New Yorker looking into Virginia (Arlington, Reston: middle-class, renting, buying a home)

[LightningMcQueen]

I'm a life time New Yorker, mid 30's, family of 4 with 2 children soon to start school, getting tired of the high cost of living in New York Metro. If you're familiar with the NYC burbs, I live in Westchester County where the schools are great but you pay for it thru high housing cost. For an avg middle class family earning $125K, it is very hard to own a home within a 40 minute radius of midtown Manhattan, the employment hub of NY Metro.

So, I'm thinking what else is out there in different parts of this country where similar quality of life/education can be had for more reasonable cost. And I've heard thru people and read several articles that say a lot of good things about Fairfax County in this regard.

Would the members of the Virgina forum tell me as much as you can about Fairfax County. I work in Database Administration (a decipline within the IT field) and I've heard that wages are similar down there. I would think most of the employment opps will be centered around the DC area. What are the towns that are within 30 to 40 minute commute of the employment hub and what kind of housing cost and property tax should you expect for a middle class type home (3bd 2bth, .25acre, 1500 sqft.... that's middle class up here).

Also, would you tell me how your public education is set up and what factors typically drive how people decide where to buy? Up here, within the county I live in, we have 30 or so (not sure the exact number, but numerous) school districts of varying reputation. So when people look to buy a home here, they compare one town vs another in terms of housing cost vs the reputation of the schools in that town.

But I heard that in in Fairfax County, you have one county level school district, as opposed to town level ones. This keeps admin cost as well as other overhead costs down for the tax payers. How does this translate to the quality of the schools among the various towns? Are there towns that are more desirable vs another purely from educational point of view? Or is the quality of the education pretty much equal among the towns and the only thing you would have to consider in buying a home would be where you work and what kind of home/neighborhood you like?

I already wrote a lot so, let me leave it off here. I look forward to reading the responses.

[SteelCityRising]

Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Fairfax County is no "bargain" compared to Westchester County. The median household income here is in the six-figures (second-wealthiest county in the nation behind neighboring Loudoun County). I wouldn't move here looking for a cheaper cost-of-living. Bucks County, PA might be a better option to consider, as it is slightly less expensive than most of Westchester or Fairfax Counties, has great public schools, a suburban atmosphere, and comparable salaries. I live here in Fairfax County and am struggling to keep my head above water.

[LightningMcQueen]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Fairfax County is no "bargain" compared to Westchester County. The median household income here is in the six-figures (second-wealthiest county in the nation behind neighboring Loudoun County). I wouldn't move here looking for a cheaper cost-of-living. Bucks County, PA might be a better option to consider, as it is slightly less expensive than most of Westchester or Fairfax Counties, has great public schools, a suburban atmosphere, and comparable salaries. I live here in Fairfax County and am struggling to keep my head above water.

I'm looking at an MLS site and pulled up some random listings to get an idea. I see a clean 3bdrm home in zip 22312 for $515K, property tax $5K. (and plenty others like it in other zip) From the pictures, it would be a very desirable middle class house. Not knowing the area at all, other than the fact that it is close to DC (where I understand the employment hub is), something like this in Westchester County would sell for at least $800K with property tax at least $15K.

That's a huge difference and within the realm of possibilty for a middle class 9-to-5'er. Am I missing something?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by LightningMcQueen

I'm looking at an MLS site and pulled up some random listings to get an idea. I see a clean 3bdrm home in zip 22312 for $515K, property tax $5K. (and plenty others like it in other zip) From the pictures, it would be a very desirable middle class house. Not knowing the area at all, other than the fact that it is close to DC (where I understand the employment hub is), something like this in Westchester County would sell for at least $800K with property tax at least $15K.

That's a huge difference and within the realm of possibilty for a middle class 9-to-5'er. Am I missing something?

I guess it's all a matter of perspective. To me I'd never pay $500,000+ for a "middle-class 3-bedroom house" in the far-out suburbs. If your family will be making $125,000/year I don't see how you won't be "house poor" living in a home worth over a half-million dollars.

[momtotwoboys]

hi...love the screen name! my boys favorite character of all time! I have lots of family in Westchester so I feel like I know where you are coming from. We are currently renting in Mclean (22101) and here you get a 3 bed/1.5 bath room cramped cape for about $550-$700K. Schools are great but the houses here are usually older and small. We are actually looking at the Cascades area of Loudoun county because we are priced out here. You might look in different areas of Falls Church. I know a lot of my friends here love the 22043 zip code because it is slightly less expensive but still is close to D.C and feeds into great schools. It all depends where the job is. My hubby has worked out near Dulles so for us, Loudound county offers a shorter county and more house for the money.

[LightningMcQueen]

So, for you guys there down there $500K 3bdrm home within 30 minute of DC and good schools is considered expensive? Comparing it to Westchester County, $5K property tax alone is a huge difference, a difference that would translate to the possibility of owning a home. Up here, the only thing you can get for $500K and $5K tax is either

(1) 90 minutes outside of Midtown NYC
(2) Crappy school
(3) House that needs a lot of work

Anyone in VA familiar with Westchester who can help me make some valid comparisons? From what I'm seeing on various MLS sites for Fairfax County, to me, it seems some of the things I've heard and read may be true. And if the wages and quality of public education is similar, then maybe the grass is indeed greener.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by LightningMcQueen

I'm looking at an MLS site and pulled up some random listings to get an idea. I see a clean 3bdrm home in zip 22312 for $515K, property tax $5K. (and plenty others like it in other zip) From the pictures, it would be a very desirable middle class house. Not knowing the area at all, other than the fact that it is close to DC (where I understand the employment hub is), something like this in Westchester County would sell for at least $800K with property tax at least $15K.

That's a huge difference and within the realm of possibilty for a middle class 9-to-5'er. Am I missing something?

Fairfax County is not as expensive as Westchester by a long shot - and the tax burden, in particular, is considerably lower. Having said that, to put in Westchester-ese, 22312 isn't the Fairfax equivalent of Scarsdale, Rye or Mamaroneck; it's more like New Rochelle. The SFH that costs $515 in 22312 might cost quite a bit more in many other Fairfax zip codes.

Whether the grass is greener depends on what you're looking for. A lot of folks consider NoVa, and Fairfax in particular, to be one giant, sprawling suburb, and miss the town centers you can find in a lot of NY/NJ towns. However, for those who are ready to either embrace or tolerate suburbia, the NoVa suburbs compare pretty favorably with those in many other parts of the country, for many of the reasons you've mentioned.

[Badger21]

The only 30 minute commute I know of in DC is if you actually live in DC or are in Arlington. I'm not sure you'll find a place you desire for that little in those communities.

[car54]

Fuhgeddaboudit...there's no decent pizza around here!

[weezycom]

Because of your area of training in db administration, chances are pretty high that you would end up working in the tech corridor of Dulles/Chantilly/Reston/Herndon area, which is about a 45-60 minute commute to DC itself, but if you do work in the tech corridor, then you've got a strong probably at getting a nice house in the western half of Fairfax County that works for both your commute and family requirements. If you think you'll probably end up in WDC, itself, then getting a house within a 30-minute commute goes wayyyy down.