The best condominiums in Tysons Corner

Last summer, I rented a beautifully renovated 2 bedroom/2 bathroom in the Gates of McLean, right of Route 123 in (you guessed it) McLean, VA. The condo lifestyle was great. I loved getting to know so many of my neighbors, the community layout was excellent, the community was a short commute to my place of work and the amenities were consistent with what I was looking for at the time. I really enjoyed it before moving to Arlington for the night life. Having since moved back to the 22102 zip code (now shared between McLean and Tysons Corner), I was looking at condos in McLean recently and came across a treasure trove of information on the hottest selling condos in the McLean/Tysons Corner area between March and July 2016. Without further ado, they are as follows (ranked based on how quickly the units sold):

5. Encore of McLean – Condo #5 is the Encore of McLean, which was completed in the late 1980’s. The building features full security, an exercise room, party room, library and an outdoor pool. The property is directly adjacent to the Regency Sport & Health Club, which has indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a pool, fitness classes, a pro shop, a restaurant, etc. This community is within 10 minutes walking to the McLean Metro Station and practically borders the highway (495). Keep that last point in mind as you probably want to factor in additional highway noise when you look at highway-facing units in the building. Overall, the average days on market for sales at the property was 38 days based on six units that sold between March and July 2016 (low of 2 days and a high of 66 days). Pretty good if you ask me!

4. The Gates of McLean – Ah yes, my old stomping ground in McLean. The Gates of McLean is a garden-style condo community off of Route 123 and right down the street from the McLean Metro Station. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I had to use that metro stop when my car kept having issues last year (but alas, that’s story is for another time… thankfully I have a better car now!). The Gates of McLean condos have very spacious layouts and some of these will be fully remodeled with wood floors throughout the living area and granite countertops in the kitchen. Condos in this neighborhood sold for between $265,000 (for a 1 bedroom/1 bathroom) and $400,000 (for a 2 bedroom/ 2 bathroom).

3. Westwood Village – Coming in at number 3, Westwood Village is a gated luxury condo and townhome community with 112 units adjacent to the new Walmart shopping center in Tysons Corner (off of Route 7/Leesburg Pike). Amenities include a clubhouse, pool and fitness center. These units are very hard to come by and feature very spacious condo layouts (some of which have two floors), gas fireplaces, new hardwood floors and large master bathrooms. Units in this neighborhood typically sell for anywhere between $387,000 for the smaller unrenovated units to $500,000 for high end finishes on the larger renovated units. Only three units sold between March and July 2016, making this a highly sought after community in the heart of Tysons Corner.

2. McLean Place Townhomes – McLean Place Townhomes is a premium townhouse condo neighborhood just a few minutes down the street from Encore of McLean. The community features high end, updated townhomes with features such as custom wet bars, high end audio systems that cover the entire home, curved staircases and multiple balconies and patios. These homes have large windows that let in plenty of natural light and have multiple living areas. The price range on a townhouse condo in the McLean Place Townhomes community typically sells for anywhere between $750,000 and $800,000. Only three homes sold between March and July 2016, making these a rare find at a reasonable price.

1. The Westerlies – Saving the best for last. Constructed in the 1970s, the condos at The Westerlies do not strike many as particularly exhilarating from the outside, which is what makes them the McLean area’s best kept secret. Due to their age, a lot of these units have been fully renovated with high quality finishes including wood floors and stainless steel appliances. The square footage varies from model to model and ranges anywhere from 1,000 to 1,300 square feet. The research shows that five units sold between about $350,000 and $400,000 (varying based on number of beds and model, etc.) between March and July 2016 with the absolute lowest average days on market for a condo community in McLean of 10 days.

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