“I reviewed James back in 2016 when he was with another agency (I actually joined Yelp just to write that review); it is worth repeating the review now that James has started his own company. Here is what we said: James Strum found our dream home. We contacted James after several months of researching the Richmond market online and presented … him with an impossible, multi-page list of requirements. When he told us at our first meeting that he had found our dream home, we looked at one another dubiously - but he was right! Furthermore, while the house was out of our price range, new to the market, and experiencing a great deal of interest, he was somehow able to negotiate our dream price as well. The house is still our dream home nearly two years later, and we remain grateful to James. We also appreciated the knowledge James was able to impart along the way. For example, he pointed out the "pros and cons" of various features in every home - knowledge that extended beyond that of a layperson. Finally, he was always available and went "above and beyond" in countless ways. We recommend James highly to anyone” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Working with Jamie was quite a pleasure for myself and my husband - it was just like working with a close friend. We were very nervous about the home buying process since we were first-time home buyers but he was great every step of the way. Going the extra mile for us, ensuring that all of our requests were met quickly, and answering our hundred … s of questions. All of which made it much less stressful that we thought it would be. He even came to our closing to congratulate us! Since then, I have recommended him to a family friend of mine who has also already found a great home. I would highly recommend using Jamie for buying a home. I know we will be contacting him once we are ready to sell and buy again” Read More ▾

“After interviewing several agents, we chose James without reservation. His responsiveness and professionalism surpassed his peers. During our first meeting, James' knowledge of the area and ove rall world of real estate was immediately apparent. He provided practical, yet honest feedback about the process, our home, and the market conditions. James … never pressured us and always explained each option in full detail. James worked with us to develop a step by step plan that would meet our timeline while still keeping our monetary goals at the forefront. James has a welcoming demeanor that put our children at ease. Our toddler even asked for Mr. James to come back to see her. However, James is easily able to transition from an agreeable disposition to a businessman who will represent your interests to the fullest extent. He negotiated a top price for our home when compared to market conditions. He was also able to keep the requests from the other side extremely reasonable/necessary. James kept us informed of feedback from showings immediately and advised us on any appropriate changes. He was reachable by various means and responded immediately. James made our first selling experience worry free and successful. We recommend James Strum without reservation” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Cole is the Grestest on the east coast. An all around knowledgeable person. Easy to work with and will make sure you get what you deserve and more. Wonderful personality and made something difficult so seamless and streamlined. If you don’t buy your home from Cole you already losing.”

“Cameron Staples was awesome! He was always available to answer our questions and ready to show us homes quickly in the competitive market. His recommendations were spot on, and he was able to find us our dream home. We will definitely work with Cameron and The Strum Group in the future!”

Cameron Staples Realtor

“I chose James as our buying agent based on the reviews that I found here on Zillow. He was very prompt to return my initial call and began looking for properties immediately. When we started looking at properties, he was very straightforward with what he thought was good or bad about the homes. As first time home buyers, we were very inexperienced … in the home buying process and James always made us feel comfortable with our decisions. He made sure we didn't rush into a purchase, and in the end we got exactly what we wanted. When we went into contract, James did an excellent job negotiating terms and ensuring that those terms were met. For example, the sellers had work done on the crawl space which did not meet our standards. James worked with the sellers' agents, the company who completed the work, and a company he trusted to correct it to quickly find a solution and allow us to close on the home. We would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to purchase a home” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Jamie is the best realtor I have worked with -- responsive, very knowledgeable, a real personal touch. She helped me through a difficult personal time and negotiated a solid contract for our new house. I told her I wanted to clone her. Have told everyone what a great experience we had and highly recommend her!”

“Mr. Strum could not have been more attentive and helpful in literally every single part of the home buying process. He was patient in showing possible homes, never once making me feel pressured or trying to sway me a certain way; however, he was always thorough with answering questions and looking at the ins and outs of each house depending on my … interest level. He listened to me, gave strategic suggestions and went to bat for me in the negotiation process, putting me at ease through it all, and getting me down to the price I was comfortable with. He guided me through all of the details of purchasing the home (inspections, loans, closing, insurance, home improvements before move-in, etc), again, never being overbearing or making me feel he was trying to force me to use certain people, but giving me those options and guiding me through them when I did decide to go with his suggestions. I have highly recommended him to friends and family members in their home buying and selling process due to his flawless job with me. I have been in my home for almost 3 years and he continues to check in every now and then making sure there aren't any issues that I may need help figuring out who to call to get them fixed/covered. You will not be disappointed in this EXTREMELY hard working and dedicated real estate agent. He will make you feel like you are his only client, when that is certainly not the case” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“After working with Cameron on our first day of showings, we knew we wanted to work with him throughout the process. We never felt like he was steering us wrong, and he always was realistic with us about our options, about the homes we'd looked at, and about what we should expect. He was patient and understanding with us, even when we asked the same … question 10 times. It took us two years and a pandemic, but we recently closed on a home! The experience of home buying can be arduous and frustrating, but Cameron helped to make the process less painful. I'd absolutely recommend working with The Strum Group, and would doubly recommend choosing to work with Cameron if you're able” Read More ▾

Cameron Staples Realtor

“James Strum found our dream home! After months of searching ourselves, we contacted James and gave him an impossible multi-page list of our new home’s requirements. The first day we came to Richmond, we looked at him dubiously when he told us that he had found our dream home – but he was right! Although the house was out of our price range – an … d first day on the market with a lot of interest – he was somehow able to negotiate our dream price as well. The house has proved to be perfect, and we are truly grateful to James. We also appreciated James’s “pointers” along the way…he explained many pros and cons of homes using knowledge far beyond that of a layperson. Being new to Richmond, we also appreciated the knowledge of the local area he was able to share. He is always available and went “above and beyond” in so many ways - we would highly recommend James to anyone” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I would highly recommend Jamie Richardson as a realtor. She was an excellent resource when I bought my home in Richmond. I was buying while living in another city and needed a short closing, and Jamie successfully guided me through the whole process!”

“My wife and I purchased our first house recently with Cole as our realtor and he made the entire process as easy as possible for us. With his help and knowledge of my profession as a contractor we were able to submit a creative offer that ultimately was accepted by the sellers. We will be using Cole when we move again!”

“Stop right here, this is the best agent you will find! James Strum was incredibly insightful and intuitive about the market and was honest with me about what to do and what to expect. Everything he told me was right! He sold my home quickly in Glen Allen, and one of his agents, Jamie, helped me purchase a home in Short Pump, and she was awesome as … well. James also works with an incredible network of vendors, and I used his contacts to make some repairs before we put my house on the market” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Working with James is a pleasure. James has been my realtor on 2 purchases and 1 sell. All 3 transactions were more than I could hope for. He is honest and hardworking. He is extremely knowledge about the area and I would trust to use him again. His was able to make the home buying process easy and fun. He never push me beyond my budget. Hi … s is a firm negotiator with excellent people skills” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We had two houses to sell and then needed to purchase one. He walked us through each step toward our journey. James exceeded our expectations in ALL areas! He was always quick to respond and knew just who to call for any repairs that needed to be made. His resources were excellent and very reasonable. We could not have maneuvered this journey … without him! He is a full-time professional who takes his job seriously! Actually, can't say enough good things about this realtor!!!!! :” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“My home buying experience with Cole Atkins was exceptional. After spending 25 years in executive mortgage banking, I can honestly say that Cole Atkins is one of the most knowledgeable, responsive, impressive, Real Estate Professionals I've had the privilege of working with. He's sharp, has incredible attention to detail, and is a great negotiator. … I can't recommend him highly enough” Read More ▾

“The Strum Group of Long and Foster did an excellent job for us. I highly recommend them. Jamie Richardson did an amazing job finding us the perfect new home. We will be using their services to upgrade and sell our old home once our move is completed. I highly recommend both James and Jamie.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“AMAZING! He got me a full price offer in 3 weeks. James helps you EVERY step of the way. He provides information on what you should do to your home to get the most money and has anazing connections to the right people to help you get it done at an affordable price. First day on the market I had 5 showings. James will definitely get traffic in the … door to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar! Thanks again Mr. Strum !!!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I cannot say enough about James, or his knowledge and his persistence to achieve his goals. I was in a short-sale situation and had listed with another agency... during the entire listing agreement, they had few to no showings. I re-listed with James, people were coming to see the house almost immediately, Considering the market conditions, he h … ad an offer for me in a very short period of time. This is where his work really began. Because this was a short sale, he had to deal with the banks negotiator regularly. Normally this would not be impressive, but we'll simply say the negotiator was "challenging" he knew short sale regulations and procedures better than they did. He was meticulous providing documentation and answering their questions almost immediately. I never once needed to call him or his office, he kept me completely updated on all aspects of the process. Even when the banks negotiator dropped the ball and missed several deadlines (no fault on our part), he and I worked together and were persistent and successful in getting decisions reversed to continue the process which led to the sale. While speaking with the legal team assisting me with the closing, they identified they have worked with him on past short sales and were extremely impressed with his knowledge of short sales and his negotiating ability and persistence to close on his listings. I highly recommend James.... you will not be disappointed!!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was very professional, he knew the market very well and was great to work with. He researched our home to determine the perfect list price and it sold, above list, in less than a day! He made selling our home so easy!”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James Strum is a consummate professional and working with him to sell our house and buy a new one was a fantastic experience. He has an unbelievable knowledge of the market, he priced our home perfectly, gave us great staging advice, had a wonderful photographer take great photos to help market the home, and got the word out to realtors in the are … a. We had four showings within 24 hours of being on the market, and in less than 72 hours we had a full price offer. Throughout the entire process of selling our home James was available and happy to answer our questions and concerns. After selling our home, James helped us search for a new home, and even though he did an amazing job selling our old house, it was in this area that his skills, knowledge, work ethic, and dedication to his clients shone. He showed my wife and I houses whenever we saw something that interested us - he answered all of our questions, had a great eye for properties and a deep and thorough knowledge of the area. The thing that stood out about James service was that he did not push us towards a house that he didn't think was right for our needs. He quickly adapted to the wants and needs of our family and after a few showings was showing us only properties that had the features we wanted. My wife and I trusted his judgement implicitly and he showed great patience in helping us find our dream home. His knowledge of the area and the market meant he was also a great negotiator on our behalf, making sure we got the house we loved at the price we needed! We moved into our new home this past weekend and we couldn't be happier. Working with James made the stressful business of buying and selling a home a fun and exciting experience for my wife and I, and by the end of the process he felt like a member of the family!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We started using James while looking for potential rental properties. He was always up for looking at any property we wished to see. Over the course of six months, this idea fizzled out, however we did see an opportunity to sell our home and upgrade to a larger house in a better neighborhood. James was optimistic, yet honest about the market. He w … as able to set and market a price on our home that was on par with our expectations. When an offer came through, he was able to negotiate very well, and got us a great final offer on our house. When looking for the new home, he was great in offering advice on how he felt the place would pay off in the long run. We were able to find the home we wanted, and Jame's negotiation skills came into play again, and he got us a great deal on the home of our choice. His contacts (lender, closing agents) were a great asset, and were very competitive, and ended up getting my business” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“The thing that surprises me the most about James is that he has 8 years of experience. After my first phone call with him, I would've guessed that he had 28 years instead. I've dealt with several realtors through my years, and they all could have used some lessons from him. His relaxed style, vast knowledge, and superior professionalism sets him a … part from the rest. He made what can be a highly stressful process almost effortless for us. I wouldn't recommend anyone BUT James for one's real estate needs.” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James is a dedicated, professional, and hard-working agent who was excellent to work with in buying our first home. From the beginning, and throughout the home buying process, he guided us in finding exactly what we were looking for and honed in on what we needed in our first home. He truly listened to our input and concerns, while making recommen … dations along the way. I would highly recommend James as a buyers agent for anyone looking to buy a house in the Richmond area. His responsiveness, availability, and flexibility made it easy to work around all our busy schedules. If and when we are in the market again, we will undoubtedly look forward to working with James in the future” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James sold our house after we had been working with a realtor that just didn't know how to market our home. James came over and knew exactly what to do and got us the right visibility, good strategy and strong showings. James took our expired listing and got us the price we wanted! His experience, honesty, level of engagement and professionalism a … llowed us to quickly transition from the stress of selling a house to new beginnings. His team is A-1” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was great to work with in selling my home. I can't imagine anyone else getting the results I needed than James. He had a great knowledge of the market and worked hard to get our listing just right and at a great price. Our house went under contract in 11 days at full list price. I would highly recommend this realtor to anyone in the Richmond … area.” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James Strum is an outstanding realtor! I could tell when working with him that he truly listened to what we were looking for and wasn't just trying to sell us a house but was trying to help us find a home. I will be recommending James to anyone I meet who is looking to buy or sell a home.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I love Cole! He was awesome through my whole home buying process and was able to give me great financial advice. I would highly recommend him to anyone in the market buying a home. Thank you for all the help!”

“Jamie was responsive and patient, helping us determine what type of property and the location to purchase for an investment. She worked closely with us and was responsive to our questions. She knows the Richmond area well. We could rely on her recommendations.”

“Cole worked really hard to find us a great house. He spent time with us to know exactly what our needs were and tailored his search for the same. He responded to our calls and changing needs quickly and effectively.”

“James was awesome. We had been renting our house in Midlothian after relocating in 2012. We told James that we wanted to sell the house as quickly as possible. He listed the house at the end of April and we closed June 1 at our target price. He was responsive, available, and dependable. 1. He did a good job getting … us to list the house at the right price--and identifying where to cost-effectively invest in upgrades to sell quickly. 2. We had high-maintenance renters living in the house--James was excellent at managing them as we put the house on the market. 3. He did a great job staging the house and positioning it online. 4. The first (and only!) weekend he did an open house we had 20 visitors. We had two fair offers within four days of the open house. He represented us well during negotiations and we were very happy with the final price. We will recommend James to all of our friends and family buying and especially selling in Central VA” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was highly recommended by several of my fraternity brothers who have used him along with the Prosperity Mortgage team. From getting us staged to sell, having an amazing photographer, many showings, and a couple of offers, we sold our house on a nice but busy street. On the buy side, we couldn't be happier. We didn't have many options in Bon … Air but James came through with our Forever Home. The place wasn't even on the market and the man convinced the owner it was time to sell. One of the easiest, most seamless transactions I've ever done. We love our new home and hope anyone else in the market to buy or sell in the Richmond area wants to take the easy road and signs with James.” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“My wife and I lived in Monacan Hills on Briarcrest Dr. in Chesterfield, VA from 2011 to 2016. When the time came to move, 3 of our ex neighbors that we keep in contact with, HIGHLY recommended James as he is known around our neighborhood as the go-to realtor. When I contacted James, he was on vacation with his family in Chicago, but still took m … y call. He scheduled a visit to our house and walked us through the staging/selling process. My wife and I listened and followed his every instruction for preparing our house to be sold at maximum asking price. Our house was on the market for around 52 days and we sold at our asking price, just as James had predicted! James was amazing at answering every one of my phone calls the entire time our house was on the market. He is quick with solutions and very clear with his instructions. James made the sale of our house VERY stress-free. His contacts are unlimited and his actions mirror his words, a skill very hard to find in salespeople today. I highly recommend James Strum and his team! They truly care about their customers and their actions are proof!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Sean was amazing! He made the home buying process super easy. He was always available to talk or answer questions. He wasnt pushy in any way. Would work with him again in a heartbeat. He was on time for any meeting we had and always solving issues for us with ease. Highly recommend him!”

Sean Carlton Realtor®

“Cole was very knowledgeable at every property we went to see. He genuinely cares about all of his clients in finding the home of their dreams. He’s easy to get along with and once you tell him what you want, he runs with it! He’s down to earth and the best realtor that we’ve encountered in our years of the home buying process! Choose Cole!”

“I was referred to James by a relocation company. I picked him out of 3 agents because I am very impressed by his openness, honest, passion about what he is doing, and excellent records. As a first-time seller, I was clueless and nervous, after meeting him the first time, I feel like my house will be in good hand. He gave me clear instructions on e … xactly what I need to do to prepare for the house ready for market. When the house is ready, he took pictures and put it on market the same day. There were a lot of showings,I believe he did a good job marketing the house on internet. We only had one open house, and got an offer 15 days after the house is on market. The offer was a little lower than we want. James help negotiation with the buyer and we finally got a deal that we are happy about” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“The finest in Richmond, and dedicated to providing the highest standards in customer satisfaction. The Strum group helped save my family Fifty thousand dollars off asking price in a sellars market. The experience and professionalism of the team is above reproach. If you want it done call Strum”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We have purchased a few homes through Jamie over the past few years. His level of knowledge, expertise, dedication, and follow through are amazing. He was highly capable of guiding us through the purchase of our primary residence as well as investment properties. He has a great relationship with a local loan officer which ensures that proce … ss is as smooth as possible. I have and will continue to recommend him to family and friends . Simply put he is really good at his job” Read More ▾

“Our experience with Jamie was incredible! We were first time home buyers who had no idea what we were getting into. He was so helpful with answering all of our questions and always made himself available. His relationship with the lender made our loan process easy. He was so open and honest about each house we looked at - what he knew to be good or … bad. Jamie never hesitated to look at any house we wanted to and always made time. In fact, the day the house we bought went on the market, he went above and beyond to get us in to look at it that same day, we made an offer that night and it was accepted the next day! We couldn't have asked for an more knowledgeable realtor. The horror stories you hear about home buying can be intimidating, but Jamie made it an effortless experience! We refer him every chance we get, knowing that he's going to treat every person he works with like family!” Read More ▾

“James helped us find our first home -- driving to numerous homes on his own while we were at work -- so it was an easy decision to have him sell the same home. James worked the phones for us while he was out of the country on his honeymoon and faxed documents just before his wedding. He is incredible at his job and always available. We wish we cou … ld have brought him to Georgia with us” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We had a great experience with James as our agent. He gave us great tips on what needed to be done to sell our house while keeping the costs to a minimum. He was able to sell our house in a down market in less than a month for our full asking price. When it came to looking at houses James was hard working, very patient with us, was able to confo … rm his schedule to when we were available, and was very attentive to our needs. After a couple tours of houses, James knew exactly what we were looking for and eliminated any houses he knew we wouldn't like and was able to pick out the house we ended buying within 2 hours of it being listed. He handled negotiations like a champ and got us a great deal on our house. Overall we had a great experience with James and look forward to working with him again in the future” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was very professional, attentive and just the realtor we needed! He got our home sold and was there to answer questions and walk us through every step of the process. We will gladly recommend him to anyone and he is the only realtor we will contact for any real estate needs we have in the future!”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We were extremely pleased with our experience with the Strum Group. Our realtor, Drew Setzer, went above and beyond the call of duty. He led us through every step of the way in the process of buying our home. He was truly interested in finding us a home that met our wishes and in our budget. He was a real advocate throughout the negotiation pr … ocess. He responded quickly to our questions and concerns. We would recommend him highly to anyone in need of a realtor” Read More ▾

Drew Setzer Realtor®

“Cole is very knowledgeable about the Richmond area and its real estate market. He took great care of us when we decided to buy a house in Richmond; his service is genuinely top-notch! He drove a hard bargain and got us a great deal on our home. Overall, he made everything about the entire process super easy and we love our new home and neighborhoo … d” Read More ▾

“Jamie Strum, Cole Atkins and the entire Strum team are the best in the business. My husband and I met Cole when we found the home of our dreams in April of 2019 and the Strum Group helped us purchase this home in May. Not only did they know the area extremely well but they referred us to the best closing attorney, inspector and an entire team of we … ll qualified folks who helped us along the way. My husband and I had not bought a home for over 20 years so needless to say we had lots of questions throughout the process. Jaime and Cole were extremely patient, knowledgeable, accommodating, thorough and, in my opinion, they are the master negotiators! They made us feel like we were their only clients and that helps...especially when you haven't done this in 20 years! To this day, months later, we still keep in touch with Jaime and Cole and I know for a fact they would do anything for us (and we would do anything for them!). Simply put, the Strum Group is the best of the best” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I moved from out of state with my girlfriend and we did not know anything about the Richmond Area. James was very helpful in our search for a home as well as showing us the Richmond area. We were also first time home buyers and James went above and beyond answering our questions and explaing items we did not understand. Both my girlfriend and I … enjoyed our experience with James. 1/14/13***Just want to take some time to update my review of James, and again say that I would recommend him to anyone I know. After I had purchased the home above with James as my relator I was transfered 6 months later and needed to sell the same house. After I talked with James about this situation he called me back 1 day later and said he had the perfect people to buy my house. After that he took care of everything and sold the house before it was even on the market and for more $ than what I had paid 6 months prior. James always told me he brings buyers and sellers together for the best deal possible and that is exactly what he did. You can't find anyone better in the Richmond area to buy or sell a hous” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“What a Team! I followed James specific yet simple instructions on staging my home, he put my house on the market and within hours, we had an offer well over asking price! Any obstacle that arose was swiftly handled by his arsenal of contractors, with James constantly assuring me “Don’t worry, I … got it covered!” He was even willing to get the neighbor’s grass cut so that it would not interfere with the sale of my house. You rock James! Linda Elmore was a gem to work with as a buyer’s agent. She really knows her stuff! Her alertness, research and quick follow up led me to the house of my dreams in a short period of time. Closing both homes on time during a holiday week was the cherry on top, thanks to the hard work of both agents. James and Linda responded quickly to all my questions and concerns and truly made me feel like they were on my side 200%. I highly recommend the Strum Group !!!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“This man is not just good at his job, he is down right impressive. It was crazy watching his gears turn when we would walk up to a prospective house. Instantly he is noticing every single little detail. His expertise are second to none. Eric found us the perfect home, and he did it under an extreme time crunch. He made the impossible happen. If an … d when we sell our house, I will not use anyone but him. Amazing, amazing, amazing” Read More ▾

“We highly recommend working with Jamie when it comes time to buy/sell a home. I had accepted a job relocation out of state when we reached out to have him sell our house. He was very helpful when it came time to prepare our home for listing recommending things we needed to address and worries we had that turned out not to be worries at all. We … were a little nervous trying to sell our home in December (not the prime time to do so), but Jamie assured us that he would get us top dollar within 30 days. We listed the house on a Wednesday and had a FULL PRICE OFFER in 5 days (as Jamie promised we would accept nothing less!). Jamie is a determined, knowledgeable, detail-oriented professional in the real estate market. His contacts in the industry including other agents and residential contractors made the process seamless and headache-free. Neighbors looking to sell their home have asked for his contact information already. Working with the James Strum team was a great experience! He has certainly set the bar high for our future real estate transactions” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was always ready and available anytime I had questions or concerns. He was always looking out for my best interest. In the end I got a great house and I am very pleased with his service and support. James is also periodically checking in to make sure everything is going well.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Sold house in just a few days. I'm certain the excellent virtual tour played big part. That, and plus Jaimie's winning personality. ”

“I have so many positive things to say that I'm struggling to squeeze it all in a review! James Strum not only listed and sold our previous home, but simultaneously found and handled the purchase of our new home. I have 3 key themes to share: (1) James is exceptional at his job. James is 5 star … s on all of the above criteria. His local knowledge is immense, is process understanding is masterful, he is unbelievably responsive at all hours, and negotiated for us very well on all counts. He has great local connections for everything you need in the home buying and selling process and understands all of the intricate inner workings of real estate. (2) James is creative, pragmatic, and persistent in getting the job done. He was extremely pragmatic in situations of what seemed like insurmountable obstacles that came up along the way during our simultaneous home sale and purchase. I am still amazed that it all worked out and I hold James personally responsible for the success of both deals. Without James, the deal on all fronts would have likely fallen apart. He bridged the gap not only for us as his clients, but also really helped inform and support all parties involved. To say that he went above and beyond is a major understatement. (3) James is truly a one-stop shop. He provided great advice to us on all fronts - including how to get our house ready, what to negotiate, how to follow the whole process from beginning to end, and reassurance and real advice when things were tricky. No detail fell through the cracks. I could sleep better at night when things were complicated with the deal knowing that James had our back. Don't waste your time with any other realtors. There are a lot out there who try to sell themselves as knowing the game. James Strum should be your first call. He will sell your house and/or get you the house that you want - Call him” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Jamie leaves it all on the table when it comes to knowledge, service, and relationships. Our situation was what we thought to be difficult, but he didn't bat an eye. We already knew that buying a home woudl be stressful. Jamie always gave us the feeling like we didn't have a thing to worry about.. because we didn't. He took care of everything. He m … ade sure we knew exactly what we needed to do every step of the way. He didn't stop until he found exactly what we wanted and then he made it happen. He took care of us like family and is focused on building relationships that last a lifetime. Do not even think about contacting anyone else. He is the one!” Read More ▾

“My partner and I came across The Strum Group by chance while we were researching agents and saw they had a wealth of knowledge in different areas around Richmond and great reviews. We were paired with Jamie because she has experience working as a Buyer's Agent and with first time home buyers, which we are! Jamie worked … with us to pin-point what was most important and we ended up loving the very first house we went to go see as a team. We had been looking at houses for about a year casually so we were ecstatic to find a perfect match. Jamie gave us expert advice on how to submit an attractive offer and negotiate fast turnaround times. After our offer was accepted, Jamie walked us through each step in the process and recommended excellent professionals for when we needed inspections, lawyers, and movers. Communication was priority #1 for our family and Jamie was thorough, patient, and speedy. We would recommend Jamie to anyone who is looking to have both independence and security in the home buying process as she was never pushy but was always willing to research with us to find answers. And lastly, on our closing day, Jamie helped with our day-of nerves and we felt she was truly excited for this next step for our family! ” Read More ▾

“Mr Cole Atkins was very knowledgeable of the market and housing of the area. I trusted his opinion and advise as a First Time Home Buyer. I would easily recommend him to any other First Time Home Buyer as he was quick to respond to questions and quick to provide new house listing. His availability to show houses was great too. Five Stars without a … doubt” Read More ▾

“We couldn't be more pleased with the sale of our home on 2205 Oakhampton Ct. James strum is hands down the BEST Realtor in Richmond. James is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and dedicate d. He was there for us every step of the way and did everything in his power to make sure we were satisfied. i will recommend James to everyone I know that … is looking to buy or sell a home. Thank you James we appreciate everything you have done for us” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We are so lucky to have met James at a property back in September. New to the home buying process, he really impressed us with his knowledge of properties, school districts, renovation costs, and so much more. He responded immediately to all of our questions and concerns and made our home search so easy and convenient. When we finally found the ho … use we wished to make our home, he was very helpful and available asap when we needed to make a move on putting in our bid. James is a killer at negotiations as well! We ran into some things after receiving the inspection report and he fought for us the whole way through. The only reason we got exactly what we wanted was because James was on our side as our realtor. We truly feel that if it weren't for James we would still be renting. Thanks to him we are living in and loving our new home” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I am going to keep this short and sweet. I echo the positive comments made by previous reviewers. James and his team were able to sell our home twice (first buyers loan fell through) in only 10 days for top dollar! Before choosing James and his team, we had an offer from another real estate company who estimated the sale price of our home for $20, … 000 less than what James was able to sell our home for. We had a fairly rough closing, but James went above and beyond to close on the home on time for us to be able to buy our new home. His sense of urgency as if it was his home and situation made us feel at ease during the entire process! We are more than pleased with the service James gave us before, during, and after the sale of our home. If you are looking to sell your home in the Richmond area, I would highly recommend contacting James and meeting him. Even if you have another agent and company in mind, it's worth 30 minutes of your time to talk and meet with him before you choose someone else. Random side note... We have two young kids, and he was great with them whenever we met. VERY personable, and was sensitive to their sleep schedules as far as lining up the viewings. Kid approved” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“One of the best realtors in RVA! He truly has your best interest in mind when helping you find a home. He did not stop at anything until we were closing on our new home. Example: Many homes we looked at before this one he personally did not recommend due to an old HVAC unit and/or if the roof needed to be replaced in the … next 10 years. The house he found for us was move in ready and needed no maintenance” Read More ▾

Sean Carlton Realtor®

“My husband and I were first time homebuyers and when we were introduced to James, he made us feel extremely comfortable with the entire buying process. He set up a website designed especially for us with all the parameters we chose, not to mention it was done within 24 hours of first meeting him. He is highly intelligent in his field of work. H … e is dedicated and motivated first and foremost. He is very personable and reachable at any and all times. He worked for us, he did everything in his power to make this home buying as easy as possible for us. Everyone told us the loan process and closing process was a pure headache, it wasn't he helped us have all our ducks in a row prior to that. He and I are still friends today, he is one that I will always refer my friends and family to, and when I ever decide to buy again, no matter where he may be, I will be looking him up! Buying our first home was a very pleasurable experience and my husband and I can honestly say, James Strum made the experience what it was!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James Strum of the Strum Group sold our home at full price in under a week! Couldn't be more impressed with him and his team's ability to get everything put together and on the market so fast. My family and I needed to relocate for work fairly quickly, so quickly in fact that the majority of the paper work was handled online through James. It was … a big relief having him handle the buyers and the selling coordination. We were very impressed with his professionalism, attention to detail and responsiveness. We would highly recommend James and the Strum Group to anyone buying or selling in the Richmond area” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James Strum and his team are truly professionals. My experience from the first phone call with James to discuss selling my house to working with Jamie Richardson on searching for my new house was truly an awesome experience. The entire Strum group was truly a pleasure to deal with and you can tell they all take pride in their jobs. Jamie Richards … on in particular did an awesome job helping us find our new home, Jamie worked tirelessly while helping us find our new home and went above and beyond are expectations. We are very thankful for Jamie’s work ethic and will gladly recommend Jamie to anyone that we know selling or buying. If I sell and buy again I will definitely contact Jamie Richardson and the Strum Group again. Thank you again Jamie!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Cole and the team at The Strum Group have been a pleasure to work with. Cole is very responsive and easy to get in touch with. He was on top of things throughout the way and proactive to ensure things were handled so that we had a smooth closing. We looked at quite a bit of homes due to the size of the area we were looking in and Cole took it in s … tride and was always ready to show us another home if we saw something we were interested in. The knowledge of the area and the real estate market was evident while working with Cole and the team, they are a top notch group” Read More ▾

“Drew was amazing from start to finish. He helped us find the home of our dreams and we couldn't have done it without him. Drew made us feel comfortable, always responded to our calls/emails right away, and truly cared about finding us the right home for our family. We are so glad we found Drew and will be recommending him to anyone we know looking … to buy a home! He truly went above and beyond for us and we are so grateful to him! Thanks Drew for everything!!! You are the absolute BEST!!!” Read More ▾

Drew Setzer Realtor®

“If you are looking for someone who is qualified to list your home on MLS and qualified to walk you through the legal paperwork to sell your home, you can hire just about any Realtor. On the other hand, if you are looking for someone who can hold the line and represent your interests when dealing with the Buyer's agent who wants you to go below … your bottom line, if you're looking for someone who can effectively deal with people who are stressed over such a serious purchase, if you are looking for someone with a TON of experience that results in an almost intuitive feel for the current market and how to best to present your home in that market, if you're looking for someone with a proven ability to negotiate with the bank in your best interests under the stress of a short-sale, if you're looking for someone who won't waste your time with minutia but will deal with it head-on, if you're looking for a straigh-shooter who is transparent with what is going on behind the scenes, if you're looking for someone to help you logically and realisticly view the offer in front of you, well after having bought and sold eight homes, I've only met one of those. James Strum” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We chose James based on his excellent reviews on Zillow. James has a vast knowledge of the area and what to look for in a home. He would never let us settle on anything until we found the home that we loved. He never made us feel like an inconvenience, even unusual times. I will highly recommend to anyone looking for a realtor in the Richmond area … ” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I contacted several realtors at the end of 2012 and chose James due to his professionalism, courtesy and responsiveness. James immediately did his due diligence by conducting a thorough market analysis and developed an appropriate listing price that I agreed to. He listed the property and we received 2 competitive offers (thus allowing for full l … isting price) in 8 just days. This was a short sale transaction with numerous challenges, and he efficiently and effectively negotiated with the first and second lienholders and closed it in 83 days. James gets 6 stars on a 5 star rating scale! I would use his services again and I highly recommend him to others in need of these services” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James Strum is a consumate professional. James was able to assist us on selling as well as buying our new home in key ways that made our process as smooth as possible. James is able to think outside of the box and come up with creative ways to mitigate just about contingency. James has been in the business for quite awhile and has developed a netw … ork of skilled professionals to assist with any situation. We will use James Strum in the future” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Eric did a great job helping us finding the perfect house for us. He made sure to negotiate to a price we were comfortable with. We can not sing enough praise about Eric and The Strum Group!”

“Jamie is very knowledgeable about the home buying process, and knows the Richmond area well. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a home.”

“My wife and I were very happy with the level of service we received from Sean. He was quick to communicate with us, always patient with us, and we always felt like he was on our side. He made sure that we got the house we wanted and was a fierce negotiator on our behalf. I highly recommend him for first-time homebuyers or for newcomers to Richmond … . His professionalism, honesty, and desire to serve are unmatched! Plus, he's a super nice guy and easy to talk to. Looking for a Realtor in Richmond? This is your guy!” Read More ▾

Sean Carlton Realtor®

“What a great experience! Jamie was knowledgeable, patient, and so professional. We never felt for one second like she had anything but our best interest at heart. I would definitely use her again and recommend her to all my friends in the market for a new home.”

“Our experience with Jamie was incredible! We were first time home buyers who had no idea what we were getting into. He was so helpful with answering all of our questions and always made himself available. His relationship with the lender made our loan process easy. He was so open and honest about each house we looked at - what he knew to be good o … r bad. Jamie never hesitated to look at any house we wanted to and always made time. In fact, the day the house we bought went on the market, he went above and beyond to get us in to look at it that same day, we made an offer that night and it was accepted the next day! We couldn't have asked for an more knowledgeable realtor. The horror stories you hear about home buying can be intimidating, but Jamie made it an effortless experience! We refer him every chance we get, knowing that he's going to treat every person he works with like family” Read More ▾

“Bottom Line: If you don't go with James, your doing yourself a disservice. My wife and I were very happy with the service James Strum provided in the recent sale of my home in Richmond's Northside (Rosedale). He was able to sell a home I had owned for almost 10 years and hadn't lived in for 7 years. He was there for me when I returned from an … Iraq deployment in 2009 and helped me find a tenant to occupy the home when it got slow. Then when the opportunity came to sell, when it was financially right for me, he was there to market, price, advise, help, befriend, negotiate, and sell the home. James is a class act, honest, a man of integrity, and, in my opinion one of Richmond's finest real estate agents. He's not only served me, but my closest family members, and his service has transformed into friendship. I can honestly say there is no other agent in Richmond that I will ever do a real estate transaction with unless their name is James Strum. Please consider this to be a frank and honest assessment of a great agent; you need not look elsewhere for a greater professional for this industry.” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James has been a pleasure to work with. James was our selling agent and he sold our house for us within 45 days, which is really good! He took time to create great views of each of our rooms that truly reflected the spaciousness of the house! The listings in various websites looked great and we got a lot of showings for the house. He was able to n … egotiate with our eventual buyers for a fair price! James is easy to work with and he is definitely a people person! He can sometimes come across as being a little tough but he has your best interest at heart and is willing to do what it takes! Thanks for everything James” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was an amazing realtor! He was super helpful every step of the way during our home-buying process! We used all of the inspectors that he recommended and were very pleased with them as well. We would highly recommend James to any of our friends or family! We didn't feel like we had to do very much because he did it all! He exceeded our e … xpectations! Thanks, James” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Experience with Cole was great from start to finish. It was a bump road but Cole make sure everything was staying together! Had work with another realtors before Cole and it wasn’t the same knowledge As Cole had and the effort he put in to make his customer be happy and successful. Thank him for getting the deal down in two months and having m … e in a fresh new remodel home!” Read More ▾

“This was my first purchase of a home. There is no other agent I would have rather worked with. This guy HUSTLES. Due to this being my first home, we had a moderate budget. Cole treated me like I was a million dollar buyer. He would find time last minute if there was a property that we wanted to see. If we stepped into a house and it didn't fit … my criteria, Cole was the first one to say, "NEXT!". He knew exactly what we were looking for. Cole's responsiveness, dedication to his clients, and humor are what sold me on him. All he cared about was making sure that I got what I wanted. If you want someone to understand your needs, work around the clock, and get you a great deal, this is who you need to work with. Thank you for a phenomenal first time home buying experience. We will definitely be working with him when it is time to sell and buy” Read More ▾

“Cole was easy to work with. We enjoyed the process and it was very easy. We would recommend him to other buyers. He and his company make home buying a simple and straightforward process.”

“Cole is an excellent realtor who took the time to get to know me, my girlfriend, and the members of my family who occasionally came along to view homes. I had extremely limited knowledge when it came to buying a home and Cole helped me to narrow down the type of house and the location, as well as suggest some alternate locations that I hadn't tho … ught of prior to starting my search. Additionally, Cole suggested that I view some homes that met what I was looking for that I may have otherwise missed without his assistance. Cole is extremely patient, knowledgeable, hardworking, and would willingly adjust his schedule to accommodate the times we could view homes. Furthermore, Cole was straight up with the information he shared and he told us exactly what it would take to have an offer accepted on a home. His insight was invaluable and it ultimately led to us getting a home in an extremely competitive market. I highly recommend him to anyone purchasing a home and I will definitely call Cole when I purchase a home in the future. ” Read More ▾

“Great and attentive agents. Always going above and beyond for their customers. Our realtor was a knot he above the rest. We knew exactly what we wanted and didn't waste any time finding us the perfect house. Can't thank them enough.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Cole was a great asset when looking for a house. He was very knowledgeable of the area and tailored the houses that we saw to what our needs were. He was very helpful through the whole process.”

“James is simply unbeatable. He is available for you whenever you need him, whether it's by phone, email or text, making you feel like you are his only client. We saw a home listed one evening and told him we wanted to see it, and he took us there the very next day. That was on a Friday, and he and his staff drew up our offer over the weekend so we … could sign it and get it submitted on Monday. He listens to you and is dedicated to what you want and doesn't stop until you get it. James went above and beyond for us as our buyer's agent; the home we fell in love with and just had to have was very difficult to get. It was a foreclosure and was only available on a wretchedly-run auction site, but James was there each night to put bids in for us, all the while giving us advice until we finally got it. James steered us through the entire process of buying a home, making it as easy for us as possible. His expertise with all aspects of buying a house was invaluable to us. He calmed our fears and guided us all the way through. He read and explained every document we signed and made any corrections and changes that were needed to protect us. He has a network of top-notch partners including an inspection company, lending agents, appraisers and an excellent closing attorney. And he works with all these experts to make sure things progress on track, all the while keeping you informed with each step. He even has an army of skilled plumbers, electricians and HVAC specialists who you can trust to help get your property perfected before moving in. I highly recommend James to anyone in the Richmond area looking to buy a home. Not only did we find an extraordinary realtor in James Strum, we found a friend” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“I could write a novel about all the wonderful things James did for us, but I will try and keep this review short. Three years ago we started looking for a home on and off and happen to come across a few realtors on the side of Zillow. We called three of them to no response and when we called the fourth, (James), he answered his phone right away. … We are so fortunate that the first three realtors didn't answer, because James is THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS!!! Patient, knowledgeable, responsive and most of all TRUTHFUL are all words I would use to describe James. We saw a few houses that we might have put offers in on and James could have made a quick sale, but he would point out reasons why he wouldn't touch it like cracking driveways, too close to highways, overpriced etc. He is always looking out for his clients. His negotiation skills are second to none! Even though we closed on our house six weeks ago, James is still available to us to answer any question we have and he knows a boatload of top contractors, plumbers and electricians that have done amazing jobs as well and have helped us make our house our home. You will never find another realtor who makes you feel as if you are his only client, EVER! His team is really wonderful as well! In closing, if you are on the fence about hiring a realtor, please do yourself a favor and hire James, I promise you will NOT be disappointed!!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“After struggling to find someone to help us short sale our condo, I found James Strum via Zillow. I sent him an email and he responded to me within twenty four hours. The day after that he called me and we started the selling process. I had never sold a house before, and to top it off was short selling after losing my job. James was incredibly … patient with all of my questions. I never felt rushed, and I always felt like James cared about teaching me as we went along. He was very clear on the paperwork I needed to gather and the communication I needed to submit to out bank. He explained how he wanted me to show the house, and helped me move furniture to make it look even nicer. He put our condo on the market while we were on vacation, and he got a contract within seventy two hours!!!! I was so excited I didn't even want to believe it at first. We had discussed that short sales were a long process, but getting a contract do quickly was a huge first step. Following the act of getting the contract, I did everything James told me as quickly and accurately as possible, as he was very knowledgeable on what we needed to do. As it turned out, our efforts payed off and the closing was moved up. All in all it took about forty five days to sell and close on our house. I could not be more impressed with how if all worked out and truly believe it was all because of James. He was AMAZING to work with. Confident, efficient, attentive, timely, responsible, dedicated, and personable. I can't wait until we are able to buy one day because he will be the person I trust to help me” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James is not only a subject matter expert he also produces incredible results. My wife and I just recently sold our home thanks to a man that truly understands his enviroment and market because of this we had mutiple offers and a sold home in a recovering market extremely fast. James is the real deal for thoes of us that still believe in the power … of a hand shake and a honest person to do business with then James is the partner you need hands down. James is not only great at selling he also is a great buyer's agent . The only thing I have left to say is thank you Jame” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James!!!!! You are AWESOME!, You are professional!, and Excelent person,, If you are looking for a REALTOR, James is the man,, he has the knowledge, he has excellent skill, is patient,, give you all the advices, and give you the tools you need to look for your home,, he open your page and update as your require and needs, He show the houses … you are interested ,, contact realtors, financing and the people you need for make easy this big journal. We have not enought word to THANKS your time James,, really has been a bless to meet you,,,and help us find the place we can call HOME, where you are always welcome!!!!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James and his team did a fantastic job! They were extremely responsive and kept us in the loop the whole time. He even took time out of his family vacation (several times) to touch base with me to let me know how things were progressing.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was great! My husband and I were first time home buyers and James was very knowledgeable and very straight forward with helping us understand the process and what needed to be done. We would definitely recommend him to anyone buying a house in the central Virginia area.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Eric is a very professional and knowledgeable realtor. He also displayed great patience with my many questions as a first-time home buyer. He is responsive to questions and I never felt like he didn't have time for me and my concerns. I recommend him highly, and plan on working with him on any future home sales or purchases!”

“By far the most impressive realtor I've ever worked with. His negotiation skills are second to none and his customer service is outstanding making the client "me" feel as if my house is the only house he's working on. Highly recommended”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James is a consummate professional and is a very knowledgeable resource. He made the selling of our home a stress-free experience. I highly recommend James and his team.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“He knew what would be a good fit for me, in a suitable area, but was willing to show me a number of other places to help me compare and make up my own mind.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“Sean is very professional, supportive and humble person to work with. He has been very patient throughout the purchase process and he is knowledgeable to get advice. I have purchased 3 houses through Sean in 2 years.”

Sean Carlton Realtor®

“Cole was a great help to us purchasing our first home. His knowledge of the area, comparable prices and willingness to find what we wanted instead of selling us something is one of his greatest assets. I've already started telling people about him! My kids are happy, my wife is happy and i'm happy with the process of s … hopping around and coming to the final decision to purchase. Forever grateful, The Brown” Read More ▾

“James promised us a quick sale, and we got it! Some of it was our house, of course, but he negotiated us a great offer, after guiding us through the best repairs to make to get top dollar on the house. He helped find us good contractors to prepare the house, and was very available every step of the way. I was dreading the process, but it was ac … tually incredibly easy with James. He was recommended by a friend who had the same experience as us! Thanks, James!” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“We recently moved to Richmond from out of town and did not know anyone or the area at all. We knew what type of home we were looking for and our price range but were clueless about where to buy, the school systems, value of the homes over the past 5 years and even what the possible future value of our newly purchased home would be? In reality th … ese were just a few of the many things on our mind with our purchase as you can imagine. I have to be honest and say James was fantastic. He was knowledgeable in everything I listed above as well as every other aspect of our purchase. He was on point when I tried to contact him not letting even 30 minutes go by before he got back with me--that to me was very important! In negotiation...he was the perfect middle man. We got the deal we were looking for and then some. I don't plan on moving from our new home for a while but if and when I do there is absolutely no-one else I would let handle my transaction. I own a successful local business here in Richmond and send referrals to James as often as I can because I know they will be taken care. Usually I dont write reviews on anything but in this instance I had to make an exception.. Your experience as our was with James will be as it should be......Perfect” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James helped us to sell our house and negotiate into a new one. His knowledge and expertise allowed us to set the right price and sell quickly. I would recommend James to anyone I the Richmond area in need of selling and/or buying a home.”

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was an outstanding realtor. He made us feel like we were his only clients and was extremely quick in responding to any communication we had with him. As first time home buyers, James was patient and took the time to explain to us any procedural and clerical inquiries we had. He has a great eye for houses, and was quick to point out any flaws … homes we were looking at had. James is extremely honest, and he completely looks out for the best interests of his clients. Instead of pushing a subpar home to get a sale, James will point out deal breakers and try to find you the best home in your budget. James and his team also took care of a lot of the legwork that most others realtors will not once the home is under contract. He stays with you the whole way. His negotiation skills are excellent and he provided us the house at the exact price point we wanted. James Strum is an outstanding realtor and shows true concern and compassion for his clients. He is a refreshingly honest person who I would use again in a heartbeat. Highly recommended.” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader

“James was great to work with. He listened to the things my wife and I both wanted as far as type of house, location, etc... and paid a lot of attention to the things that arent part of the house, but part of the area that comes with the house. There were never any surprises, and he was very good about answering any questions we might have in a t … remendously timely fashion. He definitely had a great feel for the areas (specially the areas we wanted to end up, and made the entire process about as painless as could be. Id definitely recommend him to anyone” Read More ▾

James Strum President/Team Leader