Home prices in Virginia's state capital have been running at a steady pace over the past three years, up about 3% annually since 2010.

That's been helped by the area's diverse economy -- which includes a stable mix of government, financial, education and manufacturing jobs -- and low unemployment rate, which is well below the national figure.

As a result, home sales have taken off and prices are starting to reflect that, according to the Richmond Association of Realtors. CoreLogic forecasts that home prices in the metro area will gain another 8.5% in the 12 months through September.