Nervous about a move to NOVA (Woodbridge: home, to buy, compensation)

[Mike From NIU]

Where will your husband be working? If at the Pentagon, commuting to/from Woodbridge/Lake Ridge would not be too bad (Omniride/slugging and VRE)- no more than 1 hour.

Auto insurance, as others have said, is pretty affordable, as is renter's insurance (we got a $30k policy for under $100/year).

In addition to rent, you have to look at what's included. Some places pay for water and sewer as part of HOA fees. For others, you have to pay separately.

[kevbros]

Keep in mind that the whole DC metro area is still very expensive for other things like groceries, clothes, etc.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by 5stones

ALOT

A lot.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by kevbros

Keep in mind that the whole DC metro area is still very expensive for other things like groceries, clothes, etc.

Eh, not really.

Food is a little bit more expensive here than in rural areas because we don't have competition from Walmart supercenters, but it's not a huge difference.

Clothes are the same price here as anywhere in the US. You see the same discount stores here (Walmart, Target, Kohl's, etc.) and they generally have the same prices.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by pcity

Eh, not really.

Food is a little bit more expensive here than in rural areas because we don't have competition from Walmart supercenters, but it's not a huge difference.

Clothes are the same price here as anywhere in the US. You see the same discount stores here (Walmart, Target, Kohl's, etc.) and they generally have the same prices.

If you shop at the Korean grocery stores like Grandmart you can save a lot of money.

[ajzjmsmom]

Thanks for all the info.

My husband will actually be working in DC at the Reagan building. If we live in Woodbridge he will use the commuter bus I think he was saying. We are already expecting the huge commute and long hours but he was offered a job in AZ with a 140 mile round trip commute everyday and he would have been driving that one. So for us if we have to move the DC job ends up better for him. They will actually allow him to adjust his hours so that the traffic is easier to deal with. At least in NOVA he can use public transportation for the most part. We will look around inside the beltway but from all I have seen it is to expensive. I have seen a couple of TH's in Alexandria that were in our price range but not to sure how safe it is there. It looks as if we are willing to comprise on sq ftage we can probably find something in Woodbridge. The big draw for us is the schools and all of the things to do. If you are real outdoorsy then NM is really good for that but since we are not we think we would enjoy all NOVA has to offer us. The move will put us within about 5 hours of his family in TN

I already knew about the grocery prices since we were there last summer. We were able to live in an apartment so I cooked and did my shopping at Harris Teeter. It will be difficult for me because I do the majority of my grocery shopping at WMart since that is all we have and I know how much cheaper they are.

I think I would prefer that he try to get a 6 month detail and let the gov't pay for it, I think that would be enough time for us to decide if this is really what is right for us . We will be leaving our 23 yr old daughter and our 20 yr old son in NM. I am kinda heartbroken about that but they are adults and ready to get on with their lives. And we gotta think about the younger boys. We have a super smart 14 yr old who would probably benefit greatly from all the NOVA schools have to offer.

I am hoping our auto insurance is cheaper since we too will be staying with the same insurance company. I want to wait until I know for sure that we are leaving before I call the insurance company.

[barryhussein]

Let me recommend West Virginia--it's kind of like NM with trees. Lots of mobile homes, too.

[DCguy03]

I know it can be challenging moving to a new area (I moved here at the beginning of '08) but NoVA is an amazing place and you will love exploring this new area. There is so much to do here, since DC is close by with all sorts of concerts, live events, free museums, amazing restaurants, and more.

Yes, housing prices are higher here, but people just tend to live in smaller places. That might sound tough to do at first, but when you are in a metropolitan area with so much to do, you don't really need a big house because you won't be sitting around in it all the time.

What I would recommend: look for an apartment/townhouse complex that is close to a metro station. Within walking/biking distance is ideal. This will help put the city at your fingertips, so you and your husband can take trips and date nights into the city on weekends.

The Orange Line goes out into the area of Virginia that you are looking for. I would recommend looking at places within walking distance of East or West Falls Church, to start.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by barryhussein

Let me recommend West Virginia--it's kind of like NM with trees. Lots of mobile homes, too.

I was curious what I posted that made you think I wanted somewhere like NM and that I had any interest in mobile homes? Actually I have been to WV and didn't see anything that remotely reminded me of NM.

[ajzjmsmom]

Originally Posted by DCguy03

I know it can be challenging moving to a new area (I moved here at the beginning of '08) but NoVA is an amazing place and you will love exploring this new area. There is so much to do here, since DC is close by with all sorts of concerts, live events, free museums, amazing restaurants, and more.

Yes, housing prices are higher here, but people just tend to live in smaller places. That might sound tough to do at first, but when you are in a metropolitan area with so much to do, you don't really need a big house because you won't be sitting around in it all the time.

What I would recommend: look for an apartment/townhouse complex that is close to a metro station. Within walking/biking distance is ideal. This will help put the city at your fingertips, so you and your husband can take trips and date nights into the city on weekends.

The Orange Line goes out into the area of Virginia that you are looking for. I would recommend looking at places within walking distance of East or West Falls Church, to start.

Thanks for the info. My boys are actually really excited to move there. They loved all the stuff we did last summer.