Victorian houses with gingerbread porches in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Neighborhood guide, Washington DC

Living in Takoma and Shepherd Park

Victorians near the Takoma Metro, detached houses in Shepherd Park along 16th Street, new homes at the Parks at Walter Reed, and what they sell for.

Get pre-qualifiedWhat can I afford?
What it costs here
$750K
Median house price · 328 sales
$523
Median per square foot
+37%
Renovated over average condition

Recorded arm’s-length sales from DC’s assessment records, through August 12, 2026. Not an appraisal or a valuation of any particular home. Compare every DC neighborhood

Today's DC mortgage rates: example pricing by program, with the APR, effective date, and borrower assumptions for each rate.See today's rates

Highlights

What's in Takoma and Shepherd Park

Takoma began as an 1880s railroad suburb, and the former Walter Reed campus next door is being redeveloped.

A yellow Victorian house with a wraparound porch in the Takoma Historic District, Washington, D.C.

The Victorians

Victorian houses with turrets, wraparound porches and gingerbread trim on garden lots, inside a historic district.

The 1911 Takoma Park Neighborhood Library on Cedar Street NW, Washington, D.C.

The Metro and the library

The Red Line station and the 1911 library are on Cedar Street, with Takoma Station Tavern and Busboys and Poets a block or two away.

The columned facade and cupola of Walter Reed's historic Building 1 under a deep blue sky, Washington, D.C.

The Parks at Walter Reed

66 acres of the former Walter Reed medical campus, redeveloped with new homes, a Whole Foods, arts space, and restored historic buildings.

The restored earthworks, flagpole, and cannons at Fort Stevens, Washington, D.C.

Fort Stevens & Rock Creek

The Civil War fort where Lincoln came under fire in 1864 is just west, and Rock Creek Park is across 16th Street.

Transportation

Getting around Takoma

The coffered concrete crossvault of Metro Center station, Washington, D.C.
Metro
Takoma station (Red Line) is in the middle of the neighborhood, about 15 minutes to Metro Center.
Moody rainy-day US downtown street with route-29 city bus approaching
Bus
Buses on Georgia Avenue and 16th Street. The D6X limited-stop bus on 16th Street runs from Shepherd Park to downtown.
Two cyclists on a shaded paved trail through lush green trees
Bike & trails
The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs on marked streets past the station, north to Silver Spring and south toward Union Station. Rock Creek Park's trails are across 16th Street.
Quiet DC residential street in winter, classic Mercedes and trucks parked, DC plate visible
Parking
Permit parking on the blocks near the station. Some houses have a driveway or garage, especially in Shepherd Park.

Neighborhood

Living in Takoma

Schools, restaurants, parks, and shopping in the neighborhood.

The brick campus of Lowell School near Colonial Village, Takoma, Washington, D.C.
Schools
Shepherd Elementary and Takoma Education Campus serve the in-boundary blocks, Coolidge High School has a rebuilt campus, and Lowell School, a private school, is near Colonial Village.
Red PIZZA neon and yellow neon signage in a moody industrial pizza bar at night
Dining & nights out
Live jazz at Takoma Station Tavern, Busboys and Poets on Carroll Street, and downtown Takoma Park, Maryland, across Eastern Avenue.
Leafy city park with winding path, flower beds, and people relaxing on the lawn
Parks & recreation
Takoma Community Center and its 50-meter indoor pool on Van Buren Street, Fort Stevens' earthworks, and Rock Creek Park's trails a few blocks west.
Bright library reading room with wall of bookshelves, light-wood study tables and lounge seating
The library
The 1911 Takoma Park Library, DC's first purpose-built neighborhood library, and the Juanita E. Thornton/Shepherd Park Library on Georgia Avenue.
Colorful stocked produce wall: lettuce, radishes, beets, herbs with price tags
Groceries
Whole Foods at the Parks at Walter Reed, plus the Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op and the Sunday farmers market on Laurel Avenue, both just over the Maryland line.
A row of porched brick rowhouses with dormer windows on Quincy Street NW, Washington, D.C.
On foot
The Metro station, the library and the shops on Carroll Street are within about a ten-minute walk of the Victorian blocks.

Next steps

Next steps by buying stage

Pick the step that matches where you are in buying a home.

  1. 01 · Still running numbers

    Work out what you can afford

    Estimate the full monthly payment, including DC property tax, insurance and any condo fee. The condo fee counts in full in your debt-to-income ratio.

    See what you can afford →

  2. 02 · Saving up

    Plan the down payment

    At Takoma prices, the down payment depends on the loan program and the property type. FHA needs 3.5% down, and the whole down payment can be a gift from family.

    See what you'd need →

  3. 03 · Writing offers

    Get a pre-qualification letter

    Attach a pre-qualification letter to your offer. Pre-qualification takes about two minutes and does not pull your credit.

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FAQ

Questions about buying in Takoma and Shepherd Park

What's the difference between Takoma DC and Takoma Park, Maryland?
Eastern Avenue is the border. Takoma, on the DC side, shares the Metro station and the Victorian housing with Takoma Park, Maryland, but it is a DC neighborhood with DC taxes, DC schools, and DC's homestead deduction. Listings near the border are sometimes mislabeled, and the taxes and licensing differ, so we check the address first. District Mortgage is licensed in DC and arranges loans for homes on the DC side.
Are the old Victorians here hard to finance?
No. A detached house is the simplest property type to finance, whatever its age. A century-old Victorian gets more appraiser attention to condition: roof, systems, and peeling paint on an FHA loan. For a house that needs some TLC, FHA 203(k) and HomeStyle renovation loans are underwritten against the value after the work, so the renovation is paid for with the purchase mortgage. Takoma's historic district requires design review for exterior changes, which we build into the renovation timeline.
How does buying new construction at the Parks at Walter Reed work?
Like a resale purchase, plus the builder's schedule: you sign a contract months before delivery, the builder holds your deposit, and the rate lock has to be planned around possible delays. Townhomes there are fee-simple; condo buildings get a project review. Some homes have income-based pricing with resale covenants, which add income certification and covenant review to the loan.
Which DC buyer programs work at Takoma and Shepherd Park prices?
An FHA loan needs 3.5% down, and the whole down payment can be a gift from family. Qualifying first-time buyers pay DC's reduced 0.725% recordation tax rate on purchases up to $777,000 (tax year 2026). Condos and smaller houses priced up to $576,000 (tax year 2026) can qualify for the Tax Abatement program, which waives recordation tax and abates property tax for five years. DC Open Doors (through DCHFA's participating lenders) is open to repeat buyers with no price cap. All of these programs have income limits.
We've owned in Shepherd Park for decades. How can we use our equity?
A cash-out refinance replaces your mortgage and pays you the difference at closing. A home equity loan leaves your first mortgage, and its rate, in place and adds a second, smaller loan. Owners use either one for a renovation, tuition, or a family member's down payment. We price both against your current loan and show the cost of each.
How do people get around without driving?
Takoma has its own Red Line station in the middle of the neighborhood, about 15 minutes from Metro Center, plus bus routes on Georgia Avenue and 16th Street. The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs past the station for bikes. In Shepherd Park, the D6X limited-stop bus runs down 16th Street to downtown.

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Local expertise

Financing a Takoma or Shepherd Park home

Renovation loans for older houses, new-construction financing at Walter Reed, and home equity options for owners.

Renovation loans for Victorians

For a century-old Victorian that needs some TLC, a renovation loan finances the work with the purchase, underwritten against the value after the work. We build historic district review into the timeline.

New construction at Walter Reed

Builder contracts, deposit schedules, and rate locks planned around delivery dates, including for income-restricted homes with resale covenants.

Home equity for owners

A cash-out refinance or home equity loan lets an owner borrow against the house without selling it.

Condos and townhomes for sale on the former campus are listed in our Parks at Walter Reed guide.

Get pre-qualified for a Takoma home

Victorian, colonial or new construction: send us the address and your numbers and we will tell you which loan fits.

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