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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.

Selling a Home Military & PCS Neighborhood Guides Waterfront Real Estate Market Updates Buying a Home VA Loans

Start here

Start with these six cornerstone resources, then explore the supporting guides below.

Market data

Hampton Roads 13-Year Transaction Study

441 closings from 2014 to 2026, broken down by year, city, price band, and financing type.

Military & PCS

Military PCS Guide to Hampton Roads

Bases, BAH, VA loans, commute-based neighborhood picks, and a 90-day plan for buying on orders.

Waterfront

Hampton Roads Waterfront Real Estate Guide

Waterfront neighborhoods, flood zones, pricing, disclosures, and what buyers actually pay for on the water.

Selling

Sell My House in Virginia Beach Guide

Pricing strategy, prep, marketing, and timing for Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads sellers.

Neighborhoods

Virginia Beach & Hampton Roads Neighborhood Guides

Guides to Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake neighborhoods: prices, commutes, flood zones, and fit.

PCS out / relocating

Moving Out of Hampton Roads Guide

How to sell here on a deadline and get a vetted agent at your next duty station.

Latest Hampton Roads Real Estate Articles

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

Is It a Buyers or Sellers Market in Virginia Beach Right Now?

Is Virginia Beach a buyers or sellers market in 2026? Local REALTOR John King breaks down inventory levels, days on market, and pricing trends across Hampton Roads — Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeak... ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

May 19, 2026•10 min read

Is It a Buyers or Sellers Market in Virginia Beach Right Now?

Best Neighborhoods to Sell a $500K+ Home in Hampton Roads (2026)

John King, KingRealtor757, reveals the best neighborhoods to sell a home over $500K in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Norfolk in 2026. Expert luxury listing strategy from Hampton Roads' top Realtor. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market ,Home Sellers

May 15, 2026•15 min read

Best Neighborhoods to Sell a $500K+ Home in Hampton Roads (2026)

Luxury Homes Over $500K: Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Norfolk 2026

Buying a home over $500K in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake or Norfolk in 2026? Luxury neighborhoods, pricing, and buyer strategy from Navy veteran REALTOR® John King. ...more

Home Buying ,Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

May 15, 2026•17 min read

Luxury Homes Over $500K: Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Norfolk 2026

Alanton Virginia Beach Market Update May 2026

Alanton Virginia Beach real estate market update for May 2026: see what sold, what is pending, and what is active, plus pricing trends from a local agent. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

May 05, 2026•4 min read

Alanton Virginia Beach Market Update May 2026

How to Sell Your Home in Virginia Beach (2026 Seller's Guide)

Step by step guide to selling your Virginia Beach home in 2026. Pricing, prep, marketing, and the mistakes that cost sellers the most. Straight answers from a Navy veteran agent. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market ,Home Sellers

April 20, 2026•11 min read

How to Sell Your Home in Virginia Beach (2026 Seller's Guide)

Selling Your Chic's Beach Home: Market Timing Guide

Thinking about selling your Chic's Beach home in Virginia Beach? Here's an honest look at the current market, who is buying, what your home is worth, and how to position for maximum return. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market ,Home Sellers &Neighborhood Guides

April 15, 2026•3 min read

Selling Your Chic's Beach Home: Market Timing Guide

Living in Chic's Beach: Restaurants, Things to Do, Daily Life

What is it actually like to live in Chic's Beach, Virginia Beach? From Shore Drive restaurants to the farmers market, golf cart culture, and Chesapeake Bay access — here's the real picture. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market ,Neighborhood Guides

April 15, 2026•4 min read

Living in Chic's Beach: Restaurants, Things to Do, Daily Life

Chic's Beach Real Estate: What Buyers Need to Know Before They Shop

Thinking about buying in Chic's Beach, Virginia Beach? Here's the honest breakdown of prices, property types, market pace, and what to expect before you start shopping. ...more

Home Buying ,Military/PCS Moves Virginia Beach Real Estate Market &Neighborhood Guides

April 15, 2026•8 min read

Chic's Beach Real Estate: What Buyers Need to Know Before They Shop

Why Overpricing Your Virginia Beach Home Will Cost You

Thinking about pricing your Virginia Beach home high to leave room to negotiate? Here's why that strategy backfires in Hampton Roads and what smart sellers do instead. ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market ,Home Sellers

April 13, 2026•5 min read

Why Overpricing Your Virginia Beach Home Will Cost You

Shore Drive Condo Living: Lesner Bridge to Chic's Beach

Thinking about buying or selling a condo on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach? John King breaks down the top high rises including Chesapeake House, On The Bay, and Bay Vista, plus the lifestyle, restauran... ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

April 10, 2026•5 min read

Shore Drive Condo Living: Lesner Bridge to Chic's Beach

Is Now a Good Time to Sell in Virginia Beach?

Thinking about selling your Virginia Beach home? John King breaks down the 2026 market, explains why luxury neighborhoods like Chic's Beach, Alanton, Baycliff, and Birdneck Point play by different rul... ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

April 08, 2026•5 min read

Is Now a Good Time to Sell in Virginia Beach?

You Don't Want an Agent. You Want Someone Who Takes the Wheel

Most people don't want a salesperson they want a real estate project manager. John King, Navy veteran and Berkshire Hathaway agent in Virginia Beach, shares what real leadership in real estate actuall... ...more

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market

April 08, 2026•4 min read

You Don't Want an Agent. You Want Someone Who Takes the Wheel

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Home Sellers Military / PCS Moves Neighborhood Guides VA Loans Home Buying Buyer Education Market Updates Virginia Beach Real Estate Market Real Estate Tips Community New Listings Meet John

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.

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.