Would like to buy a house in NoVa but don't know if we'll be able to find what we're looking for

[Bass101]

One thing you might want to think about. If you are going to buy a house in NOVA, I would suggest doing it before November 4th. A new administration means 3,000 new appointees who must move to DC and find houses. Couple that with a couple of thousand new staff members for new Congressmen and Senators, and there's a lot of people looking for a house in the DC area, beginning in November and continuing for 6 months or so.

[SIZE=2]According to the Washington Post's Maryann Haggerty and Elizabeth Razzi, who in their column claim to be the real estate gurus of the region, a change in administration has NO effect on DC real estate. This question has been asked of them many times in the past year. Their answer has always been the same: no significant effect. Plus, if "3,000 new appointees" are coming, that means 3,000 employees are fired and must sell their house, right? I can't wait for the carnage! Go Obama![/SIZE]

[doglover29]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

Unless you have small children at home, maybe you should consider getting a paying job so that you can afford both the land and the house you are looking for? I haven't read all your posts, but I've seen you discuss only your husband's job. If both of you had incomes that would give you additional options. Bear in mind that you are competing for housing against a lot of dual career couples, and a lot of single earners who are older than you and at higher paying career stages, and/or have investments or equity in prior houses that you may not have.

There seem to be a lot of contradictions in your posts. In some you say you "love" the area and that you'll be sad to leave (a lot of people feel that way, which is why the land close-in costs so much). In other posts, e.g., in response to my direct questions, you disliked or were neutral about most of the advantages of the area and placed high priority on one key disadvantage (cost of living, particularly housing). Maybe it would help for you to sort this out a bit more.

I have a job, but my salary is miniscule. Compared to my husband's it is tiny and we're not counting my salary when figuring out what we can afford. Plus, I'm planning on (hopefully) being in grad school starting in the fall, so I won't have a salary then for the next few years. So we're not counting my salary in this calculation for those reasons.

I do love the area but I have mixed feelings about some parts about it: that's pretty normal, I think. I think there are many advantages to the area, and DC is my favorite place I've lived, but I do place very high priority on one key disadvantage of the area, which is the housing cost.

If we move, I will very much miss the area and all it has to offer. I try to take advantage of the city's amenities as often as I can (about once-twice a week). However, we live super close to the city. If we lived in Springfield or somewhere else further out, I doubt we would go into the city that much. Right now, I am the one who goes into the city and does fun things; hubby doesn't have time because he works so much. But if we lived further out, I doubt I would go into the city as much--it would seem like too much of a schlep. So I figure why live here and pay the obscene mortgage if I know we'll take advantage of the city's amenities less?

[Tone509]

Springfield is actually not that far, but I guess it depends on where you're living.

Using the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station as a reference point, it should take 34 minutes to get there from the Springfield/Franconia station, per wmata.com . It's unfortunate that you can't/won't consider some properties in Springfield/West Springfield/Burke as you could find some decent deals in that area with only a slight adjustment in your husband's commute.

[doglover29]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Springfield is actually not that far, but I guess it depends on where you're living.

Using the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station as a reference point, it should take 34 minutes to get there from the Springfield/Franconia station, per wmata.com . It's unfortunate that you can't/won't consider some properties in Springfield/West Springfield/Burke as you could find some decent deals in that area with only a slight adjustment in your husband's commute.

We'll take a look at it. We'll do the commute and see what it's like.

[Tone509]

Great! I should advise you that you may not find too many spanking-new properties out there - besides maybe Burke - but you should at least get a bit more house for your money.

[Denton56]

[SIZE=2]According to the Washington Post's Maryann Haggerty and Elizabeth Razzi, who in their column claim to be the real estate gurus of the region, a change in administration has NO effect on DC real estate. This question has been asked of them many times in the past year. Their answer has always been the same: no significant effect. Plus, if "3,000 new appointees" are coming, that means 3,000 employees are fired and must sell their house, right? I can't wait for the carnage! Go Obama![/SIZE][/quote]

Yeah, I've read that too, but Haggerty and Razzi are not known for their accuracy. They want to sell newspapers and newspaper ads.

There is some overlap of appointees. And most appointees don't get fired, nor do they leave town. They just become lobbyists, like the Fannie Mae guy who was head of Obama's VP committee. You know, the crook who Obama had to fire.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by claremarie

A substantial number of any new administration's appointees will be veteran political types who already live here. Hill staffers tend to be young folks who live in apartments or group houses, and are unlikely to be bidding on crapshacks in McLean. And many of those mid-career appointees who WILL be buying houses will find temporary quarters for the time being and wait until the spring to buy rather than moving their families in the middle of the school year.

Right. That's why I said they will be moving over the next 6 months, following the election.