QUIET areas outside DC??? (homes, where to live, zoning)

[jlnap]

My husband and I are relocating from sunny South Carolina to DC
He's been offered a career opportunity he simply cannot refuse. Soooo, we need to know where to live. We prefer the "boonies" but realize that may not be a possibility. However, are there any areas that offer any feeling of small town America???

[juniperbleu]

Where exactly will he be working? How long of a commute would he want? For a more "small town" or "boonies" feel you'll probably have to head further out into the suburbs.

[jlnap]

His job requires him to travel extensively throught the entire DC area. (Sales) We were told a good central location would be somewhere in Fairfax Co. or Loudon Co. (He doesn't really have a commute...home office will be our house...)

[ceejamon]

Much of Maryland is rural, but it might be more of a commute than he is looking for.

[jsdory]

Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD are the two most expensive counties in the DC Area.. You CAN find some rural spots in both areas, though. It really depends on where you want to be, price-wise. For instance, in Montgomery County, you can live over in Barnesville, Damascus, or Poolesville and still be within the DC Area. Eventhough you mention that you would like to live in a small-town atmostphere in the DC Area (which nearly doesnt exist), I cringe at mentioning that you could also move to Loudon County, VA (which is due northwest of Fairfax County) or in Frederick County, MD (which is north of Montgomery County) for the simple fact that your spouse will be driving longer distances to get to the inner-metropolitcan areas. If you want to live way out - then those counties might do you justice. If you want to be closer in - but still have a 'slower' feel - you can try those areas mentioned above.

Good Luck

[JimGriffith]

If Fairfax or Loudon counties were mentioned as central locations for him to set up, you might consider Purcellville or Hamilton...quaint little towns in western loudon county away from most of the development.

[saganista]

There will be a trade-off, obviously, in that the more rural you become, the further away from the "entire DC area" you get. I never recommend to anyone needing to commute into DC that they live in Loudon County, for instance. It's simply too far away. But there are a few places where a sort of quasi-rural, small town feel might be found without going too horribly far away. The Cabin John/Glen Echo area in MD is one, many parts of Great Falls in VA would be another, as would significant though decreasing parts of the Hunter Valley area between Vienna and Reston. Another option back in MD would be some areas in and around Burtonsville. All of these areas can be pretty expensive, but they'd be among the better options that don't involve going out to the actual boonies...

[jlnap]

We've been told to stick to Va...Hunter Valley, eh? I'll check it out! Thanks for all of the tips! Keep 'em comin!

[saganista]

There are two actual organizations of note in Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley Association and the Hunter Valley Riding Club, horses being kind of a big thing in the area. The history pages for HVA in particular will provide some background, but both organizations represent only the homes that are part of the original Hunter tract, all of which is zoned to a two-acre minimum, making them seven-figure properties. If that's comfortable, great, but obviously, it isn't for most. There are adjacent and nearby areas without the zoning and the price that share the same topography and the same sense of being far enough away from everything not to notice it all, while still being close enough to everything to get there pretty quickly. They're not exactly inexpensive either, but they are a semi-rural and close-in alternative to the boonies...

[CHIP72]

If your husband would be working from home and would only need to travel off-peak, I'd consider Loudoun County west of Leesburg. Housing is very expensive out there though.