Bellevue Rural Historic District (Additional Documentation) · Photo: Nyttend · Public domain220 homes sold in Forest in the last year, at a typical $381K
Houses and condos split the market almost evenly. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Forest homes are listed.
Every place Forest homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Forest.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
11% of Forest’s sales are condos, at $204K less than a house
121 houses and 25 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 121 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $174VA $222
- Days to sell
- 27
- Sold over asking
- 29%
- Listings with a price cut
- 44%
typical sale · 25 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $188VA $301
- Days to sell
- 49
- Sold over asking
- 4%
- Listings with a price cut
- 38%
Townhouses: 74 sold, typical $339K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.7 times the 2016 price
220 sales in the last year, against 343 in 2021 and a low of 175 in 2014. The typical sale went from $226K in 2016 to $381K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $400K buys in Forest
Check a listing against what Forest homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Forest are more common than before the pandemic, but 59% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Forest’s home sales since 2014 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 220 sales.
If you’re buying in Forest
- Shop in March. It brings about 25 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (20% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 99% of the list price on average; 21% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 41% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 27 days.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 30 a month), but September is the most competitive: 29% of September sales close over asking. February has the least competition (13%) but only about 18 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and calmer than Virginia
| Forest now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | VA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 21% | 13% | 33% | 31% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 41% | 3% | 2% | 43% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 36% | — | — | 25% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 99% | 98.4% | 100.1% | 99.3% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 27 | 99 | 60 | 38 |
35 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.5 times the 2023 low (23), 59% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 138.
1 in 3 listings has cut its price
36% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 25% across Virginia.
Since 2019, houses are up 58%, condos 88%
A house typically sold for $464K in the last year (121 sales), a condo for $260K (25).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Forest ranks 161st of 179 busy Virginia markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Forest is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2014 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Forest home costs about $2,123 a month
Price: Forest’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Forest’s 0.4% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Forest is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 10.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $381K home, about $1,630 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Forest, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in ForestCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Timberlake, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Bedford and Altavista sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Forest, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | 1,170 | $273K | $159 | 25% | 28 |
| Forest | 220 | $381K | $175 | 21% | 27 |
| Timberlake | 173 | $299K | $169 | 27% | 29 |
| Madison Heights | 110 | $252K | $167 | 25% | 19 |
| Bedford | 100 | $290K | $163 | 19% | 45 |
| Altavista | 60 | $185K | $143 | 23% | 36 |
| Amherst | 26 | $277K | $173 | 15% | 35 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Forest, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Forest. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Forest with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Forest
What do homes sell for in Forest, VA?
220 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $381K, $175 a square foot. Houses sold for about $464K, condos for about $260K.
Is Forest a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 34 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 18 sold, about 1.9 months of supply. Buyers paid 99% of asking on average, and 36% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Forest?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Forest?
About 0.4% of a home’s value a year. On a $381K home that’s near $1,630.
Where can I see homes for sale in Forest?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Forest’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Forest.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).