Suffolk

Those who want to live in moderately sized homes minutes from downtown Suffolk move to the East Washington Street neighborhood. Homes here are cheaper than those in nearby Norfolk, and residents often live in units with three bedrooms, compact lawns and uncovered parking less than a mile from downtown shopping and dining. Kids have fun at the nearby parks, but residents of all ages drive throughout Suffolk to attend the different annual festivals. When a train isn’t passing through the neighborhood, residents relax at home in the quiet area. The East Washington Street neighborhood features ranch-style and shotgun homes from the 1970s. Most have three bedrooms and covered front porches. Those who want a newer unit can find simple craftsman homes built as recently as 2023. “There’s a mix of homeowners and renters in the area,” says Ryan Harrell, a local and experienced Realtor at The Real Estate Group. “Some infill lots are available, but most new developments are being built north of downtown Suffolk.” A few homes have attached garages, but most homeowners park on uncovered driveways or in the street. Home prices here can range from $100,000 to $300,000. A railroad runs through the middle of the neighborhood, so it can be noisy from time to time when a train runs by. Slim sidewalks line East Washington Street, helping residents walk to the nearby bus stops. Those who don't drive to work use the Suffolk Transit orange bus route to travel throughout the neighborhood and visit downtown. Drivers might get stuck waiting for a train to pass before they can continue down East Washington Street to shop or dine. “This area has easier commutes than Chesapeake or Norfolk. Residents can live here and easily get to work in nearby cities,” says Harrell. When it’s finally time to send the kids off to school, parents often choose Booker T. Washington Elementary School, which earns a C-minus from Niche. Students later move on to John F. Kennedy Middle School. This school gets a C from Niche. Nansemond River High School gives kids multiple opportunities to grow in the arts, sports and academics. Students might try out for the championship-winning field hockey, indoor track and field or girls’ soccer team. Niche gives Nansemond River High a B. Family Dollar and Food Lion give residents access to groceries and other essentials. If locals want more options, they travel up North Main Street to shop at Walmart or Kroger. Those who want a taste of history and a delicious breakfast visit Café Davina. Guests at the historic Pinner House and hungry locals stop in for a crepe and coffee. Derl’z Restaurant and Pub offers a relaxing space for customers to unwind with karaoke, outdoor seating and a bar. Guests can stop by for lunch or dinner. To enjoy Italian dishes, locals visit Amicis in downtown Suffolk for a sit-down dinner. Cypress Park and Pool has everything locals need to have fun year-round. Residents of all ages can cool off in the inground pool, play a pickup game on the basketball court or hang out on the playground equipment. The park also features a parking lot, making it easy for visitors to stop by before having fun. Those who live along Constance Road might walk the skinny sidewalk to enjoy Coulbourn Park. Parents can sit at the covered picnic tables while their kids have an adventure on the playground equipment. Downtown Suffolk puts on special events throughout the year. East Washington Street residents take a short drive to join the Taste of Suffolk festival every September. Guests of all ages walk the streets to hear live music, try tasty treats from local vendors and hang out with friends. The fun doesn’t stop there. Suffolk is home to the first Planters peanut processing plant. To celebrate the success of the peanut, residents from all over gather at the annual Suffolk Peanut Fest. Here, guests can hop on carnival rides, meet local artists or see the demolition derby. “As more breweries open with the developing communities, there will be more festivals for locals,” Harrell says.

Small farms, large lots and spacious homes fill Holy Neck. Ryan Harrell, a long-time resident and experienced Realtor with The Real Estate Group, says, “It’s a slow-paced community with easy access to amenities downtown.” Residents might go fishing in Lake Meade, kayak on the Nansemond River or dine at popular local restaurants along North Main Street. Locals also get together throughout the year for fun annual events and festivals. Homeowners are leaving busy cities like nearby Chesapeake to get bigger homes and lots for less money in Holy Neck. Here, residents have easy commutes using U.S. Routes 58 and 13. Norfolk and Chesapeake also sit 20 miles away when residents want to take a 30-minute trip to have fun away from home. Many homes in Holy Neck were built in the 1960s, but future homeowners can easily find units built as recently as 2023. “New developments are popping up north of downtown Suffolk,” says Harrell. “People are also buying large lots to build their own homes.” A renovated three-bedroom bungalow sitting south of downtown might sell for $200,000. Homeowners with a higher budget can find a newly built craftsman home with five bedrooms and a spacious yard for $650,000 or higher. Those who want to live near the water can find Cape Cods along Lake Meade. “The area is growing, and people are moving in to enjoy easy commutes and a quieter environment,” says Harrell. Small businesses and restaurants line the streets in downtown Suffolk. Residents can get coffee and a hot breakfast at the Wall Street Café. Holland’s serves southern comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locals shop at small businesses like Cecelia’s Boutique and Gifts to find clothing options. For groceries and other essentials, residents drive across the Nansemond River to shop at Walmart or Kroger. Suffolk Plaza has multiple clothing stores, a Big Lots and a thrift store that supports the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk. In 1913, Planters opened their first peanut processing plant in Suffolk, making the area a major hub for peanut production. Today, locals celebrate the crop with the annual Suffolk Peanut Fest. Residents of all ages gather at the Suffolk Executive Airport to see the peanut parade, watch bands play live music and hop on a carnival ride. The Rotary Club puts on an annual oyster roast near Lake Burnt. Locals chat while enjoying freshly roasted oysters, barbecue and live entertainment. Kids in Holy Neck start kindergarten at Southwestern Elementary School and later move on to Forest Glen Middle School. Both schools get a C-plus grade from Niche. Teenagers at Lakeland High School can join the championship-winning boys’ basketball team or field hockey team. Students who prefer the arts over athletics might join the Cavalier Singers or debate team. Niche gives Lakeland High a C-minus. Lake Meade Park has everything locals need for a fun day outside. Kids can hang out on the playground or shred in the skate park. Residents and their furry pals can meet other dog owners at the nearby dog park. After visitors finish practicing their swing on the baseball field at Peanut Park, they can walk to Planters Park to have an adventure on the playground equipment. When locals want to hit the greens, they visit Suffolk Golf Course. Beginners and pros can tee up to play the full 18-hole course. Most residents rely on their cars to get to work. Routes 58 and 13 run throughout the neighborhood and take residents right downtown. Those who live closer to downtown can hop on a public bus to get around. Holy Neck also sits on the North Carolina border, so those who want to travel into the Tarheel country can take U.S. Route 13 to be there in less than 15 miles.

Just south of the James River in Suffolk, Virginia, sits Nansemond, a suburban area of quiet, leafy subdivisions minutes from bustling shopping centers and the Hampton Roads Beltway. “It’s one of the most centrally-located parts of Hampton Roads. A fantastic Suffolk location,” says Lee Cross, a Suffolk native and the managing broker and third-generation co-owner of Cross Realty. “It’s a really easy commute not only to jobs in Suffolk but anywhere in Hampton Roads. It’s also close to a lot of amenities. There are a ton of shopping, restaurant and entertainment options nearby.” The Nansemond area offers home seekers a variety of housing options, from 1960s brick ranch-style and 1990s modern traditional single-family homes to newly constructed tri-level townhouses. Home sizes range from around 1,200 to 3,000 square feet with three or four bedrooms, and list prices fall between $240,000 and $465,000. “The homes are very much in demand there,” Cross says. “It’s still a seller’s market, but that area also has a lower price point than other parts of north Suffolk. It’s an opportunity for people to be in north Suffolk for less.” Area kids attend Suffolk City Public Schools, including Northern Shores Elementary, rated a B by Niche, where students receive a comprehensive STEM-based curriculum, and Cherry Middle, named after Air Force fighter pilot and Vietnam POW Colonel Fred Cherry, which Niche gives a B-minus. Next up, B-rated Nansemond River High School offers several academic programs, including Advanced Placement and dual enrollment with Paul D. Camp Community College. Some pleasant green spaces for enjoying the outdoors are tucked away among Nansemond's quiet neighborhoods, like Magnolia Park and Pughsville Park, where visitors will find playgrounds, basketball courts, shady picnic shelters, and walking paths. Those who prefer fairways over playgrounds can book a tee time on the Riverfront Golf Club’s 18-hole waterfront course, designed by well-known golf architect Tom Doak and rated five stars by Golf Digest. With several shopping centers nearby, like Harbour View Marketplace, area residents are spoiled for choice when it comes to easily accessible restaurant and retail options. From a spicy tuna roll at Ninja Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar to River Stone Chophouse’s signature ribeye, folks will find what they’re craving. Home chefs will love the convenience of having multiple grocery stores close by, like Harris Teeter and Lidl, and errand runners will appreciate the selection of big-box stores, like Walmart Supercenter, Kohl’s and PetSmart, that are so close to home. With major roadways, like Interstate 664 and Highway 164, easily accessible from the Nansemond area, commutes to other Hampton Roads destinations, like the 16-mile drive to Naval Station Norfolk, are pretty straightforward, depending on the time of day and level of traffic. Those commuting around Suffolk can hop on a Hampton Roads Transit bus at one of the numerous stops along Harbour View Boulevard and College Drive. Once the home of Planters Peanuts founder Amedeo Obici and the hub of Virginia’s peanut industry, it’s not surprising that Suffolk pays homage to the much-loved legume with its annual Peanut Festival. During the four days of festivities, Suffolk residents and folks from all over the region celebrate the area’s peanut heritage with fireworks, carnival rides, live music, a parade, the Peanut Cup Autocross race and more.

With lakes scattered like freckles between woods and farmland, Chuckatuck is a largely rural neighborhood bordering the Nansemond River with abundant recreation that is still close to essentials in the growing city of Suffolk. “I think what’s drawing people is its proximity to outside of Suffolk and all of the growth that’s coming to Suffolk,” says Jasmine Rae Cotto, a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway who has been selling homes in the area for nearly six years. “You see that growth everywhere. New businesses are popping up, they’re building a new Publix. And Chuckatuck is a smaller, more out-of-the-way piece of town from the activity but still close enough for people to be able to enjoy the development in Suffolk.” Although it’s within a few minutes’ drive from the excitement of Suffolk, Chuckatuck’s small size and rural appearance give it a warm vibe. “It has a very hometown feel,” Cotto says. “It’s very welcoming because it’s so quaint. It feels very historic as well. The library is adorable – it’s this tiny little house, very old-timey style. It’s a very welcoming town.” Chuckatuck offers plenty of room for those who want to spread out, with plenty of properties on an acre or more of land. Those who want the neighborhood’s peaceful atmosphere without a bunch of land can easily find homes sitting on much less than an acre, though. The neighborhood’s quiet streets often lack sidewalks and are lined with colonial-style homes, Cape Cods, ranch-style homes and an influx of new constructions in contemporary styles. Chuckatuck even has the odd Victorian-style home. Cotto says that Chuckatuck is more affordable than many of the surrounding areas. Single-family homes start at around $300,000 and climb past $500,000 for a large four-bedroom, three-bath home, but the median price is much lower than the max, falling around $385,000. Townhouses cost even less, with a median sale price of $240,000. “The market has definitely picked up with the more affordable pricing and all the activity going on in the big cities around Chuckatuck,” Cotto says. “There’s not much to get your hands on out there because it is such a small town, but what’s out there is selling.” The average home in Chuckatuck sells after just 27 days on the market. “Homeowners should expect equity in the coming years because of everything that is scheduled to come in the surrounding areas,” Cotto says. “Chuckatuck is going to be very desired in the near future.” Niche gives Suffolk City Public Schools a B-minus rating. Children can attend Oakland Elementary School, which also has a B-minus, and King’s Fork Middle School, which has a C, before moving on to King’s Fork High School. The high school has a C-plus rating and a successful athletics program. In 2022, the girls' basketball team won the 4A State Championship and the track team took State Championship wins, while the football team won the 4A Region Championship in 2021. State Route 10/32 is one of the neighborhood’s major thoroughfares. Following it south for 10 miles leads residents to Suffolk, which is where Sentara Obici Hospital is located, and heading north about the same distance will bring them to Smithfield. State Route 125 also passes through Chuckatuck, and Highway 58 makes up its southern border. Chuckatuck itself has several locally-owned businesses, including Saunders Supply, which is a hardware store that’s been around for nearly 100 years. Chuckatuck Trading Post deals in vintage fishing and camping gear, and Kelly’s Nursery is a local favorite for its fresh plants and flowers as well as its locally produced pickles and jams. Residents can grab fresh meat at Mike’s Country Meats, but for other shopping, they often head toward Suffolk. There’s a Food Lion and a new Publix about 6 miles from the center of Chuckatuck. When they’re hungry, residents often head into Suffolk for a brisket sandwich at Mason’s Grill & Smokehouse or the all-day breakfast at Huddle House. Cotto says that even more development is in the works in Suffolk around the new Publix. “It’s going to draw people to this side of town and for those who like more of the spaciousness, they’re going to want to come to Chuckatuck,” Cotto says. “All of the development that I know of is within a 10-minute drive from that little town.” There are a few small holiday events in Chuckatuck, but the little town is generally peaceful and quiet. When they want a little more excitement, though, residents don’t have to go far. “If you’re in Chuckatuck, you’re considered to be not only part of Suffolk but Smithfield as well, so you kind of get double-dip into the events that are happening around you,” Cotto says.

Northeast of downtown Suffolk, Virginia, lies an area known to some as Cyprus, which serves as a shining example of Suffolk’s unique blend of rural and suburban living. “Suffolk is a hidden gem that people are beginning to discover,” says Queen Claudine Ellis, CEO of the Dream Girls Real Estate Team, a NextHome Coastal Luxury Realty broker and owner of multiple Suffolk-area properties. “It has a little bit of everything: charm, history, great recreational opportunities, hospitals, restaurants, stores. You can live in the country on land with deer in your backyard or in a subdivision close to amenities. There’s something for everyone, and you can enjoy a great quality of life there.” Folks seeking a new abode in the Cyprus area will find a variety of home types, styles, sizes and price points, from 1950s ranch-style houses and 1970s Dutch Colonials on a half-acre or more to 21st century transitional and Modern Farmhouse-style homes in suburban subdivisions. Sizes range from 1,100 to 4,000 square feet, and list prices can span from $150,000 to just under $1 million. “The home prices are attractive. You can get more bang for your buck there,” Ellis says. “Plus, it's not in a flood zone, so you’re not required to get flood insurance. That’s an important thing to know in the Hampton Roads area.” Suffolk offers plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors, including a hike through the Great Dismal Swamp along the scenic, 9-mile Washington Ditch Trail or fishing on Bennett’s Creek. Also, an afternoon at 67-acre Lake Meade Park, with its playgrounds, skate park, tennis court and dog park, is time well spent. There’s also Sleepy Hole Park, 73 acres of green space along the Nansemond River, where visitors can kayak, fish, enjoy the playground, play volleyball or show off their skills at the horseshoe pit. For those who prefer a hole-in-one on the fairways to a ringer in the pit, the public, 18-hole Sleepy Hole Golf Course is next to the park. The golf course grounds share stunning Nansemond River views with Obici House, the historic former home of Planters Peanuts founder Amedeo Obici, which is now a popular wedding and event venue. Cyprus-area residents don’t have to travel far — only about 3 miles — to grab a bite to eat at one of the popular restaurants in Suffolk’s historic downtown. They can find a juicy burger and loaded waffle fries at The General Public, or go to Holland’s Country Gourmet for a hearty pancake breakfast or catfish dinner. Downtown also boasts several locally-owned shops, like The French Corner, which features unique furniture and home décor. For everyday essentials, grocery and big-box stores, including Kroger and Walmart Supercenter, are less than 2 miles from downtown. Though Ellis can attest that the Cyprus area — and Suffolk in general — is, as she puts it, “about more than peanuts,” the city has honored its legume-growing heritage for the past 45 years with the Suffolk Peanut Festival. The four-day event, which draws over 125,000 people each October, features concerts, amusement park rides, a parade and more. Area youngsters attend Suffolk City Public Schools, including Mack Ben, Jr. Elementary and Kennedy Middle, both rated a C by Niche. After Kennedy, students go to C-plus-rated King’s Fork High, home to the school district’s International Baccalaureate program. “Some people think Suffolk is far from other parts of Hampton Roads, but it’s really not,” Ellis says. With U.S. Route 460 running through the city, commuters have easy access to major highways like interstates 664, 264 and 64, which they can use to travel the roughly 20-mile journey to Chesapeake or Norfolk and about 30 miles to Newport News or Virginia Beach. For transportation within Suffolk, the city offers bus transit, with the Magnolia park and ride stop conveniently located in the Cyprus area on Portsmouth Boulevard.

Tucked up against the Nansemond River with Bennett Creek cutting through it and massive parks just a few minutes away, Sleepy Hole provides residents with proximity to a vast array of outdoor recreation and waterfront activities. “You still have a country, rustic atmosphere,” says Amy Thomas, a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices with 25 years of experience selling in the area. “It’s just quiet and lovely. There’s wildlife out there. I think that’s one of the benefits, that Suffolk still offers that.” Despite this, Sleepy Hole doesn’t feel far removed from essentials. In fact, with its location just 11 miles from downtown Portsmouth and downtown Newport News as well as just 14 miles from downtown Norfolk, residents are usually only a few minutes away from practically anything they need. “I think a big part of the draw here is just the location,” Thomas says. “The close proximity to the naval bases, hospitals and all kinds of new restaurants and shopping.” Sleepy Hole Park is a 73-acre waterfront park with a long fishing pier that juts right out into the Nansemond River and is equipped with a canoe and kayak launch. On land, the little park has a playground, volleyball court, horseshoe pit and walking trails. Nearby, the 57-acre Bennett’s Creek Park also offers a fishing pier and three boat launches onto Bennett Creek alongside a playground, disc golf course, tennis courts and walking trails. Golfers enjoy heading to Sleepy Hole Golf Course, a waterfront championship golf course. When they want to really experience nature and don’t mind a bit of a drive, residents head to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The heart of this 113,000-acre refuge is 25 miles away from Sleepy Hole, but it’s the largest intact remnant of a forested wetland and swamp that once covered more than 1 million acres. It’s home to a diverse ecosystem of wildlife, including bobcats, white-tailed deer, otters and one of the largest black bear populations on the East Coast. Over 200 species of birds also call the refuge home, making it a prime birding spot all year round. It’s also a popular destination for hiking as well as for fishing and boating on Lake Drummond. Thanks to its river and creek, Sleepy Hole has collections of grand waterfront homes, often with private docks and boathouses. Landlocked homes tend toward large brick houses or Cape Cods, though recent influxes of home development have led to a lot of new construction homes built in contemporary styles with Craftsman or Modern Farmhouse influences. These homes start as low as $215,000 for a small three-bedroom that needs renovation and typically climb to about $700,000. This isn’t a hard cap, though, as a large four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home on the water with a private pier and boat launch can climb as high as $1.3 million. It’s also possible to find condominium developments that offer amenities alongside turnkey homes. Thomas sells two- and three-story condominiums in one such development, called ARRAY at Bennett’s Creek Quarter. “We have a beautiful clubhouse, we have swimming pools, fitness areas, dog parks, all kinds of great amenities, so it’s resort-style living in northern Suffolk,” Thomas says. These condominiums start at just under $300,000 and can climb a little over $400,000. “We’ve been very busy,” Thomas says, adding that they’ve sold 40 units in 2023 just in ARRY at Bennett’s Creek alone. “It's a good problem to have.” Every year, Suffolk’s Festival of Lights is held in Sleepy Hole Park, featuring festive lights, live music, food trucks and local vendors. There’s also a Military Day Horseshoe Tournament in the park in early May. At the edge of Sleepy Hole, the residential and storefront community of Bridgeport hosts a farmers market during the spring and summer as well as a yearly Holiday Market, which features food and drinks from local vendors, a live DJ and visits from Santa. Residents pick up groceries at Food Lion or Harris Teeter and often swing by A Dodson’s for home décor and gifts. Big box stores like Michaels and T.J. Maxx are just a few minutes outside Sleepy Hole. Right on the water of the Nansemond River, Decoy’s Seafood is a local favorite when it comes to treating themselves to a nice dinner out. It’s particularly well-known for its crab cakes and hush puppies. Souper Pho & Banh Mi is another go-to for its banh mi sandwiches and bubble tea. With major cities just a short drive away, other shopping and dining opportunities are never far away. “There’s lots of shopping, all the amenities that you’re going to want as far as restaurants and groceries,” Thomas says. “Everything is just right there within miles of the neighborhood.” Niche gives Suffolk City Public Schools a B-minus rating. Children can attend Creekside Elementary School, which has a C-plus, and John Yeats Middle School, which has a B-plus, before moving on to Nansemond River High School. Nansemond River High has a B rating and is a 2020 to 2021 Project Lead the Way Distinguished School with a focus on engineering. The school also has an active Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. Route 17, also known as Bridge Road, runs through Sleepy Hole, and hopping onto Interstate 664 takes only a few minutes. From there, residents can reach and cross the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel to downtown Newport News. Downtown Norfolk and downtown Portsmouth are likewise relatively short drives away. “It’s really a convenient location,” Thomas says. “When I started selling real estate 25 years ago, I never dreamed that Suffolk would be centrally located, but it totally is at this point with all the new roadways. It’s wild.”