August Means Catching the Last Gasp of RVA Summer Here are a few of my favorites: Head to RVA Big Market Saturdays at Bryan Park from 8-1 and get allll the great produce. Make something you've never made, or just enjoy something simple like a tomato sandwich, before those Hanovers are gone! SuzySno is moving from Jackson Ward to the old Sweet 95 spot on Arthur Ashe Blvd. Opens in August, so go get you some! What says RVA as much as beer, cider, and music?? Head to Brown's Island on August 13th for the JamPacked Craft Beer and Music Festival.  Cool down with the family and learn about sharks (!) at the Science Museum of Virginia's Predator or Prey  Carytown Watermelon Festival is back (40 years!) on August 14, in Carytown, of course. Are you running out of things to do with the kids and it's just. too. hot? The Byrd has great family movies running all month. Click HERE for their schedule! Sunflowers and Sunsets? Yes please! Take a short ride to Burnside Farms and wander as the sun sets (and it's a little cooler, maybe) and enjoy their sunflower bounty. Tickets required. More info HERE

It's National Ice Cream Day! I'm celebrating with some of my RVA ice cream (or ice cream like) favorites. I've always loved ice cream. I mean, what says celebration, and summer, as much as ice cream? Just like so many things, I have a hard time picking a favorite, because sometimes that favorite just depends on my mood. So, here are a few (well, more than a few, really) of my faves. I'd love to hear yours!   When it comes to gelato, our overall, hands down favorite is Deluca Gelato at Gayton Crossing. Their gelato really transports you to Italy, and never disappoints. They've got all the classics- from Stracciatella and Spumoni to loads of sorbets and seasonal flavors. My favorites? I always go for a combo of Banana Nutella and Chocolate Sorbet, but you really can't go wrong here. (It's also very close to home, which is definitely a blessing and a curse.) One of the longest running ice cream spots in Richmond is Gelati Celesti, and it's the OG for a reason. (When I had my cafe in the early '90's, in fact, I would not rest until I had a full scooping cabinet of their ice cream.) With multiple locations now, it's super easy to grab your favorite no matter where you are. My go to here is always "Just Ask," a delicious white chocolate ice cream with frozen peanut butter ribbons and Oreos. We have some seriously fantastic "newer" additions to the Richmond ice cream scene, and yes, I have favorites there too! Charm School Social Club on Broad Street (in the heart of the Arts District) has a great, slightly edgy/artsy vibe and fantastic ice cream and flavors. Anything is great, but whatever you choose, you must get the house made, toasted fluff on top. So damn good. For flavors here, my favorites are Fruity Pebbles or Cereal Milk (obviously I have a thing for cereal) or the Princess Cake. If you find yourself on Southside, Charm School's Study Hall is the place to stop by for some delicious soft serve. This walk up window has a more limited menu than their flagship, and soft serve only, with a rotating variety of flavors (and a killer Dole Whip!) If you're looking for vegan ice cream, both locations of Charm School have good options for you, too! Scoop is located in the Fan, tucked into a little spot on Strawberry Street (next to Idle Hands Bread Company, another favorite). They are a small batch creamery as well, offering unique flavors, brownie sundaes, ice cream flights (hello!) featuring three flavors, shakes, and custom ice cream sandwiches. My favorite flavor here was always Croissants & Jam, but that's no longer a signature flavor. (The nerve!) Now, it's a toss up between Banana Pudding (going away soon), Roasted Strawberry, and Brown Sugar Cookie Dough. You may recognize the name Ruby Scoops from the Food Network show featuring Ben & Jerry's. Yes, she won the Grand Prize (justifiably so!) Located on Brookland Park Boulevard in Richmond's North Side, here you'll find a rotating menu of unique flavors, from ice creams like Dulce de Leche and Black Sesame (my two favorites) to vegan flavors and sorbets. Westray's Finest on Lombardy St. went from truck to cafe this year, and they've got some seriously top tier, small batch handmade ice cream. My favorite there is Gold Rush (Sweet Cream base, Dark Chocolate Swirl, and Honeycomb Candy. Yes please!) Bruster's has always been a favorite, since there is a location near my parents' house and we'd go there on hot summer evenings when my son was little. A great place to walk up, get a delicious sundae or waffle cone, and have lots of variety in flavors. ( A few locations have a drive through, too!) If you're in the mood for something a little different than "just" ice cream (though none of the above are "just" ice cream!), here are a few of my other frozen favorites: Sno Shack in Mechanicsville is the most unassuming little shack (yep, the name is no exaggeration) smack in the middle of a parking lot in Mechanicsville. With dozens of flavors for sweet, fluffy shaved ice, it's a true, old school, summertime treat. (Oh, yeah, they close after Labor Day, too, so get it in the summer or wait till next year!) My recommendation here? Tiger's Blood, with a Volcano. (A yummy blob of ice cream in the center of the magical ice!) Another soft serve/custard option around town is JiJi's Frozen Custard. With delicious flavors that change periodically, and "Pundaes" to go with the event/season and the flavors, they always have something unique and tasty. They are a truck, so seldom in the same place at once, but follow them on social to know where they'll be. There are a few new(er) places on my list to check out too- Sweet Wynns is an ice cream workshop, giving you the opportunity to create your own handmade, custom flavor. How fun and delicious does that sound?? Graham's Ice Cream reopened in Mechanicsville a few months ago, with lots of fun flavors, sundaes, and shakes. The only other "must have" on my list (as of today- that's always subject to change!) is Carl's Frozen Custard in Fredericksburg. I got turned on to Carl's when my brother was at Mary Washington, and I've been a super fan ever since. Carl's is an institution, and in operation since 1947. Usually a line, always worth it, and 3 flavors- chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Why mess with perfection? My go to is a Chocolate Strawberry Malt (not on the menu, but they'll make it.) It's a must stop any time I'm going up I95, and I'll confess that on more than one occasion I've taken a cooler to buy a spare to have later.        

Have you been hearing all the talk about the real estate market in the last 6 months or so, and wondering if maybe it actually IS the right time to sell? You're not the only one. (I've even thought about it myself!) But where to begin? Well, the obvious solution is just to call me, right? Kidding. Well, kind of... Stick with me. Here are a few things to think about as you get ready sell your home in the Richmond area. Obviously, I'd like you to call me, but if not me, call your agent of choice. Sooner than you think. We will walk through your home and pull the data to help give you a comprehensive list of to do's, discuss your personal goals, and touch on pricing, at least within a range. No one knows your home as well as you do. So, if there are items that you know need repairing, making a list of those and starting to get them checked off is a great place to start. Clean, clean, and clean some more. (I have a comprehensive cleaning list to remind you of the things buyers tend to look at that sellers often forget.) Staging is often important in our market and others. Depending on your home, that may mean just decluttering, and depersonalizing your space, and others it means a full staging with furniture, art, and accessories. Know the comparables and price it well. Yes, the market has been wild for the past few months, but pricing has always been, and will always be, a crucial component of a successful home sale. That means paying attention to the comparables, the market, and your own personal goals to get the pricing right. Getting your home prepped can sometimes be accomplished very quickly, but more often than not, it takes a little bit of time (Real talk? The average time it takes to prep a home for sale is 2 months, from start to finish.) The most important thing to know? Call your agent as soon as you start thinking about selling. That will absolutely reduce your prep time, keep you on the right track, and make sure that any money you spend helps maximize your time and sales price and minimize your stress.  Are you ready?   

If you’ve been thinking about buying your first home, chances are you’re getting tons of advice from everyone you've mentioned it to. It can be pretty overwhelming, and that's why I want to share 3 home buying myths you need to know if you’re considering homeownership. These will help debunk some of the things you may be hearing from people who probably have great intentions, but probably aren’t professionals. MYTH #1: You Have to Put 20% Down to Purchase a Home This could be the biggest home buying myth of all time! Putting a minimum of 20% down on a house does have some financial benefits .. BUT it isn’t required. There are several options when it comes to financing your home so you’ll want to meet with a local lender to discuss these options before jumping head first into the process. There are loans that require as little as 3% down as well as resources for buyers struggling with down payment money and first time home buyer programs. MYTH #1 Tip: Do not get pre-approved from an online lender. Find someone local who you can actually sit down with, understand your options and make the best decision for your financial future. (I can refer you to some great ones.) MYTH #2: It Doesn’t Matter if I Don’t Have a Real Estate Agent Some buyers prefer not to commit to working with one specific agent. That means they don’t take advantage of hiring a buyer’s agent to help them with their home purchase. That means they’re on their own for scheduling showings, being alerted of new listings, and when it comes time to negotiations, they won’t have anyone working in their best interest. This is not a great combination- especially in this market. It can prevent you from getting an accepted offer on the house you really love because you haven’t been educated on the market or how quickly you need to make a move. Right now, that's QUICK! It could also result in you losing money or overspending because you don’t have anyone negotiating on your behalf. I don’t know about you, but if I’m buying my first home, or any home, for that matter, that does not sound like a great situation. MYTH #3:Prices probably won't keep rising forever. But a market crash isn't likely, based on who's buying homes now: people with low debt-to-income ratios who put a lot of money down after losing out on a few homes to other buyers. "They will not be the first to abandon their homes if there is a downturn in the economy," said Kenneth ErI of Climb Real Estate. "These homes are owner-occupied and not highly leveraged like in the run-up to the last crash."   There are certainly a few more myths, but I'm here to help you navigate them. If you think you're ready to purchaase, give me a call, or email me here. I'd love to help!