New Job (houses, condos, rent)

[bearME]

Hi everyone. I got offered a job in Alexandria. We (wife 2 kids) live in maine now. She does not work. What do you need to make to live there? We know that the cost of living is more than Maine. I don't expect we will live in Alexandria. we will probably want to rent and not buy right away. I am trying to figure out if what I was offered is enough. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[SmerkyGrl]

Well...what were you offered?

[bearME]

80,000 and some people have told us that we'd never make it.

[SmerkyGrl]

Yikes. 80k a year for a family of 4 is a bit on the low side, especially with the cost of raising kids rising. However, whether or not you'll "make it" is entirely up to you. I got a job coming up in Tyson's that is paying me 41k and some people were telling me that I'd be on the poverty line except it turns out not only could I afford to live in a gated apartment community with a 850 sqft 1 bedroom apartment with a balcony, I can also afford luxuries such as cable, internet, and still have plenty left over in case of small emergencies. Granted, that's only for one person and each person's spending habits are different. I believe 3 bedroom apartments in NoVa can be as low as 1800 or as high as 2500, depending on what city you're in and what kind of apartments there are. Alternatively, I'd suggest looking on the dc craigslist for people who are renting out their condos/townhouses/apartments themselves rather than through an agent. Sometimes the rent even includes amenities and utilities. Good luck! Hopefully some people who are living in NoVA already can give some insight!

[ashbrn4]

You can "make" it, but that's not a fabulous salary. The average household income in NOVA is higher than that. It's hard to judge if someone can make it based solely on an income that's high enough to not starve, but not necessarily high enough to play. It really depends on your lifestyle, other expenses (cars, etc) and the ages of your children and what they will be involved with. What do you do and what do you make now? I do know that my son (age 23) who makes about 20K less than that and has a roommate lives in Kingstowne and has a car payment can save some, but he's only supporting himself and not 3 other people. Figure on rent of at least 1500/month for an apt and 2000 for a townhouse and utilties of probably 150-200 a month and go from there. How much debt do you have? If you're looking to rent a single family home, plan on 2500/month and higher utilities. Knowing more about your new job and your education, you might need to go back and ask for more.