About Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia is a region steeped in American history while continuing to write its own history as each day passes. When you move to Northern Virginia, you are becoming part of the first permanent
English settlement founded at Jamestown in 1607. As we head into the 21st Century, once again, Virginia leads the way with its cutting edge industries and progressive educational systems. When you move to Northern Virginia, you re not just buying a home, you’re adapting to a way of life.

The immediate Northern Virginia area includes three jurisdictions, home to 1.3 million people. As you look across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., your first stop is Arlington County. This is the home of such diverse attractions as the Pentagon, the Washington National Airport, and the National Cemetery (the resting sites of such Washington notables as President John F. Kennedy and President William Howard Taft).

The city of Alexandria, settled in the early days of our nation, is extremely rich in history. George Washington helped lay out the town lots; it was the boyhood home of General Robert E. Lee; and there are historic sites by the dozen. Bounded by the Potomac River, Alexandria was a port until the late 1880s.

Compared to other residential areas of the Washington D.C. metropolis, Northern Virginia offers more variety as far as lifestyle, selection, and affordability. Whether you are looking for fast-paced, high-rise sophistication; for community-oriented townhouse developments; or for single-family planned communities, Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax have thousands of homes from which to choose.

Transportation

Regardless of where you decide to live in Northern Virginia, transportation is a main concern – and the local governments have worked long and hard to help you. Though 71 percent of those driving to work drive alone, the remaining 29 percent find simple access to public transportation and organized van/car pools. The Metro Rail system travels deep through Alexandria (Blue and Yellow Lines), Arlington, and Fairfax (Orange Line), with its outermost point at the Vienna Metro stop.

In addition, Metro Bus access from numerous areas further west ease your commute with climate controlled buses taking you from your door step to the office. The most recent addition to this sophisticated transportation system is the new Commuter Rail with stops throughout south Fairfax and Alexandria, taking commuters straight into Union Station in Downtown Washington, D.C.

And when it’s time to travel domestically or abroad, Northern Virginia is the logical choice. Fairfax County’s Dulles International Airport and Arlington’s National Airport are two more good reasons Northern Virginia should become your home. In addition, the National Airport is accessible by Metro Rail on the Blue or Yellow lines. Flights bound for Europe leave Dulles Airport on a daily basis.

Education

Possibly the premiere amenity offered in Northern Virginia is its educational system. Whether your choice is public, private, or parochial; grade school, preparatory, or higher education, Northern Virginia fills your needs with programs from pre-school to doctoral.

The colleges and universities located in our region include satellite campuses of major state facilities such as the University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Schools with full academic programs include George Mason University in Fairfax, Marymount University in Arlington, and the Northern Virginia Community College with five campuses throughout the area.

Economy

Contrary to popular belief, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., are not just appendages of the Federal Government. In fact, the larger part of our economy is in the private sector. Government jobs, including local, state, and federal, make up only 13 percent of the job market (61,400). The services industries lead the area in employment (including Legal, Health and Engineering services), followed by the Retail Trade and then the Government sector. Unemployment figures for Northern Virginia in 1991 stood at 3.4 percent, nearly half the national average.

Lifestyles

So what keeps Northern Virginia growing? It’s not just all the things mentioned above – the way Northern Virginians learn and work – but also the way they play. Once the day ends, a wide array of leisure activities await you throughout Northern Virginia’s 400-plus square miles. Cultural attractions include America’s only national park dedicated to the performing arts,and Wolf Trap National Park. George Mason University’s new Center for the Performing Arts also attracts popular musical and theatrical troupes.

In addition, Northern Virginians are just a few minutes drive from the popular cultural nests in the nation’s capital: The Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theater, the Smithsonian Institutions 13 museums (including historical, natural, and cultural exhibits), and much, much more. As you make your decision on whether to make Northern Virginia your home, we’re sure you’ll discover why millions of others have been sold on Northern Virginia.