What Does $1 Million Actually Buy in Kentlands & Lakelands?

A million dollars means something different in every market. In Kentlands and Lakelands, it lands right at a competitive pricing threshold, one where buyer activity is strong below that mark and stays active above it, depending heavily on the type of home and its condition.

Meredith Fogle of The List Realty, who specializes in the neighborhood, breaks down exactly what that price point buys, and what it doesn't.

The smaller home types that land near $1 million

Several distinct home styles tend to trade at or below the million-dollar mark. Carriage houses, a vertical home style with parking on the ground level and living space above, are among the more compact options. Cottage-style homes, the smallest of the single-family options in the neighborhood, also frequently fall in this range, along with some of the smaller standard single-family homes.

Homes located along the neighborhood's mewses (the alley-style access paths tucked behind many properties) often price closer to or under a million dollars as well. Buyer perception sometimes treats muse-facing homes as less convenient since guest parking typically means a short walk from the street, but residents living in these homes often describe them as quieter and more private than homes facing the main streets.

What tends to push a home above $1 million

A few consistent features separate homes that land right at a million dollars from those that sell well above it:

Attached garages and private driveways. Homes near the million-dollar mark are more likely to have detached garages, while attached garages with private driveways tend to command a premium.
Lot size. Smaller yards are common in this price range, while larger lots come at an added cost.
Proximity to shared amenities. Homes closer to the lakes, parks, or the downtown area tend to price above a million dollars.
Bonus space above the garage. Some homes include finished space above the garage suitable for an office, studio, or additional living area, which adds value.

Townhomes can break $1 million too

For a long time, single-family homes and townhomes traded in fairly distinct price bands. That gap has narrowed. Townhomes located directly along the neighborhood's Midtown streets, close to shops, restaurants, and other amenities, regularly sell at or above a million dollars, in part because of how walkable that location is. Renovated townhomes elsewhere in the neighborhood can also reach that price point when kitchens, bathrooms, and finishes have been fully updated.

What you generally won't get for $1 million

New construction isn't part of the picture here since the neighborhood is fully built out (although a recent tear down and rebuild on Thurgood Street sold for a record-breaking $3.8 million in June of 2026). At the million-dollar mark, buyers should expect a home that's move-in ready but likely still needs some cosmetic updates to kitchens, bathrooms, or flooring rather than a home that's already been fully renovated.

Homes at this price point move fast

Homes priced around a million dollars in this neighborhood typically spend under 15 days on the market, and many sell within the first few days of listing. "Preparing your home for the market really matters" at this price point, Fogle notes, since competition is high enough that presentation has a direct impact on outcome.

What buyers should know before shopping this price range

Roughly a quarter of homes that sell in Kentlands and Lakelands never appear on the open market, they're sold privately before ever being listed publicly. Buyers relying solely on online listing sites are missing a meaningful share of available inventory. Getting pre-approved early, touring a range of home styles and builders to understand your preferences, and being ready to move decisively when the right home appears all help buyers compete effectively in this range.

If you're shopping around the million-dollar mark in Kentlands or Lakelands and want access to homes before they hit the open market, reach out to The List Realty for a conversation about what's currently available.