Surrounded by the waters of the gentle York River, historic Hampton Roads, and beautiful Chesapeake Bay, Newport News, Virginia (VA), located across the river from Smithfield, is an ideal home for anyone–but especially those whose interests or livelihoods revolve around shipping or maritime history.

True to its geography and past, the economy of Newport News, VA is today largely focused on all things marine. The city is home to one of our nation’s foremost military shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding. Major nonmilitary freight outfits such as C&O Railway and CXS Transportation depend on shipping through here as well. And dozens of smaller shipping and marine related businesses thrive here.

But residents attest that this town is much more than just maritime industry. It is also a comfortable home. Like many modern urban centers, Newport News, VA offers numerous real estate options. It has its share of high-end and modest housing as well as a healthy mix of older and new real estate construction.

Neighborhoods such as Riverside and James Landing are ideal for buyers who prefer a bit of luxury. Those who like a generously-sized lot paired with a humble yet spacious building may choose the Port Warwick or Kiln Creek real estate area. If you prefer the friendliness of a modest neighborhood, you will love the 1960s brick construction common in Beechwood, or the traditional two-stories so prevalent in Peach Orchard. For history buffs, Hilton Village and Huntington Heights are attractive options, both communities featuring charming homes that date to 1920. And these are just a few of the many real estate options Newport News, VA has to offer!

Newport News, VA families have many reasons to be happy. Mom and Dad find easy highway access for the drive to work. Career opportunities in the military, civil service, marine-related industries, and countless other fields abound both within city limits and within a short commute, such as Smithfield. Meanwhile, school children of all ages benefit from the Newport News’s award-winning schools: Newsweek and the International Music Products Association have recognized Newport News, VA schools for outstanding music and International Baccalaureate programs. And three times in recent years, America’s Promise has honored Newport News, VA as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People, citing the city’s commitment to excellent schools, community mentorship programs, and at-risk assistance efforts.

Relaxation is a serious business in Newport News, VA. The city features some 31 public parks. One, Newport News Park, is over 8,000 acres in size, one of the largest municipal parks in the United States and the largest in Virginia. The park offers common features including playground equipment and picnic facilities as well as real estate dedicated to camping, boating, fishing, biking, hiking, golf, and archery.

Educational fun abounds in this urban paradise as well. The Mariners Museum, Virginia War Museum, and the Newsome and Fields Houses all appeal to the historian within. The Virginia Living Museum, with its live animal exhibits and planetarium shows, brings out the scientist in visitors of all ages. And Newport News, VA offers culture with its annual Fall Folk Art Festival and active promotion of music, dance, and theater productions in neighboring cities.

Find your home or real estate in Newport News, VA, and be a part of living history every day!

Though the native Americans named the primary river of Elizabeth City, NC, “Pasquotank,” which means “where the waters divide,” the town has often been described as a place where people come together. Situated on the border of Camden and Pasquotank Counties, Elizabeth City, NC in many ways functions as a hub for its region, bustling with activity year-round. Yet Elizabeth City, NC can hardly be called urban: instead, it is a small town that packs a big punch.

Known in the worldwide boating community as “The Harbor of Hospitality,” Elizabeth City, NC is noted for its tradition of welcoming visiting boaters with roses. But the hospitality doesn’t end there. That friendly Elizabeth City, NC goodwill extends to residents year round. As a resident, you will find history, civic opportunities, recreation, solid schools, and business support all at your fingertips.

Elizabeth City abounds in North Carolina history. Among the downtown tours and museums, one discovers the background of local shipping, aviation, agriculture, community real estate development, and colonial history. Yet with all its appreciation for the past, Elizabeth City, NC is an area committed to sensible growth and the advancement of technology. An active and ambitious future of tourism and business development is afoot, including the possibility of a major hotel and business conference center along Water Street’s real estate.

Elizabeth City offers real estate well-suited to the quiet pride typical of North Carolina. If you prefer simple living, perhaps a cozy cottage nestled on a low-maintenance property in this Main Street community fits the bill. Love history? A turn-of-the-century restoration in the Old Town district may suit your fancy. While many homes are modest, there are notable exceptions. Boaters, for example, can live their hobby daily in scenic luxury waterfront properties.

No matter what style of real estate you choose, the conveniences of urban living abound: city-operated water and sewage services exist in all areas. Elizabeth City State University is located here. Numerous aviation/airship and other technological manufacturing companies operate within city limits. Public and private recreation facilities, including 12 acres of waterfront parks, offer an abundance of outdoor activities and organized sports. And nearly 80% of Elizabeth City, NC’s workforce reports a commute time of 15 minutes or less. These conveniences add up to “Discover the Good Life Daily,” the city’s proud motto.

If you’re looking for the familiar comforts of metropolitan life coupled with the charm, character, and personal touch of a small town, look to Elizabeth City, NC.

The last two decades have brought Suffolk, Virginia (VA), new housing, extensive real estate development, and a host of changes. Yet outside the new polish, many areas within the vast city still retain the flavor of their past. In all the best ways, Suffolk, VA is still the comfortable, down-home community it always was.

Suffolk, VA’s lifestyle and real estate vary from one region or borough to another. Whaleyville, for example, is an area that continues to strive for and pride itself on its small-town atmosphere and simple living. Here you’ll find traditional housing set in a semi-rural to rural backdrop. Driver, though it has been incorporated for years, still retains its characteristic independence and self-reliance, viewing itself as a city within a city. And the downtown, or Old Town, area of Suffolk, VA, while much renovation, renewal, and new commerce is at work, still wears the appearance of old-time city life through its the architecture and layout of it’s real estate.

Other areas have undergone dramatic cultural and lifestyle change. Northeastern Suffolk, VA has become well-known as a center of technological research. Its proximity to the highway network, thus nearby Hampton and Norfolk military facilities, makes this the perfect area of Suffolk, VA for high-tech labs, data security and management firms, and defense contractors. This area, known as the Sleepy Hole civic borough, also boasts a number of new housing communities including several luxury real estate developments that feature golf courses and boating access. It’s a far cry from its rural past.

Much like Sleepy Hole, Suffolk, VA’s eastern edges have exploded with new housing and urban-style real estate development since the mid- to late eighties. Yet today, well more than half of the city’s total area is still rural or agricultural in nature. Home buyers who crave this type of open atmosphere will particularly enjoy the Chuckatuck, Cypress, or Holy Neck boroughs. Each has a character distinctly different from the fast pace and continuous real estate development at work on the fringes of the city.

Like the real estate, the schools in Suffolk, VA also reflect a healthy mixture of technology and respect for Virginia tradition. The city’s public schools go well beyond the basics: even at the high school level, teaching is enriched with vocational and technical curricula through partnership with Pruden Center for Industry and Technology. And in addition to post-secondary training offered through Tidewater Community College, Suffolk, VA will soon house a Workforce Development Center courtesy of its Paul D. Camp Community College campus.

Suffolk, VA residents enjoy a cultural feast year-round. There’s the flavor of the traditional in farmer’s markets in both northern and downtown areas. There’s appreciation for history and its people, as reflected in the annual Nansemond Indian Tribal Pow Wow, guided tours of the Great Dismal Swamp, as well as the programs and exhibits of the Suffolk Museum. And for the whole family, there’s food, entertainment, and fun in the annual Suffolk Peanut Festival, TGIF Summer Concert Series, and Taste of Suffolk Downtown Street Festival.

Suffolk, VA may be described as one of the most varied, yet consistent, cities in Virginia. Everywhere you look, there’s something comfortable, familiar, and traditional, yet the best of modern living is never too far away. New, quality housing construction and historic architecture as well as vast rolling acreage, old-growth wooded areas, and abundant lakes, creeks, and riverfront are all a part of this beautiful city’s texture. No wonder it’s called “surprising Suffolk”!