Anyone with ideas between Richmond and Williamsburg? (Newport News, West Point: for sale, condo)

[GradVT06]

My wife and I currently reside on the west edge of Williamsburg, and I commute to Richmond, about 45 minutes, and my wife teaches in Williamsburg. We're considering staying in the western half of Williamsburg or living somewhere in between, but don't know what any of those areas are like. I've been to west point, but only down 2 roads. there are exits on I-64 on my way home to Williamsburg, where I get on 64 at exit 190, pick up the traffic from 295 at 200, and pass exits for bottoms bridge/quinton at 205, Talleysville/Roxbury at 211, Providence Forge/New Kent courthouse at 214, and West Point at 220. I get off at exit 227, so West Point isn't a whole lot closer, and we'd rather live in Williamsburg but homes are cheaper in West Point. Does anyone live or know much about those areas in between Richmond and W'burg? It would be nice to live in between our jobs.

[Electron]

I've heard that New Kent schools suck. If you have critters, that may be something you want to verify.

[htlong]

new kent exit bottoms bridge is growing fast with new housing developments popping up everywhere, eastern henrico has many new developments and a new jr or middle school going up out there, i prefer eastern henrico its rural but growing fast, i commute to newportnews , but i dont drive it daily and i only have a few more years to go but that I-64 is out dated and the tourist in the summer aaarrrgghhh!!!!

[Lookingforasafehome]

West Point is nice, but far from shopping, Drs and etc...but if you prefer that, then that might be a good place to look at. We live in the Grove area, next to the NN border and find it peaceful here, conveient to shopping and beautiful. Good luck on your search!

[GradVT06]

Originally Posted by Williamsburg,Va

West Point is nice, but far from shopping, Drs and etc...but if you prefer that, then that might be a good place to look at. We live in the Grove area, next to the NN border and find it peaceful here, conveient to shopping and beautiful. Good luck on your search!

That's one of the areas we considered, even though it was on the other side of Williamsburg, because housing prices are less there. Please forgive my association, but when I lived there some 6-7 years ago, Grove was considered a bad place to live because of the crime and higher poverty rates. Has that area changed in the last several years? If so, that's great. Williamsburg just never had much crime, except when you did hear of it, most of the time it was in that area. We have no kids, but expect to within the next few years. We would also consider West Point, but not sure how much I'll like not being close to shopping, and of course, the paper factory.Thanks Williamsburg, VA.

[Lookingforasafehome]

The home values for this area shot up and they are still climbing! The area is improving and honeslty I lived in gated communities and I see no difference between how the rich and poor supervise their children..laziness borders across all lines here.

The home we have now was worth bout 66 thousand only 5 or 6 years ago and today they are asssessed at 140,000 and selling over 169,000, so I would say that the area has greatly improved.

I have seen kids pounce on each other, bully and commit crimes actually more when we rented an overpriced apt on the other side of Williamsburg, but if you look closely here, your see negative things even in the rich parts of town, cause we are all thrown together down here in the south and there are plans in place to put affordable housing right in with the rich too, not the gated areas of course, but the other areas as well, so it will not be long, for when the crime truly is evened out here...like I said here... I seen bad things no matter where we lived and thought why spend an extra 100 grand on a home that will soon be like everywhere else?

I think people get ideas that the grove area is bad cause all races live together here..but soon all races will be side by side in the near future anyhow...and honestly I feel more at home on this side of town, cause people here do not judge you by your color of skin, but by your character and I am a white female btw...and no I am not even a leftest liberal either, I am just someone who loves to live in peace, in the country and around nice people, not snobs or people who think they are better than everyone else.

I keep my child in activities and close to home, but I did that when we lived in gated communities too, cause of what I had observed and experienced, I think we do have a real problem of unsupervised kids and crime growing here and just bout everywhere in this country...its not like 30 years ago where you could let you child run the neighborhood, in fact if you do that today, your asking for alot to trouble!

I also realize that most will think I have a polly anna tude bout this, but I do think if try to improve our homes, and help each other and volunteer, that good can come from and turn things around too. Only thing is that most in the rich areas, are too busy waxing their suv's to care.

My two cents for what its worth here.

[Lookingforasafehome]

They are also building a new town area, just like the one in they are in the midst of developing off of Montiocello, on 238 and 143, and they are also putting in a highway to cross over from here to there...I do think one day soon that this area will be just as nice or nicer than many parts that are high class in the city or on the other side of town.

Land values have pushed up home sales and many people who once enjoyed cheap land in this area, no longer can claim that, as Williamsburg as a whole is skyrocketing in a major city hub...I will then sale my home and hopefully find a nice area away from the noise and commotion, for our old age 20 years from now!

[GradVT06]

any idea what the name of the place that's like 'new town' is being created in that area is called or which road it's on? My wife and I might want to drive down there and take a look. Hopefully it'll be a little less expensive than actual New Town on Monticello. We'd only be able to afford a condo there, townhomes would be out of our price range. We'd also be interested in names of neighborhoods, roads, or a large area, intersections that are growing. Compared to the rest of Williamsburg, that area (from what we've seen so far) hasn't gotten as expensive and maybe my wife and I would consider purchasing sooner than our expected 1 to 1.5 year estimate.

Also, I'm hearing and readng that the market countrywide is cooled off, and homebuilders and offering great deals, and there's more houses on the market, and that prices are cooling off and going down across the country. Knowing Williamsburg, I'm assuming it would take a little longer and the decrease and buyer's market would be a little less drastic. Have you noticed this change yet in Williamsburg? We're hoping there will still be more homes for sale than buyers and thus we can get a good deal in the next year or a little later.

[Lookingforasafehome]

The piece of land that they are suppose to build upon is connected to Newport News Park...it is directly across the housing for the Navy, and just down the road from the weapons station. It also neighbors along the Endview plantation site. I have spoken with Endview and they are considering giving them discounts to their site, and had deceided not to move after all. I do suspect it will be nice, esp, if they do trails down to the park, I think there are some natural water but am not real sure bout that.

I do think it will not be cheap however. For one, they just built new large deluxe townhomes right along 60 in debigh. and they were close to 300 grand and people actually bought them! I would not want to live along the highway in Newport News myself, and pay that kind of money but it goes to show you that it must be worth it or they would not sell or build there, this is in the Denbigh area. I know down the road from us, they are building new townhomes that look really nice so far, spacious but a very small community, they are only bout 180 but could change.

For example, we have seen huge increases on our property here but everywhere in Williamsburg has slowed down or cooled, not to say it colded down so much as it as stablized. I can't tell you how many new developments I see going up everyday in Wbg, too many to count! The housing boom here is still growing! I suspect this is a good time to buy as it is more of a buyers market than it has been for years.

Along old towne road there is a community going up, along richmond rd as well, and over by walmart too. I would get in touch with builders to find more info out, you can get a way better deal on something if you buy before it actually built cause if you wait, often the price goes up, found that out myself not long ago. I suspect a new road is going up off of 60 in the grove area...there is over 219 acres of land for sale next to the school as well, and they are also widening the road here too, so I know it they are planning for expansion someday soon.

If you like, I can put in touch with my agent who was more than gracious with us and helped me find suitable affordable housing, and was there for us, 24/7! Anyhow, I hope this had answered your questions! I would also suggest investigating things as much as possible too.

Kimberly

[MarkB]

GradVT06, did you ever make a decision? Coincidentally, I will be moving to Williamsburg and commuting to Richmond. I can afford up to $340K but finding a "good" subdivision is important to me. Would like suggestions for subdivisions that
are a little older (want trees) and reasonable. Thanks