Retirement Destination: Williamsburg

JOHN WOMELDORF RETIREMENT DESTINATION: Williamsburg By Erin Fryer Lisa W. Cumming Photography   When John Womeldorf first moved to Wil-   John had a designer come up with a logo in the Hampton Roads and Richmond areas. liamsburg, he was in the process of kickstarting for him and he began pumping content into Ultimately, John’s desire to move closer to his a real estate career in a town where almost ev- his website, www.mrwilliamsburg.com. “At family made him decide to put his home on eryone he met already knew at least 15 agents. first my peers laughed when they heard what the market and make the move to Williams- Almost immediately, he had to devise a plan I was doing, but after about four years they burg. for how he would stand out amongst his peers. stopped laughing and now everyone calls me   “I felt it was time for a life change, so we   John’s solution: start a website. “I was get- Mr. Williamsburg. Even my clients call me came down and began driving through the dif- ting a lot of inquiries from people out of that. Sometimes they don’t even remember my ferent neighborhoods to see what would be the town,” he says. “Many of them were looking real name,” he says with a smile. best fit for us,” he says. “We looked at houses to retire here, and they wanted to know about   John says the number one question he gets and then we checked out the neighborhood the neighborhoods, shopping, trails, music asked is, “What is it like to live in Williams- pools. It was summer, and some neighbor- scene, you name it. I was constantly writing burg?” Answering this question is John’s spe- hoods had no people at the pool, but when these long emails and quickly realized that I cialty. we drove into Windsor Forest, the pool was should take this valuable information and put   Originally from Virginia Beach, John moved packed. I knew that was the neighborhood for it all on a website. Almost all the content on to the Washington, D.C. area after graduating us.” my site was born out of questions people have from college. He started a family and had a   The weekend John and his family moved in, asked me.” successful career, but there were many chal- their neighbors organized a cookout and a big   John started his website in 2004 but de- lenges that came with living in Northern Vir- group of them gathered in a cul-de-sac. A cou- cided that he wanted to create an identity to ginia, including traffic congestion and the cost ple of weeks later John participated in a work go along with it. “My name is kind of hard of living. session at the neighborhood clubhouse where to pronounce and hard to spell, so I wanted   While John and his family were living on he met a ton of new people. “It’s an incredible something more recognizable,” he says. “That’s the water in Annapolis, their family, includ- place to live,” he says. how Mr. Williamsburg was born.” ing his dad, sisters and in-laws, were still living   Though he misses life on the water, John

still has a boat and two jet skis, but the trad- ties, culture, shopping and scenic beauty, but loves to travel to explore new areas and check eoff is still worth it for him to live in town. no two clients are alike. Luckily, Williamsburg out the music scene with his partner, Lisa, es- “We ride our bikes all over the place,” he says. has it all.” pecially since the birth of Airbnb. “I don’t stay “It’s a 15-minute bike ride to Colonial Wil-   John admits that he feels like an ambassador in hotels anymore,” he says. “In fact, lots of liamsburg, nothing replaces that for me. I love for the area and is disappointed when people people want to buy houses in Williamsburg the Capital Trail, too.” decide to move to other areas, but it does hap- and rent them out on Airbnb, but it’s almost   John says every single person he has worked pen. “It is usually because they are looking impossible. There are so many rules preventing with has told him that his website helped them for something inexpensive, and Williamsburg it. Almost every HOA prohibits it. There are a get better acquainted with Williamsburg. Even is not an inexpensive place to live,” he says. few non-neighborhood homes that have been people who aren’t clients of John’s say they “At the same time, other places don’t have the approved, but there are not that many non- have turned to the website as a resource when culture and opportunities that Williamsburg neighborhood homes in Williamsburg.” learning about living in here. has.”   While he loves to travel, John says nothing   Several years ago, John published an article   John says he sees a lot of people whose kids beats a perfect day in the ‘burg. While there on his website about the town’s different gro- attended William & Mary, so they have visited is something for everyone during each season, cery store options, and a woman in France and grown to love the town, and they decide John says he loves spring in particular. “It’s happened to stumble upon it when research- when they retire that they will buy a place here. just so gorgeous when everything is in bloom,” ing grocery stores in Williamsburg. She was “So many of the clients I meet visited here as he says. “The county does a great job of keep- planning to move here from France and that tourists over a 20-30 year period and dream ing up the green spaces, especially outside of article alone sealed the deal that John was the of retiring here,” he says. “While they’ve been neighborhoods.” Realtor for her. coming here for decades, that doesn’t mean   Everyone has their own opinion of what a   John can almost predict what people will that they know anything about the neighbor- “perfect” day in Williamsburg consists of, but say when they have their first meeting. “They hoods. They know everything about Colonial for John it would be starting the day with a are either close to retirement or already retired Williamsburg and other tourist attractions, bike ride to Colonial Williamsburg, followed and are considering moving to Williamsburg, but it’s my job to show them what it’s actually by breakfast at Blue Talon and another long so I tell them to come on down and see the like to live here.” bike ride to Charles City on the Capital Trail. town for themselves.”   Aside from real estate, John is an avid cy- When it’s time to turn around and head back   John finds that his senior clients are typically clist. “I try to cycle as much as possible. I love to town, he would finish the day by catching looking to settle in similar areas, like Charles- to get out on the Capital Trail or travel some- some live music at Cogan’s Deli followed by ton, Asheville and Charlottesville due to the where and cycle. I am also really into music. I dinner and beer at Amber Ox. reduced cost of living and milder weather in follow musicians and venues from Richmond   Whether the newly retired couple is look- comparison to the northeast. “They are look- to Virginia Beach and love to go to shows to ing to put down roots in the Colonial Capital ing to get away from high taxes and severe cold hear new musicians.” or seeking resources in the area, John Wom- weather and start their newly retired lives,” he   John’s two sons, ages 19 and 20, are both eldorf, better known as Mr. Williamsburg, is says. “Most of my clients want to be in a place living in Martinsville, Virginia, pursuing their always happy to show his clients the amazing with social activities, educational opportuni- passion for racecars. As an empty nester, John things his town has to offer. NDN