Lady Q Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 We're relocating to Northern Virginia, and I know next to nothing about the area. My husband's job is in Reston and we'd like to be no more than 40 mins from his workplace. What are the good towns to live in? I'm looking for safe and clean, with good schools (just in case!). I was looking at Manassass, VA, but then I read about high crime and gang activity, and now I'm scared off. Help. I've lived in safe, beautiful Vermont for over 8 years, and the impending change is disconcerting to say the least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) I'm not anywhere near familiar enough with Nova to assist you, but it sure will be a huge change from Vt! Edited to add that I abbreviated Vermont with a lower case "t" as a capital "VT" in Nova stands for Virginia Tech, not Vermont. It might be something worth knowing before you move. Having gone to Virginia Tech for college I still instinctively think of the University, not state, when I see the abbreviation and many from Nova go to VT (not state!). ;) Edited August 12, 2011 by creekland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) Well, if you're looking at Manassas, and hoping for a 40 minute commute, your husband should plan to leave for the office around 5:30am! Traffic in No.VA really starts to get heavy by 6:30, and remains that way until 6-6:30. If you can manage to avoid peak travel times, it's much better. Something that works along the 95 corridor (not certain about 66) is to live NORTH of where you work, so that your travel pattern is opposite the major traffic. If your DH works in Reston, you'd be looking in McLean and Falls Church. Herdon is "next door" to Reston... Sterling is a bit west and south, but you can get to Reston without taking the toll road or 66. There is also quite a bit off of Prince William Parkway. As with any metro areas, "gangs and crime" can vary from one part of say, "Manassas" to another. A good realtor will really be able to help you steer clear of problem areas, and should know traffic patterns, etc. If it were me, I'd probably be focusing on Ox Rd., Centreville, Chantilly, Ashburn, Sterling, Great Falls, Potomac Falls, and Leesburg. Edited August 12, 2011 by LisaK in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 If you are willing spending more on housing and live in a smaller space, why not look in Reston? I live in an older townhouse. The schools are good the school district is one of the best. (Manassas is not known for good schools). The homeowners association maintains miles of trails, pools and tennis. The trails are plowed by the association before the state gets to the roads in the winter so you can walk to the grocery after a big storm no problem. Can you tell I like it here. DH works 5 minutes from home. He works long hours, but he can pop home and go back to the office. He can pick up someone from and activity, if something comes up and I can't. The commute in Northern Virginia can be bad. Manassas to Reston in 40 minutes is a very good day (middle the night, maybe). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 My inlaws live in Reston. It's absolutely lovely. I love visiting. They moved there between DH's 9th and 10th grade years, so he finished high school there, and has had nothing but positive things to say about his school experience. His younger sisters did much more of their school there and feel the same way. I would love to move there and be close to my ILs, but there is not much in my DH's field available for us to do there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I would look in Reston, Herndon, and over towards Dulles. The closer to DC you get the higher housing costs. My BIL lives in Herndon and it's a really nice area. We would move further west from DC if we could. DH would go nuts if his commute was any longer. BTW, we are in Fairfax. PM me if I can be of help to you in your move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 avoid peak travel times, it's much better. If it were me, I'd probably be focusing on Ox Rd., Centreville, Chantilly, Ashburn, Sterling, Great Falls, Potomac Falls, and Leesburg. Leesburg here, dh gets to Reston in 20-30 min in the mornings but return trip is 30-60 min depending on day, traffic, school schedule. It is not consistent and while it should be 45 min or less there are days the return trip is over an hour. Ashburn would be good if near 7, 28, or greenway. Personally the people out here ROCK! But I would have traded for smaller place to be in Reston if we could have found something. I like the location better. Why not consider Oakton or fairfax? Mariann should pipe up with advice. She was amazing in helping me move here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 If it were me, I'd probably be focusing on Ox Rd., Centreville, Chantilly, Ashburn, Sterling, Great Falls, Potomac Falls, and Leesburg. I think that is good advice. We live in Sterling, north of Rt. 7 (the Potomac Falls/Cascades/Lowes Island area). It's nice, and you just whip down 7100 to get to Reston. I had my 5th child at Reston hospital--about 5 minutes away for us! I would definitely live as close as you can to dh's work. Traffic is such a bear around here. And Reston has lots of shopping options, so you wouldn't have to travel much especially when traffic is bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I live in the county next to Prince William,where Manassas is. I wouldn't live there. Bristow is in Prince William and is very nice. My dad commute to Reston from where we are and he doesn't seem to mind but he has grown accustomed to the traffic. With the housing market being in the dumps I would say just move up near Dulles. Great mall, great grocery stores, close to where DH needs to go. Let me know if you need anything as we aren't that far away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RahRah Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 We moved from NoVA so hopefully I can give you some ideas. First, for a 40-minute communte to Reston, you'll either want to live in Reston (it has it's pros and cons) or just East or North, so you're going against rush hour traffic (although even opposite direction traffic these days is a nightmare). We lived in Falls Church and then Vienna - DH worked 6 and 8 miles from work in Falls Church, and that short distance took between 20-30 minutes each morning. So, really, the commute will be crazy! Reston is a planned city - everything was laid out in advance of it's being built, so where stores, residential, etc are located was thought out prior to building. At this point, there is no more land to build in Reston - hasn't been for years - so what is there, is there and because there is no more land available to build, prices are higher than one might expect for some properties. But, Reston also has a wide variety of housing types - from detached single family homes, to townhomes to condos, so you have a lot of choice. If it were me, I'd start in Reston as the place to look at first and then take a look at other nearby cities. Great Falls is very expensive, but you may find something if you luck out - it's a great area, but pricey. Vienna would probably be you next best bet, toward the northwest side of Vienna. Tyson's Corner area is an option also - but steer clear of the mall area and Route 7.....if you look in this area, look toward the west side toward the north, just east of Reston. Herndon is less expensive and just to the wet of Reston (north a bit too)....your DH could commute over to Reston on back roads if you opted for Herndon. Manassas will take a LOT longer than 40-minutes in the morning! Seriously - try to find a place within 8-10 miles from your DH's work if you want him to have half a chance at a commute less than 40 minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Kirkwood Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 We're in Loudoun County and it is beautiful here! The eastern part is very suburban with Ashburn and Sterling, lots of housing developments, easy access to Reston for the commute. Once you get past the town of Leesburg, you are in a gorgeous semi-rural area with lots of farms, wineries, view of the mountains, horses and more. We love it here, I only wish we were a bit further away from the suburban part and closer to the rural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I would eliminate Sterling, Herndon, and Manassas from the list because of property value and school concerns. I would not want to own a house having any of those names in the address mostly for resale purposes. If you have a lot of money $$$ to spend, then look in Reston, Vienna, McLean, Great Falls. If you want to spend less, look around Dulles, Ashburn, or Leesburg. Parts of Centreville and Chantilly are nice. Personally I think the Fairfax County schools are far superior than the Loudoun County schools, despite the commonly repeated statement that Loudoun supposedly has "good schools." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Q Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Wow. I knew I'd find a wealth of information here! I guess I've become spoiled living in Vermont. We live about 30 miles from Dh's work and it takes him 30-40 minutes to get there, even during "rush hour". Manassass showed up in the 20-mile radius from Reston, which is why I was looking at it in the first place. That, and there are lots of houses for sale in that area. I just can't believe the prices in No. Virginia, though! What about Maryland? Is that a hellish commute? Dh will be telecommuting 1-2 days a week and his boss is flexible about his hours, so we can afford to be a little far out. Maryland doesn't seem to be as homeschool-friendly as Virginia, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 A very good website to ask questions or search for others' questions is city-data.com. You can probably get a lot more answers on that forum. Here is the northern Virginia forum: http://www.city-data.com/forum/northern-virginia/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Wow. I knew I'd find a wealth of information here! I guess I've become spoiled living in Vermont. We live about 30 miles from Dh's work and it takes him 30-40 minutes to get there, even during "rush hour". Manassass showed up in the 20-mile radius from Reston, which is why I was looking at it in the first place. That, and there are lots of houses for sale in that area. I just can't believe the prices in No. Virginia, though! What about Maryland? Is that a hellish commute? Dh will be telecommuting 1-2 days a week and his boss is flexible about his hours, so we can afford to be a little far out. Maryland doesn't seem to be as homeschool-friendly as Virginia, though. When we were moving up here, we looked into homeschool laws and VA was easier/better. All you have to do is send in a letter of intent and do a standardized test and send in the scores each year. You administer many of the choices for testing. It's not that Maryland is not do-able for hs, but we felt like VA would be the better choice for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I work in Reston. We live in Vienna. It's about a 20-30 minute commute. Vienna is a great place to live, it's got a small townish feel. It is actually a separate town and there is a big difference in housing costs inside the town limits and outside. We are just outside but able to enjoy a lot of the town benefits. There is a great Farmer's Market, weekly concerts on the town green, awesome 4th of July fireworks display, Halloween parade (that any kid can be in). There are very good youth sports leagues, baseball is huge here. The W & O D trail goes right through Vienna and is a great place for biking or walking. The trail actually goes to Reston also, so if your husband bikes that could be an option (my dh occasionally bikes to his job in Falls Church). I think Reston would also be a very nice place to live. My dh works in Falls Church and we go to church in Arlington so we wanted to be closer in that that. But I enjoy working there and several of my colleagues live in Reston and love it. There are a LOT of homeschoolers in Vienna. I can think of 10 families I know off the top of my head. There are great homeschool co-ops and groups in Northern Virgina in general. Many of the community centers offer special homeschool classes (often at good discounts). My son has done homeschool gymnastics, ice-skating, several science classes, etc. I think it's a great place to live. I think Maryland to Reston is a very bad commute. It doesn't seem that far but going over the bridge becomes a big deal. Reston-Herndon is a big tech corridor and there a lot of people who do the Maryland-Reston commute so it's a bigger rush hour than you might think. Also, worth knowing is that the Metro is currently being extended to Reston. The stop there should be built sometime next year, I believe. So if you lived anywhere along a Metro that might be an option for your dh's commute. If you have any other questions about the area, particularly about Reston, feel free to PM me or email me. I've lived here a long time so know the area pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 You do not want to plan to cross the Potomac River on the beltway (495) daily. If you really wanted to live in Maryland and commute to Reston your best bet would be to live near Point of Rocks and commute across the Potomac on 15 through Lucketts and Leesburg. This puts you in Frederick County, maybe part of upper Montgomery. I think the schools are OK there, not sure. This is physically further than Manassas, but a better commute. I do think homeschooling VA is easier than MD. I do think Fairfax County has better schools than Loudoun or Prince William. City of Manassas schools and Manassas Park school systems are not considered good at all. If you need access to special education Fairfax is the best of that group. However, if Maryland is a consideration and special education is a need Montgomery County may be something you should consider. If you will be here when you dc hit college age, I have a bias toward VA universities. There are some nice colleges in MD, I just think there are better ones in VA, both states have a variety of colleges to choose from. You need to sit down and make some choices about what you can spend. Then figure out what that can buy in the various locales. Figure out the pluses and minuses of each area. I don't live in a single family home and I don't have land, but my kids are walking distance to many recreational activities and to friends that's a big plus to me. I do not know anyone who moved to Northern VA and moved into a larger house than they previously had. In fact, everyone I know in this category moved into a smaller home. There are a huge number of homeschooling groups throughout Northern VA, you are bound to find one that fits you close to whereever you pick a home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 There will be a metro station in Reston in another year. We expect that to change housing prices. So, it's a good bet if you buy in Reston now, your home's value will go up. Particularly areas within a 1-2 mile radius. It's going to be good walking to metro and taking it to museums and anything else--even Tysons Mall (a very big nearby mall which I don't go to anymore because driving there has become ----ish). I was never a mall person, but I like options and easy returns at the LLBean store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I just can't believe the prices in No. Virginia, though! I DON'T necessarily recommend you do this, but just to let you know, there are kids in my school district (near Hanover, PA) who have parents who commute to the Pentagon and Nova. It takes them about 2 to 2 1/2 hours! And at least one does it DAILY. The rest do it on an "as needed" basis working from their house part of the time. Many others commute into MD taking 1 - 1/2 hours. The reason? The price of housing. What they can get for a house around here makes it worth the gas and time to them. Many people also live in or near Fairfield, PA for the same reason (hubby works in Civil Engineering and has done the land development, etc, plans for when they've built houses there). Another PA choice is south of York, PA, but prices are higher there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 We moved from AZ to VA just over a year ago! I still don't have a map of the area in my head...but I know Manassas is far from Reston! We bought our house in Chantilly based on my dh's job location. He had a fabulously short commute, then the company reorganized and he is down in Crystal City. Which is about 25 miles and very close to DC. It's at least a 40 minute drive if he leaves at 5:45am. No matter when he leaves to come home it is 60-90 minute drive. This thread has a lot of info and links to previous threads that gave me a wonderful start before we moved here! However, I don't think anyone specifically mentioned the cost of having large trees removed when they shed limbs and/or die. $$$$$ Just go with everything costs more and you'll be prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Q Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 I DON'T necessarily recommend you do this, but just to let you know, there are kids in my school district (near Hanover, PA) who have parents who commute to the Pentagon and Nova. It takes them about 2 to 2 1/2 hours! And at least one does it DAILY. The rest do it on an "as needed" basis working from their house part of the time. Many others commute into MD taking 1 - 1/2 hours. The reason? The price of housing. What they can get for a house around here makes it worth the gas and time to them. Many people also live in or near Fairfield, PA for the same reason (hubby works in Civil Engineering and has done the land development, etc, plans for when they've built houses there). Another PA choice is south of York, PA, but prices are higher there. My husband is willing to do a longish commute, but 2 and a 1/2 hours? o.O No way. I'd rather suck it up and get a townhouse instead. We like having him around. :D Sooo, based on the recommendations here, I'm looking at Leesburg, Chantilly, Ashburn, Vienna, Fairfax... not Herndon and not Manassass. I'm curious about Herndon, though--it's right next to Reston, but has a lot of houses on sale on the market right now so it looks like a depressed area. Why is that? We're considering renting for a while to get a feel for the area. Who knows? Maybe we'll hate NOVA and run back to VT/NH in a year. ;) DH's job has a telecommuting option. He might be able to talk his boss into letting him telecommute full time. Oh, another question. When are rush hour times? Dh will have flexible hours to allow him to avoid rush hour. I'd like to know what time and how long those rush hours actually are. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I live about 20 miles from DC, southeast of where you want to be. I'd say rush hour starts about 6-6:15, goes until about 9, and then starts up around 3ish and goes until 6. Traffic is still heavier than you might expect at the ends of those times. And, it depends on which direction you are going--into DC in the am is tough, out in the pm is tough. Going the "other way" isn't as bad. And forget going anywhere the day before a holiday. Getting out of here on Tues and Weds of Thanksgiving week is un.be.liveable. We don't talk about distance to places here in NoVa. We talk about time to get there. :001_smile: Oh, and Welcome. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Renting is a great idea. It would be better to rent just in case you don't like it and want to move back to Vermont. Another advantage of renting for a year or two is to learn the areas and neighborhoods and figure out where you would like to live before you spend big bucks on a house. Even townhouses can cost a lot of money. Since the housing prices are so high, it is very expensive to buy and then turn around and resell if you are not happy (realtor commissions, closing costs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I live about 20 miles from DC, southeast of where you want to be. I'd say rush hour starts about 6-6:15, goes until about 9, and then starts up around 3ish and goes until 6. Traffic is still heavier than you might expect at the ends of those times. And, it depends on which direction you are going--into DC in the am is tough, out in the pm is tough. Going the "other way" isn't as bad. And forget going anywhere the day before a holiday. Getting out of here on Tues and Weds of Thanksgiving week is un.be.liveable. We don't talk about distance to places here in NoVa. We talk about time to get there. :001_smile: Oh, and Welcome. :D :iagree: And the further out you live, the earlier rush hour begins.:glare: Chris in VA is close in -- we are almost as close in (depends on where you have to go). We are in Oakton -- a commute (actually it's so close it's a drive - not a commute) to Reston would be 10-15 minutes depending on where in Reston. My dd31 lives in Reston and I can get to her house in 10 minutes - door to door. You can PM me -- we have been here 10 years next month - have lived in probably 5 different towns, three different counties -- all moves basically had to do with commute time, etc. I can tell you tons - but this is for sure: IF your dh is going to work in Reston, you have PRIME places with fabulous schools (should you need them) from which to select. There is not a reason in the world to consider Maryland or anywhere else. It would just complicate your life. Renting is an excellent idea - BUT, right now, rents here are high. You could rent my house which is gorgeous and on the market for sale - but trust me, it might be less expensive to buy right now. The market here is different from everywhere else in the country - our market is driven by D.C. and is different b/c of that. To get an idea of what is there, study Craigslist - stick to Fairfax County (Reston, Oakton, Vienna, Great Falls, McLean) -- but I have to be blunt with you -- You should not have to venture out of North Reston or Oakton or Chantilly or a specific zip code in Fairfax to find something wonderful). When I moved here, I thought I would just drive ALL OVER to go where I wanted - I learned my lesson quickly. Folks carry on their business close to home - there is just TOO much traffic. Loudoun County is gorgeous - we've lived there and we loved it -- but it just gets more and more built up and traffic going east becomes more and more of a nightmare which is hard to imagine - but that's the truth. I have friends who live in Brambleton and he commutes to Reston but still with THAT short distance, he leaves VERY VERY early in the morning. Also, if you buy, for re-sale purposes you will want to check out the FCPS.EDU website for school scores, etc. You can also PM me for info about that (there are schools and school pryamids that are ust more desirable than others). Anyway, PM me - I will get back to you. And, welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Q Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 Renting is an excellent idea - BUT, right now, rents here are high. You could rent my house which is gorgeous and on the market for sale - but trust me, it might be less expensive to buy right now. The market here is different from everywhere else in the country - our market is driven by D.C. and is different b/c of that. Thanks, Mariann, for your advice. I agree that often buying is cheaper than renting, but buying is so--final. :D Like I said, telecommuting--from anywhere in the world :D--is a real option for dh's job in a year or so, so we might want to stick with renting for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Thanks, Mariann, for your advice. I agree that often buying is cheaper than renting, but buying is so--final. :D Like I said, telecommuting--from anywhere in the world :D--is a real option for dh's job in a year or so, so we might want to stick with renting for now. Renting is a great way to get a feel for an area -- and closing costs here are VERY VERY high (ask me how I know :glare:). DH and I rented for 6 months when we first arrived -- a stable, nice family goes a long way with a homeowner when the homeowner is considering a short term rental -- better than having 20 thirty-somethings trashing their house for two years, iykwim. Please feel free to PM me -- we have done it all -- there were times we have needed 2 and three month single family home rentals and we were able to persuade the homeowner each and every time to rent to us as opposed to anyone else. Must go - we have a showing -- have to fine tune.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 When we were moving up here, we looked into homeschool laws and VA was easier/better. All you have to do is send in a letter of intent and do a standardized test and send in the scores each year. You administer many of the choices for testing. It's not that Maryland is not do-able for hs, but we felt like VA would be the better choice for us. I'm in Maryland, and I actually find the standardized testing requirement more restrictive than keeping a portfolio because it's a matter of taking work we do anyway and putting samples in a binder (3-6 samples per subject). When I did county reviews, it was 15 minutes per child. As a homeschooling mom, I found it easier to talk about my 'program' for 15 minutes than it would be to administer standardized tests. Now I review through an umbrella school and I don't even have to keep a portfolio. I fill out a form once a year and email the highlights of what we've accomplished per subject to my umbrella school. It's easy. I'm just throwing that out there because what might look more restrictive on paper (or the HSLDA website) might not be difficult in reality and might not translate to more actual oversight of the individual homeschooler. You don't want to even KNOW what the commute from central Maryland is like. In your position, I'd definitely rent to get a feel for different areas. Of course, if you HAVE money, I'm guessing the houses are about as cheap as they'll ever get . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Sooo, based on the recommendations here, I'm looking at Leesburg, Chantilly, Ashburn, Vienna, Fairfax... not Herndon and not Manassass. I'm curious about Herndon, though--it's right next to Reston, but has a lot of houses on sale on the market right now so it looks like a depressed area. Why is that? :) Not all of Herndon is bad. Where my BIL lives is still often called Herndon, but apparently a portion of the town broke off some time ago and is now called Oak Hill. When they moved to their house 2 years ago, I could send them mail with either city and it would get there. It's in the area off of Hwy 7100, near Frying Pan Park (which if your kids are young, you want to go visit when you get settled, it's a real working farm). Anyways, I didn't want you to totally rule that are out, you might fins something great there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Not all of Herndon is bad. Where my BIL lives is still often called Herndon, but apparently a portion of the town broke off some time ago and is now called Oak Hill. When they moved to their house 2 years ago, I could send them mail with either city and it would get there. It's in the area off of Hwy 7100, near Frying Pan Park (which if your kids are young, you want to go visit when you get settled, it's a real working farm). Anyways, I didn't want you to totally rule that are out, you might fins something great there. That is a nice area! Frying Pan Park is a great little park, and they have a nice little farmer's market once a week there too during the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Not all of Herndon is bad. Where my BIL lives is still often called Herndon, but apparently a portion of the town broke off some time ago and is now called Oak Hill. When they moved to their house 2 years ago, I could send them mail with either city and it would get there. It's in the area off of Hwy 7100, near Frying Pan Park (which if your kids are young, you want to go visit when you get settled, it's a real working farm). Anyways, I didn't want you to totally rule that are out, you might fins something great there. Oak Hill is gorgeous! DD12 does volunteer work at Frying Pan park -- really nice town -- named for James Madison's home (Oak Hill), I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My husband is willing to do a longish commute, but 2 and a 1/2 hours? o.O No way. I'd rather suck it up and get a townhouse instead. We like having him around. :D I don't blame you at all! I'm the same way. I also really do recommend you rent unless you know you're going to like the rush hour/city life. It is an incredible change from anything in Vermont. There's nothing wrong with either lifestyle, but they are different. I enjoy PA, but my hubby works from our house, so there's no commute. He drives to varying job sites, but that's still nothing at all like the commute anywhere near DC. We tend to avoid DC whenever possible - even visiting family in Richmond we choose an inland route most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Speaking of Frying Pan Farm Park, I posted in the NOVA social group about meeting to the Farmers' Market this week. Anyone want to join me? It isn't supposed to rain! Lady Q, since telecommuting is part of the plan, I agree with renting for a year. If we had done that (and we considered it) we would not be so far from my dh's job now. I love my neighborhood and not sorry we bought in Chantilly, but wish we could move closer now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Speaking of Frying Pan Farm Park, I posted in the NOVA social group about meeting to the Farmers' Market this week. Anyone want to join me? It isn't supposed to rain! Lady Q, since telecommuting is part of the plan, I agree with renting for a year. If we had done that (and we considered it) we would not be so far from my dh's job now. I love my neighborhood and not sorry we bought in Chantilly, but wish we could move closer now! Bumping in case anyone is interested. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I might be interested. When is the meeting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Speaking of Frying Pan Farm Park, I posted in the NOVA social group about meeting to the Farmers' Market this week. Anyone want to join me? It isn't supposed to rain! Is it on Wednesdays? I might be interested too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJo Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I was just at a soccer tournement in Manassass today. There are lots of places just outside of it that have a very rural feel to them but I don't know enough about the area to give you any detailed advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Frying Pan Farm Farmers' Market is on Wednesday. I plan to be there around 9am...unless it is raining. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Q Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Hello, Just wanted to thank you all for your advice and give a quick update. We've decided to look at renting a townhouse in the Reston/Ashburn/nicer parts of Herndon and Sterling area, and we have a realtor in the area we're working with. But before THAT happens, we need to sell our house in Vermont, which went on the market on Thursday. Our one lead fell through--person couldn't get financing *sigh*--but I'm determined to be optimistic. :D If any of you are the praying kind, prayers would be much appreciated! Thanks! ~Rabia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Sounds like a good plan! We'll be praying for a quick and smooth sale for your house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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