VA or Maryland? (Arlington, Alexandria, Roanoke: condo, crime, townhouse)

[peteoak]

If you have the choice to choose between living on Maryland or Va, which one would you choose, and why?

[SmerkyGrl]

That depends on what your priorities are and where you work.

[peteoak]

Some of my priorities include,

• a good place to raise a family
  plenty of jobs oportunities
  house price between 150K and 299K

[SmerkyGrl]

In terms of "a good place to raise a family", you're going to have to narrow down again to what type of values you are seeking. Some people consider a church-going, religious, conservative environment to be a good family environment. Others just want a park to play in and maybe a shopping center.

As for job opportunities, all of NOVA is booming with jobs. If you have a college degree, chances are you can find a job. Heck, even if you don't have a college degree, you can probably find a job--but a less desirable one.

Finally, are you talking about SFH for 150k-299k? Because I hate to break it to you but you will not be finding that in NoVA. You will be able to get a condo or a townhouse at BEST for that price.

I suggest reading the sticky thread on this forum for more guidelines on what information you can provide us so we can give you the best feedback

[peteoak]

I'm completing a master degree in technology management; and, our family would love to move to either maryland or va (better weather than upper north states). I reallize the cost of living in both locations can be very costly.

For that reason, we are looking for a good school district that really cares for childrens, a neighborhood that it does not have a lot of crime scenes, and one as a parent do not have to worry of some strange event affecting our love ones. As far housing, it seems to me that any where around alexendria, and richmond,is going to be very expensive.
My tag limit is between 150k and 300k.

thanks

[Rmx Christina]

To fit your budget, I would recommend Carroll County, MD...safe area and nice schools...could find something decent in your price range

[5stones]

NoVA is out for that budget.
Even "WAY out here" in the boonies (lol) of Leesburg under 300k is not going to go far. (5older houses right now..cheapest being 230k) condo/townhouse doable for 180k and above. Any SFH with 3-4 bedrooms in a good neighborhood is going to run you 350K and up. (good new 2 years ago those houses were 450k and up!!)

Alexandria, Arlington, etc... heck SFH in a good neighborhood is well above 400k

look in Warrenton, Culpepper, Winchester etc...

Southwestern VA and the vincinty is beautiful and muchmore afforadable than NoVa. see th thrads on Roanoak, Blackburg etc...

[DavidS827]

If you take your time and look hard/long enough you can find a few houses in Fairfax County that are under 300k, but they don't come up that often. Other than that, you are looking at Dale City and parts of Fauquier and Culpeper Counties.

[seanpecor]

Are you asking specifically about southern Maryland and northern Virginia? Or are you open to other regions within those two states?

Outside of northern Virginia, the cost of living in central, south central and southwest Virginia is SO much lower than most of the rest of the United States that it is shocking.

For $299,000 you can practically buy a nicely kept 26 acre horse farmette in the rural fringes of the Roanoke, Virginia metro area (pop. 300,000).

Sean

[Dingler]

I would vote for VA. The only nice towns in Maryland are Bethesda or Potomac. Most of the rest of Montgomery County is full of poor schools and English as a second language.