Please help me appreciate NOVA (Arlington, Alexandria: cheap apartments, rent, HOA)

[NOVAnite]

POINTLESS RANT:

I've lived in NoVa for about a year and am completely frustrated with the area. Even the cheapest studio apartment is well out of reach for most working people. You work your 50 hour week and sit in traffic for two hours a each day and what the heck do you get for your effort?

- A rented room in another person's house
- no personal life because the culture here is work work work
- The tiny amount of money you're able to save despite NoVa's best efforts to take it from you

And if you really grind it out and try to make a life here you get what?

- A 450k townhouse
- Friendly Neighbors who will smile to your face.... and report you to the HOA if you paint your door the wrong color

END POINTLESS RANT

what am I missing here? I'm sure this area has fantastic things about it. I just probably have not seen them because of all the moping and complaining

[LynchburgLover]

I feel your pain. It's a tough place unless you're at the top and making big bucks. We've got interests in NoVa and the Carolinas. Grew up in area; work holding us for about two more years. Counting the days until we see DC in the rear view mirror forever.

Good luck to you.

[weezycom]

Take advantage of the cultural opportunities around here. Even if you can't afford the Kennedy Center, there are so many talented people in the area that even small, community playhouses have great actors. Get on the Metro and wander thru the Smithsonian museums on the weekends. If you draw at all, take a sketchpad and sit down and sketch some of the Masters' works. Take a cooking class for an ethnic food you like but have no idea how to make and meet like-minded people there. History buff? So many places to visit in the area.

It does take awhile to make friends in this area because everyone is so busy, but it's easier if you get involved in some sort of regular activity. There's softball, dodgeball, bowling leagues, painting groups, bookclubs, etc. Start somewhere, it will help.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by NOVAnite

POINTLESS RANT:

I've lived in NoVa for about a year and am completely frustrated with the area. Even the cheapest studio apartment is well out of reach for most working people. You work your 50 hour week and sit in traffic for two hours a each day and what the heck do you get for your effort?

- A rented room in another person's house
- no personal life because the culture here is work work work
- The tiny amount of money you're able to save despite NoVa's best efforts to take it from you

And if you really grind it out and try to make a life here you get what?

- A 450k townhouse
- Friendly Neighbors who will smile to your face.... and report you to the HOA if you paint your door the wrong color

END POINTLESS RANT

what am I missing here? I'm sure this area has fantastic things about it. I just probably have not seen them because of all the moping and complaining

Not necessarily, I live in a older studio in Arlington and make in the lower $40s which would put me at the lower end of my peers here at age 27. If you are willing to live in an older building or in basement you can find an independent apartment for $1100.

My likes about NoVA; the nightlife in nearby DC, the low crime rate, more transplant friendly (lived in Louisville for a couple of years which was NOT transplant friendly.) A real public transit system (know perfectly well Metro isn't perfect but beats nothing.) Under 3 hours (when leaving early) from my hometown.

I'm very undecided whether to stay permanently. There isn't anywhere else I really want to go right now but I do want to live somewhere where I pay a lower monthly rent for my place.

[blindside]

Think of it this way.

For most people, DC is a stepping stone in your career. You likely won't be here for too long. Use it to advance your position and salary, hopefully being able to move to a cheaper area after a few years.

I moved here from the Bay Area, but I was able to take my Bay Area salary (and then some) to NoVA where the COL is not as high.

[Swimmer246]

I'm right there with you. This was supposed to be a stop-over for our career. We ended up moving out of the career field after the frustration of living here. We just sold our house and will be seeing DC area in the rear view mirror soon. We're off to a better quality of life that you can't get here. Good luck. Do enjoy the weekend activities that this area offers and try to appreciate that so many neat things are so close.

[NOVA_guy]

The traffic, hustle and bustle and rat race gets old but I will say this area offers a ton of amentities so in SOME ways it balances out.

I don't get how people are surprised when they move here though? I know Virginia is typically thought of as a laid back, low CoL, kind of country state or somewhere along those lines but even if you don't know about NoVa, if you live in a county within a 15-25 mile proximity of DC the likely hood of it being like the rest of the state isn't likely. Every major metropolitan area has traffic (whether it's as bad as DC's is debatable), high cost of living, major negatives and positives etc. it just comes with the territory.

[gomason]

Why can't you have a cultural life? There's 168 hours in a week. I'm in school and work full time and still have a cultural life.

Where do you work? Do you work somewhere that's transit friendly?

As Dissenter said, cheap apartments can be found in independent buildings which you would usually find in Arlington or Alexandria.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by NOVA_guy

The traffic, hustle and bustle and rat race gets old but I will say this area offers a ton of amentities so in SOME ways it balances out.

I don't get how people are surprised when they move here though? I know Virginia is typically thought of as a laid back, low CoL, kind of country state or somewhere along those lines but even if you don't know about NoVa, if you live in a county within a 15-25 mile proximity of DC the likely hood of it being like the rest of the state isn't likely. Every major metropolitan area has traffic (whether it's as bad as DC's is debatable), high cost of living, major negatives and positives etc. it just comes with the territory.

Not every big metro area has a high COL though. You could easily find a one bedroom anywhere in the big Ohio Valley cities like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, or Louisville for under $600. The wage scale is lower sure but I lived pretty decently in Louisville making $12 an hour. But I'm here because the types of jobs and amenities I wanted weren't there. Traffic can be worked on if you can pick the right spot to live.

[16 Acres]

Originally Posted by NOVA_guy

I know Virginia is typically thought of as a laid back, low CoL, kind of country state or somewhere along those lines but even if you don't know about NoVa, if you live in a county within a 15-25 mile proximity of DC the likely hood of it being like the rest of the state isn't likely.

Good explanation really. What kills us that are beyond that 15-25 Mile proximity is that NOVA "Votes" like DC too. Basically speaking Virginia is very different from that area and is very Red. The Blue votes pull us down a little too much, almost wishing that DC would annex it, so we could get back what we are used to. Eastern Virginia pulls us down too, but it's NOVA that makes the biggest difference. There is a big beautiful state out there, other than those metro areas...