Arlington at a glance
Arlington County packs a lot into a small footprint directly across the river from DC. Multiple Metro lines (Orange, Silver and Blue) string together a series of walkable "urban villages," while Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon, and — increasingly — Amazon's HQ2 at National Landing anchor the local economy.
The appeal is convenience: many residents trade a bigger lot for a shorter commute, walkable dining and nightlife, and quick access to both DC and the rest of Northern Virginia.
Neighborhoods Kelly knows
Arlington's character changes block to block, from high-rise corridors to quiet residential streets:
- Clarendon & Courthouse — the walkable heart of the dining and nightlife scene, popular with young professionals.
- Ballston — a dense, amenity-rich corridor anchored by offices, retail and Metro.
- Rosslyn — high-rise living with skyline views, steps from DC across Key Bridge.
- National Landing (Pentagon City & Crystal City) — the Amazon HQ2 area, a focus of new development and demand.
- Lyon Village, Lyon Park & Ashton Heights — established single-family neighborhoods near the Metro corridor.
- Shirlington & Arlington Ridge — walkable, residential pockets with their own village feel.
For a read on a specific building or street, ask Kelly.
Schools
Arlington Public Schools are well regarded, anchored by the Washington-Liberty, Yorktown and Wakefield high schools. Because Arlington uses both neighborhood boundaries and option/lottery programs, it's especially important to confirm how a given address maps to schools. Kelly helps clients sort that out as part of the search.
The market & what to expect
Arlington is a strong, steady market with an unusually broad range of price points — from entry-level condos to multimillion-dollar single-family homes — and continued demand tied to federal, professional and tech employment, including the HQ2 build-out at National Landing. For buyers, condo versus single-family is the first big fork; for sellers, knowing which buyer pool your home appeals to drives the right pricing and marketing.
Kelly will give you the current read for your specific building or street. The buyer's guide and seller's guide show exactly how she works.
Why work with Kelly in Arlington
Kelly Standen Balmer is a Vice President at Compass and a partner in the Mollaan Babbington Group, licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, with $130M+ sold and a Best-of-Zillow, 5.0-star record across 130+ client reviews. Buyers and sellers crossing between DC and Northern Virginia value an agent who knows all three jurisdictions and handles every deal personally.
Vice President & Partner, Mollaan Babbington Group at Compass · Licensed in DC · MD · VA