Southeast DC · Washington, DC
Navy Yard
Waterfront Mixed-Use Development with Strong Fundamentals and Limited Historic Character.
Quick Answer
Navy Yard is a waterfront mixed-use development south of Capitol Hill with 298 row homes alongside condos and new construction. This market is driven by waterfront access, Nationals Park proximity, and Capitol Riverfront BID activation. Different housing stock from historic rowhouse neighborhoods, different demand character, strong fundamentals.
Row Home Market
Fee simple & rowhouse condo · Closed sales, last 12 months
Median Sale Price
$1.1M
▲ +8.1% YoY
Median Days on Market
18 days
▼ -5d YoY
List-to-Sale Ratio
97.5%
Slight Discount
Median $/sqft
$672
Row Homes in Navy Yard
298
2 currently for sale
How We Calculate $/sqft
$/sqft is calculated on above-grade finished square footage, the standard used by DC appraisers, MLS systems, and most market participants. Properties with finished below-grade space (English basements, rental units) carry that square footage as additive value, but appraisers typically apply a discount of 50 to 75 cents on the dollar relative to above-grade space. Blending the two into a single $/sqft figure would make a home with a finished basement look cheaper than it is and obscure the real comparison. When a property has significant finished below-grade square footage, both metrics are presented in context so you understand the full picture before the appraiser does.
Row homes only (fee simple & rowhouse condo) · Source: BrightMLS via Compass · 5 closed sales · 12-month rolling period · Median figures · Updated periodically
The Neighborhood
Navy Yard, Washington DC: Neighborhood Overview
Navy Yard represents a fundamentally different market from the historic rowhouse neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and its extensions. The neighborhood was historically an industrial corridor transformed over the past 15 years into a mixed-use waterfront development. The Anacostia River waterfront is the defining geographic feature, with new construction, renovated industrial buildings, and some preserved historic rowhouses creating a heterogeneous housing stock. Nationals Park (2008) catalyzed initial development. The Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District has continued commercial activation and public realm improvement. The housing stock includes new residential high-rises, converted warehouse lofts, rowhouse historic examples, and mixed-use buildings with retail below units. This is not a neighborhood of single-family rowhouses. It is a waterfront development with diverse housing types.
Transit access is strong: the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station provides Green Line access. The Anacostia Riverwalk provides pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. The waterfront location and Nationals Park create obvious recreational amenities. Commercial activation is ongoing through the Capitol Riverfront BID, with restaurants, galleries, and retail increasing foot traffic. The neighborhood functions as a waterfront destination with strong employment-center access (Metro), recreational amenities (Park, Riverwalk), and commercial activity. For buyers prioritizing walkable urban living with waterfront access and condo ownership, Navy Yard offers strong appeal.
What to Know Before You Buy
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Navy Yard's housing stock is primarily condos and new construction, not single-family rowhouses. The limited row home inventory represents a minority of the market. Buyers seeking fee-simple rowhouse ownership with land will find more consistent inventory in Capitol Hill or Near Northeast. Different housing stock creates different demand character than rowhouse neighborhoods.
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Current market pricing reflects condo and mixed-use housing types rather than rowhouses. You might be buying a condo in a new building, a loft in a converted warehouse, or a historic rowhouse. Price comparisons require understanding what type you are evaluating.
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Nationals Park drives significant foot traffic, but that traffic is seasonal and event-dependent. Game days create vitality. Off-season and non-game periods show different street activity. Properties should not be evaluated on summer game-day energy alone.
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The Capitol Riverfront BID has driven meaningful commercial activation, but that activation required continuous investment and management. The neighborhood is reliant on ongoing BID funding and effort.
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Waterfront access creates recreational value: the Anacostia Riverwalk, kayaking, and outdoor recreation are genuine amenities. This appeals to buyers who prioritize outdoor recreation and waterfront access more than others.
Market Position
Navy Yard Real Estate Market: What Drives Demand
Navy Yard draws condo-focused buyers, renters converting to ownership in new construction, and buyers prioritizing waterfront access and Nationals Park proximity over historic character and traditional rowhouse ownership. Prices vary by condition and building type, with move-up buyers accessing the market with equity from prior sales or capital availability. Demand is diverse: condo buyers in new high-rises, buyers attracted by commercial activation and parks, buyers specifically seeking waterfront amenities. Investment capital flows here for different reasons than historic neighborhoods: development upside, commercial activation potential, and conversion opportunities rather than renovation value creation.
Navy Yard trades at comparable pricing to core Capitol Hill despite fundamentally different housing stock and character. The pricing parity reflects waterfront premium and Nationals Park proximity offsetting the lack of historic character. Buyers evaluating Navy Yard against Capitol Hill rowhouses are making a tradeoff decision: waterfront, new construction, and Metro proximity (Navy Yard) versus historic character, fee-simple ownership, and established neighborhoods (Capitol Hill).
The structural demand driver here is waterfront access, mixed-use density, and Metro connectivity. This is fundamentally different from the rowhouse-supply constraints that drive Capitol Hill appreciation. Navy Yard's success depends on continued commercial activation, Nationals Park maintaining appeal, and the Capital Riverwalk maintaining public realm quality. The honest assessment: Navy Yard is a strong market with good fundamentals, but appreciation drivers are different and appreciation may move at different rates than historic neighborhoods.
Streets + Pockets
Best Streets and Blocks in Navy Yard
Not all blocks are equal. Here is a street-level breakdown of Navy Yard's distinct pockets.
Half Street SE (Ballpark area)
Directly adjacent to Nationals Park with high foot traffic on game days. Mixed new construction, retail, and restaurants. Highest commercial activation and walkability, but also noise and seasonal intensity.
1st Street SE (Riverwalk corridor)
Waterfront-adjacent with strong Anacostia Riverwalk connectivity. Mix of new construction and historic rowhouses. Recreational amenities create strong appeal for specific buyer cohorts.
2nd Street SE
One block inland with quieter character and slightly lower prices than waterfront frontage. Still part of the mixed-use development but less direct Nationals Park exposure.
M Street SE
Secondary commercial corridor with galleries and retail activation. Quieter than Half Street but still part of the Capitol Riverfront activation zone.
S Street SE
Northern boundary street marking the transition between the Capitol Riverfront mixed-use development and the Capitol Hill rowhouse fabric. Confirmed within the Near Southeast development zone with both historic and new construction inventory.
Row Homes
Navy Yard Row Homes for Sale: Market Overview
Navy Yard includes 298 row homes, primarily historic examples preserved as part of the waterfront redevelopment. These rowhouses are a minority of the market and are often priced as part of the broader mixed-use development narrative rather than evaluated on standalone rowhouse fundamentals. Many are converted to condos or are part of condo buildings. Fee-simple rowhouse ownership in Navy Yard is less common than in Capitol Hill or surrounding neighborhoods. Prices for historic rowhouses in Navy Yard reflect waterfront premium and proximity to Nationals Park, creating different price dynamics than similar properties in non-waterfront neighborhoods. Most buyers in Navy Yard are condo-focused rather than rowhouse-focused.
DC Row Homes Guide →Total Row Homes
298
in Navy Yard
Currently for Sale
2
active listings
Housing stock: DC public property records · Active listings: BrightMLS via Compass
Brian's Take
"Navy Yard is strong fundamentals in a different market: 18-day DOM, 97.5% list-to-sale ratio, and current pricing that reflects waterfront premium and Metro access rather than rowhouse supply constraints. This is where buyers go when they want dense urban walkability, waterfront access, and Nationals Park proximity without the renovation projects and 19th-century architecture of Capitol Hill. For condo buyers, the market is solid. For rowhouse purists, Navy Yard offers limited upside. The honest assessment: this is a different neighborhood with different appreciation drivers. Do not buy Navy Yard expecting Capitol Hill return profile."
Brian R. Hill · Let's talk about Navy Yard →
From the Record
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The Washington Navy Yard was established on October 2, 1799, making it the oldest naval shipbuilding facility and among the nation's first military installations, shaping the site's industrial character for over two centuries.
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The Commandant's House and other historic buildings on the Navy Yard campus date to the early 1800s, surviving the Civil War and standing as anchors to the site's military heritage and architectural significance.
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During World War II, the Navy Yard served as a major production facility, building and repairing naval vessels and contributing significantly to the war effort before transitioning to maintenance and support operations.
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Nationals Park opened on March 30, 2008 as a catalyst for waterfront redevelopment, establishing the Capitol Riverfront as a modern mixed-use neighborhood while preserving the Navy Yard's historic institutional presence.
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The neighborhood's evolution from industrial military installation to vibrant mixed-use waterfront development represents one of DC's more significant urban transformations in recent decades, with the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District driving ongoing commercial activation and public realm improvements.
Frequently Asked
Navy Yard Real Estate: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Navy Yard?
The current median sale price for Navy Yard can be found in the live market data above top of this page, sourced from BrightMLS via Compass. That price is comparable to core Capitol Hill but reflects different housing stock: condos, new construction, and lofts rather than single-family rowhouses. The median masks significant variation between new high-rise condos at higher price points and historic rowhouse examples at lower prices. Understanding what type of property you are evaluating is essential for pricing clarity.
How is Navy Yard different from Capitol Hill?
Navy Yard is a waterfront mixed-use development dominated by condos and new construction with strong Metro access, Nationals Park proximity, and commercial activation. Capitol Hill is a historic rowhouse neighborhood with smaller lots, fee-simple ownership, and established commercial corridors. Current pricing in both neighborhoods is comparable, but the housing stock, ownership models, and appreciation drivers are fundamentally different. Navy Yard buyers prioritize waterfront access, density, and new construction. Capitol Hill buyers prioritize historic character and rowhouse ownership.
How fast do homes sell in Navy Yard?
The median days on market in Navy Yard is 18 days with a 97.5% list-to-sale ratio. This reflects strong market fundamentals and active buyer demand for waterfront and mixed-use properties. The market moves quickly. Well-priced properties go under contract rapidly. The difference from Capitol Hill is primarily in housing type, not market speed.
Are row homes available in Navy Yard?
A small number of row homes exist in Navy Yard, though they represent a minority of the market. Most are historic examples that have been preserved as part of the waterfront redevelopment or converted to condos. Fee-simple ownership is uncommon here. If you specifically want a single-family rowhouse with land ownership, Capitol Hill proper offers deeper inventory and more straightforward ownership models.
Is Navy Yard a good investment right now?
Navy Yard shows strong market fundamentals: 97.5% list-to-sale ratio, 18-day DOM, and current median pricing. However, the appreciation drivers are different from historic rowhouse neighborhoods. The market holds when the commercial corridor stays active, the ballpark draws consistent attendance, and the public realm investment continues. For condo buyers seeking waterfront access and mixed-use density, the fundamentals are solid. For rowhouse investors evaluating single-family opportunities, look at Capitol Hill or its extensions instead.
Also Consider
Neighborhoods Near Navy Yard, DC
Capitol Hill
North of Navy Yard, separated by residential neighborhoods. Historic rowhouse market with different housing stock and demand character. Comparable price point, different appreciation drivers.
Median Price
$1.1M
Median DOM
13 days
Hill East
Northeast. Historic rowhouse neighborhood at a slightly lower price point with different demand character. Less waterfront access, more residential quietness, owner-occupant focused.
Median Price
$898K
Median DOM
19 days
Near Northeast : NOMA : H Street
North and northeast. Transit-oriented neighborhoods with rowhouse stock and NoMa development. Less waterfront character but higher inventory diversity.
Median Price
$880K
Median DOM
38 days
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