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I may consider the possibility of relocating back to Washington DC. I was born and raised in the city. So, I am familiar with Northern Virginia. However, it's been 11 years since I lived in DC. I would like to know the following about Prince William County:
Why are the homes in PW County cheaper than Fairfax County (besides being further out from DC what are the other reasons)?
I would like to know what is the catch? Is it the level of crime? Is is the schools? It seems like I can get a bigger and a newer home in PW County.
Or should I settle for the smaller house in Fairfax because of the schools?
Which zipcodes in Prince William County should I avoid?
Which neighbrhoods are zoned to the best high schools (high SAT scores, great AP courses, diversity, involved parents, students who are heavily engaged in academics, high portion of graduates going off to college, great extra-curricular activities) in the county?
What high schools in PW County should I avoid?
What are the elementary and middle schools that feed into the the great high schools?
How much are the taxes in PW County (property, income, car, etc.)?
How much do residents pay in home owner association fees?
Which areas in the county are low in crime?
What will be the best areas to raise a family?
I will be visiting family in DC this summer. What areas of Prince William County should I check out?
Or should I settle for a smaller home in Fairfax because of the schools? If so, then give me areas (zipcodes & high school info) of Fairfax that I should check out.
By the way, commute times to DC will not be a problem because I will be working from home.
Sorry, for asking so many questions. However, it will really help me. I will appreciate any additional advice as well. Also, you can send me personal messages about your experiences in Prince William County.
I can't speak to what things are like in all of Prince William (particularly Woodbridge), but my wife and I did do some pretty extensive research in Gainesville and Haymarket before settling on Ashburn.
In regard to why the homes are cheaper, I think being a bit further out from major job centers explains nearly all of the price difference. At least the part of the county we looked at, you would have a significantly longer stretch of 66 you'd have to cover before you got closer to DC and even though they've widened 66 in the past few years, it can still turn to stop-and-go traffic.
Since you will be working from home, however, I think it's definitely worth checking out. There are still a ton of new housing developments going up around Gainesville. It's had explosive growth over the past decade so most everything in the area is new. There's a massive shopping center (Virginia Gateway) with lots of restaurants and retail where 66 intersects with 29. Traffic is kind of nasty around the 66/29 interchange, but I've seen the transportation plan for that stretch of 29 and they plan on ripping out most of the traffic lights which should be a huge improvement over the next few years. The schools around that area aren't necessarily rated as highly (in terms of test scores) as those in Fairfax and Loudoun, but they still seemed like they'd be very good schools IMO (I would probably avoid Manassas for the most part, where the schools seemed to score quite a bit lower).
I remember looking at crime data, and while it's a tad higher around Gainesville than some other parts of NOVA, it's still low in comparison to the state and nation as a whole.
HOA dues, for the most part, were lower than in most new developments in Loudoun but it seemed like many of them didn't offer much in the way of amenities. Also, when we priced out some new homes, it didn't take long after adding a few options before the prices of the homes were quite close in price to many resales we found in Loudoun. They'd still be significantly cheaper than most of what you'd find in Fairfax, however.
I know you didn't mention Loudoun, but have you thought about checking out homes there? I keep mentioning it since Loudoun was what we primarily compared to PWC. If you go out to Leesburg (or even a bit beyond), you'll find a lot of comparably priced homes to much of PWC. South Riding might also be worth checking out since you'll be working from home. Definitely good schools in that area, although you'd pretty much need to deal with the Route 50 mess to get anywhere from there.
Oh, and one last thing: I'm not sure how concerned you are about lot size, but we found that even in Gainesville, many of the new home developments had postage-stamp sized lots. So while you can get a home with a bit of land there, you won't find too many in new construction developments (some we looked at also had huge power lines looming over them).
Whew! That's a lotta questions! I'm sure between a few of us, we'll be able to help you out.
The distance from major job centers in DC and elsewhere further north is definitely a major factor in the housing prices. It would generally take at least an hour and often more to get to DC or Tysons Corner, for example. Also the county as a whole had more foreclosures than anywhere in Northern Virginia.
The Woodbridge and Manassas areas are each seen as a mixed bag. (Others can get into more specifics than I know.) The supposed knock on Woodbridge
is the closer to Route 1 you live, the more likely you are to have issues. That said, the Lake Ridge section of Woodbridge is rather popular. And the Gainesville/Haymarket/Bristow area is extremely popular with families.
Fairfax County Public Schools are said to be among the "best" in the nation. Loudoun County Public Schools seem to be gaining notoriety as well. Prince William Public Schools don't get as much positive press on this board. That's not to say that there aren't good schools in PW, but consider the "competition".
That's all I got. I'm sure others will fill in with their thoughts. Feel free to use the "search" function too as there are a lot of threads discussing different aspects of Prince William County.
Having lived in Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties, the biggest difference is that PW is further out from major employers. Being further out makes the land value slightly lower. As demand for it goes up, that'll change. I am partial to western PW over eastern PW. Traffic is better. I like the neighborhoods better. My kids like the schools better. My daughter goes to Stonewall and she hates it. I don't like the fact that they have an onsite daycare. I was a teen mom and don't agree that daycare in high school is setting a good example for the other kids. I think if you check out the mid-county area (20112 and part of 20111) and west (20136, 20155, 20169), you'll be fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Hi to all,
I may consider the possibility of relocating back to Washington DC. I was born and raised in the city. So, I am familiar with Northern Virginia. However, it's been 11 years since I lived in DC. I would like to know the following about Prince William County:
Why are the homes in PW County cheaper than Fairfax County (besides being further out from DC what are the other reasons)?
I would like to know what is the catch? Is it the level of crime? Is is the schools? It seems like I can get a bigger and a newer home in PW County.
Or should I settle for the smaller house in Fairfax because of the schools?
Which zipcodes in Prince William County should I avoid?
Which neighbrhoods are zoned to the best high schools (high SAT scores, great AP courses, diversity, involved parents, students who are heavily engaged in academics, high portion of graduates going off to college, great extra-curricular activities) in the county?
What high schools in PW County should I avoid?
What are the elementary and middle schools that feed into the the great high schools?
How much are the taxes in PW County (property, income, car, etc.)?
How much do residents pay in home owner association fees?
Which areas in the county are low in crime?
What will be the best areas to raise a family?
I will be visiting family in DC this summer. What areas of Prince William County should I check out?
Or should I settle for a smaller home in Fairfax because of the schools? If so, then give me areas (zipcodes & high school info) of Fairfax that I should check out.
By the way, commute times to DC will not be a problem because I will be working from home.
Sorry, for asking so many questions. However, it will really help me. I will appreciate any additional advice as well. Also, you can send me personal messages about your experiences in Prince William County.
I've lived in PW since 1973 so I think I know it pretty well. I also spent many years as a police officer for PW so I know the neighborhoods. By far the hottest areas in PW right now are Gainesville and Haymarket. The nice neighborhoods, homes and business construction has just exploded in the last 5-10 years. Knowing what I know now I would move to this area if moving here. As far as schools my kids did well. If your kids are well grounded and have good support they can do well anywhere. A poor student has no guarantee just because they go to a school in a system like Fairfax. I'm friends with a principal of a Fairfax Elem school. She attended schools in PW as a student. She says Fairfax may have more money but the difference in the school systems is negligible at best.
The downside to PW is the illegal immigrant issue and traffic. Crime stats are easy enough for you to look up. There are certain neighborhoods I'd stay out of and none are in the Gainesville/Haymarket areas.
I grew up in Fairfax County (McLean/Falls Church) went to college, and then moved back. I live in Prince William County now (4 years) since my wife and I are relatively young into our careers and don't make enough combined to afford Fairfax County at this time. Here's what I can tell you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Why are the homes in PW County cheaper than Fairfax County (besides being further out from DC what are the other reasons)?
- The distance to DC/commuting is the main reason. The Omniride and provides pretty good public transportation, and you can take advantage of the slugging system that's in place to overcome this to some degree. - Lack of a Metro Station. - It's "outside the beltway." - The schools aren't as well regarded, but we can address that later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
I would like to know what is the catch? Is it the level of crime? Is is the schools? It seems like I can get a bigger and a newer home in PW County.
I live in what is probably one of the nicer areas of PW county, Lake Ridge, though within Lake Ridge, it's probably one of the least nice parts, if that makes sense. I've never felt unsafe. There are some nice neighborhoods around here that I like to walk my dog through, they remind me of where I grew up. You'll definitely get a bigger home here, though I can't vouch for every neighborhood. I prefer the areas west of I-95 as opposed to East.
Keep in mind though that I grew up in McLean, a place where you can practically walk around in a suit made of $100 bills and not get robbed, so I don't have a lot to compare the area to, but I've never felt and danger walking around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Or should I settle for the smaller house in Fairfax because of the schools?
I'm torn on this one. My wife and I just had our first child so we don't have to worry about this for a few years. I don't think anyone can deny that the schools, as a whole, are better in Fairfax County, with a few exceptions. I don't know how accurate a website Greatschools.net is, but some of the high schools in Prince William County are ranked very low, in the 3-5 range, where as many high schools in Fairfax such as (to name a few) McLean, Langley, Oakton, Madison, W.T. Woodson, etc are all ranked at least 8, I think McLean and Langley might even be 10's. And that's not even including the magnet school, T.J., which is a whole world unto itself.
In fact, assuming GreatSchool.net is an accurate site (they use some combination of classes offered and scores) here are the rankings of high schools in PW.
Woodbridge - 5 Gar-Field - 3 Hylton - 6 Forest Park - 6 Osbourne - 2 (My wife says to stay away from this one at all costs)
FWIW, I live down the street from Woodbridge high school. Seems like a nice enough place, but obviously overcrowded, way too many students for the building.
You get the point. If a kid works hard enough and finds the right teachers, they can be successful anywhere, but I think the overall academic environment in many Fairfax County schools is probably superior.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Which zipcodes in Prince William County should I avoid?
I don't know. I live in 22192 and it seems alright. I don't have the codes memorized around here. My wife (who is in the social work field) has mentioned some bad neighborhoods in the Manassas area, but nothing really around here. I would stay out of the Gar-Field and Osbourne districts if nothing else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Which neighbrhoods are zoned to the best high schools (high SAT scores, great AP courses, diversity, involved parents, students who are heavily engaged in academics, high portion of graduates going off to college, great extra-curricular activities) in the county?
I'd try greatschools.net for this info, or maybe someone else can recommend a better site.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
What high schools in PW County should I avoid?
See above
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
What are the elementary and middle schools that feed into the the great high schools?
I can only speak for Woodbridge. I know Lake Ridge middle is the primary feeder there, and the local elementary schools I can name, off the top of my head, are Antietam, Rockledge, and Old Bridge. I've heard pretty good things from neighbors about Antietam, and it's located in a very nice neighborhood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
How much are the taxes in PW County (property, income, car, etc.)?
I wish I paid more attention to this. I just pay them without really calculating percentages. The property taxes in PW are lower than Fairfax, I believe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
How much do residents pay in home owner association fees?
Lake has a HOA and my area has an additional condo fee. The HOA, which I assume applies to all single family home neighborhoods as well as condo townhomes like mine, is currently $88 paid quarterly. It shouldn't break you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Which areas in the county are low in crime?
Lake Ridge is pretty nice, but it's the only one I can really speak too. If you want to live in Old Town Occoquan, I think they only have one police officer, if that tells you anything. There isn't much housing there though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
What will be the best areas to raise a family?
Really anywhere, there are a lot of parks and things to do. That's one plus I can give where I live over my old digs in McLean/Falls Church. The access to water and rowing, things of that nature, is easier here. Also, there are cheap public golf courses to play on in PW. Fairfax is mostly expensive clubs, and the public courses are still populated with overbearing jerks. I should know, I worked on a public golf course one college summer.
Also, at least in Lake Ridge, you HOA dues also include access to five community pools, which is nice. I know growing up where I did, most of the pools were private, application-required membership type places, so it was either the rec center or nothing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
I will be visiting family in DC this summer. What areas of Prince William County should I check out?
Can't add more here than I already have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
Or should I settle for a smaller home in Fairfax because of the schools? If so, then give me areas (zipcodes & high school info) of Fairfax that I should check out.
If you're intent on buying in Fairfax, location matters. You'll pay a fortune to live in the McLean area, but the schools and commutes are top notch. You'll pay less a little further out in Vienna, Springfield, Herndon etc, get a slightly larger house, but your commute will go up noticeably, particularly if you have to fight through Tyson's corner. They are all still on the Metro however. 22101, 22102, and 22043 are the McLean/Falls Church zip codes, I don't have the ones west/south of that committed to memory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose31
By the way, commute times to DC will not be a problem because I will be working from home.
I wish I had read this before I typed out some of my earlier answers.
Wow! Forehead, thanks for taking the time to answer all of my questions. You are a saint. I really appreciate it. My husband and I have a lot to consider. I'm really leaning towards not returning back to the DC area, but my husband wants to be closer to family. I will definitely take the time to tour both Fairfax and PW Counties this summer during my visit to DC.
I wouldn't worry to much about the high schools as long as the specialty programs are in place. For example Gar-field has the IB programme -- those IB students are "insulated" from the rest of the students due to the fact that they are taking similar classes. There is a "school within a school" even though the administrators will not admit to it. We are zoned for Gar-field and I would have sent my child there (IB programme) but he decided to enroll at TJ instead.
There are two high schools in Prince William with similar names -- Osbourn Park (Pr. Wm. HS) and Osbourn (Manassas City HS). Osbourn Park is a good school and they have the BioTech program.
For example Gar-field has the IB programme -- those IB students are "insulated" from the rest of the students due to the fact that they are taking similar classes. There is a "school within a school" even though the administrators will not admit to it. We are zoned for Gar-field and I would have sent my child there (IB programme) but he decided to enroll at TJ instead.
I've known a few kids who have graduated from the IB program in the past 4 years. One 4 years ago, one 2 years ago, and one last year. While they got a good education in the IB program, none of them felt they were isolated enough in Gar-Field. In fact, after going through it for 4 years, one of them said it could be pretty awful at times. While you take certain core classes with the same group--you still have your PE, your driver's ed, and various other classes with the "masses" and apparently it was pretty rough.
One of my daughter's friends went to Gar-Field and was not in the IB program--just regular classes. She ended up dropping out in Junior year and being homeschool/tutored to graduate. It wasn't a bully issue or safety issue. It was just utter chaos.
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I would like to know the following about Prince William County:
Forehead, thanks for taking the time to answer all of my questions. You are a saint. I really appreciate it. My husband and I have a lot to consider. I'm really leaning towards not returning back to the DC area, but my husband wants to be closer to family. I will definitely take the time to tour both Fairfax and PW Counties this summer during my visit to DC. 
