Richmond Tacky Lights Home Tour for 2016 Want to see some holiday lights. Richmond is a great place to see homes decorated in lights! Below is a map to Richmond area homes decorated for Christmas. Thousands of lights, music, and all types of creations are in store for you. Come out for the tacky home Christmas tour and have a great time.Richmonders love driving around and seeing these homes each year. This year, get out of the car and take some time to really enjoy these lights. These homes have very intricate displays that really take some time to fully enjoy. The details are sure to delight!One of my favorites is the house on Venetian Way. They have their back yard decorated so it reflects upon the water. There are many other great homes, some have animations and all of them are fun! ... 12/15/2016

Renovations are important when you are planning to sell your house. No one wants to buy a house with a leaking roof or broken pipe. However, even though a particular renovation seems cool to you, it might not always be a great idea. What you think is a smart upgrade may not impress a buyer and they may be reluctant to factor the upgrade into the purchase price. Consequently, you need to be conscientious with how you opt to spend your money if you expect the investment to pay off. Think twice, or even three times before making any of these three renovations. They may seem like an improvement, but can actually act as barrier to the quick sale of your home: 1. Extensive Landscaping Homebuyers may love the waterfall feature, lush plantings and extensive paver patio decorating your back yard... 06/15/2016

 No matter what your interests, hobbies or preferences, there’s an area of Richmond for you!  That’s exactly what makes it such a great place to live. If you like nature, dining, live music, arts, craft beer, city living, or a rural setting— you name it, there’s a place for you in  RVA!     We are the R likes to say “Realtors are the expert local guides,” and I have to agree.  Not only can I help you FIND the house of you’ve always wanted, near all of your favorite things to do; we know how to market your home based on all of its qualities and conveniences.   Our strategies, when it comes to marketing all of the great Richmond neighborhoods, are widespread and always current.  Our blogs, market reports, videos, social & print media are constantly evolving with the growing trends of the ... 06/07/2016

 Using a Question & Answer Format, I recently interviewed program director Aaron Sutch of the VA SUN about the benefits and background of the Solar Co-Op Movement and the Richmond Solar Community Co-Op.  Homeowners in the Richmond VA area who are interested in potentially being able to have residential solar (for electricity), otherwise called a photovoltaic system, installed at their home are encouraged to contact VASUN.ORG for more information. 1)  In a nutshell, how did the residential solar co-op movement get started, where and when?   The earliest iteration of the residential solar co-op movement started with the Northwest SEED Initiative in Washington state in 2009.  About that same time my boss, Anya Schoolman started the first Residential solar co-op in Mt Pleasant DC. (2009) VA... 03/23/2016

Wishing you a bright and prosperous New Year!Top 10 New Year's resolutions: 1. Lose weight 2. Getting organized 3. Spend less, save more 4. Enjoy life to the fullest 5. Staying fit and healthy 6. Learn something exciting 7. Quit smoking 8. Help others in their dreams 9. Fall in love 10. Spend more time with family  If you know someone whose resolutions include a new place to call home, I'm here to help. 12/29/2015

Pre-Inspection Home Dissection        When I first became a real estate agent, I would write offers left and right— hungry to get my clients the house they wanted.  But with experience I learned how to work smarter, not harder.  The first year I was an agent I would say that I wrote offers on about 8 to 10 houses that got released because of the inspection findings.  It was that year I put together a guide on things to look for when walking through a home.  There are always going to be issues you can’t catch on your own, perhaps under the house, that only an inspector can find.  But before writing a contract, before getting an inspection, before wasting anyone’s time and money, I’ll share a few things to look for starting with asbestos siding.      It is mostly found in older homes buil... 12/28/2015

Gifts of Hope - Give back this holiday season!        This season our team is happy to be involved in the Gifts of Hope Program.  This program, supported by Good Samaritan Ministries, helps father's bring gifts to their family for the holidays.  Once participants submit their requests, listing family members along with ages and gifts they might like to receive,  we sponsor a family so they will receive their wonderful gifts on Christmas Eve and won't spend the holidays empty-handed.  It's so important to give back and my team and I are so happy to be involved with this organization that helps make the holiday season magical for families in our community!  We had two families that we shopped for this holiday season. It was such a great experience to shop with my team and find these prese... 12/23/2015

Client Appreciation Party '15 Every year I like to put on a party around the holidays to show my appreciation to my clients. These parties are so much fun and I love seeing my clients enjoy them selves while eatting some good food and talking with one another. We gave away some great prizes, thanks to Nacho Mamas, 707 Dry Cleaning, and Exquisite Rentals!   I had a great time at our Client Appreciation Party! Together with Exquisite Rentals and 707 we had a blast giving out prizes to our favorite clients and enjoying some amazing catered food by Heart N Soul Personal Chef Service! 12/23/2015

Helping Virginia Veterans Find Better Housing  It's a handful of people that get to be part of the Virginia Leadership Academy. I'm honored and proud to say that I am one of them. Our mission this year has been connecting Virginia Veterans with housing services that meet their needs. It's the things like this that really uplifts my spirit and makes me happy to be a part of the Richmond Association of REALTORS #HappyHoliday #Veterans #Housing 12/22/2015

As a Realtor it Helps to Organize Your Leads         As a Realtor, it is part of my daily, weekly and monthly routine to stay organized and set goals.  Staying organized can not only help you get more leads, but differentiate the serious ones from the casual ones.  I personally, keep a record of all of my leads in different categories.  This helps to prioritize those in most need of my services.  While they aren’t exactly categorized in this manner, a recent article by Randall Kaplan sums up why staying organized is so important for a realtor!     What Kind of Traffic Do You Want: Lookers, Loafers or Loyalists?   The Top 5 real estate websites combined now attract over 100 million visitors each month. That’s an astounding number, considering that in any given year, there are only about ... 12/21/2015

Facts About First Time HomeBuyers       These are some very entertaining and revealing trends the Real Estate Market has seen from first-time homebuyers.  Forwarded to us from our friend Thomas, it is interesting to find that an estimated 74% of renters "want to buy a home but are afraid they won't qualify so do not even try!"  That is an astounding statistic!  As a realtor, it's my job to help people invest in their future and even possibly the biggest savings account they'll ever open - their home!  I know people who look and look at resources like Zillow and Trulia with only dreams of buying, but believe me when I say that it may not be so far-fetched of a goal.  There are so many programs, incentives, and grants available to first-time homebuyers, it's just a matter of knowing and t... 12/21/2015

REACHCycles Bike Event! Back in September, following the bike theme of the month due to the UCI World Championship, I donated to a local organization that builds bikes for children with disabilities called REACHCycles. This past week was the unveiling of 10 bikes REACHCycles was able to build because of my, and other's, donations!  It was amazing to see the excitement on the kid's faces when they were able to ride their bike for the first time.  There were snacks along with a table where the kids could decorate license plates for their new bikes and make their own Christmas ornaments!  It was an awesome day! 12/21/2015

ET discusses the secrets of success to his students. He says, "The most important thing is this, to be able at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you will become." This is the line that rang a bell to me during this speech. What a great motivational speech.     12/14/2015

This drone video is a great example of how using a drone is a fun and innovative way to get your listing more exposure and how to showcase the wonderful neighborhood and area that the home is in!    12/11/2015

RICHMOND CITY VA REAL ESTATE REPORT – OCTOBER 2015Want to see what has gone on in the city of Richmond’s real estate market during the month of October?  Here is the real estate market report for October 2015!# Homes SoldIn October 2015, there were 225 homes sold – down slightly from the 190 homes sold in September 2015, but up 11% from the number of homes sold in October 2014!  Shows that this month is a continuation of a strong 2015 real estate market here!Median Sales PriceIn October 2015, the median price of a home sold was $189,000 – which was well above the $174,000 in October 2014!Active Inventory LevelsAs of the end of October 2015, there were 904 homes available for sale!  This is lower than the 946 homes available for sale at the end of September 2015, and well below the numbe... 11/13/2015

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER?   BEFORE BUYING – DECIDE!  LOCATION VS. SPACE! As a Realtor who specializes in first time homebuyers in Richmond VA, many are excited about buying their first home – yet at the same time, it is a little scary!  Especially, after the recent downturn we saw in the real estate market, they are concerned that they make the right decision – they realize that once they have bought a house, it isn’t like living in an apartment, where you can give a 2 month notice and move!  And, on top of that, they have many friends and family who are giving them lots of advice!  And, then they are on the internet, researching everything they can about buying  a house!So, a lot of times, when I sit down with my first time homebuyers, one of the first questions I will find out is:  where ... 10/24/2015

 BUYING YOUR FIRST RICHMOND VA HOME?  Try Before Buying!If you are buying your first home, you want to make sure that the house – and the neighborhood – will be one that you will be happy in for years to come! Many of the first time homebuyers that I work with will look at many houses – and some are staged and show very well!  Then there are others that, frankly, leave a lot to be desired – and will require the buyers to have lots of imagination!But once the buyers have decided on the home that they want to make theirs, many times they forget to take into account the neighborhood!  After all, you will probably be here for the next five years or more!  So as you are deciding on the house to buy, why not decide on the neighborhood to buy!  Here are my tips to trying out the neighborhood b... 09/29/2015

#1 - Painting Tops the List While getting my own home ready for the market this fall, I find that painting does go a long way!  Although cost and quality can vary, I will shop around for a quality paint for the best price.  Lowe's and Home Depot can be a great resource.  (Also, I like to check my local Richmond VA Fan District home improvement store, Pleasant's Hardware.)  Also, paint quantity can make a difference.  If you are able to do a lot of the painting yourself, then you can save some cash on painting!Attractive placement of furniture and pottery on front porch can enhance curb appeal.#2 - Curb Appeal Before anyone enters your home, ask yourself:  How does my home look like to others?  Listen to what your neighbors and friends say about the general curb appeal of your home.  Wha... 09/28/2015

 Selling Your First Richmond VA Home – Spruce It Up & Make It Show Ready!In a previous post, I mentioned that tip #1 was to interview a good Realtor or two!  Today’s post is on what I would call tip #2 – making sure your home is ready for the buyers!  With today’s savvy buyers out there, your home has only one chance to make a great first impression!  As I have said to many of my home sellers, this is not just a price war – it is also a beauty contest!  Your home needs to be ready for the buyers to come in and take long looks at your home from the moment  your home shows as being active on the market! So before you put your home on the market, go through your home as a buyer would!  Be honest with yourself – pretend you are a buyer and ask yourself “Would I want to come inside my house ... 09/24/2015

 Buying Your First Home?  What Does It Mean To Be Represented By A Realtor?If you are buying your first home in Richmond VA, and you have been doing a lot of research online, you have probably seen so many articles saying you should get a good Buyer Agent to represent your interests!  And that is great advice!But, do you really know what it means to be represented by a Realtor?  It definitely means a lot more than just opening up the door to the houses you are looking at, filling in some blanks on a contract and sending it off to the listing agent!As a Realtor who has worked with hundreds of first time homebuyers over the years, I can definitely tell you that no two transactions are the same – and as real estate becomes ever more complex, you should know up front that lots of things can... 09/22/2015