Sold for $3,000,000
1163 & 1197 Wards Rd.
Altavista/Lynchburg, VA (Campbell County)
Former Automotive Dealership on Two Parcels Totaling 13± Acres
Click HERE for Additional Photos
Straddling 13± acres on the east side of Wards Road/ US‑29 in Altavista, this former franchise‑dealership commands attention. Two contiguous parcels share uninterrupted highway frontage and dual access drives, giving passing traffic unimpeded views of the broad asphalt display lots and inviting curb appeal.
The land itself is user‑friendly: irregular in shape yet essentially level, well‑drained, and located entirely in FEMA Zone X—outside any mapped flood hazard area. Campbell County classifies the property B‑GC (General Business Commercial), a flexible designation that welcomes most retail, automotive, and equipment‑oriented uses without the need for rezoning.
Inside, the campus functions like a modern one‑stop dealership: multi‑vehicle showroom, customer lounge, sales and finance offices, retail parts counter with warehouse, and a fully enclosed service department equipped with a typical complement of bays.
Outside, roughly 380 striped surface spaces wrap the buildings, providing ample room for display inventory, customer parking, and circulation lanes. Extensive asphalt paving, steel pole lighting, perimeter fencing, and modest landscaping reinforce the site’s retail automotive identity.
Executive Summary
- Property: 1163 & 1197 Wards Rd, Altavista, VA 24517
- Use: Former automotive dealership with ancillary office building (3 total buildings).
- Land Area: 13.04± acres
- Building Area: 32,178± SF rentable
- Zoning: B-GC (Business-General Commercial District) zoning accommodates a wide range of retail and automotive uses.
- Campbell County Parcel IDs: 70-A-70 and 70-A-72A
Investment Highlights
- Purpose-built: Dealership/ showroom/ service facility in average-quality condition with strong frontage on US-29 (Wards Rd).
- Recent Transaction Basis: Effective valuation date April 2, 2025, at $3.86 million, reflecting market as-is value.
- Functional Layout & Expansion Upside: Three single-story buildings (showroom, service garage, ancillary office) totaling 32,178±SF; extensive paved display and customer parking.
- Personal property, furniture, fixtures, and equipment also available under separate agreement for purchase to remain in-place.
Site & Improvements
- Site Area: Irregular-shaped 10.97± acre primary parcel plus 2.07± acre adjoining lot assembled as one functional site.
- Service Facility: The heart of operations is a 22,318±SF concrete‑block service and parts building dating to 1985.
- Showroom: 8,180±SF showroom (plus a 2,090±SF covered porch), built in 1988, fronts Wards Road and features expansive windows for vehicle display and a welcoming customer lobby.
- Additional Office: A standalone 1,680±SF wood‑frame office built in 1968 offers overflow sales or administrative space on the adjunct parcel.
Location & Market Overview
- Regional: Part of the Lynchburg, VA MSA—good access via US-29 and proximity to I-81; diversified service-based economy.
- Local Submarket: General retail vacancy ~1.8%, average rents $15 PSF; limited new construction, stable absorption—auto dealerships classified as special-purpose retail/industrial hybrids.
Property Videos:
Listing Contact:
Call 770-980-9565 for more information.
Agents:
Julian E. Howell III, Lic #69289
Auction Management Corporation Lic #69288
Julian E. Howell III, Lic #69289
Auction Management Corporation Lic #69288
In cooperation and conjunction with:
Nicholls Auction Marketing Group and T&T Realty and Auction
VAAF #2908000729, VAAF #2908000769, VAAF #2908000907
LIC. #: 2907004930, LIC. #: 2907004932, FIRM LICENSE #: 2908001146
VAAF #2908000729, VAAF #2908000769, VAAF #2908000907
LIC. #: 2907004930, LIC. #: 2907004932, FIRM LICENSE #: 2908001146
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
All items offered for sale at the Auction ("Items", "Property", "Product", "Purchases") are offered by Auction Management Corporation ("Auctioneer"), as Seller's agent, subject to the following Terms and Conditions of Sale, which, combined with any specific terms as posted in materials and on the web, make up the Complete Terms and Conditions of Sale.
Extension Feature: This auction features an automatic bid extension on each lot. This feature will leave the bidding open for any item that has received a bid within the predetermined number of minutes from the last recorded bid time, even if the initial ending time has been reached. This feature has been added to eliminate sniping and to make the online bidding process more like a 'live' auction.
Buyer’s Premium: A Buyer’s premium will be added to the winning bid of each item purchased to determine the final purchase price (excluding local sales tax, if applicable).
Sales Tax: TBD
Payment: Payment must be made via CREDIT/ DEBIT, or WIRE TRANSFER ONLY. Invoices totaling MORE than $2,500 must be paid via WIRE TRANSFER only. Any VEHICLE or TRAILER purchase must be paid via WIRE TRANSFER only. NO Checks or Cash will be accepted. **$125 Document Fee added to the Purchase Price of each Titled Asset.**
Payment must be received by TBD. After this deadline, we will charge the Buyer’s credit card on file for the balance due. Wire transfers must be initiated ASAP, and receipt or evidence of the transaction must be sent to the Sale Manager. Any items remaining unpaid after the end of the Auction will be considered abandoned and resold. **Any bidders not paying for their purchase(s) will be prohibited from participating in future auctions.**
Bidding: All bids must be submitted using the online bidding system. Buyers are responsible for confirming their bids for accuracy. Selecting the Review Bids function at any time may do this. Bidders will receive outbid notifications via email until the last day of the auction, after which time you must log in to the bidding site to confirm your bids. Auctioneer provides Internet bidding as a service to Buyers using a Third Party Bidding System. Under no circumstances shall Buyer hold Auctioneer liable for system failures resulting in Buyer’s bid not being properly submitted. This auction uses staggered closing times and dynamic closing. This typically means 1 item every 60 seconds will close in numerical order, and bids received in the final minutes before an item’s scheduled close time will extend the bidding an additional 5 minutes. Similar items may be set in a “group extension,” and none of these lots will close until all of them have not received any bids for 5 minutes. Auctioneer reserves the right to add to, group, withdraw, or re-catalog items in this auction, as well as adjust minimum bids or reserve prices and extend or shorten closing times.
Representations: All items are being sold As-Is with no warranty. Auctioneer shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness of or defect in any lot and makes no warranty in connection therewith. On-site inspection of items being sold is recommended. Auctioneer makes every effort to provide accurate information about the items being sold. However, neither Auctioneer nor its Client will assume responsibility for Buyer’s bidding errors. It is Buyer’s full responsibility to confirm the accuracy of items offered for sale. Buyers are recommended to inspect all items. Descriptions and photos are offered as a guide only. Do not rely solely on photos to make buying decisions; be sure to read descriptions and personally inspect the assets. Auctioneer shall not be held responsible for such errors as posting the wrong photo for an item. When in doubt about the condition of an item, please bid accordingly.
All Sales Final: A successful bid at auction, whether live or online, constitutes a legally binding contract of sale. All sales are final. There will be no refunds, returns, or exchanges.
Removal: Auction Management Corporation cannot be held responsible for the actions of anyone providing loading assistance or any rigging, loading, or shipping company. Buyer is solely responsible for removing purchases within the time frames posted. All purchases must be paid in full before items will be released from the premises. Any items the Buyer cannot hand-carry or remove with a hand truck must be removed by bonded and insured rigging companies, and proof of insurance will be required. Buyers not using a third-party rigging company must provide their own labor, materials, and packing supplies in addition to a paid invoice and I.D. at the time of pickup.
Failure to Remove Purchases: Any items not removed in the time frames allotted shall be deemed abandoned and shall revert and repossess to Auctioneer and Seller without further notice to Buyer. Buyer will lose any right, title, or interest they may have acquired. Auctioneer shall also be entitled to reimbursement from Buyer for any costs associated with the removal, storage, and reselling of Buyer's items and any other charges, fees, and expenses incurred as a result of Buyer's failure, including all attorney fees and costs incurred by Auctioneer to enforce Buyer’s obligations hereunder.
Failure to Pay: In the event Buyer fails to pay the entire purchase price by the payment deadline, the items purchased shall be deemed abandoned, and Buyer will lose any right, title, or interest Buyer may have acquired, and the items shall revert and repossess to Auctioneer and/or Seller without further notice to Buyer. In addition, Buyer may be prohibited from participating in future auctions.
Non-Delivery: Until such time as purchased items are removed from the premises by the Buyer, Auctioneer shall have the right to cancel or void the sale of any such items purchased by Buyer. Auctioneer shall have no liability to Buyer due to the non-delivery of any purchased item other than the return of Buyer’s payment. No claim of any kind for purchased items, whether or not based on negligence, shall be greater in amount than the purchase price paid by Buyer.
Absence of Warranties: The condition of the items being offered varies.
The Buyer understands and agrees:
The Buyer understands and agrees:
(1) any description or sample of the items given or furnished by Auctioneer is solely for identification and does not create any warranty, expressed or implied, that the item conforms to such description or sample
(2) Buyer or agent on Buyer’s behalf has inspected or has had the opportunity to inspect all of the items upon which Buyer will be bidding or does purchase
(3) all items are purchased and accepted by Buyer “AS IS”, “WHERE IS” and “WITH ALL FAULTS”. AUCTIONEER MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES WHATSOEVER WHETHER WRITTEN, ORAL OR IMPLIED AS TO QUALITY, AUTHENTICITY, QUANTITY, CONDITION, USEABILITY, SALEABILITY, WEIGHT, MEASUREMENT, YEAR, MODEL, MECHANICAL CONDITION, PERFORMANCE, OR OTHER SPECIFICATIONS, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR WARRANTY AGAINST PATENT, TRADEMARK, COPYRIGHT OR TRADE SECRET INFRINGEMENT
(4) in the event there are manufacturer warranties in effect for the item purchased, Buyer must make all claims thereunder directly with the provider of the warranty. No statement or statements of any other paragraph herein shall be construed to in any way contradict the provisions of this paragraph.
Acts of Others: Persons in attendance during the inspection, sale, or removal of merchandise assume all risks of damage or loss to persons, property, or merchandise and shall exercise proper precautions at all times for the protection of persons and property and shall comply with all safety and health requirements as directed by Auctioneer, and local, state and federal regulations. Neither Auctioneer, its agents, employees, or representatives shall be liable by reason of any defect in or about the condition of the premises on which the auction is held. Buyer specifically releases Auctioneer, its agents, and representatives from all liability thereof.
Limits of Liability: In no event shall Auctioneer’s liability to a Buyer exceed the purchase price paid for an individual item or lot. A Buyer’s claim shall be limited to the amount paid for the merchandise and shall not extend to any obligation, risk, liability, right, claim, remedy for loss of use, revenue or profit, liability of Buyer to any third party, personal injury, or any other direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages. Buyer further acknowledges that each item it purchases at the sale represents a separate transaction and that no one transaction shall be conditioned upon another transaction. Buyer hereby holds Auctioneer harmless from:
(1) the acts or omission of any party who provided any items to Auctioneer for sale
(2) the acts or omission of the owner or Lessor of the auction site or the site where the auctioned items are stored
(3) any claims Buyer may have against Auctioneer, Auctioneer’s client(s) or any former owner of the property being sold
(4) Buyer’s failure in any way to properly inspect items or fulfill its obligations per the terms and conditions of the sale, as indicated within this document or as announced by the Auctioneer at the time of sale.
(5) Auctioneer provides Internet bidding as a service to Buyer using a Third Party Bidding System. Under no circumstances shall Buyer hold Auctioneer liable for system failures resulting in Buyer’s bid not being properly submitted. In the event Buyer provides a deposit or payment using a Credit Card, Buyer acknowledges that it is purchasing under the As-Is, Where-Is terms of the auction and that Buyer shall waive all rights of chargeback based on any claims of misrepresentation, non-delivery, or non-performance.
Right of Removal: Auctioneer reserves the right to remove any person from the auction site and to refuse that individual’s bid, whether offered live, by proxy, or by the Internet. In such an event, any outstanding deposit will be immediately returned.
Indemnification: Buyer shall indemnify, hold harmless, and defend Auctioneer, owners, and building owners from and against any losses, damages, liabilities and claims, including attorney fees, costs, and expenses arising out of based upon or resulting from:
(1) failure to secure all safety equipment and to meet all applicable government safety standards in removing items purchased or used by Buyer
(2) failure to comply with safety instructions issued to Buyer from Auctioneer
(3) any act or omission of Auctioneer, owners, building owners or their respective agents, representatives or employees, relating to or affecting the items bid on or purchased by Buyer
(4) the claim of any third party claiming or challenging title to any items purchased by Buyer or claiming infringement of any proprietary interest
(5) the claim of any person resulting from Auctioneer offering for sale or selling the items purchased by Buyer
(6) any injury to Buyer or any other person or property of any type whatsoever caused during the inspection, dismantling, removing or transporting of items purchased by Buyer.
Bidder’s Number: The bidder’s number is non-transferable. All bids made using the bid number will be the responsibility of the Buyer.
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