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jimduncan.bsky.social
Jim Duncan
@jimduncan.bsky.social
740 followers 390 following 23K posts
Charlottesville, Crozet real estate agent & partner w/ Nest Realty, husband, dad, bike rider, wishing for fewer cars, more bikes and sidewalks. I write JimsNote.com - one note a month about real estate market + stories, & RealCentralVA.com, RealCrozetVA
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jimduncan.bsky.social
Taxing improvements and land at different rates; interesting idea.

1 - one thing missing from the article is that it's HB10 in the Va Gen. Assembly.
2 - the last slide is the most telling about our broken democracy.

www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2026/hb...

dailyprogress.com/news/local/g...
Real estate tax bills that price longtime residents out of their homes worry Virginia cities with soaring real estate prices and aging homes. Now, a former Democratic legislator’s sidelined notion of a fix is being revived by a suburban Republican who thinks it’s a good idea. The idea is to let localities set different tax rates for land and for improvements — read housing — on that land. “It’s really an affordable housing measure,” said Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County. The notion drew his attention a few years back, when former Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville, introduced a bill that would have allowed that city to set a lower rate for improvements than for land. He thought it was an idea that made sense for many Virginia communities as a way to keep people in their homes. It could also work to encourage construction of new housing to deal with Virginia’s current shortage of places people can afford, he said. “You’ve got cities where there’s lots of small houses maybe built in the 1950s sitting on land that might be worth a million dollars, and people getting hit with $10,000 tax bills they can’t afford,” he said. “Or, in downtown Roanoke, you’ve got a lot of high-value property, and you’d like to think about multifamily housing or apartments on some of those parking lots," he said. "Or maybe there’s people sitting on a lot of empty land, and a lower rate for improvements could spark interest in building housing." The issue of rising property tax bills and the way they can force longtime residents to leave their homes has been on multiple city's minds for years. On their wish list for the 2026 General Assembly session is for the state to move ahead with an effort now under study for something like Philadelphia’s Long-term Owner Occupancy Program. That program allows Philadelphians who have seen their property tax assessments rise by 50% in one year or 75% over five years to lock in their current assessments, so that future increases won’t boost their tax bills. McNamara said he's getting some social media pushback with his proposal. “This isn’t a tax increase, and it isn’t a tax decrease,” McNamara said. “It’s a flexibility tool … localities would be 100% free just to ignore it.” That seems to be what the handful of cities currently allowed to set lower rates for improvements than for land have done. Neither Richmond, Roanoke, nor Fairfax city publishes separate rates for improvements and land currently. Poquoson, which is authorized to set rates on improvements that could be higher or lower than a rate for land, doesn’t publish different rates either. But while those authorizations sailed through the General Assembly — each city’s permission won unanimous state Senate approval and heavily bipartisan backing in separate authorization votes in 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2020 — Hudson’s Charlottesville bill in 2023 and McNamara’s 2025 effort for a statewide version couldn’t get past a House Finance Committee subcommittee. The subcommittee’s then-Republican majority killed Hudson’s bill. The Democratic majority on the panel in 2025 killed McNamara’s. “I even told them it was a Democratic idea originally,” McNamara said. He's hoping bipartisan concerns will turn into bipartisan support this year. "It's just a good idea," he said.
January 5, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
gravelinfluencer.bsky.social
I know why, but it feels like some sort of mass gaslighting event that so many people are acting like this man is anything but an authoritarian who has completely and utterly lost his mind
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17h
Trump in a single gaggle on Air Force One just threatened:

-- a second strike against Venezuela
-- Cuba
-- Mexico
-- Colombia
-- Iran
-- Greenland (which in turn would be an attack on the EU and Denmark)
January 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM
jimduncan.bsky.social
I think this could be one of the most useful charts I've created (with help from Claude).

Showing buyer clients how many homes came on the market in Charlottesville and Albemarle last year that "fit" their criteria.

In the context of this story from 2017 - www.realcentralva.com/2017/09/25/m...
The chart shows a clear seasonal pattern with April 2025 as the peak month (31 listings), followed by a significant drop-off in the second half of the year. November saw the lowest activity with just 5 new listings, though there was a modest uptick in September with 21 homes.
January 5, 2026 at 1:28 AM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Talking to my wife today as I filled up my car (one day, I'll get an EV).

Her: where are you?
Me: At WaWa.
Her: On 29?
Me: The one across from the Sheetz.
Her: ....
Me: Would it be helpful if I said I was near a CVS?
Her: ...

Not sure how she tolerates me.
January 5, 2026 at 12:55 AM
jimduncan.bsky.social
I certainly appreciate their creativity and ingenuity.
Vent hood that is vented to the kitchen with an HVAC filter I think taped to the top that serves as the filtration
January 4, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
joegross.bsky.social
Literally a publication for eight-year olds 40 years ago
January 4, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
juphoff.bsky.social
Worth a read.
esherukweku.bsky.social Esheru @esherukweku.bsky.social · 1d
A very long and important THREAD -

The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974.

And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself.

Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy." 1/
January 4, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
gtconway.bsky.social
January 3, 2026 at 6:44 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Why won’t this asshole just fall over?
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Trump's eyes are closing as he stands and listens to Caine
January 3, 2026 at 5:12 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Our fucking country elected this fucking guy. Twice.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Trump posts footage of the Maduro raid set to "Fortunate Son" -- a protest song about the Vietnam War draft
January 3, 2026 at 4:26 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
If only there were any branches of government supposed to check or balance things.

“"Trump is destroying what was left of any trust in the U.S."” — & his followers and enablers/co-conspirators

World reacts to US strikes on Venezuela - www.reuters.com/world/americ...
RODERICH KIESEWETTER, PROMINENT MP FROM GERMANY'S CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION: "With President Trump, the U.S. are abandoning the rules-based order that has shaped us since 1945." "The coup in Venezuela marks a return to the old U.S. doctrine from before 1940: a mindset of thinking in terms of spheres of influence, where the law of force rules, not international law." "Trump is destroying what was left of any trust in the U.S."
January 3, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
audrelawdamercy.bsky.social
this is blowing my mind

“bears can squeeze into some pretty tiny spaces b/c they don’t have collarbones. All they need is an opening big enough for their heads to fit [...] we routinely receive reports of large, adult bears accessing crawlspaces through standard 8 by 16 inch foundation vents" WHAT
wishda.bsky.social wishda @wishda.bsky.social · 2d
They less abandoned him, and more
that this is how places handle this.

When I lived in the N.C. mountains, there was a ton of messaging to bear proof your property for the winter, and it always ended with “And if you don’t, leave the bear alone until spring.”
When a Bear Moves In: Preparing Your Property for Denning Season - Asheville.com
Slumber time for black bears is quickly approaching, and in some cases, already happening. Now is the time to start bear proofing residential and commercial properties to discourage winter denning.
www.asheville.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
finjareloaded.bsky.social
I'll put that into my resolutions for 2026 :)
brenttoderian.bsky.social Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 3d
9. Take every opportunity you can to participate in civic life. Linger in and enjoy good parks, places, and streets every day, not just during special events. Your very presence and engagement adds life, vitality, and safety to a place, and helps them be more enjoyable for everyone.
Downtown Vancouver playground filled with kids and parents London public space filled with people
January 1, 2026 at 9:26 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Looking at monthly median sold prices for single family resale homes in Albemarle County in 2024 and 2025

The first half of 2025 showed solid year-over-year appreciation - January through May were all up between 8% and 14% compared to 2024 (ignoring February's outlier with only 25 sales). 1/x
screenshot showing that I looked for sold single family homes in Albemarle in 2024, resales. I do this so that I can remember what I searched for, and to see it to verify that I'm not searching for two different things when I'm comparing years. Screenshot showing monthly median sold prices for single family homes in Albemarle County in 2024 and 2025, with the far right column showing the % difference in sold price between the respective months.
January 1, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Like, this an actual post from an actual government social media account, posted in the last hour.
Homeland Security * @DHSgov We will not live like this anymore. Underneath is a meme showing “America in 2025,” with “what we expected” first showing flying cars and then “what we got” showing a picture of Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey superimposed over a pile of trash with a speech bubble showing random characters (that are not written Somali) next to the screenshot of the daycare from the January 6er’s video.
December 31, 2025 at 7:26 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Didn't intend to use this photo for a blog post, but then I went and wrote a story about Albemarle County's slowing real estate market. Seemed appropriate.

www.realcentralva.com/2025/12/31/m...
Median Days on Market for Sold Homes in Albemarle Increased in 2025
tl;dr: the Albemarle County real estate market started slowing in early 2025 and continued the slowdown as the year wore on
www.realcentralva.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
theplanetaryguy.bsky.social
Open up this picture fully.

Then look at the surface of Mars.

Then look up to the top right.

Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.

Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.

That's Earth.
A forlorn landscape of layered rocks in the foreground, with hills fading into the background haze. At upper top right, a small crescent moon, and a bright star.
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
This sign cracks me up every time I see it.
White sign with black lettering that says speed limit 35. Green sign below it that says. “ENTER NELSON CO LEAVE ALBERMARLE CO” Note that the correct spelling is Albemarle
December 30, 2025 at 4:11 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
I am ruthlessly unsubscribing from every newsletter or request for charity - even the ones I give to regularly- I get. Trying to enter 2026 with less email clutter.
December 29, 2025 at 7:03 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Seems like a untaken opportunity to install retractable bollards on the Downtown Mall.

infocville.com/2025/12/27/a...
screenshot showing: The City of Charlottesville is seeking a firm to remove and replace the granite pavers on the Downtown Mall crossings at 2nd Street NW and 4th Street NE. This will include “Installation of a custom drop inlet, concrete pipe, concrete curb, and sidewalk.” The work will involve coordination with the city’s Public Utilities Division while they replace a drop inlet at the top of 2nd Street NW. Bids are due on January 9, 2026. (learn more)
December 28, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
jrosenbaum.com.au
This is also why they are pushing generative AI so hard. Getting everyone used to accepting false information, not having to critically think and outsourcing their brains. Downplaying the role creativity plays in thought and growth by telling people they can just make what they want with AI.
georgetakei.bsky.social George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 9d
Our government’s priorities are entirely backward. And purposefully so.
Screenshot of a tweet by James Tate reading, “An educated populace is a threat to power.” The tweet includes a quoted graphic stating that ICE is offering a $45,000 signing bonus and $100,000 starting salary, compared to a teacher earning $55,000 in their eighth year with a master’s degree, arguing that education has been intentionally defunded.
December 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM
jimduncan.bsky.social
67°. 25 December. WTF. #fromthebicycle
Road. Tree bike shadow Roundabout under construction Roundabout under construction
December 25, 2025 at 10:13 PM
jimduncan.bsky.social
A recommendation for those seeing their parents this holiday season:

- Ask if they have a will, power of attorney, medical directive, list of accounts and passwords.
- If they do, know where all that stuff is.
- If they don't, create a plan with a hard deadline to accomplish this.

Happy holiday.
December 24, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Jim Duncan
carolecadwalla.bsky.social
NEW: last night, the US govt launched an assault on the ‘global censorship industrial complex’, aka European tech researchers/campaigners.

It’s a deeply chilling move & speaks as to why we need international solidarity more than ever.

open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
A message to America: we are not your enemy
Last night, the US launched an all-out assault on the "global censorship industrial complex", I respond with some deep breaths, solidarity and a vibey video (it's all I have)
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:52 AM
jimduncan.bsky.social
Nearly 60° this close to Christmas? I’ll take it. #FromTheBicycle.
Picture of Beaver Creek Reservoir, flanked by trees with mountains in the distance
December 23, 2025 at 9:02 PM