Moving to VA...husband working in Quantico, where should we call "home"? (Newport News: to rent)

[lovemycoffee]

Hello all!

My husband is accepting a position in VA and will be working at Quantico Marine Base. We know NOTHING about VA and would love some of your creative inputs. Some info about our family...we have two preschool aged children and would love to rent a home to start with. We are moving from California, so we "get" that there is traffic. My husband doesn't really mind commuting. We are really just looking for a family-oriented community that boasts about their great school systems. We currently live in a new community, but we are open to the more established neighborhoods too, as long as they are safe. Any ideas?

[tgbwc]

Check the Prince William County neighborhoods of Montclair, Ashland, Lake Terrapin, and Winding Creek. They are not far from Quantico and he would have a reverse commute.

[DC_Titan]

I live in Montclair (Dumfries VA) & while I don't have children there are I think "two" elementary schools right in the community (though with-out children I have no idea if they are good schools or not..though I imagine most of the kids are from inside Montclair itself and Montclair is mainly professionals / military families). It's a slightly older development (1980's) but due to the home owners association it's kept up fairly well (the HOA can be a pain but if you wander around other sections of Dumfries / Woodbridge be thankful for them).

Dumfries VA (Montclair) is pretty close to Quantico so the commute time should be fairly light for your husband. This is especially true if your husband works during the morning rush hour because everyone is heading North into D.C. while your husband would be heading southbound towards Quantico.

[sealove01]

I live in Winchester, VA and I love Virginia. It has a little bit of everything. City, country, beach, mountains...beautiful scenery. I don't know how far Winchester is from Quantico, because, im not a walking MapQuest. So, go search it on there.

[usmcfamily]

Look in Stafford! Great town, great schools, great people! Red Apple preschool - it's the best! Good luck

[SRose59]

Newport News is a pretty good area...or if you are looking for country type living not to far away from Quantico check out Glouchester/ Gloushester Point /York Town (on the Bay) and farther on in will put you in rural (but growing!) areas.

[ReadytoRetire]

Originally Posted by SRose59

Newport News is a pretty good area...or if you are looking for country type living not to far away from Quantico check out Glouchester/ Gloushester Point /York Town (on the Bay) and farther on in will put you in rural (but growing!) areas.

think you are thinking of somewhere else, Quantico is a good
2 - 3 hours from Newport News area..

[EricD]

Yeah, newport news and winchester are WAY far away.

Basically, you'll have to get in the mindset of north and south on I-95. You can live north of Quantico, but homes are a little more expencive because you're closer to DC, and it's all a little more developed. If you go south, the homes get less expencive, and lot sizes get a little larger.

I would also suggest looking into Stafford. Most of the communities in both Stafford and Spotsylvania are built off of old windy country roads, and both don't really have any real center of action, other than their county seats. (Everything else is just busy roads with strip malls on them) Downtown Fredericksburg is the main 'city' or downtown area that's south of Quantico, where all of the larger events occure. (local fair, parades, and so-on)

Obviously I know more about south of quantico, rather than north, but that's my 2 cents. School wize you're safe looking as far south as Spotsylvania, and almost anywhere north.

[fittmom1]

Stafford is really the best bet for Quantico. I lived there growing up and my dad and mom were stationed at Quantico. Schools are great...Aquia Harbor is a great community. LOTS of others and a lot to do there...Then you are only 20 minutes or so from Potomac Mills Outlet Mall in Woodbridge/Dale City...and about 35 minutes (HOV) from DC, should you ever want to get into the city. Good luck!