Would like to buy a house in NoVa but don't know if we'll be able to find what we're looking for (McLean: wood floors, middle-class)

[Tone509]

To sum things up and reiterate my own point doglover, you will have to adjust one or more of your variables. Finding a new or updated single family home inside the Beltway for less than $700K is just not a realistic option, unfortunately. I'm from Philly and the rents were a shock to me, let alone the home prices... but I adjusted to my new reality.

DC is arguably the job engine of the country with its fair share of culture, entertainment and amenities. If your husband's occupation is in demand in other metros, it makes sense to keep your options open.

[NOVAmtneer82]

I just don't understand what is so hard about your husband adding a mere 15 minutes to his commute. He has no problem spending 70 hours per week at the office but can't add an extra 15-20 minutes in the mornings and evenings so you can find the dream house you are looking for? There is no way someone working those hours is going to have a conventional work schedule, so clearly he won't always be commuting at peak times. Something's gotta give.

If you aren't going to compromise like so many other people in this area have done, then you might as well just start looking elsewhere. No matter how hard you try, you aren't going to find the type of home you are looking for in Arlington, McLean, Tysons, etc. for under $700K...it just doesn't exist.

[Yankeesfan]

We live in our dream house. But it wasn't our first house. We started in a brand-new but small townhouse. With equity from that we were able to buy a brand-new single-family house. And with the equity from that we were able to upgrade to a larger single-family home.

Prioritizing is the key. We like newly-built homes. Others find older homes more charming. At each stage we could have gotten a larger home farther out but keeping the commute reasonable was important. On the other hand we could have kept the commute shorter but then the house would have been older and smaller. Around here only the very wealthy are going to get be able to get everything they want in terms of commute, size, and quality, especially as their first home.

Finally, I suggest that you adjust your attitude. Referring to people's houses as "crapshacks" just because they don't meet YOUR standards and questioning how they can be happy in them is, frankly, rude. Some of the nicest people with beautifully designed and decorated homes also have carports, small yards, townhouses, and other things that you look down on. They enjoy their homes, their families, and their neighborhoods. And not everyone wants to work 70 hours a week in order to pay for a top-of-the-line house.

[Newk]

I am moving to San Antonio from Springfield, VA because of this thread. SFHs in Springfield were 180,000$ in 1987. You should have moved here then. Good luck in your search. I have lived in Northern Virginia for 26 years. I am finally getting out.

[NOVAmtneer82]

You're leaving out a big thing called inflation, $180,000 in 1987 is equivalent to about $350,000 today. Not exactly pocket change for a new SFH in the cheaper southern/midwestern cities that people always compare NoVa prices with. Springfield also was one of the newer burbs in the 1980s compared to today when it is known as an older fairly close-in place. That area is also out of the OPs search criteria because it is longer than a 30 minute commute for her husband.

New single family homes can still be found for 350-400K in the area, they are just in the new crop of suburban areas like Bristow and Haymarket. It all depends on whether one is willing to endure the commute to live in affordable brand new house.

[car54]

Originally Posted by doglover29

....Anyhow, we have been up-front with agents about how we don't think we're going to find anything here and they seem like they don't want to waste their time with us.....

I'm not a Realtor, but I doubt I'd want to burn my gas driving people around that don't think they are going to buy a house either.

You shouldn't be so up-front with them.....

[imisscarlsbadcalifornia]

I understand that when you live in an expensive city you have to downgrade your expectations for a house, but buying a crapshack for $700 really bothers us. How have others come to terms with these outrageous prices for houses that are small, ugly, and in need of major updating? Is it possible to find a "dream home" for less than $600K in NoVa, within a 30 minute commute from downtown DC? It depresses us to think about spending that much, which is why we're seriously considering leaving DC and moving to the midwest, but my hubby loves his job here and we love the DC area in general.

Hello Doglover29:

I nearly laughed out loud when I read your above quote! My husband and I are moving from Denver to NOVA and spent the past week house hunting. We started out with a "no more than 30 minute commute into Dulles" notion, but like you, we found lots of crapshacks...love that term...that look grand and stately on the outside but are, as you said, absolute crap on the inside. So, after an exhaustive search, we acquiesced to a longer commute. We ended up putting in an offer in Haymarket, which is indeed a longer commute than we planned for.

That said, I will tell you that if you'll consider Leesburg, Hamilton, Purcellville, or Haymarket you will find, on occasion, a home that has been well executed and nicely finished with at least some architectural points of interest as opposed to the square boxes that have more square boxes inside of them and are devoid of any character what so ever. And yes, you can do it for under 600.

I would also offer that our realtor was/is amazing. He really listened to what we were looking for and is unrelenting in his pursuit to find properties that meet or exceed your needs. He's also well connected with a number of banks that are in control of so many short sale/foreclosure properties. If you are interested I'd be happy to provide you with his contact information in a private message.

Best of luck to you and your family on your relocation. My husband and I have bought low enough that we'll wait to bank the equity in the home we're buying now to build our dream house 3-5 years down the road if the market cooperates.

[still_looking]

I was looking for a SFH that we dream about, and I thought I would rule out old houses all together as I thought my dream house must be a new house or one built over the last 2 decades or so. We had been looking for half a year before I found one built in the 50's,which was custom-designed, all-brick, in Fairfax (Falls Church), nicely updated and maintained 3-bed, 2-bath for less than 500K. Not as close to the metro as I would want, but only 15 mins drive from East Falls Church/Pentagon and 30 mis drive from DC. The area is near Lake Barcroft and is on a 0.3 acre lot. We absolutely love it so far and would not change for some of the 4-bedroom SFHs built in 90s we saw in Herndon (that would cost a little more). And yes, we think we can live in this house for 20 years or more.

Like you, our criteria about schools are different from some others. For us, we prefer schools with international baccalaureate programs and believe that schools only account for about 1/3 or 1/2 importance in our children's academic success. We will try to teach them ourselves anyway.

My conclusion: it takes time to find a good deal and your dream house. Be flexible and look beyond Mclean if you cannot find what you are looking for there. Of course some zips are very good (particularly if you can afford it), but there are other areas that may be equally good, particularly because real estate varies from one square foot to the next (I am exaggerating, of course, to make a point). I know your agent will not like it, but why should we care about what they like given what we pay them?

Just my 2 cents.

P.S. I should probably change my log in name. Not suitable any more.

Originally Posted by doglover29

My hubby and I have lived in DC for two years and love it here. We have always rented, and are now ready to be first-time homebuyers. We've been looking at houses in NoVa for about a month now and haven't seen anything we like in a price range we're comfortable with (less than $600K). We're only interested in single family houses. We're strongly considering leaving DC for a city with lower cost of living (i.e. Indianapolis) so that we can get our dream house. The houses we've been seeing here don't really have anything we're looking for.

We're mostly seeing 70's style split levels with carports instead of garages or 20's-50's Colonials that are fixer-uppers. We are looking for a nice neighborhood with a decent-sized yard, metro access unimportant, and we prefer a house built in 1980 or later or an older one that is completely updated.

We've been looking in McLean, Vienna, North Arlington, South Arlington, and Dunn Loring/Tysons. We need something that's no more than a 30 minute commute from downtown DC.

We like McLean the best and love the neighborhoods we've seen there--nice sized yards, mature trees, etc.

I understand that when you live in an expensive city you have to downgrade your expectations for a house, but buying a crapshack for $700 really bothers us. How have others come to terms with these outrageous prices for houses that are small, ugly, and in need of major updating? Is it possible to find a "dream home" for less than $600K in NoVa, within a 30 minute commute from downtown DC? It depresses us to think about spending that much, which is why we're seriously considering leaving DC and moving to the midwest, but my hubby loves his job here and we love the DC area in general.

Any specific neighborhoods/houses anyone knows of that fit our criteria? We've been going to lots of showings and open houses but haven't seen anything we like.

We plan on staying in this house for a long time, so we want a really great house.

We don't have kids yet so school districts aren't super important.

[scimitar12]

Originally Posted by handy man88

Who can afford these crapshacks you say?

Last week, it was reported that Loudon Cty has the highest median salary in the nation. I think Fairfax came in second.

Economically speaking, this area is stable because of big government here, contractors, engineers, lawyers, doctors, etc.

This is not some hick town with only people working at Walmart, 7-11, or the dairy queen.

Income is only part of the equation. Most parts of the country have housing that for the same style of house and condition is only worth 40 to 50 percent of what housing is n the D.C., northern Virginia area. As an example, Johnson County Kansas (part the KC, MO metropolitan area) is consistanty rated as one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S., though per capita income is $65,000, well below that of Fairfax and Loudoun counties here. Yet people there live as good, or better than people here. Why? That 800K house is worth about 300K there. In short, people have a lot more disposable income left over for vacation homes, travel, expensive sports cars, etc.

[handy man88]

Originally Posted by scimitar12

Income is only part of the equation. Most parts of the country have housing that for the same style of house and condition is only worth 40 to 50 percent of what housing is n the D.C., northern Virginia area. As an example, Johnson County Kansas (part the KC, MO metropolitan area) is consistanty rated as one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S., though per capita income is $65,000, well below that of Fairfax and Loudoun counties here. Yet people there live as good, or better than people here. Why? That 800K house is worth about 300K there. In short, people have a lot more disposable income left over for vacation homes, travel, expensive sports cars, etc.

Cost of living is the reason, and even though you said Johnson county is considered wealthy, it's not wealthy strictly in a monetary sense, but I get your point.