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Living in Cascades

Cascades is a planned community in the Potomac Falls area of eastern Loudoun County, north of Route 7 with a Sterling mailing address. Built largely in the 1990s, it combines detached houses, townhouses and condominiums with association pools, paved trails and riverfront parkland.
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Living in Cascades

An overview of Cascades, its housing mix, community amenities, and how daily life and commuting work here.
Cascades is a planned community in the Potomac Falls area of eastern Loudoun County, set between Route 7 on the south and the Potomac River on the north. Homes here carry a Sterling mailing address in ZIP code 20165, and some listings use Potomac Falls. Countryside lies to the west, and Sugarland Run and Lowes Island to the east. The community was established in 1990 on what had been a few large farms, and its homeowners association dates from that year. Nearly everything was built in the 1990s, which gives Cascades a consistent look: brick-front and sided colonials on cul-de-sacs, garage and non-garage townhouses, and garden-style condominiums. Sales over the past year split almost evenly between detached houses and townhouses, with condominiums about a quarter. Potomac Lakes is the subdivision name that appears most often in sales records, and a handful of 2020s homes have added a newer option. The association maintains community centers, swimming pools, tennis courts and a network of paved walking trails. Cascades Marketplace, a retail center laid out with a main-street feel, is the commercial core for groceries, restaurants and services. On the river side, Algonkian Regional Park and the Potomack Lakes Sportsplex provide golf, a water park, riverside trails, athletic fields and open space. Cascades Parkway is the main route in and out, meeting Route 7 at the community’s southern edge. From there Route 7 runs east to Tysons and west to Leesburg, and Route 28 leads south to Dulles Airport and the Dulles Toll Road. There is no Metrorail station nearby; the Silver Line stations around the airport are a drive away, and most trips begin by car. If Cascades is on your list, the useful comparisons are between its townhouse and detached sections and against the neighboring communities along Route 7, each with its own association fees and amenities. I’m glad to walk you through the sections, recent sales and what is coming to market.

Key Highlights:

  • Housing character — 1990s detached colonials, townhouses and garden-style condominiums in a single planned community
  • Green space — Algonkian Regional Park on the Potomac, Potomack Lakes Sportsplex and association walking trails
  • Daily essentials — Cascades Marketplace for groceries, restaurants and services; Dulles Town Center across Route 7
  • Transit — car-oriented; Route 7 and Route 28 nearby, with Silver Line stations around Dulles Airport a drive away
  • Schools — Loudoun County Public Schools, including Potomac Falls High and River Bend Middle; confirm with the boundary locator
  • Market character — median sale price about $675,000 across 110 sales, with a median of eight days on market
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Cascades Real Estate FAQs

Insight into the nuances of buying and selling in one of the country’s most complex urban markets.

Cascades is known as a large 1990s planned community with association pools, community centers, tennis courts and paved trails. It also has Cascades Marketplace at its center and Algonkian Regional Park along the Potomac River.
Cascades is in the Potomac Falls area of eastern Loudoun County, north of Route 7 and south of the Potomac River. Homes use a Sterling mailing address in ZIP code 20165.
No. The nearest Metrorail stations are the Silver Line stops around Dulles Airport, which are a drive away. Most commuting from Cascades starts on Route 7 or Route 28.
Detached houses and townhouses each make up a little over a third of recent sales, and condominiums about a quarter. Most homes were built in the 1990s.
The median sale price over the past 12 months was about $675,000. Detached houses had a median near $950,000, townhouses about $670,000, and condominiums about $380,000.
The median was eight days on market across 110 sales, and more than half sold at or above the original list price. Condominiums took longer, with a median of about three weeks.
Cascades Marketplace is the community’s retail center for groceries, restaurants and services. Dulles Town Center mall is across Route 7 to the south.
Cascades is in Loudoun County Public Schools. Potowmack and Horizon Elementary, River Bend Middle and Potomac Falls High serve the area; confirm any address with the district’s boundary locator.

Location & Neighborhood

Potomac Falls, eastern Loudoun County, between Route 7 and the Potomac River.

The Cascades census-designated place runs from Route 7 on the south to the Potomac River and Algonkian Regional Park on the north, with Countryside on the west and Sugarland Run and Lowes Island on the east. Cascades Parkway is the spine, running north from Route 7 through the community, with Palisade Parkway and Algonkian Parkway linking the residential sections. Cascades Marketplace holds the retail at the center, and the parkland and sports fields sit along the river side.

Roads, Commute and Daily Errands

Cascades Parkway connects the community to Route 7, which runs east to Tysons and the Capital Beltway and west to Leesburg. Route 28 is a short drive west on Route 7 and leads south to Dulles Airport and the Dulles Toll Road. The Silver Line stations near the airport are the closest Metrorail, and Loudoun County Transit serves eastern Loudoun by bus.

Cascades Marketplace covers most everyday needs, from groceries to restaurants and services, and the Loudoun campus of Northern Virginia Community College is close by. Larger shopping is at Dulles Town Center, across Route 7. Association pools, community centers and trails are spread through the residential sections, so recreation rarely requires leaving the community.

Neighboring Area:

  • Countryside — west, a planned community along Route 7
  • Sugarland Run — east, toward the Fairfax County line
  • Lowes Island — northeast, along the Potomac River
  • Sterling — south across Route 7, around Sterling Park
  • Dulles Town Center — southwest across Route 7, mall and offices

A Day In The Life - Snapshot

The quick details buyers ask about most.

Metro Access
No Metrorail station nearby. The Silver Line stations around Dulles Airport are the closest, reached by car via Route 7 and Route 28, and Loudoun County Transit serves eastern Loudoun by bus.
Walkability
Paved association trails and sidewalks connect many sections to pools, schools and Cascades Marketplace. Trips outside the community, including most commutes, are made by car.
Typical Home Types
1990s detached colonials on cul-de-sacs, townhouses with and without garages, and garden-style condominiums, plus a small number of homes built in the 2020s.
Parking
Detached houses have garages and driveways. Many townhouses have garages, while others and the condominiums rely on assigned and visitor surface spaces governed by association rules.
Vibe
Curving residential streets and cul-de-sacs with mature landscaping, a compact retail center at the middle, and open parkland and golf along the Potomac River.
Best For
Buyers who want a 1990s house, townhouse or condominium with association pools and trails, and who accept a car-dependent commute and monthly association fees.

Cascades Market Snapshot

A high-level look at current pricing, demand, and sales activity in the Cascades real estate market.
$675,000

Median Sales Price

$295

Median Price Per Sq Ft

8

Median Days On Market

110

Annual Closed Sales

+2.3%

YoY Median Price Change

Cascades is a mixed market, with detached houses and townhouses each a little over a third of sales and condominiums about a quarter. The snapshot covers every closed sale inside the Census-defined Cascades boundary over the trailing twelve months through September 2026 — 41 townhouses and semi-detached homes, 40 detached houses, and 29 condominiums. Price per square foot uses interior living area.

Across all home types the median sale was $675,000 at about $295 per square foot, with a median of 8 days on market and sales averaging 99% of original list price. The median rose about 2% from the prior twelve months. Within segments, the townhouse median rose about 6% to $670,000 and the detached median rose about 3% to $950,000.

Market data reflects recent 12-month activity. Individual buildings may vary.

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Homes for Sale in Cascades

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Recently Sold

Recently Sold in Cascades

Closed sales from the past 12 months — the comps that set today’s pricing.

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In-Depth Market Analysis

Cascades Market Insights

How pricing trends, absorption rates, and inventory levels are shaping buying and selling

Inventory & Absorption

Cascades recorded 110 closed sales over the past 12 months, down from about 120 the year before. The mix was balanced: 40 detached houses, 41 townhouses and 29 condominiums. Because most of the community was built in the 1990s, listings tend to be similar in age and layout within each section, and differences in price usually come down to updates, lot position and garage count. Townhouse sales were the segment that fell most from the prior year.

Pricing Dynamics

The median sale price was about $675,000, up roughly 2 percent from the prior 12 months. Detached houses had a median near $950,000 and ranged up to about $1.28 million. Townhouses had a median of about $670,000 and condominiums about $380,000, with the lowest sale at $327,500. Sellers received a little over 99 percent of original list price at the median, and the median price per square foot was about $295.

Buyer Profile

Demand is firmest for townhouses and detached houses, which sold in a median of six and seven days, and townhouses sold at about full original list price at the median. Roughly 58 percent of all sales closed at or above the original list price. Condominiums moved more slowly, with a median of about three weeks and a sold-to-list ratio near 98 percent, so that segment leaves more room to negotiate.

Strategic Outlook

The past year showed modest price growth and a slightly slower pace, with the median days on market moving from six to eight and the sold-to-list ratio slipping just below 100 percent. Houses and townhouses still sell quickly when priced in line with recent sales. The condominium segment has slowed more noticeably, with marketing time doubling. Future conditions will depend on mortgage rates and how many owners choose to list.

Market Position Overview:

Inventory Level: Balanced with selective competition

Negotiation Environment: Moderate flexibility

Typical Days on Market: 25-45 (well-priced units)

Rental Demand: Consistent due to transit proximity

Long- Term Outlook: Stable, walkability-driven value

Cascades Housing & Architecture

Cascades offers three clear tiers of housing, nearly all from the 1990s: detached colonials, townhouses and garden-style condominiums.
Detached Colonials
Two-story colonials from the 1990s sit on cul-de-sacs and curving streets throughout Cascades, typically with two-car garages and basements. They sold for a median near $950,000 over the past year, in a median of seven days.
Garage Townhouses
Three-level townhouses with garages are a core product in Cascades and sold for a median of about $670,000. They moved fastest of any segment, with a median of six days on market over the past year.
Potomac Lakes Sections
Potomac Lakes is the subdivision name attached to nearly half of recent Cascades sales, covering both detached houses and townhouses. Sections differ in lot size and proximity to pools and trails, so comparing sales within the same section matters.
Garden-Style Condominiums
Low-rise condominium buildings, including those recorded as Loudoun View and the Commons on Potomac Square, provide the lowest price point in Cascades, with a median near $380,000. Review association fees and reserves closely when comparing units.
Riverbend at Cascades
Riverbend at Cascades appears regularly in recent sales records, with 15 sales over the past year. As with other sections of the planned area, association documents spell out parking, exterior maintenance and fees.
Newer Homes
A small number of homes built in the 2010s and 2020s have sold within Cascades. They are the exception in a community built mostly in the 1990s and tend to offer more current systems and finishes.

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