Early on, many observers thought the pandemic would have a cooling effect on Arlington’s red-hot housing market. Let’s just say that didn’t happen. The following rankings, based on 2020 home sales, were drawn from a chart listing average sales prices and other real estate metrics in more than 400 area neighborhoods, with data provided by Bright MLS and MarketStats for ShowingTime. The full chart appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of Arlington Magazine. To be included, a neighborhood had to have had at least 15 total sales during the past five years. The list below excludes condo buildings.
10. Yorktown
Anchored by Yorktown High School and the Lee Harrison Shopping Center, it’s one of Arlington’s larger neighborhoods, consisting of more than 1,000 homes. The vibe is family-friendly and the playground at Chestnut Hills Park (a Best of Arlington winner for “Best Playground”) sees a lot of action, as do the athletic fields, basketball courts and baseball diamonds at Greenbrier Park.
Homes sold in 2020: 4
Average sale price in 2020: $1,448,800
Average sale price in 2019: $1,410,545
9. Bellevue Forest
This bucolic neighborhood takes its name from Grunwell’s Bellevue, a manor built shortly after the Civil War. Property sizes are generous by Arlington standards—generally at least one-third of an acre, with many up to a half-acre. Original homes date to the 1950s, although many have been renovated and new builds are common. The neighborhood is bordered by the Potomac River and Gulf Branch, home of the Gulf Branch Nature Center.
Homes sold in 2020: 20
Average sale price in 2020: $1,457,075
Average sale price in 2019: $1,360,420
8. Minor Hill
Rising 459 feet above sea level, Minor Hill is Arlington County’s highest point, which made it a coveted vantage point during the Civil War. Today, the leafy area at the western edge of Arlington near Falls Church (and arguably part of the larger Williamsburg neighborhood), is undergoing a transformation as many older homes are replaced by new construction.
Homes sold in 2020: 3
Average sale price in 2020: $1,464,500
Average sale price in 2019: $1,298,333
7. Crescent Hills
Tucked between Williamsburg Blvd. and Yorktown Blvd., this little pocket neighborhood has brick ramblers dating back to 1955, as well as newer builds commanding much higher price tags, with features such as au pair suites and geothermal heating and cooling.
Homes sold in 2020: 5
Average sale price in 2020: $1,486,000
Average sale price in 2019: $1,319,271
6. Williamsburg Village
Most of the original homes in this family-oriented neighborhood were built between 1940 and 1970, though in recent years many older homes have been replaced with new construction. Bordered by Williamsburg Boulevard and North Powhatan Street, Williamsburg Village is home to one of the original boundary stones of the District of Columbia.
Homes sold in 2020: 4
Average sale price in 2020: $1,491,520
Average sale price in 2019: $1,274,500