Considering a move to Harper's Ferry/Charles Town/Frederick (Brunswick: sales, renting)

[ibeg4sushi]

Hi guys!

My hubby and I want to move back up north after ten years here in North Carolina. We love it here in Greensboro, but really miss our family, who currently resides in Charles Town, WV.

Seeing that that immediate area is a bit of a Tri-State combo, I'm having a hard time investigating everything!
Maybe you guys can help?

FOR DAUGHTER - she is an avid artist and plus violin in her current school. Are there any "art high schools" anywhere in the vicinity? She's 13 and will be in 8th grade next, so really focusing more on the high school aspect for her. For Colleges, staying just over the border in Loudoun County would be cool, but again, I can't seem to find any information about Loudoun County schools from the Eastern border through to Leesburg! Help please! ** alternately, It would be nice if she went to the same high school as her 3 cousins who go to Jefferson county schools.

FOR MYSELF - I am a professional artist, painter! I do pet portraits, some Plein Air (painting landscapes outside), and am building up my collection to one day show, and do sales online. Being relatively close to DC is a plus for that, but locally, I'd like to know the ART BUZZ in the trip-state niche! Aside from Michael's in Fredericksburg, is there anything else? Just curious! Are there any other artists in Charles Town, frederick, etc who can get in touch with me? Thank you!

FOR HUBBY - the Love of my Life! He has been with Barnes and Noble for 15 years, he's solid and really great at what he does in Management, and would love to stay with BN, but --- he is looking to become a store manager in that area, and NOT have to venture to NOVA at all. Leesburg, he might be okay with, but he hates that route 7 as much as I do. He's a serious book buff, video games, comics, coffee, so much. So any of those things you could mention would be a big help, too!

We used to live in Ashburn. Went back last month, and everything is built up! WOW! Looks nice, but we can't breathe. So that area is not an option for living on the regular. Hubby's mom is getting on in years, the cousins are all growing up without us, and we want to be close by again!! Thank you for your help!!!

[westsideboy]

Do you have a budget or housing preference (condo, townhouse, free standing, farmette, etc?) Do you have any job possibilities yet?

Without that information it is hard to make any recommendations since you are talking about a 4 county area covering 3 states.

[ibeg4sushi]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Do you have a budget or housing preference (condo, townhouse, free standing, farmette, etc?) Do you have any job possibilities yet?

Without that information it is hard to make any recommendations since you are talking about a 4 county area covering 3 states.

Sorry, yes, I'm all over the map on this one. I just don't know how to start, I guess. How do I find a list of the local schools in any of these states?

Our budget is kinda small, 200k and under, looking at renting, or getting a townhouse.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by ibeg4sushi

Sorry, yes, I'm all over the map on this one. I just don't know how to start, I guess. How do I find a list of the local schools in any of these states?

Our budget is kinda small, 200k and under, looking at renting, or getting a townhouse.

Maryland schools are organized by county, so simply doing a google search for Frederick County public schools will get you all of them.

I haven't lived down that way in about a decade now, so I'll leave it to others to comment about your price point. I can say that living in WV will be cheaper than VA or MD on average. Likewise, the further west you head tends to decrease housing costs as well......although I think NOVA may buck that trend because of growth controls, not sure.

[MidValleyDad]

Do some intense checking of schools in WV before settling on there. WV schools just went through a statewide strike caused by the severe lack of funding over more than a few years. Generally the schools are considered weaker than those in Maryland. Some people I know who have moved to WV have chosen private schools or Home schooling but I do not have any direct experience with WV Public schools in the last few years. I will say 200k is on the low end for most of Frederick County.

[ibeg4sushi]

Thanks for your help guys! I really appreciate it!

[DaveinMtAiry]

Frederick will have better schools but I doubt your housing budget will work there. Housing is much more affordable in WVA but the schools reflect that.

[tw71]

Depending on the size of home you "must have", you could probably locate a $200K price range home still in Brunswick, MD which is part of Frederick County and only about a 15 minute drive from Harper's Ferry. (You can bike or hike on C&O Canal towpath that goes through Brunswick and on to Harper's Ferry too.)