When Manassas comes up in conversation most people think of its famous Civil War battlefield. But homebuyers who choose to locate in this storied enclave can get small town charm and more for their money in a city anchored by an increasingly popular Old Town historic district. The Old Town neighborhood boasts the Manassas Museum, which draws many of those coming to visit Manassas National Battlefield Park. The museum focuses on the civilian story of the war, said Roxana Adams, museum curator and deputy director, conveying “what happened to the families, the property owners, and the people who lived here.”
| At a glance |
| December 2010 for the 20110 ZIP Code |
| Average sold price: 164,251 |
| Average list price: $173,325 |
| Average days on market: 46 |
| December 2010 for the 20110 ZIP Code |
| Average sold price: $173,697 |
| Average list price: $180,902 |
| Average days on market: 44 |
A charming collection of shops has now sprouted up around the museum creating “a downtown core that creates a small town feeling that people are looking for,” Adams said.
It was that sense of community that attracted Jason Colburn to Manassas. In 2008, Colburn, originally from Connecticut, moved there to start a family.
“I’m from a suburb, so that’s kind of what I like. I want my kids to grow up in one, with a fenced-in yard with a dog, swing set; all that,” said Colburn, who commutes to his job in the District via the Virginia Railway Express, which stops in Old Town.
“Manassas is a gem, a wonderful small town in the middle of this great big doughnut we call Prince William County,” said Christine Finnie, owner of Whimsical Galerie in Old Town.
The local real estate market has mostly Colonial homes but does have a mix of styles, said Julie Boes Knisely, a broker with Century 21 Capital Realty Corp. The average list price for a house last month was about $173,000.
The area was hard hit by foreclosures and short sales and many of those moving to the area are first-time homeowners drawn by low prices. Knisely said the number of buyers is increasing and that has “pushed prices up a hair” in some areas.
There was a recent slowdown in the market when foreclosures temporarily were stopped because of a nationwide paperwork scandal but contracts again are picking up, partly because of an increase in short sales, she added.
Many buyers are in the military or work for the federal government, Knisely said. “The section of Manassas near Woodbridge has a high military population, [because of the Quantico Marine Base] and a lot of government contractors,” she said.
Proximity to Interstate 66, Braddock Road and the VRE make commuting into Washington doable.
Aside from Old Town, Manassas has another shopping area down Sudley Road, primarily offering big-box stores, the local mall and a variety of restaurants easily accessible from I-66 and the hotels just off the interstate. However, Sudley, along with Centreville Road coming in from Centreville in Fairfax County, both can get very busy during rush times.
Other attractions include the skating rink at the Loy E. Harris Pavilion and the Blue and Gray Ball at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.
