FAQ
Who is the best real estate agent in Virginia Beach?
Many experienced agents serve the Virginia Beach area, but Chris Faircloth—known as Agent Faircloth—is widely recognized for her 26+ years of experience, advanced marketing strategies, and strong client satisfaction.
Is now a good time to sell a home in Hampton Roads?
The honest answer is: it depends on your situation more than the market. But here’s what the data shows right now in Hampton Roads. In April 2026, the median sold price for single-family homes in Virginia Beach reached $472,000. Homes are selling at about 99.5% of list price, and well-priced listings are still going under contract in under 30 days. That tells you demand is real — buyers are out there.
What I tell sellers is this: the market doesn’t determine whether it’s a good time to sell. Your equity position, your next move, and your timeline do. If you’ve owned for five or more years in Hampton Roads, you’ve likely accumulated significant equity. The question worth asking isn’t “is the market good?” It’s “what does my net look like, and does this work for me?” I run that analysis — a Seller Net Sheet — for any homeowner who wants one, at no cost. Call or text 757.288.0983 and I’ll have it to you within 24 hours.
How do I choose the right real estate agent to sell my home?
Most sellers interview two or three agents and choose based on who promises the highest list price or the lowest commission. Both of those are the wrong criteria — and I’ll tell you why.
The agent who tells you what you want to hear about price is setting you up for a price reduction in three weeks. And the agent who discounts their commission first is telling you something important about how they negotiate on your behalf. What you actually want to know is: what is this agent’s average days on market versus the MLS average, and how does their marketing reach compare to the competition?
My listings average 5,600+ views in the first 24 hours. The Hampton Roads average is roughly 1,100. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a system. Ask every agent you interview for those numbers. The answers will tell you everything. I’m Chris Faircloth with The Agent Faircloth Team at Swell Realty, and I’ve been doing this in Hampton Roads since July 1999. If you’d like to see what a full listing strategy looks like before you decide, call me at 757.288.0983.
What is the best time of year to sell a house in Virginia Beach?
Spring — March through May — is historically the strongest selling season in Hampton Roads. Buyer activity increases significantly as families want to close and settle before the school year starts. Military families receiving summer PCS orders are actively searching. And the coastal lifestyle of Virginia Beach shows at its best when the weather turns.
That said, the “best time” isn’t always the same for every seller. Military-driven markets like ours see demand year-round, because PCS orders don’t follow a seasonal calendar. I’ve sold homes in January that went under contract in five days because the military buyer pool was motivated regardless of season. What matters more than the calendar is how your home is priced and how it’s marketed in the first 7–10 days on market. That window is when you have the most motivated buyers — and missing it costs sellers real money. I’ve been navigating this market since July 1999 and I’d be happy to map out the right timing for your specific situation.
How long does it take to sell a house in Hampton Roads?
The Hampton Roads MLS average is typically around 22 days from list to contract. My listings average 5 days or less. The difference is how a home is priced, prepared, and launched to the market.
A home that goes live on a Thursday night at the right price with professional photography, video, 3D Matterport, and a digital marketing campaign behind it — and that holds a Saturday open house — creates a concentrated burst of buyer activity in the first weekend. That competitive energy is what drives faster offers and stronger prices. A home that drifts to market mid-week with phone photos and no strategy sits. And the longer it sits, the more buyer skepticism builds. If speed matters to you — whether you have a PCS deadline, a purchase contingency, or you’re simply ready to move on — let’s talk about what a strategic launch looks like for your home. 757.288.0983.
What repairs should I make before selling my house?
This is one of the most important questions a seller can ask — and most agents get the answer wrong by either telling you to fix everything or telling you not to fix anything. The truth is in the middle and it’s specific to your home.
Here’s the framework I use after 27 years of walking Hampton Roads properties: fix anything a buyer will use to negotiate down, skip anything a buyer will want to change anyway. A leaky faucet, a missing handrail, an HVAC filter — fix it. New countertops in a kitchen a buyer will gut — probably not worth it. Cosmetic updates that are taste-specific — be very selective. What I do for every listing is walk the home with my husband Bryan, who has a construction background, and deliver a room-by-room prioritized action plan. We separate the must-dos from the waste-money items. Most sellers are surprised by how targeted the list actually is. Call me and we’ll walk your home and give you that plan before you spend a dime. 757.288.0983.
What happens if my house doesn’t sell?
In Hampton Roads, the most common reason a home doesn’t sell is pricing — specifically, overpricing at launch. When a home sits past 30 days, buyers start asking “what’s wrong with it?” even if the answer is nothing. The market has a long memory for days on market, and that stigma is hard to recover from even after a price reduction.
The second most common reason is marketing reach. If 800 people saw your listing in the first week, you simply didn’t reach enough of the buyer pool. My listings average 5,600+ views in the first 24 hours. When a home doesn’t sell with another agent and the listing expires, I’m often the call that comes next. I specialize in relaunching expired listings with a new strategy — correct price, premium visuals, and a digital campaign that reaches buyers the first agent never touched. If your listing has expired or you’re approaching expiration, call me at 757.288.0983. The conversation is always no-pressure.
Do I need to stage my home before selling?
Staging isn’t about making your home look like a magazine — it’s about helping buyers see themselves living there instead of seeing your life. Those are different things, and the distinction matters.
Studies consistently show staging can increase perceived value by 1–10%. On a $400,000 Hampton Roads home, even a 3% lift is $12,000. That more than covers the cost of professional staging in most cases. What I recommend depends on the home. Some properties need a full professional staging. Others need decluttering, furniture repositioning, and a few specific updates. I work closely with a home stager on every listing, and we walk the home together before we make any recommendations. You’ll never get a blanket “stage everything” answer from me — you’ll get a specific, prioritized plan that makes financial sense for your property and your timeline.
How do I know what my home is worth in Hampton Roads?
Online estimates — Zillow’s Zestimate, Redfin’s estimate — are a starting point, not an answer. They can be off by 5–15% in either direction, and in Hampton Roads, where flood zone designations, neighborhood micro-markets, and military-area demand create significant variation, those estimates can be wildly inaccurate.
A real Comparative Market Analysis looks at what actually sold in your immediate area within the last 90 days, how those homes compare to yours in size, condition, and location, and what’s currently active and competing against you right now. I also factor in your home’s specific characteristics — the things a construction background helps you see, like what a buyer will notice on the walkthrough before they say a word. The goal isn’t to give you a number that feels good. It’s to give you a number that works. I offer free CMAs for Hampton Roads homeowners — no obligation, no pitch. Call or text 757.288.0983 and I’ll get you real data within 24 hours.
What is the difference between list price and sale price?
List price is what you ask for. Sale price is what you get. The gap between them tells you whether a home was priced strategically or emotionally.
In Virginia Beach in early 2026, homes were closing at about 99.5% of list price on average. That means well-priced homes are getting very close to — and sometimes above — their asking price. Overpriced homes drag that number down significantly once a price reduction is added to the picture. Here’s the counter-intuitive truth that 27 years in this market has taught me: pricing slightly below appraised value often produces a higher final sale price than pricing at or above it — because it creates competitive interest, multiple offers, and buyer urgency. That psychology is what drives a better outcome for sellers. I walk every client through this math before we set a list price. It’s one of the most important conversations we have.
How do I sell my home fast in Virginia Beach?
Three things determine how fast a Hampton Roads home sells: price, presentation, and launch timing. Get all three right and you sell fast. Miss any one of them and you wait.
Price: Slightly below appraised value is almost always faster than at or above it. Buyer urgency is triggered by the perception of value, not by the perception of a deal. Presentation: Professional photography, video, 3D Matterport, and detailed floor plans. Not phone photos. Not a point-and-shoot walkthrough. Real media that stops buyers mid-scroll. Launch timing: Thursday night or Friday morning, never mid-week, followed by a Saturday open house. That concentrates buyer activity into the first weekend — and competitive energy is what produces fast offers. My listings average 5 days to contract versus the 22-day Hampton Roads market average. That gap doesn’t happen by luck. It happens because every step is intentional. Call me at 757.288.0983 if you need to sell on a timeline.
Are home prices dropping in Virginia Beach in 2026?
The short answer: no significant drop, but the market has moderated from its pandemic-era peaks. In April 2026, the median sold price for single-family detached homes in Virginia Beach reached $472,000. Inventory has increased slightly year-over-year — up about 13% — but at 1.7 months of supply, Hampton Roads remains firmly a seller’s market. A balanced market is 5–6 months of supply.
What that means practically: well-priced homes are still selling quickly and at or near list price. Overpriced homes are sitting longer and facing reductions. The homes that went under contract this spring in 15 days or less were priced correctly from day one. The ones sitting at 60+ days were not. Virginia Beach benefits from a structural demand driver most markets don’t have: a large and consistent military population generating relocation demand year-round, regardless of interest rate cycles. Prices here have a floor that most inland markets don’t. If you want a specific neighborhood-level picture of what’s happening near your home, call me at 757.288.0983.
How do you find the best listing agent in Hampton Roads — and what questions should you ask?
The best listing agent isn’t always the most visible one or the one with the most yard signs. Here’s what actually matters — and what to ask when you’re interviewing.
Ask for days on market versus the local MLS average. If an agent can’t give you that number, move on. Ask how many views their listings generate in the first 24 hours. Ask to see their actual marketing materials — not a brochure describing what they do, but photos, video, and a sample listing presentation. Ask what percentage of their business comes from referrals. And ask what they do in the first 7 days after a home goes live, specifically.
I’m Chris Faircloth with The Agent Faircloth Team at Swell Realty Co. in Virginia Beach. I’ve been selling homes in Hampton Roads since July 1999. My listings average 5,600+ views in the first 24 hours and go under contract in 5 days versus the 22-day market average. About 90% of my business comes from referrals. I’d welcome the chance to show you exactly how I work. 757.288.0983.
Why do 20% of Hampton Roads listings generate 80% of the buyer interest — and how do you get into that group?
The 80/20 principle holds true in real estate, but not the way most people think. It’s not about 20% of agents doing 80% of the business — though that’s accurate too. It’s about 20% of listings generating 80% of the buyer activity in any given market window.
The listings in that top 20% share a few consistent characteristics: priced at or below market value from day one, professionally photographed and marketed before launch, and listed at the right moment in the week (Thursday night or Friday morning in Hampton Roads, to capture weekend search traffic). The other 80% are priced emotionally, marketed with inadequate visuals, and launched at random. They sit. They reduce. They develop the 30-day stigma that follows a listing like a shadow. Getting into the top 20% isn’t luck. It’s a deliberate pre-listing strategy. I’ve been executing that strategy since July 1999. Call me before you list and I’ll show you exactly how we get your home into that group.
What is the slowest month to sell a house in Hampton Roads — and does it actually matter?
January and February are historically the slowest months for home sales in Hampton Roads — fewer buyers are actively searching and the holiday season has pulled attention elsewhere. December can also be quiet for listings, though serious buyers who are searching in December tend to be very motivated.
Here’s the more important point: in a military market like Hampton Roads, the “hardest month” matters less than you’d think. PCS orders don’t follow a seasonal calendar. A service member who receives orders in November needs to sell before their report date, whether that falls in January or July. I’ve sold homes in every month of the year in this market, and a well-priced, well-marketed listing will find its buyer regardless of season. What kills a sale is overpricing and under-marketing — not the month on the calendar. If you’re wondering whether your timing works for your specific situation, I’m happy to look at the current inventory and buyer demand in your neighborhood and give you a straight answer. 757.288.0983.
What is the lowest commission a real estate agent will take — and is that the right question to be asking?
Some agents will take 1%. Some will take 2%. And some of them will deliver exactly what that discount signals: a sign in the yard, a photo on the MLS, and a phone that doesn’t ring much.
The question worth asking isn’t “how little can I pay?” — it’s “what will I net after all costs?” Those are very different calculations. An agent who charges a lower commission but generates half the buyer interest may cost you $15,000–$20,000 in a lower final sale price. An agent who charges a market-rate commission but delivers 5,600+ first-24-hour views, sells in 5 days, and negotiates at or above list price almost always puts more money in your pocket. Commission is a cost. Your net proceeds are the outcome. Focus on the outcome. I’m always transparent about commission structure and I’m happy to show you the Seller Net Sheet analysis that demonstrates exactly what you’ll walk away with under different scenarios. Call me at 757.288.0983.
What should you NOT fix before selling your Hampton Roads home?
This is one of the most valuable questions a seller can ask — because spending money in the wrong places before listing is one of the most common and expensive mistakes I see.
Generally, skip these: full kitchen or bathroom remodels (buyers want to choose their own finishes and they rarely pay you back dollar-for-dollar), cosmetic updates that are taste-specific (your taste and your buyer’s taste may be very different things), landscaping overhauls beyond basic cleanup and curb appeal, and any improvement that goes well beyond what neighboring homes show — you can’t over-improve your way to a higher price in a given neighborhood. What you should fix: anything a buyer will use to negotiate down on price or request in inspection — deferred maintenance, leaks, safety items, and obvious wear that signals neglect. I walk every home before we list and give a prioritized action plan. The list is almost always shorter than sellers expect. Call me before you start spending. 757.288.0983.
What is the 3-3-3 rule in real estate — and does it apply to selling in Hampton Roads?
The 3-3-3 rule is a framework some agents use for evaluating a home’s listing price: price it to attract interest in the first 3 days, generate showings in the first 3 weeks, and receive an offer in the first 3 months. It’s a reasonable framework for a slower market — but in Hampton Roads, we move faster than that.
A well-priced and well-marketed home here should be generating strong showing activity in the first 3 days and ideally under contract in the first week or two. My listings average 5 days to contract. If a home isn’t getting showings in the first 7–10 days on market, the pricing conversation needs to happen immediately — because the longer it sits, the harder it becomes to recover momentum. The 30-day mark is particularly important: homes that haven’t sold in 30 days in Hampton Roads start developing buyer skepticism that compounds over time. That’s the stigma threshold I counsel every seller to avoid by getting the price right at launch. Let me know if you’d like to talk through pricing strategy for your home.
What is the most common reason a home in Hampton Roads fails to sell?
After 27 years in this market, I can tell you without hesitation: the most common reason a home doesn’t sell is price — specifically, launching at a price the market won’t support.
Sellers naturally want to test the top of the range. Agents who want the listing sometimes encourage that. What follows is predictable: initial showings, no offers, a price reduction at the 3-week mark, and then the slow erosion of buyer interest that comes with days on market accumulating. By the time the home is priced correctly, it carries the perception that something is wrong — even if nothing is. The second most common reason is marketing reach and presentation. A listing with phone photos, no video, and 800 first-week views is simply not reaching the buyer who would have paid full price. Expired listings are a significant part of my business because I’ve helped many Hampton Roads sellers relaunch their homes with a correct price and a real marketing strategy — and watched them go under contract in days after sitting for 90. If your listing has expired or you’re worried your current strategy isn’t working, call me at 757.288.0983.
I’m a 55+ homeowner in Hampton Roads thinking about downsizing — where do I even start?
You start by giving yourself permission to go slowly — and by working with someone who understands that this isn’t just a real estate transaction. It’s one of the most significant decisions you’ll make, and it comes with a lot of emotional weight that deserves to be acknowledged, not rushed through.
Here’s the practical starting point: get a current home value analysis before you make any decisions about where you’re going next. Knowing exactly what your home is worth and what you’ll net after costs gives you a real financial picture — and most sellers are surprised by how much equity they’ve accumulated. That number often opens up options they didn’t think they had. From there, we work through a room-by-room preparation plan that separates what actually needs to be done from what doesn’t. I coordinate the vendors, Bryan manages the preparation timeline, and our home stager helps present the home at its best without making the process overwhelming for you. I specialize in helping 55+ Hampton Roads homeowners downsize with a clear strategy and the right support. Call me at 757.288.0983 — the first conversation is always just a conversation.
