A young woman asked for my advice as she considered a career in real estate. So, I asked her why. And then I said, “Please don’t tell me it’s because you love looking at pretty houses.”  Yep, and she got very quiet.She explained that her supervisor was a successful real estate agent who also worked a full-time 9-to-5 job. From the outside, it looked easy. It looked flexible. It looked like fun. My question...why is he still working a 9-5 job? Maybe he is getting all of his buyers and sellers because of that day job? Probably not. This gal was a go-getter, smart, motivated, and confident, all qualities needed for a career in RE, and she’d be good at it. But I asked her a simple question: “How many people do you know right now who are ready to buy or sell a house?” She started counting on... 03/01/2026

The Charm of the UnchartedWhen I was a kid in Portsmouth, Virginia, I was a member of the Cub Scouts. We met at the family home of a nearby neighbor, Hubert J. Davis. One of my fond memories was a boat trip to Lake Drummond in the Great Dismal Swamp. Mr. Davis was our guide. I did not know it at the time but Mr. Davis had studied the area and would later write a book titled Great Dismal Swamp: It's Science, History and Folklore, published in 1971. We still have the book in our home library.The Great Dismal Swamp is south of Portsmouth, Virginia and residents are familiar with Rt. 17, along the Dismal Swamp Canal, that leads to North Carolina. Our group crossed the canal and took the Feeder Ditch, though the locks to reach Lake Durmmond. A memory of a lifetime.  Lake Drummond — Heart of ... 03/01/2026

I’ve always said, “I answer my phone.” And for the most part, I do. Buyers don’t wait, sellers don’t wait, and real estate rarely rewards voicemail ping-pong. But when my caller ID flashes “Spam Risk,” even I pause for a split second. Is it really spam… or is it the perfect buyer calling about the house I just put back on the market?Here’s the truth: you can’t be 100% sure. Many spam calls are exactly that. SPAM. They want to send me "buyers "and "sellers" extended car warranties, mystery investments, or someone wanting to “help” me improve my career by buying their leads. But occasionally, a legitimate call can wear the ugly “Spam Risk” label. An out-of-country cell phone. A Google Voice number. A relocated buyer driving through the neighborhood who found my sign online. Technology tri... 03/03/2026

Book Recommendation: Everything Has Happened by T. GreenwoodEverything Has Happened (Scheduled publication date: April 28, 2026, Crooked Lane Books) is the new novel by author T. Greenwood. A good selection for your reading list. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her books.A disappearance from the past echoes in the future in this ambitious and wrenching mystery, perfect for readers of The God of the Woods.In 1986, a child disappeared. Nearly forty years later, a tip line rings.It’s been almost four decades since Edie Marshall’s little brother, Charlie, vanished on his walk home from day camp. After the case went cold, Edie—who had once dreamed of pursuing a life beyond the confines of her small Vermont town—never left, her dreams disappearing rig... 03/05/2026