Relocating quickly to NoVa with large family - need some ideas for short-term housing (Burke: extended stay, sales)

[Serenah]

I am looking at moving with my family (DH, 4 kids, 2 small toy poodles) from Colorado to NoVA quickly. Funds for moving will be chewed up by the UHaul rental, so we are looking for a place to rent for maximum 90 days until my salary comes in and we can afford a larger place.

Any ideas? We would like to settle in McLean/Fairfax area. I know it may not be feasible to find a place here since they seem pricier? Once my income comes in, after a few paychecks, it will be a non-issue but the first 3 months will be tight. Income $120K

I will be commuting into the DC area.

Thanks for any advice.

[claremarie]

Either corporate apartments or an extended-stay hotel would seem to be your only options.
Here's a link to one apartment company.
Temporary Furnished Apartments, Corporate Apartments, Serviced Apartments and Extended Stay Housing in the DC Metro

[claremarie]

Forgot to ask whether you have school-age kids. That will obviously affect your decision, as you most likely don't want to have to move them to another new school after you find a permanent place.

[Serenah]

Thanks, Claremarie.

Yes, I have school aged kids. 15, 13, 11 and 5

[gotjenks]

For the money you might want to look south of DC (Springfield or Woodbridge area). McLean is one expensive place to live as well as Great Falls. The advantage is that the public schools are good. You might be able to afford certain areas of Vienna.

[LynchburgLover]

$120k for a family of six makes you practically food-stamp eligible in McLean. You might want to look a lot further out -- like Manassas or Prince William area.

[Serenah]

Thanks very much, everyone. Within the first 3 months, DH will start his job in DC as well...which is why things will be tight until he does. I will be $120K out of the shoot and then he will start his job at $155K. A little rocky at first, but I think do-able. Thanks!

[LynchburgLover]

I'm just making the point that McLean is a very expensive area.

[ACWhite]

?? Your first post said DH would start working first, and you would start work later; then, you seemed to say the reverse. People may also be confused by why you seem to be stretched by the cheapest of all possible moving expenses, U-haul, but expect soon to have $275K in income that you can count on, i.e., jobs that you are sure both of you will have and keep. Most people with a high income have some money saved to tide them over and give them a cushion not only for moving expenses but for several months or longer of living expenses in a new community.

If you don't have these savings, and you aren't absolutely certain of having and keeping both incomes (e.g., versus living on one income only), I think people are saying that McLean will be very difficult to afford comfortably, especially for a family of six. So you may want to clarify. Welcome to NoVA!

[claremarie]

How much are you planning to pay for housing once you both start working? To give you some idea of the costs, you can expect to pay at least $600K for a house big enough for your family in McLean, and the prices go up steeply from there. And, apart from the Staybridge Suites hotel in downtown McLean, where many families live temporarily while moving into or out of the area, there aren't really any other temporary housing options in McLean. Even if you have the resources eventually to buy or rent a home in McLean, you won't be able to enroll your children in a local school until you actually have a signed sales contract or lease within the attendance boundaries.

There are other communities with more affordable housing and decent commutes into DC (though longer than from McLean), such as Springfield, Vienna, or Burke, but you may find it difficult to locate both temporary and permanent housing in the same school attendance area.