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Old 03-04-2010, 06:44 AM
 
39 posts, read 177,294 times
Reputation: 18

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Wow, thanks for all the help everyone! I think the best thing for me and dh to do is, take a road trip up the East Coast and stop at the cities we're interested in and take a look around.

There's been a lot of good and a little bad mentioned about NOVA/DC area, so I think I should go and check it out more closely as a prospective home buyer vs the tourist I went as last time.

Also it will depend on if we can find jobs there for us and if they pay what we hope they will pay. The 120k was a low estimate, it could be as much as 140k, depending on what job my husband is able to get. If that's the case then maybe I'd feel a little more comfortable with the higher cost of living. Just have to wait and see. Actually he had gotten a job offer from Harris Teeter a couple years back but turned it down because I was still in school, but they told him to apply again when we're ready to move and they'll see what they can do.

Anyways, I'll keep checking back here to see if there's any new advice from you guys, and I'll read some of the older posts on this site as well. I love this place, it's such a great resource!
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Old 03-04-2010, 07:13 AM
 
Location: Virginia
18,717 posts, read 31,070,580 times
Reputation: 42988
Quote:
Originally Posted by sparklecat View Post
There's been a lot of good and a little bad mentioned about NOVA/DC area, so I think I should go and check it out more closely as a prospective home buyer vs the tourist I went as last time.
The good news about Nova and the bad news are the same: northern Virginia is a suburban area, mostly upscale, mostly newly built. It depends on your perspective whether this is good news or bad news. Young kids fresh out of college can find it boring and "cookie cutter", young families often find it delightful, green, very clean.

Here's what Nova doesn't have: We don't have grit, we don't have much crime (compared top DC or other major cities), we don't have old tenement buildings, we don't have bohemian slum-like neighborhoods with bong shops, we don't have quirky old buildings (except in a few historic areas, and there aren't many of those), we don't have much grafitti. What we have is clean (sometimes almost spotless) neighborhoods, parks, landscaped shopping plazas, lots of trees, clean air, great schools, lots and lots of kids out playing soccer--all the trappings of upscale suburbia. We have shopping plazas with Targets and Wegmans--not a lot of mom and pop stores or small fancy boutiques. Is that good news or bad news? It depends on what you like.

It's similar to Tampa--The areas in and immediately around DC are like Seminole Heights. You'll find interesting architecture and it's hip for young singles, but there's also a lot of crime. The outer suburbs are "boring" to many young people but more upscale, less crime.
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Old 03-04-2010, 09:29 AM
 
Location: The Plains, VA
13 posts, read 27,355 times
Reputation: 15
Wait a minute. . .
NoVA has some BEAUTIFUL areas that are commutable to urban life. Picture 5 acres with an icy-cold creek running through and a pond with a canoe in it. I'll be nice and cool this summer in my own backyard enjoying the quiet shade with my feet in the water. Ahhhh. . . DC is too hot, but Virginia is fabulous! Check out a little further down 66 from DC and you'll find some great areas!
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Old 04-20-2010, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
175 posts, read 437,940 times
Reputation: 63
Hello, we have been here 6 months relocating from Punta Gorda, FL. There is lots to do and we are enjoying the weather. The cold was hard to handle in the winter but spring is beautiful. The biggest problem I see here is cost of housing. We are currently renting a 1970 split level house about 1800 sq feet for 2700 a month because it has a yard and not backing up to one of the major highways. A house around 500000 is going to be a 1950s rambler that needs fixing up. A nice house is going to be 700000 and still be 20 years old. There are many wonderful things about this area, so much to do, young people with families but the biggest con for us even more than the traffic is our expectations on housing prices. I expected a new big beautiful house with a yard for 500000. Best of luck
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Old 04-21-2010, 04:18 PM
 
30 posts, read 60,934 times
Reputation: 25
I'm doing the opposite move. Moving from Alexandria to Miami -- strictly career move. However, I LOVE living in NoVA but since I was raised in the area...I think it's time for me to move elsewhere. I am also in the government, so I see myself returning in a couple of years.

One thing I do notice is that 'transient' people LOVE DC....more than the natives. I can't deny it tho...this area has A LOT to offer everyone.
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