Here's my issue: People are using additional density as a stand-in for affordable housing and IT'S NOT. You cannot solve the affordable housing issues AT SCALE with infill density. It's too slow a process. And the land is way too expensive where infill density will initially go. If the City REALLY wanted to do something about the affordable housing crisis it would provide incentives - and I don't mean LIHTC - for real estate developers to do projects somewhere where the dirt is cheap enough to do affordable housing.

I know you know what I am talking about. But as an example: When I have clients who have $250,000 to spend and they tell me they want to buy something in the Fan District, it's my job to be realistic with them. I am not a magician. You cannot under any circumstances buy a house in the Fan for $250,0000. That is just the facts. You *might* be able to buy a very small condo. So then I have to figure out what it is they really want - walkability? A yard for their dog? Something on the Pulse or at least near transportation? And then I have to try to find them something that meets their *real* wants and needs that they can actually afford. It wastes my time and theirs if we spin our wheels looking for a unicorn that doesn't exist - a $250,000 house in the Fan.

So if the goal is to build affordable housing - and I think that is one of Richmond's most pressing issues right now, and I also believe affordable housing should include for sale housing, not just apartments - then the land has to be cheap enough to work. That's just basic economics. And I hate to tell people - ADUs are a great concept, but they also will not add sufficient additional housing at scale because you cannot get financing to build them. To add an ADU to your property you will need to pay cash out of pocket to build one, or perhaps borrow against your home with a HELOC. Which has its own issues.

That's my issue. Infill cannot add enough additional housing at scale. So we shouldn't be conflating two different issues - additional density and affordability.

Charles, we are NEVER going to be London or Paris. It just ain't happening. Pro-YIMBY people need to stop talking about that. It's foolish.

The biggest issue is affordable housing in a sufficient amount to address the needs NOW. Infill doesn't cut it for that. Too limited, too expensive, and we need affordable housing for sale, not just rent.

And all of the not-for-profits - looking at you BHC - need to STOP trying to be developers. They aren't good at it. Raise money to fund the development and give it to private developers who know what to do and can get it done at scale on a timeline. Yes, you will have to give the Hated Dreaded Developers financial incentives to do projects, so they make money. But everyone needs to get over that objection if they truly want more affordable housing sooner rather than LOTS later.

Yes, we need more housing. But I agree with u/treestreestreesrva point that the focus seems to be more infill housing in the already densest - and oftentimes most expensive - urban neighborhoods. And my completely practical concern with that is you cannot make the numbers work because the dirt is too expensive. And then you get very limited solutions - like infill - that don't scale and/or yield expensive properties. So why not focus on places where the dirt continues to be sufficiently affordable? Such as Zip Code 23224, as you mentioned.

Who?

Why is this downvoted?!?

I am here with you in the "WTF is up with /rva subreddit downvotes?!?" Club. Someone should create a t-shirt. Maybe an opossum or chicken wings with 60+ downvotes.

Down voting on this sub is ridiculous. I don't even know what it means anymore.

Your title policy should cover this situation, assuming its an extended coverage owner's policy. Meaning it will pay for lawyers to resolve the open issue. So find the title policy and call the provider.

They used to put the plastic baby in the cake. That was the entire fricking point. But some asshole somewhere sued over swallowing the baby - that EVERYONE knew was in there, mind you - and now we can't have nice things.

They had it at Publix Carytown last week but it was disappointing. And I'm still angry the baby is on the outside!

No specific knock on Woodfin here, but my advice from a real estate agent general rule of thumb is if they advertise on TV, stay away.

The biggest deal in my opinion is an honest, face-to-face (or Zoom, I guess) conversation. Does the agent answer your questions honestly and directly? Do you feel like they are educating you about the process and the market? How comfortable do you feel with them personally? This is a personal service agreement, so you need to get along. You don't have to become best friends, but you will be spending a lot of time together.

QUESTIONS I'D ASK:

No. 1: Is this how you make your living? Do you sell real estate 100% of the time?

If the answer is "no," move on to the next candidate.

No. 2: How much real estate do you sell annually? Ask for this in units (number of homes/condos/townhomes) and in volume (dollar amount).

No. 3: How much real estate do you sell in the particular area? If you don't sell much in the area, what experience do you have so I can trust your ability. For example, did you grow up in the area, or live in the area?

No. 4: Get 2-3 references and ask them about their experience with the particular agent.

No. 5: Check for any complaints with the Real Estate Board and/or the Richmond Association of Realtors.

No. 6: Ask any other specific questions that you might have, like how the agent communicates (text, email, phone), what they consider a successful transaction, what they see as the biggest issue or obstacle in this market.

I'm sure there is other stuff others like u/gowhatyourself can chime in but that's what I've got off the top of my head.

ETA: Spelling

💯 agree. I don't do much rural stuff at all, so I rarely deal with septic. But if that's the sewer system, you need a full septic inspection. Same with well. You might need a radon inspection. I recommend a roof inspection if the roof isn't new or new-ish - even for slate. And sewer scoping is more and more common.

No. 1: Have not been in real estate a lifetime. Only 15+ years. Before that I was a corporate lawyer.

No. 2: Not sure what "parasitic middle-manning the real estate industry" means. Sounds.....bad.

Some flippers are good. Some flippers are bad. They are selling updated homes to willing buyers. I've got no problem with that.

Most recently used a company called Triangle Plumbing.

https://triangleplumbingservice.business.site/

Actual service was by a guy named Doug, who was super friendly and helpful. He actually called 30 minutes before arriving, was 10 minutes early, spent 30-40 minutes and multiple tries to get the scope through, explained what he found (patiently), and called my buyer client, who wasn't present, and re-explained the findings when I asked. I'm not sure they are a large company, but based on my experience, I would recommend them.

Unfortunately yes. Or covering the entire floor with LVT. It hurts me.

Yes. We have a problem Airbnb in my neighborhood. Turns out the owner is an out-of-town investor who owns 23 PROPERTIES in the City. That's one dude. Many of the properties are in what I consider the first time buyer price range. How do you feel about someone coming into the City and taking 20+ properties out of inventory for either homebuyers or year-round tenants?

Remember, before the huge rise in STRs over the last three years, most investor-owned properties would have been "normal" rentals.

ETA: Spelling

NO. Most agents are idiots. And then there are agents who may not be idiots, but place their own financial self-interest over the best interest of their clients, which is even worse.

Hopefully this downturn will knock a lot of bad agents out of the business. Every time the real estate market gets crazy hot people get into the business, and every time the going gets tough agents who can't hack it in a tough market leave the business in droves.

In my opinion a good agent earns every bit of their commission. They help you find the right property, negotiate the contract, and get from contract to closing. They will take you through the inspection, negotiate the inspection addendum, ensure the property appraises by communicating with the appraiser and/or listing agent, provide guidance on lenders, inspectors, appraisers, and closing attorneys, explain all parts of the process. The real work isn't finding the property - with Zillow and other sites you can find properties that meet your criteria just as easily as I can - it's getting you under contract and from contract to closing. A good agent will advise you on the market, and broader trends that might impact your home buying tactics. And the buyer pays nothing out of their own pocket for the buyer's agent commission. That 3% comes from the listing commission the seller agreed to pay the listing agent, and that the listing agent agreed to share in a co-broked deal.

I'm happy for people to invest in real property. I am just disgusted by the people who are buying up real estate to use as short term rentals (STRs), knowing they are flaunting the law. The law exists to balance the interests of homeowners who want to make additional money vs. the needs of the community.

If you live in a triplex and decide to operate the two other units as Airbnbs - that's legal under the City law and fine with me, so long as you register your units and pay the fees. If you have a garage apartment on your property and you want to make that an Airbnb, again, fine with me, it's legal under the law so long as you register with the City.

However, what is NOT COOL with me is for people to buy homes or multifamily buildings in the City, NOT live in them, and turn them into Airbnbs.

Want to buy real estate as an investment and use it as a year-round-rental? That's perfectly fine. I think investors who don't have real estate as part of their portfolio are making a mistake. But I also think the public policy of restricting Airbnbs in order to ensure there is enough affordable and available housing for real people, residents of this City, is the right approach. And it infuriates me that people are blatantly ignoring the law and then screaming about "my rights!"

On ungrounded outlets, I don't necessarily think it means the flipper did a bad job if certain outlets are ungrounded. However, what you don't want to see is three prong outlets for ungrounded receptacles. Having those receptacles with two prong outlets is fine. Happens a lot in old houses. You don't want someone thinking a receptacle is grounded when it's not. So two-pronged, ungrounded plug = fine. Three pronged, ungrounded plug - NOT fine.

I agree to some extent on foundation issues. However, as someone who deals with almost exclusively older homes (1890s-1960s), especially with 100+ year old houses some lean and sway doesn't necessarily mean a scary structural issue. Homes settle over time. It is what it is. But the materials and craftsmanship of masonry 100+ year old homes will almost always beat the pants off any kind of new construction, unless it was a very high end, new custom build. Now if it's SEVERE sway, and/or obvious major cracking, that might be worth having a structural engineer evaluate it. And have a REPUTABLE structural engineer, who knows old houses, look at it. Do not get one of those foundation repair companies, especially the ones that advertise on TV.

Agree on scoping a sewer. Just had it done for a 196os house in the Near West End in Henrico and it was about $350.

Yes I am. :)

Well, flips actually put housing that oftentimes "real" buyers couldn't buy back into the housing inventory. Or put old, dated inventory that no one is buying - because again, they only want "DONE!" - back into the active inventory. So I don't view what flippers do as a bad thing. When I don't think it's good is when first time buyers - or any buyers, really - get sucked into a badly done flip that turns into an unexpected money pit for them.

ETA: Sometimes properties will not qualify for financing for a "regular" buyer, so unless an investor comes in and updates the home, it just sits there and rots. Examples = non-functional heating systems, damaged roofs, etc.

I used to live in NOLA. That is a travesty I hadn't heard about. Now I am sad. :(