Archive for the 'Reston Condos' Category

Plain Jane or Surprise Inside?

In Reston we have a number of apartments that were built in the 1970’s that converted to condominiums in the late 1980’s. Vantage Hill, Parkcrest Circle, and Ivy Oak are just a few of them.

Ivy Oak Condominiums

As a Realtor, I always find them interesting. They are mostly tan brick with the ever present Reston Brown trim. They tend to be a little on the boxy side, a little on the plain side; but most of them are set on large beautiful land parcels. Some are set in the woods, others have open park like areas but they all have way more of open space than your typical condominium community.

Vantage Hill sits on 15 beautifully wooded acres that have been designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. That’s 15 acres for 152 units or, more than 4000 square feet per unit. I don’t know where else you’d find anything approaching that amount of open space in a more recently built condominium.
The other surprise is on the inside. By today’s standards these units are large. Ivy Oak units range from 1760 – 1875 square feet. Ivy Oak is also unique because they are townhouse style condominiums; they are on 2 levels so no one is living above you. The floor plan on the main level is very open and many have wood burning fireplaces.

When you look at the money for the space and then add the physical setting of these communities, they stack up pretty well against their more contemporary counterparts.

We all know the old adage of not judging a book by its cover- the same is true for property. You do yourself a disservice when you refuse to view a property based solely on your response to the outside. Take a look, and then decide.

Prices on these units range from around $140,000 for a one bedroom in Vantage Hill  to about $325,000 for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath in Ivy Oak.

Vantage Hill, Parkcrest, and Ivy Oak owners, tell us what you love about your neighborhood.

Retire in Reston or move to a 55+ Community?

Rick and Bob

A few days ago I received an email from a newly retired person who was trying to decide where to settle.

He is 72, ready to move out of the larger single family home in Alexandria and move into something that will be less work.  His question to me was simple. “What does Reston have to offer to a person that is entering into this phase of life?” It’s an interesting question and, as it turns out Reston has a lot to offer.

First and foremost being that Reston’s original design principles called for people to be able to stay put, meaning people should be able to change housing type as their needs change but not have to leave the community. From a real estate perspective Reston has everything to offer from townhouses to condos to smaller ranch style single family homes that allow you to do the vast majority of your living on one level.

One natural outgrowth of the design principle that gave us such diversity in housing types is that our amenities have grown and expanded to serve the needs of our evolving population. Reston Association and Reston Community Center have a variety of programs from classes and activities to performing arts that serve the entirety of our population. Reston is also home to an Osher Life Long Learning Institute group that meets at Lake Anne Plaza.

Kayaking to the Concert on Lake Anne

Another defining characteristic of Reston is that it has always has been a community of active participation–there is always something to do or to be done. We live in clusters and condos that all have Boards. There’s GRACE, the greater Reston Arts Center,  and the Historic Trust, and Reston Association. There are committees for any number of community events that need active support. You can be as involved as you want to be.

So I think the answer is yes, Reston would be a great place to retire to—I don’t know how many of our Seniors came here expressly to retire. I would suspect that most started as younger people that have lived and worked here and are now retiring here.

We are a community that values our long relationships, but we will welcome new ones as well.