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I don't live in NOVA. I visited VA, DC, and Maryland lots when I was younger (about 20-25 years ago) and LOVE, LOVE, LOVED them. I had family in all three places and I dreamed of living right in the heart of it all. As an adult with many little ones, I often think of coming to the area, but since the cost of living is quite high, we have not been able to swing it. Hearing all of you discuss your situations actually makes me feel a little less pained over that fact. At times I have felt that I was missing out- by not being in the heart of it all, but maybe I have tended to take my situation for granted. All that you are frustrated by, I have non of... This site is so full of reality, romanticizing a place is almost impossible. Gosh, I hope you all understand, I'm commiserating with you and hope you find some easier days... I really wish you the best. But, I also gotta thank you. As much as it kinda stinks to find out my dream spot is not what I remember as a "child", I am grateful to be enlightened.Thanks all and much luck for a less stressed future.
Yes, the DC area grew tremendously, but with so little road and transit infrastructure built to deal with it, the area is now a nightmare.
I see from other postings that you are in TX, like the hills, especially in NY. I too like the rural areas of NY but decided the winters were too much. There are many places in VA along the I-81 corridor that are lovely and rolling. But you'd have to like small towns and being well away from a big city. The weather along the Blue Ridge mountains has milder summers than TX and milder winters in NY - best of both. It's lush and green most of the year. I always urge folks to check the stretch of I-64, west of I-81, near the old RR town of Clifton Forge. Stunning, beautiful hill country that is fairly isolated, but 3-4 hours to DC or Richmond if you do want some culture. s/Mike
Yes, the DC area grew tremendously, but with so little road and transit infrastructure built to deal with it, the area is now a nightmare.
I see from other postings that you are in TX, like the hills, especially in NY. I too like the rural areas of NY but decided the winters were too much. There are many places in VA along the I-81 corridor that are lovely and rolling. But you'd have to like small towns and being well away from a big city. The weather along the Blue Ridge mountains has milder summers than TX and milder winters in NY - best of both. It's lush and green most of the year. I always urge folks to check the stretch of I-64, west of I-81, near the old RR town of Clifton Forge. Stunning, beautiful hill country that is fairly isolated, but 3-4 hours to DC or Richmond if you do want some culture. s/Mike
Uncanny. Really. How did you zero in on the one area I have been pressing my husband to relocate us to. I am very much enjoying this hilly Texas home and much about it here. There are however a few things I wish it had. One, Bigger trees. Two, more snow. And three, more Italians, Catholics, and Democrats. (I know, nice way to lose friends on the forum... I promise, if you are non of the above, I'm not prejudice. I just wish there were some more like minded people to banter with here.) Anyway, everything from Keysville and Farmville down in southern VA -to Lynchburg- to Bristol and Abingdon and right up the mountain chain... I love. If my husband gets the promotion that takes him there, we will move. VA is probably my favorite state... well , out of the ones that we have visited. I will get more snow and bigger trees... doubt I'll do much better in terms of Italians... and if Lynchburg is the destination, I think that's Jerry Falwell's stomping ground. NOT Catholic for sure. Maybe, a drive East would grant me my Democratic wish. I have never been to NY state. I was all over that forum because I thought it would cover lots of bases for me. I think I am increasingly concerned about the intense snow and taxes. Well, there is so very much to consider. You were so observant to direct me (us) without knowing that we LOVE Virginia. I always have. Thanks so much. By the way, my 80 something year old (Italian, Catholic, "Democrat") mother loves your "screen name". She was born and raised in Orange, New Jersey when it was a nice place so back East means fond memories for her... Thank you again!! I'm going to look at a map for the exact spot you mentioned.
VA suburbs are a snooze except Arlington/Alexandria, which are still pricey, heavily traffic-ed, and somewhat cookie-cutter.
MD inner suburbs are *incrementally* more unique, if a little less safe. But, if you throw in the commute towel, accept that it's going to be a chore no matter where you live, and move to Annapolis, you'll be back in the saddle
DC is a "me" town. Very materialistic and cold. Hey, Annapolis can be that way too sometimes. But I can honestly say it's got everything anyone could want (the 4 seasons, water, good restaurants, culture, good schools, nice homes, diversity, etc) right within 30 miles of 2 of the biggest cities in the US. (DC/Baltimore). Forget what everyone says about NoVA burbs, as nice as McLean may be, it's got no soul - MD does.
It's not all bad in the DC region - it just depends on how broad your definition of the DC region is!!!!
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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if Lynchburg is the destination, I think that's Jerry Falwell's stomping ground. NOT Catholic for sure.
Yes. Jerry Falwell is based there, as is Liberty University. I've lived in Tennessee and 4 different places in Virginia. I've never seen as many conservatives as I did in Lynchburg. Its more Baptist than TN. I was only there for less than a year. The town really did not mesh well with my liberal leaning, ACLU supporting tendencies.
I rent in Chantilly and work in Herndon. My 5-mile commute is 15-20 min. in the morning, 20-30 in the evening. Not too bad but I still hate it.
My research tells me home prices are falling big-time, contrary to what realtors say about them being "flat."
Here is what I'd like some input on: In the next six-ten months I'd like to find a real community to live in: one with stores in walking distance, where the houses are owned by owners not speculators, and where neighbors are nice. Don't care much about nightlife (we have a toddler and we're boring anyway- taking walks and renting DVDs is fine for us), but it would be great to meet couples our age with kids our kids' age.
In other words, dullnboring, I'm looking for the anti-Ashburn!
Even a nice townhome community would be fine- there is one called Winding Brook in Chantilly with a lot of THs for sale (which makes me suspicious). If anybody knows about this or any of the Chantilly subdivisions feel free to share.
I wouldn't mind a 30-45 minute drive if my wife and kids lived in a nice area. I'd rather drive 45 minutes without stopping much vs. drive 20 minutes of stop'n'go, lights, and idiots (as I do now). Our condo is right on a major intersection with a lovely view of a 7-11. My price range is $300-375k, which can get a 3BR townhome in many place, and a SFH further afield (Purcellville et. al).
So what are my options in that 30-45 minute radius around Herndon? Here are my impressions; please correct or add input where needed.
Reston: No. Going to hell in some areas (Shadowood) and too expensive in others (Town Center where the people are stacked high in condos like yuppie sardines).
Herndon: Nothing affordable in the real downtown, crummy elsewhere.
Chantilly: I don't know if there is a downtown there. Mike from Back East?
Centreville: No clue.
Ashburn: ugh. I can't afford it anyway!
South Riding: don't know much, it's not a town as far as i can tell from these posts.
Leesburg: promising! There is a real town but not too many places in walking distance. Would the drive be all right, though?
Sterling: ??? I hear rumors of gang activity...is there a town there?
Outer Loudon: Purcellville, Hamilton, etc. I hear the traffic through Purc. is horrendous. Any insights?
If you know anything about any of those areas please pipe in. Or if there is a hidden gem I've overlooked I'd love to know about it.
jMarkd: Thanks to our zoning laws (I'm sure helpfully written by the automotive lobby) it is almost impossible to walk to stores near our homes. That's why many older cities are seeing a resurgence, the old neighborhoods have that sort of walk-about livability. Retirement towns like Sun City have the same thing, walk over or use your golf cart on local streets. How civilized!
Herndon, Leesburg, Hamilton and Purcellville have some semblance of a walk-about town center. These old towns were located on the long-gone Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, now the W&OD trail. That's why they still have that old downtown area. Everything else is recent suburban sprawl. Yes, the RR had a stop at Ashburn, but the old downtown in Ashburn pretty much was just Partlow's Store. The other 99.9999% of Ashburn is a developers concoction.
In Chantilly, it is possible to live in the Greenbrier Sub and walk to the shopping center at Majestic Lane and Rte 50, but its not the kind of classic "Norman Rockwell" small village of our "American Dream." I lived in Brookfield, due west of Greenbrier, and would walk the one-mile to this shopping center to get my daily walk and a cup of Starbucks. Greenbrier is one of those Levitt-towns, solid homes, built by Levitt, but wiring in those homes is aluminum and prone to expand-contract, get hot, short-out and cause problems. Else a nice community, but again, above your range. There is a reason that homes in Fairfax County are above the range that young people with young children can afford, see my posting at: https://www.city-data.com/forum/virgi...-virginia.html
Old Fairfax City has a downtown too, but way out of our price area.
Mike, thanks for the suggestions. We are going to start with the biggest town, Leesburg; my wife lived there for two years before we got married and enjoyed it.
The townhomes in Winding Brook are just west of your old neighborhood, on Chantilly Rd, and they are thankfully in my price range. It seems like an ok area but I am concerned that there are so many places for sale there (10%). The HOA seems very active, though. We are going to check it out as well, though Leesburg seems nicer than Chantilly and I have seen SFHs just below $400k near the downtown.
(Great site for anyone looking for homes in Nova: link removed. Way better than realtor dot kom: tells you listing dates, days on market, better maps, just better all around).
Interesting story about the old county planners. I often wonder what the heck these guys were thinking, but I guess in a way they were looking out for the county as far as getting more tax revenue from businesses vs. homeowners. They even get a lot from homeowners thanks to the high prices their policies have created.
I am from Spotsylvania County originally; it's in the Fredericksburg area for those who don't know. People used to have bumper stickers that read: "Don't Fairfax Fredericksburg." Too late! It's just another DC suburb now as supervisors have given developers free rein. We have our very own Henry Potter (from It's a Wonderful Life) in the F-burg area who has given us dozens of big box stores without sidewalks to get from Best Buy to Panera, as well as hundreds of new stoplights.
Thanks again- anyone from those other towns please chime in!
I concur with everything Mike from Back East has said. I bow in his knowledgable presence
Generally, the layout of towns/cities in Northern Virginia is very sprawly in nature and not designed for the pedestrian. Chantilly has no downtown at all, and neither do Sterling, South Riding or Ashburn (Mike is right in that the old downtown is literally just an antiques store and a railroad crossing). Now Leesburg actually does have a decent sizable downtown. I'm assuming you've been there before. It's similar in style and feel to Old Town Alexandria. To be honest, there don't seem to be that many traditional "small town" downtown establishments there. By that I mean that the downtown seems to have a lot of law offices and antique stores and somewhat pricey restaurants as opposed to mom-and-pop grocery stores, barber shops, drugstores, bars and the like. Those sorts of establishments tend to be concentrated in the strip malls outside of downtown.
A commute frm Leesburg to Herndon could be a little rough, although you could take the Dulles Greenway (toll) out to 28 which will eliminate a large chunk of the stop and go traffic on Routes 7 and 28, so it may not be too bad. Going that route, I would guess depending on your location in Leesburg and Herndon, it would take around 30 minutes. It will be a huge relief when they get rid of more lights on Route 28 (as it seems like they're gradually eliminating most of them....two big ones have disappeared within the past year and they're working on another one), as well as when they extend Metro outwards towards Dulles. Granted, I'll be outta here before then, but still, for all those people who are still around, it will be nice.
On a sidenote, I used to live in Centreville and worked in Chantilly, a 4.8 mile drive according to mapquest. My morning commute was around 20 minutes and my afternoon commute was 30-35 minutes. Insane.
Well, I'm going to have to disagree with most people here: I LOVE Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metro area. Bad traffic? You ain't seen nothin' yet? Try Los Angeles County or Orange County, Ca. You want high cost of living? Try most of California or the northeast United States.
Northern Virginia isn't perfect, but it's well-run, relatively low taxed, has an amazing economy (1.7% unemployment is sick), fantastic schools, has well maintained roads, and the traffic really isn't that bad except for rush hour. If you hate traffic, then MOVE further in! I live in Tysons Corner and I have very little trouble with traffic and commuting to D.C. The further one gets in to D.C. the less densely populated the place is--in Tysons Corner/Dunn Loring, the traffic isn't that bad, even during rush hour. Places like Ashburn and Chantilly, however, are totally overrun by people.
As far as weather, guys, the weather sucks in just about every town in America most of the time. Southern California is a rare exception, but is overrun with people, REAL traffic, oppressive taxes and horrible governance.
Maybe since I grew up in Northern Virginia the vast ignorance of people outside of Washingto, D.C. pisses me off and maybe for a lot of you, that's not a big deal, but I personally prefer to live amongst a large number of intelligent, educated, hard-working people and in an area replete with young, beautiful, hard-working, cosmopolitan and educated women. We also take for granted how good the Washington Post and Times are--try stomaching the ridiculously provincial news of any southern or small-town newspaper. The Roanoke Times, for example, is a total joke.
So relative to LA, NOVA traffic is good. Objectively, though, it still sucks. As dullnboring says, 5 miles shouldn't take 20-30 minutes. I spent 12 years in the military and always lived close to or on the base. The last four & 1/2 years were in Germany, where traffic can almost be described as pleasant.
So this is the first time I've ever had to deal with traffic. While my commute is short, I feel the pain anytime I try to go to a store in the evenings or on the weekends. The worst part about it is it's not logical. The poor planning, which we can't immediately control, is part of it, but the poor driving of folks is the most frustrating part. I'm talking about lollygagging through lights with ten car lengths between you and the next car (that's 9 poor *******s who aren't going to make it through that light, ****!), cruising in the left lane, not going at least the speed limit, etc.
I could go on and on, but my point is you are glossing over the traffic picture.
I am glad you are enough of a glass-half-full person to enjoy the positives. It has been tough getting used to this area; I hope to have a better attitude in the future!
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(I know, nice way to lose friends on the forum... I promise, if you are non of the above, I'm not prejudice. I just wish there were some more like minded people to banter with here.) Anyway, everything from Keysville and Farmville down in southern VA -to Lynchburg- to Bristol and Abingdon and right up the mountain chain... I love. If my husband gets the promotion that takes him there, we will move. VA is probably my favorite state... well , out of the ones that we have visited. I will get more snow and bigger trees... doubt I'll do much better in terms of Italians... and if Lynchburg is the destination, I think that's Jerry Falwell's stomping ground. NOT Catholic for sure. Maybe, a drive East would grant me my Democratic wish. I have never been to NY state. I was all over that forum because I thought it would cover lots of bases for me. I think I am increasingly concerned about the intense snow and taxes. Well, there is so very much to consider. You were so observant to direct me (us) without knowing that we LOVE Virginia. I always have. Thanks so much. By the way, my 80 something year old (Italian, Catholic, "Democrat") mother loves your "screen name". She was born and raised in Orange, New Jersey when it was a nice place so back East means fond memories for her... Thank you again!! I'm going to look at a map for the exact spot you mentioned.
Real communities near Dulles?
