Male Mid 20s looking to purchase first home

[statecollege]

Sometimes it's difficult to characterize a neighborhood with words that please everyone. Being too explicit gets you accused of stereotyping or racism. Being circumspect will attract accusations of using code language to make a point about residents of a neighborhood. I don't sense prejudice on your part, but you probably would not have been jumped on by some if you had said that you didn't want to live in a deteriorating neighborhood, which I bet is how all or most of us here feel. Now to your question. I agree with other posters that there are many neighborhoods that meet your criteria, and dozens of responses can get you dozens of suggestions. Drive around and explore, narrow your choices based on your priorities, and then ask questions here and elsewhere. Based on your employment location, I would consider the general east side within and immediately outside the beltway. That would include, but not be restricted to Burke, the Springfields, and Kingstowne, areas I'm familiar with and like. If you consider a condo, as one poster suggested, seriously consider what the condo fees and potential for assessments can do to your budget. Regardless of your direction, don't forget to research real estate tax, utility costs, homeowners insurance, and other fees that you may not have as an apartment dweller so you can be realistic about your home ownership budget. Good luck.

[Yankeesfan]

The problem isn't ethnicities, it's renters. Some renters take very nice care of their places (especially military) but many don't and many landlords don't maintain at the same level that they would for a house that they actually lived in. If a neighborhood gets too many renters for whatever reason then it may decline.

To the OP -- congratulations! A garage tends to jump the price so you may not get that but you can definitely find something nice.

[Forehead]

I mean, I understand what you're trying to say but I don't think you're looking at it correctly. My personal opinion is that often, the ethnicities you're referring to don't have a lot of money, so they congregate in areas they can afford, which aren't as nice. Maybe more could be done to fix the places up, but again, if someone is low on funds, how much can you really do?

I think you should go for a SFH myself. SFH or TH, you'll have an interior to take care of. If you're that worried about a lawn, pay a neighborhood kid $20 (or whatever the going rate is now) to mow it for you every two weeks.