Charlottesville Real Estate Is Again Voted Number One

USA Today, Money Magazine, AARP, Newsweek, Relocate America & Yahoo Finance

Top Accolades For The Best Place To Raise A Family, Best Place To Retire, Best Place To Start a Business, Best Place To Play Tennis & Best Place To Sip Wine

The average American used to move every seven years but things have drastically changed. Most of us cannot sell our homes or get the financing to purchase. So...if you do decide to move and can afford to here are some thoughts about where to live.

When we decided to move from our fabulous but secluded plantation (Como Plantation) in St. Francisville, Louisiana, with a five mile gravel driveway all to ourselves...we wanted these three things: a superb public school system, an attractive, historic cosmopolitan flair and plenty of things to do as a family.

We looked at: Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; Raleigh/Durham North Carolina and Charlottesville, Virginia which is where we eventually moved.

Education has always played an important role in Charlottesville and the surrounding Albemarle County and is one of the strongest school districts in Virginia.

Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia which was founded and designed by Thomas Jefferson. UVA is the number one public university in America and ranked 25th in the nation by Business Week.

There is also Piedmont Community College, a two-year, accredited college that offers students the chance to attend UVA if they do well their first two years.

Charlottesville is known throughout the world for its grand homes, a lovely 18th-century downtown, and lots of restaurants. Charlottesville offers a wide range of housing, tons of parks, and four major music venues.

As for housing, the foreclosure rate is one of the lowest in the country, yet Charlottesville homes are affordable.

Charlottesville real estate is also a bargain and the town's jobless rate is more than two points below that of the smallest metro areas, thanks to a recent influx of jobs from such employers as UVA, NGIC, and SNL Securities.

Charlottesville real estate offers some of the finest neoclassic Georgian, 18th century homes in America. Behind almost every curve is an elegant Palladian plantation home designed by Jefferson.

Factor in excellent schools and a diverse population and you can see why this place has become a magnet for families.

It's also an economic powerhouse with a jobless rate just as enviable as any in the country.

The nearby National Ground Intelligence Center and the University of Virginia together account for the majority of the jobs, and the government plans to move thousands more positions there by next year.

Richmond is also within commuting distance (60 minutes, respectively).

There's a party for every season in this college town: Enjoy concerts, numerous vineyards; ice skating on the Downtown Mall and skiing at Wintergreen Resort; or schmooze with authors like John Grisham or musicians Dave Mathews & Mary Chapin Carpenter (who all live here).

Seniors look at the physical aspects of a community (clean air and water, for instance) but also at the health and habits of the people who live there.

The two are closely linked: if you live near a hiking-and-biking trail and all your neighbors use it, you’ll probably use it, too.  If a farmers’ market is just down the street, you’re likely to eat more fruits and vegetables.  If your city has multiple hospitals, there’s a good chance you’ll get superior medical care. And we have all of the above...including two of the top 50 hospitals in America. The four full seasons, the warmer weather and the relaxed pace of life have recently attracted retirees in droves.

There's plenty of outer beauty: from gently rolling hills to numerous rivers and lakes that residents flock to year-round for fishing, swimming and ice skating. Town parks are laced with 100s of miles of running, hiking, and biking trails.

No wonder residents rank among the healthiest people in the nation. Add with top-notch schools and safe streets you've got a place that's tough to beat.

Ranked as The Number One Place to Start a Business in America, Charlottesville's ability to attract start-up companies has allowed it to rebound from the recession better than many other places. The town offers plenty of incubator-styled office space.

Surrounded by the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains and the James River is an energetic city with its beautiful, pedestrian-friendly, historic Downtown Charlottesville.

Downtown Charlottesville is again filled with amazing shopping, dining and entertainment options. Charlottesville is well-maintained with a clean, inviting and delightfully charming atmosphere.

At the heart of Downtown Charlottesville Mall is a wonderfully charismatic six-block-long pedestrian mall. In the summer months, enjoy outdoor music concerts at Friday's at Five.

Top name entertainers play almost nightly at the Pavilion, Jefferson & Paramount Theaters. Colorful outdoor vendors and restaurants fill the mall almost the entire year and street performers, with a multitude of talents, make the Mall one of the best people-watching destinations anywhere.

There's also an embarrassment of arts and entertainment, including The Virginia Festival of The Book, The Virginia Film Festival, The Opera Society, a philharmonic orchestra, fine arts museum, two fox hunts,

youth theater, non-stop music from five venues (the Rolling Stones played here), and numerous parks. Charlottesville promotes year-round recreation and leisure activities for all ages.

Part of what shapes a city is its people. And while this impressive small city can lay claim to extraordinary scenic beauty and fascinating history, it is also home to some of the smartest people in the country. Charlottesville is home to some of the most educated in the country. Of residents ages 25 and up, 44 percent hold bachelor's degrees, and nearly 24 percent hold advanced degrees.

The Charlottesville metro area is growing fast leading to a boom in both residential and commercial growth. The subsequent downturn — now beginning to stabilize - means that there are bargains to be had.

There is always an amazing array of new and historic Charlottesville real estate available. The average Charlottesville home is approximately $240,000 for a 2,000+ square-foot home.

One of the City's strengths is its ability to partner with other local, state and federal agencies to improve wildlife habitat and protect open space and hillsides throughout area.

The City has set aside 1,000 acres of open space adjacent to the City for golf and outdoor activities.

The county also works with private landowners to purchase and protect thousands of acres of farmland for conservation.

Though Charlottesville and Albemarle County have grown like mad over the past decade, you'd never suspect it when driving through its historic small towns all of whom are surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the James River.

This hip college town offers the glamour and culture of a large city but without the crime and grunge.

With the ancient ever-present Blue Ridge Mountains and the verdant, rolling, pastoral countryside surrounding this small cosmopolitan paradise, and it's no surprise that Charlottesville ranks at the top of CNN & Money Magazine's list of Best Places in America to: live, start a business, raise a family, retire to...and sip wine!