More Northern Virginia buyer guides
Last reviewed and updated: September 21, 2026 by David Mount, REALTOR®, Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist, and NAR Military Relocation Professional with The Redux Group of eXp Realty.
Quick Answer
Alexandria is two housing markets that share one name. The independent City of Alexandria includes Old Town, Del Ray, Rosemont, Seminary Valley, and the West End; the Fairfax County neighborhoods with Alexandria mailing addresses include Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, Belle Haven, and Franconia. Taxes, schools, and price-per-square-foot differ between them. In the City, and in Old Town especially, the best townhouses and single-family homes often sell off-market or within days of listing, so buyers win through preparation, speed, and seller-friendly terms rather than price alone. I am a Northern Virginia buyer’s agent who works with Alexandria buyers at $600,000 and above; in 2026 I represented the buyers of a $1.5 million Old Town townhouse that was purchased off-market before it ever reached the MLS.
Which Alexandria are you buying in?
The first decision most Alexandria buyers do not realize they are making is jurisdiction. The City of Alexandria is an independent city with its own government, its own real estate tax rate, and its own school system (Alexandria City Public Schools). It is where you find the historic housing stock: Old Town’s 18th- and 19th-century rowhouses, Del Ray’s bungalows and Cape Cods, Rosemont’s early-1900s homes, and newer townhouse communities in Potomac Yard and Cameron Station. Fairfax County “Alexandria” is everything south and west of the City line that carries an Alexandria address: Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, Belle Haven, Riverside Estates, Franconia, and Hollin Hills. You pay Fairfax County taxes, attend Fairfax County Public Schools, and generally get more house and more lot for the money.
Neither is better; they serve different buyers. If walkability, Metro access, and historic character are the priority, you are shopping the City. If square footage, a garage, and a yard matter more, the County side usually wins. I cover the differences in detail on my Alexandria community page.
What homes cost in Alexandria in 2026
Figures below are the same 2026 ranges I publish in my Alexandria seller’s guide, so buyers and sellers are working from the same numbers.
- Old Town: one of the most active submarkets in the region, with roughly 650 sales a year. The median sits around $870,000, but historic townhouses on the best blocks range from $1 million to well over $2 million.
- Del Ray: median around $1.15 million and appreciating quickly; mostly detached bungalows and Cape Cods on small lots, plus a growing number of renovated and new-build homes.
- Potomac Yard: newer townhouses and single-family homes near the Potomac Yard Metro station and Amazon’s HQ2 in National Landing, median around $1.35 million.
- Rosemont, Beverley Hills, Seminary Valley: detached and semi-detached homes generally from the high $800,000s to $1.5 million-plus depending on size and renovation.
- West End and Cameron Station: the City’s more attainable townhouse markets, typically $600,000 to $900,000.
- Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, Belle Haven (Fairfax County): townhouses from the mid-$500,000s to $800,000s and single-family homes from roughly $800,000 to $1.5 million, with waterfront and estate properties well above that.
Townhouse or single-family home?
Old Town and Del Ray are townhouse- and small-lot-dominant; detached homes with real yards cluster in Rosemont, Beverley Hills, Seminary Valley, Belle Haven, Hollin Hills, and Mount Vernon. Whichever you choose, historic and near-historic homes deserve a sharper eye than a 1990s colonial in Kingstowne. A few things I walk every Old Town buyer through:
- Historic-district rules. Homes in the Old and Historic Alexandria District need Board of Architectural Review approval for most exterior changes, from windows and doors to fences and paint on unpainted masonry. That protects your investment and limits what you can do; know which before you write an offer.
- Parking. Much of Old Town is residential permit parking. A home with off-street parking commands a premium for a reason.
- Systems and structure. Two-hundred-year-old brick, older wiring and plumbing, and basements below the water table are normal here. A specialist inspector, not a generalist, is worth the fee.
- Water. The blocks nearest the Potomac waterfront have a history of tidal flooding. Check the flood zone and factor insurance into your budget.
How buyers actually win in Alexandria
Alexandria’s best homes rarely sit. Most of what I do for buyers here happens before a house is ever “on the market.”
- Be ready before the house appears. Fully underwritten financing or verified proof of funds, an inspector you can book on 24 hours’ notice, and decision-makers who can sign the same day.
- Hunt off-market. A meaningful share of Old Town and Del Ray homes trade quietly: sold by owner, agent-to-agent, or through a friend of a friend. I work my network of past clients and fellow agents so my buyers hear about these first.
- Be first with a complete offer. Off-market there is no offer deadline, so the first serious, complete offer often sets the terms.
- Make it easy for the seller. Settlement on their date, a clean contract, and the fewest contingencies your finances and risk tolerance responsibly allow. When a bidding war cannot be avoided, my guide to winning a multiple-offer situation in Northern Virginia covers escalation clauses, appraisal gaps, and inspection strategy.
A recent Alexandria purchase: $1.5 million in Old Town, never listed
In September 2026 my clients closed on a $1.5 million townhouse in Old Town Alexandria that never appeared on the MLS. The owners were selling it themselves, and a mutual friend connected the buyers to me. Other buyers were interested. Two things decided it. First, speed: we had a complete, written offer in the sellers’ hands before anyone else had organized theirs. Second, terms: rather than asking the sellers to work around us, we built the offer around them, with no contingencies and settlement on the date they chose. For owners selling without an agent, an offer that is clean, clear, and easy to say yes to is worth more than a slightly higher number wrapped in conditions.
The Old Town Alexandria townhouse my clients purchased off-market for $1.5 million in 2026.
“David Mount provided excellent over the top service for our recent home purchase in Old Town Alexandria. He was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. He held our hands through every step of the sale. I highly recommend David Mount for all your real estate needs.”
Maria M., Google review, September 2026 (the Old Town buyer in this story)
That is the Alexandria playbook in one deal: relationships surface the home, preparation lets you move first, and seller-friendly terms close it. If you are shopping at the $1 million-plus tier anywhere in Northern Virginia, my luxury home buyer page has a second case study, a competitive Vienna purchase won against more than a dozen offers.
Buying in Alexandria as a military family
Alexandria is one of the most popular landing spots for families assigned to the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and the Blue and Yellow Metro lines make a car-free Pentagon commute realistic from Old Town, Braddock Road, or Potomac Yard. VA loans work well on Alexandria townhouses and single-family homes, and on a PCS timeline the off-market and be-first strategies above matter even more. I am an NAR Military Relocation Professional (MRP) and one of Veterans United’s preferred agents; my military relocation page covers VA financing, timing a purchase around orders, and buying from out of the area.
Buying in Alexandria on orders to Fort Belvoir? My Fort Belvoir home buying guide compares Kingstowne, the Fort Hunt corridor, and the rest of the Belvoir market, including a 2026 purchase for a couple moving out of on-post housing.
For orders to the Pentagon, my Pentagon home buying guide covers Del Ray, Seminary Hill, the West End, and the Fort Hunt corridor with realistic officer budgets.
Seventeen Alexandria purchases are documented by neighborhood on my buyer track record.
Alexandria home buyer FAQ
How competitive is the Alexandria housing market for buyers in 2026?
Very, in the segments most buyers want. Well-priced townhouses and single-family homes in Old Town, Del Ray, and Rosemont routinely draw multiple offers within the first weekend, and a share of the best homes never list publicly. Buyers who are fully prepared, who can move within a day, and who offer clean terms win far more often than buyers who simply offer the most money.
Do homes in Old Town Alexandria sell off-market?
Yes. Some Old Town owners prefer a private sale to avoid showings and publicity, and some sell on their own without an agent. These homes trade through relationships: past clients, neighbors, fellow agents, and friends of friends. In 2026 my clients bought a $1.5 million Old Town townhouse exactly this way, referred by a mutual friend, with our offer in before other interested buyers.
Should I buy a townhouse or a single-family home in Alexandria?
Old Town and Del Ray are townhouse and small-lot markets; if you want a detached home with a yard, look to Rosemont, Beverley Hills, Seminary Valley, Belle Haven, Hollin Hills, or Mount Vernon. Historic townhouses carry Board of Architectural Review rules and older systems, so budget for a specialist inspection. Both property types have appreciated well; the right answer depends on how you want to live day to day.
What is the difference between buying in the City of Alexandria and Alexandria, Fairfax County?
The City of Alexandria is an independent city with its own tax rate and school system, walkable historic neighborhoods, and Metro access. Fairfax County neighborhoods with Alexandria addresses, such as Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, and Belle Haven, are governed by Fairfax County, attend Fairfax County Public Schools, and generally offer more square footage and land per dollar. Always confirm which jurisdiction a listing is in before comparing prices or taxes.
Does David Mount work with home buyers in Alexandria?
Yes. David Mount is a REALTOR® with The Redux Group of eXp Realty who works with buyers across Alexandria, both the City and the Fairfax County side, at $600,000 and above. In 2026 he represented the buyers of a $1.5 million off-market townhouse in Old Town Alexandria. He has 12+ years of experience, 200+ homes sold, and $130 million-plus in career sales across Northern Virginia.
Related Alexandria guides
- Alexandria community page: neighborhoods, City vs. County, recent sales
- How to sell your home in Alexandria, VA (2026)
- First-time home buyer’s guide to Alexandria (2026)
- Luxury home buyers in Northern Virginia
- How to win a multiple-offer situation in Northern Virginia
- Sold listings across Northern Virginia
About David Mount
David Mount is a REALTOR® with The Redux Group of eXp Realty, serving Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Loudoun County, and Prince William County. He is a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist (CPRES), an NAR Military Relocation Professional (MRP), an NVAR Platinum Top Producer, and a Veterans United preferred agent, with 12+ years of experience, 200+ homes sold, and more than $130 million in career sales. He grew up in Burke, Virginia, and has lived in Northern Virginia his whole life.
Work with David in Alexandria
Buying in Alexandria, or thinking about it? Tell me what you are looking for and I will reply personally. Call or text 571-946-8418 or email david.mount@thereduxgroup.com. No pressure, just honest advice from someone who knows both the City and the County.