Looking for nice walkable area in Fairfax (Reston: to rent, condos)

[mtsmylie]

We're currently living in Reston, but my wife is a finalist for a job on Main Street in Fairfax, so we're looking for a place to rent in Fairfax. She would like a place that's very walkable, with good sidewalks, nearby grocery stores, restaurants, etc.

She loves Whole Foods, and I saw that there's one in the Marketplace Commons area of Fairfax. Are there many 2/3BR condos/townhouses in the area that we could get for no more than $2500/month? Is there anywhere else that you could recommend in that area?

[athousandlogins]

Anywhere in the Fair Lakes or Fair Oaks areas, you should be able to find a nice, new-ish townhouse to rent in your price range. It's far enough outside the Beltway that it's not ridiculously expensive in the area. You'll get a LOT more home for your money than you would futher east. I wouldn't want to do the drive to D.C. every day, but for commuting to Main Street you'll be fine.

That Whole Foods you're talking about is really nice, too. All the shopping in that area is nice.

There is a Wegmans not far from that area, too, with a lot of townhouses around it. That's a little closer to Fairfax Corner, which is more nice upscale shopping, with restaurants and a movie theater.

If you wanted to be even closer to her work, you could even rent a SFH in Fairfax City for that price. But that's a little further from the good shopping.

[barryhussein]

There is a great website called Get Your Walk Score - A Walkability Score For Any Address. Just enter any address in the US and it will give it a score of 0-100. The White House gets a 94, for example. My parents house in PWC gets a 32. There will be certain disparities, but it is still a good guage. I just bought a condo with a score of 69, and it looks like the area is really thriving.

[mtsmylie]

Barry, that's a great idea. I'd completely forgotten about that site.

[FL Beaches]

That site is neat! Where we are is rated 5. Where my sister is...74! Where one friend lives...it can't even pull up the area. LOL! I'd say that's remote!