Please Sticky: General Pointers If You are Moving To Northern Virginia (Alexandria: mortgage, real estate)

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by vanyali

I don't know, good ol' Jeff Davis Hwy (Rt 1) is pretty good at defeating attempts to gentrify it. Even now, there are the upscale grocery stores and the downscale grocery stores, and it's the downscale groceries whose parking lots are always full (and the upscale ones' that are empty). Time will tell whether this latest round of gentrification will stick. I'm betting Rt 1 will chew it up and spit it out. But we'll see.

I was actually referring to the Richmond Highway section of Route 1 south the Beltway... but I respect your point of view about the northern end, especially since I know relatively little about it.

[angel777]

This is a great post! Question? My husband is working on Fort Belvoir starting in May. We are looking for a house in Fairfax county between 350k and 500k, with an easy commute ( 15 miles) and those excellent schools someone mentioned. We were actually hoping for a new home but the only new homes I have seen are in Woodbridge. So far it is down to Lorton???, West SpringField, Burton, Manassas, or Alexandria that have all been recommended. We want big yard, lots of trees, private, but convenient for the children's activities and recreation, shopping etc etc. Please help!!

[vanyali]

Try starting a new thread. You'll get more responses.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by SmerkyGrl

-Housing to own starts around 275k-300k with relatively crappy condos. No, we do not have 3 bedroom single family homes under 400k that are in liveable conditions.

That's not true, you can get pretty decent condos in Reston for A LOT less than that, Reston is a little out there in comparison to DC, but it is not the middle of nowhere. Such a statement does not reflect the reality of NoVA by far, it sounds more like a statement to try to discourage people from moving there.

If you want to see expensive housing try moving here to the Bay Area.

[Tone509]

To be fair, SmerkyGrl's comment may have been before real estate went into the full free fall that we are now experiencing. Even so, I'd be surprised to find a (new) condo in Reston for under $250-275K.

And no, the DC metro housing market isn't as overheated as California - or NYC for that matter - but I bet we're in the top ten.

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

That's not true, you can get pretty decent condos in Reston for A LOT less than that, Reston is a little out there in comparison to DC, but it is not the middle of nowhere. Such a statement does not reflect the reality of NoVA by far, it sounds more like a statement to try to discourage people from moving there.

If you want to see expensive housing try moving here to the Bay Area.

[vanyali]

Originally Posted by Tone509

To be fair, SmerkyGrl's comment may have been before real estate went into the full free fall that we are now experiencing. Even so, I'd be surprised to find a (new) condo in Reston for under $250-275K.

And no, the DC metro housing market isn't as overheated as California - or NYC for that matter - but I bet we're in the top ten.

Has NYC even started to drop yet? It seems that prices there have just continued merrily along oblivious to the drops in other markets. Maybe with all of these bankers losing their bonuses (and jobs?) this year, we'll start to see some downward movement there.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by vanyali

Has NYC even started to drop yet? It seems that prices there have just continued merrily along oblivious to the drops in other markets. Maybe with all of these bankers losing their bonuses (and jobs?) this year, we'll start to see some downward movement there.

I think NYC has some co-op laws. The prices cannot fluxuate because of the lack of housing would drive everyone to NJ

[kutlass]

I have to ask are there apts that are in houses like in NYC for rent in Loudoun county or Fairfax county with a private entrance. Or are all the apts in those managed places.

[vanyali]

there are group houses, but they tend to be more informal arrangements. mostly managed apartments as far as i know.

[vanyali]

Originally Posted by VRE332

I think NYC has some co-op laws. The prices cannot fluxuate because of the lack of housing would drive everyone to NJ

i was thinking about brownstones mainly. there's no law against losing money on your co op. you're thinking of rent control probably.