My Plan? (Arlington, Alexandria, Annandale: middle-class, apartment complexes, rentals)

[VAVA804]

I have been considering relocating for quite some time now. After reading the suggestions I've received on different threads I've decided NOVA is the place for me. I was considering Chicago and Houston as well.

NOVA is the most expensive but it's close to family, has great schools, and 4 seasons.

I've posted here before but back then I was a college student and had a trade as an esthetican. That perticular college did not work out very well for me (read my education thread for details). I am now almost a licensed massage therapist and esthetican and as soon as I finish my test for my new license. I'm going to school to be a surgical tech.

I'm buying myself some time to save up some $$$ and to get any debt I have paid in full. All I have to worry about then would be student loans. This will take roughly a year and a 1/2. I'm hoping to be able to sell my car and not have to worry about those expenses.

I figured I can be a surgical tech and have a small business doing massage and spa services on the side. When I did some research it said a surgical tech's starting salary in the area is around $48,000 and I know at the very least I can get it past $54,000 adding on my services. My research also tells me the best hospitals in NOVA are Inova Health Systems which I believe are largely in Fairfax.

Most importantly I am a single mother. But in a year and a 1/2 my daugther will be finishing kindergarden which means school is FREE. !YAY! This also means I'm NOT looking to do this with a roommate.

Can anyone help me perfect my plan?

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by VAVA804

I have been considering relocating for quite some time now. After reading the suggestions I've received on different threads I've decided NOVA is the place for me. I was considering Chicago and Houston as well.

NOVA is the most expensive but it's close to family, has great schools, and 4 seasons.

I've posted here before but back then I was a college student and had a trade as an esthetican. That perticular college did not work out very well for me (read my education thread for details). I am now almost a licensed massage therapist and esthetican and as soon as I finish my test for my new license. I'm going to school to be a surgical tech.

I'm buying myself some time to save up some $$$ and to get any debt I have paid in full. All I have to worry about then would be student loans. This will take roughly a year and a 1/2. I'm hoping to be able to sell my car and not have to worry about those expenses.

I figured I can be a surgical tech and have a small business doing massage and spa services on the side. When I did some research it said a surgical tech's starting salary in the area is around $48,000 and I know at the very least I can get it past $54,000 adding on my services. My research also tells me the best hospitals in NOVA are Inova Health Systems which I believe are largely in Fairfax.

Most importantly I am a single mother. But in a year and a 1/2 my daugther will be finishing kindergarden which means school is FREE. !YAY! This also means I'm NOT looking to do this with a roommate.

Can anyone help me perfect my plan?

You can probably get okay on that. With some frugal planning, you may be able to find a reasonable 2BR apartment in Annandale that would be a convenient commute to Fairfax. Fortunately, this area has plenty of free attractions and amenities, especially over in the District, to entertain your daughter.

[VAVA804]

Thank you for the recommandation. As I'm looking through the Annadale threads I'm seeing a lot of people referring to it as the ghetto of NOVA. That doesn't concern me really. I understand it just means working class for the most part. However I've also read its not convinent for the metro. I don't want a car. Is this true? Another thing is I've been looking through some rentals and it seems the going rate for a 2 bedroom is $1400 wheather it's Annandale, Fairfax, Springfield or Alexandria. Am I right about that? Last question how do I tell the difference between Annandale and Fairfax? Is Annadale a part of Fairfax or Alexandria or it's own city? I'll start trying to spend more time in the area later this year to get a feel for it.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by VAVA804

Thank you for the recommandation. As I'm looking through the Annadale threads I'm seeing a lot of people referring to it as the ghetto of NOVA. That doesn't concern me really. I understand it just means working class for the most part. However I've also read its not convinent for the metro. I don't want a car. Is this true? Another thing is I've been looking through some rentals and it seems the going rate for a 2 bedroom is $1400 wheather it's Annandale, Fairfax, Springfield or Alexandria. Am I right about that? Last question how do I tell the difference between Annandale and Fairfax? Is Annandale a part of Fairfax or Alexandria or it's own city? I'll start trying to spend more time in the area later this year to get a feel for it.

Annandale is a town in Fairfax County, not to be confused with the City of Fairfax which is a separate entity within the county and is just west of Annandale.

There is a popular belief on this forum that the area of Annandale outside the Beltway (I-495) is more upscale and desirable than further in. It may be a fair assessment to say that the apartment complexes that line the "main drag" of Little River Turnpike (Rt. 236), immediately west of the City of Alexandria cater to working-to-middle-class residents.

It is true that there are no Metrorail stations in Annandale. However, there are a slew of buses that connect to the train stations. As it is, I believe INOVA Fairfax would require a bus ride from the nearest rail station.

$1400 is within the normal range for a 2BR in much of Northern Virginia. As strange as it may sound, I would exercise due diligence on a 2BR for less than $1200.

[Denton56]

I would NOT plan on having no car. That would be a total pain the rear in this area. How would you get your daughter to after school care? Are you going to lug groceries home on a bus? It simply is not practical to live in NOVA without a car.

Annandale has some bad areas and some areas that are totally Korean. If you are Asian, Annandale might be a good choice.

What is a surgery technician? Yes, INOVA Fairfax is our biggest hospital.

Alexandria is a city in Fairfax county, with it's own school system, although there are Alexandria addresses that are not in the city but in Fairfax county and use Fairfax county public schools. Alexandria city schools are not known to be great. Fairfax county public schools are a minefield, some are great, some are not.

[pcity]

Inside-the-Beltway Annandale is not "ghetto" by any stretch of the imagination. That perception seems to come from day laborers gathering at the local 7-11. If you look around in the residential neighborhoods, though, many of them are quite nice.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by Denton56

I would NOT plan on having no car. That would be a total pain the rear in this area. How would you get your daughter to after school care? Are you going to lug groceries home on a bus? It simply is not practical to live in NOVA without a car.

Annandale has some bad areas and some areas that are totally Korean. If you are Asian, Annandale might be a good choice.

I'd agree that it's tougher to get around without a car in most of NOVA outside of Arlington and Alexandria, especially with a little lady to consider.

While Annandale does have a lot of retail that caters to Asians, particularly Koreans, it's not true that the majority of residents are Asian.

[pcity]

What about the Inova hospitals in Springfield or Alexandria? I would think those would be easier to get to without a car. The Springfield one is right near the Metro and the Alexandria one is on Seminary Rd. with a few buses going by it. This way you could live in a more transit-friendly part of the area than Annandale.

[VAVA804]

Yes that's what I want. Thank you pcity. I want safe, transit-friendly,affordablity. Good schools with free/cheap attractions and amenities. I would like to know more about Springfield and Alexandria.

[Denton56]

Why would you not want to have a car? It will make your life so much more difficult. How will you get your daughter to the pediatrician? Or the mall? Or her ballet lessons? Or a hundred other things? An old car won't cost you that much to drive and it's a thousand times more convenient than waiting on the corner, in the rain or sleet, for a bus, towing a child along.