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After much thought and deliberation I'm heavily considering putting an offer in a house in Gainesville/Haymarket area.
I've lost several bidding wars in Ashburn/Chantilly/Centreville area where townhouses are getting bid up by up to 30k-40k from already high listing price. Anything that is coming to the market in the range of 400k - 500k are getting 15 offers with no contingencies. Sellers dreams are coming true. So I've visited Haymarket and Gainesville few times and the newer built area look nice but the 55 stretch feels a little off though (seems like houses zoned for primary residence got converted to commercial, what?!?)
I've been working remotely since March 2020 and it looks like I'll be allowed full remote work. I wouldn't even considering a commute to Mclean from Haymarket/Gainesville, if I would not be working remote.
So few questions -
1) If I were to lose my job and I find a traditional 9-5 that requires me to be in office, how feasible would be commute to Mclean or Arlington very early at 5.30 am or late morning at 10am then coming back around 2pm? I've done this commute both ways already on weekdays and its 38 minute tops just like google maps says. However, the traffic may be light due to pandemic. Does anyone currently do this commute? How was it pre-pandemic? I'd love to get some insight here.
1.1) Are there any other commuter options like bus or train from Manassas that I'm not aware of?
2) I checked the the school ratings in all the online websites and they seem above average. Parent's who send their kids to Ronald Wilson Regan/Bull Run Middle and Battlefield High School do you feel the ratings are fairly close to your experience? We're planning a family so this will be important in a few years.
3) For shopping and dining I see major retailers and fast food chains right off the Lee Highway and 66 intersection. Anything that's unique to Haymarket/Gainesville in case of amenities? I feel like we would be driving to either Manassas or Chantilly/Centreville. Is that what folks do?
4) For hospitals and primary care needs, are there good options here or do you frequent Fairfax/Arlington?
5) Seems like there isn't much to do here beside living in a nice sub division, raising family and playing golf. Anything else that I'm not aware of? I've lived in DC/Arlington mostly and used to being close to everything and many things to do so this would be a nice change.
Commute wise, if you are willing to leave at 530, you should easily beat the traffic. If you leave work around 3 traffic will not be bad, but I would say closer to an hour to be safe. Most people in the area go to Gainesville's Virginia Gateway for restaurants or the various local restaurants spread around the area, I see no need to go to Chantilly or Manassas, unless you are looking for something very specific or like the downtown area of Manassas. Primary care wise we have Kaiser so the newish Kaiser facility in Haymarket is convenient or we go to the one in Manassas which is relatively close, there is also a nice hospital in Haymarket. As far as things to do, if you like the outdoors there is Silver Lake Park and Conway Robinson for mountain biking. Definitely not Arlington/DC but those are close enough for things on the weekends. As far as the real estate market in the area, I would say its similar (multiple offers, waived contingencies) to Chantilly/South Riding but about $100-150k less for a similar property.
I can't answer your specific questions because I live on the eastern side of the county; however, I do regularly drive over to Gainesville/Haymarket for a dermatologist I see there and, pre-pandemic, I used to go out there once a month for a trip to Steinmart (out of business now) or to hit the Cava. It's not a bad drive for me using 234.
Anyway, I like the area and I'd probably move there if it weren't for my job in DC (again pre-pandemic I was commuting in just about every day). I find that area a tough area to be if you want to work in DC or Arlington/Alexandria. Say what you will about I95, I think it's worse on I-66 mainly due to the lack of public transportation options in the farther flung areas as opposed to what I95 offered (lots of buses into many areas at every hour, slugging, expansive van and carpool options, and the VRE). You've got the VRE out that way so there's that. Otherwise the other options are limited. Driving alone isn't great but if you have a start time of 6AM you'll be okay.
The shopping/dining is pure suburbia with all the chains. Nothing unique to the area (although I'm sure there are some little places). But it's an easy drive over into the Fairfax area if you're looking for that. Also, not a bad drive from there to Leesburg, where I really enjoy some of the dining options.
If your kids aren't even in utero yet, I wouldn't put too much stock in specific schools. New schools are being built and different boundaries being drawn all the time. There are some neighborhoods in Haymarket/Gainesville that were zoned for Battlefield, and now a new high school (Gainesville) will open in the fall and the boundaries have been redrawn. I remember at the boundary meetings a lot of very upset residents who were angry that their kids would now not be going to Battlefield.
I know a lot of people say NoVa is bland, cookie cutter, generic, etc but I feel like Haymarket and Gainesville are peak cookie cutter NoVa. It's just rural patches of land mixed in with SFHs and THs... more rural patches of land mixed in with random strip malls mixed in with random one and two lane roads... and the cycle just repeats itself.
I think it's a good alternative if you can't afford to live in Fairfax or Loudoun County but I just find it very dull out there and it feels far from everything.
Commute wise, if you are willing to leave at 530, you should easily beat the traffic. If you leave work around 3 traffic will not be bad, but I would say closer to an hour to be safe. Most people in the area go to Gainesville's Virginia Gateway for restaurants or the various local restaurants spread around the area, I see no need to go to Chantilly or Manassas, unless you are looking for something very specific or like the downtown area of Manassas. Primary care wise we have Kaiser so the newish Kaiser facility in Haymarket is convenient or we go to the one in Manassas which is relatively close, there is also a nice hospital in Haymarket. As far as things to do, if you like the outdoors there is Silver Lake Park and Conway Robinson for mountain biking. Definitely not Arlington/DC but those are close enough for things on the weekends. As far as the real estate market in the area, I would say its similar (multiple offers, waived contingencies) to Chantilly/South Riding but about $100-150k less for a similar property.
Appreciate the comment. commuting to Mclean or Arlington from Chantilly/South Riding compared to Gainesville is only about 10 minutes difference assuming no traffic. You definitely get more bang for your buck in Gainesville/Haymarket area. Didn't knew about mountain biking so thanks for that.
I know a lot of people say NoVa is bland, cookie cutter, generic, etc but I feel like Haymarket and Gainesville are peak cookie cutter NoVa. It's just rural patches of land mixed in with SFHs and THs... more rural patches of land mixed in with random strip malls mixed in with random one and two lane roads... and the cycle just repeats itself.
I think it's a good alternative if you can't afford to live in Fairfax or Loudoun County but I just find it very dull out there and it feels far from everything.
That is the impression we got as well since we've been living very close to DC for decades. Feels far from everything but then again 20 minutes and you're in Fairfax (assuming no traffic). Agreed that affordability is why we would be moving coupled with the need to not commute daily.
Perhaps in 5-7 years time when inflation is at 5%-7% and interest rates are around 5% we can revisit moving back to Fairfax or Loudon County!
I read on these form that this area used to be a truck stop.
That is the impression we got as well since we've been living very close to DC for decades. Feels far from everything but then again 20 minutes and you're in Fairfax (assuming no traffic). Agreed that affordability is why we would be moving coupled with the need to not commute daily.
Perhaps in 5-7 years time when inflation is at 5%-7% and interest rates are around 5% we can revisit moving back to Fairfax or Loudon County!
I read on these form that this area used to be a truck stop.
I lived out there for years and as a PWC LEO I worked out there all the time. We moved a little further west to the valley but I lived there or near there for 43 years. Trust me when I say that commute will always present issues for you, even leaving early or late. When I retired I went federal and spent two years in Dunn Loring near Tysons. I did not need to be there until 7 but I was inbound at 4am and you'd be shocked at the traffic even then. (This was pre-covid of course). I'd leave the office at 245 and traffic was often already heavy getting onto 66 and in places like Rt.50. Now with construction it can be even worse.
But I promise you will like the Gainesville/Haymarket area. If I moved back there it would be Haymarket for me but I do like Gainesville as well. Haymarket just provides more countryside and puts you closer to the country and mountains. There are plenty of nice restaurants that are not fast food. Most are chain style restaurants but still some good ones. The schools are historically good in this area as well.
The old truck stop was Orndoff's or Orndorff's. It's been so long I forgot exactly. I-66 ended well before Haymarket and Rt. 15 was the major truck route. Orndoff's had a restaurant that had the best greasiest hamburgers ever. But fights were very common here. As a teen I used to love going here for grub then as a LEO I hated it as it was nothing but trouble. It was located where the Sheetz sits on Rt.15 and Rt. 55.
I lived out there for years and as a PWC LEO I worked out there all the time. We moved a little further west to the valley but I lived there or near there for 43 years. Trust me when I say that commute will always present issues for you, even leaving early or late. When I retired I went federal and spent two years in Dunn Loring near Tysons. I did not need to be there until 7 but I was inbound at 4am and you'd be shocked at the traffic even then. (This was pre-covid of course). I'd leave the office at 245 and traffic was often already heavy getting onto 66 and in places like Rt.50. Now with construction it can be even worse.
But I promise you will like the Gainesville/Haymarket area. If I moved back there it would be Haymarket for me but I do like Gainesville as well. Haymarket just provides more countryside and puts you closer to the country and mountains. There are plenty of nice restaurants that are not fast food. Most are chain style restaurants but still some good ones. The schools are historically good in this area as well.
The old truck stop was Orndoff's or Orndorff's. It's been so long I forgot exactly. I-66 ended well before Haymarket and Rt. 15 was the major truck route. Orndoff's had a restaurant that had the best greasiest hamburgers ever. But fights were very common here. As a teen I used to love going here for grub then as a LEO I hated it as it was nothing but trouble. It was located where the Sheetz sits on Rt.15 and Rt. 55.
Thank you for replying and also for your service as a LEO. It's great to hear from someone who has lived in the vicinity for multi decades.
Currently I don't have to commute and I hope to keep the same job or find another remote job if it comes to that but simply playing devils advocate if in case remote job dries up. Preparing myself for the worst
I also believe companies will adopt this new normal if they can to cut cost so if remote work is possible they will allow it. Management by walking around has become management by zooming (video conference) around. lol.
I'm pretty sure crime is very low here. So it's a nice quite place but I think 10 - 20 years time this will turn into Chantilly/Centreville as the sprawl moves westward. They may even extend the metro line from Manassas who knows.
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So I've visited Haymarket and Gainesville few times and the newer built area look nice but the 55 stretch feels a little off though (seems like houses zoned for primary residence got converted to commercial, what?!?) 
Anything else that I'm not aware of? I've lived in DC/Arlington mostly and used to being close to everything and many things to do so this would be a nice change. 
Yes not in utero yet! lol.
