The Deborah Brown Team Newsletter

Fine Homes and Estates edition

This is why it is important to create the perfect environment to house expensive vintages. What's more, it is fashionable to store wine at home, wine cellars not only provide a great atmosphere for the wine but for the wine connoisseur as well.

Once the proper environment is established, items such as racks, lighting, décor, and all the other aesthetically pleasing options can be worked into the design of the wine cellar. With the large assortment of suppliers and Web sites, a wine cellar can be built for the budget conscience or for those who do not adhere to a budget at all. Smaller scale collections can utilize the temperature-controlled units that are designed to fit in a variety of spaces in the home - the larger the collection,_the_larger_the_wine_cellar.

If a homeowner has too many obstacles to overcome when trying to find the perfect place to protect their investment, it is possible to store a collection in the right conditions for a low monthly fee at inventory management and wine storage facilities. These warehouses are ideal for the oenophile with an extensive collection, who just doesn't have the storage space.

These companies set up a repository for a collection and keep track of the inventory, using innovative and hi-tech methods. One such company in Silicone Valley, located near to the heart of "wine country" in California, uses devices that scan bar codes along with photographs of the bottles in order to catalogue a customer's collection

Regardless of where a collector stores their wine, they will find many ways to inventory their prized possessions. There are Web sites and computer programs that assist in tracking and monitoring a wine cellar. Some online options have free programs like CellarTracker that manually allows the user to input and update their wine data. Online users can also visit chat rooms where other oenophiles share their love of this expensive_hobby.

Greg Wingfield, President/CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership was the keynote speaker at the Richmond Association of Realtors January CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) meeting. The partnership (GRPVA) is a not-for-profit economic development team representing the City of Richmond, Hanover, Chesterfield and Henrico Counties. He gave an in-depth look at why prospects for Richmond's growth and development continue to grow.

There was some bad news. Surveys have shown that prospects for manufacturing are down from last year, possibly due to competition from China and other overseas competitors. The good news is that labor prospects are up. Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and Goochland are tops among 3,141 counties across the U.S. surveyed by the American City Business Journal. The categories excelled in were (1) quality of life, (2) home ownership, (3) commuting times, (4) prevalence of young adults, (5) cultural diversity and (5) educational levels. Quality of life is one of the strongest factors in influencing a choice of places to live. An educated work force is attractive to employers.

Mr. Wingfield cited Richmond as having the highest proportion of museums (20) and golf courses (25) of similar cities as primary factors in high quality of life.

Another reason for strong growth is the lower cost of residential housing compared to most of the country. The Greater Richmond Area uses a "backfill" approach to development. The backfill method establishes boundaries such as Route 288 or other major roads and develops housing from the boundary inward toward the city rather than having it scatter outward. This containment keeps the cost of providing schools, water, sewers and electricity down in a more efficient manor.

One important factor for attracting employers and business to the Richmond area is the high proportion of educated people. 300 active company prospects are currently looking at Richmond to locate here. The goal is 200 more firms by 2009.

There are plans to improve the Main Street train station in Richmond. It currently takes 45 minutes to get from the Main Street station to the Staples Mill Station. This time needs to be reduced to 10 minutes to increase ridership. The yards

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