Need Information About Centreville & Chantilly (Manassas, Springfield: real estate, rental, HOA fees)

[Eastcoaster34]

I'm considering to relocate to Fairfax County. I'm looking into Centreville and Chantilly. I have a few questions:

What neighborhoods or communities would you recommend in those areas?

What neighborhoods should I avoid?

What elementary and middle schools would you recommend?

Which ones should I avoid?

How much do residents generally pay for homeonwer association fees?

Are there communities or older neighborhoods with big lots?

Are there any communities that don't have HOA fees?

How much are the county, property, local, and other taxes in Chantilly and Centreville?

How are race relations? I'm in a multicultural family and I want a culturally diverse community to reside in?

What is the crime level in those areas?

What are the pros and cons about living in Chantilly and Centreville?
Commute time will not be an issue because I will be working from home.

Can you recommend a great realtor that assisted you with relocating to Fairfax County.

Also, if you could provide me with any other additional information about Chantilly or Centreville I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

[jillabean]

Originally Posted by Eastcoaster34

I'm considering to relocate to Fairfax County. I'm looking into Centreville and Chantilly. I have a few questions:

What neighborhoods or communities would you recommend in those areas?

What neighborhoods should I avoid?

What elementary and middle schools would you recommend?

Which ones should I avoid?

How much do residents generally pay for homeonwer association fees?

Are there communities or older neighborhoods with big lots?

Are there any communities that don't have HOA fees?

How much are the county, property, local, and other taxes in Chantilly and Centreville?

How are race relations? I'm in a multicultural family and I want a culturally diverse community to reside in?

What is the crime level in those areas?

What are the pros and cons about living in Chantilly and Centreville?
Commute time will not be an issue because I will be working from home.

Can you recommend a great realtor that assisted you with relocating to Fairfax County.

Also, if you could provide me with any other additional information about Chantilly or Centreville I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Hi there. A lot of questions you ask kind of have a "it depends" answer. For example, when you ask what neighborhoods to avoid, I am not sure why you are avoiding them (crime, community, HOA fees, etc.) What kind of house are you looking for? Single Family home or townhouse? Since you mention "big lots" I am going to assume SFH.

I mostly know the Centreville area, so hopefully someone will be able to Chime in about Chantilly or answer some of your other questions a bit more.

I live in a neighborhood called Virginia Run, it's really nice (lots of community amenities) and I would consider the lots large for Fairfax County. I find the biggest problem for me is a disconnect. I am a working mom, and most of the mom's there seem to be stay at home moms. They are great people, but I just don't seem to have a lot in common with them. The neighborhood seems to be predominately white, but there are a lot of different families and races in the neighborhood. As far as I can tell, there is no racial animosity. Most "Crime" in the neighborhood seems to be of the "bored teenager" type. Our HOA is $60 a month. But it's a nice neighborhood with a pool, playgrounds, jogging paths, tennis courts, etc.

But there are other, just a nice neighborhoods. Be sure to check out Rocky Run and Sequoia Farms. I think Pleasant Valley is kind of nice too. I don't know much about them, because I've never lived there. But I did look into them when I moved. I think Pleasant Valley doesn't have HOA fees, but I am really not sure.

In general, crime is pretty low. Fairfax County Police are some of the best in the nation as far as funding goes. But there is crime (usually minor things though).

You can't really go wrong with most Fairfax county public schools either. I would go as far as to say that no matter where you move in Chantilly or Centerville, you will have great schools. Some might be better than others, but overall, they are great schools.

The biggest drawback is really the commute--but you said that's not a problem for you. There also isn't really much shopping, but Mananas is close by as is Fair Oaks.

Linda Zenker is my Realtor and she does an excellent job. But there a lot of good ones in the area. There are some agents who specialize in Virginia Run--I am drawing a blank on the name.

I hope this information helps.... good luck with your move and I wish you the best!

[Middlin]

What's your budget? What do you consider a "big lot?"

[Eastcoaster34]

Thanks for the responses.

Sorry, for not being specific. I definitely do not want a townhome or a neighborhood where the homes are so close that you could shake your neighbor's hand outside of your kitchen window. I'm not looking for an acre or to be in rural country setting. I just want a little breathable space between the homes that's all.

As far as budgeting goes, I really don't want to go over $450,000 for a home. I could probably managed $465, 000 at the most. I want a single family home. It doesn't have be a McMansion or over 2500 square feet. I'm not looking for any extra luxury or bells and whistles either. Just a modest home in a nice neighborhood zoned to great schools would suit me just fine.

Basically, I want to avoid a neighborhood that is invested with crime, doesn't have great race relations, and one where the schools are not performing great. I keep reading the city-data forums about gangs and crime in Manassas. Does that spill over to Chantilly and Centreville?

I grew up in DC. So, I'm not a stranger to crime. However, it's been over 10 years since I lived there. I do know that the gentrification of DC has forced some its unsavory people out into the burbs. All I know is that parts of Maryland have gone downhill. I want to know straight up has any of the areas in Chantilly or Centreville (Fairfax County) gone downhill as well? I'm just too old to have the patience for the street culture mentality at this phase in my life. Please direct me to neighborhoods where I could raise my children with a little sense of peace.

[jillabean]

Hello again. Based on the additional info, I'd say definitely check out Sequoia Farms. It's a nice neighborhood, well maintained and nice houses (many of which are in your price range). It has extras too--even if you aren't interested in them. Pleasant Valley might also fit the bill. There are other neighborhoods too--but a real estate agent might know that kind of thing better. They aren't supposed to say what neighborhoods are "good" or not, but you can always ask here again if you find one you think you like.

I was told the reason there is so much gang activity in Mananas is because Fairfax County has a gang unit in the police department. Basically, gangs go over the county line (into Mananas area) to do their thing since they don't have that anti-gang unit. There are gangs in Fairfax county--there are gangs everywhere. But what happens in Mananas doesn't seem to spill over into Chantilly/Centreville as far as I can see (no tagging, etc).

[stpickrell]

Manassas City is worse than the areas north and west of Manassas (Gainesville, Haymarket, etc).

Is there a reason you've picked Centreville/Chantilly? There's nice areas in good school districts in Vienna, Fairfax, Haymarket, and Gainesville. Most (conservative) exurban whites, from my experience, aren't going to be chilly to other races from the get-go, but have lower tolerance for dumbasses of other races and will be fairly free with the racially-themed jokes. Some will just go further with the jokes than is really appropriate.

[Eastcoaster34]

Originally Posted by stpickrell

Manassas City is worse than the areas north and west of Manassas (Gainesville, Haymarket, etc).

Is there a reason you've picked Centreville/Chantilly? There's nice areas in good school districts in Vienna, Fairfax, Haymarket, and Gainesville. Most (conservative) exurban whites, from my experience, aren't going to be chilly to other races from the get-go, but have lower tolerance for dumbasses of other races and will be fairly free with the racially-themed jokes. Some will just go further with the jokes than is really appropriate.

I am open to being closer to DC and to the beltway. Most of the homes in Chantilly and Centreville that I researched are move in ready with a cheaper price. When I looked at homes closer to DC they appeared to be extremely old and in need of repairs for a higher price. However, I did see a few homes in Springfield that I liked. So, I may check that area out as well.

I'm opened to looking at other areas of Fairfax County. I just don't want to pay tons of money on a home that needs additional repairs. I personally don't want to take on that mountain of stress. So, yes if there are other homes in other cities within the county that do not require an extreme home makeover, I"ll definitely consider them.

You folks in Virginia have been extremely helpful. Thank you, especially to Jillabean.

[sierra331]

Hi, I have lived in Centreville for the past ten years and have enjoyed it most of the time. There has been a large influx of Koreans in the past few years, but no real problems as far as I know. Centreville used to be predominantly white, so to locals it's been a big change, not always well received. This is not to say that there have been any overt issues with it - just things like certain shopping centers changing over to Asian language, a huge Korean church recently built on Route 29 near Virginia Run, stuff like that. Just something to be aware of.

If you are not concerned with a long commute into DC, I would look into the Gainesville area. It has a lot of new construction, mainly single family homes, lots of new stores and schools, seems to be an up and coming area. Many Centreville folks actually moved out that way a few years ago. Lots of young families with small kids too.

By the way, just FYI - Jillabean referred to "Mananas" a few times - this is actually what stpickrell referred to as "Manassas." They are the same place and the name is indeed Manassas, not Mananas. Just in case you are doing research....

Good luck to you!

[choff5]

I live in the Chantilly area and one older neighborhood you may want to check is Greenbriar. It has a Fairfax address but is right along Stringfellow Road which is the post office divide for Chantilly and Fairfax. You would definitely find a single family home there in that price range. They are older homes, most from late '60's to early/mid '70's, a mixture of ramblers (not seen a lot around here) as well as Cape Cod and Colonial styles. One thing, none of them have basements due to the high rock level, plus, cheaper to build back then. For being old, Greenbriar is fairly well kept up, no HOA, but a good civic association that does Easter egg hunts, Santa and free concerts in the park in the summer, plus a free monthly neighborhood newsletter. There is a lot of diversity within the community. Shopping is very nearby with a shopping center right there in walking distance and Fair Lakes shopping just behind it. It may not be for everyone as the homes are older, but people have done a lot of remodeling over the years. The lots are not huge, but for a neighborhood, they are definitely good size and the older homes tended to have bigger rooms too. Right across Stringfellow from Greenbriar is the Poplar Tree neighborhood, a newer (late '70's through '80's) of two story Colonials, most, but not all with basements. They do have a HOA but have a pool with it (IF you are on their HOA, which some parts of the area are not). Good luck with your search!

[hilsmom]

actually, I am interested in Centreville and Chantilly as a rental option if we have to stay here for another year or two. In answering this post, could someone tell me which Elementary schools in neighborhoods you are recommending have full-time kindergarten? I am finding that a lot of the neighborhoods I am interested in for cost and location purposes still have half-day kindergarten, which just is NOT going to work for me (I'm stuck in a half-day kinder district right now and am a bit bitter about it)