Charlottesville, the picturesque, pastoral setting for Thomas Jefferson's University of Virginia, has been cited by several sources as the best place to live in the country. As evidenced by the upcoming Virginia Festival of the Book, this is a city where the residents are clearly devoted to the arts, literature, and the love of learning, and its reputation for a high quality of life and cultural enrichment plays prominently in attracting new residents, with a growing trend toward the downtown area. 

Combine a relatively low cost of living, a reputation as a progressive and economically stable college town, a mild climate, and proximity to both the mountains and Atlantic Coast beaches, and Charlottesville is certain to rank high on the list for many who searching for that perfect place to raise a family or retire. With it’s laid-back feel of small-town life, a wide range of career opportunities, and lots of leisure activities from which to choose, it’s no surprise that Charlottesville has grown significantly over the past 10 years.

An independent city measuring approximately 10 square miles, Charlottesville has a population of about 42,000 people. Its school system is highly regarded, and its Parks and Recreation department offers a variety of areas (including nearly 1,000 acres of parks and playgrounds) and activities for its active residents. More facts and figures on the city, as well as a long list of awards and accolades, can be found on the City of Charlottesville Web site, www.charlottesville.org.

Numerous Neighborhoods

So where are new residents choosing to live once they move to the Charlottesville area? Are they looking for downtown convenience and skyline views, or would they prefer a beautiful drive in from the surrounding communities? According to Pat Sury, a REALTOR® with Montague, Miller and Company, historically, downtown properties have always been less expensive than a similar property in the county. In her opinion, buyers looking to move closer into the city have a little bit of everything to choose from: old, new, lots, condominiums, townhomes, and new single-family homes. And if you’re looking for green or environmentally friendly properties, you can find those as well.

To many, when they think of living in Charlottesville, they think of living downtown. Ask any downtown resident what the advantages of urban living are, and you get as many different answers as there are residents! But there is a common theme--people enjoy being where the action is.

Downtown living means convenience to entertainment venues like the recently renovated Jefferson Theater, movie theaters, and the Charlottesville Ice Park, as well as access to a variety of restaurants within easy walking distance. And with the addition of a grocery store on Market Street and the Farmer’s Market returning in April, combined with two drugstores on the Mall, downtown residents don’t have to go far for food and necessities. Add to the mix a freshly bricked Downtown Mall, easy access to Martha Jefferson Hospital, the University of Virginia Health Center, and major highways, and it’s easy to see why downtown living has gained in popularity.

Imagine standing in your living room and looking directly over a lovely park or across Court Square. And if you happen to work downtown it's only a short walk to the office. No more commuting! 


So what will buyers find when looking for a home downtown? REALTOR® Robert Ramsey of Charlotte Ramsey REALTORS® says, “It depends on what you’re looking for.” There are a few turn-of-the-20^th-century homes available, similar to what you would see on Park Street. And then there’s the ‘50s and ‘60s brick ranch, all mixed in amongst local businesses and a medley of other types of available properties.

From young single professionals to "empty nesters," more and more people want the urban lifestyle that downtown Charlottesville offers. With increasingly high occupancy rates at existing units, developers are eyeing other existing buildings downtown that have great potential as residential sites.

Downtown Charlottesville has so much to offer. Its unique neighborhoods are not carbon copies of suburban developments. Residences are in a wide variety of locations--contemporary mid-rise apartment buildings, small historic structures that have been renovated, and upper-level units above retail or office space. And according to Robert Ramsey, lower prices, easier commutes to most employers in the area, as well as the charm of living in the city have all strengthened the downtown real estate market.

But downtown is only one of the many neighborhoods in the city. These neighborhoods offer something for just about everyone—proximity to the University (Jefferson Park Avenue, Fry’s Spring, Lewis Mountain, Venable) convenience to shopping and commuter routes (Barracks/Rugby, Greenbrier), and eclectic and historical homes (Belmont, Woolen Mills, Starr Hill, 10^th & Page, Ridge Street). For a list and description of the nearly 20 distinct neighborhoods that comprise the City of Charlottesville, go the Charlottesville Community Design Center’s Web page, www.cvilledesign.org/neighborhoods.

The Charlottesville Real Estate Market

The inventory of homes for sale continues to decline very slowly, according to the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® year-end housing report. The median cost of a home in Charlottesville is $246,750, down 20% or more from the previous year. The significantly lower-priced homes are driving the pick-up in sales. In addition, states the report, “the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers supercharged the sale of starter homes (below $300,000) in 2009.”

As for the current inventory of homes for sale in Charlottesville, a quick search of the CAAR MLS system shows more than 300 listings. Their listing prices range from $75,000 to $2,000,000+, reflecting the broad range of property types available in the city.