DC-NOVA area expats in Tampa--SIGN UP HERE! (Safety Harbor: appointed, wedding)

[user8]

woodbridge is only 15 miles south of dc (or so) but it might as well be a million miles. if you have to commute from there it will take you 1-2 hours on an average day, longer on a bad one. there's very little culture in "hoodbridge" as well. lots of generic sprawl and strip malls, and low rent people. the rents/mortgages drop for a reason. if you're going to be working in or near dc, i personally wouldn't bother unless you like riding the train/slugging into work.

annandale is ok. a bit bland (as is most of fairfax county) but you will find the best korean bbq places in the region there. commutes are so-so.

[movedoften]

This is a timely thread for me.

I am considering a move to Tampa from Fairfax. I do not get my kicks on Route 66. My issues are like most, horrid traffic, crazy cost of housing and the people.

I might be able to take my job with me but it's not a long term endeavor so I will eventually have to secure work there.

My primary concerns about Tampa are the job market, summer heat and lack of some outdoors activities that I enjoy. I hope the cost of living, mild winters, year round golf and terrific beaches make up for that.

How has everyone adjusted to the summers?

I have a sales background and will have a side business as well as looking for something permanent.

I don't pay a whole lot of attention to people who complain about the job market on CD but I do see the Labor Statistics and they aren't encouraging. I sometimes wonder if the job market in DC is a little overhyped if you are not on the inside of the Govt/contractor/consultant circle.

Where would be a nice area within 30 minutes of the beach and downtown to rent for a year?

What are the primary areas to avoid?

Where is the best real estate value right now (homes around 200k)?

Thanks in advance for your insights.

[kyle19125]

How has everyone adjusted to the summers?
Quite frankly I haven't noticed as wide a gap in terms of heat or humidity as you might expect. The last couple of summers in Philadelphia (which would be similar to DC) have been quite unpleasant. As an FYI, Philadelphia's average high temperature this past July was higher than Tampa's).

Where would be a nice area within 30 minutes of the beach and downtown to rent for a year?
It depends upon what you're looking for. If you want to be in the middle of everything, the Westshore District in Tampa would be a good choice. If you want something a bit quieter, yet close to everything check out Old Northeast in St Petersburg.

What are the primary areas to avoid?
Most of Tampa except for South Tampa or Westshore and most of St Petersburg outside of the Beaches, Downtown, Gateway or Northeast.

Where is the best real estate value right now (homes around 200k)?
In my opinion, older housing stock in established neighborhoods where prices were dragged down by overpriced new construction and subsequent mass foreclosures. The 200K-250K bracket is probably one of the better values now.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by user8

woodbridge is only 15 miles south of dc (or so) but it might as well be a million miles. if you have to commute from there it will take you 1-2 hours on an average day, longer on a bad one. there's very little culture in "hoodbridge" as well. lots of generic sprawl and strip malls, and low rent people. the rents/mortgages drop for a reason. if you're going to be working in or near dc, i personally wouldn't bother unless you like riding the train/slugging into work.

annandale is ok. a bit bland (as is most of fairfax county) but you will find the best korean bbq places in the region there. commutes are so-so.

I agree regarding Woodbridge, aka Hoodbridge. It's not a good area and priced accordingly. For more bang for the buck in terms of housing quality vs. price, you might want to look into the Stafford/Aquia Harbor/Garrisonville area just south of Quantico. The drive on I-95 would be pretty horrible, however you do have access to the VRE trains which reduce commute time significantly. Or car pool which is very popular. Rail service in Virginia - VRE

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

I agree regarding Woodbridge, aka Hoodbridge. It's not a good area and priced accordingly. For more bang for the buck in terms of housing quality vs. price, you might want to look into the Stafford/Aquia Harbor/Garrisonville area just south of Quantico. The drive on I-95 would be pretty horrible, however you do have access to the VRE trains which reduce commute time significantly. Or car pool which is very popular. Rail service in Virginia - VRE

I saw it was 30 minutes by VRE which leaves approximately every 20-30 minutes through the morning hours. (Which seemed pretty good to me!)

No idea the logistics involved in getting to that station though, or costs involved to park their all day. But VRE-wise, Woodbridge-to-DC looked good.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I saw it was 30 minutes by VRE which leaves approximately every 20-30 minutes through the morning hours. (Which seemed pretty good to me!)

No idea the logistics involved in getting to that station though, or costs involved to park their all day. But VRE-wise, Woodbridge-to-DC looked good.

There are two stations to the south of Woodbridge that you could access, Quantico or Brooke. Brooke would be the easiest and has less traffic to/from the station. I'd say 15 minutes is a safe guess in terms of getting to that station.
Parking is free at the station.

[xbillyx]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Many thanks to the above two posters. Falls Church and Annandale are high on the list.

It seems like anything beyond the beltway certainly isn't much more affordable anyways. I think the only other element I wish DC had was a bit of affordability.

Speaking of which, is Woodbridge alright in its own right? It's a bit out there, but Prince William County...housing costs seem to drop dramatically.

(I'd probably rent anyways, but if buying was cost effective out there, maybe I'd be looking into it for a long term scenario anyways).

I've also picked the brain of the NOVA/DC/MD forums...but got a lot of different perspectives from this thread as well. Different posters, etc. Kinda interesting.

This is the perfect thread for me, as I have lots of experience with NOVA. I was raised in Fairfax County and lived for a bit in Arlington. Here are my opinions:

• There are no dangerous areas of NOVA. None. There are places that aren't as nice but that falls under personal opinion and proximity to DC and/or a Metro station.
• In general, the areas closer to a Metro station will cost more, but it's well worth it. Trust me, you'll want to kill yourself if you live to far from a Metro and have to drive everywhere in traffic all the time. It's unbelievable.
• I would strongly urge you to completely rule out anything farther than Fairfax County (assuming you'll be working in DC or wanting to go into DC for restaurants, nightlife, cultural events, etc.). Don't even consider Prince William or Loudoun...too far.
• I'd suggest you rule out Woodbridge and Annandale. Annandale isn't near a Metro and the traffic you'll have to deal with isn't fun. Plus, I don't see the plus side to living there. Not too much there other than residential areas and strip malls. Woodbridge is WAY too far. It doesn't even feel like NOVA.
• I'll stress again that Arlington is the way to go. All of Arlington is nice but I much prefer the northern part. If you can manage to find anything in your price range in North Arlington you'd be in walking/biking/bus distance to a Metro. Most of South Arlington isn't near a Metro, save for Pentagon City and Crystal City. Shirlington is a cool area but the closest Metro is a hike. I love the neighborhoods outside of Ballston, Clarendon, and Courthouse. Lovely areas.
• Falls Church is nice enough (for Fairfax County), although I think I like it mostly because it's inside the beltway and there's a Metro station. There's actually only one Metro station in Falls Church (West Falls). The East Falls station is actually in NW Arlington. I hate that they named it that but just think of it like this: West Falls is west of Falls Church city and East Falls is east of the city. The little downtown is walkable and has a bunch of shops and services, though most are in boring looking strip malls. The traffic along 7/Broad Street is ridiculous during rush hours as well.
• Old Town (Alexandria) is nice but it's pricey. I'd rule out the rest of Alexandria personally...not my cup of tea.

Basically, keep this in mind: You'll really pay for location in NOVA. However, as you go farther from DC you'll have to deal with more traffic, more sprawl, less character/indie shops/restaurants, less public transit, less walkability, ruder people (IMO), less active lifestyles (fewer trails/parks/green space).

[cariad]

Originally Posted by xbillyx

I'll stress again that Arlington is the way to go. All of Arlington is nice but I much prefer the northern part. If you can manage to find anything in your price range in North Arlington you'd be in walking/biking/bus distance to a Metro. Most of South Arlington isn't near a Metro, save for Pentagon City and Crystal City. Shirlington is a cool area but the closest Metro is a hike. I love the neighborhoods outside of Ballston, Clarendon, and Courthouse. Lovely areas.

My son lives very close to Courthouse metro. I really enjoy visiting him there. We can walk to everything, great restaurants, and the Sat. Farmer/Flea Market. If I had to live in the D.C area that would be where I'd go. He loves it.....much better than Mclean-where he was before- because of the walkability and access to the Metro. And then he can run by the Parkway, Regan and into the District.

[ISOnewplace]

Thanks everyone for posting. What a great group of knowledgeable people. Before the thread runs too far off course though, I just want to remind everyone that the focus here is DC/NOVA to Tampa relocation and comments (not the other way around). It's all good advice but it is becoming a Virginia advice thread. I'd like to keep it on track

Cheerio!

[seeriously]

We lived in Old Town, Alexandria, for a couple of years before relocating to FL and loved it but didn't like the traffic or the rest of the DC/NoVa area. I don't miss townhouse living either.