Woodbridge-Dumfries-Bristol (Dale City, Manassas, Lake Ridge: house prices, neighborhoods, schools)

[youngmomto2]

Does anyone know about Woodbridge, Dumfries, or Bristol? How safe is it? Good area for kids? How are the schools?
We're looking at this area because of the house prices, they are so much lower in these three areas than in others.

[RedViolin]

I wouldn't recommend Dumfries, Woodbridge, Dale city. Try looking at Gainesville, Haymarket, Bristow area. Western part of PWC has better schools I've been told and safer. We just bought new townhouse in haymarket, moving next week! I wish you luck.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by youngmomto2

Does anyone know about Woodbridge, Dumfries, or Bristol? How safe is it? Good area for kids? How are the schools?
We're looking at this area because of the house prices, they are so much lower in these three areas than in others.

I assume you mean Bristow? I'd avoid Dumfries and Woodbridge and go with Bristow. Hands down there.

[youngmomto2]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I assume you mean Bristow? I'd avoid Dumfries and Woodbridge and go with Bristow. Hands down there.

Oops, yea that's what I meant...Good to know, thank you.

[youngmomto2]

What about Manassas?

[GreenGene]

There are plenty of nice areas in Woodbridge, Dale City, Dumfries, and Manassas. But you need to look around. I've lived in Dale City (4 different houses in four different neighborhoods) for 28 years, and I've had zero problems. That said, there are neighborhoods in Dale City - and the other three areas - that I would not want to live in.

Do your research - talk to people - if you can, visit some schools, walk/drive through specific neighborhoods - etc. And beware of people who would paint an entire community with one broad stroke.

[oneasterisk]

Where will the parents be working? This area has heavy traffic, so the closer your are to work or mass transit, the better.

Like GreenGene said though, there are good and bad areas of each of those cities. For example, there are some really nice homes on a side street off Minnieville, but just across the street are a bunch of trailer homes. I have a house in Lake Ridge and just bought an investment property in the Harbors of Newport developement, those areas IMO are very nice parts of Woodbridge. Then you have places like Georgetown Village and Bayview, both still in Woodbridge but not so nice.

Bristow is a newer development so amenities should be nicer. If the parents will be working in DC though, have fun with the commute on 66.

[fdeitz]

Bristow is much better than Woodbridge, Dumfries, or Manassas. I would stay away from those 3 places if you can. There are some nice areas in those places, but they are near not so nice areas.

Also, Gainesville is another really great area. I know this as I lived in Manassas up until last October in a townhouse but now have a single family home in Gainesville. I would say Bristow or Gainesville, as long as it doesn't make your commute even longer than it would be from Woodbridge or Dumfries. If you are considering Manassas, then you definitely should look at least at Bristow and also at Gainesville.

[Mike From NIU]

Youngmom,

I would search the forum for some other threads relating to these areas that address a lot of your questions. Some help as you do so: Woodbridge includes traditional Woodbridge 22191, newer Woodbridge aka Lake Ridge 22192, and sometimes Dale City 22193.

Safety really isn't a big issue in Woodbridge. It's not a gated community, but it's also not Southeast DC. Housing may be more by-neighborhood in terms of desirableness compared to Fairfax County, but there really aren't many run-down houses.

These areas generally attract blue-collar workers and (mostly young) families who <gasp> want to own property <\gasp> without being willing or able to afford the exorbitant premium of Fairfax County or closer in. Immigrants are also drawn to this area for the same reason. There are a ton of families with young children, so you definitely would not feel out of place.

You also need to factor in where you or your husband will be working, and then consider commuting options. There are many options available, and they can be overwhelming. The people on this forum are generally very helpful with such questions. Bigoted, inflammatory statements like nwlv's are a distinct minority.

Again, welcome, and I hope you get the information you need!

[youngmomto2]

Thank you for the responses. As to address a few of the members questions, my husband expects a commute of about an hour... from the Bristow area... as we were told by a realtor. Not sure if that information is correct but he is currently working about a mile from the pentagon. It is actually on Columbia Pike - you would get off a few exits before Fort Meyer. Although we are currently in temporary housing across from pentagon row... so he takes surface streets not Columbia Pike.
He found out today he will work 7am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday... then he will be able to make his own schedule for the other 16 hours and just make it up during the work week. So he has a very flexible schedule, and can essentially make his own schedule for the other 16 hours a week. Right now he's planning to work 7am-3pm on Monday and Tuesday, then the weekend hours... we're thinking he should avoid the majority of bad traffic this way.