The AgentFaircloth Team

09/19/2026

"Let's just test the market at a higher price and see what happens." We hear this a lot, and we get it—you want to maximize every dollar from your investment. But here is the real estate truth: "testing the market" almost always backfires.

The first 14 days your home is active are sacred. That's when algorithm visibility is at its peak and serious buyers are paying close attention. When you launch above true market value, buyers simply move on.

By the time you drop the price 30 days later, the initial excitement is gone. Buyers see the days on market piling up and wonder what's wrong with the home. That's when lowball offers start rolling in.

An effective pricing strategy in Virginia Beach attracts competitive buyers early, which actually protects your equity. As an experienced Virginia Beach realtor, I deliver direct, honest advice on Virginia Beach home values—not just what sounds good.

Reach out to The Agent Faircloth Team today to get an accurate, no-nonsense market analysis for your home.

DM or call 757-288-0983 for an honest pricing analysis of your home.

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09/02/2026

A professional highlight reel nobody asks for, but everyone should hear:

talking buyers down before they offer $30K over on a house they toured for eleven minutes which is $50k over priced, talking sellers down from a national-headline-induced panic, and moderating divorce sales that are really hostage negotiations where the hostage is the house.

Then there's fieldwork: the hour-long drive for a no-show, the "vacant" listing that turned out to have a very much present, very much undressed occupant mid-shower, the yard sign that refuses to stand in dirt apparently reinforced with rebar, and the listing's neighbor who calls after every showing to report a light left on with genuine urgency.

And then, occasionally, the universe throws a bone: an appraisal that lands right on the number, a VA loan with a three-week window that actually closes in three weeks.

This Friday wraps up six months of work for one family, and there's nothing better than watching that happen.

List Smart. Sell Fast.
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08/23/2026

Well… I finally broke down and bought progressive sunglasses. 😎👵🏼

And I have just one question:

WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?! 😂

I can see the road.
I can see my phone.
I can read a menu.
I can even see the tiny price tag that confirms everything now costs way too much. 🤣

Apparently, I wasn’t “too young for progressives”… I was just too stubborn to admit I needed them. 😂

Getting older is humbling. One minute you're buying cute sunglasses because they look good on your face… the next you're asking,
“But can I read a text AND drive in these?” 🤦🏼‍♀️😂

At this point, I’m not aging… I’m just upgrading my equipment. 😎

10/10 recommend.
My eyes are thrilled.
My ego will recover. 😂

ICanSeeClearlyNow MidlifeHumor

07/20/2026

The federal capital gains exclusion — the amount of profit you can keep tax-free when you sell your primary home — hasn’t been updated since 1997. That year, the median home price in the U.S. was $129,000.

Today it’s nearly triple that.

The current limits are $250,000 for single filers and $500,000 for married couples. Those numbers sound generous until you’ve owned a home in Hampton Roads for 15 or 20 years, watched your equity grow, and realized that a significant chunk of your profit could go straight to the IRS the moment you sell.

Right now, more than 13 million homeowners nationwide would exceed today’s capital gains exclusion if they sold. And research projects that by 2030, more than 56% of homeowners could have equity surpassing the $250,000 cap. That’s not a wealthy-seller problem. That’s a middle-class homeowner problem — and it’s getting worse every year.

For more information on this: https://www.agentfaircloth.com/2026/06/29/if-you-ve-owned-your-hampton-roads-home-for-more-than-10-years-this-could-cost-you-at-closing-and-washington-is-finally-paying-attention/

07/15/2026

The sale price is the tip of the iceberg. Literally.

I've been doing this since July 1999 — started in construction before I ever sold a house — and the number one thing I still see catching buyers off guard isn't the price on the listing. It's everything sitting under the waterline: closing costs running 2-4% of the purchase price, the home inspection, appraisal fee, first year of homeowners insurance, HOA dues if the neighborhood has them, and the repairs that show up the week you move in.

Here's one Hampton Roads-specific number worth knowing: if you're using a VA loan — and roughly 43% of Virginia Beach buyers are — you skip PMI entirely.

That's real monthly savings most buyers don't realize until someone tells them.

The house is the headline. The budget is everything else.

Let's chat. I'll send you the full breakdown of what to actually plan for before you start touring homes in Hampton Roads.

07/01/2026

Southern Living just said what locals already knew.

Virginia Beach ranked #2 on their list of best beach towns to retire in the country.
Not Florida. Not the Carolinas. Virginia Beach.

28 miles of public shoreline. 11 golf courses. A food scene that actually earns it. Festivals year-round. And if you want quiet — Sandbridge and Chick's Beach exist for a reason.

I've lived here my entire life. I've helped people move here, downsize here, and plant roots here for 27 years. What Southern Living put in an article, I've watched people discover for themselves — and then never want to leave.

If you're wondering whether Virginia Beach makes sense for your next chapter, I'd love to walk you through what that actually looks like. Not the tourist version. The real one.

Over the weekend, Southern Living released their top 20 list of beach towns where you can retire. Virginia Beach ranked No. 2 on the list! They list it as a good non-Florida option that’s often overlooked and highlights that it has 28 miles of public shoreline.

06/30/2026

Most people drive down Independence Boulevard and don't realize what's sitting just off that road.

Witchduck is one of Virginia Beach's quieter neighborhoods — and one of its most interesting. Homes on lots averaging nearly an acre. Views of Witch Duck Bay. A median sale price of $1,032,500 over the last 12 months. And only 18 homes sold in the entire past year, with 2 currently on the market.

When something comes available here, it moves in about 30 days — half the national average.

The history alone is worth knowing: the neighborhood is named for Grace Sherwood, the Witch of Pungo, and the Lynnhaven House — one of Virginia's oldest preserved homes — just celebrated its 300th anniversary right here.

If you're thinking about this neighborhood — whether you're buying, selling, or just want to understand what your home is worth — I've been in this market since July 1999.

Happy to talk through the numbers with you.

https://www.agentfaircloth.com/witchduck

06/17/2026

Your house is competing against a builder offering a 4.5% rate buydown right now.

In Chesapeake and Suffolk, builders are buying down interest rates to levels resale homes simply can't match at list price. That's not a rumor — builders are offering rate buydowns and closing cost credits that effectively discount new homes and create real pricing pressure on nearby resale inventory.

If your home is priced in a range where new construction exists, your competition isn't the house down the street. It's the model home two miles away with a sign that says "rates from 4.5%."

That's exactly why pricing strategy and marketing have to work harder than ever right now.

Let's discuss a REAL strategy. 757.288.0983

06/15/2026

That vulnerable moment when you're about to put your home on the market hits different.
I've walked hundreds of sellers through those exact feelings and we always come out stronger on the other side.

06/13/2026

Even Darth Vader knows the dark side of house hunting is showing up without a pre-approval letter. 🦾

Sellers in Hampton Roads aren't playing games right now. A pre-approval isn't just paperwork — it's what separates serious buyers from everyone else in the galaxy.

Get yours before you fall in love with a house. Trust me, you don't want Vader in your inbox.

Ready to buy in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, or Norfolk? Let's connect you with a lender who can have you approved faster than the Kessel Run. 🚀