Job offer in Virginia...where to live??

[Gravity]

The job is in Reston VA but I know that the cost of living there is way out of my league. I'd rather commute from a place where it's safe to raise my two girls, 12 and 6 (not their real names).

Ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Gravity

 

[opticalmace]

LOL on the real names bit

can't help you though

 

[Pepsei]

Try Chantilly, a real dive.

 

[mflacy]

Fries or Kilmarnock is where I would live. Stay away from Troutdale, Nassawadox, Nicklesville, and Tappahannock.

 

[oreagan]

Reston is a good area, all of northern Virginia has (relatively) good schools, a high cost of living pays for it though. Of course, if you can get your kids into Thomas Jefferson High they're virtually guarenteed to get into UVA or another top tier school, but that might not be an option. Charlottesville is great, but of course that's too far for a daily commute. Great Falls is a nice area pretty close to you, but again high cost of living.

 

[T2T III]

I have a friend who is selling a 4 bedroom single family home on a little over an acre of land. It's in the "Oak Hill" area which means Navy Elementary School and Oakton High School district. The price is to be determined, but I'd guestimate somewhere between $550K and $600K.

Areas to avoid:
- Gainesville, Haymarket, etc. - These places are west of Manassas and the road structure in that area means for some vicious commutes.
- Woodbridge, Stafford, Fredericksburg. - These places are along I-95 and mean for some very bad commutes.

What kind of budget are you working with? It might tell us a bit more about what you are looking to get.

 

[Gravity]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
What kind of budget are you working with? It might tell us a bit more about what you are looking to get.

I should be making in the neighborhood of 95k.

Thanks for the info?

Gravity

 

[kalster]

Originally posted by: Gravity

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
What kind of budget are you working with? It might tell us a bit more about what you are looking to get.

I should be making in the neighborhood of 95k.

Thanks for the info?

Gravity

wtf, watz renton, like beverly or belair, u can get excellent housing i bet with that kinda salary

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: kalster

Originally posted by: Gravity

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
What kind of budget are you working with? It might tell us a bit more about what you are looking to get.

I should be making in the neighborhood of 95k.

Thanks for the info?

Gravity

wtf, watz renton, like beverly or belair, u can get excellent housing i bet with that kinda salary

Not really - Northern VA isn't the cheapest place to live. I live about 12 miles from Reston. Single family homes in my neighborhood are in the $500K+ range. Less for townhomes - $250K - $350K. Condos - about $180K for a used 2 bedroom condo.

 

[JimmyJ65]

I just moved from northern Virginia, Arlington. Well, just moved is back in September 99. If I remember rightly, Reston is far enough from the infamous beltway area that home prices and apartment rentals should be "somewhat" reasonable compared to within the beltway. The beltway is loosely defined as the area enclosed by I395 and I495, arteries of I95 that get you around the DC Metropolitan area. In actuality the area immediately srounding the beltway can be rather high priced also. Reston puts you well outside the whole area and most importantly, saves you the horrendous commuter traffic hassles associated with everybody on I95 and I395 and I495 trying to get from home (way outside the beltway where costs are less) to work within the beltway and back each evening. Actually, Reston is one of the places lots of people live who commute into the beltway (primarily government employees).

The possiblilty that so many commuters live in Reston or want to live in Reston may have hiked costs for real estate there exists, but you can still beat the astronomical costs within and around the beltway. If you want to commute - look west of Reston, but not to far, or south or north. Going east gets you toward beltway country. And, by-the-way, your neighbor in Reston is Dulles International Airport.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
Try Chantilly, a real dive.

That's not true. There's some new manor homes being built by Renaissance builders in Chantilly near Rt. 50 and the Fairfax County Parkway. These are essentially "upscale" duplexes with brick on all four sides. The "starting" price is in the $600s. The only real downfall with Chantilly is the close proximity to Dulles Airport. Some neighborhoods in Chantilly and near there, you can almost count the rivets on the jets when they are landing. :Q :Q

 

[JimmyJ65]

I just moved from northern Virginia, Arlington. Well, just moved is back in September 99. If I remember rightly, Reston is far enough from the infamous beltway area that home prices and apartment rentals should be "somewhat" reasonable compared to within the beltway. The beltway is loosely defined as the area enclosed by I395 and I495, arteries of I95 that get you around the DC Metropolitan area. In actuality the area immediately srounding the beltway can be rather high priced also. Reston puts you well outside the whole area and most importantly, saves you the horrendous commuter traffic hassles associated with everybody on I95 and I395 and I495 trying to get from home (way outside the beltway where costs are less) to work within the beltway and back each evening. Actually, Reston is one of the places lots of people live who commute into the beltway (primarily government employees).

The possiblilty that so many commuters live in Reston or want to live in Reston may have hiked costs for real estate there exists, but you can still beat the astronomical costs within and around the beltway. If you want to commute - look west of Reston, but not to far, or south or north. Going east gets you toward beltway country. And, by-the-way, your neighbor in Reston is Dulles International Airport.

 

[JimmyJ65]

I just moved from northern Virginia, Arlington. Well, just moved is back in September 99. If I remember rightly, Reston is far enough from the infamous beltway area that home prices and apartment rentals should be "somewhat" reasonable compared to within the beltway. The beltway is loosely defined as the area enclosed by I395 and I495, arteries of I95 that get you around the DC Metropolitan area. In actuality the area immediately srounding the beltway can be rather high priced also. Reston puts you well outside the whole area and most importantly, saves you the horrendous commuter traffic hassles associated with everybody on I95 and I395 and I495 trying to get from home (way outside the beltway where costs are less) to work within the beltway and back each evening. Actually, Reston is one of the places lots of people live who commute into the beltway (primarily government employees).

The possiblilty that so many commuters live in Reston or want to live in Reston may have hiked costs for real estate there exists, but you can still beat the astronomical costs within and around the beltway. If you want to commute - look west of Reston, but not to far, or south or north. Going east gets you toward beltway country. And, by-the-way, your neighbor in Reston is Dulles International Airport.

 

[Pepsi90919]

12 and 6 (not their real names).

???

 

[Rallispec]

might even look out in leesburg. I"m not sure what the housing costs are out that way--- but damn, its nice... far enough away from the city, yet still still close enough at the same itme.


anyhow-- i live in manassas-- and it takes me an hour everyday to commute to chantilly, which is well before you hit Reston. So in less you enjoy close to 2 hour commutes--- i wouldnt try and take anything south of centerville.

 

[Gravity]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

12 and 6 (not their real names).

???

Um, that was a joke. Sorry, didn't mean to make it too complex.

Gravity