Ideas on metro accessible places to buy? (Alexandria, Annandale: apartments, condos)

[citizenchan]

Hey all,

We moved here about a year ago with the help of all of you, so I thought I would ask, now that we are considering buying, where should we focus our search?

I have to admit I have explored a little, but this whole area is SO dense and winding, I could be lost for days.

We live in Rosslyn now. We like the proximity to Georgetown and convenience to metro, but we can't afford to buy here - and it's not cozy around here. It's mostly apartment/condo living, businessy area. We are in the Archstone (now Equity) Rosslyn, and living in a highrise has it's pluses and minuses.

I don't expect anyone to waste their time, but maybe you have ideas of little known areas, or spots you like, or similar, which fit our criteria?

Our ideal home would be (albeit unrealistic):
Under $400,000
2+ bd
2+ ba
Garage,
Detatched single family home - a row house would be OK I suppose, I haven't done any research into it.
A "home" sort of place, hidden away abit from the hustle and bustle of areas like Rosslyn/Clarendon, but not out in the boonies.
Close to metro, or really worth it if not close to metro.

As for areas, the Cherrydale area seems nice, but is far from metro. Alexandria is nice in places, Falls Church is nice, Dulles, woodbridge, etc, would be too far.
Rosslym is perfect for metro, but not "homey." The areas here that are more neighborhood-like are really just developments that are out of our price range. Typically the areas that are still metro accessible are covered in condos and apartments, but maybe you all know of something hidden? A micro-neighborhood somewhere?
While we live in the middle of everything now, we aren't keen on going the opposite direction and moving to the 'burbs.

Anyway, like I said. I don't expect anyone to take a ton of time evaluating all our criteria - I just thought I'd see what you all think about areas around here that may still be affordable, and where I could limit our search a bit.

Thanks again

Citizenchan

[airjay75]

Well, in reading your post, I have to say that, except for the price, I would say you could have all of those things within a 10-15 minute drive of the Franconia-Springfield Metro. I live in a community of SFHs and townhomes that is about a 10 minute drive to the Metro and feels very homey, community-like, and even quiet - really is quite suburban. My particular community is in Springfield, south of the Fairfax County Parkway near Ft. Belvoir North, but there are plenty of similar areas in the West Springfield area or in the Kingstowne area on the other side of 95.

For 400k, you can probably get a townhome in this area, but it will likely not have a garage and will probably be a little older. If you can go to 500K, that would probably open up some more options in this area including many of the older SFHs, although if it has been updated, the price of many of the older SFHs will be above $500.

My wife and I are new to this area, but we really like it. I commute to DC by driving to Metro and then taking it to Archives - just under an hour door to door.

[claremarie]

There aren't any hidden enclaves of SFH in that price range close to the Metro, especially with attached garages. You will have to bump up your price, or consider areas further out, or both. You should also keep in mind that some older SFHs in lower price ranges are affordable because they need a significant amount of work to make them livable.

If schools are not an issue, you might consider looking for SFH neighborhoods in the least desirable Fairfax County pyramids (you can check the FCPS website for test scores to identify these). Annandale HS and Falls Church HS (outside the boundaries of the City of Falls Church) are two places to start.

[stpickrell]

you'll have trouble finding what you want in LEESBURG for under $400k.

If schools aren't a problem, try Hyattsville or Cheverly in Prince George's.

[ACWhite]

My advice would be to go to some of the MLS database sites, to which we can't link here, and do a lot of online searching so that you can get a better feel for what may be a realistic price for what you are seeking, and what tradeoffs there may be. Good luck!

[SPHokie]

Think long term.

If Metro access is important, have you thought about buying near one of the future silver line stations?

Check in Sterling or possibly Herndon.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by SPHokie

Check in Sterling or possibly Herndon.

There are definately 3 bedroom townhouses with garages in Sterling under $400K. Check out the Woodstone development.

[citizenchan]

Thanks, all great ideas. We will look at the silver line too, something I hadn't considered. Having come from the bay area, this article rings very true for us too:

How Does Mass Transit Affect Property Values? - Rain City Guide

[stpickrell]

Originally Posted by spencgr

There are definately 3 bedroom townhouses with garages in Sterling under $400K. Check out the Woodstone development.

Of course, OP would have to get over his fear of being in the boonies -- he did specifically say Dulles was too far -- he maybe re-considering though.

Frederick City and Leesburg have THs in their downtowns within OP's budget, with great schools, Walk Scores in the 80s (or higher), and a great sense of community.

But many milllennials think of those places as either "Here Be Dragons" or (at best) a nice day trip.

[citizenchan]

The assumption that I am "afraid" of the boonies and that I am a millennial are both incorrect, but I can backup my statements with (what I view as) sound reasoning:

I had a daily commute of almost 3 hours in California (walk+train). Now that I am in Rosslyn, it is only about 45 mins a day, and even shorter for the other half. This has had a tremendous impact on the way I live, as this is time used for other important things.

Now that we've been spoiled, we only want to preserve as much of that convenience as we can.
Dulles, Hyattsville, Cheverly, these areas are outside my comfortable radius for commute times.

I knew my wishlist is unrealistic when I posted it. We are willing to compromise, but proximity is one of the priorities. So I would/am reconsidering my ban on Townhomes and Condos. I'd compromise dwelling type, to preserve proximity, but I don't think I would compromise proximity to have a particular dwelling type. I don't have to have a 20-minute drive to work, but definitely not on the order of an hour.

Thanks for all the input, I'll add Frederick and Leesburg to the list of potentials.