Would YOU buy a condo in Huntington Club? (Alexandria, Mount Vernon: apartment, condos) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

Zimar · 01-08-2010, 10:13 PM

Hi,

My husband and I are currently considering buying our first condo in Alexandria. We do not make a lot of $$, but we do have a big down payment saved up and we figure that the market is pretty good for buying right now- Alexandria is perfect for us geographically for a number of reasons (work, church, etc...). The condos in and around Huntington Club seem VERY reasonably priced, and are close to the metro, which is a must for us as well... My question is... is there something drastically WRONG with this area? Why is it so much cheaper than other places in Alexandria? Will we be able to sell a condo later, in a few years, if we bought there?

Thanks!

FindingZen · 01-09-2010, 10:10 AM

Huntington is considered part of the Route 1 (south) Corridor in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, an area with a historically unfavorable reputation that has actually improved in recent years.

That said, I once visited a unit in the Huntington Club as a possible rental. I was underwhelmed at that point; I don't think I'd want to buy. A better bet might be right across the street at the much newer Midtown Alexandria.

Beach-rat · 01-09-2010, 01:03 PM

One good review and one bad on Google.. go to Google maps, search for Huntington Club and click reviews..

I do a lot of business in the Huntington area.. the area is improving, has to, so close to METRO that the values will keep going up..

There are some nice little duplexes right around there (stay on high ground!)

robbobobbo · 01-09-2010, 01:20 PM

Comparing prices between Huntington and Alexandria proper is apples and oranges. Huntington and other southern Fairfax County areas have Alexandria postal addresses, but are not in the city or governed by it. The Route 1 areas of Huntington, Groveton, N. Kings Hwy, etc, have been lower economic class since... well they were when I moved here in 1975. The construction of the Metro station decades ago didn't lift the area (it opened in 1983). So much for "it has to improve because of Metro." They've been talking about Route 1 making a turnaround for years. Only recently has it looked like developers are taking a chance on its potential by building new condos close to the station, and some of the strip malls on N. Kings have gotten facelifts.

Huntington Club itself is, I think, an apartment-to-condo conversion and is rather old. You could do better, especially in resale potential. Have you looked at Fairlington or Park Fairfax in Alexandria? They are not walking distance to Metrorail, but there is bus service. They are old, as well, but both places have strong appeal for buyers.

I agree that the duplexes around Huntington Ave are good values. A few years ago I was thinking of buying one for a rental, but the ones I looked at were so trashed and I wound up buying in Kingstowne instead. That area also has more popular appeal.

Oh - to directly answer your question - I wouldn't buy a condo there. Should you? If it's a convenient place to live, and anything else in your budget would put you way out with a long commute, then maybe.

Zimar · 01-09-2010, 09:54 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone!! I did not know that Huntington is not in Alexandria proper! We have been living in Silver Spring for about a year but we still don't know everything about the Washington Metro area. I think I need to drive through the area and see how I feel about it... I don't want anything fancy here, but I don't think we are going to live in whatever we buy for more than 3-4 years or so and I want to be able to at least re-coup my investment (plus a teeny profit!) if I want to sell. There are also a number of affordable condos near the van dorn metro (how is that area?) at a development called the Exchange, but that is going to increase my commute by quite a bit... other than that I am seeing nothing affordable in Alexandria-- so who knows? Maybe we will have to wait...

Yankeesfan · 01-10-2010, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

The construction of the Metro station decades ago didn't lift the area (it opened in 1983). So much for "it has to improve because of Metro."

The Supervisors who have represented this area (Lee and Mount Vernon) since then CHOSE to keep it in this condition, despite developer offers, because they want to keep "affordable housing."

anpanman · 01-10-2010, 07:11 PM

I used to know someone who bought a condo there a few years ago. I remember it feeling really old, and I thought the ceilings were low.

Zimar · 01-10-2010, 07:46 PM

@Yankeesfan, do you know if this will change or if it already has? Because I think there are a couple newer condo developments down there now...

I don't think I would buy a place if it had low ceilings, that kind of gives me a claustrophobic feeling and I'm going to be living in this place for awhile and it's not fixable. My maximum renovation tolerance is basically new flooring/paint/light fixtures but I was hoping that could take me pretty far!!!

Does anyone know of any other reasonably priced areas near a metro in NOVA? It REALLY has to be near the metro because I find my commute annoying enough as it is and this condo purchase is probably only going to make it longer anyway...

bornindc · 01-11-2010, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zimar

There are also a number of affordable condos near the van dorn metro (how is that area?) at a development called the Exchange, but that is going to increase my commute by quite a bit... other than that I am seeing nothing affordable in Alexandria-- so who knows? Maybe we will have to wait...

The condos near Van Dorn are all new(er), this is an area that is being converted from industrial to residential, and there are still a lot of industrial-type businesses in the area. So there aren't really any walking-distance amenities for the most part. You will also be right next to the Beltway and Metro tracks probably. But if you are looking for a condo near Metro you could do a lot worse I'm sure.

FindingZen · 01-11-2010, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zimar

Does anyone know of any other reasonably priced areas near a metro in NOVA? It REALLY has to be near the metro because I find my commute annoying enough as it is and this condo purchase is probably only going to make it longer anyway...

How do you define "reasonably priced"? I take it that the aforementioned Midtown Alexandria across the street from Huntington Club is beyond what you would prefer to pay?