Any nice, quaint, inexpensive areas to live in the D.C. beltway?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I thought maybe the hive might know if there are any safe, small cities within an hour at most of the Washington D.C. beltway. It would be great if the area also had great colleges/universities as well plus many cultural events/places of interest such as libraries, museums, etc. It would also be nice if the place was good for families and relatively inexpensive in terms of housing:) Oh, and of course , it would be great if the area had a large home school network;)

[WTMCassandra]

I am sorry to say, my first inclination after reading your post was to laugh hysterically. There are NO "inexpensive" places anywhere near DC. Anywhere. Your choices are horrendous vs. more outrageous vs. less outrageous. Now, there sure will be lots of cultural events, places of interest, and homeschooling networks. No problem there. But inexpensive? No. Sorry.

[MariannNOVA]

I am sorry to say, my first inclination after reading your post was to laugh hysterically. There are NO "inexpensive" places anywhere near DC. Anywhere. Your choices are horrendous vs. more outrageous vs. less outrageous. Now, there sure will be lots of cultural events, places of interest, and homeschooling networks. No problem there. But inexpensive? No. Sorry.

 

:iagree: Not to be discouraging, but I have to agree.

[Kim in Appalachia]

My first thought was to laugh too. The only place I can think of is Fredrick, MD, but I think it's more than an hour a way. I think it's at least an hour and a half, if not two. I've only driven down to DC from either further north or south of there.

[LibraryLover]

It depends on what inexpensive means. I think you could buy a small, yet decent house in say, SIlver Springs MD for maybe under 400. (You could also spend mega mega bucks). I know that sounds scrazy, but it's about a hour or less away from DC and you could even have a little yard perhaps. I also don't hate College Park MD. It looks to me to be up and coming, and University of MD is there.

Edited November 25, 2009 by LibraryLover

[pianoplayer]

:iagree:

I am sorry to say, my first inclination after reading your post was to laugh hysterically. There are NO "inexpensive" places anywhere near DC. Anywhere. Your choices are horrendous vs. more outrageous vs. less outrageous. Now, there sure will be lots of cultural events, places of interest, and homeschooling networks. No problem there. But inexpensive? No. Sorry.

:iagree:So sorry that we are the bearers of bad tidings! I don't know what you consider inexpensive, but you will have great difficulty finding anything for under $350,000 within an hour of D.C. Renting is horrid, too. It is possible that you might find a good deal on a foreclosure, but I don't even know where to begin to tell you to look for information on that.

[Kathleen in VA]

I thought maybe the hive might know if there are any safe, small cities within an hour at most of the Washington D.C. beltway. It would be great if the area also had great colleges/universities as well plus many cultural events/places of interest such as libraries, museums, etc. It would also be nice if the place was good for families and relatively inexpensive in terms of housing:) Oh, and of course , it would be great if the area had a large home school network;)

 

What do you mean by inexpensive? I live in a teeny 3br/2bath rambler (1000sf) about 1 hour from the beltway (in rush hour traffic I'd say it's more like 2 hours away). The nearest grocery store is about 8 miles away. The nearest library is about 10 miles away. My house is 20 years old and in today's market I'd list it at $175,000.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I realize that the area is expensive compared to my neck of the woods;) I guess that I may hoping that there might be a relatively inexpensive area for the area. An hour and a half might be tolerable if it had a commuter train that went into D.C. I would rather not even consider the area, but it is possible dh may get a great offer down there.

 

I appreciate any info/suggestions:)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

What do you mean by inexpensive? I live in a teeny 3br/2bath rambler (1000sf) about 1 hour from the beltway (in rush hour traffic I'd say it's more like 2 hours away). The nearest grocery store is about 8 miles away. The nearest library is about 10 miles away. My house is 20 years old and in today's market I'd list it at $175,000.

 

That would be tolerable in price especially if they have rentals in the area to start with:) I unsure about being far away from amenities since I am not a highway driver so to speak. I am able to drive on city streets and state roads though:)

[Kathleen in VA]

I realize that the area is expensive compared to my neck of the woods;) I guess that I may hoping that there might be a relatively inexpensive area for the area. An hour and a half might be tolerable if it had a commuter train that went into D.C. I would rather not even consider the area, but it is possible dh may get a great offer down there.

 

I appreciate any info/suggestions:)

 

There is a commuter train to dc from Virginia - the VRE. The rates just recently went up. The closer you live to the train, the more the houses cost. Do you have a dollar figure you consider your limit?

[WTMCassandra]

Fredericksburg has good commuter service to DC and the prices are slightly better than closer in. But that will still be a long haul for DH.

[mommaduck]

My first inclination was to laugh also. I have a friend that lives in Triangle and though her house is very modest and older, in today's market and with it's closeness to DC and Quantico, their house would still cost a pretty penny. So it really does depend upon what you consider affordable.

[Kathleen in VA]

That would be tolerable in price especially if they have rentals in the area to start with:) I unsure about being far away from amenities since I am not a highway driver so to speak. I am able to drive on city streets and state roads though:)

 

There are always back roads to take if you prefer to avoid highways. I'm the same way. We are about 20 or so miles north of the quaint town of Fredericksburg where the University of Mary Washington is. Everything is more expensive inside the F'burg city limits, but it is a cutesy little town. You just have to know which neighborhoods to avoid. There are lots of Colonial era and Civil War era museums in our area. George Mason University is north of us and a bit farther away. They offer lots of cultural opportunities such as symphonies there. Also, Wolf Trap Farm Park, a federally funded park, is in Vienna, Virginia and they have lots of cultural events there, but it is pricey.

 

I'm not sure what the rental market is like. Here is the real estate website I go to frequently to check on the market in my area:

 

http://www.fredericksburg.com/Homes

[lionfamily1999]

There is a commuter train to dc from Virginia - the VRE. The rates just recently went up. The closer you live to the train, the more the houses cost. Do you have a dollar figure you consider your limit?

What she said.... and ...

Fredericksburg has good commuter service to DC and the prices are slightly better than closer in. But that will still be a long haul for DH.

The burg is good for VRE, if you don't mind the time and money.

 

It's pretty far, though.

 

 

 

I'm putting in a vote for Manassas. :) My brother's in laws live there, I don't know how long it takes to get to DC (really that always depends on the time of day, the weather, the phaze of the moon, the state of the union, etc). It is a beautiful spot, though.

 

You might also check out Goldvein, VA... except that it is quite rural (Faquier Co). The real estate would be loads cheaper and dh's Uncle commutes to DC from there so I imagine it's not too bad.

[Kathleen in VA]

Manassas has some very lovely areas and some really icky ones. You can also catch the VRE there as well. It is located in Prince William County which, generally speaking, is not one of the most homeschooler friendly counties in Virginia. PWC is also not the safest of places, although I'm sure there are pockets here and there that are.

 

Goldvein is really, really out there :) but absolutely gorgeous. There are lots of places like that in Virginia - a bit of a commute (ok, a long haul) from D.C. but beautiful and relatively inexpensive.

[WTMCassandra]

I recommend NOT choosing a place in MD. The MD homeschool laws are much tougher and less friendly than VA.

 

If I were you, I'd find out in what area of DC your DH would be working if he got the offer and radiate outward from that point when looking for a house. For example, F'burg might be a decent option if he would be working in Alexandria but a lousy choice if he would be working in College Park.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I recommend NOT choosing a place in MD. The MD homeschool laws are much tougher and less friendly than VA.

 

If I were you, I'd find out in what area of DC your DH would be working if he got the offer and radiate outward from that point when looking for a house. For example, F'burg might be a decent option if he would be working in Alexandria but a lousy choice if he would be working in College Park.

 

The job would be in Washington D.C. right off the National Mall:) Is it insane to consider Washington D.C. itself?;) I would prefer a small city feel though.

[LibraryLover]

The job would be in Washington D.C. right off the National Mall:) Is it insane to consider Washington D.C. itself?;) I would prefer a small city feel though.

 

 

I would love to live on one of those quaint side streets. Nothing like it. I think you'd be looking at easily over a million and more for a quaint tiny house on a quaint side street. Apartments easily start at 800-900.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I would love to live on one of those quaint side streets. Nothing like it. I think you'd be looking at easily over a million and more for a quaint tiny house on a quaint side street. Apartments easily start at 800-900.

 

The rentals might be doable:) Is $800-900 for efficiencies? Is the cost of a rental substantially more for 3 bedroom apartments?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I recommend NOT choosing a place in MD. The MD homeschool laws are much tougher and less friendly than VA.

 

If I were you, I'd find out in what area of DC your DH would be working if he got the offer and radiate outward from that point when looking for a house. For example, F'burg might be a decent option if he would be working in Alexandria but a lousy choice if he would be working in College Park.

 

 

Are the Maryland laws tougher than PA which has tough laws?

[WTMCassandra]

The job would be in Washington D.C. right off the National Mall:) Is it insane to consider Washington D.C. itself?;) I would prefer a small city feel though.

 

I'd be shocked if you could find a house that you could actually afford.

 

Are you willing to consider an apartment? DC has excellent public transit. And since driving and parking are a total nightmare, a car wouldn't do you much good within the city anyway. The Metro system is excellent and safe. You would be close to any amenity you could think of.

 

If you really want a house, I'd start looking along Rt. 66, or anywhere in the triangle between Alexandria and McLean. Make sure whatever you choose has public transit into the city.

Edited November 25, 2009 by WTMCassandra

[LibraryLover]

The rentals might be doable:) Is $800-900 for efficiencies? Is the cost of a rental substantially more for 3 bedroom apartments?

 

 

I've never heard of that price. Remember, DC has some very desperately poor and dangerous areas.

 

This might be helpful-- it breaks down the DC area, lists the various neighborhoods.

 

http://washington-dc-homes.longandfoster.com/

[LibraryLover]

The rentals might be doable:) Is $800-900 for efficiencies? Is the cost of a rental substantially more for 3 bedroom apartments?

 

 

The link I gave lists a lovely 4 bedroom apartment for under 5 million. But yk, its over 4000k sq feet. ;)

 

DC is one of my most favroite places in the world. I hope you find something wonderful!

Edited November 25, 2009 by LibraryLover

[MariannNOVA]

My daughter and her husband rent a lovely two bedroom condo in Reston, VA- their rent is $1200/month. The METRO bus stops about 100 feet from the entrance to their complex. I think they found their rental on Craigslist and they have been there now for 2 years.

 

You will have to be careful as far as places that are affordable and high crime rates --

[WTMCassandra]

My daughter and her husband rent a lovely two bedroom condo in Reston, VA- their rent is $1200/month. The METRO bus stops about 100 feet from the entrance to their complex. I think they found their rental on Craigslist and they have been there now for 2 years.

 

You will have to be careful as far as places that are affordable and high crime rates --

 

Wow, that's an awesome situation. Good for them!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

My daughter and her husband rent a lovely two bedroom condo in Reston, VA- their rent is $1200/month. The METRO bus stops about 100 feet from the entrance to their complex. I think they found their rental on Craigslist and they have been there now for 2 years.

 

You will have to be careful as far as places that are affordable and high crime rates --

 

Yes, I agree:) I am hoping for a relatively low crime rate. How does your daughter like Reston? Is it a low crime rate?

[MariannNOVA]

Wow, that's an awesome situation. Good for them!

 

Thanks -- and yes, Praise G-d b/c they have really had their feet held to the fire for the past 6.5 years so we are all thankful that their housing worked out.:)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

The link I gave lists a lovely 4 bedroom apartment for under 5 million. But yk, its over 4000k sq feet. ;)

 

DC is one of my most favroite places in the world. I hope you find something wonderful!

 

Is that to purchase? I would consider a rental especially when we initially moved there:) Ideally I would like to purchase eventually, but not for 5 million;)

[mommaduck]

My understanding is that PA is definitely more homeschool friendly than MD. Though PA has what seems to be a bunch of rules, it really is rather easy to homeschool here (and I came from a state with no rules).

[MariannNOVA]

Yes, I agree:) I am hoping for a relatively low crime rate. How does your daughter like Reston? Is it a low crime rate?

 

My daughter and her husband like Reston very much -- the most desirable part of Reston is North Reston so that is important to keep in mind -- there are tons of rentals. The sluggish real estate market has made tons of stuff available at prices that are more affordable than they were even just a year ago. Reston is VERY family oriented! The Reston Town Center is always a great place to take the kids and dog and go for a walk and window shop...we live in Oakton and at 9pm on a summer night, we will put the dog and kids in the car and drive 10 minutes to Reston, park the car, and walk around -- with hundreds of other people. Reston has a great community recreation network with some ridiculous number of pools that are open in the summer for a nominal fee if you are a resident -- something like 18 pools, I think and it costs like $60.00 for a family membership.

 

PM me if you'd like to know anything else.:001_smile:

[Kathleen in VA]

George Mason University did a study on the relative freedoms of the 50 states. You can download the whole publication here:

 

http://www.mercatus.org/publication/freedom-50-states-index-personal-and-economic-freedom?id=26154

 

(The link is in the upper right hand corner)

 

One of the criterion they used to measure freedom was ease of homeschooling. Here is a quote from their findings:

We find that the freest states in the country are New Hampshire, Colorado, and South Dakota, which together achieve a virtual tie for first place. All three states feature low taxes and government spending and middling levels of regulation and paternalism. New York is the least free by a considerable margin, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, California, and Maryland. On personal freedom alone, Alaska is the clear winner, while Maryland brings up the rear.

 

I'd avoid Maryland if at all possible.:)

 

ETA: Virginia ranked 9th in both overall freedom and personal freedom.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Kathleen in VA

[Crimson Wife]

My DH has a cousin who lives in WV and commutes to the D.C. area. He takes the Mark (?) train and does work on his laptop during the ride.

[LizzyBee]

My understanding is that PA is definitely more homeschool friendly than MD. Though PA has what seems to be a bunch of rules, it really is rather easy to homeschool here (and I came from a state with no rules).

 

When I lived in MD (pre-homeschooling), my homeschool friends thought MD was easier than VA and PA. You (OP) could post a separate thread to ask for comparisons between MD and VA.

Edited November 25, 2009 by LizzyBee

[hsmamainva]

I've homeschooled in Maryland (for 10 years) and Virginia (for 5 years so far) and I can give you a comparison of the two states' requirements. I've never homeschooled in Pennsylvania, though.

 

In Maryland, you file a letter of intent to homeschool within 15 days of beginning to homeschool with the county school system. During the school year, you keep all of your school papers and make sure you have dates on everything. You are required to teach the same subjects that are taught in public school (English, history, math, science, art, music, health, PE, etc.). Then there's the review system. You have two choices: you can either be reviewed by a representative from the county school system twice a year (usually in January and June) or you can pay to join an umbrella school -- some of them can be quite expensive, too -- and then you're reviewed by their representative, or by another homeschooler, depending on how they do their reviews. You'll be expected to haul in everything you used throughout the year and they'll expect to see something dated at the beginning of the school year, something from the middle of the school year, and something from the end of the school year. I paid the extra $100 per year for an umbrella school, so I never was reviewed by the public schools and I never thought of Maryland as a difficult state until I moved to Virginia and discovered that it was much easier!

 

In Virginia, you file the same letter of intent. Along with it, you attach a copy of your high school diploma and a list of your curriculum choices for the year for each child. It doesn't have to be too long or detailed. (For instance, mine has the name of each child, their grade, and a list of subjects. i.e., Susie - Grade 5 - Math: Teaching Textbooks 5 - History: Sonlight Core 4 - Science: Rainbow Science, etc.). At the end of the school year, you'll need to either submit an independent evaluation -- very similar to Maryland's review process -- or you can submit standardized test scores. These need to be submitted by August 1st, along with your intent to continue homeschooling. I haven't used the evaluation process. I use the CAT tests, sold by Seton Hall, and test the children myself -- usually in May or June -- and send them in. I believe they need to score above the 23rd percentile in order to continue homeschooling.

 

Hope this helps!

[Chris in VA]

You could try Lorton, where I live. A nice neighborhood across the street from me has homes for about 375. There are several updated ones available and they are anywhere from 3 to 5 bedrooms--the 5 bedrooms would have 2 in the basement. They are not tiny, but they are rather small. We have a great library system, the public schools have an excellent rep (still ps, tho! lol), and there's lots of shopping. We are about 20 minutes from the Mall when it's not rush hour, and about 45 when it is.

Sykesville MD is nice--I have a df who moved there recently. (Yeah, I'd rather be in VA for homeschooling, but if it's just a hassle to homeschool in MD and no real problem, I'd rather have a cheaper mortgage than easy homeschooling, iykwim). Don't know the exact time to DC, tho.

[samba]

I can't compare MD homeschool laws to VA but I've homeschooled in NJ, CA and now MD. I registered with an umbrella here (fairly inexpensively) and have one portfolio review a year conducted by a fellow member of the umbrella. It has been very easy. I didn't want any connection with the school district and I chose the least intrusive umbrella I could find. I've been very satisfied.

[lionfamily1999]

Manassas has some very lovely areas and some really icky ones. You can also catch the VRE there as well. It is located in Prince William County which, generally speaking, is not one of the most homeschooler friendly counties in Virginia. PWC is also not the safest of places, although I'm sure there are pockets here and there that are.

 

Goldvein is really, really out there :) but absolutely gorgeous. There are lots of places like that in Virginia - a bit of a commute (ok, a long haul) from D.C. but beautiful and relatively inexpensive.

I always forget that Manassas is PW... All the parts I go to are wonderful :p

 

It just occured to me that the poster should check out forclosures. Goodness knows we've got a ton of them down here, I would imagine you guys have a number of them up there too.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Wow thanks for all the replies:) I will have to research your suggestions;) It sounds like Maryland might not be too bad in regards to homeschooling especially with an umbrella as long as the umbrella school is not more than $100-$200/year.

[Hedgehogs4]

you can snag a decent townhouse just about anywhere, but if you're looking for a yard and space for a sensible price, i think you're barking up the wrong city.

 

i will add this, however--I'd advise you steer toward the more hs-friendly Virginia side rather than the more restrictive MD side. The Northern VA are is hs-rich and also very hs-friendly.

 

EDITED TO ADD after reading last post: I live in PW county and have had no problems whatsoever. I would look at the state laws as a whole, rather than just the county. We have very HS friendly legislators and a newly-elected governor who looks promising in this regard.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Hedgehogs4

[lionfamily1999]

Wow thanks for all the replies:) I will have to research your suggestions;) It sounds like Maryland might not be too bad in regards to homeschooling especially with an umbrella as long as the umbrella school is not more than $100-$200/year.

 

Virginia statute §22.1-254.1 (B) states:* “Any parent who moves into a school division or begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall notify the division superintendent of his intentions to provide home instruction as soon as practicable and shall thereafter comply with the requirements of this section within thirty days of such notice.â€

 

If you’re a new Virginia resident, or you’ve moved within the state from one school district to another, and wish to educate your child(ren) under Virginia’s homeschool statute, you must comply with Virginia statute §22.1-254.1. Inform your local division superintendent that you are in his district. You may contact the superintendent’s office by phone, letter, or by filing a preliminary “Notice of Intent to Provide Home Instruction†form. (The Notice of Intent form can be downloaded from the law section at www.heav.org.) You then have thirty days to complete the requirements and fully comply with homeschool statute §22.1-254.1.

<!--[endif]-->Submit a letter or the completed form and (choose one):

 

• Show evidence of a high school diploma (attach a copy of your diploma or transcript, or higher degree), or

• Submit your Virginia teacher certification, (attach documentation) or

• <!--[if !supportLists]-->Provide evidence of acceptance by an approved correspondence course (attach receipt for payment or confirmation letter), or

• <!--[if !supportLists]-->Provide a curriculum that is consistent with the Standards of Learning Objectives (SOLs) for language arts and mathematics or

• <!--[if !supportLists]-->that you are able to provide an adequate education for your child. (SOLs and details concerning all options listed above are available at www.heav.org under “The Law.â€)

Hth, the above is from heav.org (Home Education in Virginia). It is SO easy to hs in VA.