The Liz Moore Market Watch Blog

By: Lauren Cummings

There is something special about sharing books; the creases from where the previous reader was  gripped by the tension of the story, the dog  ear folds from where they had to mark their  place, or even the little notes they have left  behind as they jotted down their thoughts – these qualities don’t just add character to the book  itself, it creates connections between readers. We  may each experience a story differently, but it is up  to us to share them.

How It All Started

Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin was inspired by the  “take a book, leave a book” projects launched by coffee  shops and community buildings. He placed a Free Little Library in front of his residence as a tribute to his mother,  who was a schoolteacher with a passion for reading. All  it took was a few people to recognize the importance of  easy access to books for everyone, and from there, a chain  of free little libraries was established across the country.  As of 2022, 150,000 mini-libraries have been registered  across 115 countries worldwide.

What is a Little Free Library?

Little free libraries are exactly as they sound, and no library card is required. Little free libraries are usually 
placed by residents of the community or by volunteers  that are passionate about spreading knowledge and 
story magic to everyone. These mini libraries symbolize community, inspiration, and support.

How Can You Start One?

Creating your little free library is easier than ever with  the help of the non-profit organization behind it all, Little  Free Library. This organization has made it possible for  people to announce their library to the public and provide  access to resources to get noticed by the community. 
1. Identify a location and steward
2. Get a library – create one yourself or buy one
on the Little Free Library’s online store.
3. Register your library – see the QR code below.
4. Set up your steward account 
5. Build community support

Building Inspiration

If you want to get creative and don’t want to purchase  a mini-library from the online store, there are plenty 
of resourceful ways to create a mini-library. We have  seen people convert old microwaves into mini-libraries,  small dog houses, storage bins, and even an old  cabinet. The one thing to consider is if the structure is 
weather-proof material so no books are ruined; a door is ideal for this requirement.

Register your library or find one near you at www.littlefreelibrary.org.

The Summer Edition of our Liz Local Magazine is now available.  We've dedicated this issue to our four-legged, furry friends highlighting pet friendly places, interior design tips with pets in mind, and more!

View the digital version for your market below:

Peninsula Edition

Northern Neck Edition

Richmond Edition

Williamsburg Edition 

Amazing fireworks shows are a July 4th staple on the Virginia Peninsula and in Williamsburg.  Here's this year's schedule:

Yorktown
9:15pm
visityorktown.org

Victory Landing Park, Newport News
9:00pm
nnparksandrec.org

Williamsburg
9:30pm
colonialwilliamsburg.org

Busch Gardens
9:30pm
buschgardens.com 

The Spring Edition of our Liz Local Magazine is now available.  We've included real estate predictions, ways to help your kids get on the path to wealth building, local restaurant spotlights, and more!

View the digital version for your market below:

Peninsula Edition

Northern Neck Edition

Richmond Edition

Williamsburg Edition 

April showers means finding fun activities indoors and Hampton Roads has a number of military museums that make for a great day trip.  Here are our recommendations:

U.S. Army
Transportation Museum
300 Washington Blvd. | Besson Hall
Fort Eustis VA 23604
transportation.army.mil/museum

USS Monitor Center
100 Museum Drive
Newport News VA 23606
monitorcenter.org

Virginia War Museum
9285 Warwick Boulevard
Newport News VA 23607
newportnewshistory.org/virginia-war-museum 

Military Aviation Museum
1341 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach VA 23457
militaryaviationmuseum.org

Hampton Roads
Naval Museum
One Waterside Drive
Norfolk VA 23510
nauticus.org

American Revolution
Museum at Yorktown
200 Water Street
Yorktown VA 23690
jyfmuseums.org

Winter is in full swing here in Hampton Roads and it looks like we'll still need to wait a while before enjoying the outdoors again.  However, there are many great options for indoor activities here in the 757!

Check out our recommendations for the visual arts:

Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center
4205 Victoria Blvd.
Hampton

Muscarelle Museum of Art
603 Jamestown Road
Williamsburg

Hampton University Museum & Archives
14 Frissell Ave.
Hampton

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
S. Nassau St.
Colonial Williamsburg

The Mariners' Museum
100 Museum Dr.
Newport News

DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
S. Nassau St.
Colonial Williamsburg

The Noland Trail, one of the most beautiful spots in Newport News, Virginia, celebrated its 30th birthday on October 26th, 2021.

Following the shoreline of The Mariners’ Lake, which is part of Mariners’ Park, is the five-mile Noland Trail. Dedicated as a gift from the Noland Family in 1991 and with significant ongoing financial support from the Noland Family, the trail has 14 bridges, picnic areas, benches, and mile markers. Each fall, The Mariners’ Museum hosts a Park celebration that includes the Noland Trail 50K and Relay and a family-friendly fall festival.

Mariners' Park is one of the nation’s largest privately owned and maintained parks that is free and open to the public.

Park and Trail Hours:

OPEN DAILY

Hours: 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day

Bring the kiddos by our Newport News office in their best costume for some trick or treating fun on Thursday, October 28th from 4-6. The offices will be decked out for Halloween, and of course, there will be candy!

The past 15 months has been a roller coaster in our real estate world. It’s hard to imagine that in spite of being in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, we also experienced the hottest real estate market in US history. The perfect storm of low listing inventory and historic low interest rates converged to cause buyer demand to spike to all-time highs.

Clearly, it’s a great time to be a seller. But… what about the other side of that equation? Sellers are asking themselves, “I may get peak pricing for my home right now, but then I’ll have to turn around and pay peak pricing on the other end. Does that make sense for me?” Every situation is different, and the answer really depends on a lot of different factors. One thing that definitely makes sense, though, is that now is a great time for an in-depth look at values with your favorite REALTOR. If you’re not currently living in your dream home, now just may be the perfect time to explore alternatives.

Other drivers that are causing people to re-think their current space are the possibilities created by new opportunities to work remotely. Many people have realized that they can hang up their commute, and work from home…and that home can be anywhere they want. That freedom extends beyond location – it also means new and different features are important in a home: home offices and outdoor spaces have become all the buzz in recent months.

We’ve devoted this month’s edition of Liz Local to exploring a few of those features.

Check out a digital version of our Summer Liz Local Magazine:

Peninsula Edition

Williamsburg Edition

Richmond Edition

Northern Neck Edition