Best Places To Live Near Charlottesville

After being a Charlottesville realtor for 20 years, these are my best places to live near Charlottesville

Afton VA Real Estate
Afton VA real estate offers spectacular valley views from the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains. Most of Afton rests on Afton Mountain however there is some bucolic, rolling land at the base in the Rockfish Valley which is perfect for horses and raising vines.
The views and lovely summer breezes made homes for sale in Afton VA a popular destination for those fleeing the big cities.
Located in the far west of Albemarle County, Afton is a mere 20-minute drive to UVA and downtown Charlottesville via I-64 or even Rt 250. It’s a straight commute and very scenic.

Please note: Afton sits in 3 counties. Albemarle, Augusta, and Nelson so your public schools will all be different depending on where you live.

Looking to purchase Afton Virginia real estate in a community?

Look into these Afton neighborhoods: Signal Hill, Afton Village, Countryside, Castle Rock Mountain, Swann Ridge Estates, Windy Acres, Evergreen Estates, Pauls Creek, Lodebar Estates, Afton View Manor, Herons View, Magnolia Acres, Spring Valley, Swannanoa Estates, Blue Ridge Acres, Blundell Hollow, River Trails, Handley Farm Estates, Ennis Mountain, Afton Orchard, Taylors Creek, Apple Orchard, Lookaway Hills, Miran Forest, Rockfish Orchard, Saddleback Farm, Sunnyside Farms, Wavetree Hall Farm, and Westmont.

Crozet Homes For Sale

Crozet homes for sale are the most popular among young families in Central Virginia. Crozet real estate is wonderful for many reasons…and the lifestyle here is youthful, healthy, safe, and relaxed.

Is Crozet Virginia a good place to live?
You better believe it.

Crozet living offers everyone something. There are new homes, townhomes, apartments, historic homes, and farms.
But Crozet real estate prices are getting nutty thanks to large builders like Stanley Martin Homes mass-producing new homes for sale in Crozet VA.
Crozet is located at the base of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains in Western Albemarle County 18 mins from the city of Charlottesville.
The views are spectacular, and orchards and vineyards are everywhere. The area is very historic.
Crozet borders the Shenandoah National Park and offers wonderful hiking and mountain biking.
The ancient Blue Ridge Mountains surround the entire valley that Crozet sits in so everywhere you look you’ll see pastoral, verdant farms. Crozet VA farms for sale are highly sought after.

Most Crozet new homes are built with the majestic Blue Ridge Mountain views in mind and are located minutes from Crozet by hiking, biking, or car. 

Old Trail Homes for Sale

Old Trail is also located in Crozet. Old Trail Crozet is a large multi-use subdivision offering every amenity including a fabulous public golf course.

There are both single-family and townhomes for sale in Old Trail. No condos.
As of Fall, 2022, there are 10 single-family, new homes for sale in Old Trail Crozet of which 5 are already under contract. 
All homes are 4 bedrooms and bathrooms range from three-four and a half.

Not all are sold…

The highest LIST price for a 4-bedroom, 4-bath Old Trail Crozet home for sale today is $1,250,000. The median LIST price is $723,461, and the lowest LIST price is $638,301.

The most common lot size is .17 of an acre which comes out to a price per acre of $7,352,941. Wow!
Western Albemarle High School is across the street and school buses drop the kids off there.

Who Buys Crozet Real Estate? 

Mostly young families and doctors who work at the University of Virginia and downtown Charlottesville. The commute to Charlottesville is a straight shot and effortless.
Interstate 64 has an exit at Crozet and offers an on/off ramp for easy access east to Charlottesville, Richmond, and west to the Shenandoah Valley.

While Old Trail is the largest development, there are many other wonderful new homes for sale in Crozet VA in Old Trail Creek V, Western Ridge, The Highlands, Grayrock, Bargamin Park, Le Parc, Chesterfield Landing, Browns Cove, Crozet Crossing, Fairhill Mountain Estates, Forest Glen, Wickham Pond, Glenbrook at Foothills, Pleasant Green, and Westlake at Foothills.

Old Trail is Albemarle County’s biggest development and offers the newest Crozet homes.

About 87% of the planned Old Trail Crozet homes are complete.
Old Trail Golf is a major plus.

If you purchase an Old Trail Crozet home, you also will have access to their Olympic-sized pool and numerous walking trails.
Most new homes for sale in Crozet VA have 3-4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and sit on a .25-acre lot.
Grayrock and Western Ridge subdivisions are my favorite ‘affordable’ Crozet VA homes.

If you are considering purchasing Crozet VA real estate, then allow me to help you.

What I Like About Crozet Living

It’s extremely family-oriented; the schools are excellent, and all schools are in Crozet. So easy drive for moms!
The location is spectacular and it’s a safe place to live.

Wintergreen Ski Resort is a mere 30 mins southwest or enjoy watching polo matches on Sunday in Spring & Fall at King Family Vineyard.
The public schools are excellent. The roadways are pot-hole-free and there are four full seasons.

Earlysville VA Homes for Sale

Earlysville VA homes for sale are not only popular but also pricey. On occasion, you can find a small cottage for around $400,000.
Earlysville is in Northern Albemarle County northwest of Free Union.

Earlysville homebuyers desiring to live in an attractive community will consider Ardwood, Bedford Hills, Chestnut Grove, Claymont, Earlysville Forest, Frays Grant, Graemont, Hickory Ridge, Loftlands Glen, Indian Springs, Mallard Lake, Sunrise Farm, Tanager Woods, and Walnut Hills.
Earlysville enjoys a rich pre-revolutionary and on occasion offers fine 18th-century historic homes.
Here’s what I like about living in Earlysville…the spectacular Blue Ridge Mountain vistas, the convenience of the Charlottesville Airport, the excellent public schools, the rolling, bucolic terrain for horses, the excellent fox hunting, and the proximity to great shopping.

Free Union Homes for Sale

Free Union homes for sale are very popular and expensive due to the fabulous, bucolic countryside and proximity to UVA and downtown Charlottesville.

Free Union sits above Ivy in Central-Northern Albemarle County.

The area is renowned for its fabulous farms and majestic views of the rolling, verdant Charlottesville countryside.

The land is perfect for fox hunting and the Farmington Hunt is located here.

Once a thriving tiny town it’s now merely used as a stop for the local post office.

The Free Union Country School (private) is located here and educates children from preschool through 5th grade.
Two minutes south of Free Union across from the Foxfield Race Field is the Hunt Country Store which serves tasty hot meals and sells beer & wine.

For superb wine and fun on weekends head over to Glasshouse Vineyards.

Those interested in living in a community should consider The Cascades, Homestead, Peavine Hollow, Springwood, Flat Top (very remote living on a mountain top), Buck Mountain, Burruss Branch, and Brinnington.

Free Union is my favorite area of Albemarle County, and this would be the first place I will take you when we look for homes.

Greenwood Va Homes For Sale

Greenwood VA homes for sale are few and far between since from Jan 2020 to Nov 2022, only 14 Greenwood Va homes were sold.

Ivy Virginia Real Estate

Everyone loves Ivy Virginia real estate. So much so that there is never more than one house for sale in Ivy VA at a time! And it encompasses a sizeable area of Central Virginia.

While you can miss the hamlet of Ivy with a blink of an eye there is something special about it; and it’s known as location, location, location.

This is also why there are never many homes for sale in Ivy Charlottesville VA.

So be sure to move quickly if looking for houses for sale in Ivy VA.

There are no townhomes in Ivy. Nor are there any condos for sale in Ivy VA.

The tiny railroad stop (once known as Ivy Depot) is the birthplace of Meriwether Lewis and offers a post office, garden center, garden antiques,
Duners Restaurant (3 Stars) The Ivy Inn (4 Stars), and a full-service Exxon gas station.

Ivy is one of the older towns in Albemarle County and is home to numerous 18th and early 19th-century historic homes. One of the oldest churches in Central Virginia is St. Paul’s Episcopal.

Thinking of living in a community environment?

Then consider these Ivy VA homes for sale in these fine neighborhoods: Bellair, Blue Springs Farm, Ednam, Far Hills, Farmington, Flordon, Glenaire, Grassmere, Harmony, Inglecress, Ingleside, Ivy Farms, Ivy Oaks, Kenridge, Langford Farms, Lewis Hills, Meriwether Hills, Old Ballard Farm, Peacock Hill, Ragged Mountain Farm, Retriever Run, Rosemont, The Rocks, Waverly, West Leigh, Whippoorwill Hollow, White Gables, and Wind River.

As an Ivy resident since 1998, I can offer you a thorough explanation of Ivy real estate prices, their sold comps & what’s good & bad.
Ivy Virginia real estate is one of Albemarle County’s best investment values.

Many people would like to move to Ivy, but the Ivy VA real estate prices are high…as people from all over the United States move here for peace and quiet; and to have their kids attend the wonderful public schools that Western Albemarle offer.

Ivy Elementary (originally called Meriwether Lewis Elementary) is located off Owensville Rd.
What I like most about Ivy Virginia real estate is the peace and quiet.
Ivy is within proximity to Charlottesville and the Rt shopping corridor. It’s safe, the neighbors are from all over the world, the public schools are excellent, and it’s very scenic.

Keswick VA Houses for Sale

Keswick VA houses for sale are a hot commodity as Keswick is one of the prettiest areas of Virginia.
Keswick Virginia was named after the lovely town in the Lake District of Cumbria, England.

Genteel Keswick farms will fulfill your equestrian dreams. Just think, there’s a magnificent horse farm around every corner and behind those impressive driveways.

Sadly, many of the finest homes are not visible from the road.

Scottsville VA Homes for Sale

Scottsville VA homes for sale are the most affordable in Albemarle County.

Scottsville is an antebellum riverport town that seems a world apart from Charlottesville, yet it is only 35-45 mins due south.

Once the original county seat of Albemarle, it was a booming James River port town in the early 18th century.

Today it is a sleepy town whose fortunes are dictated by the current economy.

When times are good, stores and restaurants are open and happening. When the economy is slow, the pavement rolls up.

What I like about living in Scottsville. I believe Scottsville is where you can find the most affordable homes for sale near Charlottesville.

Living along the James offers residents fishing, rafting, kayaking, and spectacular all-season views.

The town is historically beautiful and home to three of the most architecturally significant churches in Virginia.

When open, there are some superb restaurants.

Scottsville Elementary and Walton Middle schools are great but if you have kids nearing high school age just be sure you know this…your high school will be Monticello High School and that’s one long bus ride 5 days a week.

I guarantee you’ll be driving them!

I like that there’s a community pool, Food Lion, Ace Hardware, and a farm store.Getting to Scottsville is a challenge especially if you must commute to and from Charlottesville.

Rt 20 is the main road from Charlottesville and is a winding, two-lane road.

So, pick your next Scottsville VA real estate wisely…

These are my best places to live near Charlottesville.