Luxury Rowhouses & Brownstones Real Estate Stats
| Average Price | $903K |
|---|---|
| Lowest Price | $100K |
| Highest Price | $72M |
| Total Listings | 19,388 |
| Avg. Price/SQFT | $424 |
Property Types (active listings)
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More About Luxury Rowhouses and Brownstones, Washington Metro
Before delving too deeply into design or amenities, some clarification is in order. Not all rowhouses (also spelled as row house with two words) are brownstones and not all brownstones are townhomes. A rowhouse is simply a home connected to another by a common sidewall while a brownstone is a multistory structure made from a reddish-brown sandstone, or in many cases brick.
In Washington, Alexandria, and other parts of the DC Metro region, rowhouse exteriors are constructed with a number of different materials, including brick or brownstone, limestone, stucco, and clapboard. This, along with the common use of paint in different shades, lends to a pleasing variety and sense of unique charm, from building to building and block to block.
The earliest rowhouses in the District were often crafted in the boxy Federal style, followed by a panoply of designs throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Colonial Revival, Victorian, Beaux-Arts, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, Second Empire, Italianate, Eastlake, and others. This lead to an abundance of contrasting buildings and blocks, with different types of bays, rooflines, and detail work.
There was a time when row houses in the DC area could be purchased for a song, this coming after a period of urban decline. Neighborhoods like Adams Morgan, Shaw, the U Street Corridor, and Southwest DC were among those that attracted new buyers, which in turn began to move the needle on property values. The five-figure bargains of the 1970s are now a matter of almost forgotten history, and million dollar sales have become an everyday routine. The investments made by homeowners add further to the ever rising property values, with extensive renovations and upgrades that transform these antique residences into modern day showcases.
Rowhouses, that can be anywhere from two levels of living space up to four or more, have inherent design characteristics that can result in narrow room shapes and a lack of natural light. Homes that share common walls with neighbors to each side, will typically only have windows in the front and back. The old galley kitchens could be small and cramped. But this is where architects, contractors, and interior designers come in. Or in some cases, new homeowners who double as weekend warriors with toolkits. Removing interior walls is a common way to open up space and to improve the flow of natural lights. Old cooking areas can be transformed into gourmet kitchens fit for a chef, bathrooms can be completely transformed, and a rooftop deck or small backyard can be transformed into a true urban oasis.
When it comes to luxury, location also matters. While some neighborhoods made long strides toward renewal, others were always favored places to live. Without getting into an exhaustive list, a small sampling of highly desirable communities known for their magnificent luxury rowhouses and brownstones would include in no particular order, Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Kalorama, Capitol Hill, and Logan Circle in DC itself, along with parts of Alexandria, Arlington, and Montgomery County. Also, rowhouses and brownstones don’t have to be old. In fact, one of the current trends in Washington Metro real estate is new upscale townhouse construction with a retro look.
To learn more about luxury rowhouses and brownstones, call Andre Perez at District Partners at Compass, 202-929-3600.
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Get in touchLuxury Rowhouses and Brownstones, DC Metro FAQs
Q: What is a semi-detached rowhouse?
A: Semi-detached rowhouses are typically two side-by-side rowhouses sharing a common wall in the middle, with each also having its own unencumbered end wall.
Q: Do most rowhouses in Washington have finished basements?
A: It is quite common for rowhouses in the DC area to have basements of some type. Some are unfinished, some are partially finished, and some have been completely transformed into appealing living, recreation, or entertainment spaces.
Q: Is there an average cost for luxury rowhouses in Washington Metro?
A: The varying property values from one neighborhood to the next, makes it difficult to pinpoint an accurate average cost. However, many upscale rowhouses exist in a range from seven figures to eight figures.
Q: Are porch-front rowhouses common in Washington Metro?
A: It depends entirely on the neighborhood. Some developers and architects, especially in the early 20th century, favored porch front designs. However, it might not be accurate to call them common.
Renowned Luxury
Neighborhoods
- Alexandria
- Arlington
- AU Park
- Bethesda
- Berkley
- Burleith
- Capitol Hill
- Chevy Chase, DC
- Chevy Chase, MD
- Cleveland Park
- Dupont Circle
- Falls Church City
- Georgetown
- Great Falls
- Kalorama
- Kent
- Logan Circle
- Mass Ave Heights
- McLean
- Palisades
- Potomac
- SW Waterfront
- Spring Valley
- Vienna
- West End
- Wesley Heights
- Woodley Park
