May 10th, 2009:
Cameron Station lobbies at Main Street
The lobbies at Main Street condos in Cameron Station are generally immaculate and nicely appointed. The elevators are pleasant and will not disappoint even the pickiest discriminating buyers.
Showing properties
1 - 5 of 14.
See more Cameron Station Condominiums.
(all data current as of
5/17/2012)
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$430,000 : 5081 Donovan Dr #184, Alexandria2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
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$299,900 : 400 Cameron Station Blvd #311, Alexandria1 bed, 1 full bath
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$399,900 : 171 Somervelle St #405, Alexandria2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
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$265,000 : 4950 Brenman Park Dr #103, Alexandria1 bed, 1 full, 1 part baths
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$495,900 : 165 Martin Ln #541, Alexandria3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
The differences between cities, counties, towns and unincorporated settlements in Virginia
For many, especially those who are new to the area, the system of jurisdictions that we have in the Commonwealth of Virginia can be confusing. This is especially confusing in Northern Virginia, where
Virginia intersects with Washington DC and the State of Maryland.
Fortunately I have a fresh bottle of CONFUSION-B-GON to spray liberally as needed.
Around our nation’s capital
Let me start with my single-biggest pet peeve among newcomers: the term “DC proper”.
I have seen this term used regularly on a site that claims to provide local information. That information is provided by people using anonymous handles. Anonymous handles should be your first clue not to completely trust the information you find.
At any rate: there is no such thing as “DC proper”. There are three main jurisdictions here: Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.
It is very common to live in Northern Virginia or Suburban Maryland and work in DC. Virginia is as different from DC as New Jersey is from New York. With a wink and a smile I have to inform you that just because you thought your job was transferring to Washington doesn’t mean that you’re moving to DC proper or improper.
Virginia jurisdictions
One of the keys to understanding Virginia real estate for a property search is to understand the differences between towns, counties and cities. In Virginia, as in most other states in the US, a county and an area administer below the state-level by local / county government.
Counties are often rural areas, but Fairfax County has over a million
residents and has very little rural land left.
Fairfax County aside, a county may have one or more towns within it’s borders. In Virginia a town, no matter how many people live in that town, is part of a county and is managed by the county. In Virginia, towns often have governments but these governments are subordinate to and part of the
county where the town is found.
In addition to counties, Virginia has a fairly unique concept called a city. A city is like a county, except it is more urban than rural.
For example Falls Church and Alexandria are both cities. Cities, unlike towns, are not subordinate to counties. Cities are independent and operate on a level similar to counties.
This can be particularly confusing in Fairfax County. Fairfax County is a large mostly urban county and it surrounds Fairfax, an independent city. So the City of Fairfax is surrounded by Fairfax County, but it’s not a part of Fairfax County. Falls Church, Alexandria and Fairfax are
all cities. Manassas and Manassas Park are both cities, and both are surrounded by Prince William County.
Real estate is sorted by county
It’s important to understand this system of administrative organization because land tax records are stored by the county or city. Because tax records are organized by the county or city, real estate property searches are often sorted by the administrative jurisdiction.
For a newcomer it can be a little difficult to tell the difference between Fairfax and Fairfax County, between Manassas and Manassas Park and Prince William County. Another point of confusion is Arlington. Arlington is a city in a practical sense, but Arlington is a county.
Herndon, Vienna and Clifton are all towns located in Fairfax County, which mean that these towns have local governments subordinate to the county. Springfield is much bigger than Clifton, but Springfield is not a town.
Another curious case is Crystal City. Crystal City is located in Arlington County. Interestingly, Crystal City is not a city nor is it a town!
Unincorporated settlements
Which brings us to the next point of confusion in the area. There are many unincorporated neighborhoods, villages, towns and settlements in Northern Virginia. Unincorporated just means there is no local (i.e. town) government. Rather than having a town government, an unincorporated town is managed by the county. Springfield, Annandale, Bailey’s Crossroads, Mclean Tysons Corner and Reston are just a few of the many unincorporated towns in Fairfax County. In places like Springfield this can be a little confusing because without a town there is no formal border between Franconia and Springfield and thus no hard and fast distinction between the two. In addition, with the near completion of Kingstowne, Franconia-Springfield is now home to one of the largest planned
communities/subdivisions in the area. Kingstowne is considered a town in and of itself by many.
Post office address
To make matters even more confusing for newcomers, there is the matter of the post office. The postal address of a property is not always an indicator of the jurisdiction of a property. For example,
many addresses in Fairfax County have an Alexandria address. Service from the Alexandria post office has no bearing on the county or city of the address in question.
Confusion-B-Gon guarantee!
Well, that’s the last of this bottle of CONFUSION-B-GON. If you’re still confused, no worries. Contact Will Nesbitt or Condo Alexandria. Tell us what you seek and we’ll find the property for you!
Will Nesbitt
Arcturus on the Potomac
Arcturus is a bright star in the night sky and a common name for sailing vessels, but it is known to area residents as that place north of the bend in the Potomac at Mount Vernon.
There are several natural harbors in and around Arcturus and at one time the area was a fisherman’s get-away: the perfect place for DC anglers to escape from the city.
There are few remnants of the fishing shacks here. One is more likely to find a multi-million dollar estate home in Arcturus these days. Most homes by the Potomac have piers and docks. The wooded lands up above the river and along Fort Hunt Road have many large homes on quiet roads with little traffic.
photo credit: JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM
Canal Place in Old Town Alexandria VA
Canal Place is a great little community of brick garden-style condominiums located in Alexandria VA on the northern side of Old Town just off Pitt St. The community is composed of 7 three-story buildings with a total of 120 units. Between the buildings you’ll find gorgeous well-manicured gardens.
Most condos at Canal Place have either a fireplace, patio or small
balcony. The architectural detailing on these balconies and patios is
intriguing and little upscale.
I took this picture while the landscapers were busy tending the
lawn. The bag is filled with clippings. By the time they were finished
the place was absolutely perfect. Canal Place, like many other condos,
is also readying its pool this time of year.
Canal Place is priced slightly higher than other similar communities like Belle View, or Harborside or Potowmack Crossing because all units at Canal Place are equipped with a washer/dryer. The grounds are beautifully kept and the location is surrounded by some of the nicest homes in Old Town.
To search for a home in Alexandria check here, or to see what’s available in Canal Place just click Canal Place. On that site you’ll find maps, school info, tax data and up to the minute pricing information for Canal Place.
You’ll find lots more info about condos, townhouses and houses in Alexandria here.
Crystal City meets Aurora Highlands
Across Eads St. relatively close to the Crystal City Metro is the neighborhood of Aurora Highlands.
Aurora Highlands is in Arlington County and dates back to the days when Arlington County was a sleepy rural suburb of Washington DC. One of the most interesting assets of Aurora Highlands is the row of shops and restaurants along 23rd St. in Crystal City.
On a lazy summer afternoon a sidewalk cafe in Aurora Highlands is a nice place to take a bite to eat and enjoy a cool drink.
