Find Ease of Living and low maintenance in this 2004, no fee townhome, with elevator closet and shaft, in Residential Downtown! Lovely architectural design features & extensive upgrades: beautiful oak floors, crown molding, transoms, skylight & high ceilings. A stunning foyer enters into open concept living, featuring living room & dining area, kitchen, and cozy balcony w/ awning lights & a fan. The 1st level features a 2- car garage, and a large Family Room or Game Room. The 3rd floor is comprised of a huge PMB, a beautifully renovated ensuite bath, one additional bedroom, another renovated bath & laundry room. A versatile 4th level offers a loft area, perfect for a den or office with ensuite bath w/ another bedroom. Handsome brick exterior with newer roof & HVAC.
Listing courtesy of Terri Baker · BHHS RW Towne Realty · REIN MLS #10619158
257 W Freemason St puts you in the heart of one of Norfolk's most storied urban neighborhoods — a 3,216-square-foot, four-bedroom home built in 2003, steps from waterfront parks, independent dining, and two military installations just minutes away.
Freemason Harbour is where downtown Norfolk's historic character meets modern construction — and 257 W Freemason St sits right in that sweet spot. Built in 2003 with four bedrooms and three and a half baths, this home gives you genuine square footage (3,216 of it) in a walkable, architecturally rich setting where most of your neighbors are in century-old rowhouses. That combination is genuinely rare.
FREEMASON HARBOUR and the Norfolk real estate market
Freemason Harbour is one of Norfolk's oldest and most beloved urban enclaves, tucked between the Elizabeth River waterfront and the energy of downtown. The streets here are lined with gas lamps, brick sidewalks, and a mix of Federal and Colonial Revival architecture that gives the area a distinctly East Coast, big-city feel — without the big-city commute headaches. Residents walk to waterfront green spaces, independent restaurants, and coffee shops without touching a car. The neighborhood sits within the broader city of Norfolk, which means you're also a short drive from the Chesapeake Bay, the Nauticus museum, and the full range of amenities that come with a major coastal city. For those who want urban texture — real texture, not a manufactured town center — Freemason Harbour delivers it authentically. The community is tight-knit, architecturally protected, and consistently draws buyers who want a home that feels like it belongs somewhere specific.
What's nearby
Daily life at 257 W Freemason St is remarkably self-contained. Macarthur General Store and Mercato Di Grazia are both within a tenth of a mile for quick grocery runs, and Amale Tre Focacceria & Italian Deli is just two blocks out. Dinner options are right at your doorstep — The Vhault, Chichos, and Bonchon Norfolk are all essentially on the block. Morning coffee is covered by The Campus Café, aLatte Cafe, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe, all within steps. Gym Downtown and Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios handle your workouts, and Reading Garden and Granby Street Public Parklet give you green space without a drive.
For different buyers
Base commute and VA loan notes
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and USCG Base Portsmouth are both roughly two minutes from 257 W Freemason St — a commute that's almost unheard of in Hampton Roads. For military households where one partner works long shifts or unpredictable hours, that proximity is a genuine quality-of-life advantage. A VA loan can make this urban four-bedroom more accessible than you might expect.
For buyers drawn to character
If you've been searching for a home that actually has a sense of place, Freemason Harbour is hard to beat. Gas-lit streets, brick sidewalks, waterfront access, and a neighborhood with real architectural identity — 257 W Freemason St sits inside all of that, in a 2003-built home with the square footage and layout that older stock in the area rarely offers. This is the kind of address people stay at for decades.
More buyer questions
How far is 257 W Freemason St from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth?
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is approximately two minutes from 257 W Freemason St by car, making it one of the closest residential options to the base in the region. The short commute is a consistent draw for medical staff and military personnel assigned there.
What is the Freemason Harbour neighborhood like?
Freemason Harbour is a historic, gas-lamp-lit urban neighborhood in downtown Norfolk known for its brick sidewalks, Federal and Colonial Revival architecture, and walkable access to waterfront parks and independent businesses. It attracts buyers who want genuine neighborhood character in a walkable, city-connected setting.
Is 257 W Freemason St in a flood zone?
The property sits near the Elizabeth River waterfront, so flood zone status is worth reviewing carefully — check the FloodRisk tile on this page for the current FEMA designation and what it means for insurance.
Does 257 W Freemason St have a garage?
Specific garage details for this property should be confirmed through the current listing data or a showing, as parking configurations in Freemason Harbour vary by home and lot.
Where can you walk to from 257 W Freemason St?
You can walk to multiple restaurants, coffee shops, grocery options, gyms, and green spaces — including Reading Garden and Granby Street Public Parklet — all within a block or two. Downtown Norfolk's broader amenities, including Nauticus and the waterfront, are also reachable on foot.
Tom and Dariya Milan at LPT Realty know Freemason Harbour well. Reach out to get a straight answer on what life at 257 W Freemason St actually looks like day to day.
Summary generated by AI from public records and publicly available information.
Schools · VaHome School ScoreAssigned schools
Our own 1–10 rating, scored from Virginia Department of Education data.
VaHome School Score — calculated by VaHome.com from Virginia Department of Education assessment, progress, and attendance data. Attendance zones come from the MLS listing record; confirm the current zone with the school division before making an offer.
How Far Is?
Driving distance by road and typical drive time via Google Maps, to the nearest location of each.
Also nearby
Distances are straight-line (as the crow flies) from this property, not driving miles. Places within ~1 mile, nearest first. Powered by Google Places.
Homes like this one sell fast — see the next one first
Norfolk$675K – $920K4+ beds
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Military Commute
Drive times to nearest bases
⚓
NMCP
Navy
12min·3.6mi
🚢
USCG Portsmouth
Coast Guard
8min·2.2mi
⚓
NNSY
Navy
10min·3.3mi
⚓
NS Norfolk
Navy
20min·8.1mi
🪖
MARFORCOM
Marines
23min·9.9mi
Typical drive times from Google Maps, without live traffic. Rush hour and tunnel backups can add time.
Flood & environmentFlood risk (FEMA)
🌊 Flood Risk (FEMA)
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer
Low / Moderate Risk
FEMA flood zone
Unmapped (likely Zone X)
Base flood elevation
Not applicable in low-risk zones
Zone X is outside the Special Flood Hazard Area; FEMA doesn’t define a BFE here.
Property elevation
6.3 ft above sea level
USGS 3DEP digital elevation model
No FEMA flood-hazard mapping at this exact point — typically means outside any Special Flood Hazard Area.
Data sources: Flood zone and base flood elevation come from FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer. Property elevation is sampled from a single point on the parcel using the USGS National Map elevation service — actual elevations across a single property can vary by several feet higher or lower than the figure shown. Use these numbers as a starting reference and do your own due diligence (a professional survey or elevation certificate) before relying on them for any financial, insurance, or construction decision.
Ghent is a historic neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia. It is known for tree-lined streets and early 20th-century home styles. The area has restored Victorian homes, charming cottages, and smaller multi-family homes.
$282KMedian sale · 12 mo
$228Sold $/sq ft
28dDays on market
42For sale now
$83KHH income
31.7%Owner-occupied
REIN MLS closed sales, trailing 12 mo · U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-year
Estimates only. Taxes come from the public record; confirm rates with your lender. VA-eligible buyers: $0-down financing may apply.
Estimate your monthly payment
$5,201/mo
Principal & interest
$4,146
Property tax
$822
Home insurance
$233
PMI
None
HOA/Condo (paid separately)
None
Estimate only. Association (HOA/condo) fees are paid separately and are not included in the payment above. Insurance assumed at 0.35% of home value annually. Actual taxes, insurance, and rate will vary by lender, credit, and property. Contact a lender for a personalized quote.
Value & historyComparables
Asking vs. assessment99% of $804,400City assessment record · taxes $9,868/yr
Land share of assessed value30% · $239,000Improvements $565,400 · assessor record ✓
Price context: similar nearby homes$680,000 – $829,000The 6 most similar homes nearby (same city, within ~20% of this size, ~2.5 mi; 6 sold). Context for judging the asking price, not an appraisal or an estimate of this home's value.
Source: City Assessor via Hampton Roads Regional Parcels.
Asking near assessment
Total Assessed
$804,400
Land
$239,000
Improvement
$565,400
Looking for multi-year tax assessments or prior sales? REIN MLS only ships data for the current listing. For full property history, check the city assessor record:
Tax data above from REIN public-records sync. Sale timeline tracked from this listing's first appearance in our feed forward; prior owner sales are not included.
Comparable Properties
Comps are selected by city, bed count, square footage and price proximity. Composite similarity score weights bed match, sqft variance, price variance, and straight-line distance.
CompareThis home next to what else is for sale nearby
Home
Price
Beds
Baths
Sqft
$ / sqft
257 W Freemason Stthis home
$799,000
4
3.1
3,216
$248
Loading nearby homes for sale…
Active comparables from the REIN MLS, the same homes shown under Comparable Properties. Context for judging the asking price, not an appraisal.
Questions buyers ask
Is 257 W Freemason St in a good school zone?
The assigned zones on the listing record are Walter Herron Taylor Elementary, Blair Middle (VaHome School Score 2.8/10), Maury (VaHome School Score 3.4/10). School attendance zones can change — always confirm enrollment with the local school division.
Is there a gym near 257 W Freemason St?
Yes — Blocker Norfolk Family YMCA is about 0.1 miles away, per the cached nearby-places record for this address.
Are there parks near 257 W Freemason St?
Mermaid @ Bute St (Courtney) is about 0.1 miles away.
Where is the nearest grocery store to 257 W Freemason St?
Macarthur General Store is about 0.2 miles away. The closest dining on record is Omar's Carriage House (0.1 mi).
Does 257 W Freemason St have an HOA?
No — there are no HOA, condo, or association dues on the listing record for this property.
When was 257 W Freemason St built?
It was built in 2003, per the listing record.
Answers generated from the listing record, verified school zones, FEMA data, and cached nearby-places data. Never invented.
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Listing courtesy of Terri Baker · BHHS RW Towne Realty · REIN MLS #10619158
257 W Freemason St, Norfolk, Virginia 23510 · MLS #10619158 · Source: REIN MLS + public record. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed; verify independently. School zones subject to change; confirm with the local school division. All locations are described by neutral geographic fact. Equal Housing Opportunity.
