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my wife & I, & our 5 year old son, have been considering a move to the
virginia beach area. Looking around on this forum, I'm finding mostly negative comments, is it that bad? I'd understood the schools were good & that it was a good place for a family. We've been looking (online) at condos on or near the beach, but the choice of where to live would depend mostly on the schools. We'll be in the area at the end of summer to do a little looking around.
I love this area for families. I think it depends on what you are looking for and where you are moving from. This is not the place to move if you are looking for a fast paced night life and trendy hot spots. Yes the cost of homes has gone up considerably but with some planning you can find something that will fit into most budgets. Crime in general is low for an area this size, especially if you are moving from a large urban area.
Check out greatschools for info about local schools in the area. I don't live in VaBch but there are good schools there as well as in Chesapeake where I live. Norfolk is tougher as is Portsmouth. There is a lot for families to do here and you can find something interesting to do every weekend, especially if you like the beach.
Most people that spend a lot of time on these types of message boards are usually unhappy about the area. That doesn't make what they say to be true for everyone, just them.
Most people that spend a lot of time on these types of message boards are usually unhappy about the area. That doesn't make what they say to be true for everyone, just them.
Not true, Im a poster/browser in several different metro areas, and I can tell you, Hampton Roads has the highest percent of regular posters that hate the area of any board Ive seen.
my wife & I, & our 5 year old son, have been considering a move to the
virginia beach area. Looking around on this forum, I'm finding mostly negative comments, is it that bad? I'd understood the schools were good & that it was a good place for a family. We've been looking (online) at condos on or near the beach, but the choice of where to live would depend mostly on the schools. We'll be in the area at the end of summer to do a little looking around.
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The area is actually pretty good for families, especially Virginia Beach. Low crime, pretty decent schools, local governments that try to legislate family friendly atmospheres, plenty of rec centers.
The problem is, unless you are coming here with a good paying job in hand, and by good, I mean over 80k a year, you should probably just keep on moving. The biggest knock on the area is its terrible cost of living to per capita wage income, and its lack of corporate jobs and ladders to climb.
The area is actually pretty good for families, especially Virginia Beach. Low crime, pretty decent schools, local governments that try to legislate family friendly atmospheres, plenty of rec centers.
The problem is, unless you are coming here with a good paying job in hand, and by good, I mean over 80k a year, you should probably just keep on moving. The biggest knock on the area is its terrible cost of living to per capita wage income, and its lack of corporate jobs and ladders to climb.
I can't really argue with anything said in this post, although I would drop that number to about 65k, 80k seems a bit high in my opinion but it does depend on lifestyle and location. Latest real estate forecasts I have read predict an additional 5-10% drop in home prices over the next year for the area so that is a plus for people that aren't in a hurry to buy. We are still too high after the boom (the area as a whole appreciated about 120% from 2000-2007), but that at least helps.
From what I have read, the negative posts focus on 3 major issues, and are legitimate criticisms. Someone should make this a sticky so that people don't keep repeating it over and over. I will give my summary, I am sure others will have something to add:
1) Cost of living to income has become too high during the housing boom, places that cost 150k 10 years ago are selling for 300k now while no significant increase in wages has occurred during that same period.
2) The area is spread out and lacks good public transportation options. This is not a concern for everyone, but can be an issue for some. It also raises questions for the future of the city given the push towards cap and trade, renewable energy sources, and sustainability. It is an area where you need to have a car.
3) The area lacks any real urban core with nightlife and culture that appeals to young adults. Downtown norfolk is improving, VB town center is a start, and the oceanfront/chicks beach has some spots but the area has a suburban strip mall and cookie cutter subdivision feel to it.
The job issue is debatable, it is really field dependent. I make a good wage, most of my friends do as well... but we are all government contractors. The economy is military, tourism, government, and shipping based. There are some corporate jobs but not a ton of them like you may expect in a metro this large... so you have to consider your career field.
The area also leans towards conservative with a lot of religious (christian) presence. This is also a neutral characteristic depending on your world view. I am not religious, but I have a lot of respect for what the churches do in the community so I get along just fine. Some of the more "progressive" minded folks in the area get frustrated. Just something to keep in mind.
Positives:
Water is EVERYWHERE! This is truly an area where you can't go 10 miles without seeing a river, lake, bay, or the ocean. It provides a lot of recreational opportunities if you are in to fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming, or just like to walk along the water and enjoy the view.
Safe communities with good public schools. Virginia beach in particular (as mentioned by randomdude) has good schools, low crime, rec centers, parks, and community leagues for your kids to participate in.
Reasonable diversity. It is not Honolulu, NYC, or San Diego... but your kids will grow up understanding that the world is full of lots of different people with lots of different ideas. A BBQ at my friends house in VB looks like a U.N. meeting with all the black/white/brown people walking around.
Good in-state colleges. UVA, William and Mary, ODU, Virginia Tech, CNU, NSU, and more will be available to your kids at a reasonable tuition rate if you are a state resident.
Proximity to lots of cool places. DC, Outer Banks, Charleston, Philly, Baltimore, NYC are all close enough to take a long weekend up there. Not to mention the state parks and national park in the western part of the state.
Mild Climate. We rarely get snow and the summers are bearable. Spring and fall are beautiful. Winter days are typically around 45-55 degrees and summer days between 80-90. There is the occasional cold snap or heat wave, but our proximity to the water moderates the temperature a lot. It can be 100 in richmond but 85 at the beach in the summer, conversely it can be 20 in richmond and be 40 at the beach in winter. It is not a stable west coast kind of climate, we still get seasons, but they are not nearly as harsh as inland locations.
Overall, my opinion is that it is an average area in a pretty good location. The folks are laid back and friendly for the most part and you can find stuff to do if you look for it. Making friends can be a challenge for young singles because most are either military, transient, or long-time residents with established social circles... but if you have kids then you should have no problem meeting other parents. Sorry for the long post.
I can't really argue with anything said in this post, although I would drop that number to about 65k, 80k seems a bit high in my opinion but it does depend on lifestyle and location. Latest real estate forecasts I have read predict an additional 5-10% drop in home prices over the next year for the area so that is a plus for people that aren't in a hurry to buy. We are still too high after the boom (the area as a whole appreciated about 120% from 2000-2007), but that at least helps.
From what I have read, the negative posts focus on 3 major issues, and are legitimate criticisms. Someone should make this a sticky so that people don't keep repeating it over and over. I will give my summary, I am sure others will have something to add:
1) Cost of living to income has become too high during the housing boom, places that cost 150k 10 years ago are selling for 300k now while no significant increase in wages has occurred during that same period.
2) The area is spread out and lacks good public transportation options. This is not a concern for everyone, but can be an issue for some. It also raises questions for the future of the city given the push towards cap and trade, renewable energy sources, and sustainability. It is an area where you need to have a car.
3) The area lacks any real urban core with nightlife and culture that appeals to young adults. Downtown norfolk is improving, VB town center is a start, and the oceanfront/chicks beach has some spots but the area has a suburban strip mall and cookie cutter subdivision feel to it.
The job issue is debatable, it is really field dependent. I make a good wage, most of my friends do as well... but we are all government contractors. The economy is military, tourism, government, and shipping based. There are some corporate jobs but not a ton of them like you may expect in a metro this large... so you have to consider your career field.
The area also leans towards conservative with a lot of religious (christian) presence. This is also a neutral characteristic depending on your world view. I am not religious, but I have a lot of respect for what the churches do in the community so I get along just fine. Some of the more "progressive" minded folks in the area get frustrated. Just something to keep in mind.
Positives:
Water is EVERYWHERE! This is truly an area where you can't go 10 miles without seeing a river, lake, bay, or the ocean. It provides a lot of recreational opportunities if you are in to fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming, or just like to walk along the water and enjoy the view.
Safe communities with good public schools. Virginia beach in particular (as mentioned by randomdude) has good schools, low crime, rec centers, parks, and community leagues for your kids to participate in.
Reasonable diversity. It is not Honolulu, NYC, or San Diego... but your kids will grow up understanding that the world is full of lots of different people with lots of different ideas. A BBQ at my friends house in VB looks like a U.N. meeting with all the black/white/brown people walking around.
Good in-state colleges. UVA, William and Mary, ODU, Virginia Tech, CNU, NSU, and more will be available to your kids at a reasonable tuition rate if you are a state resident.
Proximity to lots of cool places. DC, Outer Banks, Charleston, Philly, Baltimore, NYC are all close enough to take a long weekend up there. Not to mention the state parks and national park in the western part of the state.
Mild Climate. We rarely get snow and the summers are bearable. Spring and fall are beautiful. Winter days are typically around 45-55 degrees and summer days between 80-90. There is the occasional cold snap or heat wave, but our proximity to the water moderates the temperature a lot. It can be 100 in richmond but 85 at the beach in the summer, conversely it can be 20 in richmond and be 40 at the beach in winter. It is not a stable west coast kind of climate, we still get seasons, but they are not nearly as harsh as inland locations.
Overall, my opinion is that it is an average area in a pretty good location. The folks are laid back and friendly for the most part and you can find stuff to do if you look for it. Making friends can be a challenge for young singles because most are either military, transient, or long-time residents with established social circles... but if you have kids then you should have no problem meeting other parents. Sorry for the long post.
I would say this is a very good neutral post. I am very negative on Hampton Roads, but I have to agree with everything said here save for one thing, and thats the diversity. There is a "brown" presence, defining "brown" as people of Latino heritage, however, it is small, and almost exclusively Mexican. In addition, we have a small "Asian" presence, but that is almost exclusively Filipino.
Hampton Roads is black and white for all intensive purposes. It resembles most larger southern cities outside of Florida, however its coastal presence, and affiliation with the military has stirred the pot a little more then what you would find in say, Alabama.
I would say this is a very good neutral post. I am very negative on Hampton Roads, but I have to agree with everything said here save for one thing, and thats the diversity. There is a "brown" presence, defining "brown" as people of Latino heritage, however, it is small, and almost exclusively Mexican. In addition, we have a small "Asian" presence, but that is almost exclusively Filipino.
Hampton Roads is black and white for all intensive purposes. It resembles most larger southern cities outside of Florida, however its coastal presence, and affiliation with the military has stirred the pot a little more then what you would find in say, Alabama.
It looks like the data supports your assertion that we are pretty typical for a southern city. Although we do seem to be a little likely to mix which is a good thing. In my close circle of friends, none of us are in what would be considered same-race relationships and I appreciate how acceptable that is around here:
It looks like the data supports your assertion that we are pretty typical for a southern city.
I may usually be very negative, but you will find that most of what I say is not just made up BS. Demographics and statistics are an interest of mine and have been since I was in elementary school and I spend an ungodly amount of time researching these things. I try to avoid using my personal opinion as an arguing point as much as possible, and when I do, I cant think of a time when I didnt disclose it as such.
As far as the graphs are concerned, I think outside of Florida, the only cities that really deviate from the standard black/white thing by any really noticeable amount, are in NC. For some reason, a larger Mexican population has settled there, and you can actually see this on the pie charts you provide. I really dont have an explanation for that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UHgrad
Although we do seem to be a little likely to mix which is a good thing. In my close circle of friends, none of us are in what would be considered same-race relationships and I appreciate how acceptable that is around here:
I have to agree with this. For the south, there is above average rates of "mixed" couples, and I havent really seen or heard of anything come to violent confrontation or harrassment. For the most part, my neighbors are pretty friendly to us, and Ive only gotten limited comments out and about. I cant say Ive felt threatened or scared at any point. I will definatley give the area that.
we are military- so we are here not exactly by choice- but after having kids of our own- i have grown to love the area. we are a bit further from the beach, we are in the pembroke area, and i love it here. now granted, i don't have to worry about schools yet and such, but the area is wonderful, there is plenty to do, and lots of things for the kids to enjoy. as for race and all that- it's just skin color- kids need to be exposed to it- there is nothing wrong with it- just adds color to the world!
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