NOVA vs Florida... where to live? (Fairfax: mortgage, houses, buying)

[Guamanians]

Originally Posted by statecollege

Sure, summers can get hot and humid, but there are normally breaks, not non-stop as in FL. Furthermore the tough part of the summer is only 2-3 mos. long, so much shorter than FL. Regarding the "peace and quiet" comment, I have to disagree some. We have numerous local, regional, and national parks; we have interconnected bike trails, we have a major river for boating; and we have mountains within a 2-hr drive to name some. Here are some examples, personal and otherwise:

- I can walk the two miles from my home (W. Springfield) on a quiet cul-de-sac street to a busy commercial intersection 2 miles away by walking residential streets to a paved path through a wooded strip park with stream, then around a small pond at a county nature center, and then along streets in another quiet neighborhood to arrive at a busy, noisy intersection with a multitude of stores, restaurants, and service stations. My point here is I can, if I choose, do some errands while getting some exercise and solitude.
- I can bike from my home along quiet residential streets to a county recreation center (with indoor pool, squash courts, exercise machines), then along a wooded, paved bike trail for a mile to a park service operated lake surrounded by forest, where I can circumnavigate it for 3 miles before returning home. Many others choose to walk around the lake, rent row boats, or fish. I also have the option of connecting to other bike trails from this same area, which can take me by another lake and along a stream for many more miles of biking.
- A regional bike trail connects Arlington with Purcellville to the west along a former RR right-of-way, a distance of about 30 miles, I believe. In an opposite direction, one can bike to Mt Vernon along the Potomac shore, about 15 mi. one way.
- The grand-daddy of paths in this region is the C&O canal right-of-way which connects Georgetown with Cumberland, MD through a national strip park 180 mi. long! If one wants more biking, he/she can connect from Cumberland to Pittsburgh on the improved Great Allegheny Passage, another 150 miles.

I'm not saying if one lives in an apartment, for example, you will necessarily hear leaves rustling in gentle breezes and birds chirping away instead of the drone of traffic from nearby roads, but one can easily find peaceful spots to walk, bike, or picnic all over this region, if not from your door, then a short drive away.

Yes you can find some peace & quiet... Its just a little harder to do around here than in the Tampa bay area.

[sparklecat]

People usually move here because it's where their best/only job offer is, not because they think their quality of life would be superior here. Just sayin'.

Oh great, now I'm wondering if this is a bad idea.

I don't know if I want to stay in FL because that's where I've been my whole life and change might be nice. And my husband likes four seasons. We also like the opportunities a city has to offer, but we don't want to feel like we're part of a rat race 24/7.

Is traffic bad even on the weekends? Can anyone think of a better place to live that has the DC vibe without the negative aspects?

Looking forward to hearing more responses...

[JonathanBunn]

Hello

My wife and I left the St Pete Beach area around 6 years ago to move up here. I agree with you regarding the weather. I do miss the palm trees, warm weather, and beaches.

However, once I let that go... I came to love the DC area. There was sooo much that this area offered us in terms of things to do, our careers, and we met some of our closest friends here.

Depending on what you are searching for in lifestyle and commute time I could recommend to you some areas to search in when looking for where to live. The price jump is jaw dropping in the beginning but it is what it is. All the best.

[Alicia Bradley]

Originally Posted by sparklecat

Oh great, now I'm wondering if this is a bad idea.

I don't know if I want to stay in FL because that's where I've been my whole life and change might be nice. And my husband likes four seasons. We also like the opportunities a city has to offer, but we don't want to feel like we're part of a rat race 24/7.

Is traffic bad even on the weekends? Can anyone think of a better place to live that has the DC vibe without the negative aspects?

Looking forward to hearing more responses...

Is there any way you could spend maybe a month (or so - a couple weeks, at least) here without committing to a permanent move? IIRC, it was about a month in when I first started to note, "Um, it's actually pretty ugly here" (lots of poorly-maintained roadsides, for instance, even in affluent areas) and "going about one's daily life here can be a gigantic headache" (largely, I now realize, due to the poor infrastructure/high population combo I mentioned in my last post), as well as to wonder, "Where are all the cute neighborhood cafes and gift/stuff-for-your-house stores?" That's also probably the point at which you'd know whether the area would suit you over the long term.

[sparklecat]

I don't know if we'd be able to spend a month there... maybe a week.

Jonathan, what areas would you recommend?

So overall do you think it's a good/average/below average place to live? There must be something good going on for so many people to move there... right?

And what exactly is the "price jump"? Nobody has been able to answer just how much money would be enough to live well in the NOVA area... any ideas? All I have is my florida frame of reference when judging family income... so an estimate would be helpful in judging how far 'x' amount of money goes in DC area.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by sparklecat

And what exactly is the "price jump"? Nobody has been able to answer just how much money would be enough to live well in the NOVA area... any ideas? All I have is my florida frame of reference when judging family income... so an estimate would be helpful in judging how far 'x' amount of money goes in DC area.

Without knowing what housing prices are in Tampa Bay, here's an idea of what you can expect in a moderately desirable and convenient neighborhood:

1BR apt - $1200-$1500

2BR apt - $1400-$1800

1BR condo $250-300K

TH - $400-500K

SFH -$500-$700K+

Add up to $300/month (or $200K) for the most desirable close-in areas. Anything less than the minimum often means a long commute or a neighborhood with a negative perception.

If your goal is to finance a SFH by yourself in a few years, that may not happen. However, if you're comfortable with apartment living, possibly sharing with one or two similarly eager twentysomethings, with the goal of owning a convenient condo in five or ten years, then that would be something to realistically shoot for.

[Alicia Bradley]

Originally Posted by sparklecat

there must be something good going on for so many people to move there... Right?

Mhmm... it's called 'jobs.' Mostly with the federal gov't or its hangers-on. I'm not complaining, though - I take my check and smile.

[slowlane]

The DC metro area has a very high cost of living indeed, although it's definitely lower than NYC, Calif, Alaska or Hawaii. And maybe on a par with Boston or Chicago.

The DC metro area overall has the nation's second-worst traffic congrestion, as ranked annually by the American Autom. Association for the last several years. This is caused by several factors: (1) no new Potomac Bridge crossings (except rail) have been added since 1965, while overall traffic has tripled or quadrupled since that time. Locals consistently fight any proposal to add more bridges. (2) the very high cost of housing drives people (especially familes with children) to buy homes 30, 40, 50 miles out in far "exurbs", where housing is more affordable and they imagine the schools are better. This creates more traffic. (3) DC metro area has the highest rate of working wives in the USA -- and many people work in opposite locations from their spouses, or across the river, so more cars are on the road. (4) I-95 and I-495 have to handle long-distance eastern seabord thru traffic along with local commuter traffic. (5) the eastern suburbs (Prince Geo County) have very few high-paying jobs, so many of their residents must commute to No. VA.

If you move here, do not buy a house until you're sure the location of your job- and live as close to your job as you can.

[sparklecat]

Tone.... thanks for your help! It was both helpful, yet depressing. But guess I needed to see the reality.

Nah, I don't want to share an apartment with other renters. I'm married and want to have kids in a few years! I figured we'd rent for a year and then put about $45,000 down on a place to live.. and that with $120k income, we'd be able to afford something nice... like 3 bedroom, 2 bath place or something like that. Guess not. Well, that's why I asked! I didn't have a clue!

I don't think we want to spend more than 500k on our first home. Our range was more like $350-$475.

This is dissapointing! Guess I should consider some other options. I wonder how Charlotte, NC is.......

[normie]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

People usually move here because it's where their best/only job offer is, not because they think their quality of life would be superior here. Just sayin'.

LOL, aww, it isn't that bad. I disagree with the word "usually." How about a word like "some." As in some people move here for a job offer. Others (like me) move here because they like it here. (And, by the way, FWIW, I think my quality of life is superior here. So there! )

Gotta agree with the advice to try living here for a month or two to see if you like it. Virginia has a very different feel than Florida, so try it out if you can. Maybe you can get a temporary position.

It's hard to describe the difference, but I'll try. Have you ever seen the X-Files? Mulder and Scully would both fit in well in Virginia. If you'd feel comfortable meeting a fair percentage of people who are sort of nerdy/intelligent/intense and commited to a cause or a job like Mulder and Scully, then you'll do well here. (And, of course, there are plenty of people here who are not at all like that. All sorts of people here in Virginia. For example, I'm not like that. I'm fairly laid back. But Mulder and Scully represent a lot of the people you might find here.)