Planned for approximately 18 acres in the Hayes area of Gloucester County, VA, Coleman’s Crossing will offer a multiuse, master-planned community that has a mixture of commercial and residential properties. This new community is located on the west side of George Washington Memorial Highway (Route 17), close to the intersection of Crewe Rd. and Route 
17. With 86 single-family, exterior and grounds maintenance-free townhomes and nearly 40,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and office space, Coleman’s Crossing will bring a town center living, shopping, and service experience to the Gloucester area.
If built, the mixed-use development could be the first of its kind in Gloucester, VA.
Zandler Development Co. is the billing the community, dubbed Coleman’s Crossing, as a small-scale version of such nearby examples as Oyster Point’s City Center in Newport News and New Town in Williamsburg.
The development will be located off Route 17 near Crewe Road.
If approved, it will feature two-story town houses — between 1,100- and 1,700-square-feet — that have two- or three-bedrooms and a garage.
Prices will vary, but they will generally sell between $160,000 and $219,000, according to paperwork filed with the county Planning Department.
Zandler will market the houses to retirees, single-professionals and small families. There will be no age restrictions.
Children would attend Abingdon Elementary School and Page Middle School
The Gloucester County Planning Commission is expected to discuss Coleman’s Crossing next month, after it receives reports about how the development would affect traffic and cultural resources.
The project is being designed by the award-winning architectural and engineering firms of Guernsey-Tingle Architects and AES Consulting Engineers. The homes will be built by Zandler Development Company which Barrack and Records co-own.
Patsy Hall is a local real estate broker and Owner of Patsy Hall Realty and has developed a number of communities in Gloucester County, including Ashdan Woods, a high end custom home neighborhood at Woods Cross Roads in Gloucester. Keith Barrack is a contractor that has been building custom homes in Gloucester for over ten years and is the owner of K.B. Custom Landscaping, Inc. in Middlesex. Charles Records is a Professional Engineer and served as the civil engineer, while working with AES Consulting Engineers, for Ford’s Colony in Williamsburg, the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News and has designed many communities within the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck area. All three of the developers live in Gloucester County.
Coleman’s Crossing would be a very unique, pedestrian friendly development within Gloucester County, similar to, but of a much smaller scale than Newtown in James City County and the City Center in Newport News. The project has more than double the open space and a much lower density than allowed and required by Gloucester County Ordinances. Hall, Barrack and Records envision their project as being a potential catalyst to redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the Hayes area of Gloucester. The property is currently zoned to allow single family homesites and a traditional office center development.
For over fifty-nine years, the Garden Club of Gloucester VA, has held its annual Daffodil Show. This show is something you won’t want to miss, as people come from all over to enter their horticultural, artistic and photographic entries in the show. 
This year’s show will be held at Page Middle School in Gloucester.
There will be a dazzling array of daffodil specimens. An astounding 1800 blooms were entered in last year’s horticultural division show, making it one of the largest shows in the United States. There are very few places that you can go to view so many exquisite varieties of daffodils in one place. The Garden Club of 
Gloucester show is an accredited American Daffodil Society show and one of the best shows anywhere. “Daffodils aren’t just yellow anymore,” so enjoy the show.
In addition to vendors, art displays, a parade and food, daffodil gardens will be on display. The grassy island near the center of town where the statue of Pocahontas stands will be planted with this year’s theme garden.
The most extensive gardens will be at Brett and Becky’s (7900 Daffodil Lane), just outside the village; shuttles will run there throughout the event. Click here for detailed information on the Festival
Brent Heath and his wife, Becky, continue the business launched nearly a 
century ago by Brent’s Grandfather, Charles Heath . Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, and the Heaths’ fields are one of the most popular destinations of the festival.
History of Daffodils in the Gloucester Area
The first person who recognized the value of growing daffodils in Gloucester was Eleanor Linthicum Smith, who in the late 1800s hired children to 
pick the wildflowers for 10 cents per 100. She shipped them to Baltimore, MD, where they were distributed to florists. Other entrepreneurs got into the act, planting bulbs each year wherever there was an available piece of land. Sales of Tidewater-grown flowers expanded up and down the East Coast.
Prominent names in the Gloucester VA daffodil industry in the 50’s included the Clements, Emorys, ,Heaths, Hicks, Hammers and Hopkins.
Businesses included River’s Edge Flower Farm, the Daffodil Mart, the C.H. Hammer Nursery, M & G Transportation, and R.L. Mickelborough and Sons of Mathews. Their businesses were vital to the people of Gloucester, VA, who relied on them for employment. As a by-product daffodils continued to grow and permeate the countryside, adding to the natural beauty of the area.
In 1938, approximately 120,000 daffodils a day were shipped to markets from approximately 30 local farms in the Gloucester and Mathews VA area.
In the early 1960’s it was reported that Gloucester and Mathews Counties were still the principle centers of daffodil culture in the U.S., with more than 24 million daffodils being shipped out each spring.
The first “Narcissus Tour” in Gloucester , VA. was held March 18 – April 9, 1938. It was estimated that 3,000 people took the tour and came from the states and cities of New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland, Boston, Cleveland and Detroit.
Read more about the History of Daffodil Growing in Gloucester VA here
The Gloucester and Mathews area’s of Virginia aren’t limited solely to gardeners. With 214 miles of shoreline in a county with a mere 87 square miles 
of land mass, Gloucester boasts so many creeks and tributaries and riverfront — not to mention Chesapeake Bay Frontage — that no part of it is ever more than a 15- or 20-minute drive from water. The importance of water to both counties is evident in the number of marinas, fishing boats and recreation opportunities that make up the bulk of the tourism scene.
A local resident , who grew up near the farm, was impressed with the “high tech, high-value development” planned for the site.
Another neighbor said that the proposed project is the next best thing to leaving the land as it is. “This is one of the most well planned subdivisions of property I’ve ever witnessed,”
During the commission’s discussion of the proposal, members generally agreed that the project is “a model development.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen a subdivision that actually preserved the goals of the comprehensive plan,” said Keith Belvin. “There’s some growth, but it’s within the capacity of the county.”
The developer is proposing primary residences of between 3,500 and 7,500 square feet per lot, but a maximum of two guest houses of up to 2,500 square feet each per lot. Other possible buildings mentioned by the developer would be detached garages, office, studio, tool sheds, workshops, storage shed, pump house, barns, stables, pens, tennis courts, pools, bath houses, gymnasiums, potting sheds, cabanas, gazebos, conservatories, pergolas, wells, etc.
Home prices are to average around $1 million. Timberneck Farm is bordered by Timberneck and Cedar Bush creeks. Most of the wooded lots will be water-view or waterfront. Piers will be allowed to be built on the waterfront lots while a community pier will be built for other lot owners. There maybe as many as 20 slips on the community pier along with an area for boat launching.
A protected easement in the interior of the community will continue to be farmed in winter wheat, corn and soybeans using a no-till method, Homes will encircle the property that will continue to be farmed, with other sections planted in pine forest.
The developer plans to give the Catlett Islands, which are the farthest points into the river, to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for preservation and study, and to ensure they won’t be developed, he said.
It is estimated that lots would go from $400,000 to up to $1.5 million for a 14-acre parcel where Timberneck Hall sits near the confluence of Timberneck Creek and the York River.
Home prices should range from $800,000 to $1.2 million+
Equestrian trails and facilities are also going to be offered as part of the development.
You can see the full schedule here vhda
Are you interested in becoming a homeowner but don’t know where to begin? The Virginia Housing Development Authority and local nonprofits are offering free home ownership education classes throughout November in the Hampton Roads region.
Homeownership education classes cover topics including credit issues, personal finances, home inspections and the role of lenders and real estate agents. To become eligible for VHDA loans, borrowers must complete VHDA’s Home ownership Class. Attend one of the many free sessions below to learn about the advantages of home ownership.
Upcoming classes will be held in Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth, Hampton, VA Beach and Yorktown Virginia
You can find out more about VHDA here
AS a REALTOR in Williamsburg VA I have always been frustrated at the lack of new homes available under $200,000. Yes the market has increased the inventory but currently the least expensive detached homes are priced at $240,000 those are located in Michelle Point a new development in the growing western part of James City County in Toano. Currently the least expensive new town homes/ condos are located at Pocahontas Square a Health E Communities development in lower James City County off of Rt 60 east of Busch Gardens Townhomes there start in the $190’s .You can also buy a condo or town home in Liberty Crosssing in Norge ( RYAN Homes ), Braemar Creek, Warhill Green or Williamsburg Village at Norge. Prices for these range from $209,000 to $227,000. The RYAN Townhomes are currently the least expensive three bedroom new town home available in Williamsburg/ James City County. Most of the builders are offering some sort of closing assistance. Be sure to use a buyer’s agent to represent you with any of the new home builders. It won’t cost you anything for them to represent you. I have successfully negotiated great deals with most of the new home builders in the Williamsburg VA area.
Henderson INC DBA Candle Development has submitted plans to build workforce and affordable homes behind the Candle Factory Shops in Norge. They are proposing to construct thirty percent of the 175 homes as either workforce or affordable. The affordable homes are projected to be priced at less than $160,000. Wile the workforces homes should be priced around $190,000.
Most of the developers in James City County have claimed that affordable or workforce housing is simply too expensive to construct.
Bill Strack of Henderson is attempting to prove them wrong. Knowing that affordable housing is a key factor in attracting and keeping people coming to the greater Williamsburg/ James City County area of Virginia.
Henderson a longtime builder/ developer ( 50 + years) in the Williamsburg area is sacrificing profits to make the project work. Having been in business for over 50 years
The company is hoping that by offering a large quantity of affordable housing the county will be more likely to approve the project.
As part of the revised plan Henderson has increased the buffers surrounding the development, and implemented green building design principles and other improvements.
Plans call for 33 detached patio homes and 142 will be attached patio homes. They will be arranged in small, single-floor groups around open-air patios. This design which is very common throughout California, Arizona and the West, has the advantages of being less dense without stacking homes on top of one another. They’re also less labor-intensive as yards are shared with common area maintenance. One-floor living with no stairs also makes them more appealing to active adults.
Also in the works are an 80,000-square-foot assisted living facility next door, for 96 seniors being jointly developed and managed by Crosswalk Church. Planned also are a mix of retail and office space. Details for that are still in the works.
I am very familiar with Henderson’s recent residential development. Their Patriots Walk development has to be one of the nicest new home developments in the area. Located in Gloucester VA you would be amazed at the quality of the homes and development especially give that it has a starting price of under $260,000. Huge 3/4 acre wooded lots, open floor plans, and much more
Read more about Patriots Walk in Gloucester Va by clicking here
I applaud Henderson for trying to solve a longstanding problem in the county. They definitely have my vote to move forward on this proposed project !
Read this article about Value Range Marketing in USA Today
What is Value Range Marketing ?
I have to say when I first heard about it the idea of Value Range Marketing in Williamsburg VA it didn’t make sense to me or my clients . A buyer I was working with said why would I offer anything above the lowest price in the range ? I agreed and we made an offer. That in a nutshell is what it’s about. My client would not have even looked at the house because it was priced above their comfort range. The whole idea is to get someone into your listed home. Hopefully they fall in love and then make an offer. If you can get to that point you have started the ball rolling. If they like the house enough you can usually negotiate an equitable offer between buyer and seller. If you don’t then what have you lost ?
A broker in San Diego Ca had a two-bedroom condo that sat on the market for 93 days in 1995 with one showing. Frustrated, the broker , who had heard rumblings about a concept called value-range marketing at an industry convention, got his seller to entertain offers from $120,000 to $150,000. Within 48 hours, the property sold for $137,000.
A decade after the concept of value-range marketing, known as VRM, hit the U.S. real estate market, supporters contend that the marketing strategy draws higher sales prices and happier sellers—as well as helps buyers get into homes they wouldn’t ordinarily think are in their price range. In value-range marketing, the seller sets a price range (i.e., $335,000 to $375,000) instead of just a high price ($375,000). This helps to attract more buyers—since a home set in a range will be within their price range, whereas a home listed only with the high price may not meet their price criteria—as well as generate more offers. The strategy does not obligate sellers to accept any offer. It does allow sellers to entertain and counter offers within the range with an acceptable price and terms, just as they would with a listing that carried a single price.
Prudential Drives the Market
Prudential Real Estate was the first major franchise to adopt value-range marketing, which originated in Australia. It implemented the Prudential Value Range Marketing (PVRM) in 1996 and offers marketing support for its sales associates who use it.
Prudential practitioners in the U.S. are not the only ones jumping on the VRM bandwagon. The practice is gaining favor with real estate professionals across the country and Canada.
Not Everyone Is Sold on VRM
Ron Rutherford, a professor of finance and real estate at the University of Texas in San Antonio, who co-authored a study on range pricing published in The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, remains skeptical of the strategy.
Rutherford’s study, which used a sample of 5,852 residential houses (176 of which used value-range pricing) in Dallas and Tarrant counties in Texas sold from January 1999 to December 2000, found that range-priced homes took about 4 percent longer to sell and sold for about the same price as fixed-price homes.
It has caused some confusion and maybe that’s due to full explanation by the broker prior to offers. After making a solid offers that weren’t accepted, some buyers have become confused and upset .Some buyers feel that if they’re making an offer within that range, it should be accepted.Some buyers feel like it is a bait and switch, where they are lured in with what looks like a decent price but then told they can’t have that price. So it affects everyone involved in the sale and can leave a lot of negative feelings.
How to Use Range Marketing
There are no set ranges within the industry to price a home. But a seller should exercise caution in setting a range—selecting too narrow a range can undervalue a home and too high a range can price the home out of the market.
For optimal range pricing, it has been suggested that the end of the scale is close to the seller’s dream price and use a 10 percent to 12 percent spread below the top price to allow for changing market conditions.
The top price of the listing is in the price field and information that the seller will “entertain” or “consider” offers within a set range should appear in the MLS remarks section, the listing contract, and on related advertising and for-sale signs. The home will also appear in an MLS search when searching in the lower part of the price range.
Our Williamsburg MLS (WAAR ) has implemented value-range listing display and search capabilities. In September 2004, REALTOR.com adjusted its site to be able to display high and low price ranges for MLSs that adopt the listing practice.
If you are thinking of selling your home in the Williamsburg VA, james City County, York County, New Kent, Gloucester area and would like to discuss Value Range Marketing or any of the numerous marketing plans used by Mr Williamsburg.com and Liz Moore and Associates call John Womeldorf 757 254 8136 or email John@MrWilliamsburg.com
