Thinking About Buying a Townhouse in Kingstowne

One of the most important things to consider when buying a home is the location. Now that you’ve settled on Kingstowne and I’m here to help you provide you with as much information about the area as I can. Of the nearly 50 neighborhoods in Kingstowne, 29 of them offer townhouses each with its own ecosystem.

Do you like what you hear and see?

How does the community feel to you? Don’t just rely on photos from the internet. Hop in your car and drive around Kingstowne. Each neighborhood in Kingstowne has its vibe and personality. Google the neighborhood to find reviews and forums to find out what the folks who live there think of the community. Stop by a few open houses and while you’re at talk to the neighbors. Many times the most helpful information will come from folks that already live there.Neighbors can give you insight into noise, traffic, and safety. If you have young kids, you might like a cul de sac where kids can hang out and ride bicycles on the weekends. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a peaceful retreat you may prefer a neighborhood with a slightly older demographic. Whatever your preference there’s a home for you in one of the 47 neighborhoods within Kingstowne.

What to Expect

All the homes in Kingstowne belong to the Kingstowne Residential Owners Corporation (KROC). That means operating within the guidelines and rules of the association. You’ll receive a copy of the covenants and bylaws while under contract. Be sure to carefully review. Remember when you purchase a property in an HOA you agree to the rules they have in place.

AMENITIES

It’s typical to expect a home within a homeowners association to offer several amenities and Kingstowne is no exception.

 

Residents enjoy amenities including miles of walking trails, a beautiful lake, swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts, numerous tot lots, an aerobics studio and two state of the art fitness centers. -KROC

Kingstowne Amenities

• Pool
• Clubhouse
• Tennis courts
• Fitness Centers
• Group Fitness Classes
• Walking trails
• Playgrounds
• Recreational classes
• Karate, Tennis, and Soccer lessons
• Lakes

THE SCHOOLS

There are two high school pyramids in Kingstowne, Edison, and Hayfield. Based on your address your children will cycle through one of these two pyramids. Majority of the homes in Kingstowne fall within the Hayfield pyramid with those in the North Village being the exception. One of the questions we heard most often from buyers is,“What are the schools like?”. We are fortunate in Fairfax County to have some of the highest ranked schools in the nation. I once again recommend speaking to neighbors about their experience, and I encourage my clients to do their own research as well. You can go to sites like GreatSchools.org to see a grading of all the local schools and https://www.fcps.edu to few school performance.

Another thing to consider on this topic, whether you have kids are not, is how close do you want to be to the school?

HOMES ARE HOLDING THEIR VALUE

When choosing a home, you want to consider more than just how beautiful the property looks. You also want to research how values have changed over the last few years. What has the average sales price been over the past five years? We’re very fortunate to live in a very transient area, meaning people are constantly moving in and out of the DC metro area even when other real estate markets are down. I study the real estate market and would be happy to share the market stats with you.

 

COMMUTE TO WORK

Commute times vary widely throughout Fairfax County, but the Census Bureau puts the average commute time to work at just about 25 minutes in the United States. Located on the western edge of Alexandria just outside of the beltway many find Kingstowne to be the perfect distance from the busyness of the city. The proximity to the beltway appeals to many Kingstowne residents. You can quickly reach both the Van Dorn and Franconia-Springfield Metros not to mention the commuter bus stops throughout various Kingstowne neighborhoods.

 

PROXIMITY TO SHOPPING AND RESTAURANTS

Kingstowne Towne Center is in the heart of Kingstowne and its a one-stop spot for shopping and dining. The Towne Center boasts numerous choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment. You can grab a bite to eat, enjoy a movie, get a haircut, do a little shopping and then head to the supermarket all without leaving the Kingstowne Towne Center.

IS THIS WHERE YOU SEE YOURSELF THERE IN 5-10 YEARS?

Life happens, to all of us. You and your spouse have two kids and thought you were done, but now your family of four is growing to one of five. It happens. Suddenly, the three bedroom townhouse you bought starts to feel a bit too small. We can’t predict the future, but we can plan for it. My advice along these lines is to look for a home you think you can live in comfortably for the next five years. This will give you the best chance of having some appreciation accumulate when you’re ready to sell.

TRAFFIC

In Northern Virginia traffic is always a consideration. Here are a few things you can look for when looking at homes in Kingstowne. Is the neighborhood so large that there will be dozens of cars trying to leave at the same time each morning?
How many ways are there to access the neighborhood?
If it’s off a major road is there a stop light
Is it adjacent to a school where parents dropping off their kids will hamper your commute? How many school buses will be lined up blocking your way?
What’s the speed limit outside the neighborhood?

 

CRIME RATE

On average, Kingstowne has a lower crime rate than the rest of Virginia. With being said I highly recommend you contact the local police depart get more information on the crime statistics. You can also find this information online.

 

HOW LONG DO HOMES STAY ON THE MARKET?

You’ll hear real estate agents talk about DOM or days on the market this is how many days it takes a home to receive and accepted an offer after initially coming on the market. This is an excellent indicator of how popular a neighborhood is. As your real estate agent, I have this information readily available and would be more than happy to share the current stats with you. This is information is helpful to you as a buyer because its a good indicator of how in demand homes in the area are and will help guide you when submitting an offer. This can also be helpful in determining what the market will likely look like in the future when you’re ready to sell your home.

A few other indicators of a hot market are growth in the population, low supply of homes, and new companies moving into the area.

 

Are you thinking about buying a home soon? Check out our Steps to Buying a Home Guide. Feel free to give me a call at 703-539-2053 or email info@AskAWalker.com to schedule a private showing of this or any other property.

Thinking of selling your home?  Check out our 20+ step Guide to Selling Your House. Or you can contact me now to start the process immediately.  Same day appointments are available on a case by case basis. I look forward to hearing from you.

About the Author:  The above article was written by Abraham Walker, Your Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent, helping clients market their homes to achieve high sales with a quick closing time is my main priority.  He’s the co-founder of Ask A Walker and can be found on YouTube, Facebook, and HERE on this blog.

I can be reached via email at info@AskAWalker.com or by phone at (703)539-2053.  I’m happy to answer all your real estate questions.

I help people sell and buy real estate in the following Northern Virginia area cities & neighborhoods: Kingstowne, Island Creek, Cameron Station, Overlook, Alexandria, Old Town, Belle Haven, Fort Hunt, Mount Vernon, Springfield, West Springfield, Burke, Lorton, Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Manassas, Annandale, Fairfax, Arlington, McLean, Reston, Herndon and of course Vienna.

If you found this post helpful please share it with others interested in keeping up with Northern Virginia real estate. Check back next month for an updated list. And as always I welcome your comments below.