With a rich history, great location and — according to the 2006 Guinness World Records — the “longest pleasure beach in the world,” Virginia Beach, Virginia  is the chameleon of ocean resorts, offering something for everyone. At least for everyone with money to spend, given that prices are surprisingly high compared with such direct competitors as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

One reason  is that despite the abundance of beach (Guinness notes 38 combined miles on the Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay), much of the best real estate is owned by the federal government. The city of Virginia Beach is bookended by large military bases Dam Neck, Fort Story, Oceana and Little Creek Amphibious Base, curtailing expansion.

Another reason is demand: Virginia Beach draws second-home owners from Richmond, Washington, D.C., and beyond with recreational opportunities and convenience to top cultural, historic and entertainment attractions, all in a beachfront setting that is famously family-friendly. Best Life magazine recently rated it the second-best place in the country to raise a family (Honolulu was No. 1.)

Within an hour are the prime historic sites, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Busch Gardens is a huge draw, and Norfolk is home to the Virginia Opera and Symphony, Chrysler Museum, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts and more. Recreation options include boating, fishing and beachcombing, plus “great golf, tennis and, believe it or not, surfing.” Virginia Beach is home to the annual East Coast Surfing Championship.

With nearly a half-million residents, Virginia Beach is the most populous city in the state. But despite its size and inland urban attributes, most second-home activity is in a narrow corridor near the water, another reason prices can be high.

Oceanfront homes a begin at more than $2 million, It’s expensive, but you get a lot of house for the money here compared to second-home places like the Hamptons” in New York or the beaches in New Jersey.

A look at three Virginia Beach neighborhoods

North End.  The North End, as locals call the neighborhoods in the northeastern corner of the city, is one of the most prestigious addresses in Virginia Beach. Residents have fiercely protected the area from commercialization. Many families have lived there for generations. Some of the homes in the North End are second homes for wealthy families and individuals from the state capital in Richmond or other cities around the state. The neighborhood’s eclectic character results from the juxtaposition of quaint cedar-shake cottages, some dating from the early part of the 20th century, to modern stucco beach mansions. Giant live oak trees and pines dominate the landscaping, and the sound of waves breaking on the beach in many places drowns out the noise of cars passing just beyond the oleander hedges.

Homes start at about $500,000 a block from the beach and stretch into the millions overlooking the Atlantic Ocean 

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See what homes sold for in the North End of VA Beach in the last 12 months

South End. This is the heart of what most people think of when they picture Virginia Beach, with a developed coastal resort strip of hotels, restaurants, attractions and condos. Though prices on the beach run into seven figures, starting four blocks off the water, there are more modest condo developments, and you can find something nice under $300,000. Buyers of second homes off the water tend to be on limited budgets but still want to walk to the beach. There are a number of high-rise condos with a lot of services from $250,000.

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Croatan. A residential beach neighborhood just south of the resort strip past Rudee Inlet off the main  road, it has less traffic and the area’s only deep-water port to accommodate larger boats. It has many second-home owners but few tourists. The main appeal of Croatan is a quiet community right on the beach that also has two inland lakes and three-quarters of a mile of shoreline.Single-family houses in Croatan start around $725,000. Those on the water begin at about $2 million.

 

 

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Birdneck Point -With the most affordable waterfront lots hovering around $1,000,000 Birdneck Point is not for everyone. But that is a major part of this neighborhood’s charm. The homes in Birdneck Point are as beautiful as they are unique. No two are alike which is a refreshing change from some of the newer developments in Virginia Beach. Best of all you get lots of trees and waterfront

One of the first things you will notice upon entering Birdneck Point is the golf course. The Cavalier Golf and Yacht Club VA Beach is a private club on the north end of Birdneck Point.

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See what Birdneck Pointe homes sold for in the last 12 months.

This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf.  John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market.  His websites, www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com  and   www.MrWilliamsburg.com, were created as a comprehensive resource about living in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, with the hopes of selling a house now and again.  You can reach him at 757.254.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com.