In Northern Virginia, single family homes can be prohibitively expensive especially for many buyers.  The median price of a detached single family home exceeds $600,000.  The biggest concentration of area jobs are in D.C. and the Tysons Corner area of Fairfax County. 

If you don't mind a longer commute, single family home prices drop significantly in Prince William County, Stafford County, and Loudoun County and detached homes are plentiful in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range.

For buyers who want a short commute, the trade-off is a more expensive home.  Many buyers looking in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax counties opt to purchase a townhouse.

People relocating to Northern Virginia often ask what type of home they can purchase in different price ranges.  Other people who ask about this include current D.C. and Northern Virginia residents who have not been in the housing market for a while and potential investors from other parts of the country.

Townhouses in Alexandria and Arlington range in price from $295,000 to almost $2.4 million.  In Fairfax County, prices of townhouses start around $180K and climb to a top price of $1.9 million. 

Here are some examples of townhouses that you can purchase in Northern Virginia for just under $500,000.

ALEXANDRIA/ARLINGTON

Approximately 26% of townhouses in Alexandria and Arlington are priced between $400K and $500K.

This Quaker Hill townhouse is located just outside of Old Town Alexandria and features 3 bedrooms 2 full and 2 half bathrooms on 3 levels plus a one car garage.  With new hardwood floors and carpet, fully renovated kitchen, and its proximity to the Capital Beltway and I-95, this 1990 townhouse is attractively priced at just under $500,000.

Right in the heart of Del Ray, this townhouse built in 1942 offers 3 bedroom, 1.5 baths and a fenced-in backyard.  There is also a back sun porch overlooking the yard and a lower level recreation room. The metro station and Mt. Vernon Avenue shops and restaurants are a quick walk from this Alexandria townhouse currently priced at $489,900.

The $400K to $500K price range represents 26% of available Fairfax County townhouses.

Located in the Overlook community, this 4 bedroom 3.5 bathroom townhome is on quiet cul de sac.  A tray ceiling and spa bathroom grace the owner's suite.  A bumpout includes an office with custom bookcases and desk making working from home a breeze.

Just south of Springfield is the town of Lorton, Virginia.  This gorgeous Laurel Crest townhouse with 2,372 square feet was built in 2002 and looks like a model home with an upgraded kitchen, maple cabinets, high ceilings and hardwood floors.  Attractively priced at under $485,000.

Here are some less expensive townhomes:

Northern Virginia Real Estate -- Townhouses under $400,000 in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County

If you'd prefer a single family home, you might be interested in seeing those in this price range:

Northern Virginia Real Estate -- Available Single Family Homes for $500,000 or Less

It's a great time to buy in Northern Virginia.  Most homes are being sold for under the asking price and many sellers are contributing towards the purchaser's closing costs. 

Please take a look at our Northern Virginia Real Estate website at www.BlockRealEstateGroup.com.  Give me a call at 703-626-0715 (cell) if you are thinking of purchasing a home in Northern Virginia. 

If you want to sell your home, please click here for a free comparative market analysis for your Northern Virginia home.

You can reach me by e-mail at brian@brianblock.com.  I look forward to hearing from you and helping you with your Northern Virginia real estate needs.

Note:  These homes offered for sale by various Northern Virginia brokers on the Multiple Listing Service and are not necessarily the listings of Brian Block or RE/MAX Allegiance.