What $800K Buys in Arlington: Condo vs Townhouse vs Detached


SAME MONEY, DIFFERENT LIFE

What $800K Buys in Arlington

Three homes. Almost the same money. One buys walkable convenience, one buys practical fee-simple space, and one buys a detached home with a yard. Which tradeoff fits your life?

1 — Condo2 — Townhouse3 — Detached

Replay coming after the live show

No autoplay. A replay will be added only after separate post-show approval.

Three choices, three different lives

1

Walkable condo

1633 N Colonial Ter #201
$839,900 · 1,326 estimated finished sq. ft. · $632.82 monthly condo fee · two covered garage spaces.

What you gain

Rosslyn convenience, lower exterior-maintenance burden, two covered spaces, and a two-level layout.

What you give up

Private land, fee-simple independence, and certainty about future condo costs or financing eligibility.

Best fit

A commute- and convenience-first buyer comfortable with shared governance and document review.

2

Balanced townhouse

3726 12th St S
$830,000 · 1,840 estimated above-grade / 2,535 estimated total finished sq. ft. · $150 annual HOA · attached garage.

What you gain

The strongest overall balance of usable space, private outdoor function, garage parking, and fee-simple ownership.

What you give up

Fully detached privacy and the most transit-oriented setting of the three.

Best fit

A buyer who wants practical space and ownership independence without the detached home’s full age and condition tradeoffs.

3

Detached yard

505 S Highland St
$795,000 · 1,020 assessor above-grade / 1,720 estimated total finished sq. ft. · 0.09-acre assessor lot · no association shown.

What you gain

Detached-home privacy, a yard, and fee-simple control at the lowest price of the three.

What you give up

Size certainty, modern systems, turnkey confidence, central air, and simple parking or driveway use.

Best fit

A land-first buyer willing to investigate condition and the shared-driveway terms.

Compare the decision

Choice Convenience Ownership Association fee shown Main investigation
1 — Condo Strongest walkability claim Condominium $632.82 monthly Documents, reserves, assessments, financing
2 — Townhouse Balanced Arlington access Fee simple / HOA $150 annually HOA terms, maintenance, condition
3 — Detached Land-first choice Fee simple No association shown As-is condition, no central air, shared driveway

No universal winner: Option 2 is the best all-around compromise; Option 1 is the commute-first choice; Option 3 is the land-first choice.

Map the homes against Arlington job hubs

Compare the three numbered home choices with Rosslyn, Ballston, National Landing, and the Pentagon. Use the local view for the homes and the regional view for the employment context.

Orange 1–3: episode homesGreen W: employment hubsNavy M: Pentagon

Orientation only. Home markers use approximate address-area coordinates and are not parcel boundaries. Locations and routes must be checked in the linked listing and a preferred routing tool before a decision. No mileage, walk, transit, or drive-time claim is made.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Employment-hub framing: National Landing, Ballston, and Aerospace & Defense.



Want a shortlist built around your priorities?

Tell me what matters most, and I’ll help you decide which Arlington tradeoffs fit your life.

Start the Perfect Home QuestionnaireBuild my personalized shortlist

What to verify

Listing facts were verified in Bright MLS at the recorded fact-lock times on September 10, 2026, with a final status and price recheck at 1:49 a.m. EDT. They are point-in-time and listing-supplied. Status, price, fees, property details, restrictions, and availability can change. Buyers should independently verify association and condominium documents, financing eligibility, property condition, parking and driveway rights, and travel distances.

No listing photography, video, floor plan, screenshot, or caption is used on this page.