Rental Property Finance & Investing

Virginia Rent Escrow and Habitability Claims: What Landlords Need to Know

Virginia habitability disputes can reach court in two related ways. A tenant may raise qualifying landlord noncompliance as a defense after a landlord files a nonpayment case, or the tenant may file a separate tenant assertion asking the court for relief. Rental owners dealing wi...

Virginia’s 90-Day Rent Increase Notice Requirement

Starting July 1, 2027, Virginia Code § 55.1-1204(K) will require certain Virginia landlords to give written notice of a renewal-term rent increase at least 90 days before the end of the current rental agreement term. The notice must also give the tenant a renewal-response de...

Virginia Rent Payment Plan Before Eviction: When Landlords Must Offer One

Starting July 1, 2027, Virginia will require a specific group of landlords to offer a written rent payment plan before terminating a rental agreement for certain nonpayment balances. The rule does not apply to every landlord or every delinquency. It turns on the landlord's ow...

Virginia Rent Payment Methods and Processing Fee Rules

Virginia rental owners can offer online portals, ACH, cards, and other convenient ways to pay, but current law now sets a clear floor for covered residential tenancies. A compliant rent collection system has to account for the payment methods a landlord must accept, the receipts ...

The Truth About Leasing Speed in Richmond: How Vacancy Pressure Breaks Tenant Screening

“How fast can you rent my home?” is a reasonable question. Every vacant day has a cost. A faster placement, however, should come from a better leasing process, not a lower screening standard.PMI James River’s Richmond tenant-screening process is designed to move...

Which Rental Features Pay Off in Richmond? Higher Rent vs. Lower Vacancy

Rental-property owners often ask one question about a feature: "How much more rent will this get me?" In the Richmond Metro, that is only part of the calculation. A feature can support a higher monthly rent, but it can also make a home easier for qualified renters to ch...

What Recurring Rental Expenses Can Reveal About a Richmond Property

A monthly owner statement can do more than explain what came in and what went out. Viewed across several months, it can show whether a Richmond rental has a one-time repair, a repeat pattern, or a system that may be moving toward a larger decision. PMI James River's financial...

How Maintenance Quality Drives Resident Retention in Richmond Rentals

Rent gets most of the attention in renewal conversations, but maintenance experience can independently shape the decision to stay. A resident considering another lease term is also judging whether the next year is likely to bring reliable repairs, clear communication, and problem...

Types of Residential Real Estate Investors: A Practical Framework

Residential real estate investors in Richmond do not fit neatly into one category. The same owner may be an accidental landlord because of how ownership began, a DIY landlord because of who handles the work, and a long-term investor because of what the property is expected to acc...

Why Submarket Pressure Matters for My Richmond Rental

Richmond is not one uniform rental market. A broad report can show rent growth across the region while a particular home faces stronger competition from nearby listings, new apartments, concessions, or a cluster of similar properties coming available at the same time.That local c...