The Allure Of Mason Neck

Realtor Susan Gray Chambers is selling a 1991 Georgian manor at the tip of Mason Neck for $4.95 million. Eagles Landing, 11521 Potomac Road, offers 15,000 square feet on 11 acres, and nearly every room has a panoramic view of the Potomac River and a freshwater tidal marsh. 

One eye-catching feature is the floating spiral staircase in the main hall that looks out onto the river. The home also has two master bedroom suites with stunning river views, a carriage house above a three-car garage (with a view of the Potomac, naturally). That a pair of bald eagles nest on the property is the icing on the cake.  

Why Mason Neck?

Drive down Gunston Road after turning off Richmond Highway in Lorton and in minutes you'll be surrounded by a relatively unspoiled peninsula bordered on the southwest by Belmont and Occoquan Bays, on the south by the Potomac River and on the east by Gunston Cove and Pohick Bay. The proximity to shops and restaurants and close proximity to Interstate 95 is also a draw. 

“It’s a well-kept secret,” said Gray Chambers, a Coldwell Banker real estate agent. “It’s a little resort in the country.” 

It Ain't Cheap 

Some heavy hitters have discovered Mason Neck, including former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who bought a $6 million home in a gated community on Gunston Road last summer. The five-acre property features a private boat dock, custom vanishing-edge pool, built-in hot tub, sauna, theatre room and game room.

High-powered CEOS, lawyers, lobbyists and entrepreneurs also call Mason Neck home. 

“The bucolic location in Mason Neck provides a respite from the hectic Washington life and allows many opportunities for relaxing in a peaceful environment,” said Sue Goodhart of McEnearney Associates, the agent who sold the house to Fiorina. “The location also boasts ample opportunities to engage in watersports, golfing, horseback riding or the arts at the Lorton [Workhouse] Arts Center."

You can get a deal if you've got the cash. The Potomac Road home was listed at $6.4 million before the price was reduced; Fiorina’s home was first listed at $7.8 million.

You don’t need to be super rich to live in Mason Neck. Smaller homes with river views sell in the $1 million range, while those off the water sell for up to $800,000.

Gray Chambers, who lives in Hallowing Point, specializes in waterfront properties in the area and has sold a number of multi-million dollar homes, including one for $8 million.

“No one here asks what do you do when you meet,” she said. “And although I would like to keep Mason Neck the well-hidden secret that it is, I also want to share the experience and the area with those homebuyers seeking a very special way of life.”