where's the best place to buy a 3br/4br house for $350k or less?

[FLgirl367]

Originally Posted by mathwhiz

Looking for a nicer, well established suburban area? with decent school districts. We know what the compromises are living far out but it is what it is. We want a newer single family house and that's what we can afford.

Stafford. I like living near I-95. Even though 95 is a pain, I'd rather live near that then have to navigate a while to get to a main artery road. We have acreage of woods on a creek. Heaven!

[smagid]

There are many lovely newer neighborhoods(Built in the 90's and 2000's) in Prince William County in this price range. Where would you be commuting to?

Prince William county schools have some great specialized programs at all levels (Elementary Level- Language Immersion, IB, Gifted, Math and Science Specialities at the HIgh School Level include Cambridge Programs, International Studies, Science and Technology, Performing Arts, BioTechnoloy, and many others).

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by HEATHER72

I am shocked at the photos of the house on Catamaran. They are black and white and blurry!!

You're right. They aren't very good. I just picked out three houses quickly before heading out for work this a.m.

[tigger37708]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Heading west, I think you'd find a few number of newer SFHs in Gainesville and Bristow within your price range.

This.

however you will have an HOA in those areas so plan on an extra 75 to 150 a month for the retched HOA.

[khuntrevor]

There is one in Countryside, also. I will point out that if you bought in 20165 for 350--you would be buying the cheapest house in an expensive neighborhood, which would be better than spending 350,000 in Manassas, where there would be many, many SFR priced less than that. My parents paid 323K in 2003, and it is now worth 268K in 20110. I think there are more ways to skin the cat as far as traffic goes in 20165--you avoid I-66 for one thing. I am very unimpressed with everything I know about PWCS, and I have worked for City of Manassas Schools. Drive by Stonewall High at about 12:30 one school day.......The famous IB programs only apply to a small percentage of the population.

[Jesco White]

Originally Posted by mathwhiz

Looking for a nicer, well established suburban area? with decent school districts. We know what the compromises are living far out but it is what it is. We want a newer single family house and that's what we can afford.

Honestly the best prices I've found for that sort of stuff and still in a seemingly decent place is the Fort Washington side of the Potomac. There's downsides, such as the schools not being able to hold a candle to nova schools, but if you don't have kids, I would pick there. You can literally get a house with a river view for 25% of the price that it would cost on the other side.

[mathwhiz]

If it helps, The job I am looking at will be in DC and my girlfriend is looking at a job in Chevy Chase, maryland.

[claremarie]

Then you should be looking in Maryland. It's insane to commute from the Virginia exurbs to Chevy Chase.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by mathwhiz

If it helps, The job I am looking at will be in DC and my girlfriend is looking at a job in Chevy Chase, maryland.

I agree that MD should be your focus. Whatever you feel you might be saved from lower taxes would be wiped out financially - if not also psychologically - by such a commute. I'm not knowledgeable about housing on the other side of the river, but I'd would guess that for your range that Gaithersburg/Germantown may be a good place to start, if not Frederick.