Need Advice: Live in Columbia..love it! But, work in Vienna, VA (Baltimore: condos, mortgage)

[rexian]

Hello all,

My first post here. I read this forum everyday.... and love it!

Ok, here's the situation. I moved to Columbia, MD four years ago and am still living there. I used to work near BWI Airport (Linthicum, MD). Commute was just unbelivably good! Almost a dream. Now, my new job, a long term contract, is in Vienna, VA.

I was almost planning to buy a home in Columbia area; preferably, in Ellicott city as I love this area and stayed here for so long. But, commuting to Tysons is just unbelievably bad. Going there is not that hard but, getting back to Columbia is absolutely horrendous on I-495. I generally go thru route 29 and merge on 495 to save me around 4 or 5 miles of commute.

Given this situation, I started thinking about buying near Bethesda. But, I absolutely don't want to get myself into a hillarious amount of mortgage to live there. I am looking at 300k-400k houses.

So, my questions to you fine people are these:
1. Do you suggest, given the background, I stay in Columbia area and buy a house here?
2. Is there a better route to Vienna, VA that I can prolly use?
3. What are decent areas in Bethesda-Rockville Area where buying a townhouse in my budget is still a possiblity.

My other requirements are simple. I take care of my mom who is hearing impaired and needs assistance in living, so a safe, educated and decent neighborhood is very much needed. I don't like to be in the vicinity of "Yo" culture, illegal immigrants and people of dubious nature.

So, please suggest me some areas, readings, websites etc. I will also be a first time homebuyer if I buy a house now.

Thanks a LOT!!

- Rex

[RoadTripGurl]

I contemplated your same delimma, but I came to the conclusion that, I was not going to be working in Vienna forever, and if I found a job in DC, I would have hated to moved all the way to VA (my contemplation) for that. I don;t know how long you plan to be on your job. But when I worked in Vienna, I had a co-worker who still does your commute but he takes the George Washington Parkway to 295. That is also the way I ended up taking to avoid the stop and go. Bethesda is just too expensive. If you can deal with driving, or taking the Metro I would stay in Columbia.

[rexian]

Thanks Roadtripgurl. I am no way planning to move to NOVA. I want a decent townhome, preferably a new one. I just could not see anything other than condos in Bethesda area that are in my reach.

I started my career in CT, then moved to NY, then to NJ, to MD and now to VA. <lol> If it goes this way, I will end up retiring in New Orleans.

Jokes aside, Is GW Parkway to 295 a better route out of Tysons to Columbia than 495 to 29? I must try that then. Thanks a LOT!

- Rex

[RoadTripGurl]

Hee hee looks like you slowly made your way south! I plan to go further south but not LA. Anyhow, I never took that route (495 to 29) before. I know 495 is usually stop and go traffic for miles from the Chain Bridge Rd. ramp and I hated that! The GW Parkway is smooth sailing until you get to the 395 ramp, but even that's temporary. I avoided 495 with a passion!

[Zippy7fo]

Imho you are best off staying in Columbia and commuting. I know I know the commute such a b**** but that will motivate you to look for opportunities closer. I would not trade living in Columbia for anything. You get the best of both DC/Baltimore with tons of opportunities between both cities and you can escape for night and weekends to Columbia........I know tons of people who commute to VA every morning because they llove Columbia that much....

[jessy0780]

If you don't need to have a car, take the Marc train to DC and then the Metro to Vienna, it's hike- but you'd be able to work or read or nap on the way.

[eastgurl]

You should commute to VA until you get a good feel for your new job...say 6months to a year. Talk to your new co-workers about how they deal with their commute. Perhaps they work a couple of days from home and you could do the same. I wouldn't change residence until I feel solid about the job.

[teleblazer]

Originally Posted by Zippy7fo

Imho you are best off staying in Columbia and commuting. I know I know the commute such a b**** but that will motivate you to look for opportunities closer. I would not trade living in Columbia for anything. You get the best of both DC/Baltimore with tons of opportunities between both cities and you can escape for night and weekends to Columbia........I know tons of people who commute to VA every morning because they llove Columbia that much....

I agree with Zippy. Unless you have to move stay where you are happy at home, at least you have that. Jobs change, and perhaps an opportunity will present itself near home.

I tried moving for job opportunities and here's how it turned out. I lived in Centreville, VA (NOVA) and worked in Bowie, MD. I decided to move to Huntingtown, MD and change jobs to a company based in Bethesda (sounds great right?). The first contract they put me on was 5 minutes from where I used to live. <grumble...grumble...kicking stuff>.

Got another job when that company went out of business to again stay local, the first few contracts I was on involved travel to other states then ended up putting me back in Bowie, MD for a while where I originally was before moving in the first place! These guys messed up the contract so I looked for better work, found a job with an office in Columbia, then gas prices took off and the commute from Huntingtown became a bear. I now live in Carroll County with a much shorter commute to Columbia, the only reason this is the case is I didn't get the job in Virginia I applied for (internal to my company) when I was looking to build a house. Thank god I asked if I was getting the job prior to starting to build or I'd be hosed <did I mention grumble?>.

[rexian]

Yeah after all my research, I have negotiated work from home Fridays (Woot!) with my boss. And NOVA is really very crowded. I am not leaving Columbia/Ellicott City area. I am hoping to buy something here by end of summer. Thanks for all your inputs. Any good agents you all know who can help me searching the houses in this area? Who would you recommend for the job?

- Rex

[RoadTripGurl]

I used Ziprealty and really like them. They also give some sort of rebate back to you after you close on the house.