Mason Neck, VA

It's easy to drive through the southern end of Fairfax County and the Mason Neck area see why so many owners are proud to call it home. First there is the history. Gunston Hall home of George Mason, Cranford Methodist and Pohick Church founded by famous Virginian's included Mason & George Washingon are all locaed in the Mason Neck area.

Then there is the nature. The 1800 acre Mason Neck State Park is a wildlife refuge known for helping with the repopulation of the bald eagles in Northern Virginia. Throw in Pohick Bay Regional Park with boat launch facilities, golf, camping and water park and you begin to understand why families come to Mason Neck and stay for multiple generations.

In pockets scattered throughout Mason Neck you will find custom homes on 1, 5 or even 10 acre wooded lots that reflect their owners and the builder's individual style and taste. You will also find a few older established neighborhoods such as Gunston Manor where you can find smaller homes priced under $500,000 though they are rare. A few miles down the road in Hallowing Point prices start just below $1 Million and continue upwards. If you want the ultimate in Potomac River front living Mason Neck offers wonderful homes with direct access to the Potomac River.

View Current Listings in Mason Neck and Lorton Virginia

Though most of the available open land has already been purchased you can still find lots for sale or in some cases older homes on parcels of land that can be torn down for new construction. For horse owners Mason Neck offers the chance to buy a home zoned to keep your horses on your property. Lot prices vary depending on their location and size on Mason Neck. One important think to consider when you are thinking of a custom home in the area is the soil conditions. Not all lots on Mason Neck will perk for conventional septic systems. So making sure you allow time for an engineering study to determine how many bedrooms your selected lot will perk for is important.

If living in an area full of history, wildlife and still close to commuting and modern conveniences is on your wish list give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group call at 703-346-2213. Let me show you the variety of options available in land, custom homes and established neighborhoods in Mason Neck.

Mason Neck State Park along with the Elizabeth Hartwell National Wildlife Refugee combine to create close to 2000 acres of tranquility within 15 minutes of the bustling community of Lorton VA and Fort Belvoir. The park sits on a peninsula of land with three bodies of water, Pohick Bay, Belmont Bay and the Potomac River creating the shorelines.

The Mason Neck peninsula is named after George Mason who's home Gunston Hall is just a across the road from the park. Originally the area was part of a 5,000 acre corn and tobacco plantation. Regular visistors to the area included George Washington who lived just few miles down river at Mount Vernon.

The area is known as on of the most prominent Bald Eagle nesting grounds in our area. In the spring and summer you walk through the park scanning the skies for Eagles and fledglings learning to fish in the river. Though Eagles are what draw many visitors to the park there are a lot of other creatures who call the park home too. Sometimes you have to look closely to find them but they are all around. Here is one we noticed yesterday on our walk through the park.

If you are moving to Northern Virginia, Lorton or Fort Belvoir, put Mason Neck State Park and Gunston Hall on your list of things to see. If you need help with your house hunting give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. Let us show you not only the neighborhoods to live but places to relax as well.

It's easy to drive through the southern end of Fairfax County and the Mason Neck area see why so many owners are proud to call it home. First there is the history. Gunston Hall home of George Mason, Cranford Methodist and Pohick Church founded by famous Virginian's included Mason & George Washingon are all locaed in the Mason Neck area.

Then there is the nature. The 1800 acre Mason Neck State Park is a wildlife refuge known for helping with the repopulation of the bald eagles in Northern Virginia. Throw in Pohick Bay Regional Park with boat launch facilities, golf, camping and water park and you begin to understand why families come to Mason Neck and stay for multiple generations.

In pockets scattered throughout Mason Neck you will find custom homes on 1, 5 or even 10 acre wooded lots that reflect their owners and the builder's individual style and taste. You will also find a few older established neighborhoods such as Gunston Manor where you can find smaller homes priced under $500,000 though they are rare. A few miles down the road in Hallowing Point prices start just below $1 Million and continue upwards. If you want the ultimate in Potomac River front living there is currently one 5 acre property with an 8500 SF home is on the market for just over $8.5 million.

Though most of the available open land has already been purchased you can still find lots for sale or in some cases older homes on parcels of land that can be torn down for new construction. For horse owners Mason Neck offers the chance to buy a home zoned to keep your horses on your property. Lot prices vary depending on their location and size on Mason Neck. One important think to consider when you are thinking of a custom home in the area is the soil conditions. Not all lots on Mason Neck will perk for conventional septic systems. So making sure you allow time for an engineering study to determine how many bedrooms your selected lot will perk for is important.

If living in an area full of history, wildlife and still close to commuting and modern conveniences is on your wish list give Cindy Jones a call at 703-346-2213. Let me show you the variety of options available in land, custom homes and established neighborhoods in Mason Neck.

Even when the weather is chilly there isn't any reason not to get outside and explore all of the great parks and recreation activities that you can find in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Though your week may include commuting on crowded interstates, metro rides or slug lines, the weekend gives you the perfect opportunity to take in the solitude of many of our areas parks. Whether you are looking for one of the parks run by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, the National Park Service or the Department of the Interior you can find a park and outdoor activity to enjoy.

 

Parks on the Mason Neck Peninsula are a perfect example of both the variety of parks and the cooperation of nature conservation groups in Fairfax County. The Mason Neck area traces its history back to 1608 when it was recording by John Smith that he meet with the native Dogue Indians and charted the local area. When George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights built his home in the area in 1755 the name was changed from Doeg Neck to Mason's Neck.

 

 

 

For most of the 1800's and early into the 1900's the area was used for logging of the native hardwoods and much of the land was ripe for development due to its waterfront location. The discovery of a pair of nesting bald eagles in 1965 put a halt to most of the planned development of the area and instead a committee was formed of local citizens to purchase some of the land that now makes up the Mason Neck State Park. Eventually local, state and federal agencies stepped up with funds and over 2000 acres were set aside as both a Wildlife Refugee and State Park.

 

Today the park is a national National Wildlife Refuge with close to 2000 acres.  When you stop by the visitors center you will learn more about the variety of birds, including the bald eagles that you will find througout the area. The playground overlooking the water is a treat for children, there is a 3 mile bike path through the woods and plenty of trails to explore.

 

Just down the road is Pohick Regional Park run by the Northern Virginia Park Authority. This park is one of only three Northern Virginia public access points for the Potomac River. If a power boats aren't your thing then you can rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat and head down one of the quiet tributaries off of the river. Pohick Park is a full service park with no only the boat launch facilities but also an 18 hole golf course, a miniature golf course, playground and numerous picnic areas

 

 

 

Pohick Park is one of the few local parks that has rustic cabins available for rent as well as campgrounds for tent campers. As part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority residents of the county can also buy annual pool passes which can be used at any of the other NVRPA pools in the summer as well. The park shelters an abundance of wildlife, including bald eagles. As you are wandering through the numerous paths in the park you can expect to see osprey, heron, deer, beavers and occasional a rare view of a river otters.

So don't sit on the couch when the weather is chilly.  Visit the local parks when the crowds are slim and enjoy the crisp air.  You might be surprised at what you see wandering through the woods, including me!