Moving to NoVa Area (Lynchburg, Charlottesville: apartments, rental homes, townhome)

[from nv]

Hello -

My husband and I are looking to move to NoVa...we would be renting a 2-3 bedroom single family home/townhome (not an apartment). Is there any particular area that offers rent around $1000/month? He would be commuting to/from Dulles once a week. Nightlife, nor schools, are an important factor for us.

How are utilities? And, is bi-monthly billing offered?

Thank you in advance!

[Onomatopoeia Zadora]

I'll be interested in seeing others' responses as I'm not aware of any place in this area where you could rent a 2-3 bedroom home for that price; most 1 bedroom apartments are more than that.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by Onomatopoeia Zadora

I'll be interested in seeing others' responses as I'm not aware of any place in this area where you could rent a 2-3 bedroom home for that price; most 1 bedroom apartments are more than that.

I agree. I do think that my FIL charges about $1,000 per month for his very old, yucky townhome in Rippon Landing in Woodbridge. Trust me, you wouldn't enjoy this place.

I think your price range is going to be tough.

[from nv]

If that price range is tough, could you please give me some idea as to what rent is in particular areas? We may consider an area if we know what we could expect....
Thank you!

[LynchburgLover]

I think, generally speaking, Winchester and Stephen's City are cheaper than Woodbridge but I doubt you'll find a single family home for $1000/month. Here's a site that might be helpful Winchester Home Rentals, Homes for Rent in Winchester VA, Apartments, Houses for Rent, and Rental Homes in Winchester, Virginia -- you can see there are some apartments in that range. Your best best would be to contact a realtor directly.

Since schools/nightlife are not important and he only has to go into Dulles once a week, you may want to consider West Virginia -- things get even cheaper over the state line. You'd still be close enough to Winchester for shopping/movies/restaurants occasionally.

Good luck.

[brooklynborndad]

yeah, once a week opens up a lot of territory - baltimore and beyond, west virginia, the shenandoah valley. Maybe Charlottesville if you fancy yourself intellectuals.

do you like rural, smallish town, or urban?

[brooklynborndad]

but then you dont want to be in a position where you set up home two and a half hours away, and then the employer says you need to be on site 5 days a week.

[from nv]

He is a flight attendant...we only have one vehicle, therefore, I would have to take him to the airport and then pick him up, when his trip ends (3-4 days later). We were hoping to live somewhat close to Dulles rather than way out in Winchester, but if that area is more affordable, then we'll definitely consider that (thanks LynchburgLover!). We would think it would be hard, too, traveling that distance when it snows. As a flight attendant, he would not have the option of waiting til the roads clear to go to work. I see the news showing snow in DC/Philly/NY areas, and everyone drives right along. We have never lived out in the East, so I'm not too familiar with what options there are.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by from nv

He is a flight attendant...we only have one vehicle, therefore, I would have to take him to the airport and then pick him up, when his trip ends (3-4 days later). We were hoping to live somewhat close to Dulles rather than way out in Winchester, but if that area is more affordable, then we'll definitely consider that (thanks LynchburgLover!). We would think it would be hard, too, traveling that distance when it snows. As a flight attendant, he would not have the option of waiting til the roads clear to go to work. I see the news showing snow in DC/Philly/NY areas, and everyone drives right along. We have never lived out in the East, so I'm not too familiar with what options there are.

needing to get to Dulles even in bad snow will effect your specific location (not on rural road up a hill, not with a long driveway, etc) more than your general location - the main highways (like I66) are mostly kept open, and the weather that will shut them will shut Dulles too.

[FindingZen]

To give you a sense of the cost of living here...

East of Dulles in Fairfax County, $1200 might be considered the baseline for a 1 BR apartment. Even in Loudoun County, it may be difficult to find a 1BR for under $1000 without perhaps finding a private owner. As crazy as it may sound, I would be wary of anyone offering to rent you a SFH for $1000 or under in Fairfax or Loudoun Counties.

Prince William County may offer some relief. As alluded to by brooklynborndad, communities near I-66 - particularly Haymarket, Bristow and Gainesville - may come closer to your range while providing what is perceived as comfortable surroundings. You may actually find even more affordable options closer in around the Manassas area. However, the perception there is not the same. Others more knowledgeable than me can offer advice on specific Manassas neighborhoods to consider.