Sperity Real Estate Ventures

05/15/2026

National Association of REALTORS® just published a piece that lines up with what we see in Richmond every week. Demand across commercial sectors has shifted toward smaller spaces, and the development pipeline did not follow.

Small-bay industrial in the 3,000 to 25,000 square foot range is the tightest story nationally. Last-mile space close to rooftops, not the giant distribution boxes off the interstate.

Office under 10,000 square feet is pulling real demand from professional services and medical practices, even while larger office space sits.

Small retail keeps moving, especially the service-driven kind that e-commerce cannot touch.

This is the market we work in. It is also why we stay engaged at the national level through NAR Commercial, where conversations about the small business side of CRE need a seat at the table.

Worth a read.

https://www.nar.realtor/commercial/create/think-small-for-big-returns

Cost pressures, economic uncertainties, hybrid work and e-commerce logistics have made smaller commercial properties a hot commodity in growth markets across sectors.

05/05/2026

Tomorrow at 2 PM, Nathan is joining a panel on Virginia Realtors "The Scoop" webinar to talk about navigating commercial real estate in Virginia. Free for all Virginia REALTORS members.

Register here:

This focused panel discussion introduces Virginia real estate professionals to the key differences between residential and commercial practice. Experienced commercial brokers and industry experts share insights on common pitfalls, frequent scenarios, and client expectations, with special attention ...

04/21/2026

Marianne Trak Hess grew up in her family's restaurant, spending over 30 years at The Grapevine before she and her husband Eric bought Lola's Farmhouse Bistro in Manakin Sabot. A few months later, they were ready for the next one.

We searched together for several months. A few spaces they were set on fell through along the way. Each time, they adapted their concept and kept going. When the former Crafted space at 4900 Libbie Mill E. Blvd. came available, it checked every box. The result is Opa! Social, a Mediterranean concept opening this August that's stronger because of the road it took to get here.

We're proud to have represented Marianne and Eric in this deal.

Opa! Social will serve Greek, American and Italian, and feature popular dishes from Lola's Farmhouse Bistro.

04/09/2026

Five years of pop-ups. Multiple venues across Richmond. A community of 80 vendors and growing. And one constant challenge: not having a permanent home.

Cameron and Deja Hadnot built SwapMeet RVA from 20 vendors in 2021 into one of Richmond's most popular markets. Now they've signed a five-year lease on 33,000 SF at 1505 Cummings Drive near the Diamond, where they're creating a permanent market, coworking space, community event venue, and entrepreneurship programming for local kids and small business owners.

Our agent Jordan Sibold represented Cameron and Deja in the deal. We love watching community builders find the space to match their vision.

Full story from Richmond BizSense: https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/04/08/swap-meet-rva-permanent-market-hub/

03/20/2026

From a converted Japanese kei-truck coffee cart to a permanent home in downtown Richmond. Pi's Coffee is opening this summer at 123 E. Main St., and we couldn't be more excited for owner Piyush Jessani.

Our agent Betsy Mangum represented Pi's Coffee in the deal. If you haven't tried Piyush's Indian-inspired coffee yet, you can find him at the VCU Farmers' Market on March 25 and the Asian Festival at 17th St. Marketplace on March 28.

Full story from Richmond Times-Dispatch Culture :

Pi's Coffee to bring Indian coffee to 123 E. Main St.

03/03/2026

Most business owners start their commercial space search the same way — browsing listings and comparing rent. But that's actually step five or six, not step one.

Our latest blog post covers the five things to do before you ever tour a property. Worth a read if you or someone you know is thinking about finding space for their business.

Signing a five-year lease on the wrong space isn’t a minor setback. It can cap your revenue, drain your cash flow, or lock you into a location that actively works against your business model.

02/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1874Cj3uTX/

01/28/2026

Does your lease expire in 2026? Most business owners don't know when their renewal notice is due—and your landlord isn't going to remind you.

We put together a guide covering the four options you actually have (not just "stay or go"), how to figure out your critical dates, and what gives you leverage when it's time to negotiate.

If you're not sure where you stand, we're happy to review your lease and help you understand your position. No pressure—just clarity.

📄 Read the full guide:

If you signed a commercial lease three or five years ago, chances are you did what most business owners do: […]

01/28/2026

Food truck 1115 Mobile Kitchen plants roots with Hank’s Fried Chicken.

01/16/2026

Opening a restaurant in Richmond is more complicated than most people realize. Finding the right space is just the beginning.

Understanding how permitting, health codes, fire safety, and lease terms work together is where most operators hit unexpected obstacles.

We've worked with enough restaurant clients to see the patterns. Permitting takes longer than expected.
Lease clauses don't account for kitchen equipment needs.
Fire suppression systems require buildout changes nobody budgeted for.

So we created a guide that walks through the entire process—from site selection to final health department approval. It covers what most operators don't realize until after they've signed a lease.

Inside the guide:
* Real timelines for Richmond's permitting process
* How health department requirements affect space selection
* What fire safety and building codes mean for your buildout budget
* Lease terms that matter most for food service
* Why your real estate broker should work with your contractor and architect from day one

This is what we've learned representing restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and food service businesses across Richmond. It's built from actual deals and the questions we answer every time we work with restaurant clients.

For anyone planning to open a restaurant in Richmond, this is the resource we wish existed when we started working in this space.

Read the full guide: https://sperityventures.com/restaurant-opening-guide-richmond-virginia/

Every year, dozens of chefs, food truck owners, and first-time restaurateurs in Richmond, VA, embark on the journey of finding […]