Springfield, Virginia, Realtors Report Sizzling Housing Market
Like other areas of Fairfax County, Springfield, Virginia, is in a sizzling seller's market, with prices rising and homes selling quickly, say local Realtors. "With I-95 on the east, Fairfax County Parkway on the south and the Capital Beltway on the north, Springfield is a suburban residential community with excellent schools and commuting," says Realtor Karen Kruschka. "Prices continue to increase, and inventory remains in relatively short supply. This trend will undoubtedly continue throughout 2005 although the pace has slowed somewhat since the beginning of July. The average price of a home in Springfield is $567,000 as compared to $494,000 in 2004. Why? The attractiveness of Springfield has many facets. First, it is in one of the best school districts in Fairfax County. Second, the income level and housing prices are well balanced throughout the Springfield area. Third, it has excellent subway, bus and car-pool services available." Agrees Realtor Diana Whitfield, "Centrally located just outside Washington, D.C., Springfield offers easy access to D.C., the Pentagon and Fort Belvoir. In addition to its great location, Springfield is also popular for it's excellent recreational and shopping amenities." Whitfield explains, "Springfield is a popular Northern Virginia community. Homes sell in a matter of a few days. Buyers are encouraged to have financing and documentation in place in order to be competitive. Why is Springfield a great place to live? Springfield offers a wide variety of housing opportunities. Housing styles range from townhouses and condominiums to single-family homes of various ages and sizes. With its perfect location, great amenities, and the availability of older homes with charm and character or new construction, Springfield is a perfect place to settle ... Great schools, nearby malls with a wide variety of shops, and ample recreational opportunities such as golf and Accotink Park also make Springfield a great place to call home." "In 1946, Realtor Edward R. Carr conceived the master plan for the Springfield Area," says Realtor Steve Hawkins. "He had studied maps of Northern Virginia and discovered that Springfield had the last sizable accessible tract of undeveloped land within a 12-mile zone around Washington DC. It was 1952 before the sewer and water lines were installed and plans were approved to build the first houses; 2000 houses were completed by 1955. Indistinct boundaries make it difficult to define its population. Springfield is located in the southeast portion of Fairfax County, about 13 miles from the nations capitol. Kingstowne, Franconia, Burke and Newington are neighboring communities considered to be part of Greater Springfield. The US Army's Fort Belvoir is just south of town, and Alexandria, with its historic Old Town, is northeast. There is a central highway hub notorious for rush hour, called "The Mixing Bowl." There is housing stock ranging from postwar to new construction. Abundant facilities include Lake Accotink, a 70-acre lake on over 400 acres of parkland. Fairfax County has shown a steady growth and increase in property value in the last year. May settlements were 1685. The median price of single family homes were $580,000." |
