New church takes over worship site at 750 Hinton Avenue and other Charlottesville real estate transactions stories from December

As promised on Monday, I’ve raced through property transactions in Charlottesville from December 2023 with the hopes of getting this out before the assessments are released for 2024. The intent of this work is not to develop a mathematically precise description of what happened. Others will have that information. I want to know as many details as I can.

This is the 36th month in a row I’ve produced this sort of a list and each time I learn a little more. With the new Development Code going into effect on February 19, I’m deepening my reporting capability in order to report on what’s happening. A lot of people have made bold claims about what will happen. I’m hoping to continue this level of reporting to be able to let people know what is happening. This is going to be a time of change and stay tuned for more stories.  

Some of you may be wondering why I report different assessment years. I want to give a comparison of how much the market has changed since 2021 when the Future Land Use Map was first published. I’m also not looking at the city’s new permitting system to provide more information. 

This goes out to paid subscribers first as an incentive to keep on subscribing. There is not very much premium content for this newsletter, so this is what I have to  offer as an incentive. This will be posted to Information Charlottesville on Monday and the November installment will be posted there tomorrow.

Please ask questions and point out potential errors. The goal is to educate as many people about these things. I am not an expert but I appreciate those who are covering the cost of my time to do this research. 

Now, what’s your best guess on what the 2024 assessment increase will be in Charlottesville? Albemarle’s was at just over four percent, something I’ll detail in the next regular installment of the newsletter and podcast. 

December 1, 2023

• A three bedroom house on 7 ½ Street in Fifeville built in 1926 and renovated extensively in the 2010’s sold for $540,000. That’s 8.96 percent above the 2023 assessment of $495,600 and 58.45 percent above the 2022 assessment of $340,800. (Residential Neighborhood A, 0.33 acres)
• Rich Valley Holdings LLC purchased a four bedroom house in the 1000 block of Locust Avenue in the Locust Grove neighborhood sold for $610,000. That’s 7.15 percent above the 2023 assessment of $569,300 and 33.07 percent above the 2021 assessment of 33.07 percent. (Residential-A, 0.182 acres)
• A newly constructed single family detached house on Preston Place in the Venable neighborhood sold for $814,671. A building permit application filed in May indicates five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a total of 5,692 square feet. The estimated cost of construction is listed as $2,000,000. The permit was issued on November 2, 2023. The builder is Preston Places LLC. (Residential Mixed Use 3, 0.565 acres)
• A three bedroom house in the 1600 block of Meridian Street in the Belmont neighborhood sold for $440,000. That’s 12.04 percent above the 2023 assessment of $392,700 and 59.02 percent above the 2021 assessment of $276,000. (Residential-A, 0.23 acres)
• A three bedroom house on Moseley Drive in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood sold for $510,000. That’s 39.76 percent above the 2023 assessment of $364,900. One factor could be upgrades that took place in 2023 including the addition of a porch and new wiring. (Residential-A, 0.215 acres)

December 5, 2023

• St. Martin Real Estate LLC purchased a six bedroom house at 501 Valley Road Extended in Fifeville for $265,000. That’s 6.46 percent below the 2023 assessment of $283,300 and 14.42 percent above the 2021 assessment of $231,600. (Residential-A, 0.219 acres)

December 6, 2023

• A four bedroom house built in 1947 on Kent Terrace in the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood sold for $520,000. That’s 3.83 percent above the 2023 assessment of $500,800. The 2021 assessment was $320,600, making this transaction 62.2 percent above that amount. (Corridor Mixed Use 5, 0.127 acres)

December 7, 2023

• A commercial property at 1417 Emmet Street that is home to Asian Market and Super Amanecer grocery stores sold for $3.25 million. That’s 29.84 percent above the 2023 assessment of $2,503,000. The new owner is ZHX Property LLC. (Node Mixed Use 10, 0.81 acres)
• A townhouse built in 2017 at the end of Longwood Drive in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood sold for $375,000. That’s 8.85 percent above the 2023 assessment of $344,500 and 27.55 percent above the 2021 assessment of $294,000. (Residential-C, 0.03 acres)

December 8, 2023

• A four bedroom house built in 1951 on Monte Vista Avenue in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood sold for $390,000. That’s 10.89 percent above the 2023 assessment of $351,700. In 2021 the assessment was $298,400. (Residential-C, 0.152 acres)
• A five bedroom house built in 1930 on Washington Avenue in the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood sold for $450,000. That’s 26.37 percent above the 2021 assessment of $356,100, but 13.86 percent below the 2023 assessment of $522,400. (Residential Mixed Use 3, 0.168 acres)

December 11, 2023

• A three bedroom house in the 1300 block of East Market Street sold for $575,000. That’s 41.7 percent above the 2023 assessment of $405,800. (Residential-A, 0.23 acres)

December 12, 2023

• A two bedroom house on Palatine Avenue in Belmont and a 0.1 acre lot next door sold for $425,000. That’s 28.21 percent above the combined 2023 assessment of $331,500. (Residential-A, 0.27 acres)
• A three story house in the 900 block of St. Clair Avenue that city records state was built in 1900 sold for $185,000. That’s 40.28 percent below the 2023 assessment of $185,000. (Corridor Mixed Use 5, 0.14 acres) 

December 13, 2023

• A four bedroom house built in 2005 on Raymond Road in the Ridge Street neighborhood sold for $545,100. That’s 12.67 percent above the 2023 assessment of $483,800 and 37.03 percent above the 2021 assessment of $397,800. (Residential-A, 0.147 acres)
• Mount View Properties LLC purchased 1216 River Vista Avenue in the Locust Grove neighborhood for $425,000. That’s 3.94 percent above the 2023 assessment of $408,900 and 51.73 percent above the 2021 assessment of $280,100. The house is a four bedroom unit constructed in 1956. It is adjacent to the 72 unit Planned Unit Development that Mount View Properties LLC obtained for property next to Mount View Baptist Church. For more information on that development, read my story from December 8, 2022. (Residential-A, 0.212 acres)
• A three bedroom house in the 900 block of Locust Avenue sold for $719,000. That’s 14.13 percent above the 2023 assessment of $630,000 and 43.57 percent above the 2021 assessment of $500,800. The city’s land use records indicate that a provisional use permit was applied for on December 10. (Residential-B, 0.459 acres)

December 14, 2023

• A three bedroom house in the 400 block of Moseley Drive sold for $460,000. That’s 15.26 percent above the 2023 assessment of $399,100 and 38.26 percent above the 2021 assessment of $332,700. (Residential-A, 0.277 acres)

December 15, 2023

• 1832 University Circle LLC purchased 1832 University Circle for $1,895,000. That price is 48.95 percent above the 2023 assessment of $1,272,200. The four bedroom house was built in 2014. The building permit indicated the estimated cost of construction was $700,000. (Residential-A, 0.24 acres)
• A five bedroom house in the 2000 block of Barracks Road sold for $1,305,000. That’s 17.62 percent below the 2023 assessment of $1,584,200 but 0.39 percent above the 2020 assessment of $1,299,900. 
• A four bedroom house in the 1500 block of Amherst Street in the Barracks / Rugby neighborhood sold for $624,900. That’s 4.77 percent below the 2023 assessment of $656,200 and 66.06 percent above the 2021 assessment of $656,200. (Residential-A, 0.199 acres)

December 18, 2023

• A five bedroom house split into two units on Valley Road Extended in Fifeville sold for $445,000. That’s 14.04 percent above the 2023 assessment of $390,200 and 38.85 percent above the 2021 assessment of $320,500. (Residential-A, 0.22 acres)
• The building that houses Daedalus Books at 121-123 4th Street NE sold for $750,000. That’s 1.13 percent above the 2023 assessment of $741,600 and 19.16 percent above the 2022 assessment of $629,400. Hawes Spencer had a profile of new owner Jackson Landers in the December 2, 2023 Charlottesville Daily Progress. (Downtown, 0.03 acres)
• A four bedroom house in the 2300 block of Fontaine Avenue sold for $480,000. That’s 8.47 percent above the 2023 assessment of $442,500 and 37.69 percent above the 2021 assessment of $348,600. The previous zoning is R2-U meaning this property is one that received a great deal more development rights in t he rezoning. The new owner is Paul’s Rental Properties LLC. The entity has 11 other properties across the city including two other properties on Fontaine. (Commercial Mixed-Use 5, 0.19 acres)

December 19, 2023

• A four bedroom house on Hillwood Place built in 1968 in the Greenbrier neighborhood sold for $458,500. That’s 10.62 percent below the 2023 assessment of $513,000. The purchase price is exactly the 2022 assessment and is 16.58 percent above the 2021 assessment of $393,300. (Residential-A, 0.46 acres)
• A three bedroom house built in 1973 in the 800 block of Raymond Road in the Ridge Street neighborhood sold for $465,000. That’s 13.44 percent above the 2023 assessment of $409,900 and 40.99 percent above the 2021 assessment of $329,800. (Residential-A, 0.177 acres)

December 20, 2023

• For the third time this year, 1213 Little High Street changed hands. The first time was on January 9 for $208,000 when Quick Fix Real Estate LLC bought the four bedroom house built in 1957. Then a couple bought it under their own names on February 24 for $320,000. The pair filed for a building permit for extensive renovations, but only after receiving a stop work order that resulted in a warning given on March 29. The final building inspection was approved on December 15. The house sold on this day for $635,000 which is 41.49 percent above the 2023 assessment. (Residential-A, 0.17 acres)
• New construction of a four bedroom townhouse in the 1300 block of Pen Park Lane in the Locust Grove neighborhood sold for $807,438. The building permit estimates the cost of construction at $490,000. The assessment for 2023 only takes the land into consideration with a value of $120,000. (Residential-A, 0.046 acres)
• The unit next door is an end unit which sold for $950,079. The building permit also estimates cost of construction at $490,000 with an incomplete assessment for 2023. However, the assessed value of this lot was $132,000. (Residential-A, 0.068 acres)
• Another unit that had been purchased by the Piedmont Community Land Trust sold on this day for $165,000. The basic idea is that the land trust holds the title for the land and the homeowner’s mortgage is just for the structure. The 2023 assessment for the structure is $154,800, making this 6.59 percent above that amount. (Residential Neighborhood A, 0.083 acres)

December 21, 2023

• An Anglican congregation called Church of the Good Shepherd has purchased 750 Hinton Avenue from the Hinton Avenue Methodist Church for $1.5 million. That’s 50.01 percent below the 2023 assessment of $3,000,400. You may recall that City Council approved a rezoning from R-1S to Neighborhood Commercial Corridor in the summer of 2019 to allow for an affordable housing project called Rachel’s Haven to be built on a portion of the site. A year later, city staff denied a site plan. Sometime in the last year, the Hinton Avenue Methodist Church consolidated with Charlottesville First United Methodist Church. What will happen next? (Residential Mixed Use 3, 0.758 acres)
• A 913 square foot two bedroom apartment in a complex in the 800 block of East Jefferson Street sold for $262,500. That’s 23.94 percent below the 2023 assessment of $345,100. The transaction is 0.08 percent above the 2020 assessment of $262,300. (Downtown, N/A)
• A four bedroom house on Plymouth Road in the Barracks / Rugby neighborhood sold for $1.25 million. That’s 17.82 percent above the 2023 assessment of $1,060,900. This property was assessed at $588,400 in 2020. This property was initially designated Residential-B but was reduced to Residential-A in a last minute change. (view map changes) (Residential-A, 0.31 acres)
• A three bedroom house in the 300 block of 10 and ½ Street in the 10th and Page neighborhood sold for $365,000. That’s 14.17 percent above the 2023 assessment of $319,700. The assessment in 2020 was $238,700. Various improvements worth $27,274 were made in 2014 according to a search of building permits. (Residential Neighborhood A, 0.096)
• Kennedy Albemarle Properties LLC purchased a single family detached unit on Lodge Creek Circle in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood for $272,000. That’s 2.58 percent below the 2023 assessment of $279,200 and 17.95 percent above the 2021 assessment of $230,600. (Residential-B, 0.084 acres)

December 27, 2023

• A four bedroom house in the 1200 block of Holmes Avenue sold for $390,000. That’s 17.12 percent above the 2023 assessment of $333,000. (Residential-A, 0.206 acres)
• A five bedroom house built in 2020 on Payne’s Mill Road sold for $777,600. That’s 12.22 percent above the 2023 assessment of $692,900. The estimated cost of construction in 2020 was $300,000 according to the building permit. (Residential-A, 0.3 acres) 
• A five bedroom house built in 1959 on Alderman Road in the Lewis Mountain neighborhood sold for $774,000. That’s 6.67 percent below the 2023 assessment of $829,300 and 20.86 percent above the 2021 assessment of $640,400. (Residential-B, 0.28 acres)
• In a preview of what I hope be added to these transaction summaries in 2024, the entity known as Belmont and Carlton Holdings LLC consolidated several properties in the Belmont neighborhood into one. This is the site of the Belmont Condominiums project being developed by Riverbend Development. I have a question out to Neighborhood Development Services to learn more about the status of that project. (Neighborhood Mixed Use 3, 5.07 acres)

December 28, 2023

• The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development now holds the title for 801 Druid Avenue after a foreclosure. The previous property owner owed $106,540 on the mortgage. What will happen next? (Residential-A, 0.139 acres)
• An 829 square foot two bedroom apartment in the Monticello Overlook sold for $230,000. That’s 11.22 percent above the 2023 assessment of $206,800 and 27.21 percent above the 2021 assessment of $180,800. (Residential Mixed Use 3, N/A)

December 29, 2023

• An entity called SEWA I LLC based out of Lakewood Ranch, Florida purchased 413 Valley Road Extended for $475,000. That’s five percent below the 2023 assessment of $500,000 and 18.07 percent above the 2021 assessment of $402,300. (Residential-A, 0.217 acres)
• The other end unit in the 1300 block of Pen Park Lane sold for $975,353. Construction was estimated at $490,000 in the building permit. (Residential-A, 0.069 acres)

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment went out to people who have paid through Substack three days before posted here to Information Charlottesville.

To ensure this work continues and that this enterprise can be grown, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.