Va To Dc ~ Commuting Nightmare?

[pkoons]

I live about 30 miles from DC in Maryland, and actually commute about 45 miles to Bethesda (note to employers - the worst location for a new office unless you want only Silver Spring, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and NW DC employees!!!)

Just as a heads-up, there *are* nice areas close to DC in Virginia, but with the exception of Arlington and Old Town Alexandria, which don't offer much in terms of affordable single family homes, they are a little dull and same-y (Fairfax County is total boring suburbia, sort of how I feel about Montgomery County in MD) and even if you go farther out to Loudoun or Prince William County it doesn't get too much more exciting. If you go really far out you get charming bed & breakfast restaurants, beautiful horse country, and in some areas, lakes and rivers for boating, but keep in mind that Rtes 7, 66, and 95 in VA are miserable. Expect at least 1 1/2 hours each way to DC, though it's better in the evening. Tradeoffs, gotta love them...

FYI, VT Hokie, I'm sure most people here already know this, but people move farther out for a variety of reasons. By moving to Anne Arundel County in Maryland, I did not move to a "cheap" area to buy a "McMansion." I moved to Crownsville (average home - $700K... my house - 1100 sq. feet) because I am a block from the Severn River for swimming and boating, the neighborhood is extremely safe, downtown Annapolis is a blast for shopping & dining, and it put me within an easy drive to friends and family in PG, Baltimore, Howard, and Anne Arundel County. I carpool to work and don't think twice about the 1 1/2 hour commute, even though it sucks sometimes, I know it's well worth it. Just because people choose to work in DC doesn't mean they want to deal with the DC environment on their days off.

I'm from east Tennessee and for me, the area surrounding Annapolis is the anti-DC - which is great!!! Bethesda? Silver Spring? Arlington? They're all OK, but you can keep 'em. Dreamfollower, as far as I'm convinced, you might find a cool house as far out as Culpeper (check out Foti's restaurant!) if you can stomach the drive. Good luck!