How high is the snob factor/keeping up with the Joneses in NOVA? (Springfield: violent crime, homes)

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Your toys try to escape too?

LOL, that is SO funny! Everyone and Everything is trying to get out of Reston!

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by Cagirl767

Thank you to those of you who have comiserated about our educational system here. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone, even if the only ones who seem to understand, are a couple thousand miles away!

Gottasay - thanks for the links!

So, if clothing and cars are non-issues there, what about house size? Neighborhood? Is a $500-600k house going to bother any housesnobs? I see that's above the median price range, but we live above the median here and it's not comparable to most in our area and I'm rather positive that's another social issue we have.

Also, in looking at houses on Realtor.com in the areas west of Reston, I've noticed the lack of backyard fences. Will we have to worry about our kids Step 2/Little Tikes types of toys in the backyard? Are we likely to encounter uninvited backyard "guests"?

Fences depend on HOA's. Most allow them, but may dictate the materials and colors. If you live in a neighborhood of houses in the same price range, I'm pretty sure you won't be surrounded by house snobs.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Cagirl767

So, if clothing and cars are non-issues there, what about house size? Neighborhood? Is a $500-600k house going to bother any housesnobs? I see that's above the median price range, but we live above the median here and it's not comparable to most in our area and I'm rather positive that's another social issue we have.

Although $5-600,000 may be above the median for the region as a whole, even in the moderately upscale areas, that is about average or slightly below for a detached home.

That would make it solidly middle class to moderately upper middle class in many areas and you will blend in fine.

Ethnic dining around Ashburn is becoming quite good (there are decent Indian and Thai places along with usual generic Middle Eastern, Chinese and Vietnamese joints). And for grittier ethnic food, Sterling and Herndon nearby can be excellent. Koreatown 2 (i.e. Centreville) is only 20 minutes away during non-peak hours. No less a foodie authority than Tyler Cowen thinks that the center of ethnic dining has moved from DC/Beltway to places like Herndon. Ashburn now has its own Korean super market as if Lotte in Chantilly and Grand Mart in Sterling were not enough (not to mention the plethora of Korean and other Asian stores in Centreville).

And if you want super duper authentic Vietnamese, Eden Center is about 30-40 minutes away. Basically, the ethnic food scene in NoVA is getting quite good. And I write as a former NYC foodie.

[Margery]

For an example of snobbishness Groucho Marx said it best years ago: After getting a letter of acceptance from a country club he responded "Please accept my resignation. I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member".

[akorosdc]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

Whew, I thought that look was out! I used to wear that combo back in the early 1990s when I worked downtown. But now there are plenty of flats or rubber-soled shoes that work well for walking.

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

LOL! If they insist on wearing heels in the office that they can't walk in outside, why not get some nice-looking flats (under $20 at Payless!) instead of the sneakers?

Honestly, my flats give me more problems than my heels. I bought some for the purpose of having "comfy" work shoes and can hardly wear them. They're ok for walking around my office a little, but if I want to run to the CVS 2 blocks away I have to add a box of band-aids to my list for all the blisters. Last time I debated just taking my chances in bare feet for the walk back since there wasn't any skin left on my heel!

[Cagirl767]

That's exactly why we want to move, to be accepted (and for better education also and a few other issues). But if we're going to end up in situation similar to the one we're already in, then why bother moving?

IndiaLimaDelta - glad to see there are Asian markets! I love making lemon rice and Vietnemese spring rolls, although I haven't quite perfected those yet. I was only looking online for generic mainstream things such as Cold Stone Creamery, but glad to find those too. Oh, I forgot to look for a Fresh n Easy or Whole Foods.

Now I'm worried about a $500-600k neighborhood. Are we likely to run into riff raff for neighbors? Again, trying not to run into a similar situation. i.e. loud weeknight parties, loud music (aside from someone practicing for the symphony, I'd be able to deal with that), loud motorcycles at 5am, broken glass in the street, empty bottles on my lawn, intimidating looking teens just "hangin' out"?

Juniperbleu - just wear flip flops ;P (see other thread on schlumpy) LOL.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Cagirl767

IndiaLimaDelta - glad to see there are Asian markets! I love making lemon rice and Vietnemese spring rolls, although I haven't quite perfected those yet. I was only looking online for generic mainstream things such as Cold Stone Creamery, but glad to find those too. Oh, I forgot to look for a Fresh n Easy or Whole Foods.

So if $500-600k is middle class, are we likely to run into riff raff for neighbors? Again, trying not to run into a similar situation. i.e. loud weeknight parties, loud music (aside from someone practicing for the symphony, I'd be able to deal with that), loud motorcycles at 5am, broken glass in the street, empty bottles on my lawn, intimidating looking teens just "hangin' out"?

In one word, no.

Middle class here is rather uppercrust compared to the much of the country. It's just that people don't "act it." It's not to say incidents like what you describe cannot happen, but it would be highly unlikely here.

I've lived in many poor AND affluent areas of the country, just about everywhere except the Southwest, and I find this area to have the best combination of factors in rearing well-educated and well-balanced children. I know many kids -- some of them home schooled -- in the area who are well-read, precocious yet unpretentious and well-mannered.

As far as dining and such, there are places like Cold Stone Creamery and other generic suburban places aplenty. But there are also lots of ethnic dining options. That's when you get when the population is a good mix of middle and upper middle class families of dazzling variety of ethnic and national origins.

And forget Whole Foods! We have Wegmans!

[akorosdc]

Originally Posted by Cagirl767

Juniperbleu - just wear flip flops ;P (see other thread on schlumpy) LOL.

I have, haha. Mine don't have any traction, though, so if anything is wet I'll slide all over the place and usually end up falling.

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by Cagirl767

Now I'm worried about a $500-600k neighborhood. Are we likely to run into riff raff for neighbors? Again, trying not to run into a similar situation. i.e. loud weeknight parties, loud music (aside from someone practicing for the symphony, I'd be able to deal with that), loud motorcycles at 5am, broken glass in the street, empty bottles on my lawn, intimidating looking teens just "hangin' out"?

Look into neighborhoods with an HOA, rather than one that doesn't have any or just has a civic association, which has less enforcement power.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

Look into neighborhoods with an HOA, rather than one that doesn't have any or just has a civic association, which has less enforcement power.

I second that and would add that I prefer an HOA with fewer rules that enforces strenuously over an HOA that has many rules but with lax enforcement. "Broken window" and all that.

One thing the OP might not be used to about the area is the relatively transient nature of the population. Many people work for government or government contracting and might move on frequently.

Some proactive social effort comes in very handy to counteract the tendency of the transients to keep to themselves.

My family would socialize individually with most of our neighbors, yet I noticed that they did not know each other, so I took charge and organized a block party. It was a great success, people met each other and now all our/their kids play together. One set of neighbors even became godparents to one of our kids.