Brambleton vs Belmont Ridge (Chantilly, Fairfax: for sale, renting, houses)

[snicki10]

Hello-

We are going to be moving to Northern Virginia from California this summer. We have lived in Northern Virginia a few years back but lived in Vienna.

We are looking at the Brambleton area. Wondering if anyone can tell me the pro's/con's of the Bramleton vs. Belmont Ridge area, including school information? My husband will be commuting to the Chantilly area and we have two young girls.

We will be renting for a year or so to make sure we like the area we are in before we buy. Looking to spend about $2,500 a month on rent. Is this reasonable to get a fairly nice place?

Also looking for opinions on preschools in the area.

Thanks so much.

[Tdavispsu]

I live in brambleton and can't wait until I move. Everyone I have met here is trying to "keep up with the jones'" and it's beginning to trickle down to the children in the neighborhood. They do have a nice town center and community sponsored events throughout the year, but there is no depth to the area as a whole. We plan on getting out before our children are in middle school. Speaking of schools, they are very, very overcrowded. The county can't keep up with the growth. My third graders class has 28 kids in it with one teacher. I would look elsewhere.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

It is funny how an awful place keeps on growing.

[Tdavispsu]

Do you live here? It keeps growing because the job market is very reliable and steady. The OP asked for opinions and I am voicing mine after being here for 9 years and watching the growth. My personal preference is an area that is smaller, more down to earth, and a small town feel rather than an area with cookie cutter houses, wine clubs, and people who care more about who designed their curtains than actually having a conversation.

[south_east2west]

Originally Posted by Tdavispsu

Do you live here? It keeps growing because the job market is very reliable and steady. The OP asked for opinions and I am voicing mine after being here for 9 years and watching the growth. My personal preference is an area that is smaller, more down to earth, and a small town feel rather than an area with cookie cutter houses, wine clubs, and people who care more about who designed their curtains than actually having a conversation.

What you said about the job market I couldn't agree with you more. As long as the jobs are plentiful folks will flock to the area regardless of the pretentiousness, etc. I lived there for 11 years and although I won't cast a wide net, what you described was my experience for the most part.

However, OP you will be fine in either development as they are well kept and maintained communities.

[NC211]

I've been in Brambleton for a year now. While I tend to agree that it has a bit of "consumeritis" about it, is that really all that bad? I can see where some of the folks who have been there prior to the boom that has been occuring over the past decade in that area can be upset about it. But, it is what it is, and right now what it is....is for sale at a pretty reasonable price when compared to the rest of the MSA for what you get.

Yes, it takes a little getting used to if you're coming from a "stabilized" area that has it's roots already planted deep. Brambleton doesn't have it's roots yet. They're being planted as we speak. That being said - they might not be discussing the curtains to be snotty, but rather discussing curtains because, there aren't any curtains up yet in general.

In my personal opinion, as someone who spent 3 years in the burb's of Chicago immediately prior to Loudoun (having a front row seat to the recession), I've found that I'd rather discuss the curtains, than about 95% of the other topics of discussion going on in the world. I feel very lucky to be around folks who seem to be dealing with "issues" that appear to be "shallow" in nature. It's a bit of a relief, given the reality of...well...reality. I like the fact that my street has nice cars parked on it, and folks are driven to take care of them. It's refreshing. I like the fact that my lawnmower makes my neighbor feel like he needs to one-up me and buy a better one. It makes his yard look fantastic, which in turn, makes mine look good too!

Loudoun reminds me of a former home of mine during the 90's, which is still booming today..... Johnson County, Kansas. Otherwise known as Overland Park. It's a great place to raise a family. Safe, nice, enjoyable.

In terms of pre-schools, we like this one.. http://avcds.com/index.php

[NC211]

Although, I will say that some of the vanity plates on the cars, are pretty stupid. I won't point out any specifically, but to say the worst I've ever seen references a wealth status. I was next to this person a few weeks ago, and couldn't help but laugh at the guy behind him, in a nicer car, laughing at the guy.

[snowdenscold]

So basically Tdavisprsu would recommend neither, since at first glance he seems to be only discouraging Brambleton. But really both* would have the same "issues".

* What exactly are you referring to by "Belmont Ridge"? Broadlands, Belmont Greene, near the country club, Landsdowne, somewhere else? It's a long road from Evergreen Mills (south of Brambleton) up north past Route 7...

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by NC211

I like the fact that my lawnmower makes my neighbor feel like he needs to one-up me and buy a better one. It makes his yard look fantastic, which in turn, makes mine look good too!

I like the fact that my neighbor insists we should never buy a lawnmower ("Ahhh, no need to pay for such an expense!"), because we are free to use his whenever we want.

[cdmurphy]

I have also lived in Brambleton for nine years, and I have encountered some of what Tdavispsu describes, but I just avoid those kind of people. I drive a 2006 Hyundai, and my curtains were designed by JCPenney. I don't care what people think of me. I've met plenty of people in Brambleton who are down-to-earth and intellectual, and have made some lifelong friends here. I do worry somewhat about peer pressure for my kids, but that's a problem no matter where you live.

I moved here from one of the most desirable school pyramids in Fairfax, within a stone's throw of Haycock Elementary, and in four years I got to know one neighbor. The others I encountered were dismissive or downright rude. There was no community spirit or interaction. I'd much rather raise my children here, despite the school issues, than in my old Falls Church-area neighborhood.