Torn? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News: homes, good schools, universities)

[quakerchick]

Im interested in living in both Virginia beach, va and silver spring,md. Let me give a little background information.
I have a 3 year old he will be turning 4 in the fall so i need a good school.
His dads family is in VA and mine is in MD.
I need a good school because i have my rn; however, i plan on finishing my bsn.
Its 50,000 for a family of there until i start working.
We would have the initial expense of getting a car since we live in nyc.
My mom wants to move to the area i live. She is retired and has ESRD with social security, pension, and medicare.
Where would you recommend for better health care schools and affordability.

[TN Lily]

It has been about 20 years since I lived in the DC metro area and I now live in Newport News, which I realize is not Virginia Beach. But my gut reaction is that Virginia Beach would be a more pleasant life and though it is not a low cost of living area, I suspect it is far less than Silver Spring, Md. Living in the DC metro area was expensive when I lived there and the traffic was crazy. It's only gotten worse in the last 20 years on both counts.

Hopefully other posters more knowledgeable than I am, will post.
I am sorry about your mother's condition.
Good luck whatever you choose.

[leighland]

You really need to post in the Maryland Forum.
Silver Spring to VB is like
NYC to Garden City KS.

Don't think you could pick any more opposite.

The DC metro area is the 3rd most expensive metro to live in (Ave single income is 120K) with the worst traffic (yes worse than LA) combined with NYC like diversity everywhere-Central Americans/Bolivians/Somalians/Afghanis/Saudis/Koreans/Viets/India Indians---everything!All Recent Immigrants or 1st generation citizens.

VB is laid back, lots of white military families,single family homes, military transient area, suburban African Americans-many can trace their history to the 18th century in the area. There are bits and pieces of immigrants but its more a flavor to seek out.

DC OTOH is upper class/lawyer-advanced degreed/extremely aggressive/Im smarter than you and I make 6 figures a year off my fed job.

I like HR much better.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by leighland

......

VB is laid back, lots of white military families,single family homes, military transient area, suburban African Americans-many can trace their history to the 18th century in the area. There are bits and pieces of immigrants but its more a flavor to seek out.

DC OTOH is upper class/lawyer-advanced degreed/extremely aggressive/Im smarter than you and I make 6 figures a year off my fed job.

I like HR much better.

Interesting descriptions, Leighland. I wouldn't have characterized VB as laid-back but compared to your area, it might seem so. I come from a state where almost nothing moved at a hurried pace and I find VB to be hectic (especially in traffic). I guess it's all subjective.

Quakerchick, I can't offer a comparison because I don't know anything at all about Silver Spring. I agree with Leighland that you should probably post your question in the Maryland forum. As for VB, we have good schools here. I don't think your mother would have any problem finding good medical care. We have three hospital systems (that I personally know about) with facilities located in many parts of town. Would your mother want to live with you or in the same town but in her own place?

Good luck whichever you choose.

[Spazkat9696]

I would add VA Beach has a large Filipino population. I'd also say it's pretty laid back compaired to DC, but not to everywhere. Traffic here is bad, but not as bad as DC. Schools in VAB are good, and you could find a nice place around Sentara Princess Anne hospital that's safe with good schools and afforidable. There is also a medical school and several universities around here for you to choose from. Just make sure you look at the acceptance rates for the universities before you pick because some of the schools are better than other.

[leighland]

Originally Posted by LilyLady

Interesting descriptions, Leighland. I wouldn't have characterized VB as laid-back but compared to your area, it might seem so.

Exactly Lily and Spaz!

Yes traffic in HR is awful. Like NoVa, we avoid 64 and do the HR Backroad Shuffle whenever possible.

I would like to add I am very thankful the HR tunnel system has rising gates to control the number of cars in the tunnels. This is very important as I have never waited a complete stop for more than a minute in a tunnel. Thank God or I'd have a panic attack!

[quakerchick]

Ive already got into nsu and odu. Im not sure if she wants to live with me yet. She can afford to live on her own.

[Spazkat9696]

I'd go with ODU. Then again that's where I graduated from lol. Make sure you really look before you pick a school. They are not all the same quality.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by quakerchick

Im interested in living in both Virginia beach, va and silver spring,md. Let me give a little background information.
I have a 3 year old he will be turning 4 in the fall so i need a good school.
His dads family is in VA and mine is in MD.
I need a good school because i have my rn; however, i plan on finishing my bsn.
Its 50,000 for a family of there until i start working.
We would have the initial expense of getting a car since we live in nyc.
My mom wants to move to the area i live. She is retired and has ESRD with social security, pension, and medicare.
Where would you recommend for better health care schools and affordability.

Silver Spring is a true urban environment. It makes downtown Norfolk look like downtown Harrisonburg. It makes Town Center look like a strip mall. Personally, if I could move out of Hampton Roads I would probably move to Silver Spring. That area also has a diversity that one could only wish existed in Hampton Roads.

Silver Spring could be a lot more expensive than Virginia Beach, but if a true urban environment is what you desire you might be a lot happier there. Your mother might be happier in Virginia Beach, because it is laid back, family friendly, and she might not care about a hectic, urban environment. I would research both areas because someone is going to have compromise something.

[11KAP]

i guess you have to figure out if you would
rather live in a more spread out environment
next to the ocean and bay, or a crowded,
suburban area somewhat near a narrow river.