New Home/Same Commute vs Old Home/less 30 Commute (Alexandria: credit, new house)

[RizzaRizzo]

Which would you choose...new house in nice community and keep current commute vs. significantly older home with less sense of community and with 30 min or less commute??

Our family (2 full time working adults, 4 year old and 2 year old) will be looking to move within the next year before our first born starts kindergarten. We currently live Bristow (Sheffield Manor) and have a budget of $650k and are pre-approved up to $750k. Current commute takes about 75-90 mins one way since one of us works in McLean and one of us works in Old Town Alexandria.

There is new construction in Dominion Valley Country Club which we are currently comparing against older neighborhoods (homes built in 70’s/80’s in Springfield and Annandale) in Fairfax County. We’re also considering Brambleton/Broadlands in Loudoun County because of the schools and upcoming metro.

In DVCC, the home is essentially perfect for our needs for the next 15-20 years. (Great school ratings and extra space for elderly parents to move in with us when the need arises.) In Fairfax County, there are a lot of split level homes that fall within the budget, not necessarily our taste. (Neighborhoods vary and can be hit or miss, school ratings vary and not much square footage for elderly parents to potentially move in.). We are also not DIY/handy people who can easily envision or execute major renovations.

Option 3 is to remain in our current home and resume house hunt in later years when we can comfortably afford a large (4000-5000 sq ft) house in a nice community with a great school system that is within 30 mins of our workplace.

Would be interested to hear what has worked (or any regrets) from this forum who were facing similar decision....

[Old Guard]

Some "community" things are a burden so it is always not a plus. I hate driving and am commute adverse so I personally chose and older home closer in. It has some problems but I am very happy with the house and the location. A newer home does not mean NO problems. One think I really wish I had in this home is a mud room.



I also do not see traffic getting better. But you have to balance the things you are looking for.

[Abraham Walker]

I vote for an older home with a shorter commute.

You're saving 45 to 60 minutes one way or 1.5 to 2 hours both ways.

Over the course of a week, you'll save 8 hours (if you telework on Friday's) or 10 hours (assuming you go to the office every day).

Over the course of a month, you'll save 32 - 40 hours.

Over the course of a year, you'll save 384 - 480 hours.

Let's look at this extrapolated over the course of your 2-year-old child life inside your home:
18 years old - leaves house for college
2 years old - current age
-------------
16 years - remaining years in house

16 years
x 384 hours (hours saved per year by living closer to your job)
------------
6,144 hours you get to spend with your family versus commuting.

168 hours in one week

6,144 hours / 168 hours = 36.57 weeks you get to spend with your family versus commuting.

It takes 120 semester hours to get a Bachelor degree. With the time you save not commuting, you can acquire 51 BA's.

As you can see, I'm in favor of shortening commute times. Whatever house you buy, you're going to get used to things you like and ignore the thing you do not like.

Go for the time.

Option 3 would still leave you with less time with your family.

One thing that's not included in your calculation is the risk you bare by having a long commute. Statistically, your chances of getting into an accident increase the more time you spend on the road. Decreasing your commute would also decrease your odds of having a motor vehicle accident while commuting. Not to mention increased wear and tear on your car.

We always bring this information up to people that are considering moving further out to purchase a larger home.

Good luck.

Here are a few articles that talk about buying a bigger house versus shorter commute:
Behavioral Economics on Bigger House vs. Shorter Commute

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10...4/1/dp1278.pdf

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Abraham Walker

It takes 120 semester hours to get a Bachelor degree. With the time you save not commuting, you can acquire 51 BA's.

You need 120 CREDITS, not hours, to obtain a BA. Let's assume a class is 3 credits and you should expect to spend 6 hours/ week for 16 weeks for that class. So, 16×6 / 3 = 32. So, each credit equals approximately 32 hours of work.

So, that is approximately 1.5 degrees....not 51.

[Abraham Walker]

Originally Posted by spencgr

So, that is approximately 1.5 degrees....not 51.

Still, more than you would accomplish during a commute.

[Middlin]

I have lived in Bristow since 2003 and work in the Fair Lakes area. My husband works 3 miles from our house. There is no way I would live in the area if we had to commute to Tyson's AND Alexandria. The commute gets really, really old, not to mention expensive. Can I ask how long you've been doing these commutes? Once your kids get into sports, help with homework, etc it will always be a race against the clock to see who can get out of work early enough to pick up. The commute is going to get much worse once the hot lane construction really gets under way.


In 2009 we were faced with the option of buying a SFH or moving closer in to a TH. At this point I was so sick of living in TH's, really wanted a yard and more privacy. We also thought that my MIL was going to move in with us. 9 years later as much as we've enjoyed the house and MIL still resisting the idea.....I don't think we made the best decision. It's made me really evaluate needs vs wants. Other factors came into play that living nearer my job would have been better for our family in the long term. Time is a HUGE commodity and should be given as much weight or more than other factors.

[VRE332]

shorter commute, more flexibility, more convenience, smaller footprint, more morning sex.

[ChristineVA]

Go for the shorter commute. It will be significant and I echo what another poster said about when the kids get older and have all of their activities.

[HokieFan]

Wherever puts you closer to your children. When you get the call from school saying that your child is running a fever, throwing up, or bumped his head on the playground and may need stitches - you’re going to want to be there as quickly as possible.

[Vectorhead]

I agree with the majority here -- the shorter commute will make a huge difference in your overall quality of life. HUGE!!! And don't assume there is no sense of community in the close-in suburbs. We live in West Springfield and hear, so often, that people can't believe there is such a small-town feel to such a big suburban area.