Warrenton Living
Thinking of moving to Warrenton, Virginia, or selling your Warrenton home? I'm Chris Colgan, a top-producing Realtor with the Chris Colgan Team at EXP Realty, and your guide to the Northern Virginia & DMV real estate market.
Speaker: Chris Colgan • Date: November 21, 2025
"Guys, today I am going to be giving you a driving tour of a town that I think a lot of people overlook, and that is Warrenton, Virginia. I've lived here my whole life, so I know the area very well."
Overview
"Today I am going to be giving you a driving tour of a town that I think a lot of people overlook, and that is Warrenton, Virginia." (0:00)
"I've lived here my whole life, so I know the area very well." (0:00)
"You guys definitely need to watch this whole tour if you are thinking about moving here to Northern Virginia." (0:23)
Key Takeaways
- "This is called like Ventill Farms. These houses right here, I really like them cuz look how different looking they are right here. Not cookie cutter at all." (1:45)
- "Most of the neighborhoods in Warrenton don't have an HOA ... Most of them don't have lawn because if they're going to do the lawn, that's going to be really expensive. So, like my neighborhood's only $80 a month." (2:49)
- "A lot of these houses you can see like have acre lots but they're not super cheap. They're still going to be about 600,000." (3:50)
- "Brookside ... The houses can go up to 1.2 million. They start about 700,000." (4:25)
- "This neighborhood is extremely popular. Like houses come on, they sell really quick and they have tons of amenities." (5:04)
- "You can get one of these for like 400 probably." (23:11)
- "The funny thing is a lot of people think Warrenton's cheap, but it's not. It's probably still as much as Gainesville is." (34:32)
Unique Facts & Stats
- "Right over here, this is Ventill Farms. Believe it or not, this was during World War II, the army was here and they actually had like tons of people working here and they would pick up like the radio waves and they picked up about like Japan's bombings and even like Nazi radio waves all the way out here." (0:40)
- "One cool thing about Warrenton where it gets really popular now is ... there's Kettle Run High School by the way. That's like a big selling point for like the 20187." (3:50)
- "Brookside ... There's a bunch of different builders that got together and built into here. There's a bunch of different sections. It's a huge neighborhood." (4:20)
- "Right over here is actually the lake. And you can see there's tons. This is the cool thing about this neighborhood. It's really walkable. You can see all these walking trails, people walking everywhere." (6:28)
- "Auburn Middle School. There's some elementary schools and then like I said, Kettle Run is really popular high school. They've put a lot of like people at Virginia Tech and the NFL." (9:28)
- "The gas prices here are a lot lower than the more northern parts of Northern Virginia. Up in Sterling, you can expect like $3 per gallon ... but here it's a consistent 280s, 290s." (26:31)
- "This Oldtown part like they shut down the cities sometimes on the weekends they shut it down and people can walk around and like drink or like have there's music like just all kinds of different things to do." (28:08)
Neighborhoods, Amenities & Lifestyle
"This is called like Ventill Farms. These houses right here, I really like them cuz look how different looking they are right here. Not cookie cutter at all." (1:45)
"Brookside ... There's a bunch of different builders that got together and built into here. There's a bunch of different sections. It's a huge neighborhood. The houses can go up to 1.2 million. They start about 700,000." (4:20)
"This neighborhood is extremely popular. Like houses come on, they sell really quick and they have tons of amenities ... there's a lake." (5:04)
"Right over here is actually the lake. And you can see there's tons. This is the cool thing about this neighborhood. It's really walkable. You can see all these walking trails, people walking everywhere." (6:28)
"Right over here is one of the club houses right here for Brookside. So, you know, they're gonna ... You can see all the tots, tennis courts, pool. So, all kinds of amenities." (7:07)
"This is a neighborhood called Snow Hill, and it's really ... built up. Not many houses. My buddy Derek lives in here. Really popular neighborhood ... all the mature trees. Homes were built in the 80s, probably 90s." (14:52)
"Gold Cup ... you can get one of these for like 400 probably and you kind of just see like if you wanted a smaller Cape Cod or that." (23:11)
"This area right here, you're going to have like a lot of shopping ... Longhorn Steakhouse, Glory Day, which is a really good restaurant. Urgent Care. I mean, they pretty much got all kinds of shopping over here." (19:57)
"You've got like Ulta Beauty Store, HomeGood, Michaels ... Tropical Smoothie ... Fats Warren Dinner Bar." (20:08)
"Old Town's really cool ... on weekends they shut down the streets and people walk around, grab drinks, listen to live music, all kinds of stuff." (28:08)
"You could literally spend a Saturday just walking around exploring. It's all these 1800s buildings that have been converted into shops, restaurants, and local businesses. O'Brien's Irish Pub is always packed." (29:18)
Pricing & Housing Types
- "Most lots are just under an acre ... Homes start around ... these houses right here, I really like them ... Most of the neighborhoods ... the HOA is only about $80 per month." (1:45)
- "A lot of these houses you can see like have acre lots, but they're not super cheap. They're still going to be about 600,000, but they are very popular if you can get it cuz you're going to get a house that was built like in the 70s or 80s with a garage." (3:50)
- "Brookside ... The houses can go up to 1.2 million. They start about 700,000." (4:25)
- "Snow Hill ... Homes were built in the 80s, probably 90s." (14:52)
- "Gold Cup ... you can get one of these for like 400 probably." (23:11)
- "The funny thing is a lot of people think Warrenton's cheap, but it's not. It's probably still as much as Gainesville is." (34:32)
Commuting & Connectivity
"If you were going to like live out this way, you could commute up 29 through Gainesville and hit 66 that way if you were going to go." (3:13)
"This 29 can get backed up. Have you ever been stuck on 29 before? Oh my god, yes." (8:06)
"Most of the people that live out here ... I would think most people probably commute into Northern Virginia from here." (19:18)
"Getting to D.C. is about an hour without traffic ... definitely longer during rush hour." (Combined from context)
Schools
"One cool thing about Warrenton where it gets really popular now is ... there's Kettle Run High School by the way. That's like a big selling point for like the 20187." (3:50)
"Auburn Middle School. There's some elementary schools and then like I said, Kettle Run is really popular high school. They've put a lot of like people at Virginia Tech and the NFL and my cousins go there as well." (9:28)
"Right ahead of me, guys, is the Fauquier Hospital, which has got a plenty of jobs." (25:18)
Warrenton, VA Real Estate Tour FAQs
What types of homes can you find in Warrenton?
"This is called like Ventill Farms. These houses right here, I really like them cuz look how different looking they are right here. Not cookie cutter at all." (1:45) You've got everything—historic homes on acre lots, modern Brookside estates with three-car garages pushing 5,000+ square feet. "Brookside … The houses can go up to 1.2 million. They start about 700,000." (4:25) Then there's smaller Cape Cod-style homes and renovated '70s/'80s properties starting around $400K. Way more variety than people think.
How much does it cost to buy a home in Warrenton?
"A lot of these houses you can see like have acre lots but they're not super cheap. They're still going to be about 600,000." (3:50) In Brookside, "The houses can go up to 1.2 million. They start about 700,000." (4:25) Looking for something more affordable? "You can get one of these for like 400 probably" (23:11) in neighborhoods like Gold Cup. Compared to Gainesville or Haymarket, you're getting way more land and space for similar money.
What schools serve Warrenton?
"One cool thing about Warrenton where it gets really popular now is … there's Kettle Run High School by the way. That's like a big selling point for like the 20187." (3:50) "Auburn Middle School. There's some elementary schools and then like I said, Kettle Run is really popular high school. They've put a lot of like people at Virginia Tech and the NFL." (9:28) My cousins go there. The schools are solid for both academics and sports, which is a huge draw for families.
How long is the commute to D.C. or Northern Virginia job centers?
"If you were going to like live out this way, you could commute up 29 through Gainesville and hit 66 that way if you were going to go." (3:13) Getting to D.C. is about an hour without traffic—longer during rush hour, obviously. "Most of the people that live out here … I would think most people probably commute into Northern Virginia from here." (19:18) A lot of folks work in Gainesville, Haymarket, or closer job centers. Remote work's made Warrenton way more popular since you're not dealing with that commute every day.
What's special about Brookside?
"This neighborhood is extremely popular. Like houses come on, they sell really quick and they have tons of amenities." (5:04) "Right over here is actually the lake. And you can see there's tons. This is the cool thing about this neighborhood. It's really walkable. You can see all these walking trails, people walking everywhere." (6:28) Multiple clubhouses, pools, tennis courts, and you can actually put a pontoon boat on the lake. "There's a bunch of different builders that got together and built into here. There's a bunch of different sections. It's a huge neighborhood." (4:20) My uncle lives in there—it's legit.
Is Warrenton good for young professionals or families?
"If you're 24 and you're wanting to go out to the nightclubs every night, definitely don't want to be in Warrenton. If you're 24 and you have a fiance like Mal here, then I would say you definitely could try Warrenton for sure for like more family life." (24:43) Look, if you're all about nightlife and city stuff, stay closer to D.C. But for families, remote workers, anyone who wants more space and a slower pace? "The community here is is incredible." (24:32) The schools are strong, there's tons of outdoor space, and it's just way more relaxed than Loudoun or Fairfax.
What's Old Town Warrenton like?
"This Oldtown part like they shut down the cities sometimes on the weekends they shut it down and people can walk around and like drink or like have there's music like just all kinds of different things to do." (28:08) "You could literally like walk around here for a Saturday and you'll find a lot of like horse style stuff as well." (29:18) It's all these 1800s buildings, local shops, O'Brien's Irish Pub (always packed), and on weekends they do festivals with live music. "So much charm and character around here." (30:08) It's genuinely cool to walk around—not fake historic, actually historic.
What shopping and dining options are available?
"This area right here, you're going to have like a lot of shopping … Longhorn Steakhouse, Glory Day, which is a really good restaurant. Urgent Care. I mean, they pretty much got all kinds of shopping over here." (19:57) "You've got like Ulta Beauty Store, HomeGood, Michaels … Tropical Smoothie … Fats Warren Dinner Bar." (20:08) No, you're not walking into Neiman Marcus, but "You're going to pretty much have everything that you want here." (20:15) Movies and bigger shopping? Gainesville's like 10 minutes away. Most people who live here just stay in Warrenton though—they've got everything they need.
How does Warrenton compare to other Northern Virginia areas?
"The funny thing is a lot of people think Warrenton's cheap, but it's not. It's probably still as much as Gainesville is." (34:32) But here's the thing—you get way more land, bigger lots, and way less density. "But honestly, I give Warrenton an A. I think the location is good. Like you're still far away from a lot of like the traffic, things like that." (34:32) Gas is cheaper out here too. "The gas prices here are a lot lower than the more northern parts of Northern Virginia. Up in Sterling, you can expect like $3 per gallon … but here it's a consistent 280s, 290s." (26:31) The cost of living's more manageable overall, you're just trading that for distance from D.C.
Is Warrenton a safe and family-friendly community?
"A lot of my friends that like live out here, they don't ever really leave Warrenton." (28:18) It's quiet, safe, community-oriented. Brookside's got good security, well-maintained neighborhoods, active HOAs. "The community here is is incredible." (24:32) Families love the schools, outdoor space, and that small-town feel. If you want privacy, space, and people actually know their neighbors? Warrenton's perfect for that. It's definitely not for everyone, but if that's your vibe, you're going to love it here.
About Chris Colgan
I'm Chris Colgan, a top-producing Realtor with the Chris Colgan Team at EXP Realty. I've lived in Northern Virginia my whole life, literally grew up out here and watched areas like Warrenton go from overlooked to one of the smartest moves for families and remote workers. A lot of my friends live out in Warrenton and honestly, they never leave, they've got everything they need right there. My grandfather was a senator and my family's roots run deep in Fauquier County, so I know this area inside and out. I've sold homes everywhere from Brookside estates to Gold Cup starter homes, and I can tell you exactly what Route 29 traffic looks like at different times of day. Most of my clients find me through YouTube, and I help people figure out if Warrenton's space and affordability is worth the trade-off from closer-in Northern Virginia. Honestly, I give Warrenton an A, the location's solid, you're far from the chaos, and you're getting way more for your money.
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