Living In Kingstowne but cant afford it...please help!! (Alexandria: real estate, condo)

[KurlyKarita]

Myself, husband, and two year old daughter live in a 2 bedroom condo that we bought in kingstowne about 6 years ago and my husband and I make a combined salary of around $125K. But it seems like we cant get much of a house if we were to stay in Kingstowne! We're expecting our second child and are greatly outgrowing our 1100 sq. foot home here. We've been looking all over...Prince William county....Loudoun county...Centreville, chantilly and a whole lot of other areas that seem a little cheaper. But I keep hearing that the commutes are terrible. I currently work in Fairfax and have about a 30 minute commute and the same is for my husband (who currently works in Old Towne Alexandria). I would like to live near a metro or anything that wouldn't give my husband a crazy commute. Does anybody have any recommendations for any areas that would also have great schools? We would like to spend around $400K for a house!

[g3org3]

If you haven't already, try searching in the Burke Centre/Burke/West Springfield area. Lots of nice (or acceptable) older subdivisions with decent schools. While not near a Metro stop, the commute to Alexandria wouldn't be terrible (at least not as bad as from Chantilly or Loudoun) and your commute to Fairfax woud be shorter.

[Newk]

22152 along Rolling Road, near its intersection with Old Keene Mill Road. That might be out of your range though. Might have settle for an older townhouse.

[Flamingo13]

There are older homes in my neighborhood but most have been taken care off, have upgrades, etc. - they are smaller Cape Cods or Ramblers for the most part but they are detached houses, have yards and many are in your price range, great location metro-wise as well as to both your jobs. Zip: 22304
(Unless you are a McMansion person who thinks they "need" 5,000 s.f. of space for a couple people)

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by Flamingo13

There are older homes in my neighborhood but most have been taken care off, have upgrades, etc. - they are smaller Cape Cods or Ramblers for the most part but they are detached houses, have yards and many are in your price range, great location metro-wise as well as to both your jobs. Zip: 22304
(Unless you are a McMansion person who thinks they "need" 5,000 s.f. of space for a couple people)

With all due respect this is the only halfway decent SFH house under $400k that's is available in 22304 and I think they can do much better. Not to mention that Patrick Henry Elementary School is not that good.

4041 Taney Ave, Alexandria, VA, 22304 - MLS #AX7191457 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

Try 22315 or some of 22310 not far from Kingstowne.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...315_1112538320

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by Newk

22152 along Rolling Road, near its intersection with Old Keene Mill Road. That might be out of your range though. Might have settle for an older townhouse.

I agree. Check out the 22152 zip code which takes you from the Rolling Road area over towards Hunt Valley and Huntsman Blvd.

[bmwguydc]

I agree with 22152, and would also consider Lake Braddock, and Kings Park, a few minutes from West Springfield off Burke Lake Road or Rolling Road. It's not a horrible commute to Old Town from either locale, and if your husband does not have parking, or does not want to pay for parking, he can take Metro from Franconia to Old Town. It's also just a few minutes to Fairfax from both of those areas.

[bornindc]

You should look at 22151, North Springfield/Kings Park. There are express buses to the Pentagon and local buses to other area, there might even be one that goes down Braddock, where you could transfer to a line that runs down Rt. 236 in to Old Town. I'm in North Springfield and love it, a lot of young families, access to Lake Accotink park, very low crime, etc. There are definitely SFHs in your price range too. These are older houses but most are well kept. A lot of people lump it in with the central Springfield or Edsall Park areas which aren't as nice, so it's sort of a nice, hidden gem. Everyone of my neighbors love it here, many rented in the area first and then bought as they liked the area so much.

[KurlyKarita]

Thank you so much! I just wish that I were getting a house that I really liked for 400K! We might have to just move out of the area...to Dallas?

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by KurlyKarita

Thank you so much! I just wish that I were getting a house that I really liked for 400K! We might have to just move out of the area...to Dallas?

What kind of house would that be?