Woodbine

Though close to the nation’s capital and home to over 10,000 people, Woodbine is far from congested. “In a lot of the community, you can get one-acre living, so you get more house and more bang for your buck,” Jennifer Kloppman of Weichert Realtors explains.

Less than 40 miles from Washington, the neighborhood benefits from the tranquility of a country home and the accessibility of suburban living. Trees shade homes in the daylight, and only window light illuminates the streets at night. Along the winding roads, recently constructed homes feature colonial-style architecture, while homes built in the 1980s might include a bi-level design. Just as architecture varies throughout the neighborhood, property size does as well. “Fox Mill, you’re on an acre. Meadowbrook is a quarter of an acre and more of a community feel,” Kloppman says.

Because Woodbine features different lot sizes, home styles and construction years, the price in the neighborhood varies depending on your community. Three-bedroom houses with less than 2,000 square feet cost between $319,000 and $500,000, while those with additional square footage and multi-acre properties cost up to $600,000. Four-bedroom homes in subdivisions like Oak Hill and Oak Ridge cost under $500,000, while homes in subdivisions like Windsor Estates, Classic Lakes and Jacobs Grove can feature 5,000-square-foot homes on lots over 5 acres, driving the price anywhere from $975,000 to $1,550,000.

How you spend your free time in the neighborhood depends on where you live. If you choose to live in an HOA, you can find an option with the amenities you prefer to have close to home. As Kloppman describes, “There’s certainly neighborhoods that people really seek out. Meadowbrook Woods has like 1,000 homes in that community, and that has its own little clubhouse and swim club, and it goes to the pyramid of schools.” Outside the HOAs, the occasional mailbox indicates a home lies beyond the wall of tree cover, blocking any view from the street. Despite the isolated feel of these areas, entertainment is well within reach. “There are all kinds of historic battlefields and wineries. You’ve got one in Clifton and in Nokesville, within 20 to 25 minutes. There are lots of parks: Prince William Park, public parks, walking trails,” Kloppman says. Hop on the Bull Run Occoquan trail to walk as much of the nearly 20-mile path as you wish while exploring native wildlife and Civil War history.

No matter which subdivision you live in, Woodbine’s zoned schools remain a draw for the neighborhood, each community part of Prince William County Schools. Most students begin at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School before transitioning to Louise A. Benton Middle School. Benton includes an optional Enriched Science program that extends learning to subjects like entomology, microbiology and forensics. From here, students attend Charles J. Colgan Senior High School, which ranks as the second-best high school for the arts in Virginia and earns an overall A rating from Niche. Though known for its Center for the Fine and Performing Arts, Colgan also includes Advanced Placement courses and an engineering program.

While Woodbridge and Gainesville keep a wide selection of shops and restaurants less than 15 miles away, Woodbine Shopping Center takes care of the essentials within a mile or two of home. Buy fresh vegetables at Food Lion, tools at Woodbine Hardware and farmhouse décor at Burlap and Daisies. The plaza also includes a dry cleaner, salon and veterinary clinic, making it a one-stop shop for all your day-to-day needs. When you get hungry, slide into a booth at Tony’s Italian Pizzeria across the street and order their steak and cheese sub, a locally loved dish.

For your morning commute, Dumfries Road connects you to the area’s two major highways. To get into the capital, “it’s 35 to 45 minutes without traffic. You can pay and get on the EZ Express Lane,” Kloppman says. “The area itself is mid-county, so it’s a perfect location for getting commuters to go to 95 within 15 to 20 minutes or 66; you have your choice. Plus, the VRE stop in Old Town Manassas.” For a taste of rural living and a sprinkle of suburban convenience, find a place to kick up your feet in Woodbine.

Written By

Alicia Swain

Video By

Michael Voyack