How is Marumsco Village in Woodbridge? (Lake Ridge, Fairfax: crimes, houses, neighborhoods)

[Robert450]

I went to Marumsco Village last Sunday night, at dusk. Marumsco Village is a pocket of Woodbridge bordered by I-95 on the West, Occoquan RD on the North, Route-1 on the East and Prince William Prkwy on the South.

It didn't look " ghetto" to me, looked clean, and didn't see any criminal activiy. I was around the neighborhood for about two hours. They're are selling houses there, but they are kind of old, from the 50's. I can't really tell being there for just two hours after dark. I'm hoping to see how people rate the area now.

Thanx in advance.

[jaywallace]

I personally wouldn't live there (I lived in that area in the early 80's when it was halfway decent). Any other places you were thinking about? If your price range is right you can get the same thing in a new area in Lake Ridge or some parts of Montclair. MUCH nicer areas IMHO.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by nitrovic

I personally wouldn't live there (I lived in that area in the early 80's when it was halfway decent). Any other places you were thinking about? If your price range is right you can get the same thing in a new area in Lake Ridge or some parts of Montclair. MUCH nicer areas IMHO.

Agreed. I wouldn't live there.

[oneasterisk]

I'll agree with the above. I looked in that area for some investment properties, but the didn't like what I saw. I have a pet peeve of narrow streets and that area has very narrow streets. When cars park on the street, there is only enough room for one car to pass on some of the streets. I understand it's an older neighborhood, but that just shows poor planning. You can now find fixer uppers there for 90k-140k, so if you don't mind living in an older neighborhood then you can own a home for relatively cheap.

For a bit more money, you can buy into Lakeridge and that's only a few miles further on Oldbridge. Although a few miles on Oldbridge in the morning can take 30 minutes sometimes - LOL

[ZakAttack]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

I have a pet peeve of narrow streets and that area has very narrow streets. When cars park on the street, there is only enough room for one car to pass on some of the streets. I understand it's an older neighborhood, but that just shows poor planning.

For a bit more money, you can buy into Lakeridge and that's only a few miles further on Oldbridge. Although a few miles on Oldbridge in the morning can take 30 minutes sometimes - LOL

Ditto above. I share that pet peeve.
So unless you really want an older home in a cheaper area, with an older feel to it, I would try the other suggested areas. Either a little north, or a little south will give you nicer areas. General advice to avoid the older neighborhoods off Route 1 in PW County. There may be some exceptions.

[Mike From NIU]

Marumsco Village is a blue-collar neighborhood that offers blue-collar workers the rare chance to own a SFH in NoVA without an exotic mortgage. You certainly won't get a mansion, but you can definitely find a small home. My wife and I can't picture ourselves there, though, because of the small lots and narrow streets.

If your budget restricts you to prices around Marumsco Village, I would suggest also considering Marumsco Hills, just to the south of Marumsco Villiage, instead. (Marumsco Hills is the one that's between Optiz and PW Parkway and between US1 and I-95.) It's about 30-50K more than Marumsco Village (ie, homes from $130-200K), but the homes and lots are a bit bigger. The streets are also a wider. That will probably be one of the first neighborhoods we consider when we enter the market in a year.

Visit the area on other days, too, and the weekend, to see if you continue to get a decent vibe from Marumsco Village.. If so, and that's the neighborhood for you, go for it. Good luck.

[Robert450]

For a bit more money, you can buy into Lakeridge and that's only a few miles further on Oldbridge. Although a few miles on Oldbridge in the morning can take 30 minutes sometimes - LOL

I've never visited Lakeridge, but from what people say here, is a nice place. I could afford it if i were married, but i'm a single man, just one income.

What I like about Marumsco Village is its proximity to I-95 and Fairfax county.

I've read here about Lakeridge's commute eastbound towards I-95. 30 minutes just to get to the highway? that's ridiculous.

Areas that are strategic like MV should be the ones that cost more,but apparently, if the area is blue-collar, is not going to be " nicer" than Lakeridge, only gentrification can turn MV more expensive than Lakeridge.

[Robert450]

General advice to avoid the older neighborhoods off Route 1 in PW County. There may be some exceptions.

I've seen this alot on the NOVA threads. why is that? because of crime? the demographics? the architecture/infrastructure( old houses)?

I don't understand all the route-1 phobia. Is route-1 bad in Fairfax County too? I used to live near route-one in Engleside for a while, an area of Fairfax county, some people were telling me that the area was bad too, but I found it ok, i felt safe there.

Please don't take these questions the wrong way,I'm just curious.

[Nemesis16]

^ It's because the general consensus is that blacks and hispanics are bad and those are the people that live in that area the most.

To put it all in perspective in a blunt manner though, yes, a good share of the crimes are there, and less-attractive houses are located off of route 1 for the most part. Also, most people tend to be scared away by the greater amounts of illegal immigrants that are harbored in the vicinity and by the fact that a major, busy road is nextdoor.

Overall though, it's mostly a safe place to live although I would recommend checking out various neighborhoods for your own preferences and what you would deem acceptable to live in.

[Robert450]

Originally Posted by Nemesis16

^ To put it all in perspective in a blunt manner though, yes, a good share of the crimes are there, and less-attractive houses are located off of route 1 for the most part. Also, most people tend to be scared away by the greater amounts of illegal immigrants that are harbored in the vicinity and by the fact that a major, busy road is nextdoor.

Overall though, it's mostly a safe place to live although I would recommend checking out various neighborhoods for your own preferences and what you would deem acceptable to live in.

How is the crackdown on the illegal immigrants getting along? I've read that many of them have left PWC and gone to Fairfax. Are things getting worse or better in that section of Woodbridge now?