Relocating. Husband's new job in Alexandria. Vienna good for kids? (Burke: rental, townhouses)

[TJSNAdams]

We are relocating to the area from out of state. My husband's job will be in Old Towne Alexandria. We have two small children who will be in elementary school so great public schools are very important to us. We have been told to look into the following areas:
Vienna
Reston
Springfield
Fairfax
Centreville
Lorton
Falls Church
Herndon
etc.
There are too many options! We would like to pay around $1800 - $2,000/month for a 3 bedroom (either SFH or townhouse). We like funky areas that are walkable but it's also important to us that it's safe. I don't want to feel way out in the burbs, isolated. I also want our neighbors to have similarities with us - 30s-40s, kids, active, fun, not snooty, cool. Any ideas? And also, can you tell us realistic commute times? If my husband works in Old Towne Alexandria, what would the commute time be for these areas and best (quickest) form of transportation?

Advice? Thanks so much in advance.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by TJSNAdams

We are relocating to the area from out of state. My husband's job will be in Old Towne Alexandria. We have two small children who will be in elementary school so great public schools are very important to us. We have been told to look into the following areas:
Vienna
Reston
Springfield
Fairfax
Centreville
Lorton
Falls Church
Herndon
etc.
There are too many options! We would like to pay around $1800 - $2,000/month for a 3 bedroom (either SFH or townhouse). We like funky areas that are walkable but it's also important to us that it's safe. I don't want to feel way out in the burbs, isolated. I also want our neighbors to have similarities with us - 30s-40s, kids, active, fun, not snooty, cool. Any ideas? And also, can you tell us realistic commute times? If my husband works in Old Towne Alexandria, what would the commute time be for these areas and best (quickest) form of transportation?

Advice? Thanks so much in advance.

The only remotely "funky" area that is walkable would be the Del Ray section of Alexandria. However, the rental range is likely a few hundred $ beyond your preferred range, even for a TH.

Falls Church may be your next best bet for both walkability and convenience to Old Town Alexandria. Others more knowledgeable can tell you about the difference between City of Falls Church schools and those with a Falls Church address that are actually in Fairfax County.

All of the areas you suggest are generally safe although the sticking point may be finding a walkable neighborhood in one (if it exists at all) that is within your preferred housing budget.

[JfromReston]

Welcome to NOVA. Commute to Reston would be about 45 - 50 minutes.

11947 SENTINEL POINT CT, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase
2196 GOLF COURSE DR, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase
2082 GOLF COURSE DR, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase
11669 NEWBRIDGE CT, RESTON, VA 20191 - HomesDatabase

Here are a few properties in Reston. All Townhouses as you would probably need to up your price range and wait for a property to come on the market to get a SFH.

If you are trying to keep your commute as short as possible you may need to consider upping your price range. At your price point you will have a bigger choice to properties in Herndon or Centerville but the commute will approach the terrible range and you will start to feel like you are way out in the burbs. Some people think Reston is way out in the burbs, but I think it has great things to offer that are not available the the surrounding communities. Welcome to Reston Association

[michgc]

I cannot comment on commute, but I live in the Town of Vienna and can tell you that it is VERY kid friendly. There is a Vienna Moms Club Vienna Moms, Inc., several neighborhood playgrounds, a community center with lots of classes available for kids Town of Vienna - Parks and Recreation (http://www.viennava.gov/Town_Departments/pr3.htm - broken link) a teen center Town of Vienna - Parks and Recreation (http://www.viennava.gov/Town_Departments/teencenter.htm - broken link), a Vienna Youth Sports League Vienna Youth Incorporated, a few dancing schools, several swim clubs, etc.

There is a walkable, downtown area Maple Avenue (Route 123) with Church Street that parallels it. I wouldn't describe the area as funky but there is a coffee shop/music club called Jammin Java that is popular with older kids and has preschool music activities during the day. http://www.jamminjava.com/home. There is also a new place called The Soundry which has classes, open mic night and is located in what looks to be an old garage of some sort, so it's a bit funky, I'd say: The Soundry |. And there is a new coffee shop on church street that also has music and is quickly becoming a local hangout: Caffe Amouri | Quality, Community, Sustainability.

Vienna has a huge community feeling which I felt was hard to find in the DC area when I moved here 21 years ago.

Negatives with Vienna is that it is expensive as it is relatively close in and has the last Metro Stop on the Orange line. The housing in the Town of Vienna is generally older and smaller (think 1950's ranch houses). As one radiates out from the center of the Town, the housing gets newer and bigger (up to 1980's colonials). And there are big, expensive knockdowns throughout the town. It may be hard to find a house rental for under $2000. If you do, it will likely be a small, 1950's ranch. But tons of people live in them and feel the convenience and amenities of the Town are worth that sacrifice. Generally for a bigger, newer home, you would need to move farther out.

Schools are very highly-ranked in Vienna. If you look at SAT scores, the only high schools in Fairfax County that are ranked higher than Madison in Vienna are McLean's (more expensive than Vienna) schools (Langley and McLean), and Woodson in Fairfax.

Lastly, Vienna is very, very safe. My husband and I moved here in 2000 as a childless couple. We now have 3 kids ages 9, 5, and 3, and couldn't be happier. We walk around town (when it's not so frigid) to the playground, community center classes, piano lessons, the grocery store, preschool, and the library on an almost daily basis. The soccer and baseball fields are bustling every weekend in spring and fall. My children have made many friends, and we don't find the people here to be snooty or pretentious AT ALL. If you decide to pursue Vienna further and have any questions, feel free to post them or send me a DM.

[JD984]

It may tough for you with that set of requirements and a $2,000/month rent limit. Could you rank those priorities if you had to?

I would not worry too much if you end up needing to look outside Vienna. It's a very nice town, for all the reasons that have been described, but even the older properties are expensive, it's certainly not the only family-friendly place in the area with a sense of community; its "funky quotient," while perhaps increasing in recent years, is relatively low; and it's not the easiest commute to Old Town anyway.

If you could pay a bit more in rent, and can handle (as can, presumably, "fun, not snooty, cool" folks) the fact that the local schools may not be considered the very best in NoVa, Del Ray might be more up your alley.

[robbobobbo]

For a job in Alexandria, if you can afford Vienna, Fairfax, or Falls Church, I wouldn't look further out than that.

Those 3 have a town atmosphere in some degree, and while not particularly funky, trendy, or cool, it's more than the other places in your list. Springfield and Lorton are suburban sprawl and malls. Reston, Centreville, Herndon - mostly or all suburban, plus a long commute and for what?

Unless the housing options are a clear advantage over Vienna, Fairfax, or Falls Church, I don't see the point in choosing a more distant location like Reston, Centreville, or Herndon (and money you'd save on housing would then just go into commuting costs).

If you found something in your budget in the City of Alexandria, like Del Ray, and have questions about the public schools, send me a message. But most rents seem to be around $2,300 and up for 3 bedroom TH or SFH.

[terrence81]

I would add a couple suburbs that are a little closer to Old Town.

Kingstowne (Alexandria address) Kingstowne is really nice and they do have some places that are at least walking distance to the big shopping center with a nice Safeway and Wal-mart across the street. Lots of nice neat townhouses.

Burke is a really spot too with lots of trees. West Springfield is really family friendly too. They're both closer than Vienna or Reston.

[stpickrell]

Agreed. Falls Church City, Fairfax City, or Vienna may not be as funky as Del Ray -- but the unincorporated areas of Fairfax County except maybe Reston don't even register on the funky scale.

[marie5v]

On the OP's stated budget, the "funky" neighborhoods that also have good schools are probably out of reach. If schools and commute to Alexandria are priorities, then parts of Springfield would be a good option (West Springfield high school pyramid - check fcps.edu for specific demographics of the local elementary and middle schools). Fairfax is also a good option. But I don't think 3 bedrooms or a townhouse will happen for anything near that price unless it's in a very undesirable area.

[Doppelganger69]

Is it just me, or is Vienna really far from Alexandria? I've only driven it a few times, but it seemed to take forever every time - none of which was during rush hour.