So we know what the appraiser does, who they are kind of, but who picks them? And okay, I can't pick them. But who does? And how does that affect me? Well, if you're the purchaser, you really don't have any input on the appraisal process or who gets to do your appraisal or anything like that. Ultimately the appraiser works for the lender. They are making sure that if the lender is going to loan you $400,000, that the property is actually worth $400,000. Now, maybe you're paying $450,000 for the home, but the lender is only going to be loaning you $400,000. The lender needs to make sure that whatever they're giving you is, if it's an 80% loan, if it's a 75% loan, whatever, that they are covered for the amount that they have invested in the property. In other words, the lender usually has a larger financial stake than you do in the property and they want to make sure that should you stop paying and they get stuck with that house, that they can actually sell it for what it's worth, not just what you think it's worth. Follow along for my whole series on appraisals and appraisers, to get a little better feel about what goes on in the appraisal process and why it matters to you whether you're a buyer or a seller.

Do you want to watch the game (or maybe just the commercials and snippets of Taylor) and love the energy of a crowd but don't want to be managing the food and friends at your place? I've got you. Here is a short list of some places you can watch the game, AND get great food, great drinks, all without having to cook or clean up! Where are YOU watching?     Island Shrimp Co. Super Bowl Luau  Head to Island Shrimp Co at Rocketts Landing for a full spread of island-inspired eats through halftime including Island BBQ Wings, Kalua Pork Sliders, ISCO's signature shrimp, veggie fried rice, and more! Each ticket comes with 2 Painkillers to get the party started with a taste of the islands. They're even hosting some giveaways at halftime! $45 (tickets required) Cabo Fish Taco Cabo Fish Taco is hosting a great watch party, with 7 screens,  an All You Can Eat Taco Bar and drink specials all evening for $20. (tickets required) Always good for a game, snacks, and drinks...(just arrive early!) Address: 3022 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230 Wood & Iron Game Day Short Pump: 12288 W Broad St, Henrico, VA 23233 Midlothian: 11400 W. Huguenot Road, #109B, Midlothian, VA 23113 Scott's Addition: 1405 Roseneath Rd, Richmond, VA 23230 Pizza and Beer Richmond The Fan: 2553 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220 Hanover: 9325 Chamberlayne Rd, Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Gus' Bar and Grill Address: 2701 W. Broad St., RVA 23220 HomeTeam Grill Address: 1630 W. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220

Richmond, Virginia always offers a variety of engaging events, and late January 2023, perfect for those looking to explore the cultural and entertainment offerings of the city. Here's a snapshot of four events that I'm adding to my calendar: BLUES PARTY! at Orbital Music Park (January 22, 2024): For music enthusiasts, the BLUES PARTY! hosted by Orbital Music Park is a must-attend. Taking place at Révéler Experiences, this event celebrates blues classics with live performances. It's an interactive experience where musicians of all levels are welcome to join, and audience participation is encouraged. The event runs from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, offering an evening of great music and community spirit​​. Vegan Food Week 2024 (January 23 to January 28, 2024): Foodies will love the Vegan Food Week, a week-long celebration of vegan cuisine in Richmond. This event sees local participating businesses showcasing their vegan specials. Highlights include free sweet treats from Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets for visitors who explore five or more locations, and a special Carrot Ginger Kombucha by Ninja Kombucha. It's a great opportunity to explore the city's vegan culinary scene​​. LINE DANCE TUESDAYS at River City Roll (January 23, 2024): Put on your dancing shoes for LINE DANCE TUESDAYS at River City Roll. Hosted by Carlos “The Line Dance Prince”, this event offers a fantastic Line Dance class from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. It's a fun way to stay active and meet new people, and you can also enjoy Happy Hour starting at 5pm before the class begins​​. Trivia Night at Bingo (January 23, 2024): For a night of fun and brain teasers, Trivia Night at Bingo is the place to be. Held every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 PM to 9 PM, this event is hosted by Trivia Ball of Fire Entertainment. It's a great way to test your knowledge, enjoy some friendly competition, and possibly win some prizes​​. These events are just a glimpse of what the Richmond area has to offer this January.  From music and food to dancing and trivia, there's something for everyone to enjoy in this vibrant city. If you're looking for more info on Richmond, or you're thinking of making a move, send me a message, or follow me on social!

As the summer winds down (a bit at least), the market has not changed a whole lot from the last couple of months. Inventory is still tight, leading us to remain in a solid buyers' market. Check out the graphic here for a little snapshot of what's going on, and how it compares to the past few months. Listing inventory has actually been dropping consistently over the past few months, and is nearly half of what it was this time last year (which was already a low inventory point for our market.) As rates have risen, there is definitely less motivation for homeowners to sell, as many have refinanced to very low rates in the past few years. Until this situation improves, our inventory is unlikely to grow by much. That means, if you are thinking of selling, it's still a great time. Despite interest rates, there are still lots of buyers out there, and terms for sellers are more easily negotiated (not only price but repairs required, closing dates, etc) right now. If you're buying, yes, rates are not terrific, and inventory is low. However, if buying is something you want or need to do, all hope is not lost. We have found our clients a number of homes off the market in the past year, putting them in better positions to not have to compete and find the home they love, so that is always an option. When you're working with me as your buyer's agent, my goal is to do all I can to get you where you want to be. In better news, most experts predict rates to begin to move on a downward trend through 2024, as long as the inflation numbers continue to look good. That's a glimmer of hope. Just remember, as rates drop, prices and competition, are likely to increase. Not a whole lot of things in life are guaranteed, but the rules of supply and demand are. If you want to know what all of this means in terms of your personal situation, give me a call, and let's chat!    

I LOVE Richmond, and I love summer, but I'm not gonna lie- by August, the heat and humidity start to get a little old. Whether you have younger kids, for whom the break from school is starting to get a little boring, or you feel like you've done all the summer things and you're just ready for a change... Here are a few things you may not have done, that just might make the last few weeks of hot RVA summer a little more bearable. Did you know Richmond is the ONLY city home to Class II-IV Rapids? Get wet with RVA Paddlesports or Riverside Outfitters on a raft, a kayak, or a paddle board! If the kids are bored, everyone's SO HOT, and there's just nothing to do, get yourself to the drive-in! The Goochland Drive-In always has great movies, you can fill a carload for $25, there's great food that's not going to set you back tons of money, and a playground if you have littles (or bigs) that have a hard time sitting still, they can get a little energy out. It's HOT, but it wouldn't be summer in Richmond without a day at the Carytown Watermelon Festival. Head to Carytown on August 13, from 10-6 for music, vendors, fun, and of course, all the watermelon you can eat. Speaking of fruit, picking berries won't help you beat the heat, but you will get berries, and that's better, right? Picking dates are up for August at Agriberry Farm, but book soon, because space is limited. Go get you some raspberries!! Want to wander in the cool, solo, with a special someone, or with the whole family? There are so many museums here, it's almost impossible to list them all, but here are a couple that may be a little lesser known. Keystone Tractor Museum in Colonial Heights: My dad would take my son here when he was a kid, and it was a hit with both of them. Anyone who loves trucks, tractors, fire trucks, or the like, will enjoy a visit here! Virginia House was formerly an English manor house that was relocated to Richmond in 1925. (Amazing, right?) Now owned and managed by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (another great museum), this period home is a fantastic step back in time. If you're anything like me, you might not like to do something that's creative, and if so, head to Scrap RVA on Brookland Park Blvd, to browse the amazing, ever-changing supply of art and craft materials, take a class, or bring the kids to a "Crafternoon" where for $5 or so, they can drop into a class and come home with something they've made. Bonus- Ruby Scoops is right across the street, so you've got to get a little ice cream afterward! Finally, if the temps aren't too bad, go for a walk at the Canal Walk, take in the murals, and at the Turning Basin, buy a ticket to a Riverfront Canal Cruise. These narrated tours of the canal feature some history that may be new to you, as well as giving you a tour of areas your feet cannot take you. (I recently did this for the first time, and it was so much fun!) Enjoy the rest of the summer, and stay cool and hydrated out there!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but back to school is coming up pretty fast and furious, and unless this is your first year, first kid, first rodeo, so to speak, you probably know that that stress can hit hard, and keep on coming if you're not organized. Forget about the stress that comes if you're moving, or in a new home. But never fear- I've got some great tips from Mary Davis, professional organizer and owner of In Good Order, LLC, to help get you, your home, and especially, your kids, ready for everything that comes with back to school. At home: Make a comfy homework space. To provide structure and consistency, choose one designated area for your student to work. The space should be distraction-free and have good lighting, a comfy chair, and a power outlet. They will need enough workspace for their device, as well as any supplies they need while learning. If you have a desk with drawers, use drawer organizers to give easy access to pens, pencils, markers, glue sticks, and other small supplies. Use file sorters or sturdy hanging files to hold extra paper and notebooks. If your workspace doesn’t have built-in storage, a caddy or divided turntable are great solutions to hold writing utensils, glue sticks, and other small supplies, and f your work surface isn’t big enough for a device and supplies, or your workspace pulls double duty (like a kitchen table) a rolling cart is a lifesaver. This gives easy access to supplies while learning, and can be rolled into a corner or closet when the work is done. Having everything they need at hand can make all the difference in getting the homework done or trying to find "just the right pen, pencil, whatever," for 30 minutes. Print out a copy of the school schedule (even if it's available online) and post it somewhere everyone can see for reference. Trust me, if you're tracking homework, projects, supplies, needed, etc, having that schedule handy can really come in handy. If you have a calendar or family calendar you use or a Google calendar, get all of those days off and holiday dates and put them in the calendar for the entire year. (If I had a dollar for every time I was surprised by my son having a day off, I'd be retired- he's in college and I still do it.) Make a drop zone. Even if you don't have a mud room, per se, having a designated space for shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, and more, so they're not all over the house. At School: Make sure you know the rules on backpacks, lockers, etc. If there are no lockers for the students, ensure that that backpack can hold everything they need all day, AND be at least somewhat comfortable. If your student takes lunch, consider a lunchbox that clips on instead of taking up valuable real estate inside the backpack. Get all the supplies now, so you're not scrambling that night before school starts. Did you know that if you type the name of your school into the supplies bar at Walmart.com , it will populate with the entire school supply list required, and you can buy and pick it up, or have it shipped. What? How easy is that?? Meal prep snacks and or lunches. If you've got fruits washed and cut, sandwiches made, etc, it's easier for kids (of any age) to grab a healthy snack, rather than junk, when they get home, and definitely easier for you to get lunches packed efficiently and with minimal stress. Are you ready for the school year? If you want more info on getting organized or to work with Mary, reach out to her HERE.       

Summer is here, and with it, so many great things to do around town (and just a bit outside of town)! Every season, I like to make a list of things that I want to do. Not because I have to, but because they are some of the things I particularly love. They're often simple, sometimes free, and they're just the things that make a season wonderful to ME. Do you do this? If not, I'd highly recommend it. It makes you a little more conscious of those simple things, and how they brighten your season. So without further ado, here's my list for Summer 2023, filled with some very RVA things to do... Support local at one of our amazing farmer's markets Take a stroll through Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Enjoy some quintessentially Richmond Pizza on the patio at Bottom's Up Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard at James River Outfitters and hit the river Take in a concert at Brown's Island Grab a coffee and pastry from Sub Rosa and head to Libby Hill Park to marvel over the view Play a round of mini golf at Patterson Golf Park Enjoy a late lunch and wine tasting at Upper Shirley (just a 30-minute drive) Carytown Watermelon Festival for food, music, fun, and watermelon Grab a Hanover tomato (or 2), some Duke's, and good bread, and have a tomato sandwich on the porch! What would you add?? Download a printable version HERE.

Most seasons, I like to do a "Must Do" list of things that I want to make sure I do before the time slips by. Sometimes they're simple, and sometimes more elaborate, but I love them because they make me think about the things that I particularly love or look forward to about that season, and sometimes just the reminder makes me happy. Always, it pushes me to do a bit more than the everyday mundane that we often get stuck in. So, without further ado, here's my Spring/Early Summer list of things I am looking forward to doing in and around RVA! (In no particular order) 1 Friday Cheers kicks off this week- Nothing says Summer in RVA quite like it! 2 Have a picnic at Maymont- With your love, family, friends, or a great book 3 Visit the Sno Shack in Mechanicsville for a Tiger's Blood shave ice 4 Patio dinners! My faves- Can Can, The Daily, or East Coast Provisions 5 First Fridays in the Arts District 6 Head to Sneed's Nursery and pick up some native plants (and plant them!) 7 Take a drive to Topping for lunch on the water at Merroir. 8 GrowRVA South of the James Market at Forest Hill Park for produce (and treats) 9 Strawberry season at Agriberry Farms means Strawberry Shortcake! 10 Get out on the James on a warm day 11 Learn something new about Richmond 12 Fire up the grill and enjoy the patio at home Do you have a list like this? What is a must do you have for this spring?

"If you're looking for one stop to know where all the biggest, best, lighting displays are around town (county by county), look no further! I've updated my tacky lights map for 2022, so check it out, grab some cocoa, and plan your stops!" Click HERE to follow along!

If you’re looking for some fun fall activities in Richmond, Virginia, check out my 2022 RVA Fall Guide! Click the link below to get your copy today! https://bit.ly/3y8T9ev