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Hello there. I am sure this thread gets posted all the time but I need your guys help. My husband and I are relocating from San Diego to the DC area for a job. We are looking to move into a place by mid to late February of this year. So coming up quick. We are wondering what are the good areas and bad areas. Places to for sure stay away from. Mainly planning on living in MD or VA not DC. Places close to the Metro because that will be his way to work everyday. He is hoping to not be on the metro that long so preferably about 30 min but willing to be open to it. We are in the process of starting a family as well. I do not think we will be living in this area for long enough where we need to worry about good schools. We also have 3 small dogs. Harmless. Potty trained. Under 25 pounds. One of them is paralyzed and wears diapers all the time so she won't be an issue. We have been very open and honest about telling the properties we are interested in that we have 3 dogs so they are aware of this. We have been using the Zillow app to find places. So here is what we are looking for:
-Min 3 bed/3 bath
-Hoping to not spend over $2k/month
-Commuting to DC area so will need to be close to Metro
-Want a good-amazing neighborhood. (i want to feel safe walking around especially when we have kids)
-Hoping for 1500 sq ft min
-Need a fenced back yard with some grass
-Hardwood floors in common areas
-Dog friendly
-Quiet safe neighborhood
-We aren't really big on the nightlife/party/hipster scene
-Washer/dryer in unit.
-The more bedrooms and bath and (basements) we can get for our money the better.
-Prefer off street/garage parking
-Areas/properties we have saved on zillow so far: Heather mist drive (Severn), Hurstbourne rd (Columbia), Mcdaniel Drive (Purcellville), Misty meadow ter (Germantown) Autumn hill way (gaithersburg), white rocks ct (pasadena), knoll mist ln (gaithersburg), walnut cove cir (germantown), linden ct (herndon), ashley ter (sterling), brondebury park ter (sterling), clear night ter (ashburn), comer sq (sterling), lindsey ln (manassas park), linden dale rd (woodbridge), geraldine ct (woodbridge), and kaye rd (woodbridge).
I have heard bad things about woodbridge and manassas park. and that cops are a-holes in fairfax. does anyone have any other tips or advice?
Yes, I know I'm asking for a lot and I'm probably giving you too much info on what exactly we are looking for but I want to be exact. Don't be too harsh on me. Im new to all of this and trying not to freak out lol. I know this is a lot of writing and a long post. But please from another helping person to another help me out here.
Hello there. I am sure this thread gets posted all the time but I need your guys help. My husband and I are relocating from San Diego to the DC area for a job. We are looking to move into a place by mid to late February of this year. So coming up quick. We are wondering what are the good areas and bad areas. Places to for sure stay away from. Mainly planning on living in MD or VA not DC. Places close to the Metro because that will be his way to work everyday. He is hoping to not be on the metro that long so preferably about 30 min but willing to be open to it. We are in the process of starting a family as well. I do not think we will be living in this area for long enough where we need to worry about good schools. We also have 3 small dogs. Harmless. Potty trained. Under 25 pounds. One of them is paralyzed and wears diapers all the time so she won't be an issue. We have been very open and honest about telling the properties we are interested in that we have 3 dogs so they are aware of this. We have been using the Zillow app to find places. So here is what we are looking for:
-Min 3 bed/3 bath
-Hoping to not spend over $2k/month
-Commuting to DC area so will need to be close to Metro
-Want a good-amazing neighborhood. (i want to feel safe walking around especially when we have kids)
-Hoping for 1500 sq ft min
-Need a fenced back yard with some grass
-Hardwood floors in common areas
-Dog friendly
-Quiet safe neighborhood
-We aren't really big on the nightlife/party/hipster scene
-Washer/dryer in unit.
-The more bedrooms and bath and (basements) we can get for our money the better.
-Prefer off street/garage parking
-Areas/properties we have saved on zillow so far: Heather mist drive (Severn), Hurstbourne rd (Columbia), Mcdaniel Drive (Purcellville), Misty meadow ter (Germantown) Autumn hill way (gaithersburg), white rocks ct (pasadena), knoll mist ln (gaithersburg), walnut cove cir (germantown), linden ct (herndon), ashley ter (sterling), brondebury park ter (sterling), clear night ter (ashburn), comer sq (sterling), lindsey ln (manassas park), linden dale rd (woodbridge), geraldine ct (woodbridge), and kaye rd (woodbridge).
I have heard bad things about woodbridge and manassas park. and that cops are a-holes in fairfax. does anyone have any other tips or advice?
Yes, I know I'm asking for a lot and I'm probably giving you too much info on what exactly we are looking for but I want to be exact. Don't be too harsh on me. Im new to all of this and trying not to freak out lol. I know this is a lot of writing and a long post. But please from another helping person to another help me out here.
Thanks
Are you renting? I'm assuming so since the move is coming up quickly.
I can't say too much about the NoVA locales, but do you know where in DC your husband is working? (e.g NW DC, downtown near the white house, K Street, Chinatown). If you want the commute to be least 30 min or less on the Metro, then you probably need to be closer in, like downtown Silver Spring side of the Red line. But you will have to compromise on some of your asks for $2k/month. But the walkability is great, schools will depend on which part of Silver Spring you are in.
Gaithersburg and Germantown will be about an hour commuting (including drive time to the Metro and commute into town). I used to live in Montgomery Village (near Gaithersburg) in 2007 and I loved the neighborhood, it was quiet and I went jogging every day on nearby trails around a lake. But I'm not too sure about the area schools now.
Columbia is nice and may get you the safety, walkability and the great schools, but commuting will either be by car or a commuter bus that will take you to the metro. There is no Metro accessibility. Expect upwards over a hour each way.
Mostly depends on which metro line(s) the job(s) will be close to. It isn't wise to live along the Red line if the job is only accessible via the Orange line and vice-versa.
A lot of the places you mention are very far away from downtown DC and will have harsh commutes. I'd recommend much closer-in, but it's hard to say where until we know the job location.
Hello there. I am sure this thread gets posted all the time but I need your guys help. My husband and I are relocating from San Diego to the DC area for a job. We are looking to move into a place by mid to late February of this year. So coming up quick. We are wondering what are the good areas and bad areas. Places to for sure stay away from. Mainly planning on living in MD or VA not DC. Places close to the Metro because that will be his way to work everyday. He is hoping to not be on the metro that long so preferably about 30 min but willing to be open to it. We are in the process of starting a family as well. I do not think we will be living in this area for long enough where we need to worry about good schools. We also have 3 small dogs. Harmless. Potty trained. Under 25 pounds. One of them is paralyzed and wears diapers all the time so she won't be an issue. We have been very open and honest about telling the properties we are interested in that we have 3 dogs so they are aware of this. We have been using the Zillow app to find places. So here is what we are looking for:
-Min 3 bed/3 bath
-Hoping to not spend over $2k/month
-Commuting to DC area so will need to be close to Metro
-Want a good-amazing neighborhood. (i want to feel safe walking around especially when we have kids)
-Hoping for 1500 sq ft min
-Need a fenced back yard with some grass
-Hardwood floors in common areas
-Dog friendly
-Quiet safe neighborhood
-We aren't really big on the nightlife/party/hipster scene
-Washer/dryer in unit.
-The more bedrooms and bath and (basements) we can get for our money the better.
-Prefer off street/garage parking
-Areas/properties we have saved on zillow so far: Heather mist drive (Severn), Hurstbourne rd (Columbia), Mcdaniel Drive (Purcellville), Misty meadow ter (Germantown) Autumn hill way (gaithersburg), white rocks ct (pasadena), knoll mist ln (gaithersburg), walnut cove cir (germantown), linden ct (herndon), ashley ter (sterling), brondebury park ter (sterling), clear night ter (ashburn), comer sq (sterling), lindsey ln (manassas park), linden dale rd (woodbridge), geraldine ct (woodbridge), and kaye rd (woodbridge).
I have heard bad things about woodbridge and manassas park. and that cops are a-holes in fairfax. does anyone have any other tips or advice?
Yes, I know I'm asking for a lot and I'm probably giving you too much info on what exactly we are looking for but I want to be exact. Don't be too harsh on me. Im new to all of this and trying not to freak out lol. I know this is a lot of writing and a long post. But please from another helping person to another help me out here.
With 3 dogs, unfortunately, you cannot afford to be too picky. Find a place you like that accepts your pets, vet it out with the folks here at CD and also you can go to www.spotcrime.com to check out the area crime if that is a concern for you. The webpage for the metro has a pretty good map system to tell you how long of a commute you'll have to the station and the destination so be sure to check that out.
Are you renting? I'm assuming so since the move is coming up quickly.
I can't say too much about the NoVA locales, but do you know where in DC your husband is working? (e.g NW DC, downtown near the white house, K Street, Chinatown). If you want the commute to be least 30 min or less on the Metro, then you probably need to be closer in, like downtown Silver Spring side of the Red line. But you will have to compromise on some of your asks for $2k/month. But the walkability is great, schools will depend on which part of Silver Spring you are in.
Gaithersburg and Germantown will be about an hour commuting (including drive time to the Metro and commute into town). I used to live in Montgomery Village (near Gaithersburg) in 2007 and I loved the neighborhood, it was quiet and I went jogging every day on nearby trails around a lake. But I'm not too sure about the area schools now.
Columbia is nice and may get you the safety, walkability and the great schools, but commuting will either be by car or a commuter bus that will take you to the metro. There is no Metro accessibility. Expect upwards over a hour each way.
Downtown Silver Spring is way out of their budget considering what they want. $2k may get them a really nice 1 BR or small 2 BR apartment, but not a nice 3BR house. A 3 BR house in the area will start around $2.5K+ near the metro, likely $3k+. If you think DT Silver Spring is cheap, you are living in the past. It's starting to catch up with DC.
Downtown Silver Spring is way out of their budget considering what they want. $2k may get them a really nice 1 BR or small 2 BR apartment, but not a nice 3BR house. A 3 BR house in the area will start around $2.5K+ near the metro, likely $3k+. If you think DT Silver Spring is cheap, you are living in the past. It's starting to catch up with DC.
I agree, they would have to drastically reduce their 'wants' for DT Silver Spring at their current price point.
I never said SS is cheap and have personally seen the growth over the years (although I do miss the quietness of SS in the 90s).
Im a born and raised native Washingtonian .. Ive lived in NoVa my whole life. for 2k/month, youre probably not going to get anywhere near a walkable distance to a metro unless you put a large chunk down if you are buying. Otherwise, you will need to look further out in Prince William County or Stafford County. You will need to then drive to the metro in Springfield.. which some days with traffic can take 1-2 hours. We have some of the worst traffic in the nation, right up there with LA. Lindendale Rd is in Dale City... some parts are ok.. others are drug infested. Woodbridge, same thing. good and bad parts. Loudoun Co/AShburn is more expensive and they do get a lot more snow there.. not sure if you are winter people or not but there is a big difference in them and along the I-95 corridor snow amount wise.
One good thing to think about is the train. They have a commuter rail that runs from Manassas to DC and Fredericksburg to DC. Thats also an option. Good luck. It aint cheap to live here~
Im a born and raised native Washingtonian .. Ive lived in NoVa my whole life.
What the what?
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Don't be too harsh on me. Im new to all of this and trying not to freak out lol. 
