Something interesting is happening as we head into the fall housing market: Richmond buyers have more homes to choose from — but they’re becoming more hesitant about buying them. Active listings across the Richmond area increased 20.9% in August compared with a year ago, while new listings rose 9.3%. Normally, you’d expect that much additional inventory to put significant pressure on prices. So far, it hasn’t. Richmond’s median asking price was $440,000 — still 2.4% higher th

Why one homeowner's low mortgage rate wasn't telling the whole financial story—and what happened when we looked at debt, equity and cash flow together. I recently worked with a past client who had something a lot of homeowners would never want to give up: a very low mortgage rate. But while he'd spent years protecting that rate, something else had been quietly happening in the background. Over time, he'd accumulated a significant amount of higher-cost consumer debt. The month

What really happens behind the scenes in Richmond real estate? In this Tailgate Talk, I sit down with Kim Ligh for a candid conversation about the things buyers, sellers—and sometimes even real estate professionals—don’t always see coming. We get into some of Kim’s funniest and strangest experiences showing and listing homes (yes, somehow six-year-old chicken nuggets make an appearance 😂), but there’s plenty of practical real estate strategy mixed in too. We talk about Richm

Waiting for Home Prices to Drop? As we head toward the fall market, it’s easy to assume higher mortgage rates have brought housing to a crawl. The local numbers tell a different story. I pulled the latest Central Virginia MLS data this morning. For single-family homes across the MLS in July: Median days on market was just 11 days. Average price per square foot reached $237 — up 3.5% from a year ago. Different neighborhoods and price ranges tell different stories, but the bigg

For many homeowners approaching or already in retirement, there can be an interesting financial contradiction: They may have substantial wealth—but much of it is tied up in their home. A homeowner may have spent decades paying down a mortgage and building equity, yet find that monthly cash flow becomes increasingly important in retirement. That’s where a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), commonly called a reverse mortgage, may be worth considering. What Is a HECM Revers

Richmond’s Second Housing Season Is About to Begin School buses are rolling again. Vacations are winding down. Schedules are getting back to normal. And if history is any guide, something else is about to pick up: Buyer activity. Spring is traditionally Richmond’s busiest housing season, but fall brings a second wave of activity—and we’re entering that period with more homes available than buyers had a year ago. That combination could make the next several weeks particularly

W𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗮 𝟯% 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 I’ve talked with plenty of homeowners who would love to keep their 3% mortgage forever. There’s just one problem. Sometimes the house—or the location—doesn’t work anymore. A new job. Another child. An empty nest. Aging parents. A long commute. Retirement. A move closer to family. We spend a lot of time talking about what moves the housing market. But maybe we’ve got it backwards. Housing markets

Imagine you’re choosing between two homes. One costs a little less and looks better on the spreadsheet. The other costs a little more—but cuts your commute, gives you the extra bedroom you’ve needed, has a yard, and feels like somewhere you could happily stay for the next seven or ten years. Which is the better financial decision? The answer may not be as obvious as it seems. We spend a lot of time trying to answer, “Is this a good time to buy?” Mortgage rates. Home prices.

Buying a home isn’t just about interest rates anymore. In this Tailgate Conversation, Realtor Kim and I sat down for an unscripted discussion about what we’re actually seeing in today’s Richmond housing market—and why buyers and sellers sometimes seem to be looking at the same market very differently. We talk about why some homes sell almost immediately while others sit, today’s buyer expectations, the “golden handcuffs” of low mortgage rates, whether sellers should update be

One of the most common questions I hear is: “Should I wait?” It’s a fair question. Mortgage rates remain higher than many of us became accustomed to a few years ago, and affordability continues to be a challenge for many buyers. Sometimes waiting is absolutely the right decision. But here’s what I’ve noticed…. When people think about waiting, they usually calculate what they might save. Very few calculate what waiting might cost. Looking Beyond the Mortgage Rate In the Richm

Today’s housing decisions requires a different way of thinking. If you’ve followed the national news over the past year, you’ve probably come away with one conclusion: the housing market is in trouble. The headlines have been predictable. Higher interest rates. Slower home sales. Predictions of falling prices. Depending on the source, we’re either headed for another housing correction or simply waiting for rates to fall before everything returns to “normal.” But here in Centr

In a move that could broaden access to homeownership, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced that VantageScore...

Moving into a new home should feel exciting—not scary. But in today’s tight housing market, many families worry: What if we sell our...

Some Richmond Homes Fly Off the Shelf—While Others Collect Dust. Richmond’s 2025 housing scene has split: Fast Lane: Turn-key,...

Richmond Virginia home owners feeling 'House-Hostage' Homeowners across Richmond locked in sub-4 % loans during 2020-21. Now rates...

House win the investment racce Have you heard the story of the tortoise and the hare? The hare is fast and wild. The tortoise is slow but...

When the financial markets get noisy and economic headlines turn uncertain, one thing becomes more valuable than ever: solid guidance....

What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Right Now The Richmond real estate market continues to show resilience and strength this spring....

If you’re a healthcare professional dreaming of owning a home—but worried about saving for a large down payment—you’re not alone. Between...

Refinancing a mortgage is a financial move that many homeowners consider at some point. Whether you’re looking to save money, tap into...