Great Neighborhoods in Norfolk, Virginia: Norfolk Real Estate by Neighborhood

When my husband and I prepared to move to Norfolk, Virginia, we discovered how hard it is to house hunt in an area we knew nothing about. We wanted a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood were I could feel safe during his long deployments. While the Internet proved to be a wonderful resource for finding houses via Hampton Road's Real Estate Information Network (REIN, found at www.hrmls.com, then go to Property Finder), these snapshots did not give us insight into what the neighborhood would be like. And while our real estate agent Shante Fosket was wonderful, agents are ethically and legally bound to not express positive or negative opinion on the neighborhood. While I do not mean in this article to pass judgment on those neighborhoods not included in my list, I wanted to point out some of the clean, friendly, "desirable" neighborhoods that I have found in my travels around Norfolk. I will use the neighborhood names, by which you can search on REIN's website if you buy their month-long E-Pass for $4.95.

--Euwanee Park: Situated in Northwest Norfolk, this area is tucked between the Norfolk Naval base (NOB) and Ocean View, the section of Norfolk that, despite its misnomer of a name, is on the Chesapeake Bay. Square footage of homes in this area is typically in the mid one-thousands, with three bedrooms being the norm. Prices range from around $180k to $230k, depending on renovation status, and what extras may convey (that is, come with the house).

--Kenilworth: Traveling slightly northeast of Euwanee Park is Kenilworth, a neighborhood considered within the area of Ocean View. It is only blocks to the Bay beaches, so if you enjoy sitting, walking, or playing on the beach, this area is a great alternative to trying to get neat the Virginia Beach coastline, which offers mostly condos or expensive beach homes.

Kenilworth is a mixed area, as much of Norfolk is, so there are some older, multi-family homes, as well as some beautifully redeveloped areas. Three bedrooms are typical, and prices range from high $100k to mid/high $200k. This is depending largely on where it is in the neighborhood, its redevelopment status, and the yard size, which varies throughout the neighborhood.

--Alden Heights: If you leave the Ocean View area and go south on Chesapeake Blvd, you will see many nice neighborhoods on both sides of the street. Alden Heights is one of my personal favorites because, amid the post WWII houses that are typical of Norfolk, there are many older homes that have been kept in beautiful condition. Alden Heights and the surrounding area is considered a "desirable neighborhood", not just because of the quiet suburban charm, but because residents have easy access to Chesapeake Blvd, Little Creek Road, and Military Highway--all major thoroughfares--and are also blocks from an entrance ramp to Route 64. This area runs in the mid $200k range, but offers many larger four, or even five, bedroom homes.

--Larrymore Lawns: Southeast of Alden Heights, on the other side of Little Creek Road, is a nice quiet area called Larrymore Lawns. This neighborhood is right off Military Highway, which offers lots of shopping choices, and is convenient to Norfolk International Airport, while being far enough away, and away from the regular flight paths enough to not be bothered by jet noise. This area is closer to Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, though it is still not far from NOB.

Larrymore Lawns boasts many beautiful brick or partial-brick homes, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms being the norm. Prices are in the area of $230-250k.

--Sussex of Norfolk: This area is just south of NOB, between Little Creek Road and International Terminal Blvd, an easy commute and a quiet neighborhood. The adorable bungalows in this community are typically three bedrooms, sometime with additions for extra rooms and space. Prices are typically in the high $100k range.

--Ghent: So far I have described many lovely family neighborhoods with trees that need trimming and grass that needs mowing. For those for whom this is not ideal, Ghent may be a good alternative. Located in Downtown Norfolk, Ghent offers the cultural downtown feel--museums and theaters, restaurants and bars, and, of course, shopping. MacArthur Center, Norfolk's major mall, is just blocks away. Ghent does have some single family dwellings, but it is predominately townhouse-style homes, some in gated communities. Two-bedroom condos can range from $180-250k, and yard care does not even have to be a concern.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the nice neighborhoods you can find in Norfolk, but it is a good place to start. Check out REIN's website, pay the $4.95 for the month pass--especially if you are looking from out of town like we were. Also, find yourself a real estate agent you feel comfortable with to help you in your search.