Questions about buying or selling in Richmond? Start here.

Tim Gearhart opened his first chocolate shop in Charlottesville before expanding to Short Pump. Gearharts Fine Chocolates offers a best-in-class classic chocolate selection plus an adventurous signature line featuring cardamom, chilis, and fresh mint, along with a great pastry selection.

Lola's Farmhouse Bistro in Manakin Sabot, just over the Goochland County line near Short Pump Town Center, has been well-loved since 2016. The building dates to 1865 as a general store, later known as the Fox Head Inn, before the current owners purchased it in 2016. Heather had a Caesar salad with chicken; Curt had the quiche and a side salad and calls the Quiche Lorraine excellent.

Texas Inn has been family-owned in Virginia since 1935 and now has 4 locations. Curt tried a Nathan's Famous Hot Dog with chili and mustard, and their Original Hot Dog (Jesse Jones Southern Style Hot Dog with mustard) with a side of fries, then finished with Chocolate Cream for dessert.

Curt tried Alewife on Marshall Street in Church Hill — a crispy chicken entree and a fried oyster sandwich on Texas toast — and found it busy even on a Tuesday, with reservations often needed. If Alewife is booked, Curt also recommends The Roosevelt, Grisette, and Metzger & Butchery. As Curt puts it: "Back when I lived on Church Hill, the area was a desert when it came to eating out... Now Church Hill has a thriving dining scene."

Looking for a casual lunch spot with fresh, flavorful tacos? Chicano Boy Taco in North Chesterfield serves shrimp and chicken tacos, fresh chips, queso, guacamole, and house-made salsas. Featured in the Two Dog Realty September 2026 newsletter.

A thoughtful seller handoff gives buyers the information and approved materials needed to operate the home without leaving personal data, clutter, or items the contract does not permit.

Should you sell your current home before buying the next one? Compare the risks, financing options, and strategies available to Richmond-area homeowners planning both transactions.

New Virginia real estate laws affect buyer agreements, property disclosures, condo and HOA resales, and homeowner protections. Here’s what Richmond-area buyers and homeowners need to know.

New-construction buyers should arrange representation before the first builder visit, evaluate the lot and total upgraded price, review the builder contract carefully, compare financing, and use appropriate inspections. The builder representative works for the builder.

Curt and Heather share why Mama Cucina in Innsbrook has become a Richmond-area favorite for homemade pasta, generous portions and classic Italian dishes.

Curt and Heather share why Ashland-based Riverside Sourdough has become a regular stop for its sourdough rolls, organic loaves and brown-sugar pop-tarts.

Fire coverage is generally part of homeowners insurance, but limits and exclusions matter. Learn what Richmond-area homeowners should review before a fire occurs.

The home-buying decisions that cause the most regret often happen before closing. Here are six common mistakes Richmond-area buyers can avoid before making an offer.

Flooding can affect properties inside and outside mapped high-risk areas. Learn what Richmond-area buyers and sellers should know about coverage, costs, waiting periods and flood-insurance requirements.

Choosing the right real estate agent takes more than comparing résumés. Here are seven questions Richmond-area buyers and sellers should ask about honesty, experience, communication, and strategy.

A meaningful preapproval helps buyers understand financing, compare lenders, identify problems early, set a comfortable range, and present a more credible offer.

Before selling, prioritize condition, cleanliness, neutral presentation, selective repairs, and curb appeal. A pre-listing walkthrough should identify what buyers will notice and prevent spending on renovations unlikely to produce a worthwhile return.

National housing headlines do not always reflect what is happening in Richmond. Here’s what local buyers and sellers were experiencing in the Spring 2026 Richmond real estate market.

Richmond has been named one of Zillow’s hottest housing markets for 2026. Here’s what the forecast, limited inventory, and continued buyer demand could mean for Richmond-area buyers and sellers.

Virginia licensees engaged by buyers must enter into a written brokerage agreement before showing property. The agreement defines services, duration, compensation, and the working relationship.

Setting the right asking price is one of the most important decisions when selling your home. Learn which property features, market conditions and pricing strategies help determine the best listing price.

Renting or buying in Richmond depends on expected time in the home, financial reserves, payment comfort, maintenance responsibility, flexibility, and the real cost of both choices. Compare complete budgets and personal plans instead of assuming one option always wins.

Effective preparation focuses on trust, cleanliness, condition, presentation, and photography—not expensive renovations that may delay the sale without improving the likely outcome.

Overpricing a Richmond home can cost sellers time, leverage, and money. Learn why the first days on the market matter and how an unrealistic list price can undermine a successful sale.

Choosing the right list price is one of the most important decisions when selling your Richmond home. Learn which property features, market conditions, and comparable sales affect pricing.

Choose a mortgage lender by comparing verified preapproval work, loan terms, rate, APR, points, fees, cash to close, communication, and closing reliability—not by advertised rate alone. Compare written estimates using the same assumptions.

Homeowners insurance protects more than the structure of your house. Learn what Richmond-area buyers and sellers should know about coverage, exclusions, rebuilding costs, flood damage and reviewing a policy before closing.

Richmond homebuyers can often compromise on cosmetic features, but should carefully protect location fit, financial comfort, essential layout needs, and tolerance for significant property risks.

With a resale home, you can walk through the front door and see exactly what you are buying. With new construction, you may be choosing from a floor plan, a list of selections, and a picture of a house that has not been built yet. That difference sounds obvious, but it can create surprises even for careful buyers. When the Finished House Did Not Match the Rendering Recent Two Dog Realty clients chose a floor plan and paid extra for a farmhouse-style exterior. The builder’s rendering showed a...

A home inspection is a visual evaluation that helps buyers separate maintenance from material risks and gives both parties information for decisions under the contract.

Loan qualification is an underwriting boundary, not a personal spending recommendation. Buyers should account for the full payment, repairs, reserves, and the life they want to keep living.

The best offer combines acceptable net proceeds with financing strength, manageable contingencies, appraisal support, workable timing, and a credible path to closing.

A competitive Richmond offer combines supported price, credible financing, clear terms, deliberate contingencies, realistic timing, and a firm limit the buyer can accept after the pressure passes.

Richmond-area homes usually sit because price, condition, presentation, access, marketing, or buyer feedback are out of alignment. The first days provide important evidence; sellers should diagnose the pattern and make a coordinated adjustment instead of waiting without a plan.

After ratification, inspections, financing, appraisal, title work, insurance, final walkthrough, settlement documents, and closing must be coordinated before ownership transfers.