Ford's Colony, Williamsburg, VA

Ford's Colony in brief

Ford's Colony is a gated, master-planned community of more than 2,700 homes on about 3,200 acres off Longhill Road in James City County, with a Williamsburg mailing address (ZIP 23188). Two separate organizations shape the cost of living there. The Ford's Colony Homeowners Association (FCHOA) runs the gates, the 24-hour security staff, the pools, courts, ponds and trails, and every owner pays its assessment. Ford's Colony Country Club runs the three golf courses and the clubhouse dining. Club membership is optional, and the FCHOA states that the club is not affiliated with it.

Development began in the late 1980s; WYDaily reported in 2012 that the community had just marked its 25th anniversary. Ford's Colony is not an age-restricted community. Marriott's Manor Club, a vacation-ownership resort, also operates inside the gates.

Where Ford's Colony is

The community sits west of the City of Williamsburg between Longhill Road and News Road, roughly 7 miles by car from Merchants Square in Colonial Williamsburg. Entry is through gated entrances (the FCHOA's 2025 fact sheet counts nine, two of them staffed); the FCHOA's street guide lists the John Pott, Manchester and St. Andrews gates, and the Nottingham Place streets are reached from Country Club Drive off Longhill Road. Shopping along Monticello Avenue and New Town is about 5 miles away.

Because the address reads "Williamsburg," people often assume Ford's Colony is in the city. It is in James City County, which matters for real estate tax rates, county services and school assignment.

Homes in Ford's Colony

The FCHOA describes a range "from condominiums and townhomes to cottages and executive residences." Construction has continued in phases since the late 1980s, so a buyer can find original-era homes from the late 1980s and 1990s, homes from the 2000s, and newer sections. Many lots back to fairways, ponds or wooded buffers, which is why lot position shows up so clearly in pricing. The HOA also has sub-associations for some attached sections, such as the Eaglescliffe condominiums, which carry their own dues on top of the FCHOA assessment.

Architectural changes go through the FCHOA's architectural review process and its Purchaser's Handbook, which the association updated in 2026. Buyers planning additions, fencing, exterior color changes or tree removal should read those rules before they make an offer.

HOA dues vs country club costs

This is the question most buyers ask first, and the two costs are separate.

Club rates are from the club's membership page, which carries no date, so confirm them with the club. Under the FCHOA declaration, assessments are set at a uniform rate for all lots and may be collected monthly or as the board decides. Virginia's Resale Disclosure Act gives the buyer the association's resale certificate and, unless the contract sets a different period, three days to cancel after receiving it (Va. Code § 55.1-2312). If a home is in more than one association, each one provides a certificate (§ 55.1-2315).

For a side-by-side look at how Ford's Colony, Kingsmill and Governor's Land structure their fees, see HOA and club fees in Kingsmill, Ford's Colony and Governor's Land.

Amenities the HOA runs

These come with the FCHOA assessment, whether or not you join the club. Per the community's amenities page:

• St. Andrew's facility: a 25-meter pool with a wading pool, two hard-surface tennis courts, six marked pickleball courts, a playground and a 3,200-square-foot multipurpose room
• Westbury Park: an 8-lane, 25-meter pool with zero-depth entry and a slide, six soft-surface tennis courts, a pavilion, ball field, basketball, volleyball and bocce
• Community Services building with an exercise studio and meeting rooms
• 13 HOA-maintained ponds for catch-and-release fishing, miles of paved leisure trails and a 1.3-mile nature trail
• More than 60 resident-run clubs and activities, from bridge and woodworking to a swim team and a softball league

The club adds three Dan Maples-designed 18-hole courses: Blue Heron (par 72, 6,954 yards), Marsh Hawk (par 72, 6,650 yards) and Blackheath (par 71, 6,632 yards), plus Murdoch's Tavern and The Colony Room for dining.

Schools serving Ford's Colony

Ford's Colony is zoned for Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools. Check any specific address with WJCC's school zone search; the district also posts zone maps. The FCHOA's area guide lists Lafayette High, James Blair Middle, D.J. Montague Elementary and J. Blaine Blayton Elementary as the public schools Ford's Colony students attend, which shows the community spans more than one elementary zone.

WJCC is redrawing attendance zones as of October 2026. The superintendent recommended new maps in September, a public hearing was set for October 6, the School Board is scheduled to vote on October 20, and if approved the new zones take effect in August 2027. Check both the current and proposed maps. For school data, use Virginia's School Quality Profiles. Our guide to WJCC school assignment explains the process.

Commute times from Ford's Colony

Measured from the Ford's Colony Drive entrance. Times are approximate off-peak estimates; I-64 and Route 199 traffic can add a lot at rush hour.

What to know when buying or selling in Ford's Colony

• Price the lot, not just the house. Fairway, pond and wooded lots in the same section can sell far apart. Comparable sales should match lot type as well as square footage and era.
• Separate the two costs in the listing. Buyers coming from outside the area often assume club dues are mandatory. Say plainly that the FCHOA assessment is required and club membership is optional, and give the current numbers.
• Order the resale certificate early. Sellers who request the FCHOA packet, plus any sub-association packet, at listing avoid settlement delays and give buyers fewer surprises in the three-day review window.
• Expect gate logistics. Showings, inspections and appraisals all need gate access. A seller's agent should arrange guest access ahead of time.
• Check architectural approvals. Unapproved exterior changes can come up during the resale review. Clear them before listing.
• Confirm school zones for any buyer who asks, given the 2027 redistricting.

Where Adam Triplett fits

Adam Triplett is a listing agent based in Newport News and Vice President & Senior Partner at Garrett Realty Partners. The Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS® has ranked him its #1 individual agent every year since 2018. Most of his work is on the lower Peninsula: of 628 closed sales in his record since 2006, 198 have Newport News addresses, 159 Hampton and 111 Yorktown. Adam's closed-sales record, 2006 through July 2026, includes 44 sales with Williamsburg or Toano mailing addresses, with a median of $296,500. Three of those sold for $500,000 or more. The record isn't broken out by subdivision, so this page doesn't claim a Ford's Colony count. See the full record on the sold page.

For sellers, the approach doesn't change from community to community. Price against matched comparables, present the HOA and club costs clearly, and handle the gate and association paperwork before it can slow a contract. Adam also covers selling a home on the Peninsula, high-end homes and downsizing, and the Williamsburg and James City County area guide has the wider picture.