Forty years ago, this neighborhood was planned to be a “new downtown” of Arlington — but was this endeavor successful?
In this week’s Neighborhood Spotlight, please join the Keri Shull Team as we give you a full breakdown of Ballston, one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Arlington, Virginia.
No matter where you live in Arlington, there’s something unique to fall in love with. What do you love about your community? Let us know down in the comments below, so we can highlight them in a future Neighborhood Spotlight.
And, as always, if you have any questions about Arlington real estate, please contact the Keri Shull Team, the No. 1 top-selling real estate team in the Washington, D.C. area.
Where is Ballston?
Ballston is one of the main urban villages of Arlington, marking the endpoint of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Ballston is close to other popular Arlington neighborhoods, such as Clarendon, making it a great place to live if you work in Arlington. Easy access to public transit and major roadways mean that Ballston also offers convenient access to Alexandria, Washington D.C. and southern Arlington neighborhoods like Shirlington and Fairlington.
Home Styles in Ballston
Ballston tends to be quite varied in the types of homes on the market. High-rise buildings — filled with the apartment-style units found in other Arlington condo communities — dot the Ballston skyline. But just a few blocks away, the neighborhood is filled with detached homes and townhouses.
In general, owning a home in Ballston is a good investment, as Arlington home values have been steadily rising for a while now.
Because of the size of the community and how fast the market moves in Arlington, it’s important to work with a real estate team that can streamline your search and help negotiate for you. In fact, the best thing to do is work with a team that can help find you off-market homes in Ballston.
Popular Ballston Housing Communities
Although Ballston is best known for its condominium communities, there are also plenty of rowhomes, townhomes and freestanding houses available for purchase. Here are two of our favorite housing communities in the Ballston area — for a more complete list, make sure to check out the full guide to living in Ballston:
- Ballston 880 offers 123 pockets of luxury living across 10 floors, right in the heart of Ballston. The community features one- and two-bedroom units, both with open floor plans and luxury fittings like granite countertops and hardwood floors.
- One of the most exciting new developments in Ballston real estate is Abingdon Estates, a collection of unique, detached homes built by Classic Cottages. This subdivision, located along a secluded cul-de-sac just a few blocks away the Ballston Quarter mall, is a perfect blend of urban convenience with suburban privacy.
What To Do in Ballston
Ballston is one of the “busiest” neighborhoods in the D.C. metro area — there are a ton of things to do in the neighborhood. In fact, there are far too many suggestions to list in this guide!
However, there is one feature of the Ballston skyline that houses a bit of everything — Ballston Quarter. Ballston Quarter is a newly renovated center for shopping, dining and entertainment in Arlington.
Ballston Quarter represents a new wave in urban convenience. The redesigned mall features retail, a hip food hall in Arlington VA, and even an ice rink on top of the mall. The Quarter is home to some of our favorite eateries in Arlington, such as The Local Oyster and Punch Bowl Social.
How To Find a Home in Ballston
Let’s be frank — living in Ballston is pretty great for a lot of people. Residents get to enjoy perks such as:
- Incredibly high walkability and transit convenience
- Access to top-of-the-line dining and retail at Ballston Quarter
- Easy transit due to high employment opportunities
- Vibrant local culture
- Simple commutes to D.C., Alexandria and other parts of Arlington
Because of this, homes tend to move fast in Ballston. If you don’t approach your home search the right way, the chances of finding — and winning — the right home are very slim.
If you aren’t working with the right team might have serious trouble finding the right home now — but there is help out there! At the Keri Shull Team, we have hundreds of off-market properties that you cannot find online or anywhere else… and we want to give you priority access to these homes before they even go on the market.
And if you are selling a house in Arlington, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are taking the proper precautions to protect your investment. The best way to do that is to speak with a top-tier real estate agent and create a completely customized home selling strategy.
So what are you waiting for? Just click here to schedule a time for a free, no-pressure consultation with one of our Real Estate Needs Analysts!