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

Thomas Garner
13 hours ago
11 min read

Empty James River rapids in Richmond VA, no people

Most Richmond listings still get sold as a generic river city stay, or worse, as a blended Ashland theme-park year. Guests who typed Richmond are looking for Scott's Addition, the James River rapids, the Fan, and VCU. They are not looking for a Kings Dominion caption. 1,033 active listings sit on this city extract. Write the stay you can actually host.

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.

Two Pairings, Not One Blended RVA Year

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. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Write the city or the satellite the guest typed. 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.

Richmond's Own Extract: $26,029 on 1,033 Listings

1,033 active listings is a real gallery. Superhost share is 70.5 percent. Professionally managed share is 8.0 percent. Anna holds 18 listings. James holds 43. Treat $26,029 as evidence for Richmond, not as a corridor dashboard you can paste onto Kings Dominion. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Keep $26,029 on 1,033 city listings on its own line. 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, March, and May Are the Strong City Months

The three strongest city months are October, March, and May. October is the busiest. July is the slowest revenue month. Occupancy is weakest in July. Stay is 6.2 nights. Lead is 39 days. Most guests arrive from Richmond, then Washington. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. October is the city peak. July is the city hole. 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.

Ashland Is a Family Basecamp, Not This Year

Ashland, about 20 minutes out, is a family basecamp pairing with Kings Dominion. This pass did not mint an Ashland AirROI year. Keep that stay on its own line. A Fan driveway is not a theme-park parking lot. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Call 804-646-6340 before you advertise a Richmond stay. 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.

Petersburg Is a Heritage Circuit, Not This Year

Petersburg, about 25 minutes out, is a Civil War Trail heritage circuit. This pass did not mint a Petersburg AirROI year. Keep battlefield copy on Petersburg. Do not paste it onto Scott's Addition. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. 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.

Charlottesville Is Already Its Own Hub

Charlottesville wine country and the Blue Ridge foothills are already their own hub. Cross-link. Do not duplicate that cluster here. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Ashland is not Scott's Addition. 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.

Year Over Year Is Minus 4.2 Percent on This Pass

Year over year is minus 4.2 percent on the current extract. Supply moved plus 5.8 percent. A prior hub brief printed plus 26.6 percent in an older window. File the current number. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. Petersburg is not the Fan. 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.

How a Host Should Read This Map

How a host should read this map is to file three occasions. Richmond is whitewater, breweries, and VCU. Ashland is family basecamp. Petersburg is heritage. Keep $194 city ADR off both satellites. Write this heading as the stay a host can actually file. We market. We do not take the lock. Richmond Tourism Data 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.

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 a typical Richmond short-term rental earning about $26,029 across 1,033 active listings. Average night was $194, occupancy 44.5 percent, and revenue per available night was $89. Year over year revenue moved minus 4.2 percent while active supply grew plus 5.8 percent. A prior hub brief cited plus 26.6 percent growth from an older window — this figure reflects the current extract, with Ashland and Petersburg kept on their own separate lines.

When is Richmond's strongest month?

October is the busiest revenue month, with March and May as the other two strong months. July is both the slowest revenue month and the month with the weakest occupancy — an unusual overlap worth pricing around rather than assuming a typical summer peak will carry the calendar.

Do I need a Richmond VA STR permit in 2026?

Yes. Contact Richmond Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340, 900 E Broad Street, Room 108, walk-in hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit. The operator must be the property owner, and in a residential zoning district the short-term rental must sit on the lot of the operator's primary residence. Confirm current fees directly with the city before advertising.

Is a 30-night minimum the same as occupancy?

No. About 278 listings — 26.9 percent of the 1,033 active rentals — have set a 30-night minimum, but that's a booking filter, not a measure of how full those calendars are. Typical stay length is still 6.2 nights, booked roughly 39 days out, and July remains the market's slow month regardless of how many listings carry a long-stay setting.

Should I hire a manager in Richmond and on the satellites?

Professionally managed listings make up 8.0 percent of the Richmond market, with one operator in the extract holding 18 listings. Ashland rewards family-basecamp-focused copy and Petersburg rewards heritage-circuit copy, so a single marketing pitch built for Richmond's urban guest won't land the same way in either satellite town.

Who books a Richmond stay?

Most guests arrive from within Richmond itself, with Washington as the second-largest origin. Typical stay is 6.2 nights with a booking lead time around 39 days. Urban Richmond guests are drawn to Scott's Addition and the James River rapids, while Ashland guests are booking a family basecamp and Petersburg guests are booking a heritage circuit — three different trip types that call for different listing copy.

Can I file Ashland numbers as the Richmond year?

No. Richmond's typical listing earned about $26,029 across 1,033 active rentals at an average night of $194. This extract did not produce a separate Ashland AirROI year, so the right move is to keep the Richmond figure on its own line rather than inventing or borrowing a number for Ashland.

What is the biennial permit fee?

Richmond's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit fee, payable through Richmond Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340, 900 E Broad Street, Room 108. The operator must be the property owner occupying the residence, and the fee covers a two-year cycle rather than an annual renewal. Confirm the current fee and cycle directly with the city before advertising, since municipal schedules can change.

What should a buyer packet carry for Richmond?

Cite the $26,029 typical-year figure across 1,033 city listings, note that active supply grew plus 5.8 percent while revenue moved minus 4.2 percent year over year, and include the permit contact at 804-646-6340. Keep Ashland and Petersburg unlabeled rather than assigning them an invented number, since this extract doesn't provide separate figures for either satellite town.

Where do I confirm Richmond's STR permit requirements?

Call Richmond Zoning Administration at 804-646-6340, or visit 900 E Broad Street, Room 108, walk-in Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The city's STR page lists a $600 biennial permit, and the operator must be the property owner living on the lot in a residential zoning district. AirROI's low-regulation label is a listing scrape, not confirmation from the actual permit desk.

Work with Crest & Cove Creative

Blending Richmond, Ashland, and Petersburg into one market report erases the real differences between an urban Fan-district stay, a family basecamp, and a heritage-circuit trip.

Crest & Cove builds market positioning that treats each of these towns as its own product, backed by each town's own figures.

Reach out at crestcove.co or (256) 998-7502.