Back in the late 1980s, the face of North Reston changed.

In 1989, Newport Springs Cluster joined the collection of close communities that line Reston Parkway. Newport Springs is a community of 28 townhouses designed with Folk Victorian architecture — homes that are relatively plain in construction and then embellished with decorative trim.

Grouped into six buildings fronting Newport Spring Court, the street meanders in a wide curve with a cul-de-sac at the end — providing privacy and safety, as there is no through street.

The homes are three stories high with a garage on the first level and a flight of stairs leading to the front entry on the second floor. The end units have wraparound porches; the others have recessed front entries. The three-bedroom homes range in size from 1,400 to 1,550 square feet. The lot sizes range from around 1,500 to 2,200 square feet.

Located off Lake Newport Road between Reston Parkway and Fairfax County Parkway, Newport Springs Cluster is walking distance to North Point Village Center. There you’ll find a Giant food store, Starbucks, restaurants, gym, a gas station and more.

This is a great neighborhood for a growing family.

What are you doing this Sunday (April 9)? May I suggest grabbing a cup of coffee and heading down to cheer on the people running in the Runner’s Marathon of Reston? It’s a hard and hilly course (so I’m told), and the runners love the boost from the crowd. Here is a link to the map.

Maybe spending some time along the Reston trails will inspire you to run or walk on them. To me, the 55 miles of footpaths that Reston Association maintains are one of the defining features of Reston.

The trails cover every neighborhood in Reston, and walking, running or biking them is a great way to get to know the community. RA has maps on their website, or you can use the wonderful interactive map Fairfax County has of all the paths. I like this tool because it lets you plan your route before you head out. Here are a few of my favorite walks about town — but don’t stop with these.

• Town Center to Lake Anne, North Reston. This walk is just shy of 1.5 miles and winds through a few of Central Reston’s original neighborhoods — Coleson Cluster and Hickory Woods. It’s fun to start at Lake Anne, grabbing breakfast at the Lake Anne Coffee House and shopping at the Farmers Market (starting in early May and going through December), then walking up to Town Center for lunch.
• Lake Thoreau Loop, South Reston. This loop is just over 2 miles and circles around charming Lake Thoreau and past the Reston Regional Golf Course. Begin and end your loop at South Lakes Village with a coffee or delicious lunch at Red’s Table or Café Sano.
• North Point Loop, North Reston. This is a 4-mile loop for those who want a little more exercise. This trail is great because it really gives you a sense of the North Point community. I recommend starting at Lake Newport pool. These trails take you through several charming neighborhoods, and you’ll notice an abundance of RA pools and tennis courts (in fact, if you do this in the summer, pop into one of the pools for a refreshing dip). After your brisk walk, cross the street over to North Point Village for coffee, ice cream or lunch!
• Walker Nature Education Center and Glade, South Reston. There are many options for a walk from here. From the Center, follow the trailhead and see where it takes you! There is a short loop (probably 1/2 mile), or you can venture off on the RA path that follows Glade. Whatever you choose, you will feel like you are miles from civilization. It’s a wonderful place to recharge.
• Tall Oaks to Lake Fairfax Park, North Reston. I’m not entirely sure how long this walk is, but the park loop takes about half an hour — longer if you’re with a dog who needs to investigate all the great smells. Park at Tall Oaks Village Center, cross under the underpass and head toward the wooden bridge. When you hit a dirt trailhead, take a left and follow the trail into Lake Fairfax Park. You’ll cross a little creek and then the path opens to what is a large loop. Go left or right and just follow it around. It’s a gorgeous walk in the woods! Just be careful — mountain bikers train here. They’re very courteous, but they’re also usually going pretty fast!

What you’ll soon find is you can have any type of walk or run you want in Reston — relaxing and easy, or very challenging. And you can get anywhere you need or want to go on foot. It’s always fun to discover a new trail and see where it takes you.

Spring is in the air and people are thinking about all the ways they want to spruce up the outside of their homes. It’s exciting. But in Reston, it may not be fast.

If you are part of Reston Association, that plan is going to have to be approved, and it takes time. Here is a primer on the RA Design Review Board application process.

First, this is not something you need to dread. The DRB application procedures are very easy to follow. It just takes a little bit of time. But you will have help along the way: the Covenants Advisors are one of Reston homeowners’ greatest resources that nobody knows about. They are here to help make the design review process the easiest part of your renovation project.

DRB Application Procedures

The Reston Association website has all the phone numbers and forms you need. Here is a recap of the DRB application procedures.

1. Contact RA to find out who your Covenants Advisor is. They’ll meet with you and advise you on your project and everything you’ll need for your application.

2. Submit your application. The application can be found on the RA website. The application includes the following:

•  A detailed written description of the proposed exterior modification or addition
• Scale drawings
• A site plan showing the size and location of project
• Photographs of the existing condition
• A brochure, detail sheet or catalog photo of materials
• Estimated project completion date
• Signatures of at least three different property owners adjacent to or within view of your alteration or improvement. If your property is located within a Cluster Association, at least one of the signatures must be that of a Cluster Officer.

3. Bring in or mail your application to the Reston Association.

4. Property Visit. RA staff and/or members of the DRB may visit and possibly photograph your property for reference.

5. Attend the DRB review panel meeting. While not all projects go in front of the full DRB review panel, if your project does require it, you should plan on attending the meeting. Your Covenants Advisor can you let you know when it’s on the agenda.

Those are the basic steps. If your application is rejected, you can appeal the decision. Or you can revise the plans to meet RA Design Covenants and Guidelines and resubmit your application. However, if you work with your Covenants Advisor and follow the RA guidelines, your project should be approved and you are on your way!

What do you have planned? Let me know.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

11320 French Horn Lane, 4BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $640,000.

2186 Pond View Court, 3BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $422,000.

18600 Stratford Park Place, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $435,000.

11622 Vantage Hill Road, 1BR. Sale Price: $170,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

1553 Bennington Woods Court, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $400,000.

11401-M Gate Hill Place, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $289,000.

11507 Hickory Cluster, 3BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $387,500.

12641 Thunder Chase Drive, 4BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $548,000.

11607 Springhouse Place, 4BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $642,000.

12059 Summer Meadow Lane, 4BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $610,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

1530 Church Hill Place, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $390,000.

2109 Colts Neck Court, 3BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $450,000.

11716 Dry River Court, 3BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $474,900.

11500 Fairway Drive, 1BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $288,000.

11144 Forest Edge Drive, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $400,000.

11300 Geddys Court, 3BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $465,000.

10912 Hunt Club Road, 4BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $660,000.

11706 Indian Ridge Road, 4BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $485,000.

11720 Indian Ridge Road, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $469,000.

1825 Ivy Oak Square, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $330,000.

1520 Moorings Drive, 2BR, 1.5BA. Sale Price: $228,000.

1637 Parkcrest Circle, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $250,000.

11100 Saffold Way, 3BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $430,000.

11775 Stratford House Place, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $333,000.

11800 Sunset Hills Road, 1BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $295,000.

11606 Vantage Hill Road, 1BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $154,000.

1958 Winterport Cluster, 4BR, 4BA. Sale Price: $506,500.

There are some new apartments in town, and they’re called BLVD Residential at Reston Station. One guess where they’re located. I have to say, they look very nice based on those pictures in the development’s web gallery.

Here are some more details on them:

The developer is Comstock. This mixed-use development has 450 apartments and is located directly adjacent to the Wiehle-Reston East station. Units are luxury studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom plus den apartments. All feature top-of-the-line amenities like gorgeous wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. Click here to see the floor plans.

In addition to the gorgeous apartments, the building includes:

• Rooftop pool and terrace, demonstration kitchen, bar and game room
• Rooftop fitness center, weight room and yoga studio
• Pet-friendly and smoke-free environment
• A Starbucks (which is very handy on that short walk to the Metro station)

RA ACCESS

While the building does not fall within Reston Association’s covenanted land, BLVD Residential is one of the first buildings in the TSA (Transit Station Area) to be brought into Reston Association through a supplemental declaration. What this means to residents is that they will have access to RA programs and services at alternative rates compared to other members. And design review for the property will be conducted with support from Reston Association staff using urban design guidelines developed for Reston Station.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

1312 Dasher Lane, 5BR, 5BA. Sale Price: $835,000.

11737 Summerchase Circle, 2BR, 1 BA. Sale Price: $240,000.

2034 Royal Fern Court, 2BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $167,400.

1579 Poplar Grove Drive, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $365,000.

11654 Stoneview Square, 3BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $190,000.

12000 Market Street, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $479,000.

12000 Market Street, 1BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $317,500.

11839 Coopers Court, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $348,800.

11760 Sunrise Valley Drive, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $333,500.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

12008 Creekbend Drive, 5BR, 5 BA. Sale Price: $920,000.

11471 Waterhaven Court, 3BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $560,000.

1515 North Point Drive, 3BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $325,000.

2267 Coppersmith Square, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $290,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

12507 Thunder Chase Drive, 4BR, 3 BA. Sale Price: $570,000.

11912 Crosswinds Court, 2BR, 2.5 BA. Sale Price: $326,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands recently:

2425 Bramblebush Court, 5BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $690,000.

11406 Windleaf Court, 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $275,000.

11723 Arbor Glen Way, 3BR, 3.5BA. Sale Price: $527,000.

11292 Fairwind Way, 3BR, 3BA. Sale Price: $497,500.

2470 Ridgehampton Court, 3BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $325,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands in the last week:

11760 Sunrise Valley Drive, 1BR, 1BA. Sale Price: $249,900.

1200 Market St., 2BR, 2BA. Sale Price: $376,000.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands in the last week:

1260 Reston Ave., 5 BR, BA. Sale Price: $1.16 million

11204 Chestnut Grove Square, 2 BR, 2 BA. Sale Price: $212,000

11400 Washington Plaza West, Studio, 1 BA. Sale Price: $180,000

11817 Breton Court, 2 BR, 1 BA. Sale Price: $219,000

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands in the last week:

12110 Purple Sage Court, 2 BR, 2 BA. Sale Price: $332,500.

1855 Stratford Park Place, 3 BR, 2.5 BA. Sale Price: $535,000.

1947 Sagewood Lane, 2 BR, 2 BA. Sale Price: $329,000.

11653 Stoneview Square, 2 BR, 2 BA. Sale Price: $175,000.

11629 Stoneview Square, 2 BR, 2 BA. Sale Price: $161,000.

11186 Silentwood Lane, 2 BR, 3 BA. Sale Price: $314,900.

2550 Brenton Point Drive, 3 BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $624,900.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Here are some Reston homes that changed hands in the last week:

1447 Park Garden Lane, 2 BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $545,000.

2523 Trophy Lane, 4 BR, 2.5 BA. Sale Price: $680,000.

11415 Fieldstone Lane, 4 BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $803,000.

1932 Lakeport Way, 3 BR, 4 BA. Sale Price: $675,000.