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KingRealtor757 · Hampton Roads Knowledge Center

Hampton Roads Real Estate Blog & Local Market Insights

Written by John King, a U.S. Navy veteran and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty REALTOR® with 441 closings across Hampton Roads, this library covers what buyers, sellers, and military families actually need to know about real estate in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and the surrounding 757.

Explore more than 200 original Hampton Roads real estate articles covering local neighborhoods, military PCS moves, VA loan strategy, home selling, waterfront property, market trends, and home buying — lessons drawn from more than 13 years of local transactions, not syndicated content.

Every guide is organized by topic below. Start with the cornerstone resources, browse a cluster, or scroll to the newest articles.

Latest Hampton Roads Real Estate Articles

New guides and market updates are added every week. Newest first.

Living Near the ViBe District: A Virginia Beach Buyer Guide

Living near the ViBe District in Virginia Beach: the arts scene, the neighborhoods, and the homes. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

September 29, 2026•12 min read

Living Near the ViBe District: A Virginia Beach Buyer Guide

Selling a Home in East Ocean View, Norfolk: A Guide

What sellers need to know to sell a home in East Ocean View, Norfolk, from buyer pools to marketing. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Home Sellers ,Neighborhood Guides

September 01, 2026•11 min read

Selling a Home in East Ocean View, Norfolk: A Guide

Living Near JEB Little Creek from East Ocean View, VA

A military family's guide to living in East Ocean View near JEB Little Creek, with a tunnel free commute. From John King, Navy veteran Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

September 01, 2026•9 min read

Living Near JEB Little Creek from East Ocean View, VA

Flood Zones and Insurance in East Ocean View, Norfolk

How flood zones and flood insurance work in East Ocean View, Norfolk, and how to check any property. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 31, 2026•9 min read

Flood Zones and Insurance in East Ocean View, Norfolk

East Ocean View vs. East Beach: What's the Difference

East Ocean View vs. East Beach in Norfolk: what the difference is, how the master-planned East Beach fits inside the larger bayfront area, and what each costs. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 31, 2026•10 min read

East Ocean View vs. East Beach: What's the Difference

Walkable, Bikeable Virginia Beach: Car-Optional Neighborhoods

Walkable, bikeable Virginia Beach neighborhoods where you can bike and walk to restaurants and shops. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 25, 2026•10 min read

Walkable, Bikeable Virginia Beach: Car-Optional Neighborhoods

Norfolk's Best Walkable, Bikeable Neighborhoods

The best Norfolk neighborhoods for a walkable, bikeable lifestyle with shops and dining close to home. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 25, 2026•7 min read

Norfolk's Best Walkable, Bikeable Neighborhoods

Harbour Gate Condominiums Virginia Beach: Buyer and Seller Guide 2026

Harbour Gate Virginia Beach: verified 2026 market data, amenities, lifestyle, and what buyers and sellers need to know before they move. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 18, 2026•13 min read

Harbour Gate Condominiums Virginia Beach: Buyer and Seller Guide 2026

Chesapeake House Virginia Beach: 2026 Buyer & Seller Condo Guide

Chesapeake House Virginia Beach: verified 2026 market data, amenities, lifestyle, and what buyers and sellers need to know. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 15, 2026•12 min read

Chesapeake House Virginia Beach: 2026 Buyer & Seller Condo Guide

Cape Henry Towers Virginia Beach: Complete Buyer and Seller Guide 2026

Cape Henry Towers Virginia Beach: verified 2026 market data, amenities, lifestyle, and what buyers and sellers need to know before they move. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

August 10, 2026•13 min read

Cape Henry Towers Virginia Beach: Complete Buyer and Seller Guide 2026

Larrymore Lawns: A Norfolk Neighborhood Between Bases

Larrymore Lawns, a mid century Norfolk neighborhood between Naval Station Norfolk and JEB Little Creek. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 31, 2026•7 min read

Larrymore Lawns: A Norfolk Neighborhood Between Bases

Bayview Beach: A Norfolk Bay Neighborhood Near the Bases

Bayview Beach, a Norfolk Chesapeake Bay neighborhood between Naval Station Norfolk and JEB Little Creek. From John King, Navy veteran Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 28, 2026•8 min read

Bayview Beach: A Norfolk Bay Neighborhood Near the Bases

Pinehurst: A Norfolk Neighborhood Near the Naval Base

Pinehurst Norfolk neighborhood guide: a Wards Corner community on the Lafayette River near Naval Station Norfolk, with home styles, prices, and commute times. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 28, 2026•7 min read

Pinehurst: A Norfolk Neighborhood Near the Naval Base

Baylake Pines Virginia Beach: Neighborhood & Real Estate Guide

Baylake Pines Virginia Beach guide: neighborhood history, real estate data, Lake Joyce access, home styles, and why this Shore Drive community is so rare. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 23, 2026•14 min read

Baylake Pines Virginia Beach: Neighborhood & Real Estate Guide

North End Virginia Beach: Homes, Prices & Who It Fits (2026)

North End Virginia Beach homes: 2026 prices, oceanfront vs. oceanside, and who the neighborhood fits — from a local REALTOR® with 441 closings. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 20, 2026•14 min read

North End Virginia Beach: Homes, Prices & Who It Fits (2026)

Indian River Plantation Virginia Beach: Custom Home Guide

Indian River Plantation Virginia Beach guide: upscale custom homes on lakes near the Municipal Center, with lot sizes, home styles, schools, and current prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 20, 2026•11 min read

Indian River Plantation Virginia Beach: Custom Home Guide

Kings Grant Virginia Beach Guide: Lakes and Established Homes

Kings Grant Virginia Beach guide: established homes on wooded lots with lakes near the Lynnhaven River, with home styles, school zones, and current prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 17, 2026•13 min read

Kings Grant Virginia Beach Guide: Lakes and Established Homes

Cape Henry Shores Virginia Beach Guide: Tidal Canal Homes

Cape Henry Shores Virginia Beach guide: tidal canal homes with boat access near First Landing State Park, with home styles, flood zone notes, and prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 17, 2026•13 min read

Cape Henry Shores Virginia Beach Guide: Tidal Canal Homes

Ocean Park Virginia Beach Guide: Chesapeake Bay Beach Homes

Ocean Park Virginia Beach guide: Chesapeake Bay beach homes near Shore Drive and the Lesner Bridge, with home styles, flood zone notes, and current prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 15, 2026•12 min read

Ocean Park Virginia Beach Guide: Chesapeake Bay Beach Homes

Suburban Acres: A Wards Corner Neighborhood in Norfolk

Suburban Acres, Norfolk's established Wards Corner neighborhood of mid century Cape Cods and ranches. From John King, Navy veteran and Hampton Roads REALTOR®. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 14, 2026•7 min read

Suburban Acres: A Wards Corner Neighborhood in Norfolk

Belvedere, Norfolk: A Historic Granby Street Neighborhood

Belvedere Norfolk guide: the historic Granby Street neighborhood between Ghent and Wards Corner, with 1920s and 1930s homes, walkability, and current prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 13, 2026•7 min read

Belvedere, Norfolk: A Historic Granby Street Neighborhood

Lake Joyce Virginia Beach: History, Legend & Life on the Water

Lake Joyce in Chic's Beach Virginia Beach has a remarkable history. Here's the full story from colonial settlers to Blackbeard's pirates to life on the lake today. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 13, 2026•8 min read

Lake Joyce Virginia Beach: History, Legend & Life on the Water

Lafayette Shores: West Norfolk's Custom Home Enclave

Lafayette Shores Norfolk guide: West Norfolk's modern luxury enclave of custom homes with resort amenities, a pool, tennis, boat access, and current prices. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 11, 2026•6 min read

Lafayette Shores: West Norfolk's Custom Home Enclave

West Ghent: Norfolk's Historic Elizabeth River Neighborhood

West Ghent Norfolk neighborhood guide: a historic Ghent District community on the Elizabeth River, with early 1900s homes, walkability, prices, and buyer notes. ...more

Neighborhood Guides

July 10, 2026•8 min read

West Ghent: Norfolk's Historic Elizabeth River Neighborhood
Back to Home

Why these guides are different

Every article here is written by one local agent from his own transaction record, not by a content farm. The numbers below are the basis for the advice.

441
closings
Real Hampton Roads closings since 2014, not national averages.
189
VA-financed sales
Direct experience with military and veteran buyers and sellers.
13+
years in the 757
Market experience across multiple cycles, from 2013 to today.
270
subdivisions
Experience spread across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News.
John King, Virginia Beach REALTOR and U.S. Navy veteran
About the author
John King · REALTOR® · U.S. Navy Veteran

John King is a former Navy Machinist Mate and a licensed Virginia REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty in Virginia Beach. Licensed since 2013, he has logged 441 closings across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News, and specializes in military PCS relocation, VA loans, and waterfront property. He holds a 5.0 Google rating across 117 reviews and has earned the HRRA Circle of Excellence every year since 2015.

About John King See the transaction study

Common questions about this library

Tap a question to expand it.

What is the Hampton Roads Real Estate Blog?
A library of more than 200 original articles about buying, selling, and relocating in Hampton Roads, Virginia: neighborhood guides for Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, military PCS and VA loan resources, seller playbooks, waterfront property guides, and market data. It is written by John King, a U.S. Navy veteran and REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, from his own 441 closings since 2014.
Which Hampton Roads neighborhoods are closest to each base?
For NAS Oceana, buyers usually look at Red Mill, Strawbridge, and the Great Neck corridor. For Naval Station Norfolk, Ocean View, Willoughby, and East Beach keep the commute short. For JEB Little Creek, Chic's Beach, Ocean Park, Shore Drive, and East Ocean View are the closest options. Each of these has a dedicated neighborhood guide on this blog covering commute, flood zones, and price ranges.
How do VA loans work when buying in Virginia Beach or Norfolk?
Eligible veterans and active-duty service members can buy with no down payment and no private mortgage insurance. Buyers with full entitlement have no VA loan limit, though a VA funding fee applies unless you are exempt. VA appraisals follow Tidewater rules that can affect negotiations, which is why the VA Loan Appraisal Guide above is one of the most-read posts here. Loan terms vary by lender, so confirm specifics with a VA-approved lender.
What is the Hampton Roads real estate market like right now?
Hampton Roads is one of the steadier markets in the Mid-Atlantic because a large permanent military presence keeps demand consistent through PCS season. Conditions still change month to month, so the Market Updates category on this blog tracks days on market, inventory, and pricing for Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake as the numbers move.
Should I buy or rent during a PCS to Hampton Roads?
It depends on tour length, BAH, and how quickly you could resell or rent the home when orders come. On a three-year-plus tour, buying with a VA loan often compares well against renting, but a short tour or an uncertain follow-on assignment can tip the math toward renting. The PCS buyer and seller playbooks above walk through both scenarios day by day.

Ready to talk about your move?

Reading is a good start. A 15-minute conversation with a local agent who has logged 441 closings in Hampton Roads is a better one.

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Prefer to talk? Call or text John at (757) 270-3994.

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441 Closings

Client-side closings across Hampton Roads since 2014.

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189 VA-Financed Sales

Direct experience with military and veteran buyers.

Excellence

270 Subdivisions

Experience spread across the whole region.

Copyright 2026 John King | KingRealtor757. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. REALTOR(R). Virginia License 0225211050.