volume 15 issue 4 n www.caar.com/FineProperties Fine ProPerties 
to enjoy the cultural ame- ing counties, all of which, he
nities of Charlottesville. It’s says, have an ample supply of
one of the reasons so many farm and estate properties.
people with money come “Throughout Central
here. They realize we have Virginia and the Shenan-
good restaurants, cultural
doah Valley, all the counties
and recreational activities, a
have a pretty good range of
mix of what the city and the
properties,” he stated. “The
University have to offer and
larger estates tend to be in
the area’s natural beauty.”
Albemarle County and Or-
ange and some in the Valley.
Sustainable
Certainly in terms of acreage
and size, the bigger estates
Lifestyle
tend to be closer to Charlot-
The term “sustainable
tesville or in Orange.”
living” is growing in popu-
For Du Bose, each county
larity, and with it a desire by is unique and offers buyers
many people to own proper- something different, de-
ty on which they can pursue pending on what they are
a self-reliant lifestyle. Conse- looking for. “There are some
quently, they are trading in
their urban dwellings or their
“I have clients who could live
things in Albemarle County
you can’t get in Nelson or
suburban subdivision homes
Orange and vice versa. It just
for a place that gives them
space to plant a bountiful
anywhere and they pick Charlot-
depends.”
But availability of farm
vegetable garden, raise a few
and estate property is de-
chickens, and have their own
tesville because it’s a mix of nat-
pendent upon development.
water supply. These modern-
Faulconer says there is defi-
day pioneers are reclaiming
their ancestral roots in an
ural beauty with the dynamics of
nitely pressure on farms right
now, especially those close to
enthusiastic way.
an urban corridor. “One of
“My children are always
asking to move to a farm
a small, cosmopolitan city.”
the things I hope will hap-
pen is that development may
where they can have ani-
take the course of Bundoran
mals,” said Du Bose. “To
Farm (a preservation devel-
me it’s more a sustainable lifestyle than any- to get back—mostly young people who have
opment where over 90% of the 2,300 acres are
thing else.” children. I haven’t had a lot of retired people
protected landscape) but will allow approxi-
Faulconer said in the past the term “sus- looking for a farm, but you take a protected
mately 100 families or individuals to live on
tainable lifestyle” was not very important, area like Free Union where you know that
the farm. Bundoran Farm is a model develop-
but he acknowledges that is changing. “It’s a land can’t be subdivided and people come
relatively new term and a lot of people really
ment. If it goes well, we’re hoping that type
back specifically for that.”
want the land for the privacy and space, al-
of development will take precedence over the
Faulconer has seen a gradual shifting in
though they don’t farm it themselves. What
kind of strip development we’ve seen over so
the demographics of farm and estate buyers.
they’re buying is lifestyle first. Production of
many years.”
“In the ’70s and ’80s, we were dealing primar-
the land is less important. I think we’re going
Faulconer added that the area is fortu-
ily with people who made their money and
to see that changing somewhat in the future
nate in that many philanthropic people have
came to Charlottesville for retirement. They
as the national consciousness changes. Even
moved here and put their property under
weren’t always old, but older than the last
this week, I had a couple from out of state
easement. While there’s an economic benefit
10-15 years, where we’ve had a lot of younger
looking here with the idea of having produc-
to doing this, there’s also the higher reason
tive gardens, so I think that trend is going to
retirees who made a lot of money. We’ve had
to preserve the character of the area.
be a national trend and people will look here
a number of U.Va. grads that picked Charlot-
“One of my favorite places is Madison
as well. Overall, however, I think the main rea-
tesville because they fondly remembered their
County,” said Faulconer. “Madison has made
son buyers want farms and estates in Central
days at U.Va. That trend continues today. It’s
a statement that they want to remain rural
Virginia is primarily because of the lifestyle
a very diverse group who come from all over. and through their zoning they’ve done a ter-
this area offers.”
I was on the phone with people from India- rific job of keeping development to a mini-
napolis, Malibu, and Atlanta—just today. mum and preserving the natural beauty of
Who’s Buying—
These people are coming from urban areas. that county. I hope that Albemarle County
They made money and are tired of living the
will move in that direction, although it’s
and Where?
urban lifestyle, but they don’t want to go to
tough when you have Charlottesville in the
Just as it’s difficult to categorize what peo-
an isolated location. They still want Eastern
middle of it. We’ve already lost some of our
ple are looking for in farm and estate prop-
U.S., with proximity to cities like Washing-
rural flavor, but what’s nice is you can quickly
erty, so too it’s hard to pin down the demo- ton and New York, to live a quiet lifestyle, but
move out of the city into the country. I be-
graphics of buyers. with a cosmopolitan flavor.”
lieve there’s a general consciousness of people
“Some went to the University,” said Du When Faulconer talks about Charlottesville,
here who will strive to preserve our magnifi-
Bose. “Others grew up here and are trying he’s inclusive of Albemarle and the surround-
cent countryside.” +