You've probably driven past it. If you’ve spent any time cruising the Gold Coast of Virginia Beach, the stretch where the hotels fade into high-end residential quiet, 5700 Atlantic Ave Virginia Beach VA has likely caught your eye. It’s not just another address. It’s a specific coordinate in the North End that represents exactly why people pay a premium to live away from the neon lights of the Boardwalk.
Location matters. In real estate, people say it until it loses all meaning, but here, it’s the difference between hearing a drunk tourist sing karaoke at 2:00 AM and hearing the actual Atlantic Ocean.
Most people think the North End starts at the 40th Street line. Technically, they’re right. But the vibe shifts radically once you hit the 50s. By the time you reach the 5700 block, you’re in the heart of what locals consider the "true" North End. It's a place where the lots get a bit more generous and the dunes feel a little more wild.
The Reality of Living at 5700 Atlantic Ave Virginia Beach VA
Let’s be honest. Buying or renting at this specific block isn’t about "convenience" in the traditional sense. You aren't walking to a CVS. You aren't hitting up a 7-Eleven for a Slurpee in your flip-flops without a bit of a hike.
You’re here for the beach access.
The 57th Street beach entrance is one of those spots that feels like a private club without the membership dues. Because there’s limited public parking compared to the resort area, the crowd stays thin. Even in the dead of July, when the 20s and 30s streets are packed shoulder-to-shoulder with umbrellas, the sand near 5700 Atlantic Ave Virginia Beach VA stays breathable. It's a different world.
The architecture along this strip is a weird, beautiful mix. You’ll see a 1960s beach cottage that looks like it belongs in a black-and-white movie sitting right next to a $4 million modern glass cube. It’s inconsistent. It’s messy. It’s perfect.
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Why the North End Real Estate Market is Currently Volatile
If you’re looking at the data, the 23451 zip code is a monster. According to recent REIN (Real Estate Information Network) reports, inventory in the North End fluctuates wildly because nobody wants to leave.
When a property at or near 5700 Atlantic Ave hits the market, it’s usually for one of three reasons:
- An estate sale because the family owned it since the Truman administration.
- A massive renovation project where someone bought a "tear-down" for $1.5 million just for the dirt.
- A luxury rental investment.
Kinda crazy, right? People will spend seven figures just to knock something down. But that’s the value of the land. You’re precisely 100 steps from the shoreline. You can’t manufacture more of that.
The Logistics Nobody Tells You About
Living on Atlantic Avenue isn't all salt spray and sunsets. There’s the salt air. It destroys everything. If you have a "standard" outdoor grill, it’ll be a pile of rust in two seasons. Your HVAC system needs a sacrificial anode or a coating, or you’ll be replacing the condenser before the warranty is even close to expiring.
Then there’s the traffic. In the winter? It’s a ghost town. You could walk down the middle of the street and not see a car for five minutes. In the summer, Atlantic Ave becomes a slow-moving parade of SUVs with roof racks. You have to learn the back-road shortcuts through Holly Road and Pacific Avenue just to get to the grocery store without losing your mind.
Understanding the Feeder Schools and Community
For families looking at 5700 Atlantic Ave Virginia Beach VA, the draw is often the school district. You’re looking at First Colonial High School, which has a long-standing reputation in the area. But honestly, the community vibe is more about the neighborhood association. The North End is protective. They care about dune stabilization. They care about the height of your fence. They care about the sea turtles.
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The Investment Angle: Is it Worth It?
If you’re looking at this as a rental property, the numbers are aggressive. Weekly summer rentals in the 50s-block can fetch anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on the square footage and whether there’s a pool.
But wait.
The city of Virginia Beach has been tightening the screws on Short Term Rentals (STRs). You can’t just buy a house and turn it into a hotel anymore. There are overlay districts and grandfathered permits. If you’re eyeing 5700 Atlantic Ave as a cash cow, you better have a lawyer check the current zoning and the "STR Overlay" status. If you miss that detail, you might end up with a very expensive second home that you can only rent out for 30 days at a time. That kills the ROI for most people.
Hidden Gems Near the 5700 Block
Most tourists stay south. They never see the Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) which is just a short hop up the road. Even if you aren't into "holistic healing" or psychic readings, their garden is one of the quietest places in the city.
And then there’s First Landing State Park.
Basically, 5700 Atlantic Ave is the gateway to the park. You have access to miles of trails that look more like a cypress swamp than a beach town. It’s the highest-visited state park in Virginia for a reason. You can surf in the morning and hike a Spanish-moss-draped trail in the afternoon.
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Common Misconceptions About the North End
One big myth is that the North End is "snobby."
Sure, there’s a lot of wealth. But go down to the 57th street beach entrance at 6:00 PM on a Tuesday. You’ll see people who have lived there for 40 years sitting in rusted beach chairs drinking a beer out of a koozie. It’s a "shoes-optional" kind of wealthy. It’s about the lifestyle, not the show.
Another misconception? That the beach is "private." It’s not. All beaches in Virginia are public up to the high-water mark. However, the access is the bottleneck. Because there’s no parking at 5700 Atlantic Ave, it effectively becomes a semi-private beach for the people who live within walking distance.
Actionable Steps for Navigating 5700 Atlantic Ave
If you're serious about this area, don't just browse Zillow. It’s too slow.
- Get a Local "North End" Specialist: Not just any realtor. You need someone who knows which houses have flooded in the past and which ones are on "high ground" (relatively speaking).
- Check the Coastal Primary Sand Dune and Beach Sanctuary Act: This matters if you plan on building. You can’t just move sand around. The VMRC (Virginia Marine Resources Commission) has a lot of say in what happens at an address like 5700 Atlantic Ave Virginia Beach VA.
- Visit in the "Off-Season": Go there in February. If you love the grey, windy, salty isolation of the North End in February, you’ll love it for the rest of your life.
- Audit the STR Permits: Use the Virginia Beach City Map Portal to look up existing Short Term Rental permits for the block. It’ll tell you exactly how many "party houses" are nearby.
The North End isn't just a place to live; it's a commitment to the elements. Between the humidity, the tourists, and the salt, it’s a lot to handle. But for the people who call the 5700 block home, there is absolutely no substitute. You get the sunrise, you get the dolphins, and you get a slice of Virginia Beach that hasn't been corporatized. It's authentic. It's expensive. It's worth it.