Every buyer who relocates to the Northern Virginia area has the exact same thought process. They prefer to live in Fairfax County but have heard Prince William County Virginia is more affordable.
Today's buyer said, "We really are hoping to find a luxury home under seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in an established neighborhood. can we find that in Fairfax near I-95?"
Here is our must have list:
- Under $750,000
- Preferrably under five years old
- We want high ceilings
- Gas Heat and Cooking
- We want a two car garage
- We want a community with ammenities and community schools nearby
- We want a cooks "social kitchen" I don't want to closed in a kitchen.
- We want a formal dining room and huge family room.
- If the home had a sunroom I would be smiling ear to ear.
- Oh yeah...the home must back to tree's and we prefer a quarter We want a "gorgeous home" something we will love owning during our stay here in the Northern Virginia area.
With such a simple list and a hefty budget of $750,000 you would think that you would have lots of choices.
Sadly they do not. Imagine their shock when I entered their search criteria in the entire area on the map and only four homes came up. Four homes! All four homes were under five years of age, two were near and all were on postage stamp lots ( TINY!)
When this happens, we need to take the buyer behind the scenes a bit to show them what expanding their search will do. Most people think. If they just expand their search another five miles or so things get less expensive. Not always the case in Northern Virginia. For example homes closer to I-95 may be smaller and more expensive, homes closer to the heart of Fairfax go up over a million dollars or increase a great deal in age and even homes all the way in Manassas Virginia are not that much less.
Welcome to "STICKER SHOCK!"
It's alive and well here in Northern Virginia.
I used to live in Fairfax County thirty years ago. Prince William County Virginia became an option as suburban sprawal happened. The roads went in and shopping popped up on every street corner it just made sense to move south. The prices were lower, and the lots were larger. The land was less expensive and the builders were able to leave tree's during the development and building process. So you get an entirely different feel when you look at a home in Lorton Virginia or even in Fairfax Station. Lake Ridge Virginia for example has four shopping centers with grocery stores. There are two Safeway stores, Giant,a Food Lion and a Harris Teeter two miles outside of Lake Ridge Virginia off the Prince William Parkway. Everything you need, banks, dry cleaners, fast food, after school activities as well as outdoor pools, schools and even the Occoquan Reservoir and park within a mile or two from your home. Along with that commuter options are rush hour bus service, van pool, car pool and Slug Lines.
Luxury homes under ten years of age are totally possible between $500,000 and $750,000
For example here is a brand new home, never lived in that is ready to go in the Lake Ridge Virginia area that is under $750,000!
Below is a good example of what a "Social Kitchen" looks like. A place where you can see all that is happening on the main level. No inclines what so ever. What if I shared with you the home in the photograph has a den ( or main level bedroom) with access to a full bath! Wouldn't that come in handy when your in-laws visit, or someone has to have surgery and cannot do stairs.
When you are relocating to the Northern Virginia area you have a lot of choices. If you are willing to compromise on space, age and lot size you may be able to find a home you like. in Fairfax County Virginia. However if you are firm on buying a younger home, one with high ceilings and all the features you expect in a luxury home, then contact us. We are the Twins Selling Real Estate and we service the area's from Fort Belvoir Virginia to Marine Base Quantico.
We know the area and the floorplans well. We can save you time and money during your house hunt.
The folks I am working with right now could not believe their eyes. They have a lot to think about over the weekend. They left after the house hunt today saying " Wow, we should have listened to our friends!" They were right. You get so much more by just being open to the possibilities of Prince William County Virginia when looking for a home.
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