Looking to move to va beach *help* (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: oceanfront, 2014)

[BeachLovr20]

hello
I am looking to move to va beach next summer. I plan to attend ODU.im hoping I can get some kind of financial aid or loans to help pay for housing, I really would like to live close to the ocean possibly ocean front? what are the price ranges of apartments or houses like that? how is the crime rate there? also if I live close to the ocean would storms be a problem? how are the jobs? I love working with children and have a great amount of experience. I love the beach and I want to move because I would like a fresh start and its so peaceful. is everything there higher? where im from I can get a 2 bedroom apartment for $500 a month in a great neighborhood. I know it will be slightly higher. about how much should I bring in money wise monthly to be able to survive? I am young but very independent and can budget my money. thanks!

[Old Town FFX]

You aren't going to get financial aid to leave near the beach.

$500 a month will get you a room, in a house, with possible more than one room mate.

https://norfolk.craigslist.org/

Do you have reliable transportation? ODU isn't exactly close to Virginia Beach, or the oceanfront.

[BeachLovr20]

I was told I could get loans or grants or scholarships to pay for my housing. yes I do have reliable transportation. after looking at the google maps the distance from ODU to va beach I do now see that it is not near each other. im planning to get more information on va beach high education center if I move to va beach. I was told to look into "Ocean View, or ocean park I cannot remember neighborhood in Norfolk area. what about that area as far as rent? is it safe?

[Romedot]

Ocean view is probably the most affordable place if you want to be near the ocean on that budget. It's not the safest neighborhood in Norfok, nor the worst. It's a very big neighborhood. Its within reasonable distance to odu. About a 15 minute drive. IMO that $500 will most likely land you a roomate. Norfolk has it's share of crime, but that's anywhere in the world. Notice that no Virginia cities were on the 2014 "Most Dangerous Cities" list out of 100 us cities. Just Avoid any kind of public housing areas and you should be ok. The neighborhood around odu can be sketchy at night sometimes. I recommend you check out some ofthe nearby odu owned property that students split rent on. Do a little research on the area before you come here. I've actually grown to love Norfolk since moving here in 2012.

[BeachLovr20]

Great I cannot wait. I'm hoping to get a job in the school system. So living in norfolk will be cheaper than Va beach? What about storms ? If I live near the ocean are storms bad there

[Old Town FFX]

Storms are storms, are you worried about hurricanes? Every 20 years or so, Hampton Roads might get wallowed, but the same can be said for any area and extreme weather. Plenty of hurricanes skirt VA and you get rain, wind, and some power outages.

I wouldn't let sporadic weather events dissuade me from moving somewhere. Hell, I don't think I've ever considered weather a factor when looking to move.

[BeachLovr20]

Thanks everyone! I am defiantly going to look into ocean view part of norfolk

[BeachLovr20]

Thanks everyone! I am defiantly going to look into ocean view part of norfolk. If I move to that area how is the traffic around that area? Are stores easy to find? I'm not used to lots of traffic although I have experienced traffic in va beach from the many times I visit! The gps will be my BFF!

[Old Town FFX]

You do know you can find answers, to all of your questions, by doing some simple research/googling? It might be more beneficial to do your own homework.

I spent YEARS in the 757, hell even when it was the 804.

I have lived in may parts of the world since those days, but never moved someplace with NO idea of what's going on.

Traffic? Hampton roads has some of the worst in the nation, consistently rated:

#16, Hampton Roads Beltway (1-64 Westbound), Virginia Beach

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...s-to-hell.html

http://militarytownadvisor.com/movin...lk-portsmouth/



Worst corridor: Tidewater Dr./Exit 277 through Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
Length of worst corridor: 6.4 miles
Rush hour travel time tax on worst corridor: 151%
Longest rush hour travel time on worst corridor 16 minutes
Time per mile during longest rush hour travel period 2.49 minutes

Commuter Buzz: Alleviating congestion at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel interchange won't come cheap. According to a report from transportation analysis firm TRIP, redevelopment will cost $2 billion. "The report lays out a blueprint for the type of transportation and investment the state will need to look at in the long term to continue to maintain quality of life here in Virginia," said TRIP's Frank

Are stores easy to find? Well, I guess if you can see/read, then hopefully not. Your Wal-Mart and Targets aren't stashed away in the woods. Anything you want to find, I am SURE is there.

Coming from a place where $500 gets you a 2br place, in a nice 'hood, you will be in for some shocks. Some good, some bad. It's the price you pay for moving outside of the world you currently know and expand to another.

Having lived all over, would I recommend moving to HR? No. But I did my time there. I am not military, have no family, and while I really had a good time, I am glad to be out of there.

If it's your first place to live having left your native community, it's great. Lots of folks from all over (because of the military), you can be as active or inactive in the local scene as you prefer, there is a **** ton of stuff to do if you like being outdoors, lastly, it's a pretty ok place to be. there are rough spots and good spots, but that can be said for ANY town. HR, overall, is pretty solid. If it makes sense for you, do it. Give it a shot. If you don't like it, you can move on, no biggie.

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by BeachLovr20

Thanks everyone! I am defiantly going to look into ocean view part of norfolk

Please, don't do it defiantly, do it because you want to.