20 somethings looking for a new start near VA Beach/Dam Neck (Virginia Beach: fit in, sales)

[rlajb]

Hello Everyone!

I am in search of some helpful suggestions on specific areas to look at while apartment hunting in the Virginia Beach area. My husband and I will most likely be moving to the area in the Spring or Summer of this year. We are looking for a place to rent that is some where near the Dam Neck area. We are both from the midwest and since we will be living on the coast, we would like to make the most of it and live as near the beach as possible...or at least have easy access. I am a RN, so am hoping that I won't have too much trouble finding a job. We are both in our twenties with no children. We have a wide array of interests and think we'll probably fit in just about anywhere, but we would like to be close to "happening areas." I am not expecting Vegas or anything like a huge city night life...just want things to do close at hand. We both love live music, so that is always a plus as well. We're used to driving about an hour to experience any decent music or night life what-so-ever....looking very forward to a fresh start and a new area. Any hints or suggestions are GREATLY appreciated!!

[Randomdude]

Originally Posted by rlajb

Hello Everyone!

I am in search of some helpful suggestions on specific areas to look at while apartment hunting in the Virginia Beach area. My husband and I will most likely be moving to the area in the Spring or Summer of this year. We are looking for a place to rent that is some where near the Dam Neck area. We are both from the midwest and since we will be living on the coast, we would like to make the most of it and live as near the beach as possible...or at least have easy access. I am a RN, so am hoping that I won't have too much trouble finding a job. We are both in our twenties with no children. We have a wide array of interests and think we'll probably fit in just about anywhere, but we would like to be close to "happening areas." I am not expecting Vegas or anything like a huge city night life...just want things to do close at hand. We both love live music, so that is always a plus as well. We're used to driving about an hour to experience any decent music or night life what-so-ever....looking very forward to a fresh start and a new area. Any hints or suggestions are GREATLY appreciated!!

Good things

1. You are in the medical field, so if anyone can get a job you can. However, it is unlikely you will find affordable housing on the prevailing wage.


Bad Things

1. There is no "happening area". The closest to "happening" is around Granby Street in downtown Norfolk where you will find a few decent sports bars and what not.

2. Live music.....good luck with that. There are a couple hole in the walls around that will occasionally sport a live band, but you have to really dig for them. In the summer, the VB oceanfront frequently has live music, but it tends to heavily sway towards classic rock and country.

3. Night life.....lol

[rlajb]

Well, not what I was hoping to hear...but thanks for the quick response and honesty!

[rtandc]

Its not that bad, ther are pleanty of bars around Va Bch that have live music (depending on what type of music you like) The wife and I when in town love to spend Saturday nights checking out the local bands....And as far as National acts we get our fair share in this area with several venues around Hampton Roads that can hold several thousand people. We have an outdoor venue in Va Bch that seems to be the most popular with the bigger acts that can hold twenty thousand or so people....but being outside it is only open during the summer months......The good thing about this area is that you are only a few hours away from cities like DC or Charlotte that may pull national acts that do not have a stop here locally so they give you another option....

You will not have a problem finding work in the medical field....if fact you will have a number of choices

When you start checking for a place to rent, if you do decide to rent in the city of Va Bch pay very close attention to where you are in relation to Oceana which is the local navy jet base, the planes are very loud as they fly overhead.

Decide what you would like to pay for rent and if you want a house, condo, townhome or apartment then we can help you out and let you know which neighborhoods to stay away from etc

[rlajb]

We would like to keep rent around $1200/month. I prefer apartments at this time, especially being so new to the area, apartments are just usually more convenient. However, we are open to condo, townhome, house, or apartment... with house being the last choice. What are the good hospitals around, and which ones are closest to Dam Neck? My husband has a possible job opportunity at Dam Neck, so we'd like to be centrally located between a hospital and Dam Neck....with neither of us having to drive more than 30 minutes, and much less if possible.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by rlajb

We would like to keep rent around $1200/month. I prefer apartments at this time, especially being so new to the area, apartments are just usually more convenient. However, we are open to condo, townhome, house, or apartment... with house being the last choice. What are the good hospitals around, and which ones are closest to Dam Neck? My husband has a possible job opportunity at Dam Neck, so we'd like to be centrally located between a hospital and Dam Neck....with neither of us having to drive more than 30 minutes, and much less if possible.

Sentara has the monopoly on the medical field in this area...you will have a few hospitals within your drive time with Sentara VaBch or their new Princess Anne Rd building being the closest to Dam Neck

Here is a link to thier employement page

Employment at Sentara


1200 a month will get you a very nice one bed room apt or a decent 2 bed room......rents are down in this area just like most places across the USA


Again Dam Neck is putting you either inside or very close to the jet noise, so you will need to be careful where you look

Here is one of many apartment guides you can find on line

http://www.apartmentguide.com/apartm...Virginia-Beach

[Randomdude]

Originally Posted by rlajb

We would like to keep rent around $1200/month. I prefer apartments at this time, especially being so new to the area, apartments are just usually more convenient. However, we are open to condo, townhome, house, or apartment... with house being the last choice. What are the good hospitals around, and which ones are closest to Dam Neck? My husband has a possible job opportunity at Dam Neck, so we'd like to be centrally located between a hospital and Dam Neck....with neither of us having to drive more than 30 minutes, and much less if possible.

Youd like to keep rent around $1200, but you dont even know what or if you will get a job? I think you should find out how much you will be making before setting a target for rent. In order for that figure to be considered affordable, you and your husband need to gross about 50k a year. Depending on what field he is in, thats a realistic target, especially with you being an RN, however, I would never target a specific apartment rate with employment questionable.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by Randomdude

Youd like to keep rent around $1200, but you dont even know what or if you will get a job? I think you should find out how much you will be making before setting a target for rent. In order for that figure to be considered affordable, you and your husband need to gross about 50k a year. Depending on what field he is in, thats a realistic target, especially with you being an RN, however, I would never target a specific apartment rate with employment questionable.

I guess you do not understand what the average RN makes in Hampton Roads....even though it may be below the National Average it is still well above 60K a year....Now even if she starts out some place new and begins a little lower in wages she can still expect to make 25 bucks an hour or so to start around town with regular pay increases.....

[Randomdude]

Originally Posted by rtandc

I guess you do not understand what the average RN makes in Hampton Roads....even though it may be below the National Average it is still well above 60K a year....Now even if she starts out some place new and begins a little lower in wages she can still expect to make 25 bucks an hour or so to start around town with regular pay increases.....

I guess you do not understand the difference between moving somewhere without a job, and moving somewhere with a job. Ill help you out

"I am a RN, so am hoping that I won't have too much trouble finding a job"

"My husband has a possible job opportunity at Dam Neck, so we'd like to be centrally located between a hospital and Dam Neck...."

Correct me if Im wrong here, but that appears to me to be two people WITHOUT jobs jumping to Hampton Roads and hoping to find something. Unless you are offering her a 60k dollar position, you arent in any place to suggest shell be ok.

By the way, according to the BLS, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC - May 2008 OES Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

The median AND mean wage for RNs in the area is about 58k

Additionally, if you need a little bit of help with math, when the median and mean are about the same, that means that the gap between the lowest paid and highest is low, which means, RNs in the area can look forward to very small raises if any, and little room for monetary promotions. This is actually true in almost every single field in Hampton Roads outside of sales jobs. This is generally because this is an almost across the board absence of high paying leadership or corporate positions that would drag the mean up while leaving the median alone.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by Randomdude

I guess you do not understand the difference between moving somewhere without a job, and moving somewhere with a job. Ill help you out

"I am a RN, so am hoping that I won't have too much trouble finding a job"

"My husband has a possible job opportunity at Dam Neck, so we'd like to be centrally located between a hospital and Dam Neck...."

Correct me if Im wrong here, but that appears to me to be two people WITHOUT jobs jumping to Hampton Roads and hoping to find something. Unless you are offering her a 60k dollar position, you arent in any place to suggest shell be ok.

By the way, according to the BLS, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC - May 2008 OES Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

The median AND mean wage for RNs in the area is about 58k

Additionally, if you need a little bit of help with math, when the median and mean are about the same, that means that the gap between the lowest paid and highest is low, which means, RNs in the area can look forward to very small raises if any, and little room for monetary promotions. This is actually true in almost every single field in Hampton Roads outside of sales jobs. This is generally because this is an almost across the board absence of high paying leadership or corporate positions that would drag the mean up while leaving the median alone.

LOL you are so funny...Oh boy showing me a link where it shows the wage of an RN in the high 50's.... it took me about 2 seconds to google RN wages in Hampton Roads and find one showing mid 60's....either way that still more then the 50K you told her that her husband and her together would have to make in order to afford 1200 a month for an apartment....

It's none of my business if this couple moves before or after they find a job....she was not asking advise on that.....Maybe they have a ton of money in savings or have family in the area to help them out.....again its none of my business...........

She wanted to know what Va Bch was like and what hospitals were around town...I answered both of those questions for her....

If you feel it is your job to counsel them about how they should live their lives have at it....