Penrose · Buying a Home
Buying a Home in Penrose
The right home, at the right price, with your eyes open, from the first conversation to closing day.
Buying a Home in Penrose: A Neighborhood of One-of-a-Kind Houses
Buying a home in Penrose means looking at houses that rarely repeat. According to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the Penrose Historic District includes 486 contributing buildings across 12 subdivisions platted between 1882 and 1943, and a notable number of them are kit or mail-order houses. Add Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals, bungalows, a few Queen Anne and Italianate houses, duplexes, small apartment buildings and new craftsman homes, and every search here is different.
We help you sort through that mix, judge each house on its own terms and pay the right price for the one you choose.
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The Penrose Market Right Now
Penrose is in ZIP code 22204. Homes there that sold from July through September 2026 took an average of 54 days to sell and received about 97.2% of their original list price, according to Bright MLS. Arlington County had about 3.9 months of supply in September 2026, up from 3.0 a year earlier, so buyers have more time to look than they did a year ago.
What you are buying matters. In September 2026, NVAR reported condo and townhouse listings across its Northern Virginia region up 49.7% from a year earlier, while detached listings rose only 5.7%. If you want a detached Penrose house, expect less choice and be ready when the right one appears. If you are open to a condo or townhouse nearby, you will find more to choose from.
Before any offer, we prepare a home value report from recent 22204 sales that truly compare, so you know what the house is worth before you decide what to pay.
Older Houses Deserve a Careful Look
A house built in the early 1900s can be full of charm and also full of surprises behind the walls. We can coordinate the inspection, or you can schedule it yourself. Either way, we go through the results with you and advise you on how to proceed.
If a house needs far more than you want to take on, we will say so, even if it means walking away. We would rather you thank us years later than buy a house we did not believe in.
The Penrose Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004. If you plan changes to a house, check with Arlington County about what applies to that address.
How We Help You Buy in Penrose
The Mike Webb Team is Mike and Claudia Webb, with RE/MAX Allegiance, and we have more than 34 years in real estate. About three out of four of our sales are in Arlington.
We start with a buyer consultation, set up a search so new Penrose listings come to you, and show you homes ourselves or with our showing partner when we are booked. We prepare the home value report, plan and write the offer with you, negotiate for you, help with the inspection and stay with you through the final walk-through, on closing day or a few days before. We can also refer you to lenders, inspectors and contractors.
Before we tour homes, you get pre-approved through a lender or your own bank or credit union, and we sign a written buyer agreement together so you know exactly how we will work with you.
Heather “Mac” told us: “My husband and I are so very happy we chose Mike and Claudia Webb to be our realtors!”
Everyday Life in Penrose
Penrose Square, on Columbia Pike, opened in 2011 and is anchored by a Giant grocery store, with restaurants and salons around it. The neighborhood has three parks: Penrose Park, Butler Holmes Park and Towers Park. Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall (Fort Myer) borders it to the east, Route 50 runs along the north edge, and the Pentagon is a short drive away.
Penrose is served by Alice West Fleet Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Wakefield High School. Boundaries change, so check the current Arlington Public Schools boundary map for any address before you buy.
Read more on our Penrose page. Buying your first home? See first-time buyers in Penrose.
Ready to Look at Penrose Homes?
Tell us what you want and where you are in the process. We will sit down with you, answer your questions and help you plan the next step, with no pressure.
Contact The Mike Webb Team or call or text 703-350-3884.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of homes are in Penrose?
A wide mix: early 1900s Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals, bungalows, Queen Anne and Italianate houses, kit and mail-order houses, duplexes, a few small apartment buildings and new craftsman homes.
Is Penrose a historic district?
Yes. The Penrose Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004. Before you plan changes to a house, check with Arlington County about what applies to that address.
How long are Penrose homes taking to sell?
In ZIP code 22204, which includes Penrose, homes that sold from July through September 2026 took an average of 54 days to sell, according to Bright MLS.
Do I need to be pre-approved before touring homes?
Yes. You get pre-approved through a lender or your own bank or credit union, and we sign a written buyer agreement together before we start showing homes.
Penrose
What buying a home looks like in Penrose
Cape Cods, bungalows and craftsman homes between Route 50 and Columbia Pike, next to Fort Myer and Penrose Square.
A historic Arlington neighborhood, platted in 1882 as the Butler-Holmes subdivision, with a wide mix of homes and three public parks.
- The homes
- A mix of Cape Cods, colonials, craftsman-style houses, some duplexes, and a few small apartment buildings.
- Why people choose it
- Often a first home or a move-up home, and now and then an investment, depending on the size of the house.
- Schools people ask about
- Alice West Fleet Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Wakefield High School.
- Getting around
- Tree-lined streets, next to Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall (Fort Myer), with Route 50 at the north edge and the Pentagon a short drive away.
- Nearby
- Penrose Park, Butler Holmes Park and Towers Park. Penrose Square on Columbia Pike, with a Giant grocery store, restaurants and salons.
- The trade-off
- Choosing it over its neighbors usually comes down to buyer preference more than a trade-off.
The method
How we do it in Penrose
Buying a Home: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with The Mike Webb Team?