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The 50 kids at Calypso and Hood, coming out of the 300K THs, look just like the ones at GTS. It's still nicer than most of Woodbridge. You can pay 20 times annual rent at a "nicer" community (1500 * 12*20=360,000) or you could buy at GTS for 10 times annual rent (1200 *12*10=144,000)--simple rules for investing. If you want vanilla, you are going to have a long commute from Harrisonburg.
The reason those kids look the same is most of that area is section 8 or renters places. I didn't bring up anything about white kids, i don't really know where that came from. Just because an area is filled with white people doesn't make it nice. I live in a community in Culpeper that is 1/3 black/ 1/3 hispanic and 1/3 white and everybody gets along great. There is virtually no crime. The reason is there is low renting and there is low section 8 in the neighborhood. Beyond that we have a strict HOA. If you go to that area you are speaking of you can see trash piled up in the common areas and many young school age males walking around very late at night wearing gang colors and jerseys with a lot of "13" on them. That would be MS13 and Sur13. That area is filled with them. I know from firsthand knowledge. Let's not lie to people inquiring about these areas. They are depending on people like us that have lived/worked in these areas to give them the truth. I wouldn't want somebody telling me that an area is nice and then i move there to find out i just landed in a crime ridden area. Also, i noticed you stated the area was a "working mans neighborhood originally occupied by doctors and lawyers". Ah yeah, that was more than 30 years ago. They have ALL been gone for the past 20 years. Unless you call street corner drug dealers "doctors" then you area misleading people.
To finish, yes, if you want a cheap townhouse in a crime infested area by all means follow this poster's advice and buy in the Georgetown South area of one of the immediate surrounding areas. For the $300,000 range you don't have to go to Harrisongburg to find a nice area. Try the townhomes in Braemer or somewhere off of Linton Hall road in Bristow. As stated prior, if you don't believe me go to Georgtown South on any given night (doesnt even matter if it's a school night or not) and see for yourself.
I have to say I sometimes wonder at the comments about Section 8 etc. It's not really having section 8, it's whether the people in a specific community take care of their community overall and so forth.
I had a very nice townhome in Maryland and in Maryland there is a requirement for many of the neighborhoods to have a certain percentage of section 8 housing per neighborhood. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with the people that were in section 8 housing. They kept they places just as nice as the rest of us did.
I don't think sweeping gemeraizations really serve any purpose. Best thing to do for prospective buyers/movers is just drive around neighborhoods and get a feel for things in both day and night. City-data postings will often give you a wide range of answers on the same area -- sometimes 180 degrees of each other. But city-data does provide you with one more source of data to consider in your overall collection of informatioin and research on various areas.
We've been looking around, and saw the Centex communities in Gainsville and Manassas Park Station today. Based on everything else we've seen, we'll most likely end up in one of those 2 communities. Anyone have any thoughts about taking the VRE from Manassas Park into DC? Frequent delays? Problems? Thanks again.
VRE has had its problems, but their situation is improving. The most signficant problem is that it was treated for many years as the poor step-child when it came to transportation funding by local area governments. Lots of glowing words from politicians, followed by little tiny checks. Staffing and maintenance suffered, resulting in predictable service problems, particularly on very hot or very cold days. That situation has improved over the past few years, and at least adequate funds are currently being made available. Problem #2 is that VRE commuter trains have secondary priority to CSX freight trains in terms of track usage on account of CSX owning the tracks. Thus VRE trains can be ordered to run at reduced speeds or sent onto side tracks to wait so that a freight train can have the right of way. This had obvious effects on VRE's ability to meet its scheduled arrival times. By reports, this situation too has improved, though the status of VRE versus CSX trains has not changed.
In overall terms, there is no reason why VRE should not function at the same very high service levels as commuter rail operations in other metro areas. The situation of New Jersey Transit, for instance, is often cited in comparison and as a goal. It just takes some public commitment, which has been a little slow in materializing. So right now, VRE is at maybe a C+ or a B-. A lot of people do utilize it, and most of the time things are fine. Hopefully, the recent funding improvements will let VRE get up into the B or B+ range in the coming years. The more people who ride, of course, the more likely that is to happen...
VRE has had its problems, but their situation is improving. The most signficant problem is that it was treated for many years as the poor step-child when it came to transportation funding by local area governments. Lots of glowing words from politicians, followed by little tiny checks. Staffing and maintenance suffered, resulting in predictable service problems, particularly on very hot or very cold days. That situation has improved over the past few years, and at least adequate funds are currently being made available. Problem #2 is that VRE commuter trains have secondary priority to CSX freight trains in terms of track usage on account of CSX owning the tracks. Thus VRE trains can be ordered to run at reduced speeds or sent onto side tracks to wait so that a freight train can have the right of way. This had obvious effects on VRE's ability to meet its scheduled arrival times. By reports, this situation too has improved, though the status of VRE versus CSX trains has not changed.
In overall terms, there is no reason why VRE should not function at the same very high service levels as commuter rail operations in other metro areas. The situation of New Jersey Transit, for instance, is often cited in comparison and as a goal. It just takes some public commitment, which has been a little slow in materializing. So right now, VRE is at maybe a C+ or a B-. A lot of people do utilize it, and most of the time things are fine. Hopefully, the recent funding improvements will let VRE get up into the B or B+ range in the coming years. The more people who ride, of course, the more likely that is to happen...
This hit the nail on the head. If you're in Manassas Park, the VRE is the best way to go. If you're in Gainesville, check and see if Omniride - What is Metro Direct? (http://www.prtctransit.org/omniride/metrodirect.php - broken link) - works for you. I've had a very good experience commuting to Arlington that way.
VRE is likely coming to Gainesville and Haymarket, as a note, but that won't be completely funded and completed for at least several years.
I have to say I sometimes wonder at the comments about Section 8 etc. It's not really having section 8, it's whether the people in a specific community take care of their community overall and so forth.
I had a very nice townhome in Maryland and in Maryland there is a requirement for many of the neighborhoods to have a certain percentage of section 8 housing per neighborhood. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with the people that were in section 8 housing. They kept they places just as nice as the rest of us did.
I don't think sweeping gemeraizations really serve any purpose. Best thing to do for prospective buyers/movers is just drive around neighborhoods and get a feel for things in both day and night. City-data postings will often give you a wide range of answers on the same area -- sometimes 180 degrees of each other. But city-data does provide you with one more source of data to consider in your overall collection of informatioin and research on various areas.
Maybe Maryland is different. I'm just posting facts and those asking the questions can see for themselves. Go to a primarily section 8 area in Woodbridge and see how they keep up with their houses....
We've been looking around, and saw the Centex communities in Gainsville and Manassas Park Station today. Based on everything else we've seen, we'll most likely end up in one of those 2 communities. Anyone have any thoughts about taking the VRE from Manassas Park into DC? Frequent delays? Problems? Thanks again.
My wife took the VRE from Fredericksburg to DC everyday and LOVED it. She got some good reading done on the train and they rarely had delays.
If you are going to be working in DC and looking for a Townhouse in that price range. I would look in Woodbridge, VA. There are several 1-3 year old townhomes that are in that price range. There are several large commuter lots in Woodbridge. As far as transportation, you have the Omni Link that goes directly into DC, VRE, Van Pools and Car pools as well as Slugging. Also easy access to I95 which is one of the main Interstates into DC.
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