Considering Move to No. Virginia

[Claire2900]

I agree with a lot of posters. It's a really good idea to rent for a year. This area is so diverse and without experiencing it for yourself... plus you really won't know what you'll put up with and what compromises you're willing to make. I will mention the new construction in and around Tyson's will get really brutal until the HOT lanes are completed and the rail to Tysons. So compromise on house for easier commute? Who knows? A website I highly recommend is greatschools.net. LOADS of information on all schools in FX, PW, Loudoun, etc. Don't discount whole towns in this area either. You can hear negative press about a town, but there a pockets/neighborhoods within it that feed to great schools, be in a great community.. this is why it's best to move here, keep your ear to the ground, talk to co-workers, get a feel for what you're priorities are

[schmitty34]

Renting is definitely an option for us. Anyone with suggestions for a good website for looking at rentals?

The one reason why buying might be a good idea is because the company will be buying my house in Seattle and assisting with the purchase of something in NOVA. I don't have all the details, but I may not want to pass up some of the benefits of the relo by not buying....although it may not be worth it if we don't find what we want.

Also, I am not sure about the tax implications for selling my house with a lot of equity and not transfering it to another house.

Renting may still be a better option. I'm just trying to cover all options.

[Denton56]

For renting I use craigslist, northern virginia apts/housing for rent classifieds - craigslist Also if you go to longandfoster.com and look down toward the bottom, you can find a link to search rental listings. This site is also good for rentals, HomesDatabase - Home for Sale and Rent in DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania

[claremarie]

"Also, I am not sure about the tax implications for selling my house with a lot of equity and not transfering it to another house."

The old "rollover" rule was replaced more than ten years ago. Married couples can now exclude up to $500K in gain on the sale of their principal residence (in most cases) without any requirement of "rolling over" the proceeds into the purchase of a new residence.

[schmitty34]

Originally Posted by claremarie

"Also, I am not sure about the tax implications for selling my house with a lot of equity and not transfering it to another house."

The old "rollover" rule was replaced more than ten years ago. Married couples can now exclude up to $500K in gain on the sale of their principal residence (in most cases) without any requirement of "rolling over" the proceeds into the purchase of a new residence.

Good to know...thanks! I knew something was different, but wasn't exactly sure.

[DC Oldtimer]

If I were you, I'd make good use of a wonderful website called franklymls.com. It lets you search the available homes for sale by price, zip, and lots of other variables.

Let's say you want to look for a home in Annandale between 400 and 500K. Here's your search:

FranklyMLS.com Virginia & DC MLS via Keyword Search & Wiki. Homes for Sale

You would probably then want to narrow the results to those that are in the desired school districts. This is a good idea not only from the educational standpoint but from an investment standpoint. Prices have been dropping dramatically in the areas that lack the sought-after schools while price changes have been far less dramatic in areas located in school districts such as Woodson.

You'll notice a column with the subdivision listed. Check out homes in Willow Woods, Truro, Camelot, Canterbury Woods, Coleridge, Wakefield Forest these are all in good school districts and nice places to live. When in doubt, click on the MLS number and bring up the listing. The school info will be there.

After you are done, change the zip code in the search box near the top of the screen to 22031, then 22032. All results should be in good school districts.

I am sure other posters will have zip codes to suggest, but these are the ones that come to mind as close to Beltway exits that will get you to McLean in a commuting time that won't tear your hair out.

Final word: do not buy into the notion that some zip codes are out of your price range. You never know what you might find if you look. You might even find a 500K house in McLean; the real estate crash has really had an impact here.

[claremarie]

If you find a $500K house in McLean, it will need $200K of renovations.

[ZakAttack]

Yeah, I think more like a 500K condo in McLean.

[movtova]

Originally Posted by Samara11

There's a new community called Winsbury homes near the the future Arcola town center which our friends are buying a home in. They got a brand new ready to move-in home with a Stone-front on a 10,000 sq ft. lot (partially finished walk-up basement) for $509,000 ...... I was amazed. Maybe its cheaper since it falls under the 20166 zip code.

Anyways, coming to the point.... South riding is a very nice suburban area for families (we almost bought there) but if you have normal commute times (8 to 5) you may be in for a longer drive than 30 mins, the toll-road is crazy during rush hours starting from the Reston exits all the way to McLean, its pretty much stop and go (especially on Monday mornings). Earlier hours should not be a problem at all.

I like this community.I like the small community feeling.But before I jump into buy there wanted to know any how this community will be in the future.There are no amenities though and no natural gas supply yet ..the heating is by propane tank in the backyard.Any members in the forum who already live here..Can you share your experiences?The industrial area around it might have some negative impact

Samara11,
If it is not too much to ask,do you know your friend's experience purchasing a home in this community.