DC or VA? (sales, real estate, house)

[livefreeordie]

You also need to consider that DC government is corrupt and inefficient. Things like getting your car inspected is a nightmare and has to be done at a corrupt and inefficient government facility. In the summer they shut it down if the temp rises to 90F or something not unusual for the area and queues grow to incredible lengths. If you have decent income then the tax burden is much higher in DC. I think the highest marginal rate is 9% but I might be wrong. MD is about the same because they have a county tax on top of the state tax. It is high in the DC suburb counties.

Car insurance is much lower in VA. My latest bill for 6 months is $370 for two vehicles. I hear that it is double across the bridge (MD) and I imagine that it is very high in DC. This balances any car tax issues.

We do pay a car tax, which should have been repealed by 2002 but it was, surprise surprise, stopped by the newly elected Democrat governor. It is still rebated 66% or something like that. Unless you have a 2007 Mercedes S class then your car tax won't be too bad in VA. With the rebate applied I think it comes to 1.5% in Fairfax County, which indicates how steep it used to be.

Also, consider that owning a firearm is illegal in DC. That's a deal breaker for me. No, people don't get mugged in McLean.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by livefreeordie

We do pay a car tax, which should have been repealed by 2002 but it was, surprise surprise, stopped by the newly elected Democrat governor. It is still rebated 66% or something like that.

It's currently 70% actually, and in an eerie premonition of what was to come nationally starting in 2001, all the Republican Mr. Gilmore had in 1997 was his slogan. No Car Tax. Also no plan. No clue as to how the state was going to slice revenues out of a tax that the state itself did not collect and was not responsible for. Too bad he couldn't come up with a car tax 'Surge' or some such snake-oil silliness by the time he was sent packing. Mr. Warner was able at least to craft a functional program to rebase and continue car tax relief. Would have been gone in 2008 if downstate Republicans hadn't scuttled that plan. So now we sit still at 70% and talk about maybe 2012, but in any case, the car tax never was, and certainly is not now, an issue of any significant consequence. It is an unpopular source of revenue, that unpopularity being its major shortcoming and about the only reason it continues to receive any notice or attention at all...

[caution]

I've lived on the Maryland side and the VA side. I've lived far out (as far as Woodbridge, VA) and close in.

Arlington VA is hands-down the best in my book. I lived in 22206 -- check for apartments or condos there. Check the schools if that's an issue for you, I would imagine that's the part that drives the sprawl 90 minutes out (with traffic) from the District.

I'm up in MD again due to a change in work assignment, but 22206 was the best spot to live in my combined, although not consecutive, years in the area (when I move this Summer, total years in the area will be just shy of 8)

[boby2]

Originally Posted by AppleSky

I hate virginia. It takes EXTRA long to get into DC if you live in VA. If you LOVE DC and work in DC I would NOT live in VA. Look at a map. Do you see the Potomac River making the border for DC and VA? You will have to get over a bridge to get into the District, which makes it really time consuming if you are in rush hour. It's much more efficient to live in MD if you live the suburbs, because you can get into the city quicker. For the most part living in VA you are detached from DC and MD.

yes i totally agree stay in DC

[ShaneOsborne]

Virginia is becoming more and more generic. It's a SUBURB. Do you want to live in a Suburb or in the city? That is question you should be asking. Yes there is old town Alexandria and parts of Arlington are great, but if you want character, a city feel, and a hip environment then live in DC.

I live in DC, two block from the metro and my car sits all week. I rarely need it. I enjoy the restaurants and cultural events. If you want strip malls, soccer fields, and highways, then Virginia is your choice. If you are young...live in town. Why not? You can always mow grass and eat at the Olive Garden later in life.

I agree with comments above regarding kids. DC schools are terrible.

[vasinger]

Originally Posted by ShaneOsborne

Virginia is becoming more and more generic. It's a SUBURB. Do you want to live in a Suburb or in the city? That is question you should be asking. Yes there is old town Alexandria and parts of Arlington are great, but if you want character, a city feel, and a hip environment then live in DC.

I live in DC, two block from the metro and my car sits all week. I rarely need it. I enjoy the restaurants and cultural events. If you want strip malls, soccer fields, and highways, then Virginia is your choice. If you are young...live in town. Why not? You can always mow grass and eat at the Olive Garden later in life.

I agree with comments above regarding kids. DC schools are terrible.

You're making rather sweeping generalizations. Northern Virginia also has places like Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria, lots of historical places, hunt country of loudoun county with the horses and beautiful rolling hills. Northern Virginia is a lot more than just vanilla Fairfax.

[Billiam]

Like someone said, living in MD would be more efficient. If you were to move to MD, make sure it's not in PG co because crime is awful there. But virginia has a better school system than MD and is a bit safer. I think actually living in the city would be a bad idea though

[HGONZ001]

Neither, MD is better. Bethesda, Rockville.

[bigger32]

Originally Posted by m_r2z0

Like someone said, living in MD would be more efficient. If you were to move to MD, make sure it's not in PG co because crime is awful there. But virginia has a better school system than MD and is a bit safer. I think actually living in the city would be a bad idea though

Your characterization of PG County is unfair, and is no doubt an indication that you subscribe to race bias. PG County is the largest of all MD counties, borders the District, and has all the strenghts and the weaknesses that you find in any large city or metropolitan area. Yes, there are some areas in PG County where the crime rate is very high. But, there are also areas with beautiful gated communities with guards, and multi-million dollar homes behind them. Your remark is based on the fact that PG County is known to have the largest concentration of wealthy African Americans in world. PG County is also home to the most educated African Americans. That, my friend, does not translate to an "awful" place. In fact, probably the most awful place is the place that taught you to be racist. Besides that, you probably have never even been to PG County.

On a pesonal note, I have lived in Maryland (Columbia) , Virginia (Alexandria and Reston); and now, I live and own a million dollar home in Washington, DC. If you are young, and hip, well educated, good looking, and you don't have kids, and or you the have money, come to Washington. Otherwise, get in where you can fit in. All I would ask is that you leave those stereotypical attitudes to the rednecks--most of them are NOT in DC.

[gnab gib]

Originally Posted by bigger32

Your characterization of PG County is unfair, and is no doubt an indication that you subscribe to race bias.

No, it's actually pretty accurate. My wife works in PG Country, in Landover, within spitting distance of FedEx Field. Her company has security guards escorting women to their cars in the parking lot at night. Delivery trucks won't even come there after dark.

PGCo may have some nicer areas, but so does DC. It doesn't mean I'd ever want to live there. The crime is bad. That's not race bias, it's a statistical fact.