For that small-town, ole’-time feeling — living on top of the shop, passing a Civil War marker on an evening stroll — give Occoquan a try.
The little 100-acre town tucked into the banks of Occoquan River in Northern Virginia is not too far from and not too close to Washington. Roughly 800 people live there, and more people want to buy than there are houses to buy up.
“The average real estate prices in Occoquan have always been much higher than the rest of Prince William County,” said Greg Wilson, broker-owner of ReMax Riverside in Occoquan, “because of the popularity of the town and the relatively small supply of properties.”
There is a mix of two-story bungalows, old and newly renovated structures, and a few modern town homes and condos.
Gaslight Landing, a Victorian-style town house development with deeded boat slips, offers 10 recently completed homes in a kaleidoscope of gold, green, orange and browns on Mill Street, the main commercial thoroughfare. Another 10 are under construction.
Occoquan is a historic and waterfront community with dozens of street-level shops, including restaurants, galleries, jewelers and gift boutiques, supporting second-story residences. Interconnecting streets and alleyways offer a glimpse of the river, and authentic flickering gas streetlights add the finishing touch.
The central downtown district is zoned to encourage housing. And, indeed, above shops are apartments with wide decks overlooking the street.
“We promote this mixing to keep the small-town feel,” Town Administrator Claudia Cruise said. There are about 60 residential units in the historic district.
The town seems to appeal to everyone who visits, said Wilson, who regularly fields inquiries from “professionals transferring here to take jobs at Fort Belvoir, Quantico or the Pentagon, as well as empty nesters,” mostly in the 45-to-60 age bracket.
Occoquan developed on the river and became a focal point for waterborne commerce. The first automated grain processing mill was built on the riverbank in 1755. George Washington sent his overseer to take a look at it and construct a copy in Mount Vernon.
Many residents have lived here for years. “It’s not unusual to see people walking their dogs or strolling the sidewalks stopping to talk with neighbors they know by first name,” Wilson said.
“People are surprised when they find and discover us,” said Cruise, who has been here since 1997. “I found a house, bought it and don’t plan on leaving.”
Judie Breunig, owner of Attic Treasures & Sew Easy Sewing School, lives 12 minutes away but said her “goal is to own a house downtown.”
There are no schools; the roughly 75 Occoquan children go to adjacent towns.
There’s also no mail delivery. “People have to go to the post office,” Cruise said. “But we don’t mind because it keeps the small-town feel. This is where people gossip. Lots of exchange goes on in those walls.”
On the first Sunday in December, townspeople gather for a town blessing in Ebenezer Baptist Church.
“We ask for the Lord’s guidance and his grace on our little town,” Cruise said with a glint in her eye. “It’s an old-timey thing.”
“I’ve been here several years and seen a growing interest in this unique community. With a limited supply of properties, there’ll always be a greater appreciation in a strong market and a smaller decline in a down market,” Wilson said. “Now is a very good time to invest in Occoquan real estate.”
