So where are all the nicer mid-century homes at?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Most of the old houses smell terrible, it seems. They have not been maintained well, and you are lucky if they have no ramshackle add-ons.

They just are not built with today's living in mind; few or no closets, for example. There are not many options with regard to old houses. ITA with PP that splits or brick boxes are about it. Not a lot to choose from.

If you drop a certain amount of money, the old houses are cleared off the lots to make way for homes with bigger living and storage spaces. How many times do people post here looking for everything from closet additions to a basement (!!!!) addition.

Yawn. Every time I see a reference to "ramshackle" additions, I know it's the same idiot with her weird phobia of older houses.

+1
I wait for it now. As soon as someone starts asking about an older neighborhood, I wait the "ramshackle" poster to pop up and tell everyone the only house worth living in is a tear down new construction otherwise it smells bad and looks bad, or rather "ramshackle." Who uses that word regularly anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't do mid-century housing here. That's a flyover country phenomenon.

Nope. Your ignorance is showing.

Darling. I have lived in this area for 20 years. I know of what I speak. Don't you presume to call me ignorant, for when you pointed that finger at me, three pointed back at you.

OP, mid-century homes are simply not coveted here, so there aren't that many. People buy mid-century homes, tear them down, and build new.

I realize that bizarre fetish for mid-century homes that began in California about 5 years ago eventually found its way to Kansas are whereabouts, but around here, colonial is king. Brick colonial. Craftsman is popular too. The only mid-century homes that exist are the shitshacks that their owners can't afford to tear down.

See, this just isn't true. There are many people in this area who love 1950s and 60s homes. And there are some beautiful neighborhoods full of them - sure there aren't as many as the ubiquitous colonials, but they are out there. I know of one neighborhood of mid-century houses (ramblers) in 20910 where those 2000-3000+sq ft. "shitshacks" are going for upwards of $700,000 and 800,000. To people who are renovating them, not tearing them down. They are lovely, livable houses.

I think you are confusing people settling for what they can afford with people deliberately seeking out this housing stock. Sorry.

Sorry, no I'm not. I've had friends who deliberately sought out a mid-century house in those neighborhoods. They moved from one mid-century house to a larger one. They were only interested in a house built from about ca. 1955-1965.

[Anonymous]

I really don't understand the appeal of mid-century homes. In my opinion they are all ugly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the appeal of mid-century homes. In my opinion they are all ugly.

To me the appeal is that many have clean lines and are well integrated into the surrounding environment. Others are simply appealing for their modesty and efficiency.

I live in a new Craftsman now and love it but many new houses seem too big and/or too busy to me - but that's just my opinion, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what the OP is getting at is valid, and isn't a full-on attack of the DC area. The high priced homes in DC and the close-in suburbs are pretty nice. But that is the minority of the housing stock in the area. The bulk of the housing isn't too hot for the simple reason of timing: The best times in American house building were the 20's-30's, and then the 60's and early 70's. This area had its housing booms in the 50's, 80's, 2000's. The highest priced neighborhoods around here are populated with bungalows and craftsman styles from pre-1940, or with solid, handsome brick houses from the 60's. The lower priced neighborhoods are plain brick rectangles from the 50's and vinyl-siding split-levels from the 80's onwards. The OP has a point-- you have to have quite a bit of money in the DC area to avoid the brick rectangles and the vinyl siding. Other areas have a higher percentage of houses that are pre-war, or are 60's-70's brick low-lying ranches, because that is when those area experienced their housing booms. This is one of those factors that makes home buying any sort of budget in the DC area so frustrating. You are paying a lot, and not getting much of a house for the money, because there weren't that many great houses built in the area in the first place.

Spot on.

[Anonymous]

Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

Make sure before you investigate the Barcroft area that the address is within the Lake Barcroft Association boundaries if lake/beach access is important to you - there are areas immediately adjacent to the boundaries in 22041 and 22044 where you do not have lake access, but prices are generally lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what the OP is getting at is valid, and isn't a full-on attack of the DC area. The high priced homes in DC and the close-in suburbs are pretty nice. But that is the minority of the housing stock in the area. The bulk of the housing isn't too hot for the simple reason of timing: The best times in American house building were the 20's-30's, and then the 60's and early 70's. This area had its housing booms in the 50's, 80's, 2000's. The highest priced neighborhoods around here are populated with bungalows and craftsman styles from pre-1940, or with solid, handsome brick houses from the 60's. The lower priced neighborhoods are plain brick rectangles from the 50's and vinyl-siding split-levels from the 80's onwards. The OP has a point-- you have to have quite a bit of money in the DC area to avoid the brick rectangles and the vinyl siding. Other areas have a higher percentage of houses that are pre-war, or are 60's-70's brick low-lying ranches, because that is when those area experienced their housing booms. This is one of those factors that makes home buying any sort of budget in the DC area so frustrating. You are paying a lot, and not getting much of a house for the money, because there weren't that many great houses built in the area in the first place.

Spot on.

It's actually not close to being factually accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

Make sure before you investigate the Barcroft area that the address is within the Lake Barcroft Association boundaries if lake/beach access is important to you - there are areas immediately adjacent to the boundaries in 22041 and 22044 where you do not have lake access, but prices are generally lower.

Elementary schools for 22041 addresses (mainly Belvedere, with some Baileys, Belvedere has AAP)
Elementary school for 22044 addresses (basically all Sleepy Hollow)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the appeal of mid-century homes. In my opinion they are all ugly.

+1. I live in one of the colonial boxes and don't absolutely adore my house in particular. Wish I had a bigger Colonial or Craftsman but can't afford one in the area we want to be.

That being said, I have zero interest in a mid-century modern house. That clean-line modern look that a PP mentioned doesn't appeal to me at all. To me, it looks dated rather than the timeless look of a colonial style.

Not saying this to be snarky to those who happen to like this style. Just pointing out that people have all sorts of different preferences in styles, and all style homes can be well-kept or unkempt, large or small regardless of what an individual buyer can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

Make sure before you investigate the Barcroft area that the address is within the Lake Barcroft Association boundaries if lake/beach access is important to you - there are areas immediately adjacent to the boundaries in 22041 and 22044 where you do not have lake access, but prices are generally lower.

Driving around the area, you can tell if an address is in boundary if the street sign is purplish/blue with a sailboat graphic. Address outside Lake Barcroft boundaries will have the conventional Fairfax County street signs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

Make sure before you investigate the Barcroft area that the address is within the Lake Barcroft Association boundaries if lake/beach access is important to you - there are areas immediately adjacent to the boundaries in 22041 and 22044 where you do not have lake access, but prices are generally lower.

Elementary schools for 22041 addresses (mainly Belvedere, with some Baileys, Belvedere has AAP)
Elementary school for 22044 addresses (basically all Sleepy Hollow)

Belvedere is the AAP center for 22044 (and part of 22042 south of Rt 50 as well).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't understand the appeal of mid-century homes. In my opinion they are all ugly.

+1. I live in one of the colonial boxes and don't absolutely adore my house in particular. Wish I had a bigger Colonial or Craftsman but can't afford one in the area we want to be.

That being said, I have zero interest in a mid-century modern house. That clean-line modern look that a PP mentioned doesn't appeal to me at all. To me, it looks dated rather than the timeless look of a colonial style.

Not saying this to be snarky to those who happen to like this style. Just pointing out that people have all sorts of different preferences in styles, and all style homes can be well-kept or unkempt, large or small regardless of what an individual buyer can afford.

Maybe it's not snarky, but it's odd to think colonials are "timeless." In many parts of the country, they would be considered dated or lacking in imagination. Ubiquitous is not the same as timeless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hollin Hills and Lake Barcroft.

Here is a recent list of mid-century homes that have sold in LB over the past few years. Most of these are on the lake, obviously they are less expensive off the lake:

$1.3m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6323-Cavalier-Corridor-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851484_zpid/

(off the lake) sold for $783,000
http://www.sellmodern.com/beach-modern-homes/listing-virginia-modern-home---mid-century-modern-in-lake-barcroft-757.html

$1.28m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6372-Lakeview-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51851286_zpid/

$1.4m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3535-Half-Moon-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851448_zpid/

$1.2m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6237-Edgewater-Dr-Falls-Church-VA-22041/51848670_zpid/

$1.06m
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6316-Crosswoods-Cir-Falls-Church-VA-22044/51851516_zpid/

Schools can be an issue if you have a problem with your child going to a school that is very racial and socioeconomic diverse (with a lot of FARMS). Just like most children, the kids who have support at home do great and there are great teachers at these schools. Some people will look at the test scores on Great Schools and freak out. Those people would probably not be happy in Lake Barcroft.

Make sure before you investigate the Barcroft area that the address is within the Lake Barcroft Association boundaries if lake/beach access is important to you - there are areas immediately adjacent to the boundaries in 22041 and 22044 where you do not have lake access, but prices are generally lower.

The houses in these adjacent areas are generally as nice/nicer than the houses with Lake Barcroft boundaries - the areas around Valley Lane and Dearborn Drive/Sleepy Hollow Road in 22044 and Bay Tree Lane/Bent Branch Drive in 22041 come to mind.

[Anonymous]

Hollin hills has nothing like the manicured yards and sidewalks like you want. I'm not sure they are the mid century you're looking for when you mention places like niles. However it would be worth checking out but most houses don't take care od their yards like you'd be comparing it to the places you mentioned.