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I've done it all living in several places in northern VA over a working career spanning 30 years in the area, from ultra commuting 70+ miles each way to currently a short bike commute. Like others have said, my advice would center on being as close as you can afford to your husband's place of work. And by close I mean within 5 or 10 miles, rent a small, old apt if necessary to do this. After you've been in the area for a while you will get a better sense for the significant tradeoffs in location vs quality of life you must accept when you decide to lay down roots.
"Hubby can live anywhere" is confusing me. Does that mean he doesn't have to report to a central place to work? Does he have to drive at all as part of his work? If commuting or driving is taken out of the equation, then you will obviously get more for your money way out in places such as those suggested by 5stones. If you are a water person go East, if you are a mtn person go West. Western northern VA may be more like southern NH.
BUT the OP said NOTHING about commuting into DC! She wanted to about 30miles away. Husband can work anywhere.
ALSO the OP said nothing about wanting a DEVELOPMENT!! for all you know they want 5 acres and chickens!
Beside people have to live somewhere and like it or not many military and government families have NO choice when it comes to moving here! and we don't get HUGE pay insentives either, so we have to move Out! also lots of people like living a in more RURAL places and want to keep it that way!
maybe you want to give me an extra $1000/month so I can afford to live inside the beltway.
I don't buy it.
I see middle class families not in Loudon County, it's very wealthy exclusive communities, like South Riding.
People who 'got to have' 5 bedrooms and 'oudo' each other with fancy homes, you can afford a nice, decent sized home and lot in Fairfax.
You do not have to go into Loudon and most defintely do not have to bring down the quality of life for the Shenendoah Highlands and Central VA just to get a nice place.
It's a misconception...people, realtors, yuppies, consumers in Northern VA spread the myth you can't afford Fairfax as an excuse to landsack Loudon County.
Myth.
People want 6 bedroom estate sized houses, then wonder why they can't afford Fairfax.
The middle class can afford Fairfax so long as they stop trying to show off, which some us who care about what Northern VA used to be, a nice, scenic place with green, can retain what little is left.
Don't encourage or spread more myths about Middleburg, Western Loudon, Purceville, Lovettsville, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, Culpepper, and Winchester.
Those areas HAVE NOT been claimed yet by greedy realtors and developers yet and we don't need to act like they're available or have become the new suburbs, they have a hard enough time fighting off pressure.
I was posting because to say Middleburg, Lovettsville, Purceville, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, Culpepper, and Winchester are suburban is WRONG.
They are RURAL and to advertise it falsely can lead to people pressuring those areas to change, which would be a disaster.
I've done it all living in several places in northern VA over a working career spanning 30 years in the area, from ultra commuting 70+ miles each way to currently a short bike commute. Like others have said, my advice would center on being as close as you can afford to your husband's place of work. And by close I mean within 5 or 10 miles, rent a small, old apt if necessary to do this. After you've been in the area for a while you will get a better sense for the significant tradeoffs in location vs quality of life you must accept when you decide to lay down roots.
"Hubby can live anywhere" is confusing me. Does that mean he doesn't have to report to a central place to work? Does he have to drive at all as part of his work? If commuting or driving is taken out of the equation, then you will obviously get more for your money way out in places such as those suggested by 5stones. If you are a water person go East, if you are a mtn person go West. Western northern VA may be more like southern NH.
If you want close, affordable decent housing, you can get in Fairfax, Prince William, and East Loudon.
If you want rural life or more toned down less ugly cement jungles, which coming from NH I'm sure you do, Western Loudon and points west, from Western Prince William County through Fauquier, and Stafford/Fredericksburg south are places to go, just don't expect nearby shopping or conveneinces, do expect nice, quiet, naturally beauty and less pollution.
Those areas still have rural character and have not been sold out to bland yuppies.
sorry but when we looked here for housing in Sept 2005. We looked in Fairfax a the only 5 houses that were UNDER $500k and yes they were small but not too bad. But they all needed work...most hadn't been touched since they were built in hte 1970's. I have 3 kids and Dog...piling all of into a 2 bedroom 1500 sqft house wasn't doable.
We left our old house in PA bulit in 1964 3 bedroom 2200sqft ....we weren't looking for a 3000+ sqft house McMansion. We wanted a nice house in aNICE neighborhood.
now the market has softened and more houses in hte fairfax county are avail. But not many under 400K that don't need 100k worth of work.
We looked at 1 house in Burke it was 480k in2005...wow great price. Well it needed new roof, and new hvac... that was before we saw the inside...OMG everything was original...1972...paint (well what wasn't black with dirt) carpet with lovely stains and all..linoleum in the kitchen with holes, counter with burn marks...don't even get me on the baths...
moving here is a financial hardship for many govt empolyees...WE are given ORDERS not a choice! our neighborhood is very middle class... we budget and scrimp and save to afford our mortgage. yeah...I'm a yuppie with my beat up old van with 107K miles on it. Im not going to argue that there aren't yuppies all over Loudound county...South riding, ashburn etc... but there are just as many of us "MIddle class" just surviving paycheck to paycheck!
And have you seen the new big developments in Purceville?? it's suburbia dude! Luckettes...huge buliding going on all along rt 15 almost all the way to point of rocks.
sorry but when we looked here for housing in Sept 2005. We looked in Fairfax a the only 5 houses that were UNDER $500k and yes they were small but not too bad. But they all needed work...most hadn't been touched since they were built in hte 1970's. I have 3 kids and Dog...piling all of into a 2 bedroom 1500 sqft house wasn't doable.
We left our old house in PA bulit in 1964 3 bedroom 2200sqft ....we weren't looking for a 3000+ sqft house McMansion. We wanted a nice house in aNICE neighborhood.
now the market has softened and more houses in hte fairfax county are avail. But not many under 400K that don't need 100k worth of work.
We looked at 1 house in Burke it was 480k in2005...wow great price. Well it needed new roof, and new hvac... that was before we saw the inside...OMG everything was original...1972...paint (well what wasn't black with dirt) carpet with lovely stains and all..linoleum in the kitchen with holes, counter with burn marks...don't even get me on the baths...
moving here is a financial hardship for many govt empolyees...WE are given ORDERS not a choice! our neighborhood is very middle class... we budget and scrimp and save to afford our mortgage. yeah...I'm a yuppie with my beat up old van with 107K miles on it. Im not going to argue that there aren't yuppies all over Loudound county...South riding, ashburn etc... but there are just as many of us "MIddle class" just surviving paycheck to paycheck!
And have you seen the new big developments in Purceville?? it's suburbia dude! Luckettes...huge buliding going on all along rt 15 almost all the way to point of rocks.
I am afraid to drive west on 7 or north on 15.
I remember Lucketts being nothing, in fact I thought everthing north and west of Leesburg was 1 hourse per 3 acres thus preventing mega subdivisions.
How can this be?
I'm afraid it's be hard to see how what was once so nice is not being paved over.
So basically you're like me, 2200 sq feet not a 3000 sq feet gated golf club community, and you can't get that in all of Fairfax?
Not Fairfax City, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly?
not in 2005 when we bought. We almost bought a TH that was in the Reston area for 485K it was 2000sqft with a very small yard (no fence for the dog) but closer to hubby's work.
Then this house in Leesburg dropped from 525K to 499K and we bought. It's 2450sq ft (basiclly a detached TH!!) but in a great family neighborhood where my kids can walk to the pool and ride bikes etc...We though..great SFH will have better re-sale in 2years than a TH. But now it's only worth about 450K.
not in 2005 when we bought. We almost bought a TH that was in the Reston area for 485K it was 2000sqft with a very small yard (no fence for the dog) but closer to hubby's work.
Then this house in Leesburg dropped from 525K to 499K and we bought. It's 2450sq ft (basiclly a detached TH!!) but in a great family neighborhood where my kids can walk to the pool and ride bikes etc...We though..great SFH will have better re-sale in 2years than a TH. But now it's only worth about 450K.
So goes the market!!
OK well since you are out in Leesburg let me ask, is Western Loudon, Purceville, Lovettsville, Lucketts, still rural and protected?
Is it suburban or rural relative to say Fairfax County?
What is going on there, I thought it was protected with 1 house per 3 acres.
I thought it was protected with 1 house per 3 acres.
LOL! are you familiar with TOLL bro and Ryan etc...
Leesburg is the most built up and the most surburban. Some neighborhood have yards of .5 acres (mostly the older neighborhoods) most are .20 and less. Our neighborhood is 13 years old so we have some nice bigger trees etc... but the houses are within spittin' distance. We have one of the smallest lots at..... hold on..... .08 acre!! woohoo. The avg is .15 I believe.
But just past my house is rt 15 and there is still a big old farm next to Ida lee.
in our neighborhood there is an old historic farm of about 8 acres. So while you have these developments with pools etc... you still have the pockets of land of over 5 acres. But the newer developments are building BIGGER houses and since most of what they are building on are old farms or horse land there are no tress etc... (over on the west side of Leesburg...evergreen mills area)
Purceville still holds on to an old town charm and it's smaller than Leesburg, but Developments are being built in there as well. larger lots from about .25-.5 acre are the norm (of course those run 500-700K)
Luckettes is a mess IMO...only way to get in or out is rt 15 and after Battlefield road it goes down to just 2 lanes. It can take you up to 45 min to get from the Outlet mall in Leesburg to the old Luckettes store (normally 15min) Toll bros and Ryan have gone in and are building neighborhood after neighborhood. yes the houses are big 3000sqft+ but they are on .5-5acres. But there is nothing there....no grocery stores etc... so you have to come into leesburg for everything....and after 3pm on friday forget getting back into Luckettes easily. Antique stores, farmers mrkt, and 2 gas stations, elementary school that's it. Traffic is a nightmare!
Lovettesville is booming... it will be as big as Windchester in few years. It's close to Point of Rocks and the MARC so DC commuters have it better there than Leesburg/Ashburn. sAme with those working in Rockville Bethesda etc... lots of MD comuters in Lovettesville.
But even with all the development you still have some hold outs...so you can drive 5 min out of leesburg and be in the country. We love the drive from leesburg to Ft Royal little has changed in 20years.
sorry for rambling on so....
so back on topic....(don't want to lock it up!!)
Original poster....
Where would your husband work...you said anywhere? does that mean his job is availbale in any town? or he telacommutes? works from home? or is just willing to drive hours and hours to get to work??
LOL! are you familiar with TOLL bro and Ryan etc...
Yes, those selfish house wreckers.
Quote:
Leesburg is the most built up and the most surburban. Some neighborhood have yards of .5 acres (mostly the older neighborhoods) most are .20 and less. Our neighborhood is 13 years old so we have some nice bigger trees etc... but the houses are within spittin' distance. We have one of the smallest lots at..... hold on..... .08 acre!! woohoo. The avg is .15 I believe.
But just past my house is rt 15 and there is still a big old farm next to Ida lee.
in our neighborhood there is an old historic farm of about 8 acres. So while you have these developments with pools etc... you still have the pockets of land of over 5 acres. But the newer developments are building BIGGER houses and since most of what they are building on are old farms or horse land there are no tress etc... (over on the west side of Leesburg...evergreen mills area)
Quote:
Purceville still holds on to an old town charm and it's smaller than Leesburg, but Developments are being built in there as well. larger lots from about .25-.5 acre are the norm (of course those run 500-700K)
I thought everything NORTH and WEST of Leesburg was 1 house per 3 acres and thus RURAL and protected, is Purceville, Lovettsville, Lucketts, protected?
Quote:
Luckettes is a mess IMO...only way to get in or out is rt 15 and after Battlefield road it goes down to just 2 lanes. It can take you up to 45 min to get from the Outlet mall in Leesburg to the old Luckettes store (normally 15min) Toll bros and Ryan have gone in and are building neighborhood after neighborhood. yes the houses are big 3000sqft+ but they are on .5-5acres. But there is nothing there....no grocery stores etc... so you have to come into leesburg for everything....and after 3pm on friday forget getting back into Luckettes easily. Antique stores, farmers mrkt, and 2 gas stations, elementary school that's it. Traffic is a nightmare!
Basically Lucketts is rural but with some McMansion development, but still rural since it lacks commerce and major developements due to land restrictions?
Quote:
Lovettesville is booming... it will be as big as Windchester in few years. It's close to Point of Rocks and the MARC so DC commuters have it better there than Leesburg/Ashburn. sAme with those working in Rockville Bethesda etc... lots of MD comuters in Lovettesville.
Again isn't Lovettesville PROTECTED due to it being N and W of Leesburg?
Is it losing it's charm or still rural?
Quote:
But even with all the development you still have some hold outs...so you can drive 5 min out of leesburg and be in the country. We love the drive from leesburg to Ft Royal little has changed in 20years.
Therein lies my question and problem with Northern VA.
Is west Loudoun still rural or suburban, you confused me there AND don't you see how development is ruining the country?
I remember being able to cross into Loudon and it being scenic, now it's ugly.
A brief history -
I lived in North Shore, Massachusetets all my life (40 years). Relocated to OK 10 years ago with 3 young children and hubby. Not good emotionally - very attached to Mom in Mass. Moved to CO in 2004. Moved to Chantilly, VA in June 2006 - I was willing to move anywhere that would bring me closer to my aging parents and allow me to see them more than once a year. Mom died in November - I'm crushed!
When preparing to move to VA we were trying to stay close to Sterling - yet find "horse property". I am sooooo disappointed. We are renting temporarily (yeah right!) The low quality, huge houses on postage stamps are depressing to rent never mind buy. The townhouses are so packed that they are liked minnie projects. I can see how gangs develop.
The fast pace. The time it takes just to travel to get a quick bite to eat or go to Target. I don't mind traveling time and distance - I mind what should be a 5 - 10 minute travel being 45 minutes. The middle schools and high schools are out at 3:30 and 4:00 which makes it difficult to go to the barn and prepare meals at a reasonable time. Let me know the secret to time management out here, I am desperate for help. We are eating dinner at 8:30 9:00!
Horse property that is reasonably priced and in decent condition is like finding a needle in a haystack. To move to Purciville or Warrenton it sounds like my hubby will travel a good hour and a half on a good day (good days are rare I am learning) I will have to leave my low paying school job in Loudoun to trade it for a lower paying school job "closer to home".
I feel trapped. All I want is 2-3 acres where I can bring my daughter's horse home. I thought moving form the North East to the Midwest was bad. I'd go back to the midwest in a heartbeat.
Trade NH for this?! This is not the life for everyone - to each his own.
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Lost in Northern Virginia
