Fredericksburg’s Past is a Present

Avery-Hess Realtors’ Fredericksburg office recently posted its 365th “Thing to Do” in Fredericksburg VA, completing a year-long blog aimed at giving Fredericksburg residents something to do every day for 365 days straight. But the fun isn’t over yet!

To celebrate, the blog is hosting a contest open to the general public that’s easy to enter. Simply submit an original photograph involving something you did in the past 365 days in the “Burg” and send it to fredericksburg@averyhess.com. Entries being accepted April 16^th – May 31^st and the public voting to be held the first week in June. Winning contestants will receive some incredible prizes, like an overnight stay at a downtown Fredericksburg hotel!

In honor of the contest, MyLifestyle is taking a closer look at some of the enjoyable things to do in the Fredericksburg area.

Fifty-two miles south of Washington, DC lies the small town of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Though only 22,000 people strong, the community is vibrant and alive. Located on the banks of the Rappahannock River, Fredericksburg offers old world charm less than an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C.

The town has been around since colonial times and has played a significant role in United States history, especially during the Civil War. In the 1860s, the city sat directly between the Union capitol of Washington, D.C. and the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia and became of strategic importance.

Fredericksburg proudly displays its historical importance with a large historic district in the middle of town. It is filled with numerous building that date back to the 18^th century and is a great place for fans of the Colonial times to visit.

The Risking Sun Tavern and Kenmore Plant are two of the areas most famous Revolutionary-Era buildings in the 40-block historic district.

George Washington’s brother, Charles, built the Rising Sun Tavern in the 1760s. The white clapboard building, on the corner of Caroline and Fauquier Streets, was originally Charles’ home. In 1792, the house was converted into a tavern. Though alcohol’s no longer served there, visitors can see the restored bar where “tavern wenches” and “indentured servants” replicate what the tavern experience would feel like.

Kenmore Plantation was also built by one of George Washington’s relatives and is just five blocks away, down Fauquier Street. This house was built by his sister Betty and her husband. It is a brick, Georgian-style mansion, both opulent and elegant. The plaster ceilings feature intricate designs and many rooms still have their original wallpaper.

If it’s the Civil War interests you, there are numerous famous battlefields near the city’s center. Two sites near Fredericksburg are the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse and the Battle of the Wilderness.

The two battles were fought just days apart, in the spring of 1864, and were some of the deadliest campaigns in the entire Civil War.

Both battlefield sites are within reasonable distance of Fredericksburg. Spotsylvania Courthouse, is a scenic trip, just ten miles away.  The battle occurred inside the city limits,  so visitors can easily visualize where Union and Confederate soldiers set up and waged their campaigns.

The Battle of the Wilderness is much closer to Fredericksburg and offers a treat for true history buffs. Somewhere in the massive state park lies a small stone marker. Under it, buried, is the arm of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. In the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863, he was shot twice in the left arm and it had to be amputated. Jackson died of pneumonia several days later. The arm, though, never left the field hospital and is buried in the park.

With all the causalities that occurred around the city during the war, Fredericksburg is considered one of America’s most haunted cities, and ghost tours abound. At nighttime, guides will take you down the darkened streets of the historic district of Fredericksburg and regale you with stories of buildings whose owners, though long passed, still lord over the places. There are many companies offering tours, a good provider to check out is Ghosts of Fredericksburg. They offer tours starting at just $11 a person.

And whether you’d like to experience your history by day or in the dark, Fredericksburg is the perfect place to visit…365 days a year.

Visit the 365 Things to Do in Fredericksburg blog for more information on the photography contest and then be sure to “like” it on Facebook to get daily updates on all the great things to do in the area!

-David

Community Video: Fredericksburg, VA

Located to the south of Washington, DC, Fredericksburg has everything from acres of land and suburban neighborhoods to a historic downtown area. Learn more about Fredericksburg, Virginia and how it offers big city amenities while keeping its small town feel.

Avery-Hess Community Video: Fredericksburg, VA from David Tra on Vimeo.

Search for homes in Fredericksburg, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

Fredericksburg, VA Market Report – 1/14/10

There are currently 107 homes for sale in the City of Fredericksburg. There are more than a handful available in the historic district, which provides a really good opportunity to move downtown. There are also new construction opportunites and many other resales that are in wonderful locations for great prices.

The following is a summary of the market conditions in Fredericksburg, Virginia:

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Median sales prices have actually increased in the City of Fredericksburg by 59% from November of ’08 to November of ’09.  However, prices have gone down $47,800 from the second quarter of ’09 to the third quarter of ’09, which is quite a decrease.  The amount of listings has also gone down 15.3% from this same time last year.  While prices have gone down, a decrease in inventory will help to slow the decrease in prices.  The average days on market (DOM) have also decreased by 32.9%, meaning houses are moving faster now.

The City of Fredericksburg still has the lowest percentage of sales price to list price in the entire Fredericksburg area.  Spotsylvania, Stafford and Caroline Counties’ percentages have improved dramatically this year, while Fredericksburg’s only increased 2.4%.

With the history, location and uniqueness of Fredericksburg, it has always been and always will be a wonderful place to live.

Market data and commentary by Amy Cherry Taylor, Business Manager and Realtor at Avery-Hess, Realtors.

Search for homes in Fredericksburg, and the rest of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

City of Fredericksburg, VA Market Report – 9/29/09

The following table represents the market in the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia:

As with most area localities, the City of Fredericksburg is showing a year-to-date increase in pending sales due to the number of short sales in various stages of negotiation. Though not reflected in the data above, there has been a year-to-date drop in sale price of about 28% that can be attributed to the number of foreclosure sales. However, sale prices in the historic district have decreased at a lesser rate.

The percent of original listing price received at sale is showing a steady increase, indicating a reduction in inventory and increase in buyer confidence. With all things considered, now is still a great time for move-up buyers to seize the opportunity to live in this charming, historic city.

Market data, commentary and statistics provided by Judi Jones, Managing Broker, Avery-Hess, Realtors

Search for homes in Fredericksburg, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com

City of Fredericksburg, VA Market Report – 9/8/09

The following figures represent the market in the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

• New Listings – 41
• Closed Sales – 25
• Pending Sales – 24
• Median Price – $300,000
• Average DOM – 60

Historic City of Fredericksburg, sandwiched between Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties, is showing an increase in listings thus far in 2009. We have seen a 20.6% increase in July 2009 over July 2008, and an overall growth of 1.1% year-to-date.  The July median price of $300,000 in Fredericksburg is lower than average for the larger market area and reflects a 9.6% drop from one year ago.

The average days on market dropped from 170 a year ago to just 60 in July 2009, while inventory in single-family properties has remained fairly even with only a 2.3% decline.  However, there has been a 32% drop in townhome and condo properties, which suggests that the market is more active for these generally more affordable types of housing.

Market data, commentary and statistics provided by Judi Jones, Managing Broker, Avery-Hess, Realtors

Search for Homes in Fredericksburg, and all of the DC Metro: www.averyhess.com