We crunched the numbers on 2,644 advertised subdivisions in Greater Washington and ranked them by the increase in median sales price so far this year compared to last year, the decrease in the number of days these houses sat on the market before being sold, and the increase in price per square foot.
Marshall Heights in Southeast D.C. has a lot going for it.
Close to two separate Metro stops, close to downtown and — perhaps most importantly — homes that are still affordable for many first-time homebuyers, according to Redfin Principal Agent Steve Centrella.
The median sale price for the neighborhood is $387,450, according to MarketStats by ShowingTime, compared to $647,755 for D.C. as a whole. And buyers there have a mix of newer townhomes or single-family homes as well.
“It combines to be a good value of accessibility, space and price point for a lot of folks,” Centrella said.
Those reasons, among others, have made Marshall Heights the hottest neighborhood for home sales in Greater Washington, ahead of communities in Northern Virginia such as Potomac Lakes and Landsdowne on the Potomac, or pricier neighborhoods in D.C. such as Wesley Heights in Northwest. And while the Covid-19 pandemic slowed down sales in March and April, potential buyers are now scouring limited inventory and closing deals quickly.
“It’s been very busy since that point, since people are in their homes, they are looking at it going, ‘The thing that annoyed me before just really bugs me now, and I don’t want to stare at this another day if I don’t have to,'” Centrella said.
We crunched the numbers on 2,644 advertised subdivisions in Greater Washington and ranked them by the increase in median sales price so far this year compared to last year, the decrease in the number of days these houses sat on the market before being sold, and the increase in price per square foot. We then weeded out neighborhoods with too few home sales, along with some individual condo buildings and communities, and came up with the 25 hottest neighborhoods.
Other communities that made the list also checked off a lot of boxes for current homebuyers, including Montclair in Dumfries, which came in at No. 11, and includes three beaches for swimming, boating and fishing, according to Robert Walters, a Realtor for RealMarkets, a Century 21 New Millennium Team.
Landsdowne on the Potomac, which came in at No. 3, is close to popular Leesburg and Ashburn restaurants and shopping areas, as well as the nearby Landsdowne Resort and golf course, Walters said.
“After receiving six offers, we sold a townhome on Purple Aster Terrace in the first week we went on the market,” Walters said. “This neighborhood offers extensive amenities, including indoor pool, outdoor pool, fitness center, sport fields, trails, and tot lots.”
Check out the full list is below.
No. 25: Cameron Station, Alexandria, Va.
- Score: 42.5
- Median sale price YTD: $659,000.
- Change over 2019: 4.6%
No. 24: Cleveland Park, D.C.
- Score: 43.2
- Median sale price YTD: $517,500.
- Change over 2019: 15%
No. 23: Capitol Heights, Md.
- Score: 43.9
- Median sale price YTD: $268,000.
- Change over 2019: 14.8%
No. 22: Ashburn Farm, Ashburn, Va.
- Score: 46.2
- Median sale price YTD: $481,000.
- Change over 2019: 11.2%
No. 21: Parkfairfax, Alexandria, Va.
- Score: 46.6
- Median sale price YTD: $365,000.
- Change over 2019: 10.6%
No. 20: Brookland, D.C.
- Score: 47.1
- Median sale price YTD: $615,000.
- Change over 2019: 4.2%
No. 19: Manassas Park, Va.
- Score: 47.3
- Median sale price YTD: $335,000.
- Change over 2019: 4.9%
No. 18: Forest Hills, D.C.
- Score: 48.9
- Median sale price YTD: $470,000.
- Change over 2019: 16.1%
No. 17: Old City #1, D.C. (A term used mostly for the 20002 and 20003 ZIP codes in D.C., including parts of H Street NE corridor and Trinidad)
- Score: 49.4
- Median sale price YTD: $737,500.
- Change over 2019: 5.4%
No. 16: Ashburn Village, Ashburn, Va.
- Score: 50.1
- Median sale price YTD: $473,500
- Change over 2019: 5.8%
No. 15: Reston, Va.
- Score: 51.5
- Median sale price YTD: $561,200.
- Change over 2019: 7.9%
No. 14: Lake Ridge, Woodbridge, Va.
- Score: 53.7
- Median sale price YTD: $380,000.
- Change over 2019: 4.1%
No. 13: District Heights, Md.
- Score: 55
- Median sale price YTD: $292,500.
- Change over 2019: 14.7%
No. 12: Brambleton, Ashburn, Va.
- Score: 55.9
- Median sale price YTD: $676,450.
- Change over 2019: 5.7%
No. 11: Montclair, Dumfries, Va.
- Score: 57.6
- Median sale price YTD: $429,499.
- Change over 2019: 10.1%
No. 10: Woodridge, D.C.
- Score: 58.6
- Median sale price YTD: $680,950.
- Change over 2019: 30.7%
No. 9: Dale City, Woodbridge, Va.
- Score: 59.6
- Median sale price YTD: $340,000.
- Change over 2019: 4.6%
No. 8: Old City #2, D.C. (A term encompassing mainly ZIP codes 20001 and 20009, including parts of Shaw)
- Score: 60.7
- Median sale price YTD: $600,000.
- Change over 2019: 9.9%
No. 7: Old Town Alexandria, Va.
- Score: 69.9
- Median sale price YTD: $952,500.
- Change over 2019: 3.5%
No. 6: Belmont Country Club, Ashburn, Va.
- Score: 71.4
- Median sale price YTD: $676,042.
- Change over 2019: 6.5%
No. 5: Greenbriar, Chantilly, Va.
- Score: 72
- Median sale price YTD: $580,000.
- Change over 2019: 6.9%
No. 4: Potomac Lakes, Sterling, Va.
- Score: 78.7
- Median sale price YTD: $557,000.
- Change over 2019: 15%
No. 3: Landsdowne on the Potomac, Leesburg, Va.
- Score: 80.8
- Median sale price YTD: $785,000.
- Change over 2019: 10.8%.
No. 2: Wesley Heights, D.C.
- Score: 89.7
- Median sale price YTD: $728,000.
- Change over 2019: 12.7%.
No. 1: Marshall Heights, D.C.
- Score: 95
- Median sale price YTD: $365,000.
- Change over 2019: 32.7%