Nervous about Richmond move (Charlottesville, Fairfax: real estate market, renting, how much)

[moving101]

Forgive the lengthy background info:

My husband and I are moving to Richmond (he is heading up an office expansion effort for his Northern VA-based commercial contractor)-- he's actually currently living in corporate housing in the West End near his office location (office park between Forest Ave and Glenside Dr.). I am a public high school teacher in Fairfax County and intend to finish out the school year up here until our move in June. We have no children yet but will start our family in the next year...and intend to move into the home we'd like to raise our children in. We've been looking at housing since DECEMBER and are excited about how much more we will get for our money, but can't narrrow our search!

I actually am familiar with Richmond to some extent. I am a small-town, Upstate NY native who went to U of R (graduated in 2001). My parents were upper- middle class but the University was the first place I encountered girls my age that wore expensive designer clothing, had summer homes, and were educated in elite private schools. I don't entirely resent that because I think it helped me understand how to relate to people from different backgrounds than my own. For my part, I was at UR on partial academic scholarship and I babysat for several families in the area so I could pay for the "fun" stuff in college, and some of my friends got that and others weren't as understanding at times. Bottom line: I got a great education and fell in love with area restaurants and neighborhoods, I AM excited about my return there. My husband grew up in VA Beach and went to VA Tech. We share a passion for hard work and take pride in being highly accomplished, self-made individuals. We want to model that same work ethic for our children.
My dilemma: contrary to what others may think/say of No VA, having lived now in both areas I can honestly say I am MORE worried about snobbishness/notion of "Keeping up with the Joneses" in Richmond than I am up here in Fairfax-- maybe because it's a bigger area, it's less compartmentalized.
I fear that in Richmond, you are pretty much pegged into one social circle based on where you live. In the city, we'd feel obligated to send our kids to private schools (St. Catherine's, St. Christopher's, Collegiate, etc.). I recall my experiences from babysitting children that attended these schools and I am more inclined to have my children go to school with kids from a wider socioeconomic background. I'd just prefer that they have that experience. So we're looking at Henrico and Chesterfield, but the number of adults who have shared with me that "folks north of the James don't mix with folks south of the James" baffles me. It seems like I want the down-to-earth values + quality schools offered by Chesterfield, rather than this purported sense of entitlement in Henrico (ex: a Richmond resident said that if we live in the River Road corridor we'll meet our neighbors at CCV where we'll "need a fat wallet and 3 sponsors to get in") and while we golf we are sooooooooo not country club folk. At the same time, I fondly recall being able to take advantage of pedestrian areas near campus like Libbie/Grove and Carytown and worry that my husband's commute (while it surely must be better than the 30 minute one he has now) will be annoying and that we'll never take 288 to the "other side" because people "just don't do that unless they need to go to Short Pump mall".
Basically, I want a great neighborhood (of which there are many!), good schools, down-to-earth neighbors, and access to all that Richmond has to offer. Is it possible? Do folks over-simplify when they talk about the feel of each area?

[mrstewart]

While I am not a Far West End person, there are some wonderful schools. I feel the traffic is more than I could handle, but if you are coming from the Fairfax area you are probably conditioned to it.
The Midlothian area is nice too. There are good schools in the Midlothian High area.
The only "downside" to living in either place is the accessibility to the restaurants in Richmond proper. There are more chain style eating establishments in the Far West End and Midlothian and it does not sound like that is what you are looking for.
Welcome back!! Don't worry about the snobbiness, it is everywhere, and essentially , everyone is the same. We all put our pants on one leg at a time!

[moving101]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping that it was that way and it is reassuring to hear. I feel like when people (not just from Richmond-- from here, home, anyone who has been to Richmond ever) find out you're moving all of a sudden they like to think they are an expert on all things having to do with that move! I know they are just trying to be helpful but it made me more anxious than anything else. Thanks again.

[mrstewart]

The Near West End, off Patterson is a nice location. It is still in the county so you would have the public/private school option, lower property taxes, but close to the perks of the city life.
Something to think about! Good luck to you. It sounds like you have a lot going on!

[moedog]

Hate to say it, but the West End really is snobish and very non-diverse. From what you say, you'd probably be happier in Chesterfield, or perhaps the Virginia Center Commons area....

[Teebyrd86]

I go along with moedog while The west end is a very nice area it is full of snobs living in McMansions on postage stamp lots with neighbors competeing with each other about who drives a nicer car. I would suggest the New Kent or Sandston areas. Both of these areas have a lot going on! and dont have the snobs like the west end. Good luck!!

[mrstewart]

You are referring to the Far West when you talk about the McMansions. The West End is closer in towards the city, like Libbie, Patterson.
The Glen Allen area is half way to Charlottesville.

[terrick]

To Moving101... we're moving to the Richmond,VA area too from Pittsburgh, PA. I, like you, have been trying to do lots of research as well on the area. We have a 13 yr old son who is now in 7th grade, a straight A student, and an all around great fun-loving active kid. We are also looking for the best all-around Richmond experience for our family, and are not new to moving around. We've lived all over the place and even overseas for 3 years, so each move has posed different challenges for us depending on what point we were at in our lives. For us, this move is all about the schools, as that's just where we're at right now. Where we buy will no doubt be connected to where we feel our son can get the best education. We're coming from a great school district in PA, and we want to continue down that path. My husband is already working in Richmond and has been since Sept. He is currently renting in the Fan district. We were hoping to get all of us there before the school year is out, "to get our feet wet", however, this housing thing really has us squirmy. We luckily don't have a house to sell here in PA so we don't have that concern on this end, however, we've found the Richmond market quite a bit more expensive than where we're coming from. I have personally done LOTS of research on the school systems there, and I agree with several of the other bloggers that Chesterfield or Henrico seem to be near the top of the list if you want to go public, which we do. I have been very impressed with the Deep Run High School scores (Henrico), their class size ratios and their overall committment to the students, etc.. They are very highly rated in the state of VA, and seemingly have great academic, sports, and music departments along with a young principal who I've been told sees the importance of preparing today's students with the challenges that lie ahead while still not just being a "number" in the school. Our big concern is whether to buy now or rent. We're not sure that the market has hit bottom, and the west end (Glen Allen -Henrico) definitely gets a premium for their real estate over Chesterfield it seems. They experienced a boom in 2005, and although we've seen some price adjustment, sellers are not budging much yet on their listing prices. We're thinking of possibly renting and just watching the market for now. It's not what we really want to do, however, we'd also hate to put our money in an investment that might still be on it's way down. As for whether "snobby" people are living more on this side or that side of the city, having moved around all over the place, I don't give those "labels" much attention as I have come to realize that people like that exist everywhere, and you just have to know who you are, what you want in life, and seek out the people who hold the same values that you do. Good luck to you and may both our moves be smooth ones! I would certainly welcome any advice from anyone else out there that knows Richmond well that would like to share their expertise with me. Thanks!

[mrstewart]

terrick, you may be able to pull up this Sundays Richmond Times Dispatch and read an article in the front page of Finance. Richmond is a low level risk city (per the Fed) and we do not get "hit" like the rest of the country.

We also have one of the lowest forclosure rates in the country. In my opininon, the biggest problem in Richmond's real estate market is the fact that the media throws blanket statements about the whole country.

Midlothian is a great area and has so much to offer. House prices have dropped out there and in henrico but I would hang on to them dropping much more.

We live in the city and houses are selling right when the sign goes in the yard and sometimes by word of mouth.

I do not enjoy the far west end because the traffic seems to be extreme but some people really love it.

As far as renting, that is your decision but why throw money away waiting for something that may not happen??

Good luck to all of you who are moving. I do not envy the packing and unpacking!

[terrick]

mrstewart, thanks so very much for your info and lead on the article in the Sunday Times. I'll definitely try to find it on the net and give it a read. It is comforting to hear your comments on the apparent stability of the market in Richmond. I've been there 3 times in the last 3 months and look forward to the move south. I loved the weather (!) and I'm sure once we get settled in we're really going to like living there.