Moving from CT to NOVA (Arlington, Alexandria: for rent, house, neighborhoods)

[gtskater]

We are a lesbian couple with one child in the process of relocating to the NOVA area from CT. We would like to live in an area in which we will be accepted. It would also be nice if there were other gay families around but we don't need a "gayborhood". Any suggestions on housing would be most appreciated. Thank you.

[FindingZen]

There is unlikely to be any cause of concern for your family in NOVA. That said, this isn't DC so be sure you have all of your legal ducks in a row before you settle here. I'm not aware if there are any particular neighborhoods where gay families tend to gather but I'd be curious if others here had any ideas.

The more important questions will likely be: Where will either or both of you be working? What is your budget for rent or mortgage? The cost of living here - not to mention the traffic - iprobably sn't much relief compared to SW CT. Many people make tradeoffs between their commute and budget.

[Tish Thompson]

I think you should check out Alexandria...closer to Old Town, or even Arlington, Vienna, or Fairfax. Where are you going to be working?

[JD984]

Assuming you can afford them, you might find neighborhoods in Central/South Arlington and the City of Alexandria (not necessarily Old Town, which is quite pricy, so much as places like Del Ray, Rosemont and Shirlington) attractive. These are areas with many older SFHs on comparatively small lots that tend to attract more liberal residents than you'd find elsewhere in NoVa. In addition, while there are many M/F couples with kids in those neighborhoods, there are also a fair number of gay couples, singles, widows/widowers, etc.

If you have your hearts set on a 3500+ SF house built in the last decade, or if you are intent on living in an area where the public schools have the highest standardized test scores in NoVa, these places wouldn't be for you. But just going from what you've written, they would seem to be good areas to consider.

[normie]

I doubt you'll encounter much prejudice, but Tone's right, it's challenging to figure out which area would be most likely to have similar families. I agree, the best choices are Arlington and Alexandria, as others have mentioned. If you want to be out in the burbs, Reston would be most likely to have other families like yours. Also, Fairfax near GMU.

[gtskater]

Thank you for responding. The information is very helpful. We have a housing budget of around 450K. One of us will be working in Fairfax and the other one of us is still negotiating job offers. We don't require a brand new SFH. The one we live in now is circa 1905. We are not opposed to THs, just have to learn more about them.
How long is the typical commute from Alexandria to Fairfax?
Also, I have read a little about Del Ray. What can you tell me about that area?
Thank you.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by gtskater

Thank you for responding. The information is very helpful. We have a housing budget of around 450K. One of us will be working in Fairfax and the other one of us is still negotiating job offers. We don't require a brand new SFH. The one we live in now is circa 1905. We are not opposed to THs, just have to learn more about them.
How long is the typical commute from Alexandria to Fairfax?
Also, I have read a little about Del Ray. What can you tell me about that area?
Thank you.

In the generally close-in areas that have been suggested, $450K may get you a smaller SFH or very nice TH. Many THs here have as much interior space as a number of detached homes.

You may like the Del Ray neighborhood a lot. If there's anything close to a "bohemian" vibe in NOVA, that would be the place. You'll find a number of younger families and generally laid-back people strolling through the numerous locally-owned shops and restaurants along Mount Vernon Avenue. There also seems to be a lot of synergy from the elementary school and public library located next to each other. There are a lot of "cute" bungalows in the neighborhood. Some may possibly be within your price range.

[Alicia Bradley]

As cool as it is, Del Ray is something of a micro-neighborhood - very tiny.

[ShannonMilligan]

I live in Ashburn and it's accepting as well. Matter of fact my next door neighbors are lesbians and have 2 children and they are by far the most popular couple on the block-we love them!

Good luck with your move!