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FAAR Releases January 2026 Housing Statistics

The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) is pleased to release the latest housing market statistics to keep our community informed on local trends in home sales, prices, and inventory.

Matthew Rathbun, FAAR President, provides the following comments on the current market.
“We’re still leaning seller-friendly, but the tide’s shifting a bit.  Buyers now have a little more breathing room to make thoughtful decisions, and we’re inching closer to a more balanced market.”
January 2026 Housing Stats

Housing Resources to Compliment FAAR’s Housing Market Update

Reality Check

The upcoming Reality Check: FAAR Housing Market Update brings members together for a powerful look at what 2026 may hold for our local market. This free, members-only event features a keynote from Dr. Jessica Lautz of NAR and an expert panel of respected industry voices—giving you clear, actionable insights to strengthen your business and better serve your clients.

To help you make the most of the conversation, we’ve gathered key resources that deepen your understanding of market shifts, economic trends, and advocacy efforts shaping the year ahead. These tools are designed to keep you informed, confident, and connected to a community that has your back every step of the way.  Want to attend this great event that is FREE for members?  Register here or download the flier.  

Stafford County Public Schools to Host Open House for Realtors

FAAR is happy to share an invitation from Stafford County Public Schools for a Realtor® open house coming up next month.  Please RSVP directly to the school division using the link or QR code provided in the following information.  

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Stafford County Public Schools invites you to join us for our 3rd Annual Realtor Open House on February 10, 2026, from 9:00–10:00 a.m. at Augustine Golf Club (76 Monument Drive). This event is designed specifically for realtors as a resource to provide reliable, up-to-date information about our schools to prospective families considering Stafford County.

As trusted partners and key connectors within our community, your role in sharing accurate school information is invaluable. The presentation will begin promptly at 9:15 a.m., followed by light refreshments and an opportunity to strengthen our ongoing partnership. 

RSVP today to save your seat!  We hope you will join us as we celebrate you and the important role you play in helping families choose to live, work, and learn in Stafford County.

Spotsylvania County reintroduces short-term rental legislation

The Spotsylvania County Planning Commission is again considering an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals around Lake Anna.  The County considered a similar ordinance back in 2024, but no substantive changes were made during that consideration.  The biggest change that property owners would see is the requirement that maximum occupancy of the dwelling would be based on the “permitted per person per day occupancy rating of the sewage disposal system”.  This interpretation of occupancy could impact property owners who have bedrooms with multiple beds intended for small children.  

FAAR will communicate the dates of any public hearings on this ordinance so that interested parties can attend and speak their mind.  Read the full ordinance by clicking the button below.  

FAAR Members Demonstrate Strong Community Impact Through Service and Giving

The Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® (FAAR) continues its commitment to serving the Fredericksburg region through meaningful community service initiatives and charitable giving that directly support local families and organizations.

Over the past year, FAAR members and volunteers made a significant impact through several key programs:

  • 28 local families were supported during the holiday season through the FAAR Secret Santa program, providing gifts and essentials to families in need.
  • 7,388 boxes of cereal were collected during the annual FAAR Cereal Drive, helping local food pantries address food insecurity among children and families.
  • The Fredericksburg REALTORS® Foundation awarded $17,500 in grants to local nonprofit organizations, strengthening critical services throughout the community.
  • More than 100 individuals and families served at the Thurman Brisben Center through the coordination of FAAR’s Community Service Committee, providing hot meals and companionship to our region’s families in need.
  • Members of FAAR’s Community Service Committee and Young Professionals Network partnered to produce 200 sandwiches for Micah Ecumenical Ministries to distribute to clients through their street outreach programs.

Members also engaged in other projects throughout the year such as assembling Easter Baskets of food, hosting a senior citizen item drive, and donating blood through the Red Cross.  More than 100 FAAR members volunteered for various activities throughout the year and significant numbers of both brokerages and individuals also have their own service projects with big community impacts.

“These efforts reflect the heart of who REALTORS® are,” comments Matthew Rathbun, 2026 FAAR President. “Our members are deeply invested in the communities where they live and work, and these initiatives demonstrate our ongoing commitment to making a positive difference beyond real estate.”

FAAR members support these programs through volunteer service, fundraising, and collaboration with local nonprofit partners. Together, these initiatives reinforce the association’s mission to serve not only clients, but the broader local community.

FAAR Releases 2025 Annual and December Housing Statistics

The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) is pleased to release the latest housing market statistics from both December and full year 2025 to keep our community informed on local trends in home sales, prices, and inventory.

Denise Smith, FAAR Treasurer, provides the following comments on the current market. 
“December was a busy month. Buyers were able to “shop” available inventory and negotiate some great deals, while sellers have begun adjusting to a slight shift in the market. Homes that were truly move-in ready and had major systems recently updated tended to sell more quickly than those needing improvements. 
Inventory slowed toward the end of the year, but I expect that to change over the next two to three months. Overall, I believe the 2026 market will be stronger than 2025. Buyers should remain in the driver’s seat, though pricing is likely to stay stable—or even creep up slightly—as more inventory comes on the market by the end of the first quarter.”
01 12 2026 December 2025 Housing Stats
Year End 2025 Housing Stats

Deceptive Advertising of Rental Properties

The Virginia Realtors® recently shared important information about rental pricing and advertising. 

The Legal Team at Virginia REALTORS® wants to make our property managers aware of some recent guidance from the Federal Trade Commission regarding advertising properties for rent. On December 2nd, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) issued a statement that the current administration views predatory conduct in advertising rental properties with “special suspicion.” Following that, the FTC released guidance on December 8th directed to property managers, property management software providers, and anyone else who owns or advertises a rental property. Based on two recent settlements with nationwide property managers, the guidance advises that going forward: 

  • The total cost of renting a unit must be advertised clearly and conspicuously up front. This means that your monthly base rent along with any mandatory fees should be listed in your advertisements so that the consumer can see the total monthly rent before beginning an application (and definitely before signing a lease). 
  • You should do a compliance check of your advertising (both on your own website and on any third-party sites) to ensure that you are complying with this guidance 
  • The FTC is reviewing harmful practices in the rental housing market and will not hesitate to take action against landlords. 

So, what should you do? For now, you should review your advertising to determine if you are clearly stating the total monthly leasing amount up front. The total monthly leasing amount is the base rent plus any regularly occurring monthly fees. For example, if the base rent was $100, but tenants had to also pay a monthly trash fee ($10), utility fee ($20), laundry fee ($10), and parking fee ($20), then the total monthly rent would be $100+10+20+10+20 = $160.  

If you are listing the properties on your local MLS or any other website, we advise you to list the total monthly rent (including any mandatory recurring fees) as the “List Price,” then include a breakdown of those fees in the public comments section. You can also reference any one-time fees for which the tenant would be responsible in the comments. While this guidance currently only appears to be directed only at residential leases, those of you working with commercial leases might want to review your advertising practices as well. 

It is important to note that Virginia law 54.1-1204.1 already requires an itemized list of fees starting on the first page of the lease. While you must still follow that law, based on this new FTC guidance, this information also needs to be in your advertisements. In fact, the FTC states that finding out about additional monthly fees at the time of lease is not acceptable. These fees must be disclosed earlier, allowing tenants to see the total rent amount prior to beginning the application process (including paying the application fee). 

As we continue to receive updates, we will provide additional information, so please stay tuned to your email and our social media channels. If you have any questions, you can always contact us on our Legal Hotline. Thanks, and happy holidays to all. 

November sees a housing market in transition

The regional housing market demonstrated significant softness this November with falling sales and total sold volume along with stagnant price appreciation.  Median price didn’t budge from last year, again coming in at $465,000 across the region.  Units sold dropped nearly 13% with 451 sales in November of 2024, compared to 393 this year.  That translated into a more than 17% decline in total sold dollar volume with approximately $201.4 million in sales in November of this year compared to nearly $244 million last year. 

“‘The month of November started off strong for buyers, with sellers gradually adjusting to the shifting market—namely, buyers requesting concessions such as closing costs, repairs, and more,” states FAAR Board of Director Member Denise Smith.  “Sellers are beginning to recognize that buyers are now in the driver’s seat, something we haven’t seen in several years. In our area, the market is still active, especially for homes that are updated and show-ready.”

Days on market, the time it takes from when a listing enters the market until it receives a ratified contract and is removed from active status on the multiple listing service, increased 19% up to 37 days this November compared to 31 days last year. 

Inventory continued to grow in November, finishing out the month with 1,202 active listings compared to 943 last year, a 27% increase.  New listings were down 8% from last year with 425 homes coming on the market in November of 2024 compared to 391 this past month.  New pending sales were a bright spot this month, posting a more than 18% increase, with 434 pending contracts compared to 367 last year. 

12 10 2025 November Market Statistics

King George Planning Commission rejects downzoning amendment

The King George Planning Commission met on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, to conduct a public hearing on changes proposed by the Board of Supervisors that would increase minimum lot sizes in the county’s largest zoning category.  These changes would impact all agriculturally zoned parcels, which make up more than 90% of the land mass in the County, and would increase minimum lot sizes from 10 acres to 20 acres in A-1, 2 acres to 5 acres in A-2, and 1 acre to 3 acres in A-3.  The proposed amendment would also make changes to access and connectivity requirements within subdivisions.

The Planning Commission heard from 5 individuals during the public comment part of the hearing with 4 of those speakers strongly opposed to any changes and one that was very focused on preserving the current lot sizes for family subdivisions.  Commissioners did confirm that the current lot sizes would remain for divisions that meet the family subdivision criteria.

After much discussion among the Commissioners, a consensus emerged that everyone is opposed to changing the minimum lot sizes and supportive of the access requirement changes.  The Planning Commission voted unanimously to report the amendment unfavorably to the Board of Supervisors with a note that they are in favor of isolating the piece on access requirements and moving that forward.  The amendment is now forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for its consideration as the actions of the Planning Commission are recommendations to the Board, not binding votes.

A public hearing should be set for this issue to be discussed at the Board level.  FAAR is actively campaigning against any changes to the minimum lot sizes as a taking of private property rights.  If you’d like to send a letter of concern to the Board of Supervisors, visit FAAR’s action site at https://www.protectkinggeorgepropertyrights.com/.

Median home prices back up in October

Median housing price increases rebounded again in October after just one month of year-over-year decreases in September.  Median price was up over 3% in October 2025, coming in at $469,900 compared to $455,000 last October.  Units sold were also up over last year with 426 properties changing hands in October versus 404 last year, a more than 5% year-over-year increase.  These two factors fueled a 5% increase in total sold dollar volume with October posting approximately $212.9 million in sales compared to $202.6 million in October of 2024. 

This is against a backdrop of continually rising inventory and lengthening days on market.  Active listings posted a significant annual increase with 43% more listings available this October than last.  There were 969 active listings at the end of October in 2024 compared to 1,382 at the end of this October.  Active listings have posted monthly year-over-year gains for almost two years now and the market has exceeded 1,000 homes since April of this year, providing significantly more choice and options for would-be buyers. 

Days on market, the time it takes from when a listing enters the market until it receives a ratified contract and is removed from active status on the multiple listing service, increased 26% up to 34 days this October compared to 27 days last year. 

Despite more varied options for buyers, new pending sales were down nearly 4% this October with 463 new pending contracts compared to 481 last October.  New listings were up 8% with 615 homes coming onto the market this October compared to 569 last year.

FAAR Board of Director Michelle Caldwell Thompson comments, “Optimism may return to the market this fall as we anticipate the federal government’s full reopening. The temporary pause in activity created a bit of pent-up demand, especially among buyers who were waiting on the sidelines for stability and clarity. We’re beginning to see renewed inquiries, increased showing activity, and a lift in consumer confidence.  Sellers who remain realistic on pricing are benefiting from motivated buyers eager to take advantage of easing rates and expanded inventory. As these buyers re-engage, the next few weeks could bring a steady and encouraging close to the year — a positive sign of momentum returning to the Greater Fredericksburg market.”

11 11 2025 October Market Statistics

Press Releases

FAAR Releases January 2026 Housing Statistics

The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) is pleased to release the latest housing market statistics to keep our community informed on local trends in home sales, prices, and inventory.Matthew Rathbun, FAAR President, provides the following comments on...

FAAR Releases 2025 Annual and December Housing Statistics

The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® (FAAR) is pleased to release the latest housing market statistics from both December and full year 2025 to keep our community informed on local trends in home sales, prices, and inventory.Denise Smith, FAAR Treasurer,...

November sees a housing market in transition

The regional housing market demonstrated significant softness this November with falling sales and total sold volume along with stagnant price appreciation.  Median price didn’t budge from last year, again coming in at $465,000 across the region.  Units sold dropped...

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