Would like to buy a house in NoVa but don't know if we'll be able to find what we're looking for (Arlington: short sale, foreclosure)

[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.

[Flamingo13]

If you've lived here for that long, you must know some areas - I live in Alexandria (City), there are great neighborhoods and nice homes in this area as well as Arlington, Fairfax County, etc. that are priced below $600K - you do need to realize that you need a "vision" and some work might be involved but I find it hard to believe that you are seeing shacks at that price.

[Tone509]

Considering 30 minutes often means only 15 miles during rush hour, that's a pretty tall order to find a pristine SFH in one of the more idyllic neighborhoods of the closer-in suburbs for less than $600K that isn't a foreclosure or short sale. Loudoun or Prince William County, absolutely. Fairfax County let alone Arlington and Alexandria would be tough. Your budget would probably get you a top-line TH in most of the areas you are looking, though.

The reality of the DC metro, particularly in NOVA, is that the steady, often booming job market attracts lots of people which drives up the cost of housing. If the idea of a SFH is non-negotiable, you may need to adjust some of your other variables.

[NOVAmtneer82]

You're finding older housing stock because you are looking in the inner suburbs that were predominantly built up 25-50 years ago. Your price range is simply just not realistic for a newer home inside the beltway. There is just too much demand and not enough supply, therefore people are willing to pay $600-700K for older homes that need updating.

In the end you are going to have to decide whether you are willing to trade a longer commute for a newer home out in Loudoun or Prince William Counties OR if you are willing to settle for a townhouse inside the Beltway. I know for fact you can get a nice townhouse in those communities well within your price range.

[claremarie]

Is it possible to find a "dream home" for less than $600K in NoVa, within a 30 minute commute from downtown DC?

The short answer is no. You already know this, because you have been visiting open houses and reviewing the listings. 30 minutes during the peak of rush hour might get you 7 miles. As the previous poster indicated, the close-in suburbs were built up long ago, and any newer construction is well beyond your price range. If you haven't already done so, start working with a realtor who can help you figure out the best available options in your price range.

[jmking]

Check out Springfield. Specifically Saratoga and Tarra Grande on Rolling Road. These homes were built in the late 70s early 80s. Many are over 2000 sf with 2 car garages with a quarter acres of land. Just minutes from 95 and 495. I would think you'd be able to buy under $600,000 now. In a couple of years BRAC will have completed its base realignment causing the homes to increase in value.

[claremarie]

Springfield would be a good option to consider; however, it is not within 30 minutes of downtown DC.

[jmking]

With no traffic you can be downtown in less than 30mns. That would be off work hours for sure.

[claremarie]

For sure. But most people aren't commuting then.

[knopfler]

Your problem is that you're looking in the single most expensive areas - Vienna, Great Falls, Arlington, Tysons - in the entire Northern Virginia area. A lot of this price is for image, some more of this price is for commutability, and a good chunk of this price is for the school districts in these localities - which you don't really value.

My advice is to realize that first time home buyers who aren't independently wealthy just aren't able to buy "dream homes" in the areas you're targeting. Your expectations are totally unreasonable for the areas you're looking in. It's okay to admit that.

Second is to evaluate the arbitrary-sounding 30 minute commute figure. Is there a reason you came up with that number? The moment that number becomes 45 minutes (depending on when you're travelling, where in DC, and what mode of transportation you're using of course) the whole world opens up to you. There are lovely homes in Annandale (zip code 22003) straddling the beltway that would fit your criteria. Ditto for Fairfax (zip codes 22031, 22032, 22033, 22030). Likewise with some similarly less-expensive areas of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Springfield.

And of course, it depends *greatly* on your method of transportation. Heck, I live in Manassas, work in Arlington, and I got door to door today in about 60 minutes. For 400k you could buy a *really* nice house here. I'm able to cut my commute time and expense way way down because I'm not insisting on being a single passenger auto on the road each morning. If that's part of your design on getting to DC in the mornings it's well worth revisiting.

I hope this helps!