Five Things to Know About Living in Charlottesville, Va

It is exciting to move to a new town, whether it's across the state, across the country or around the world. As an Associate Broker in central Virginia, I, like most agents, meet and work with people who are on the move. And in a new place, there are always new things to navigate, learn and get used to.

So what are the most important things to know about moving to Charlottesville? Here are five must-know's:

1) Parking Downtown: You wouldn't think that a town of 43,000 or so would have a huge parking problem. And really, we don't. The problem is when you park, you can't be there for too long. I have lived in a lot of cities, and pound for pound, there are a lot of parking tickets written here. It must be a great revenue stream, because the sector of the police department that issues tickets is incredibly timely and efficient. Like you should be if you get a ticket...they are very easy to pay online, and only $15 if pay within 96 hours...otherwise? It doubles to $30. Set your watch or phone timer and plug the meter. And watch out for the 2-hour parking areas...those are by block, so no fair moving a few spaces down. That's ticket-able, too.

2) Game Day: The University of Virginia has football fans as rabid as any team. In fact, the Associated Press named Charlottesville as one of their best collegiate football towns for 2010. So without fail, when football season rolls around, be sure to pick up a wallet-sized schedule found around city merchants and plan accordingly. If you're NOT going to the game, there are huge swaths of town where you'll find no places to park and/or will sit in traffic. A lot of it. You'll only come into town once to get groceries not knowing it was game day before you soon become a savant about the Cavalier football home-game schedule.

3) Lots of Streets Have Multiple Names: This isn't a phenomenon unique to Charlottesville, but we may be near the top for not only the number of streets that have more than one name, but the number of names on those streets. Depending on who you talk to, where they are and how familiar they are with town, you'll hear folks talk about the same areas as if they on opposite side of the city. Getting a map as a newcomer is not just convenient; it's a matter of survival.

4) One of Everything...Almost: Most people don't need to run away from town to get things done elsewhere. We have a mall, most of the big-box stores, and are known for our incredible food and live music scene. We're pretty self-contained culturally, but that doesn't mean we're without some esoteric resources; no animal eye-care specialists here, no ballet troupe, no Trader Joe's (despite having a Whole Foods...they often go together); no Nordstrom's, Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel...we have an airport, too, but you have to be going to Charlotte, Philadelphia, New York/LaGuardia, Washington/Dulles or Atlanta since we're we're not a hub.

5) The University of Virginia (UVa): Our architecture, the name of our streets, directions, where to go to dinner, parking, housing prices, rental availability...everything in Charlottesville is impacted significantly by the University. Our citizens work for or with the university as the biggest area employer, and many of our residents are either students, faculty, employees or alumni. Like a lot of small towns with a college or university, we are heavily impacted and influenced by what happens there; unlike a lot of small towns, though, the University is not just a school, but an icon for democracy with deep history.

Charlottesville is not just a destination but a place people seek out to call home. And for good reason. If you're thinking about moving here, or already have, welcome!