Common questions

Start with a lender letter so you know your price range, then pick two or three neighborhoods to walk on a weekend. I can set up an alert for new listings in those areas.

Buyer agent compensation is set in a written agreement we sign before touring. Sometimes the seller pays part or all of it; sometimes it is negotiated in your offer. I explain the options before you sign anything.

It depends on your loan program and your savings. Some loans allow a small down payment, others need more. A local lender can show you the trade-offs side by side; I can introduce you.

Yes. Most Richmond houses are older, and an inspection tells you what you are buying. A sewer line scope and a chimney inspection are often worth adding.

Most financed purchases close in about a month to six weeks after the offer is accepted. Cash can be faster. Your lender and the settlement company set the pace.

I look at recent sales of similar homes nearby, what is on the market now, and your home's condition. You make the final call; I give you my honest read and the reasons for it.

Fix small things buyers notice and anything a lender or inspector will certainly flag. Larger projects rarely pay for themselves. We decide together at the first walk-through.

It is best to be out. Buyers look more carefully and talk more openly when the owner is not there.

Plan for agent compensation, your share of settlement costs, the Virginia grantor's tax, any repairs you agree to, and payoff of your mortgage. Ask me for current figures and I will prepare an estimate of what you would net.

Yes, with planning. We can line up the closings, ask for extra time after closing, or look at financing that lets you buy first. Talk to me early so the calendar works.

Mostly 1920s bungalows and foursquares with front porches, on tree-lined streets north of the Boulevard.

Many blocks are a short walk to the shops and restaurants on MacArthur Avenue. Larger errands usually mean a short drive.

Many have driveways or alley access, which is easier than in the Fan. It varies by street.

Mostly condos and apartments in converted warehouses and newer buildings, plus some newer townhouses at the edges.

It varies by building. Some include a deeded or assigned space, some lease spaces separately, and some have none. Check the condo documents for each unit.

The budget, reserves, monthly fee, rental rules, and any planned special assessments. Virginia law gives you a review period after you receive the resale packet.

It sits just west of the Boulevard. The blocks are a little quieter and many houses are slightly larger, with more porches and some side yards.

Most date from the early 1900s through the 1920s, with a mix of rowhouses, foursquares and craftsman houses.

Well-kept houses with updated kitchens, a porch, and off-street parking. Ask me for current figures on recent sales.

Most houses have no driveway, so street parking is the norm and some blocks need a residential permit. Houses with rear parking off the alley are in demand.

Most were built in the early 1900s. Expect plaster walls, tall ceilings, original trim, and systems that have been updated over the years.

Parts of the Fan are in a City Old and Historic District, where exterior changes visible from the street need approval first. I check each address before you make an offer.

Church Hill has some of the oldest houses in the city alongside Victorian rowhouses and newer infill, so ages vary a lot from block to block.

Street parking is most common. Some houses have rear parking off an alley, and newer infill sometimes includes it.

Much of the area is in a City Old and Historic District, so exterior changes need approval. I check each address before you make an offer.

Mostly detached brick houses, Tudors, colonials and cottages from the 1920s to the 1950s, on larger lots than in the Fan.

It sits on the south bank above the James, close to Forest Hill Park and the river trails.

Most do. Many lots slope, so check drainage and the basement during inspection.