Does anyone actually like the Hampton roads Chesapeake area (Virginia Beach: section 8, real estate)

[Mover1177]

Originally Posted by Oduengineer88

I am from northwest NJ and some of my family still lives there. Maybe you can be more specific regarding locale.... I am from Sparta. I have cousins in Randolph, Branchville and Rockaway.

Salaries are lower here, but costs are also much lower. My mom's house is less than half the size of mine and taxes are nearly 3 times as much INCLUDING the car tax on my 3 cars. I find that there is MUCH more to do here. I-80 is at least as congested as 64, and 287/280 etc are horrible in NJ. NJ does have nice smaller townships and the schools are a little better (although they don't offer academies and opportunities like VB schools do).

Frankly, this place is much better for me.

I’m from the Andover Newton Green area where
Most of my family still
Live

[Mover1177]

So what I’m getting from thins is that there is absolutely nothing to do in this area unless you want to make the 45- to an hour drive not including traffic out
To Williamsburg

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by Mover1177

So what I’m getting from thins is that there is absolutely nothing to do in this area unless you want to make the 45- to an hour drive not including traffic out
To Williamsburg

Yes, by all means, skip all posts in this thread except one that mentions Williamsburg.

Personally, I almost never cross the HRBT to find things to do. I stick within VB, Norfolk, and Chesapeake.

[Oduengineer88]

Originally Posted by Mover1177

So what I’m getting from thins is that there is absolutely nothing to do in this area unless you want to make the 45- to an hour drive not including traffic out
To Williamsburg

Amazing.... these are some of the things my family has done in the past month.

PUSH comedy theater, concerts at VB amphitheater and NorVA, kayak at stumpy lake, tennis match at ODU, local high school sports, play golf and Top Golf, indoor skydiving, jet ski at First Landing state park, Busch Gardens, Colonial Parkway drive and exploration (including Jamestown and Yorktown), walk on boardwalk, Tides game, pickle ball at Rec center.

If you are bored here you aren't even trying!

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by Mover1177

So what I’m getting from thins is that there is absolutely nothing to do in this area unless you want to make the 45- to an hour drive not including traffic out
To Williamsburg

That is a personal issue. Your prerogative.

[mediocrewave]

I am originally from NJ, living in Hampton Roads, and about to move back to NJ so I figured I'd add my two cents.

You won't find the kind of ease of accessibility in Hampton Roads which NJ has to offer. What you do have working for you is being in Chesapeake, you have more opportunities for career advancement and fun with VA Beach and Norfolk being close by.

If your daily route does not include crossing water you are fortunate. Back and forth from Hampton / Newport News to Norfolk / VA Beach is hell.

If you're willing to drive there's plenty of great places for food and entertainment. The VA Beach Boardwalk is always fun, and if you're looking for somewhere less developed head south to Sandbridge or further to OBX for the beach.

That said, I'm leaving this place because what I'm being paid does not match the COL, and improving my situation has meant maintaining my residence and increasing my drive. Bridge-tunnel congestion is simply not worth the headache.

If your finances are comfortable, get out there and have some fun. If you can't because you can't afford to (I sure can't) I'd recommend reassessing.

[hunterseat]

I grew up in Gloucester and had a bit too much fun. I'm looking at a job back in that area (I've lived CA, TN, MS, CT, HI since then). I can't believe the area of NJ has more "fun" to offer than Tidewater. There are so many concert venues and history and beach.... I love the Garden State but, including camping and horse rescue, I go there to relax and do nothing.



What I really wanted to comment on is the "cushy government job" comment. The locality pay in Tidewater is NADA. The pay in Norfolk is the same as the pay in po-dunk small-town anywhere, USA. I'm not sure why because COL is somewhat higher than other areas so I'll take a slight decrease to go there. But it's much closer to the area where I hope to retire and I have friends and family in the area.

[goofy328]

I think it depends on where one is at in NJ. You have the area outside of Philadelphia and the area outside of New York City. So even if there isn't anything to do in NJ you can just go to NYC or Philadelphia. And if you're not in those parts of NJ those other cities are a day trip, so you have that.

This part of Virginia is somewhat isolated. The part of NC we're next to doesn't have much going on. Charlotte is over 5 hours away. Raleigh is over 3 hours away. DC is over 3 hours away. So unless it is here or in Richmond what do you do. The opportunity is there to develop this into a great region that can compete and go toe to toe, because of the isolation. But I think that the conservative power structure around here prevents a lot of good ideas from coming into fruition.

We also have a situation where this is not the same city. And the cities around here do not have it to do things on their own. And the cooperation between cities, that collaboration, is infrequent. So we're stuck in a situation where few things are ever accomplished. It is very frustrating because everyone knows the potential, given the population. But it is evolving into a "corporate town" of sorts. More residential, more retail, more stuff to spend your money on but always lacking in more things to spend your money to do. Condominiums and lofts and big homes and clothes and cars are all well and grand, but what does one do here? And the cost to living ratio is not that great.

Like I said before, this place is stuck in a retirement Twilight Zone. Locals that grew up here know what to do. But transients and transplants and others that come through here, it is a legitimate concern. I still say troll the internet and force your way through but what do I know.

[Oduengineer88]

Regarding COL in Hampton Roads:

My newly married daughter and son-in-law are just starting out and they aren't having any COL problems in their chosen careers. My daughter is an ODU speech pathology grad. She made $53k in Fairfax public schools and just moved down here and is earning $50k. Plus she can work for $35-70/hr part time in the summer if she wants.

My son-in-law graduated from George Mason last spring and is working in IT making $65k. That job would pay maybe $5k more in NOVA.

Housing costs are 1/2 to 2/3 of NOVA here, and COLA is probably 30-40% less. Its all in what you do. I was an engineer (now physics teacher) and had no problems (certainly compared to NJ, my home state).

[Lockdev]

Originally Posted by Oduengineer88

Regarding COL in Hampton Roads:

My newly married daughter and son-in-law are just starting out and they aren't having any COL problems in their chosen careers. My daughter is an ODU speech pathology grad. She made $53k in Fairfax public schools and just moved down here and is earning $50k. Plus she can work for $35-70/hr part time in the summer if she wants.

My son-in-law graduated from George Mason last spring and is working in IT making $65k. That job would pay maybe $5k more in NOVA.

Housing costs are 1/2 to 2/3 of NOVA here, and COLA is probably 30-40% less. Its all in what you do. I was an engineer (now physics teacher) and had no problems (certainly compared to NJ, my home state).

So your daughter's household makes 2.5x the Hampton Roads median... of course they're doing fine. What kind of argument are you trying to make?

For the average household, things can get pretty tight here.

House prices seem to have spiked in the past 2 years as well. It's laughable to me that nothing-special 1500sq ft houses in Newport News are going for 220k+.

That was the average price of the same house in York County during the 2007 bubble.

Also, comparing the COL of NOVA to Hampton Roads is like comparing having your foot cut off by a spoon to a knife. One's not as bad as the other, but both definitely suck.