Homes For Sale In Virginia

Virginia is such a wide and varied state that to get a good grip on its market you need to break it up into regions. Before we do that, there are a few basic generalizations. 2020 and 2021 saw a marked increase in homes for sale in Virginia and demand. Now that we’re facing rising interest rates, demand isn’t going anywhere, but prices will most likely rise. The areas of highest growth in Virginia, Northern Virginia especially, should continue to see homes for sale fly off the market as soon as they list. However, due to price pressures, slower markets in central and western Virginia could see plenty of growth too.

Virginia homes for sale list for a median price of $350,000 which is almost right in line with the nationwide median. With over four hundred years of homebuilding, you can find homes for sale in Virginia built anywhere from the 1780s to the 1980s and even newer homes around virtually every city from Wise County to Williamsburg. If you’re looking for suburban homes for sale in Virginia, you’ll want to check out the real estate markets of Loudoun and Fairfax counties in the north, or Virginia Beach and Hampton Rhodes in the east. For rural real estate, the rest of the state is your oyster. Let’s take a look at Virginia region by region to get a better idea of the market as a whole.

Virginia’s Tidewater is a mix of saltwater estuaries centered around the Chesapeake Bay. With Atlantic sea islands, metropolises, and sleepy oceanside towns, homes in Tidewater region is perfect for anyone who loves the beach and urban amenities. Your major centers of Virginia real estate in the tidewater include cities like Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. The Tidewater is home to the majority of Virginia’s population and has long been the economic center of Virginia’s economy. Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a start-up or looking to start a career in the Navy, cities like Norfolk and Virginia Beach will suit you well. 

Northern Virginia (known as Nova by everyone else in the state) has some of the most valuable real estate in the United States. The two counties that make up most of its area, Loudoun and Fairfax, are the two wealthiest counties in the country. As you can probably guess, some of the nicest and newest homes for sale in Virginia are found in Nova. The Nova economy relies primarily on its proximity to Washington D.C. Take a survey of any neighborhood in Arlington or Alexandria and you’ll meet a mix of politicians, defense contractors, lobbyists, and corporate executives. 

Nova’s suburbs and city centers might not come to mind when you picture Virginia homes for sale, but Nova is a vital part of Virginia’s cultural and economic well-being. People from all over the world settle in Nova, ensuring that each year the state gets a fresh injection of the best and brightest from every nation on Earth.

Outside of Richmond, Central Virginia is a primarily rural expanse of rolling hills and farms. Bound by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west, and the tidewater to the east, Central Virginia is big enough to be a state of its own. If you’re looking for some land of your own, you can find whole farms for sale in places like Spotsylvania County. If you want to live the city life without dealing with the high prices of Nova, check out Richmond’s real estate market.

Where the cities of Nova have towering glass and steel skyscrapers, Richmond has old-fashioned brick-and-mortar townhouses and youthful, somewhat rebellious nature that draws in misfits of all ages. Richmond feels like a collection of small towns crammed together, and the surrounding areas can compete for the crown of the Virginia real estate market. 

Southern Virginia is a timeless land of old plantations and vast open stretches with no homes in sight. If you’re really looking to get away from it all without heading into the mountains, this is the region for you. That being said, there are still Virginia homes for sale in a few nice little towns and small cities in the region that you can plant yourself near to. Danville, Virginia is one such town. Danville is an old textile town, right along the North Carolina border and well-positioned for anyone who makes frequent trips to cities like Durham or Raleigh for work.

Virginia’s breadbasket, the Shenandoah Valley, is a narrow collection of counties running north and south from Lexington to Winchester, VA. Almost wholly devoted to farming and cattle ranches, the Shenandoah Valley is home to a plethora of charming small towns like Buena Vista, Front Royal, and New Market, whose main streets look virtually the same as they did during the 1800s. The top cities of the region, Lexington, Harrisonburg, and Staunton (pronounced STAN’-un) are home to prestigious universities and offer some of the few townhouses in this part of the state. If you're planning to look for homes in Shenandoah Valley, you definitely should take a day trip west up into the Appalachian mountains and visit the little mountain resort town of Hot Springs, known for its mineral baths and its five-star hotel, The Homestead.

Every state has one region that reaches mythical status. Southwest Virginia is one such place. Head west from the city of Roanoke, and you’ll be traveling through a living wonder of natural beauty, culture, and economic revival. Home to Virginia’s tallest mountains, largest university (Virginia Tech), and a rapidly diversifying economic spectrum of healthcare, communications, and eco-farming, Southwest Virginia is the state’s best-kept secret. 

Southwest Virginia has some of the most affordable homes for sale in Virginia and with expanding internet access even to the most isolated rural valley villages, it’s a great option for anyone working from home. Check out homes for sale in cities like Abingdon, Wytheville, and Blacksburg if you want to live the mountain life with nearby amenities. If you want to go further out, drive fifteen minutes in any direction, and you’ll find peace and quiet and starry skies every night. 

As we mentioned earlier, Northern Virginia is home to the best schools in the state, with student populations reaching into the thousands. You’ll also find great high schools around Richmond, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, and virtually every college town in the state. If elementary and high school education is a top priority, look for Virginia homes for sale in the counties of Chesterfield, Virginia Beach, Rockbridge, Lord Botetourt, Fairfax, and Loudoun. 

As far as higher education goes, Virginia has several of the top universities in the country, both in terms of academics and tuition. The in-state tuition and scholarships for schools like Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia open up doors from prospective students from all across the state, and kids from as far afield as New York and New Jersey flock to Virginia for the affordability of its education programs. 

Side note- if you’re looking to buy rental properties, target any college town and you’ll make your money back in spades.

If you're looking for houses for sale in Virginia that are family friendly, Charlottesville, Virginia is the city for you. Charlottesville is an affluent community with great schools. It’s equidistant to Washington D.C. and Richmond, and is surrounded by mountains and countryside.

Schools in Virginia start school as early as August 4th and as late as August 31st. 

Loudoun County. Plenty of stables and riding spaces in the southern and western parts of the county.

Richmond. Richmond is a youthful city populated with a mix of students and young professionals. There’s a lively nightlife to meet new people and lots of activities for groups and couples in and around the city.

There are nine commercial airports in Virginia, located in 

Whether you like hiking by yourself or exploring cities with your friends, Homes in Virginia have access to plenty of things to do for everyone. We’ve chosen one key activity for each region that you can enjoy year after year living in Virginia.

Head out to the peninsula to Chincoteague Island to see the wild ponies. That’s right, horses on the beach. The ponies of Chincoteague are remnants of some of the first horses in Virginia brought by the colonists. As you can see, they broke free and went wild on the Atlantic islands and became powerful swimmers in the process.

Head into D.C. Nova is practically an extension of the nation’s capital and seeing how the subway extends all the way out to Vienna in Fairfax County it’s not hard to take a short trip into the capital to explore the National Air and Space Museum and the Lincoln Memorial at your leisure.

Explore Richmond. Whether you live in the city or an hour away, a trip into Richmond is always a good time. Check out the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts or grab a bite to eat in any of the great restaurants in Carytown. Virginia’s state capitol is much more casual and low-key than D.C. and is ripe for exploration.

Believe it or not, Southern Virginia has its very own NASCAR racetrack. The Martinsville Speedway hosts NASCAR races all throughout the year. Get a good pair of earmuffs and go to a race to feel the engines shake the ground beneath your feet.

Attend the Maple Festival in Highland County. Held early in March every year, the towns of McDowell and Monterey host this culinary food festival that brings in thousands from the region. If you enjoy maple donuts and buckwheat pancakes, you’ll be looking forward to the Maple Festival every year.

It’s hard to narrow down one particular event in southwest Virginia, as the region positively explodes with cultural gatherings every other week. We have to pick one, though, and we’ve chosen Floydfest.

Floydfest is an annual summer music festival held in Floyd County that brings in acts like Marcus King, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Infamous Stringdusters. Basically, if you like to dance in the great outdoors, Floydfest is the true gem of Southwest Virginia.