Janisse Rivera and her husband, Saul Soto Sanchez, were looking for a second home, a rural retreat, when they discovered The Woods at Occoquan Overlook in Lorton, Va. Impressed by the wooded one-acre lots, they decided to move there from the house they live in now — also in Lorton but on a street with little space between neighbors.
Woods at Occoquan Overlook rises on one-acre lots in Lorton, Va.
Craftmark plans 43 single-family houses on 74 acres, with prices starting at $1.73 million
5 min
By Barbara Ruben
The family will occupy only the one home, but in a roomy new community where construction is just getting underway.
“We wanted a lot of outdoor space where we could see trees, and it’s close but not too close to the craziness of the metro area,” Rivera said.
Rivera and Sanchez are looking forward to completion, expected in October, of their six-bedroom, four-bathroom house, which will have a guest suite on the first floor to accommodate visits from Rivera’s mother. Another advantage: The Woods at Occoquan Overlook is only 3½ miles from their current house, so their three kids won’t have to change schools.
Over the next 2½ years, Craftmark Homes intends to build 43 large single-family houses on 74 acres near the Occoquan River. The land had been family-owned for decades, and two of the three streets are named for the elderly sisters who sold it. The community has three sections, named for trees, Maples, Pines and Oaks.
“To have this amount of land in Fairfax County is priceless,” said Lori Windsor, Craftmark sales manager for the development. “It’s perfect for Mother Nature lovers who enjoy the outdoors.”
The Woods at Occoquan Overlook will open in phases, and five houses have been sold so far. The development has four house styles, each of which can be customized. They all have four to six bedrooms, three or more full bathrooms and a powder room. Options include a home office, a study and a first-floor deck with or without a roof. The basement can be configured with recreation and exercise rooms.
Bosch kitchen appliances are standard and can be upgraded to Thermador appliances, including a restaurant-style refrigerator and freezer. Another upgrade extends kitchen cabinets to the ceiling.
Exterior materials vary depending on the model but include combinations of Hardie fiber cement siding, brick veneer and stone.
Windsor said all models have options for first-floor bedroom suites and one, the Maiden, can be built with an elevator, making it easier to age in place or to accommodate multigenerational households.
The Maiden floor plan is 4,789 to 5,906 square feet, and the price starts at $1.729 million. Buyers can choose a two- or three-car garage and three or four full bathrooms plus a powder room.
The Edgewater includes a primary bedroom suite on the first floor. A second laundry room and a sunroom that adjoins the dining area are optional. The floor plan ranges from 4,665 to 6,007 square feet, with three or four full bathrooms and a powder room. The house also comes with a two- or three-car garage. The price starts at $1,819,900.
The Biltmore model, which Rivera and Soto Sanchez chose, is 5,773 to 6,748 square feet, with three or four full bathrooms plus a powder room. There is a two- or three-car garage. The price starts at $1,819,900.
The largest model, the 6,586- to 8,395-square-foot Kenmore, has a two-story foyer and a curving staircase to the second floor. It has four to six full bathrooms and a powder room. There is a two- to four-car garage. The price starts at $1,949,900.
Eena and Vijay Agarwal have purchased a Maiden house on one of the largest home sites, 1.2 acres. Like Rivera and Soto Sanchez, they prize the woods and the distance between neighboring houses. They had looked nearby for a house for several years but didn’t have much luck until they found The Woods at Occoquan Overlook. They will be moving from another part of Lorton, about four miles away.
“We wanted a nice house and to maintain our living standard,” Eena Agarwal said. “We didn’t want a mansion, just a decent-sized house. This was the only option in the size range in our budget. When Craftmark gave us the option of an elevator, we jumped on it. You never know, we may be living in this house for 20 years and will really appreciate it then.”
A selling point is the community’s proximity to Interstate 95 and Route 123 (Ox Road), Windsor said. “You can get to Fairfax, Tysons or Vienna in 30 minutes or less, and if one route is backed up, you have alternative choices.”
She also pointed to the number of parks nearby and the Occoquan River, just a mile away.
“While people will love their houses, they will also be excited to get outside to enjoy everything the area has to offer,” she said.
Schools: Halley Elementary, South County Middle and South County High.
Nearby: The Shoppes of Lorton Valley, two miles away, is anchored by a Giant Food store and has a Starbucks, Five Guys and other restaurants and stores. The Occoquan Historic District, with shops and restaurants, is three miles away and overlooks the river. Workhouse Arts Center, with galleries and classes, is two miles away.
Parks and recreation: The 350-acre Occoquan Regional Park, with boat rentals on the Occoquan River, is two miles away. Laurel Hill Golf Club, owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority, is three miles away.
- Address: 9600 Peniwill Dr., Lorton, Va. 22079
- Developer: Craftmark Homes
- Type of home: Single-family
- Price: Models start at $1.73 million to $1.95 million
- HOA fee: $135 a month covers snow removal, trash collection and recycling, and maintenance of common grounds.
- Number of units: 43 (38 available)
- Square footage: 4,665 to 8,395
- Website: craftmarkhomes.com/communities/occoquan-overlook
