Relocating from Europe to Great Falls or surrounding area (Reston: for sale, real estate)

[Regan]

We, a couple in the late thirties with a daughter of 8, are considering a relocation from Europe to Northeren Virginia. We have been looking at Great Falls, Vienna, Herdnon etc, but not been able to decide what would suit us best. We have our own business and proximity to an national/international airport is more important than commuting time to DC. The most important is to find a safe family oriented area with good schools. In addition to finding out where to live, we are interested to know a little bit more about the tax systems (property tax etc), school systems and quality and activities in the near area.

Any input is much appreciated

[saganista]

Great Falls and Vienna are geographically in the sort of middle-suburbs of DC, Herndon is more toward the outer suburbs. Herndon would be very close to Dulles International Airport, the other two are no more than 15 miles or half an hour away.

Both Herndon and Vienna are incorporated towns. There is a local government for each, hence more local organization. Great Falls is an area within Fairfax County. It exists only as a place name that people recognize. There is no local government at all. Vienna has local access to the Metro system for travel into DC, the others do not.

In terms of wealth, Great Falls would likely be at the top of this list, and Herndon at the bottom, but the entire area is more wealthy than most, Fairfax County having the highest median household income of any county in the United States. Neighboring Loudon County (just west of Herndon) is #2. The cost of living is also high, but not signficantly different from that in most other major metropolitan areas.

Public schools in all three areas are run by the Fairfax County Public Schools system. It is a large system (165,000+ students and a $2.2 billion budget) and highly regarded. The schools in these areas are all at least very good. Their relative ranking would generally follow their income ranking.

The total tax burden in Northern Virginia is the lowest in the DC Metro area. The real estate tax rate in Fairfax County is $.92 per hundred dollars of assessed value. The average assessed value in the current year was $524K. The average tax bill was $4,821. The towns of Vienna and Herndon add $.18 and $.25 respectively to fund their local governments. There is also a county personal property tax on nearly all forms of vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, airplanes, etc.). Effectively, the rates are $1.37 per hundred dollars of assessed value up to $20,000, and $4.57 per hundred dollars of assessed value over $20,000. If you have several late model luxury cars, the tax can become signficant.

The overall quality of life in these areas is very good. There are almost limitless cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities available. World class shopping and top of the line dining are minutes away. Mountains and ocean beaches are within a few hours drive. Philadelphia is three hours by car, New York is five. There is regular train service to both. The climate is moderate, the traffic during rush hour is terrible. Rush hour traffic is the number one complaint of people living in the area. If commuting time to DC is not important, this will be less of a factor, but getting from anywhere to anywhere can be a challenge in the early AM or PM on weekdays.

If you will be running your own business, the general information that is presented in Doing Business in Fairfax County may be useful to you as an overview.

Hope that covers some of your questions. Raise more, and folks will try to answer those as well... :-)

[Regan]

This is very helpful. Thank you!

If I may, I do have som follow - up questions. First off, what would be the upside/downside of living in a town with local government?

When chosing a house in this area, what would be things to look out for? I have heard for instance mosquitos are a problem in the summer - does this apply for the whole area or is this a local problem? Are there areas one should avoid due to high crime rates, pollution or other?

I see many houses for sale do not have a patio or outside area. Are there restrictions to building such, if we would like to add one to the house we end up buying?

Thanks again:-)

[saganista]

Originally Posted by Regan

If I may, I do have som follow - up questions. First off, what would be the upside/downside of living in a town with local government?

Downside is the extra taxes. Upside is the extra services, the easier access to government when you need it, and the greater sense of community that comes from actually being one. Fairfax County has nearly 1.1 million people to deal with. Vienna has about 15,000 and Herndon about 22,000. That can make a big difference when dealing with a bureaucracy. In Vienna, twice-a-week trash collection is free. Debris and household junk removal is free. County residents pay for those services. Vienna has its own police and zoning board in addition to those of the County. Thanks to the zoning board, there are no car dealerships in town, and there cannot be any more fast-food restaurants than the three who got in before the code was changed. They also do snow removal in the winter (much better than the county or state), and the town either runs or directly supports a very good community center (sports, dance, actvities, trips, classes, meeting rooms, etc.) various town festivals (that are actually good, rather than lame), and tons of youth sports. Non-residents can participate in some of these as well, but must pay a fee. I'm not as familiar with the situation in Herndon, but would imagine it to be similar.

Originally Posted by Regan

When chosing a house in this area, what would be things to look out for? I have heard for instance mosquitos are a problem in the summer - does this apply for the whole area or is this a local problem? Are there areas one should avoid due to high crime rates, pollution or other?

Mosquitos are a problem in some years, and not so much in others. It depends on the amount of rainfall. In most years, they exist, but are not a plague of any sort. Mosquitos are unaware of political boundaries, so in whatever numbers, they appear everywhere. There is virtually nowhere in the area where crime is any sort of problem, and neither is there anywhere that is entirely crime-free. There are those who will insist that the higher minority populations in Herndon make it some sort of crime and gang haven, but it's not really so. In general, crime is simply not a factor at all in day-to-day living. The DC area once was prone to bouts of high pollution in the summertime, but new auto and fuels technologies have pretty well resolved the problem. There is very little industry in the area, and frequent afternoon showers (storms, sometimes) move across the area to clean things up, so in general the air quality is pretty good in the region these days. With an 8-year old, you might want to consider proximity to a neighborhood swim or swim-and-tennis club. There are many of them in the area. They are private and cost money to join, but they make a wonderful place for kids to while away their summer days and for adults to swim and socialize. Well worth the cost. Most pools are members of the Northern Viriginia Swimming League. This map shows the location of all 102 of those if you are interested.

Originally Posted by Regan

I see many houses for sale do not have a patio or outside area. Are there restrictions to building such, if we would like to add one to the house we end up buying?

That will depend. Many newer homes do have decks, porches, or patios, and many older homes have had them added on. Some neighborhhods have homeowners associations that care for and improve common areas, but can also impose rather severe restrictions on building anything. Good to check out whether a house is covered by an HOA and if so, how intrusive the HOA has chosen to be. Some homes are also in historic districts and special approvals may be necessary there as well. Otherwise, there are town and/or county zoning ordinances (particularly those related to drainage and fencing) that can become a factor, but despite all these, one can normally upgrade an outside area to one's wishes.

[kevbros]

To say there "is no local government at all" is not exactly true. Fairfax County is the local government. In most of Virginia, counties are the local government. The counties are much bigger with more resources than a small "town". They provide police, schools, fire and ambulance etc. Not all Fairfax County residents pay for trash collection. Some places in Fairfax County have free Fairfax County trash collection. In others you have to contract for trash collection and still others it is part of your HOA dues (just a form of private taxes). Basically it depends upon when the community was built. The above-mentioned "towns" are too small to run their own school districts, so it's all Fairfax County schools, anyway.
As for sports, there are lots of Fairfax County and other rec leagues outside of the "towns." There may be more of small town feel to those little places, but unless that's a priority for you -- it shouldn't matter a wit whether you live in a "town" or not.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by kevbros

To say there "is no local government at all" is not exactly true. Fairfax County is the local government. In most of Virginia, counties are the local government.

Quite true, but I was meaning "local" in the sense of the city or town level. Residents of both Vienna and Herndon have such agencies available to them in addition to those of the County. There is no Great Falls anything at all at that lower level. Your lowest level of approach there is to the County itself.

Originally Posted by kevbros

The counties are much bigger with more resources than a small "town". They provide police, schools, fire and ambulance etc.

Some cities (e.g., Falls Church) do provide their own school system separate from FCPS, but no towns do. Towns can and some do provide police, fire, and ambulance services that are also in addition to those of the County.

Originally Posted by kevbros

Not all Fairfax County residents pay for trash collection. Some places in Fairfax County have free Fairfax County trash collection.

There is typically an annual fee of $345 if you are in a County trash collection district. The same goes for Fall leaf collection. If you are in a County leaf collection district, your real estate tax rate goes up by a penny and a half per hundred dollars of assessed value. County residents not part of a leaf collection district are on their own when it comes to leaves. Collection and removal runs me about $1000 per season. Vienna residents, by contrast, receive regular leaf removal service throughout the Fall at no additional charge. They need only get the leaves to the curb. Blow 'em, rake 'em, whatever. No bagging necessary.

Originally Posted by kevbros

As for sports, there are lots of Fairfax County and other rec leagues outside of the "towns."

Yes, there are, and the County runs a network of nine excellect rec and fitness centers also. But residents of Vienna and Herndon have access to all of those as well. In addition to whatever the towns may provide.

Originally Posted by kevbros

There may be more of small town feel to those little places, but unless that's a priority for you -- it shouldn't matter a wit whether you live in a "town" or not.

That town "feel" is quite palpable in places like Falls Church, Vienna, and Herndon. Palpable also is the lack of any such feeling in most non-incorporated areas, where there is almost nothing more to tie you to people who live half a mile away than to people who live 20 miles away. Your local identity ends up being dependent upon your complex or development if you live in one, or else to what mall you most frequently shop at. A little on the hollow side, some might think...

[JfromReston]

Originally Posted by saganista

With an 8-year old, you might want to consider proximity to a neighborhood swim or swim-and-tennis club. There are many of them in the area. They are private and cost money to join, but they make a wonderful place for kids to while away their summer days and for adults to swim and socialize. Well worth the cost. Most pools are members of the Northern Viriginia Swimming League. This map shows the location of all 102 of those if you are interested.

Regan, I know you didn't include Reston on your list, but it is smack in the middle of the three communities you listed. One of the great advantages of Reston is that we have 15 swimming pools and membership is included in the annual assessment ($475) that all Reston residents pay. Reston also has lots of tennis courts and a great nature center with lots of trails. See http://Reton.org (broken link) for a map.

[arabellava]

[quote=saganista;4793128] In Vienna, twice-a-week trash collection is free.

A clarification, trash is once a week and recyclables are once a week.. As you said, free since we pay town of vienna taxes on top of ffx cty.. (we've been happy with town services)

[Regan]

Thanks for all the input. All valuable information in our search for the perfect place to live:-) We will look into the Reston area too - thanks for the tip. Any other areas we should take under consideration? How would Louden/Leesberg rate against Fairfax and the areas discussed previously? I see the house prices fall in this area, but that's probably because the commute time to DC is very long...?

Are any of the areas bothered with noise from the airport or big roads?

[ACWhite]

Services like trash pickup aren't "free" - someone has to pay for them. They may vary in HOW they are financed across localities.