While much of Northern Virginia has quietly crossed the million-dollar line, there's still one new community in Manassas where you can buy brand-new in the $600s — in the Colgan High School district. Here's the honest breakdown

 

 

The short version

  • What it is: Independent Hill, a new Ryan Homes community in Manassas (Prince William County), with townhomes from the low $600s and single-family homes from the upper $800s.
  • Why it matters: Brand-new detached homes in Fairfax now average well over $1 million, and Arlington has crossed the $1M average. Prince William's median sits near $570,000 — one of the last approachable entry points in core NoVA.
  • The schools: Zoned for Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School (Niche "A" overall,…

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If you've been paying attention to what's happening at One Loudoun lately, you already know that Ashburn's most popular entertainment district is in the middle of a serious glow-up. New restaurants, new retailers, luxury apartments going up — the whole north side of the development is being reimagined. And now, the most exciting piece of the puzzle has been officially confirmed: a Tempo by Hilton hotel is coming, and it is going to be a game-changer for Loudoun County.

Whitestone Capital broke ground on the 169-room, seven-story Tempo by Hilton at One Loudoun in May 2026. The hotel is being developed in partnership with Kite Realty Group — the Indianapolis-based REIT that owns and operates One Loudoun — and is targeting a late fall 2027 opening. It…

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Northern Virginia may be getting a glimpse of the future.

According to FOX 5 Washington, autonomous vehicle company Waymo has officially begun mapping parts of Northern Virginia as it explores the possibility of launching driverless ride-hailing services in the Commonwealth.

For most residents, that means you may soon start seeing vehicles equipped with cameras and sensors quietly driving through local streets in places like Alexandria and Arlington. While these vehicles are not operating autonomously today, the mapping effort is a critical first step in preparing for a potential launch of fully autonomous transportation services in the region.

And if you've visited cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Austin recently, you've…

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Selling Your Home in Northern Virginia: What You Need to Know Right Now

If you're thinking about selling your home in Northern Virginia, the spring 2026 market is sending a clear message: serious buyers are out there, inventory is climbing, and the days of simply putting a sign in the yard and waiting for offers are over. This market is shifting. It still rewards sellers — but only the ones who come in prepared, priced right, and marketed aggressively from day one.

The short answer: Yes, it is a good time to sell in Northern Virginia — but the market has shifted and preparation matters more than it has in years. Across Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, and Alexandria, homes are selling in 16 to 23 days with median prices ranging from…

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By Chris Colgan, The Colgan Team at Real Broker | May 2026

Overview

Tens of billions of dollars are being poured into one region of the United States right now, but most people have no idea this is happening. Northern Virginia is being completely rebuilt while turning into the literal backbone of the U.S. economy. After 22 years selling in this region, this is the most consolidated stack of growth I've ever seen. Here's what's here, what's coming, and how it affects prices. (0:00)

Key Takeaways

  • Data Center Alley: Loudoun and Prince William counties host the world's largest concentration of data centers. The Virginia data center industry generates $40 billion in economic impact and over 112,000 jobs per NVTC's March 2026 report.
    • …

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By Chris Colgan, The Colgan Team at Real Broker | May 2026

Overview

If "suburb" means giving up city life, you have not seen these five spots in Northern Virginia. One has a historic downtown that's older than the United States itself. One just ranked number one for schools in the entire state of Virginia. And one is the most affordable walkable downtown on the list by a wide margin. These are five DC suburbs that don't really feel suburban at all. (0:00)

Key Takeaways

  • Mosaic District (Merrifield): Built in 2012, runs 31 acres of real walkable district energy with farmers markets, Caboose Commons, Angelika Film Center, and Orange Line Metro. Pricing mid-$600,000s to low-$700,000s.
  • Reston Town Center: The only NoVA town center…

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By Chris Colgan, The Colgan Team at Real Broker | May 2026

Overview

Thousands of buyers close on homes in Northern Virginia every year thinking the math works. Then month six hits and they are suddenly looking at $6,000 to $8,000 a month just to keep the lights on. After 22 years working with Northern Virginia families, this is exactly what those costs are and how to plan for them before you write an offer. (0:00)

Key Takeaways

  • The mortgage payment is just the start. Property taxes, insurance, utilities, HOA, and Virginia's nation-leading vehicle property tax all add up fast.
  • Most buyers underestimate true monthly carrying costs by $2,000 to $4,000 per month.
  • Fairfax County's real property tax rate is $1.1225 per $100 of…

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By Chris Colgan, The Colgan Team at Real Broker | April 2026

Overview

A lot of people think living in Northern Virginia means crazy prices, traffic, or chaos. And honestly, yeah, for some areas, that is actually real. But there are small towns with nice downtowns, mountain views, and home prices that will surprise you in a good way. Even Clint Eastwood filmed in one of these towns. After 22 years selling real estate across the region, these are five small towns near Northern Virginia that most buyers completely overlook, but really shouldn't. (0:00)

Key Takeaways

  • Winchester: About 1.5 hours west of D.C., median home values in the upper $300,000s, ranked by Forbes as one of the best places to retire in 2025
  • Culpeper: Historic…

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Northern Virginia luxury real estate operates as three completely separate markets, not one. The $1.5M to $2.5M entry tier is broad and lifestyle-driven, spread across Arlington, Alexandria, Vienna, and McLean. The $2.5M to $5M core tier narrows to two distinct buyer profiles split between McLean and Great Falls. And above $5 million, one neighborhood, McLean, controls the majority of the market while the rest of Northern Virginia barely registers. If you're buying or selling at any price point and treating this as one market, you're already working with the wrong strategy.

I'm Chris Colgan, a Northern Virginia native who has spent over 20 years and more than $1 billion in closed transactions working these exact markets. I pulled this breakdown…

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Overview

In the last few months, Northern Virginia’s housing market has been surprising buyers and sellers alike by acting not as one homogeneous real estate sector, but as many markets, split by each county. This can feel overwhelming for those looking to purchase a new home and those trying to offload an old one. That's why the Colgan Team is breaking down the current market trends pulled from data by Bright MLS — the number one resource for realty companies in the mid-Atlantic.

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In brief: Inventory is up everywhere, but prices are split, with some counties having rises and others flattening. Days on the market are stretching, and buyer psychology is shifting in a span of mere months. Below is a narrower breakdown of each micromanaged…

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