Oakton

A better-served area for both activity and serenity is slim pickings this close to DC. Living amongst the tranquility of a forest is something you often trade for proximity to amenities and entertainment. But the whole appeal of Foxvale is that you can come home after a night of beer and skeeball to power down on your back porch with the sounds of a babbling creek, wind in the trees and the distant calls of an owl. “It’s all about the quality of life in the community,” says realtor Patricia Stack of Weichert Realtors. “Homes here sell very well because it’s very a manicured area with lots of parkland throughout, but also because of the quality of its schools.” Foxvale offers a highly sought-after buffer of greenery against the suburban sprawl of Northern Virginia. This vast forest of Holly, Beech and Red Maple trees is so dense it stays surprisingly quiet for an area with as much development as Northern Virginia. You might have to drive a mile or two through green-shaded tunnels before pulling into your driveway, which is likely long enough to fit multiple cars. But the patches of trees between houses are still thin enough for you to wave to your neighbors. Most of the homes in Foxvale are newly built colonial revivals with shingled roofs atop homes large enough to house all drivers parked in their driveways. But some homes are a bit older and smaller, such as a handful of raised ranches and tree-shrouded Dutch colonials with mansard roofs. “The market right now is all about updates,” Stack says. “You can find a home in the $800,000 to $900,000 range, but it’ll be more likely to have been built in the 70s or 80s that you could work on and turn into one of these million-dollar-plus homes.” Overall, home prices in Foxvale start high and keep going, especially for new builds. The median starting price is currently $1.1 million, though many sell for over $2 million. Another detail that affects the value of homes in Foxvale is its selection of schools. If choosing a public education, Fairfax School District offers Foxvale students the opportunity to start at Waples Mill Elementary, which scores an A- on Niche. From there, students age up to Franklin Middle and Oakton High Schools, both of which boast an even higher Niche score than Waples Mill. Oakton High School ranks fourth of Virginia’s best schools for college preparation. The school also receives routine praise for several elective programs, especially its theater program, eight students of which received a nomination for a National Area Cappie Award in 2023 – the colloquial “Tony Awards” for DC-area high schoolers. There are few dining options within Foxvale. But as Stack points out, “Within ten to fifteen minutes in either direction, you could probably be at eight or ten different grocery stores,” Stack says. Nearby options include two Whole Foods, a Trader Joe's, multiple Safeways and tons more. Even if that one ingredient you’re looking for is not in town, it’s not far away, thanks to Foxvale’s proximity to a large highway junction between State Route 50 and Interstate 66. On the other side of the junction, Fair Oaks Mall is home to a litany of big box stores and outlets for national retail chains, everything from AT&T to Zales. You can pop in and out of stores while walking off a pot roast from the Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar or spend the day sinking skeeballs at the Dave & Buster’s location in Fair Oaks Mall. If you prefer the outdoors, hop on one of several trails that run throughout Foxvale. If you travel far enough, you can end your woodland adventure with views of the Potomac River by traveling the 40-mile Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail along the neighborhood’s eastern edges. Alternatively, you can go for a more rugged terrain by hiking Difficult Run Stream, which forks into two branches northeast of Foxvale. If you’re in the mood for a shorter hike or perhaps a softball game, there’s plenty of trails and amenities for recreation north of Foxvale at Fred Crabtree Park. Foxvale is ideally situated for those seeking the thrills of a metropolitan area without sacrificing a quiet place to lay their head at night.