Lyon Village
“Lyon Village is the top contender for anyone who wants to live in Arlington,” says Diane Schline, a Realtor with Century 21 Redwood Realty in Arlington. That popularity makes Lyon Village tough to get into, she says, with few houses available and high prices on those listed.
The neighborhood is sought-after due to its charming homes, tree-lined streets with sidewalks and quaint traffic circles that make it a friendly place to walk with dogs and kids. Lyon Village Park includes tennis courts and a playground. The neighborhood also has its own community center where association meetings are held. The annual Fourth of July picnic and parade take place at the park. Highly regarded Key Elementary is also a big draw for families.
Residents can also walk to dozens of shops and restaurants in Clarendon, along with a Whole Foods grocery store and the Clarendon Metro station. The area is also an easy drive into the District.
“The truth is, it’s an ideal neighborhood for families and for people who want to live in a walkable community,” says Schline.
The home prices reflect the neighborhood’s desirability, with new homes that replaced teardowns priced from over $1 million into the $2 million range.
Stats:
Median Household Income: $105,763
Average Commute Time: 26 minutes
Schools: Francis Scott Key Elementary, Swanson Middle, Washington-Lee High
Zillow Forecast: Up 1.2 percent in 2018
Westover
Walkability and good schools are the prime drivers of interest in Westover, says Schline. The schools all have a good reputation and the neighborhood is just over a mile from the East Falls Church Metro station for commuters.
Best of all is the collection of places to walk to such as a hardware store, pharmacy, library, beer garden, market and the Italian Store.
“Families love Westover, it’s a like a little bit of Mayberry in the middle of Arlington,” says Morgan Knull, an associate broker with RE/MAX Gateway in Washington, D.C.
Knull says the neighborhood has a distinct identity, which is something that appeals to a lot of families who want that sense of community, not to just to live in an ordinary suburb.
Community activities include an annual Easter Egg Hunt and other gatherings that bring the neighborhd together.
Schline says the homes are mostly the 1940s colonial-style, single-family homes found throughout Arlington, many of them with an addition. Prices for the homes that have been remodeled and expanded or for those that are newly constructed after an older home has been torn down go up to $1.5 to $1.6 million.
Stats:
Median Household Income: $105,763
Average commute time: 26 minutes
Schools: McKinley Elementary, Swanson Middle, Yorktown High
Zillow Forecast: Up 2.1 percent in 2018
Garden City
A new elementary school, walkability and slightly more affordable homes than Lyon Village are all part of the appeal of Garden City, says Schline.
“Arlington County recently built Discovery Elementary School, a net-zero, energy-efficient school that’s attracting a lot of families,” she says.
The school has butterfly, vegetable and bio-retention gardens and 75 percent of its walls have windows. An interactive dashboard demonstrates the energy use and production of the school.
Schline says families can find a Cape Cod or colonial-style house on a small lot without a garage for $750,000 in this neighborhood and send their kids to Discovery Elementary and to Yorktown High, another well-regarded school. There are numerous playgrounds in the area and kids and their parents also use the Yorktown High track for exercise. The community comes together for a big Halloween party as well as other smaller events during the year.
Residents can walk to shops and restaurants at Lee Heights and get dessert and treats at Duck Donuts. Kids and their parents like the Barstons Child’s Play toy and craft store, while parents can also stop in for a wine tasting at Arrowine & Cheese or meet friends at a coffee shop.
Stats:
Median Household Income: $105,763
Average Commute Time: 26 minutes
Schools: Discovery Elementary, Williamsburg Elementary, Yorktown High
Zillow Forecast: Up 2.2 percent in 2018