New England / Midwest Transplants in the Richmond Suburbs: Northern Suburbs Vs. Southern Suburbs? (Chester: to rent)

[sbmcpartlin]

We are contemplating a move to the Richmond suburbs. I am originally from New England and my husband is from the Midwest. After talking with friends this past weekend I started to worry that we would feel "out of our element" in the Richmond area. She lives in Chesterfield County and said she feels like she lives in the deep south where many people have, let's say, "outdated" views on the roles of women and minorities in society.

Is there a different feel between the Northern and Southern suburbs of Richmond?

How do midwest/new england transplants feel in the Richmond area?

[sls76]

I grew up in CT, went to college in VA, moved to Chicago after college for 4 years before returning to VA. I can't imagine you'd feel out of place in the Far West End. I would say that the suburbs are generally more conservative than NE. I would not say I've encountered outdated views of women's roles/ race relations (my family is biracial and the only place in this area I've felt uncomfortable was in a older Baptist church in downtown Richmond).

[Bluidblonde]

I just moved here from NY. I have posted questions here in regards to where I would feel more comfortable ( in varying degrees.) I am now in what is considered the West End. I was recently going to make an offer on a home across the river and to the south. After walking through the mall located in the direct town, I totally saw why I should stay here in the West End. I think it depends also on if you want to be in area where the homes offer more land, or if you want things to be more convenient for you. Alot needs to be considered. I can tell you honestly, that I haven"t been here long but I have been called "Yankee" once already, but I can also tell you that I have run into some very nice people here as well.

[slowlane]

Virginia truly has a long way to go toward accepting women in political offices - I find women's lack of office-holding in Virginia, glaring. But to Virginia's credit, they had the nation's first ever Black governor (Doug Wilder).

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Back in time. Firstvisit was in December. Something about it............did not like it at all. I think they could tell I was a Northerner. But, that is ok, I enjoyed the visit. Too citified for me. There is a surface niceness, but in my opinion, not genuine at all.

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Someone told me long ago about that Southern Hospitaliity. It is fake. It seems that they are nice to you to your face, but selective when having you over for dinner. So many northerners have moved back and told me about their experiences and never feeling welcome. I am sure there are exceptions to this, but what does it matter where you come from?

[Haversham]

Short Pump is a microcosm of NoVa crossed with the Punjab. It has all the charm and sense of community as an airport.
Chesterfield, towards the west and north has a greater "local" population, as does the near west-end, and both populations share the same opinion that Short Pump is a phony fabricated altar to consumerism, and not representative of traditional (in the genteel sense) Virginia.

[Haversham]

The surface niceness perception is dead on. People here tend to be slaves to decorum and courtesies and their inability to be honest, truthful, and to the point is a serious social handicap, the irony of which is totally lost on them.

[Pruzhany]

She lives in Chesterfield County and said she feels like she lives in the deep south

Chesterfield is a large county so it depends on the part she moved to. If its the part built within the past 20 years (route 360/288 corridor) then its going to have a Northern feel to it. These will also usually be subdividsion neighborhoods. If you go further out to older parts (route 10/150, 10/288, 10/chester corridor, near Powhatan line) then its going to be more Southern. These areas have much less subdivisions and more of southern feel. For example drive from 10/288 to 10/95 you can see the transitions. So it depends on what you want. I'm from NYC and tried the Northerner areas in the Far West End first. I didn't like it as I wanted the Southern feel. So I moved to the county west of it . And it was a totally different area. The people are friendlier, the drivers are calmers (people wave as they drive by too) and the neighbors mind their own business. On the road (15 miles of road) I live on there is only two subdividsons. So their entrances were designed for a southern feel (no large signs, no brick walls, many trees on its road frontage). As to the road, you can tell its a most southern area. It has one McMansion (someone had a brain fart). Most homes still have the trees (more than 10) in their front yards that are original to the land. But best of all, for me at least, I have no Northerner neighbors. So it depends on what you want. Do you want the Xanax feel or do you want the large quantities of coffee feel?

[wendyr]

We are from Connecticut and moved here 10 years ago. We live on the Southside (off Robious) and have NEVER felt any type of out of place. In fact, I was so amazed that MOST people were from the North, Midwest, NY, BOSTON and PA that I felt as if I had moved to CT, but with the traditions dated 10 years previous. Everyone is busy these days, and everyone has been affected by the economy, but most are still pretty friendly. Do you want a large custom home in a neighborhood, or a smaller cookie cutter one? If you wouldn't mind renting first, you may find what you like better. Contact Sue Tepper at Joyner Fine Prop. she is a wonderful agent. We just recently listed our house with here. We didn't sell because the market is not selling larger homes but she was great and knows a lot about this area. We are going to list through her property management team to rent for awhile! Good Luck! If you need want more info email me at wringrose@comcast.net