John King · Realtor · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty · Your Virginia Beach & Hampton Roads Expert · (757) 270-3994
Virginia BeachReal Estate & Neighborhood Guide
The complete city guide & real estate hub for Virginia Beach — 9 neighborhood guides, schools, market data, VA loans, and military PCS. 460,000+ residents. 11 zip codes. One Realtor who knows every corner.
Median Home Price
$431K
Price / Sq Ft
~$204
Avg. Days on Market
~23
Population
460K+
Virginia Beach RealtorVirginia Beach Homes For SaleVirginia Beach Real EstateMilitary PCS Virginia BeachVA Loan Virginia BeachBest Neighborhoods Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is Hampton Roads' largest city and home to NAS Oceana, Dam Neck and JEB Little Creek–Fort Story. Median sale price $431K, up 7.7% year-over-year, 25 days to contract and 1,870 sales for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). This guide covers nine neighborhoods — Alanton, Great Neck, Bay Colony, Lynnhaven/Kings Grant, Chic's Beach, Bayside, Kempsville, Ocean Lakes and Town Center — plus schools, commutes, flood zones and VA-loan notes. Written and kept current by John King — U.S. Navy veteran and REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, Virginia license 0225211050 — 441 closings across Hampton Roads since 2014, 44.2% of the 428 MLS transactions VA-financed, 5.0 stars on 117 Google reviews. Call or text (757) 270-3994.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026 · Market figures: Redfin, three months ending August 31, 2026 · Closing record: REIN MLS, June 2014 – August 2026
★ 5.0·117 Google Reviews·441 Closings·U.S. Navy Veteran·13+ Years·Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Virginia Beach Neighborhoods
Explore Virginia Beach's best neighborhoods — full guides by John King
Virginia Beach spans 497 square miles across 11 zip codes with neighborhoods ranging from walkable urban districts to rural equestrian properties. Every guide below includes market stats, school data, local dining, a mortgage calculator, and honest takes on who each neighborhood is best for.
Why Virginia Beach? What buyers need to know before moving here
Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by population (460,000+) and consistently ranks among America's best coastal cities to live. From luxury waterfront estates on Linkhorn Bay to affordable family homes in Kempsville, walkable Town Center condos to beachfront Oceanfront properties — Virginia Beach offers a lifestyle spectrum unmatched anywhere in Hampton Roads.
The practical case for Virginia Beach
Property taxes run approximately $0.998 per $100 of assessed value — among the lowest in Hampton Roads. Virginia Beach City Public Schools serve 65,000+ students with strong district-wide performance. Virginia has no grocery tax, and commute times to all major military bases stay under 30 minutes from most Virginia Beach neighborhoods. Three military installations — NAS Oceana, JEB Little Creek-Fort Story, and Dam Neck — are within city limits.
Location and access
Virginia Beach sits at the southeastern corner of Hampton Roads. I-264 connects west to Norfolk and I-64. Shore Drive (US-60) runs along the Chesapeake Bay. The Oceanfront stretches 3+ miles along the Atlantic. Norfolk International Airport is 15-25 minutes from most neighborhoods. Town Center provides a walkable urban core, but a car is standard for daily life across most of the city.
What Virginia Beach is not
Virginia Beach is not cheap — the beach premium is real, especially along Shore Drive and the Oceanfront. It's not a transit city — you need a car. And despite the name, most neighborhoods are suburban, not beachfront. What Virginia Beach does better than any other Hampton Roads city: beach and bay access, military base proximity, resort-area tourism infrastructure, and a quality of life that keeps people here for decades.
Schools
Virginia Beach City Public Schools — the region's largest district
Virginia Beach City Public Schools serves 65,000+ students across 87 schools — making it the second-largest district in Virginia. School quality varies significantly by attendance zone, which directly impacts home values.
Top-rated high schools by neighborhood
First Colonial High School
Serves Alanton, Great Neck, Bay Colony · IB program, strong academics. The premiere Great Neck corridor school — attendance zone drives significant home value premiums.
Cox High School
Serves Chic's Beach / Shore Drive · Strong athletics and academics. Shore Drive families value this zone highly.
Kempsville High School
Serves Kempsville / central VB · Strong community, CTE programs. Affordable homes in this zone are popular with first-time buyers and military families.
Kellam High School
Serves Ocean Lakes / south VB · Governor's STEM Academy. Strong schools plus Ocean Lakes HOA amenities.
Other notable high schools include Bayside, Salem, Green Run, Tallwood, and Princess Anne. Private options include Cape Henry Collegiate and Norfolk Academy (nearby). School zones directly impact home values — call John for zone-specific home searches.
Military & VA Loans
Virginia Beach for military families — commutes, BAH, and VA loans
Virginia Beach falls under the VA298 (Norfolk/Portsmouth) BAH rate zone. For active duty, BAH is approximately $2,430 a month for an E-5 with dependents and $3,054 for an O-4 with dependents (2026 rates, effective January 1, 2026) — placing most Virginia Beach neighborhoods within comfortable reach on a VA loan with zero down.
Base commute times from central Virginia Beach
Naval Station Norfolk
~25 min
via I-264 / I-64
JEB Little Creek
~15 min
Shore Drive corridor
Dam Neck
~15 min
Within city limits
NAS Oceana
~15 min
No tunnel
John King is a Navy veteran (Machinist Mate, 5 years) who has logged 441 closings in Hampton Roads — 44.2% of the 428 MLS transactions behind them VA-financed. If you're PCSing to any Hampton Roads base, Virginia Beach should be your first call. John can match your BAH to specific neighborhoods and school zones before you arrive.
What this means for you: Redfin rates Virginia Beach Very Competitive: the median home went under contract in 25 days this summer and sellers averaged right at list price. Under $400K in Kempsville, Bayside, and Town Center moves fastest. The luxury segment ($700K+) in Great Neck, Alanton and Bay Colony has more room to negotiate. VA loan buyers should target the $350K–$450K sweet spot where BAH covers the mortgage.
"Before working with John, we had our home listed with another agent, and it sat on the market for four months with very little traffic. […] We relaunched with John, and within just three days on the market, we saw significant traffic and received multiple offers above list price."
"He is the consummate professional, shows up strong at all times. He speaks truth and does not try to sell. He puts you in the best position to achieve your goals, providing sound guidance at every turn."
Selling a home in Virginia Beach: what 139 of my own closings show
Most advice about selling in Virginia Beach is written from regional averages. What follows comes from my own record — 139 closings in this city, recorded in REIN MLS, with the days on market, financing mix and seasonal patterns those transactions actually produced.
139
My closings in Virginia Beach, more than any other city in my record
23 days
Median time to contract across those 139 closings
37%
Share financed with a VA loan, against about 10.6% of home purchases nationally
Time on market varies enormously by ZIP
Twenty-three days is the city median, but the range beneath it is wide — from a 9-day median in 23454 to 42 days in 23456 in my own closings. Pricing a home in one part of Virginia Beach from comparables in another is the most common and most expensive error I see.
More than a third of your buyers are VA
At 37 percent citywide, and far higher in Kempsville, Great Neck and Ocean Lakes, appraisal condition standards apply to a large share of likely offers. Roof, moisture, paint on older homes, wiring and handrails are the recurring items, and they are cheapest to handle before listing.
Listing month is worth weeks
Across my full record, homes listed in May went under contract in a median of 19 days and homes listed in October took 55. That speed is real, but it is not the same as more money: if you are ready now, months of holding costs and market risk can outweigh it.
Figures come from John King’s own REIN MLS closing record — 428 MLS-recorded transactions (441 client sides), 2014–2026 — not a regional average. ZIP-level figures cover every closing recorded in that ZIP code, which is a wider area than this one neighborhood; sample sizes are shown so you can weigh them. Past results do not predict what any individual home will do.
The median home price in Virginia Beach is approximately $431K as of August 2026 (Redfin), with price per square foot around $247. Entry-level condos and townhomes start in the low $200Ks. Most single-family homes fall between $300K and $550K. Luxury waterfront properties in Alanton, Bay Colony, and along Shore Drive can reach $1M+. Virginia Beach property tax is $0.998 per $100 of assessed value.
What zip codes are in Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach has 11 primary zip codes. Key zips: 23451 (Oceanfront, Bay Colony), 23452 (Lynnhaven, central), 23454 (Great Neck, Alanton, Ocean Lakes), 23455 (Bayside, Chic's Beach), 23456 (south Virginia Beach), 23462 (Town Center), and 23464 (Kempsville). Each zip has distinct character, school zones, and price points.
What are the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach?
The best Virginia Beach neighborhood depends on your priorities. For waterfront luxury: Alanton and Bay Colony. For bay lifestyle: Chic's Beach. For families on a budget: Kempsville and Ocean Lakes. For military commuters: Bayside and Ocean Lakes. For urban walkability: Town Center. John King has in-depth guides for all 9 neighborhoods.
Can I use a VA loan to buy in Virginia Beach?
Yes. VA loans work throughout all Virginia Beach neighborhoods with no loan limit for qualified borrowers. Virginia Beach falls under the VA298 BAH rate zone. An E-5 with dependents gets roughly $2,430/month and an O-4 with dependents $3,054/month (2026 rates, effective January 1, 2026) — enough to cover a mortgage in the $330K–$400K range. John King is a Navy veteran who specializes in VA loans with 441 closings.
How far is Virginia Beach from military bases?
NAS Oceana, JEB Little Creek-Fort Story, and Dam Neck are all within Virginia Beach city limits — most neighborhoods are 10-20 minutes from at least one installation. Naval Station Norfolk is about 25 minutes west. No tunnel required for any commute from Virginia Beach.
Is Virginia Beach a good place to live?
Virginia Beach consistently ranks among Virginia's best places to live. Strong public schools (First Colonial, Cox, Kellam), property taxes around $0.998/$100, no grocery tax, 38 miles of coastline, and 460,000+ residents across 9 distinct neighborhoods. Military families benefit from NAS Oceana, JEB Little Creek, and Dam Neck all within city limits. The local economy is diverse, anchored by defense, tourism, healthcare, and tech.
How does Virginia Beach compare to Chesapeake and Norfolk?
Virginia Beach's median home price (~$431K) sits between Norfolk (~$335K) and Chesapeake (~$447K). VB property tax ($0.998/$100) is lower than Norfolk ($1.25/$100) and comparable to Chesapeake ($1.05/$100). Virginia Beach offers beach proximity and 9 distinct neighborhoods. Chesapeake provides larger lots and newer construction. Norfolk offers urban character and shorter base commutes. John King serves all three cities and can help you compare side by side.
What schools are in Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach City Public Schools serves 65,000+ students across 87 schools — Virginia's second-largest district. Top high schools include First Colonial (IB program), Cox, Kellam (Governor's STEM Academy), and Princess Anne. Private options include Cape Henry Collegiate and Norfolk Academy (nearby). School zones directly impact home values — ask John for zone-specific searches.
What should I look for in a Virginia Beach Realtor?
Ask any agent for three things you can verify: how many transactions they have actually closed, how many were in your price range and your part of Virginia Beach, and where their reviews live so you can read them yourself. John King has logged 441 closings across Hampton Roads since 2014 — the full record is published on this site, in full — and holds a 5.0-star rating across 117 Google reviews. He is a U.S. Navy veteran (Machinist Mate, five years) with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, Virginia license 0225211050, and works primarily with VA loans and military PCS relocation. He has deep expertise across Alanton, Great Neck, Chic's Beach, Kempsville, Ocean Lakes, Bayside, Town Center, Bay Colony, and Lynnhaven. HRRA Circle of Excellence every year since 2015.
How long does it take to sell a house in Virginia Beach?
Across John King's 139 Virginia Beach closings the median time to contract was 23 days, but the spread by ZIP is wide — from a 9-day median in 23454 to 42 days in 23456 in his own record. Price band matters too: homes above $600,000 ran a median of 12 days, homes under $200,000 took 54.
What is my Virginia Beach home worth?
It depends far more on your specific ZIP and condition than on any citywide figure. John King has closed 139 transactions in Virginia Beach across 9 ZIP codes, which means most sellers here can be priced against homes he actually handled. A valuation built from closed comparables is free and usually ready within a day.
What percentage of Virginia Beach buyers use VA loans?
In John King's record, 37 percent of his 139 Virginia Beach closings were VA-financed, against about 10.6 percent of home purchases nationally. The concentration varies sharply by area — 59 percent in the Kempsville ZIP and 57 percent in 23454, against 18 percent in 23451.
When is the best time to sell a house in Virginia Beach?
When you are ready or need to move. Across John King's full record, homes listed in May went under contract in a median of 19 days against 55 for October listings. May also sits ahead of the summer PCS buyer wave. Faster is not the same as more money, though: waiting months for spring adds mortgage, tax, insurance and upkeep payments and exposes you to rate and price changes. If you are ready now, price from current comparable sales and list now.
Do Virginia Beach homes sell above asking price?
More often than they used to. Across John King's full 428-transaction record 28 percent closed above list and 29 percent closed exactly at list. From 2022 through 2026 the above-asking share was 43 percent, against zero in 2014.
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John King · Realtor
U.S. Navy Veteran · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty · 13+ years · 441 closings · Hampton Roads
Ready to make your move in Virginia Beach?
John King is a U.S. Navy veteran and REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty — 13+ years experience, 441 closings, and deep expertise across every Virginia Beach neighborhood. Whether you're buying, selling, or want to know what your Virginia Beach home is worth today, reach out directly.
Virginia Beach results. Each one links to its source — the full write-up, the client's own review on Zillow or Google, or John on camera.
Expired listing → sold in 4 days
Glenwood, Virginia Beach · closed March 24, 2026
The situation
Listed 98 days with another agent, no traction. The sellers lost the new-construction home they had planned to move into.
What John did
Relisted February 12, 2026 with pricing re-run against February comps, a rewritten description aimed at Salem-zone buyers, professional photo and video, targeted digital ads, and a launch timed for first-weekend traffic.
Result
Multiple offers within four days. Sold for $500,000 on a $499,000 list to a VA buyer.
Deerwood Trace → Wolfsnare Plantation, Virginia Beach · 2026
The situation
A family needed to sell a 3-bed brick townhouse and buy a larger home in Great Neck without a gap between the two.
What John did
Listed January 29, under contract in four days at full asking ($289,900) to a VA buyer, with a 7–10 day rent-back negotiated so the family could close on the purchase first.
Result
Bought a 4-bed on N. Wolfsnare Drive for $530,000; closings on February 23 and March 4, nine days apart, with the rent-back bridging the move.
If you own a home here, you should know exactly what you're carrying. The Virginia Beach real estate tax rate is 97 cents per $100 of assessed value. So a home assessed at $400,000, you're looking at right around $3,900 a year in taxes. And here's something that most people don't know: that 97-cent rate is the lowest of all seven cities here in Hampton Roads. Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, they're all higher. Now, your assessed value is not your market value, and that difference really does matter when you sell. If you want me to run your real carrying cost against what your home would actually fetch in today's market, that's a conversation I welcome. I'm John King with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty. You can get me at 757-270-3994. Thanks for watching.
43% of All Real Estate Transactions in Virginia Beach Are VA Loans
Here's a stat that surprises everybody. 43% of mortgaged homes purchased in Virginia Beach used VA financing. That's the highest share of any major metro in America. What that means for you: listing agents here know VA loans very well. That old myth that sellers reject VA offers dies fast in a market where nearly half the buyers are VA. Zero down, zero mortgage insurance, competitive rates. If you've earned this benefit, there is no better market in the country to use it, and no excuse for an agent who doesn't know how to write a VA offer that wins the day. I'm John King, Navy veteran turned REALTOR®, 400-plus personal closings. Follow me for more information or call me at 757-270-3994. You can also head over to my website at 757king.com. See you around.
