Meet Benjamin A. Ritger

I love that Williamsburg feels like a true community, but you’re still close to everything—RVA, the water, golf, and weekend escapes—without losing that small-town ease.

I was drawn to real estate because it blends relationships, strategy, and problem-solving. Every client’s needs are different, and I enjoy guiding people through big decisions and helping them find the right fit—whether it’s a home, an estate property, or an investment.

Because real estate runs on trust, and trust is built through relationships. When clients know you’re listening, communicating clearly, and putting their interests first, they’re more confident making big decisions—and they’re more likely to refer friends and family.

Having served as an owner, principal broker, and investor advisor, I bring a strategic, big-picture perspective—balancing lifestyle goals with market realities to guide clients through high-value decisions with confidence.

I help clients navigate uncertainty by bringing clarity to the decision. We start with the client’s goals, then I back into a strategy using real-time market data, pricing trends, and comparable sales. From there, I set expectations early, communicate consistently, and adjust quickly as conditions change—so clients feel informed and in control, not reactive.

My mission is to help clients make smart real estate decisions through honest advice, strong negotiation, and steady communication—whether they’re buying, selling, or investing.

Over the years I have been involved with many non-profits supporting food and housing needs/insecurities. I currently support the Broad Bay Sailing Association, Youth Sailing Virginia and Habitat for Humanity.

A few years ago, I received a referral client from Detroit through a friend. They already owned two small oceanfront condos in our market—properties they’d held for more than 20 years. On paper, the combined value was modest, and when they arrived for our first meeting, they drove an entry-level car and were dressed for the beach. They explained they wanted to buy or build their retirement home on the oceanfront and needed help finding the right property. I had already arranged several showings that day and we toured five homes. None of them fit what they truly wanted. Instead of pushing a “closest match,” I brought them back to my office and spent more time asking better questions—about how they planned to live in the home, what “oceanfront” meant to them, their timeline, and what they valued most. That conversation changed everything. It became clear they weren’t price-sensitive in the traditional sense—what mattered was value, privacy, and getting the right long-term asset. From there, I shifted strategies and began pursuing off-market options. I ultimately secured a buildable oceanfront lot through multiple rounds of negotiation and careful due diligence. The process wasn’t simple—it required coordination with coastal protection and state agencies for easement assurances, working through county impact-fee credits, aligning early architectural concepts, and navigating seller-side trust attorneys, along with a long list of details that can make or break a transaction at that level. The result was a record-setting private oceanfront land sale at the time—yet one we achieved at a price that was truly a bargain on a per-foot basis relative to the market. The family went on to build a beautiful estate and, more importantly, they felt protected throughout the process. They appreciated that I listened closely, adjusted quickly once I understood their real objectives, and handled everything with discretion while negotiating firmly on their behalf. That’s the difference my personalized approach makes: I don’t just show property—I uncover what matters, build the right strategy, and execute it with privacy, precision, and results.