Reston

Photo: Kit Case

Offering up space to work, live and play, there’s plenty to discover in Reston. As the nation’s very first planned community, the vibrant Town of Reston was first founded in the mid 1960s.

Since then, it’s grown to become one of the most desirable parts of the DC area. Not only does Reston offer the enjoyment of easy access to parks, the airport and plenty of recreation, but it also offers some slightly more budget-friendly options for buyers who want to live close to DC and all of its offerings.

These days, you’ll find a large variety of different types of housing, from condos, townhomes and apartments in Reston Town Center, to single-family homes set in quiet neighborhoods. The town was also designed to incorporate plenty of

DC Condo Boutique team member John Hunter represented the buyer of a Midtown at Reston Town Center condo located at 11990 Market Street #813 Reston, VA 20190. This condo features 2 BR | 2 BA | 1,426 SF and closed on August 23rd, 2019 for $732,000 | $513 SF. Two parking spaces conveyed with this transaction.

Unparalleled southwest views to the Blue Ridge Mountains from this turnkey condo. Upscale appointments include floor-to-ceiling windows, wide-plank hardwoods, custom moulding and upgraded lighting. Enjoy upscale Midtown at Reston Town Center building amenities and walk to shopping, dining, entertainment and future Metro Station.

Popular Reston Town Center is in line for a multi-million-dollar makeover. Crews plan to spend up to $5 million making upgrades to common areas of its public plaza.

This includes installing artificial turf where the ice-skating rink sets up in the winter months. While the actual redesign of the public plaza is still being worked out, the overall project focuses on making public space within the now 30-year old site more inviting and contemporary.

While the town center already boasts a number of events throughout the year including an annual arts festival and summer weekend concerts, more events and programming will likely be added in to draw more people out to the space. Crews may also be adding in an outdoor beer or wine garden.

Designers

Desirable new condos are now selling with the Lofts at Reston Station. Priced starting in the mid $500,000s, the redevelopment project brings with it your choice of dozens of single-level condos, plus another dozen two-level townhouse-style condos to the area.

Those two-level options are reportedly already sold out, as are about half of the more traditional floor plans within the property, offering up two-bedrooms and two-baths. These one-level elevator condos come in seven different designs to fit your lifestyle needs. Current options generally range from around 1,300 square feet of living space to more than 1,600 square feet of living space.

Buyers are treated to such inclusions as high ceilings and large windows, plus the advantage of Smart

If you want to keep parking at Reston Town Center for free, one option is to purchase a nearby condo. Starting in early January 2017 the area is going to change over from free garage and street parking to a paid parking system for visitors. It will likely be a big change for those who have been able to park in the garages for free since the center first opened in 1990.

The property owner is trying to cut down on the number of commuters who are currently parking in the center’s garages for easier access to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station. While Reston Town Center is slated to get its own Metro station in the future, it likely won’t be open for another three years. For now, parking is set to increase to $2 per hour on weekdays, but will stay

The place to go for dining, shopping and entertainment, Lake Anne Village Center provides a well-rounded location for just about everything in Reston. This unique location offers restaurants serving up traditional American-themed cuisine, plus there are ethnic dining selections too, along with specialized craft beer, handcrafted chocolates and specialty stores.

First built up in the early 1960s, many other town centers took inspiration from Lake Anne, joining Reston, the nation’s very first post-war, planned community. Constructed around a reservoir, the first shops and homes went up in Lake Anne within just a couple of years. Decades later a redevelopment plan has led the effort to once again revitalize the area, with plans to keep some of Lake

Called the skinniest park in Virginia, the 100-foot wide Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail is one of the longest parks in the area.  It was built on the road of the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad.  The rail trail is 10 feet wide and this is the space used for walking, jogging and bicycling.  The entire 45 miles of trail is paved with asphalt and a painted yellow centerline conducive to safe running and cycling.  Next to the W&OD Trail between Vienna and Purcellville, there is a 32 mile gravel trail for horseback riding.  

The 45-mile multi-use trail goes through both densely populated urban and suburban communities as well as through the rural countryside of Northern Virginia.  The park is open all year.  It begins from Shirlington near

Baby boomers, also known as empty nesters, were the biggest homebuyers in 2013, according to The Washington Post.  Since this group is no longer first time buyers looking for a home for a young family with kids, baby boomers want a home with low-maintenance, walkable communities for their urban daily conveniences, close to shops, restaurants and public transportation where they can age care-free.  These older buyers are now big business for DC homebuilders.

Folks over age 45 without kids under the age of 18 at home, mature couples over age 45 without children and retirees over age 65 make up 45% of all buyers in the DC area in 2013.  This group wants more amenities and are willing to pay more even though these homes are sometimes smaller.  New designs

The master-planned residential community of Reston, Virginia reached a triple milestone last month---the opening of the highly anticipated Metro Silver Line Station, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the community when its first residents moved in, and the 100th birthday of Reston founder Robert E. Simon.  In 2012, CNN Money Magazine ranked Reston #7 in The Best Places To Live in America report.

In addition to its master-planned single-family homes, Reston added recreational amenities like swimming pools, nature trails, tennis courts, open green space and a community center---all elements of a planned community today but revolutionary 50 years ago.  Reston is an ideal location for people who are looking for an upscale, nice community near their

Money Magazine ranks Reston, Virginia among the Top 10 U.S. Top Small Cities on its 2014 list.  Out of nearly 800 cities examined with populations between 50,000 and 300,000, and factors such as a strong local economy, housing market, good schools, safety and health care, its rankings are based on more than 50 factors that puts Reston clearly on the top tier of best cities to live in.

Reston ranks #10 in the Top Small City category by the magazine.  Money Magazine calls Reston “the first modern planned community in the country, and the vision of its founder has held up beautifully.”  Its founder still lives in Reston.  With a population of more than 61,000 residents and a median family income of more than $142,000, Reston is an affluent city made up