s talk!

Deer, Turkey & Small Game

With many hunters losing their hunting land leases, the demand for hunting land continues to increase.  There are many great hunting parcels for sales from 20 to 100’s of acres.

Blue Ridge Mountain Land

Escape to the Blue Ridge Mountains and build your dream home or a get away cabin.  This land is located outside of Crozet and just below the Blue Ridge Parkway!

James Friend Dickerson,
Your source for Homes, Farms & Land

If you’re interested in buying or selling land or just have questions, I am here to help.  Let’s talk.  I love discussing land sales/purchases & walking the land!

Posted in Central Virginia, Country Living, Farms, First Time Home Buyers, Forestry and Wildlife, Friendly Real Estate Advice, HOUSE MONEY TV Show, Land, Moving - Relocation Tips & Resources | Leave a comment

202 Richmond Ave, Mineral, Virginia – Renovated Farmhouse

Lovely 4 bedroom/2bath Farmhouse

Value ($214,797) prime location (Town of Mineral, Virginia less than two blocks from Farmers Market, parks and restaurants plus minutes to Lake Anna):  renovated w/ many upgrades.  Please take the Virtual Tour to see all this home offers!

Relax on the full country front porch (includes porch swing).

Why rent when you can own with low monthly fixed rate payments less than rent?  This home works for the USDA-RD loan (100% financing w/ low fixed interest rate guaranteed by the US Department of Agriculture).  I’ve used the USDA-RD loan often to help 1st time homebuyers and other move from renters to home owners!

Lovely Wood Floors

Chef’s Remodeled Kitchen

1st Level Bedroom

Large Deck for Grilling, Relaxing & Entertaining

Located on a 1+/- acre lot, you’ll enjoy the fenced back yard w/ room for pets, children, RV parking, horseshoes, etc.

Fenced Rear Yard

For a personal tour or questions, please contact Jim!

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Why have 3rd party energy efficiency certification?

Don’t let home energy costs turn you around!

Home Buyers and Home Owners continue to focus on energy costs as part of the total home ownership cost.  A National Association  of REALTORS (NAR) study shows buyers will pay more for a 3rd party certified energy efficient home! Is your home worth more?What’s the energy efficiency of your home?  Check with my great partner Pearl Certification (a 3rd party that certifies energy efficiency) and find out!  The 1st step is a quick online survey (2-3 minutes) .  If the survey indicates your home qualifies for certification, a Pearl representative will conduct you to schedule a site visit to evaluate and rate your home.  Pearl Certified homes receive a certificate of 3rd party energy asset (Silver, Gold or Platinum) ; a Green and Energy Efficient Appraisal Addendum for the buyers appraiser to use when validating the increased value; an info sheet to be using in inputting the green and energy efficient home features into the Charlottesville Area Association  of REALTORS’ (CAAR) multiple listing service’s (MLS) green fields; information sheets specific to your home that can be uploaded to the MLS documents sections; and house talkers (table tents to use in your home identifying the energy efficient and green features to buyers as they tour your home.  By properly using the green fields, your home will be set apart from the competition!  Your home will be identified as a match when buyers search for specific green features.

Everyone always wants to know the cost, so here goes.  Since I’m a registered Pearl Partner, I can pass savings on to you making the Certification investment less than $300.  If you have questions let’s talk!  I am here to help.  If you’re ready to get started, contact Pearl Certification to begin the process.  By working with Pearl Certification we can justify a higher sale price for your home to buyers, REALTORS, lenders and appraisers.

Would you pay more for an Energy Efficient home w/ Green features?

Posted in Central Virginia, Country Living, Farms, First Time Home Buyers, Friendly Real Estate Advice, Green Building & Remodeling, Homes, HOUSE MONEY TV Show, Real Estate Partners and Vendors, Residential Investment Real Estate | Leave a comment

Hickory Shad & Herring

Shad & Herring Waters

Last week we took our granddaughter to visit North Carolina cousins.  Two of us slipped away from the family visit, heading to a small coastal river.  The Hickory Shad were beginning their annual spawning run so we planned to catch a few.  I’d never fished for Hickory Shad and was excited to be included in the adventure.

1st Catch Double Herring

We found a great spot in Windsor, NC and fished with several folks playing hooky from work plus a few retired gentlemen of leisure (all names have been withheld to protect my fellow fishermen!).  My 1st catch produced a double herring hook up!  We ended up catching and releasing over 30 herring (They’re protected.  I’d wanted to compare herring and shad roe but it wasn’t meant to be this trip.).

After catching several herring doubles, I landed my 1st Hickory Shad!  Fun fishing on light line.  We ended up catching quite a few shad releasing most but keeping three for the roe and dinner.  The shad are boney so I’ll keep exploring recipes for baking and frying.  When we got back to town to clean the fish, Ava (granddaughter had to inspect our catch).

Ava Inspecting Shad

Ava approved our catch and made Grandpa Jim promise to take her fishing soon. She remained very sad not to have been included in today’s adventure.

Prior to dinner my fishing partner baked the shad roe to perfection.  He’s given me permission to share his recipe:

Bacon Wrapped Shad Roe

Ingredients

Shad Roe Sacks, Bacon, Salt & Pepper, Lemon Juice, No Stick Spray

Preparation

Clean and rinse roe sacks. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each roe sack then drizzle with lemon juice. Wrap each sack in a piece of bacon. Use two pieces of bacon if the roe sack is real big and one piece does not seem to wrap it up well (you never can have to much bacon!). Put a piece of tin foil on a baking pan and spray it with no stick spray. Lay the bacon wrapped roe sacks on the foil and sprinkle with more pepper to garnish. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until the bacon is done.

Another great fishing trip in the books! When fishing don’t forget to make memories with children and grandchildren!!!

Posted in James' Favorite Recipes | Leave a comment

Call before you Wire

Burning Brush

Don’t Let Your Wire Go Up In Smoke

If you’re participating in a real estate transaction, don’t get burned with your wire transfer!  Anytime you’re going to wire money, please call the recipient prior to executing the wire transfer to verify the wiring instructions.  I’ve talked several Central Virginia law offices this week and several individuals in our area have fallen prey to scams and lost their money!  Please don’t let this happen to you.  CALL AND VERIFY THE WIRING INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO WIRING YOUR MONEY!!!!!

Posted in Commercial, First Time Home Buyers, Friendly Real Estate Advice, HOUSE MONEY TV Show, Moving - Relocation Tips & Resources, Real Estate Partners and Vendors, Residential Investment Real Estate, US Army Rivanna Station-NGIC & DIA, Zion Crossroads | Leave a comment

Have you moved recently? Did you update your voter registration?

Central Virginia Home for Sale

Central Virginia Home for Sale

Did you move since the last election?  Don’t forget to update your voter registration!  The deadline to register in The Commonwealth of Virginia remains October 17, 2016 for this November’s election.  Check/Update your Virginia registration.

Need more info on voting in Virginia?  Please click here!

See you at the polls in November!

 

Posted in Central Virginia, First Time Home Buyers, Friendly Real Estate Advice, Moving - Relocation Tips & Resources | Leave a comment

American Tree Farm System

Tree Farm Sign

Tree Farm Sign

My family’s been involved in Tree Farming for years.  In the 1960’s I first learned about Forestry from my grandfather while exploring his Augusta County Tree Farm.  The American Tree Farm System, Virginia Forestry Association and the Virginia Department of Forestry provide lots of online resources for small to large wood lot owners including Tree Farm Management Plan Templates.

Tree Farm Harvesting

Tree Farm Harvesting

Your Tree Farm Management Plan can assist in managing for wildlife by improving habitat, water quality and food supply.  I was on a recently harvested tract of land last week and was surprised by the number of bobwhite quail!  By working with your logger, wildlife diversity and population can be managed.  Remember failing to plan is planning to fail so work on a plan for your Tree Farm.

Central Virginia Tree Farm

Central Virginia Tree Farm

A Consulting Forester can help you develop your Tree Farm Management Plan by listening to your goals and incorporating your desires for forest stewardship into your plan.  If you have questions, let’s talk!  I am here to help.

Posted in Farms, Forestry and Wildlife, Land | Leave a comment

Your Home & Forest Fire Protection

Home Surrounded by Forest

Home Surrounded by Forest

Many homes can be found nestled in Central Virginia’s forest (our home remains surrounded by woods).  For homes located on wells, surrounded by woods and down country roads, forest fire can become a challenge.

When building or caring for your home and land, please include fire prevention in your planning!  The Virginia Department of Forestry continues to share lots of great info on making your home and property safe from wildfire.  Check out Firewise Virginia for valuable tips on Defensible Space, Landscaping and Construction.

With some planning and effort, your home can be a Firewise Home!  Take the Home Fire Hazard Test for your home then corrected any identified challenges.  Consider these 50 Things You Can Do and 25 Firewise Tips.

Remember Smokey the Bear and VirginiaHomesFarmsLand.com want you to be safe in your home!

Smokey wants us to "Protect our Homes"

Smokey wants us to “Protect our Homes”

 

Posted in Central Virginia, Country Living, Forestry and Wildlife, Friendly Real Estate Advice | Leave a comment

2016 Virginia Fall Forestry & Wildlife Field Tours Announced

Our Backyard Turkeys

Virginia Turkeys  

Whether you own 2 acres or thousands of acres or looking to purchase some acreage, explore the land management options & recourses available through various organizations by taking a Fall Forestry and Wildlife Tour.  Our family continues to apply stewardship principles to our tree farms managing for wildlife and timber.  Check out the Virginia Forestry Association, Virginia Tech, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Virginia Department of Forestry for more good info on Land Management!

If you have questions on land management or buying/selling land or farms, let’s talk! I am here to help.

25+/- acre woods/wildlife parcel

25+/- acre woods/wildlife parcel

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Escape to Lake Anna

Lake Anna Common Area

Lake Anna Common Area

Enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, grilling & relaxing at the Wildwood Common Area.  You can use the boat launch and docks keeping your boat close to your home for fun times on Lake Anna!

Paradise Found

Paradise Found

Lovely 3 bedroom 2 bath home on 3+ acres in gated Lake Anna community of Wildwood (near New Bridge Landing Shopping Center w/ Food Lion & restaurant options).

Large Living Room

Large Living Room

The home features a great split bedroom floor plan, wood floors, living room w/ vaulted ceiling & wood stove, laundry/mud room, kitchen w/ appliances, attached garage & more!

Relax on your rear deck!

Relax on your rear deck!

When not playing on Lake Anna, relax on your rear deck between games of horse shoes or corn hole!  The large deck provides a prime location to chill & grill!

For more information on making this house your home, call James today 1-434-466-4663! Priced to sell under $180,000 w/ many great loan options including no money down USDA-RD loan!

SOLD 10/24/2016 !!!! Interested in a Lake Anna home, let’s talk!

Posted in Central Virginia, First Time Home Buyers, Homes | Leave a comment