If you own real estate in Harrisonburg or Rockingham County –– or if you're thinking about buying –– there's some noteworthy news coming out of the local budget process this year.

Harrisonburg: Holding Steady at $1.01

The City of Harrisonburg is planning to keep its real estate tax rate at $1.01 per $100 of assessed value. No change from last year... though when you zoom out and look at the bigger picture, the City's rate has climbed 19% since 2017, when it sat at $0.85.

Rockingham County: Shifting down from $0.68 to $0.66.

The County is actually planning to lower its tax rate –– from $0.68 down to $0.66 per $100 of assessed value. Here's why... Rockingham County just went through a reassessment of real estate values, something that only happens every four years. Because property values have risen significantly over that period (reflecting market changes), assessed values went up across the board. That means the County will be collecting more tax revenue... and thus they can reduce the tax rate for the upcoming budget.  Since 2017, the County's rate has actually declined 11% –– from $0.74 to $0.66. 

I should note –– even with a decrease in the County's real estate tax rate, most homeowners will still be seeing increases in their County real estate tax bill because of an increased in assessed values.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you're comparing the cost of homeownership in the City versus the County, the tax rate difference is one factor to put on the table. A home assessed at $400,000 would carry an annual tax bill of roughly $4,040 in the City and $2,640 in the County. That's nearly $1,400 a year –– or about $115 a month –– in difference, just from the tax rate alone.

It's not the only factor, of course. Location, schools, amenities, commute... all of that matters too. But it's worth comparing the tax rates and how they will impact your monthly housing costs.

One final disclaimer... the proposed tax rates above ($1.01 and $0.66) are just that... proposed.  Harrisonburg City Council and the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors will review the proposals and finalize the tax rates in the near future.

  

Happy Thursday Morning!

If you've been watching the Harrisonburg market lately, you already know –– things are starting to move quickly.  New listings keep popping up, and buyers are ready and waiting to go see them... and in some cases, make offers quickly. I'll walk you through the latest trends in a moment, but first, three quick items to mention...

Each month I have a giveaway for readers of my market report.  After four years of these giveaways, you might note that I'll start to cycle back around to some past crowd favorites.  This month that place is Magpie... one of my favorite spots for breakfast or brunch in Harrisonburg. Enter here for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Magpie.

Five days a week, I send out a short email with something worth knowing about our local market –– a trend I'm noticing, a thought on buying or selling, something I hope you will find useful. It takes about a minute to read. Recent topics have included...

Want to stay in the loop between monthly reports? Subscribe to my daily email newsletter –– short, weekday notes on our local market, the buying and selling process, and more.

And finally... if you're thinking about buying or selling this Spring, I'd love to help. Reach out anytime by phone/text at 540–578–0102 or by email.  

Now... on to the data.

The chart above tells an interesting story... home sales are picking up, with the annual pace up about 4% from a year ago. But prices? Essentially flat over the past 12 months –– no meaningful increase, but no decline either. The one notable shift is how long homes are taking to sell. The median days on market has moved from 6 days to 9 days... a 50% increase, even if 9 days still feels pretty quick.

Interestingly, when we look at detached homes alone (ignoring townhomes, duplexes and condos) we find a slightly different story...

Here's where it gets interesting. While overall home sales are up 4%, detached home sales are actually down 6% over the past year. And despite that slowdown in sales, prices haven't followed –– the median sales price for detached homes is up 2%. Less activity, but still some upward price pressure.

Another interesting segment of the market to monitor is only resale homes... ignoring all of the new construction home sales...

Resale homes –– detached and attached combined –– are showing some encouraging signs. Sales are up 7% over the past year, and the median sales price has nudged up 3%. That's meaningful... because when you combine that with the 2% price increase we're seeing in detached homes specifically, it starts to suggest that prices aren't actually flat. They're probably still trending slightly upward. The market–wide number looks flat, but I think that's being pulled down by new construction in the mix. Existing homes tell a different story.

Moving on to some visuals, here's a look at monthly home sales activity...

February was an outlier. March? Much more normal. The 86 sales we saw last month were right in line with expectations –– just slightly ahead of the 82 from March a year ago. April is shaping up to be a busier month, with around 110 sales likely on the way.

Let's see how this year (thus far) stacks up to prior years...

Through the first three months of 2026, we're sitting at 281 home sales –– a stronger start than 2023 or 2025, though a step behind 2024's pace. Normal–ish, in other words. But Spring is just getting started... and that's when our market really gets going. We'll need to check back in a few months before deciding what kind of year 2026 is shaping up to be.

Looking for a visual of the overall market?

Keep in mind, again, that the graph above is looking at all home sales (existing + new) and all home types (detached + attached) and here is where we see a modest increase in the number of homes that are selling, but no change in sales prices.  This, combined with the data presented earlier, continues to point to no change or a very small change in home values over the past year.

Let's put the current flatness of prices in the context of the recent past...

The graph above tells a pretty striking story. Detached home prices climbed 62% over just five years... and then, starting in 2024, things went almost completely flat. A year and a half of very little movement in either direction. That's a dramatic shift from what we saw before. I'll keep watching –– and I'll let you know if prices start meaningfully rising again. We're not there yet.

Looking ahead, though, how about the pace of contracts being signed?

I expected March to be busy. I didn't expect 146 contracts. That's a big jump from the 110 signed last March... which tells me we're likely in for a strong month or two of closed sales as those contracts make their way to the closing table.

With all of those contracts signed, what is happening to inventory levels?

For the first time this year, inventory levels in March actually came in lower than the same month a year ago. That's likely a direct result of all those contracts being signed –– buyers absorbed a lot of listings last month. Whether that continues is the interesting question. Inventory typically climbs as we move into Spring and Summer... but if buyers stay this eager, new listings may not sit around long enough to pile up.

And what about how quickly homes are going under contract?

Homes are taking a bit longer to sell than they were six months or a year ago... and the graph above makes that trend pretty clear. The median days on market has been creeping steadily upward for about nine months now. The interesting wrinkle? Two years ago, days on market peaked right around this time of year before trending back down through Spring and Summer. Maybe the same thing happens in 2026. We'll see.

That's a wrap on this month's market update... but if you want to dig deeper, there are plenty more charts and graphs waiting for you over here.

Finally, some big picture takeaways for buyers and sellers...

1. Be ready to move quickly.  Contracts are up 33% over last March –– this market is active. When you find the right home, hesitating might cause you to lose out on the opportunity to buy that home.  But keep in mind that homes (overall) are sitting a few days longer than they were, which means you may have a bit more time to think.

2. Don't assume prices are flat for every home. The headline number says prices are unchanged... but detached homes and resale homes are both showing modest price increases. Home prices in your favorite neighborhood or school district are likely still nudging upward over time.

3. Watch the resale market closely. New construction is part of what's making the overall market look softer than it is. Resale homes are selling quickly and at higher prices. If you're focused on existing homes, you should expect serious competition.

For Sellers...

1. Price carefully. The days of pricing high and waiting for a dozen buyers to make offers in a day are fading. Homes are taking slightly longer to sell now than they were a year ago. A well–priced home still moves. An overpriced one will likely sit on the market.

2. Is Spring your moment? Contract activity just jumped significantly in March –– buyers are out and motivated right now. If you've been thinking about selling, this may be the window you've been waiting for.

3. Steady doesn't necessarily mean stalled. Prices aren't climbing the way they did from 2019 to 2024 –– that 62% run in five years is over, for now. But prices are not dropping either. If you are selling in 2026 you are likely selling in a stable market with steady buyer demand. 

Ready to talk? Whether you're thinking about buying, selling, or just exploring the idea... I'm happy to chat. Reach out anytime.

You can reach me by phone/text at 540–578–0102 or by email here.

Have a wonderful balance of your week, and if you didn't file your taxes yet, this is a friendly reminder that you are now one day late.  ;–)

    

Is it crazy to pay more than what the market might suggest a house is worth?  Maybe not... if the house has a feature that has extra value just for you.

For example, let's imagine...

We've been looking at houses for a little while now. We walk into one and it just feels right –– the layout works, the neighborhood is great, the size is perfect. And then there's that one thing... a feature that you know most buyers wouldn't care about, but for you? It's perfect.  You have been hoping to find a house with this feature but you didn't think it would be possible.  Maybe it's a workshop space that's exactly what your hobby or side hustle demands. Maybe it's a south–facing yard that's ideal for the garden you've always wanted. It might be something only you would fully appreciate, but you are glad that feature is in this home.

The seller is asking $365K, and when we look at comparable sales together, we agree –– that's a fair price. The house is worth $365K. You're ready to make an offer.

Then we hear that two other offers are coming in.

You were already willing to pay $365K. But because of that one special feature, you're wondering... would it be crazy to go to $375K? You'd be paying $10K above what the market says the house is worth.

I say no –– it's not crazy at all.  Here's why...

Market value is essentially what a typical buyer would pay for a home. It doesn't account for your specific circumstances or the things that would make a house genuinely better for you than for anyone else. For you, that extra $10K you overpaying –– it's you accurately valuing something that has real worth in your life, even if it doesn't show up in recent comparable sales.

Now, there are a couple of things worth keeping in mind. First, if you're financing the purchase, the home still needs to appraise. If it comes in below your offer price, you might need to be prepared to cover that gap out of pocket –– so make sure you have that financial flexibility for the offer you choose to make. Second, this logic works when the premium is reasonable and intentional. Paying $375K instead of $365K for a feature you'll use and love for years can make sense.  Paying $50K above market value because you fell in love with the kitchen backsplash... that's a different conversation. :–)

The bottom line is this –– you're not just buying a financial asset when you're buying a home. You're buying a place to live your life. If a home has something that genuinely improves how you'll live there, it's completely reasonable to reflect that in what you're willing to pay.
  

Let's say you've found a house you really like in Harrisonburg... listed at $495K.

We've checked the comparable sales and have concluded that the house is worth $490K to $495K... but you're hoping to buy it for closer to $485K, if possible.

So you offer... $420K.  (!?!)

The seller sees that number and doesn't respond. No a counteroffer... no response at all... your super low offer likely offended them.

You come back at $475K. Still nothing.

You try $485K. Still nothing.

Now –– because you really love the house –– you find yourself offering the full list price, $495K, to make sure you can buy the house after all.

I probably made this example extreme enough that you can anticipate what I am going to suggest next.

Might you have been able to negotiate down to $485K if you had started with a more reasonable offer?  Probably so.

The problem with an extremely low opening offer...

When a seller lists their home at $495K and genuinely believes it's worth that, an offer of $420K doesn't feel like a reasonable offer, or a serious buyer –– if often feels like an insult to the seller.  That can often shut down the conversation, and any potential negotiations, very quickly.  

Starting closer to market value opens is a better strategy...

If we had started at $480K or even $475K, the negotiations almost certainly would have looked very different. The seller counters at $493K. You come back at $483K. You land at $485K or $487K. You are pleased with your purchase price and the seller is reasonably pleased with their sale price.

So... if you're getting ready to make a below list price offer on a house because you hope to negotiate a little... maybe don't start with an offer price that is a LOT lower than the list price, the market value and where you hope to end up.

Let's know what the home is worth and make an offer that reflects that you're a serious buyer making a reasonable offer, even if you are trying to negotiate a bit.
   

When we get a home inspection report back, it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. It will typically include pages and pages of notes, photos, some items flagged as major issues, some as maintenance items, and some as potential upgrades over time.  It can be a lot to take in.

As you decide if you will ask the seller to make any repairs... and if so, what repairs you will ask them to make... keep in mind that the way we approach repairs with a seller about repairs matters just as much as what we ask for.

Don't ask for everything.

If you come back to a seller with a long list of repairs –– major and minor –– they may very well push back and indicate they don't want to make any of the repairs at all and ask you to buy the house as it is, or to move on.

But if you take a step back, look at that inspection report, and focus only on the big stuff –– any structural issues, safety concerns and the major systems –– we'll hopefully be having a very different conversation with the seller. We'll be saying that you still want to buy the house... but that you want the serious items addressed.  Most sellers are much more receptive to this type of request.

The minor stuff? Loose doorknobs, a sticky window, a dripping faucet –– those are things you can take care of yourself after closing. They shouldn't be deal–breakers, but if you request those types of minor fixes alongside major requests, they may become deal–breakers for the seller.

I typically encourage buyers to sort the inspection findings into two buckets: major issues that will potentially be costly repairs... and home maintenance items that are a normal part of homeownership.  

Let's focus your repair request on that first bucket.  We'll likely get a better response from the seller. 

This buyer is making a full price offer... or... are they?

When pricing your home to sell, it's important to remember that buyers behave very differently depending on how they feel about a list price.

When a buyer walks into a home –– or even just sees it online –– one of the first things they're doing is thinking about the list price. Is it fairly priced?  Is it under priced?  Is it priced way too high?

If a buyer thinks a list price is at or just slightly under market value, they will be motivated to act and likely to act quickly and decisively.  They feel like there's something worth going pursing and they'll quickly be deciding what they can offer, how quickly they need to make an offer, and whether this is the one they have been waiting for.

But if they think the price is above market value? This typically causes buyers to slow down. They hesitate... or might even just move on and consider other houses. Even buyers who love the home will sometimes talk themselves out of making an offer on a home they think is overpriced –– because they don't want to overpay, and they don't think the seller is being realistic.

So what does this mean for sellers?

A well–priced home tells buyers that you know what you are doing, and it is worth the buyer's time to pursue the home.  An overpriced home sends the opposite message.

I've seen sellers in Harrisonburg price their home $20K or $30K above what the comps support... and then it often sits on the market for months without many showings.  Meanwhile, a neighbor priced theirs right, had multiple buyers competing, and had a strong contract in hand within the first week.

The irony is that trying to leave room to negotiate by pricing high often backfires. You won't have the opportunity to negotiate because you won't have an offer (or offers) to consider.

Pricing at or near market value draws buyers in, can create competition, and often results in a better outcome than reaching for a number the market won't support.

   

A few weeks ago, we sat down together and identified seven things to take care of before putting your home on the market. You've knocked out six of them and you are feeling so close to being ready to get your house on the market.

But that seventh project? It's going to take another month.

So now the question is... do you wait?

Probably not. But it depends.

Here's one way to think about it... 

Does that final project meaningfully change how a buyer is going to experience your home? 

If a buyer walks through without that project done, will they be hesitant? Will it raise questions, create doubt, or give them a reason to move on to the next house? 

If the answer is yes –– if that one remaining item is actually significant –– then it might be worth waiting the month to finish it before you go live.

But if the answer is no... then waiting probably isn't serving you well.

With six of seven projects complete, your home likely presents beautifully. Buyers walking through are going to see a well–maintained, well–prepared home. That seventh project might be a nice finishing touch, but it's probably not the difference between a buyer falling in love with your home or walking away.

And right now, timing matters. We're at the beginning of the spring market in Harrisonburg –– one of the best windows of the year to be listing your home. Buyer activity picks up, and we are likely to quickly find a buyer for your home.  Waiting another month to list means sitting out some of the best weeks of the spring market.

So my suggestion? Unless that last project is a real factor in how buyers will perceive or pursue your home, go ahead and list now. A home that's 97% of the way to perfect and hits the market at the right time will almost always outperform a 100% perfect home that shows up a month later.

If you're weighing this decision, I'm happy to talk it through with you.

The redbuds are blooming. The grass is getting greener. And if recent years are any indication, we are likely about to see quite a few homes hit the market for sale here in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Sellers have been diligently preparing their homes –– painting, decluttering, making small repairs –– and are often ready to list their homes around this time of year. And buyers who have been watching and waiting through the slower winter months start to get more serious too.

So what does that mean if you will be buying or selling this spring?

If You're Buying

More inventory is good news. We've been operating in a market with relatively limited supply, so more homes hitting the market for sale is generally good news as you will have more options.  That said... more options doesn't mean less competition. The homes that are priced well and show nicely will still likely go under contract –– often within just a few days of hitting the market.  My advice: get your lender letter in hand now, before we're ready to make an offer.  

If You're Selling

More homes coming to market also means more competition for sellers. The spring bump in inventory is good for buyers, but it does mean your home may be competing against more options than it would have been in January or February.  No cause for alarm –– spring is still a great time to sell –– but keep in mind that while homes that are priced right and prepared well are still finding buyers quickly, homes that are overpriced or not well prepared for the market tend to linger on the market for sale.  The presentation and pricing of your home matter more when buyers have choices.

The Bigger Picture

I think we're heading into an active spring market here in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. We should see more options on the market for sale over the next few weeks.  Buyers who have been patient are ready to move. And sellers who have been waiting for the right moment to list are likely just about ready to go.
   

Mortgage interest rates have been on a bit of a rollercoaster over the past year... and the most recent trend might be a bit frustrating for buyers hoping for continued relief.

A bit less than a year ago, rates were sitting around 6.85%. From there, they steadily declined –– all the way down to 5.98% in mid–February. That was a meaningful drop, finally getting below 6%. 

But then rates turned back upward. The current average 30–year fixed rate is now 6.42%... right back near the 12–month average of 6.4%.

So what does that mean for buyers and sellers here in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County?

For buyers... if you weren't able to secure a contract on a house (and lock in your interest rate) while rates were at 6%, it's likely a bit disappointing that they have bounced back up to their current levels.  But while the 6% (or just below) opportunities has at least temporarily vanished...the current rate of 6.42% is still below where rates were for most of last spring and summer.  If you've been waiting on the sidelines hoping rates would drop meaningfully below 6% before making a move... that does not seem likely in the near term.

For sellers... rising rates are a reminder that buyer affordability is still constrained. That doesn't mean homes aren't selling –– they are. But it does mean that pricing your home thoughtfully matters more than ever. Overpriced homes can sit longer on the market while many or most well–priced homes are still moving.

I encourage buyers and sellers alike to focus less on trying to time the market and more on making decisions that make sense for your own life and situation. If you need to move, let's talk through the numbers together and figure out what makes sense for you right now.

   

I recently heard someone say it costs over $400K to buy a home in Harrisonburg these days. 

Is that true?  Let's take a look...

Where does the $400K figure come from?

Home prices in Harrisonburg have been climbing steadily over the past five years, and the median sale price of detached homes has pushed into that over $400K range. So, sometimes when someone says that it would cost $400K to buy a home in Harrisonburg, they're talking about detached homes.

But median is just the middle of the range. Half of homes sell above that number... and half sell below it.

And... townhomes are homes too!

What can you actually buy for less?

Over the past year, 11 homes sold for less than $200K... and 147 homes sold for less than $300K!

That's not a handful of outliers –– that's a meaningful portion of the market.

Now, certainly, a home under $200K in today's market is likely going to be smaller, older, or need some work. And a home under $300K might be a townhouse, or a condo, or a house that hasn't been updated recently. But these homes exist, they sell, and for the right buyer they can be a great fit.

So what does it actually cost?

It depends on what you're looking for. If you want a newer single–family home with updated finishes in a popular neighborhood, yes –– you're probably looking at $400,000 or more. Maybe more.

But if you're a first–time buyer with a tighter budget, or someone who doesn't mind a little older or a little smaller, there are real options in Harrisonburg below $300K. They go fast, and you may need to be patient... but they're out there.

Here's a situation that comes up fairly often in real estate transactions, and it can create a real sticking point between buyers and sellers... even when nobody is necessarily being unreasonable.

It often (but not always) involves a roof, so we'll use that as the example.

Specifically, a roof that is 25 to 30 years old. The shingles are intact. There's no visible damage. The roof isn't leaking.  

The seller looks at that roof and thinks, "It's doing its job. I'm not replacing something that isn't broken." That's a completely understandable position.

The buyer looks at that same roof and thinks, "I'm about to spend a significant amount of money on this house, and in a few years I may have to spend another $15,000 or $20,000 to replace this roof." That's also a completely understandable position.

So what do you do when both people are being reasonable, but nobody can quite find common ground?

What you can do as a seller to move things forward...

1.  The most proactive option is simply to replace the roof before listing the home. Yes, it's an expense... but it removes the issue entirely and can actually strengthen the home's value and marketability. You might not want to go this route, but it's worth at least considering.

2.  If replacing the roof isn't on the table, we can price your home to reflect the reality of the age of the roof. A house with a 25–year–old roof shouldn't be priced the same as a comparable house with a roof that's 5 to 10 years old. Buyers will either factor it in themselves or walk away when the issue surfaces –– and it usually does surface.

3.  A third option is offering a closing cost credit. This doesn't replace the roof, but it helps the buyer preserve some cash after closing so they're not completely caught off guard when the time comes. It can be a practical middle ground that keeps the deal together.

What you probably shouldn't do as a seller...

1.  Pricing the home as though the aging roof isn't a factor.  This is likely to backfire. Buyers do their homework, inspectors note things such as a roof's approximate age, and insurance companies sometimes have opinions too. Ignoring the issue rarely makes it go away.

2.  Refusing to acknowledge –– either before contract or after inspection –– that the roof is nearing the end of its life.  This can create challenges in the real estate transaction and might derail it altogether.  

The aging roof situation (or other aging system situation) doesn't have to be a dealbreaker. But it does require both parties to approach it with realistic expectations and some willingness to find a path forward.
  

For about five years, almost every new listing in the Harrisonburg area followed the same pattern. The house hit the market, showings poured in, and within two or three days there were multiple offers on the table. Sellers got used to it. Buyers were exhausted by it.

That still happens... sometimes... but not always or most of the time. 

Here are five scenarios I've seen play out on multiple new listings over the past month or so...

1. Multiple offers within two days.

Yes, this still happens –– and when it does, it looks a lot like the market of a few years ago. The house is priced well, it shows well, and buyers are ready to move. If you're a seller, don't assume this will be your experience. But don't assume it won't be either.

2. No offers for five days... and then three or four all at once.

This one catches people off guard. The first week feels quiet and sellers start to worry. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, multiple buyers all decide to move at the same time. I think what's happening here is that buyers are thinking things through slightly more... whether it be the fit of the house, or the mortgage payment... and then a few of them reach the same conclusion around the same moment.

3. Lots of showings, lots of talk of offers... and then just one.

This is probably the most frustrating scenario for sellers. We see plenty of showings.  Buyer agents are saying their clients are interested. And then after four or five days, only one offer materializes. Maybe the others buyers got cold feet. Maybe the price stretched just a little further than they were comfortable with. One offer isn't a bad outcome –– but it doesn't line up with what we were thinking we might receive.

4. Some showings, some interest, and eventually... one offer after two or three weeks.

The market is still moving here, just more slowly. A buyer finds the home, takes their time, and comes to the table. This is a completely normal outcome in a more balanced market –– it just requires some patience from sellers who expected things to move faster.

5. Steady showings over the first month, and still no offers.

This one is the clearest signal that something needs to change –– often the price. Showings mean buyers are interested enough to come look. No offers after four weeks means something about the home, the condition, or (most often) the price isn't quite working for buyers. That's important feedback for us to take into account.  

So what does all of this mean if you're thinking about selling this Spring?

We will want set reasonable expectations, knowing that your home might go under contract in two days, or it might take two months. The outcome depends on your home's price, condition, the marketing and the breadth of the pool of buyers for your home.
 

Here's something I've come to know to be true after years of helping people sell homes in the Harrisonburg area... some of the most motivated buyers out there aren't strangers browsing the internet. They're people who already have a reason to love your neighborhood... they just don't know your home is available yet.

Your neighbors have people in their lives who would jump at the chance to live nearby. A sister who's been wanting to be closer to family. A best friend who loves the neighborhood every time they visit. A coworker who's heard about the street for years and has always thought "I'd love to live there someday."

These buyers are out there. They're just waiting for someone to connect the dots.  That's why one part of our early marketing of your home will be an outreach to your neighbors once your home hits the market for sale.

The message to the neighbors is simple... your neighbor's home is for sale, and if you know anyone who'd love to join the neighborhood, now is the time.  

Think about it from a buyer's perspective... if a friend or family member already lives on your street, that's not just a random house that they might buy, it's a chance to be just down the street from a family member or friend. That kind of connection to neighbors can lead to a strong offer from someone who really wants to buy your house.

This outreach to neighbors won't always turn up a ready, willing and able buyer –– but when it does, they are often quite motivated to make sure they can purchase the home.

  

When a homeowner indicates in their property marketing that their home is being sold "as is," this can make some buyers nervous.  Buyers often think this phrase means that there are known or suspected major issues with the house.

But oftentimes, a seller is just saying the property is being sold "as is" because they don't want to make any repairs to the property. That's it.  It doesn't necessarily mean the roof is failing, the HVAC is on its last legs, or there's a excessive moisture in the crawl space. 

Sometimes a seller is downsizing after decades in a home and simply doesn't have the bandwidth to manage a repair list before closing. Sometimes they've already moved and don't want to go back and forth coordinating contractors. Sometimes they just want a clean, simple transaction.

If you're a buyer...

Don't let the words "as is" automatically send you running. Instead, let's ask what the seller actually means by it. Is this a home with significant known issues? Or is it simply a seller who prefers not to negotiate repairs after inspection? Those are very different situations.  

You can still propose to have a home inspection as a part of your purchase if a property is being sold "as is" – though the seller will need to agree to that contingency.  Once you know what the inspection reveals, you can decide whether you're comfortable moving forward, or whether the actual condition of the home is a dealbreaker.

So... try not to let the phrase scare us before we know more.

If you're a seller...

It's worth pausing to discuss before we describe your home as being sold "as is" as that phrase may scare off some potentially interested buyers.  If what you really mean is that you don't want to make repairs, there are better ways to communicate that. Something like "seller prefers to sell without repairs" or "priced to reflect condition" conveys the same reality without making buyers as nervous. 

The bottom line? 

"As is" is one of those phrases that can seem like it means more than it often does in a real estate transaction.  If you're buying or selling in the Harrisonburg area and want to talk through what it might mean for your specific situation, I'm happy to help.

  

If it feels harder to find a single family home to buy in the City of Harrisonburg lately, that is not your imagination. The numbers (shown above) back it up.

Per data from the HRAR MLS, single family home sales in the city peaked at 253 in 2021 and have been falling ever since –– down to just 142 in 2025. That is a drop of more than 40% in four years.

Fewer sales does not necessarily mean fewer buyers. It has seemed to have been mostly a result of fewer homes coming on the market. Many owners who might otherwise sell are holding onto low mortgage rates from a few years ago, and that has kept inventory tight.

If You Are Buying

Preparation matters more than ever right now. Homes that are priced well and show nicely are still moving. Being pre–approved and ready to act quickly makes a big difference in a market this competitive.

If You Are Selling

Limited inventory is –– as you'd likely expect –– good news for sellers. With fewer homes to choose from, well–prepared, appropriately priced and thoroughly marketed new listings are attracting strong buyer interest. If you have been on the fence about whether to sell, this market may work more in your favor than you think.

Reach out if you would like to talk through what buying or selling a single family home in the City of Harrisonburg could look like for you.

If you're thinking about selling your home, one of the most valuable things we can do together –– before a single photo is taken or a buyer walks through the door –– is to walk through and around your house together. 

And, actually, we might do it a few times.  

The First Walk–Through: Big Picture Planning

This one happens early –– usually before you've even started to prepare your home for the market.  At this stage, I'm looking at your home through the eyes of a buyer and asking... Where should we focus our energy? Some things matter a lot. Others matter less than you might think. This walk–through helps you avoid spending time and energy and money on the wrong things –– and will give you clear priorities for how to prepare your home for the market.

The Second Walk–Through: Getting to the Finish Line

You've done most of the hard work. It might be painting, decluttering, perhaps a few small repairs.  Things are looking good –– and you are probably 90% of the way there.  This walk through is about working on that last 10%. After living in a home for years, it's easy to stop seeing certain things. I'll walk through with fresh eyes and help you identify the small adjustments that many buyers will notice.

The Third Walk–Through: Photo Day Prep

Most buyers form their first impression online, before they ever set foot inside. That makes the photos of your home incredibly important.  Right before we shoot, we'll do one final walk–through focused on the details –– tweaking a furniture angle to open up a space, clearing a last few things off a countertop and more. These will be small tweaks, but they make your home shine in the photos.

If you're thinking about selling your home –– even if it's not for a few months –– let's chat.  We can start with talking about the market, the process, and doing the first walk through described above.

  

Last week, I walked through two homes with a home buyer –– and both homes were around 2,000 square feet and had relatively similar list prices.  On paper, the homes are nearly identical –– but in person they felt quite different.

The two–story home felt cramped on the main level. Most of the square footage was upstairs on the bedroom level, leaving the kitchen, dining, and living areas feeling squeezed. 

The single–story ranch, on the other hand, was open and spacious as soon as you walked in –– with natural light from multiple directions and a large kitchen that flowed into an equally large living area

This is not an uncommon experience.  Many two–story homes feel smaller than an equally sized (by SF) one–story home because staircases, landings and hallways eat into both floors. The main level –– where you likely spend most of your waking hours –– often ends up with less usable space than you'd expect. 

A single level home spreads all of that square footage across one level, with more flexibility for open layouts.

When we're comparing homes, we'll be looking at the square footage... but we'll also want to think about whether that is divided up between multiple levels.  If it is, the feel of the home might be a bit different (smaller) than you might have otherwise expected.
  

We've been looking at houses for a little while now. We have walked through homes with awkward layouts, outdated kitchens, and some homes that needed oh so many updates or repairs.  And then we walk through this one. 

The space works. The neighborhood feels right. The price makes sense. Everything lines up –– except for that one thing. 

Maybe it is a slightly busy road out front. A smaller bedroom than you wanted. A single–car garage instead of a double.  A lot that doesn't work ideally for your dog or kids.  Whatever it is, it is the only thing you don't like about this house.

So how should we think about this one issue with an otherwise perfect house?

Is the one thing a non–negotiable?

Before you started looking, we probably talked about a a short list of true must–haves for your next home. Is this thing on that list? Or is what seems like a dealbreaker really just a preference?

Can it be fixed?

Some things are permanent. A busy road will always be a busy road. But a small bedroom could be a home office instead. A dated bathroom could be renovated. Before we decide the otherwise perfect house is not the one, let's think about how the one thing could this be solved, and what would that cost.

How rare is this house?

Most homes we have toured have multiple compromises. This one has only one. If we pass on it, we don't know if we will find something better –– we might just something different, with a different set of trade–offs.

This can be a helpful thought process... Imagine you have lived in the home for a few months.  You love the kitchen every morning and the yard every weekend. How often does that one thing actually come up?  Sometimes this thought exercise will help you see that we should just keep looking... other times it might cause you to conclude that this could be the right house for you.

  

If you have driven through any of the newer neighborhoods sprouting up across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, you have probably noticed a familiar pattern... well–built homes, attractive streetscapes, and floor plans that repeat from lot to lot. A handful of models, a few elevation options, and a consistent aesthetic throughout.

That is not a knock on these neighborhoods. Builders offering a limited selection of floor plans can move efficiently, keep costs more manageable, and deliver a finished product that meets the expectations of today's buyers. And the volume of new homes being added to our market over the past several years has genuinely helped address the inventory challenges our area has faced.

But here is something worth thinking about... almost all homes being built today are in these types of relatively homogenous neighborhoods... which represents a meaningful shift in the character of what our housing stock will look like over time.

For generations, the neighborhoods of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County filled in one custom home at a time. A family would buy a lot, hire a builder, and end up with something designed around their specific needs and tastes. The result is what you see in many of our older, established neighborhoods today –– a cape cod next to a brick colonial next to a ranch. Every house its own thing.

That kind of neighborhood is simply not being created anymore, at least not at any meaningful scale. The economics of homebuilding today are different than they used to be. Land is being approved for housing in larger parcels, infrastructure is installed all at once, and homes are going up in sequence. It is an more efficient system, and it works. But it does not produce the same variety of housing.

What this means practically is that two distinct types of housing inventory are now coexisting in our market, and they are not really growing in the same direction. These newer neighborhoods continue to pop up, adding similar homes to the mix with each new phase or development. Meanwhile, the supply of older, truly one–of–a–kind homes stays roughly fixed. Those homes are not being replicated. When one sells, it is simply passed along to a new owner.

For buyers, this is worth understanding as you think about what you are actually looking for. A newer home in a more homogenous neighborhood offers predictability... modern layouts, new or newer systems, and finishes aligned with current tastes. An older custom home offers something harder to quantify –– a floor plan that exists nowhere else, details that reflect the time it was built, and a place in a neighborhood where no two houses are quite alike –– even if it does also mean more dated finishes or features, older systems and needed updates.

Neither is the wrong choice. But knowing which type of home you are buying, and what is actually being added to our market versus what is staying fixed, is useful context as you navigate your options here in the Harrisonburg area.