August 2026 Newsletter | Volume 2

I know this sounds like the same thing I always say, but the Richmond market really has turned into something new this year — and it’s worth five minutes of your time, whether you’re moving or just market-curious.

Here’s the short version: metro Richmond posted the strongest home sales growth of any major metro in Virginia in the first half of 2026 — up roughly 10%, nearly double the statewide pace. Demand is alive and well.

Prices, though? Largely flat. Richmond city and Henrico are both sitting at a $405,000 median with essentially no year-over-year change. Chesterfield and Hanover are up modestly. Flat is not falling — but it’s a real shift from the years of double-digit gains, and it changes the playbook.

What I’m seeing on the ground: the houses that are done — truly done, nothing on the buyer’s to-do list — are still moving fast. In the sought-after neighborhoods, honestly, it still gets a little chaotic. But the good/fine/average houses? They’re taking a bit longer than we’ve gotten used to. Buyers have choices now, and they’re using them.

So, should you do “everything” before you sell? Probably not. But the days of doing nothing — and finding a buyer who won’t even ask for repairs — are in the rearview for most of us.

And if you’re buying: this is the most humane process we’ve seen in years. You can buy a house without a fistfight, an appraisal waiver, and your firstborn. You might even get to sleep on it. (Maybe.)

I broke down what’s actually happening — and what it means for your specific situation — in this month’s blog post.

As always, if you’re wondering where your house fits into all of this, just hit reply.

I finally had Undoing Ruin RVA out for the first time last month, and I’m already loving my yard more. If you don’t know, Undoing Ruin is a Richmond conservation landscaping business that’s been working since 2018, and their whole thing is just what it sounds like. They do a lot of ripping out the invasives, then putting RVA-native plants back where they belong. They also build rain gardens, set up composting systems, handle stormwater, and do edible landscaping. Their stated goal includes “doing whatever we can to kill lawns.” (Shh. I know I’m a realtor. But edible landscaping is so much better than grass that just costs a fortune and drinks a lot of water.)

“Invasive” is a really nefarious-sounding word, but it’s pretty accurate, too. Invasives crowd out the plants our birds and pollinators eat, and they can be damaging to the environment in other ways as well.  I also just want a yard that feels like it has a little bit of life. One that’s not a green rectangle that needs a machine and a chemical to stay alive. Something a little wilder. A little more connected. Phase one is in, and I’m going to add in some more come fall. Follow me on social, and I’ll show you the before-and-afters. (Just don’t ask me what all the plants are, because I still don’t know!)