Williamsburg real estate: Kitchens (Richmond: for sale, apartments, condos)

[firebaugh]

Hello all: Been lurking here for quite a while. Currently living in Northern NJ, but we're getting ready to put our house up for sale in the spring and have decided to relocate in Williamsburg. We just love the area and currently have friends living in both W'burg and VA Beach. Also sick to death of the taxes here and after the winter of 2010-2011 we are also done with the winters full of ice and snow.

I have sort of a funny question. My husband and I are both very much into cooking. While checking out real estate listings, it seems that most of the kitchens have electric ranges. Is that pretty much standard for most of Williamsburg, or are there areas/developments where you might find some homes with gas ranges?

Thanks in advance!

[rosemaryt714]

Hi: I'm not a local but I am planning to move to Williamsburg as well. I'm from CT and hate the taxes and survived (barely) that horrible winter of 2010-2011 like you.

I was there in April and looked at apartments, condos, etc. over a 2-day period and found nothing with gas ranges. However, I have cooked with electric for more years than I'd care to admit so it's not a big deal for me.

Good luck, Rosemary

[Archguy]

It's mostly about where the natural gas supply lines run, and secondarily a cultural preference. More common in older & denser neighborhoods. Although they can be nearly anywhere, they're less often found in rural districts.

FWIW, new electric ranges are vastly better for cooking than old ones ever were. I always cooked with gas for the typical (culinary) reasons, then went to dual-fuel several years back as gas provides no benefit wrt ovens and has serious liabilities wrt household air quality. Then I switched entirely to electric even though my current house has natural gas supply (used for furnace & HWH). Bosch, Thermador, and several other mfrs offer amazing new cooktops if you end up with electric, whether or not induction. I love the smooth cooktop and incredible cleanability it offers.

[TN Lily]

Can't you do a propane gas range?

[Wild Colonial Girl]

Look more closely at the listings. Many many houses have gas heat, but electric range. It's not cheap, but not prohibitive to get the gas run to the kitchen.

I suspect the lack is a combination of cost for the builder, and not so many serious cooks.

[firebaugh]

Guess a propane gas range is an option, yes.

Thanks Colonial Girl, I will check that out.

And Archguy, that is a beautiful cooktop. I will say that electric looks like a DREAM for cleanup.

Rosemary, these taxes in NJ are going to be the death of me if I don't leave, LOL. I was always willing to pay somewhat higher taxes for the great schools, but mine have gone up 50% in 10 years.
There are other reasons we want to escape (high stress, bad traffic, lack of things to do unless you want to go into NYC), but taxes and snow are the most compelling.

[rosemaryt714]

Yes, I agree with all the things you said. CT is exactly the same. Stressed out people trying to out-do each other, they're nasty and rude and where I live there is absolutely NOTHING to do, especially for single adults. My commute is only 16 miles and sometimes it takes me 1.5 hours one way to get to work (yes, I am looking for another job) and my property taxes are unspeakable. I just had to wait until my daughter graduated high school this year so now I can finally put my house on the market and come to VA. I felt so comfortable when I was in Williamsburg. I couldn't believe how nice everyone was and how easy it was to get around. Hopefully, we can all start anew very soon. Good luck.

[Archguy]

Originally Posted by Wild Colonial Girl

Look more closely at the listings. Many many houses have gas heat, but electric range. It's not cheap, but not prohibitive to get the gas run to the kitchen.

I suspect the lack is a combination of cost for the builder, and not so many serious cooks.

Yep, this is a good point which I meant to add! Gas ranges often cost more and builders are all about what's cheapest! If there is gas supplied to the house* you can usually add cooking, and IME it's not too costly. Just do the cooktop and not the oven(s), for reasons I mentioned upthread.

Propane is an option in rural districts, but I'd never do it. Simply because propane is heavier than air so doesn't cook as well as natural gas, which (being lighter than air) produces a more workable flame. 10 million outdoor grills to the contrary

----------------------------------------------------
*And with Marcellus Formation etc. I'd hope you do have gas heat. It's cheap and getting cheaper lately. At the moment I wish I had gas air conditioning! Slightly counter-intuitive but it does work and is efficient! I've never installed one though.

[Archguy]

Originally Posted by rosemaryt714

Yes, I agree with all the things you said. CT is exactly the same. Stressed out people trying to out-do each other, they're nasty and rude and where I live there is absolutely NOTHING to do, especially for single adults. My commute is only 16 miles and sometimes it takes me 1.5 hours one way to get to work (yes, I am looking for another job) and my property taxes are unspeakable. I just had to wait until my daughter graduated high school this year so now I can finally put my house on the market and come to VA. I felt so comfortable when I was in Williamsburg. I couldn't believe how nice everyone was and how easy it was to get around. Hopefully, we can all start anew very soon. Good luck.

I also moved south from NYC (although my family is originally southern) and it's like night and day. Sure, we don't have Carnegie Hall and the Met but it's surprising how much we do have, in Richmond anyway. It's a very livable city. And people here have no clue what real traffic is like!

Meanwhile I think the Peninsula is a good place to live--you have two metros (Tidewater and Richmond) and their airports within comfortable reach, a very nice historical town or three right where you live, and a relative lack of congestion. If you hate taxes & snow, you'll love Virginia. Although, prepare yourself for our long hot summers!

[rosemaryt714]

Long, hot summers are OK with me. I guess I should've mentioned earlier that I lived in TX for over 10 years so long and hot are nothing new to me

I'd rather have the warmth with a/c and pools, etc. than inches of snow where you're trapped in your house for a couple of days !! And sometimes without power !!!!!! It's a very creepy feeling.