Ashburn, VA to Hampton Roads? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: crime rate, how much, townhomes)

[stacylee926]

Glad you came down to visit! As I said in post #4, there are Ashburn type areas, just on a much smaller scale. Over the last 6 years, I have come to appreciate the smaller scale of Hampton Roads over NOVA. I'm sure you noticed the traffic here - you were able to see quite a bit in your short visit in a spread out area. Subdivision after subdivision creates congestion and fakeness that at first might be more comfortable to a city dweller.

I say that with a smile because I understand!!!

You are correct on the diversity here. At first I was disappointed because my son had spent his elementary years amongst children of all nationalities and was exposed to all cultures and religions.

I can comment a bit on the home construction point you made. I work in the construction business and I work with builders all over Hampton Roads. The builders in Isle of Wight have very good reps. Founder's Point has more expensive homes and good builders too. We work with a few builders in York County, and they are mostly decent too.

Hampton Roads is definitely a lifestyle change over NoVa. The biggest difference is that the HR is more laid back (and that can mean we are behind the times in some areas) and slower paced than NoVa.

You will probably want to come down again before you make your decision.

[stva]

Originally Posted by BrianLMA

What is CCP? I looked it up on Wikipedia but that didn't help much:
CCP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Concealed Carry Permit, i.e. she packs heat.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Yes, CCP -- concealed carry pistol permit. My family is very pro-2nd Amendment (and the rest of the Constitution for that matter).

Founders Pointe build quality... I stepped into a "luxury" home that was open. I am not a professional in the building industry, but I noticed that while the design was very attractive, the details were not so pretty. The master bathroom had a very modern, glitzy setup, but it had poor or missing caulk lines, missing vent cover, paint edges not quite right, etc. It just looked like it was put together in a hurry. That makes me wonder what else the builder hurried.

The laid back thing is nice, and I can probably use that... But I should also note that while I drove down there (I took V-17 down, I-64/I-95 up), a few cars drove "in formation" in front of my car waaaaaay below speed limit through 17, for about an hour or so. Drove me batty. But I exercised good manners and neither honked nor flashed high beam. Apparently, these drivers did not learn "slow traffic on the right lane, passing traffic on the left lane" rule at driver's ed.

I actually don't think the traffic is too bad in and around Ashburn. I don't work in DC or the Beltway anymore. The longest commute is to Fair Oaks, which takes all of 20 minutes on Dulles Greenway. Ashburn has excellent access to 267, 7, 28 and even 50 and 66. If there are obstructions, there are lots of choices.

The problem I see with Newport News area is the water and the bridges. These are all traffic choke points. One accident and I can see being stuck for a while (Seattle, for example, has the same problem, but there is good ferry service there).

In any case, thank you for all the helpful ideas. Please keep them coming. My family and I are pretty close to the decision point and it's a 50/50 coin toss at this moment.

[damian]

I think that if you choose to come, there will be a period of adjustment, possible reconsideration, but in the long run, you will be happy here...being in close proximity to beaches, water, and many family activities is such a plus

[IndiaLimaDelta]

We shall see!

I am not much of a water person (much prefer mountains -- I miss the Cascades), but I'll be happy if my children and wife are healthy, safe and happy.

Thank you, everyone, for the information. It looks like I'll be heading down there.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Still looking for a rental for 6 months to 1 year, but not finding much that meets my criteria (upscale area largish home with a fenced yard that takes 3 dogs). There seem to be some homes for sale that meet our criteria, but very few rentals.

Would like to try living there at a rental for a bit before buying, esp. since we're keeping our house in NoVA.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by damian

I think that if you choose to come, there will be a period of adjustment, possible reconsideration, but in the long run, you will be happy here...being in close proximity to beaches, water, and many family activities is such a plus

You got that right! I mean about the adjustment and reconsideration.

Now that my family and I are here, we are having a serious case of "buyer's remorse." Right now, the desire to return to Ashburn/NOVA at the end of the year is very powerful indeed.

So far, we hate it here. The crime is ridiculous. It's all shootings, homicides, shootings, homicides, hostage-taking. It's not just bad areas (as someone put it, Denbigh/VA60 and south of Mercury). Very bad things have happened in York County, Port Warwick, etc. -- supposedly very nice areas. The other day I was almost run down by two hoodlumish looking men in a beatup car who seemingly were racing away at warp speed. Looked like they were fleeing a crime scene... or something.

Contrary to the repeated assertions I read that the cost of living here is lower, so far our grocery bills are higher (we used to shop at Wegmans -- Fresh Market and Harris Teeter have smaller selections of similar merchandise and higher prices) as are our utilities (our water/sewage bill in 9 days is as much as 2 months up there).

And so far the restaurants are not good. Very bland food. And the sad thing is that they are actually pricier than in Ashburn! I suppose it's because there is more competition among ethnic restaurants up north. When I told an ethnic restauranteur that I just moved here from NoVA, he asked "Why would you do that?" (!!!)

And services here are s.l.o.w. or incompetent. I still don't have a garbage bin after 2 1/2 weeks, because of repeated and unspecified delays. I've been promised one "soon" or "3-5 days" several times. There was so much garbage piled up in the mean time that I hired someone to haul it away at my expense.

And to top it off, we really disliked every parish we visited so far. Not traditional at all -- very 60's and post-modern decor and practices. Grownups showing up in gargoyle t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops is not our idea of reverence in a house of worship. There is time and place for less than casual.

On the positive side, the vast majority of people we encountered so far are very friendly, social (chatty) and polite, if not particularly worldly. Our neighbors are very nice folks and helpful (then again, so are our neighbors up north, who are helping to take care of our house).

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

You got that right! I mean about the adjustment and reconsideration.

Now that my family and I are here, we are having a serious case of "buyer's remorse." Right now, the desire to return to Ashburn/NOVA at the end of the year is very powerful indeed.

So far, we hate it here. The crime is ridiculous. It's all shootings, homicides, shootings, homicides, hostage-taking. It's not just bad areas (as someone put it, Denbigh/VA60 and south of Mercury). Very bad things have happened in York County, Port Warwick, etc. -- supposedly very nice areas. The other day I was almost run down by two hoodlumish looking men in a beatup car who seemingly were racing away at warp speed. Looked like they were fleeing a crime scene... or something.

Contrary to the repeated assertions I read that the cost of living here is lower, so far our grocery bills are higher (we used to shop at Wegmans -- Fresh Market and Harris Teeter have smaller selections of similar merchandise and higher prices) as are our utilities (our water/sewage bill in 9 days is as much as 2 months up there).

And so far the restaurants are not good. Very bland food. And the sad thing is that they are actually pricier than in Ashburn! I suppose it's because there is more competition among ethnic restaurants up north. When I told an ethnic restauranteur that I just moved here from NoVA, he asked "Why would you do that?" (!!!)

And services here are s.l.o.w. or incompetent. I still don't have a garbage bin after 2 1/2 weeks, because of repeated and unspecified delays. I've been promised one "soon" or "3-5 days" several times. There was so much garbage piled up in the mean time that I hired someone to haul it away at my expense.

And to top it off, we really disliked every parish we visited so far. Not traditional at all -- very 60's and post-modern decor and practices. Grownups showing up in gargoyle t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops is not our idea of reverence in a house of worship. There is time and place for less than casual.

On the positive side, the vast majority of people we encountered so far are very friendly, social (chatty) and polite, if not particularly worldly. Our neighbors are very nice folks and helpful (then again, so are our neighbors up north, who are helping to take care of our house).

Okay on the crime, you ain't in NoVA. If you watch the news broadcast and base your crime argument on that you will think any major city in the country is Iraq. There is no way you can convince me that Hampton Roads is more dangerous than DC.

I may be a little defensive but I wouldn't uproot your family again after only a couple of months and some small nusiances. I'm going through my own adjustment period now in Louisville, mostly tied to not being employed . But I'm already seeing myself being happy in this area

I just think Hampton Roads deserves more of a fair shake. If it dont work out so be it.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Okay on the crime, you ain't in NoVA. If you watch the news broadcast and base your crime argument on that you will think any major city in the country is Iraq. There is no way you can convince me that Hampton Roads is more dangerous than DC.

I may be a little defensive but I wouldn't uproot your family again after only a couple of months and some small nusiances. I'm going through my own adjustment period now in Louisville, mostly tied to not being employed . But I'm already seeing myself being happy in this area

I just think Hampton Roads deserves more of a fair shake. If it dont work out so be it.

Never lived in DC (worked there for a while). Ashburn is 30 miles NW of DC, in Loudoun County (for a while America's fastest growing county and considered its premier exurb). Very safe. Very low crime. Probably 1 murder a year at most, most years none. A world of difference from DC.

By the year's end, I meant one full year, not the end of this calendar year.

Actually, parts of Iraq (Kurdish areas patrolled by the Peshmerga) are probably safer than many ghettos stateside! Unless you're PKK and live on the Turkish border.

[stacylee926]

When we first moved here 7 years ago, we laughed at the news. All they talked about was weather and crime! When we thought about it, all they talked about in NoVa was politics! NoVa/Dc have the exact same types of crime and more of it (due to the larger population) but it doesn't get as much press. In Hampton Roads, life is slower and our big news here is weather, crime and the military.

Yes, HR is different. Recently we locked the keys in our car. We got someone out to the house in less than 45 minutes and it cost me $35. You would have waited several hours and it probably would have cost $75 in Nova.

Time will tell. If you stay through the winter you may decide that you LOVE HR.. Slush, sleet, snow, miserable roads... chances are you won't miss that at all.