Most Expensive Homes Sold in the DMV in 2020

Answer: Happy holidays to you and yours! I hope you are finding new ways to enjoy the season and connect with family and friends this year. I’m going to keep my final post of 2020 light and take a look at the most expensive sales in the DMV in 2020, something we all enjoy doing!

Despite its Missing Ultra High-End Market [sarcasm], Arlington boasts the most expensive sale in the DMV in 2020, by a LOT, with the sale of a massive estate along the Potomac River for $45,000,000. This price tag earns the new owner over 31,000sqft of living space, 3.2 acres, a 30-car garage, and gorgeous views of the Potomac River.

Listing and photo by Russell Firestone, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (409 Chain Bridge Rd, Arlington)

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Arlington

Arlington’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include the region-leading $45M sale mentioned above and four sales ranging from $2.88M-$3.35M, including two condos in Rosslyn’s iconic Turnberry Tower.

Listing and photo by Nancy Taylor Bubes, Washington Fine Properties (1881 N Nash St #2301, Arlington)

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Alexandria

Alexandria’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include four homes in Alexandria’s new waterfront condo and townhouse community, Robinson Landing, and one incredibly unique single-family home on ¼ acre in the heart of Old Town (pictured below).

Listing and photo by MaryEllen Rotondo, McEnearney Associates (217 S Fairfax St, Alexandria)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Fairfax County

Fairfax County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include three homes in Great Falls and two homes in Mclean ranging from $5.6M-$24M. Pictured below is what $7M gets you in Great Falls – over 20,000sqft, 5 acres, and stunning landscape and architectural design.

Listing and photo by Piper Yerks, Washington Fine Properties (576 Innsbruck Ave, Great Falls)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Loudoun County

Loudoun County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include sales ranging from $3.75M-$16M. At a price tag of $16M, you could have secured a 1,550+ acre cattle farm in Upperville, surrounded by vineyards and a short drive to Middleburg.

Listing and photo by Kathryn Harrell, Washington Fine Properties (33542 Newstead Ln, Upperville)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Washington DC

Washington DC’s five most expensive sales in 2020 range from $6.1M-$17.75M, with Georgetown commanding four of those sales. Want a 10,000sqft home with a detached 2-car garage and 6/10th of an acre in Georgetown? That’ll run you $17.75M in 2020.

Listing and photo by Michael Rankin, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (1405 34th St NW, Washington DC)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Montgomery County

Montgomery County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 range from $5.475M-$15M, including my personal favorite, a $10M mansion on Chevy Chase Circle sitting on nearly two acres (pictured below).

Listing and photo by Daniel Heider, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (9 Chevy Chase Cir, Chevy Chase)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in the DMV, Outside the Greater DC Metro

The DMV’s five most expensive sales in 2020, outside of the greater DC Metro area, range from $6.2M-$10M, including four homes fronting the Chesapeake Bay. My personal favorite, pictures below, is a 36 acre waterfront estate just outside of St. Michaels, and includes a WWII replica fighter plane hung from the ceiling of the great room.

Listing and photo by Doc Keane, Washington Fine Properties (26310 Saint Michaels Rd, Easton)

I hope that was a fun tour through 2020’s most expensive homes in the DMV! Happy New Year everybody!

If you’d like to discuss buying or selling strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Eli@EliResidential.com.

What’s Driving Arlington’s 2018 Condo Growth?

Question: Are there specific buildings or sub-markets in Arlington that were responsible for the jump in condo values in the first half of 2018?

Answer: The most interesting data point that came from last week’s mid-year real estate review was that, for the first time in years, condo prices appreciated significantly from the first half of 2017 (9.1% growth). I received a number of emails from readers asking if this growth occurred across the entire condo market or in specific locations or buildings so this week’s column takes a deeper dive into the 2018 mid-year data for condos in Arlington.

 

Growth and Demand Increase Across the Market

The good news for condo owners in Arlington is that appreciation and demand increased across all markets in the first half of 2018. In fact, 63 of the 79 measures for appreciation and demand improved (if you’re a homeowner/seller). To test the market, I looked at average price and three demand indicators (days on market, purchase price to asking price ratio, and number of sales) broken out by zip code, building age, and price range. The data compares pricing and demand trends in the first half of each year for all condos sold in Arlington. Cells highlighted in green indicate improvement (for homeowners/sellers) in that category for 2018.

 

All Eight Zip Codes Appreciated

Demand indicators supported the price growth, with most zip codes seeing a faster pace of sale and buyers negotiate less off original asking prices. For those tracking new construction in Arlington, only 11 of the 98 sales in 22209 were in Key & Nash and it’s important to note that builders do not enter all of their sales into the MLS, so a large percentage of those sales are missing from the data. Note that 22205 is not included because of the lack of volume.

 

 

Older Properties Surged

Many older buildings in Northern VA are struggling to recover from their peak pricing from 2005-2007, which has left many owners in a difficult financial position. The strong appreciation seen in condos built before the 1970s will be a much-needed relief for many and proves that Arlingtonians and investors are seeing value in older, less expensive condos compared to their newer, amenity-rich neighbors built in the last 20 years. Check out the huge drop in average days on market for condos built in the 1950s or earlier!

 

 

Higher Demand at Every Price Point

Demand picked up the most for less expensive condos, but every price range saw at least two demand indicators increase in the first half of 2018.

 

 

If you own a condo in Arlington and would like to take advantage of the recent appreciation of your property, feel free to email me at Eli@EliResidential.com to schedule some time to talk about your options.