Complete Visitor's Guide to Richmond on the James River

Guests search Scott's Addition and the rapids. Do not sell Kings Dominion as this market.

Typical Richmond listings earned about $26,029 last year from 1,033 active rentals, AirROI trailing twelve months from August 2025 through July 2026. The average night was $194. Occupancy was 44.5 percent. Revenue per available night was $89. Year over year is minus 4.2 percent. Active supply moved plus 5.8 percent. A prior hub brief printed plus 26.6 percent growth in an older window. This pass uses the current extract.

The three strongest city months are October, March, and May. October is the busiest. July is the slowest. Occupancy is weakest in July. Most guests arrive from Richmond, then Washington. Stay is 6.2 nights, booked about 39 days ahead. Call Richmond Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340. 900 E Broad Street, Room 108. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. The operator must be the property owner. In a residential zoning district the stay must sit on the lot of the operator's primary residence. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed.

Arrive in Richmond on Purpose

Arrive in Richmond on purpose. Guests who typed this city want the Fan, Scott's Addition, and the James. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Beyond the Rapids is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Walk Scott's Addition Before You Promise the Day

Walk Scott's Addition before you promise the day. Confirm hours. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. Market a Richmond Stay is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Name the James River Rapids as a Separate Stop

Name the James River rapids as a separate stop. Photograph the walk you can finish. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Richmond STR Rules is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

The Capitol and the Fan Are City Walks

The Capitol and the Fan are city walks. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. Richmond Shoulder is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition.

Do Not Promise Kings Dominion from a Fan Driveway

Do not promise Kings Dominion from a Fan driveway. That is an Ashland day. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Richmond Remote Stays is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Petersburg Is a Separate Heritage Day

Petersburg is a separate heritage day, about 25 minutes out. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. DIY vs Hire Beyond the Rapids is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Confirm Hours Before You Advertise

Confirm hours before you advertise. Do not invent a festival date. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Petersburg is not the Fan. Who Books Richmond is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition.

How a Host Should Write the Guest Day

How a host should write the guest day is to name the walks the house can actually reach. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. We market. We do not take the lock. Buying a Richmond Rental is already live on Crest and Cove. Use it. Do not paste a satellite year into a city tile. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. Petersburg is not the Fan. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Hosts who underwrite Greater Richmond should keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings, call 804-646-6340, and leave Ashland and Petersburg on their own lines. We market. We do not take the lock. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did typical Richmond listings earn last year?

AirROI's trailing twelve months from August 2025 through July 2026 shows typical Richmond listings earning about $26,029 a year across 1,033 active rentals. The average nightly rate was $194 with 44.5 percent occupancy, and revenue per available night came to $89. The market is down 4.2 percent year over year while active supply grew 5.8 percent, so treat this current extract as the number to underwrite from rather than an older, higher growth figure some prior research cited.

When is Richmond's strongest booking month?

October is the busiest revenue month for Richmond listings, with March and May rounding out the other strong months. July is the slowest month for both revenue and occupancy, so plan pricing and any maintenance downtime around that summer lull. Hold rates firm during the fall peak and set expectations realistically for the July stretch rather than pricing it like the shoulder months around it.

Do I need an STR permit to operate in Richmond in 2026?

Yes. Contact Richmond's Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340, located at 900 E Broad Street, Room 108, to confirm current requirements. The city's short-term rental page lists a $600 biennial permit, and the operator must be the property owner. In a residential zoning district, the rental must sit on the lot of the operator's primary residence, so confirm your specific property's zoning before you advertise.

Is a 30-night minimum the same thing as occupancy?

No. About 278 Richmond listings, or 26.9 percent of the 1,033 active rentals, run a 30-night minimum, but the average stay across the market is still 6.2 nights with roughly a 39-day booking lead time. A 30-night minimum is a platform setting a host chose, not a measure of how full a calendar actually runs, so plan around the real average stay length instead.

Should I hire a property manager for a Richmond rental?

Most Richmond hosts manage independently, with professionally managed listings making up just 8.0 percent of the active market and one manager, Anna, holding 18 listings. If you're also considering a satellite town like Ashland or Petersburg, keep in mind each one calls for its own listing copy: Ashland tends to reward family-basecamp positioning while Petersburg suits a heritage-circuit pitch, so don't run one blended strategy across all three.

Who books a Richmond short-term rental stay?

Most guests booking Richmond rentals arrive from within Richmond itself, followed by Washington, D.C., pointing to a mix of local and regional Mid-Atlantic travelers. Urban guests typically want Scott's Addition and the James River rapids, while Ashland draws a family-basecamp crowd and Petersburg pulls in guests booking a heritage-focused day trip. Match your listing's photos and copy to the specific walk your property can actually deliver.

Can I use Ashland's numbers as a stand-in for Richmond's?

No. This research pass did not produce a separate AirROI year for Ashland, so there's no verified figure to blend in even if you wanted to. Richmond's own numbers stand on $26,029 a year across 1,033 listings at a $194 average night, and that city figure should stay on its own line rather than being combined with any assumed Ashland performance.

What does Richmond's biennial STR permit cost?

The city's short-term rental page lists a $600 biennial permit fee. Confirm the current 2026 amount directly with Richmond's Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340, located at 900 E Broad Street, Room 108, since fee schedules can shift between research passes and the official desk is the source that matters when you're budgeting.

What should a Richmond buyer packet include?

A solid packet should cite the current $26,029 annual revenue figure across 1,033 city listings, note supply up 5.8 percent against revenue down 4.2 percent year over year, and confirm the biennial permit requirement with Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340. Keep Ashland and Petersburg out of the Richmond figures entirely rather than guessing at numbers for those satellite towns.

Where do I confirm Richmond's STR permit requirements before I advertise?

Richmond's Zoning Administration handles short-term rental permitting at 804-646-6340, located at 900 E Broad Street, Room 108, with walk-in hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Confirm your property's zoning classification and the current permit fee directly with that office before listing, since a general low-regulation label from a data aggregator isn't the same as the city's own permit file.

Related Reading

More PLACE, STATE reading already live on Crest & Cove.

• Richmond Tourism Data: Rapids Are the Walk, Not Occupancy

• Market a Richmond Stay: Photograph Scott's Addition by Name

• Beyond the Rapids: Richmond $26,029, Satellites Stay Separate

Work with Crest & Cove Creative

Send the guest guide if it still names Kings Dominion as the Fan walk.

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