new job in alexandria need tips for renting home (Arlington: rental, condo)

[cbonn]

My husband is taking a new job in Alexandria and we need help finding the right town to rent a home in. I have 3 small children so I need a safe community with good daycare, preschool, and elementary school. I want to find a place with a manageable commute and a rental price for a nice home around $2500/mth. I have been looking in Woodbridge but the traffic and some of the comments about the safety and schools in the area have me nervous. Can you suggest any place better? I have looked in the Springfield area as well but can't find a home I like in my price range.

[VRE332]

traffic is not a problem for his commute, if he takes the VRE from Woodbridge, and gets off at the Alexandria station on King Street.. Other than that, traffic sucks everywhere you go

[slduvall]

Depends on where in Alexandria. Kingstowne and the surrounding area have all that. Of course most of the places are TH's.

Check out militarybyowner.com and use zip 22315

[oneasterisk]

Can you be more specific on what part of Alexandria? It's a pretty big area? Will he have his own car or relying on public transport for commuting?

[cbonn]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

Can you be more specific on what part of Alexandria? It's a pretty big area? Will he have his own car or relying on public transport for commuting?

He will be working in the Hoffman complex off 1495 on Pershing Rd.. I am told it is across from the Eisenhower Metro Station. He has his own car but if traffic is too much then he will us public transport

[Tone509]

if you can find a place in Kingstowne, then your husband will have a relatively short commute by transit. I'd recommend him taking a bus to one of the nearby Metrorail stations (Van Dorn or Franconia-Springfield) for a short ride to King Street at which point he would switch trains for a 2 minute ride over to Eisenhower. I would not suggest driving as the area near Hoffman is insanely congested.

Alternately from Woodbridge, taking the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) as suggested to King Street then walking across for that short ride to Eisenhower would be a good route. Many people on the forum tout the Lake Ridge section of Woodbridge as one of its more desirable places to live. That might be worth looking into.

[Yankeesfan]

You can rent a large townhouse or an older but very nice single-family house in or near Kingstowne for that price.

[NewVA]

I live near the Van Dorn metro station. I travel regularly down to the Hoffman area to go to Whole Foods. I don't find the traffic in that area crazy congested. In that price range, you do not need to live outside the beltway to find a decent house and good schools. There area nice neighborhoods in Alexandria, Arlington & Annandale that will all fit the need.

We rent a two bed/two bath condo with two spaces in the garage including all utilities (even cable) for $1700. When we were looking for places last year, we looked at several townhouses in the Arlington/Alexandria area for $2000 -$2200 per month that were nice, well maintained, and in good neighborhoods. Check out the Lincolnia neighborhood and the Barcroft neighborhood, as well as Kingstown and Cameron Glen. You may find a smaller single family home in Seminary Hills as well, if you don't mind a 30 minute commute, you can look around Braddock Rd & 495 in Annandale.