Retiring to VA (theatre, place to live, gym)

[saganista]

Re Alexandria areas, there is the bustle, history, and 'waterfront feel' that <lindsayd> noted in Old Town. Lots of restaurants, shops. Artsy feel to parts of it, driven I suppose by The Torpedo Factory. Tends to be pricey. Another area which has maybe been too often mentioned for its own good in recent years is Del Ray, which is northwest of Old Town. It's an old railroad town actually, but has grown up along and around Mt. Vernon Avenue as a charming and eclectic area. Many bungalows are tucked in among smaller, older homes, and much of it has that front-porch feel that helps create a sense of community. At least when its not 38 degrees and raining, as it has been lately...

[claremarie]

Living in D.C. can be kind of a hassle -- depends upon where you're living now, of course, but the local government is appallingly inefficient and inept at just about everything related to everyday life except for the issuance of parking tickets. Bethesda is very nice, but there's nothing in Bethesda that you can't get in northern Virginia much closer to your family in Burke.

[GJames]

First thing I'd say is be prepared for sticker shock. It's expensive to live here. My wife and I lived in old Town Alexandria before we we married and if you can afford it, I'd highly recommend it. Lot's of nice restaurants to walk to, Olsen's books is great, nice bakeries, you've got the torpedo factory art center where you can shop, learn and volunteer. And evening walks along the water can't be beat. We only moved to be closer to work and have a bigger yard for kids.

That said we are now near "old town" Fairfax. I put the quotes in because there's not much truly to old town Fairfax, but the city is trying hard to remake itself with lots of newer buildings meant to blend in with the small truly old portion. They are adding a brand new library and more shopping. They just got a nice ice cream shop that happens to be owned by the mayor. They are making the city more pedestrian friendly and trying to improve the sight lines and feel of the area and for the most part I think they are getting it right.

Reston Town center is nice, but feel a bit like a movie set to me. I like the area around Lake Anne more, but they are both a bit farther from Burke/Springfield that it sounds like you are looking for. Hope this helps.

[flyhigh]

The neighborhood around the zoo is intriguing. Does anyone know what price range the properties fall into?

[goldenmom7500]

Hi,

It looks like a few of the others here will be able to tell you ... I do know that about 10 years ago, my friend and her husband sold their place right there, a rowhouse, and bought a house in Denver for about $225,000. (I assumed the DC place was similarly priced). But prices in the metropolitan area have more than doubled, probably tripled, since then. Not sure how they've evened out in the last few years!

PS - As I read through this thread, you really have a nice, consistent set of recommendations - you could probably travel through and pick a general neighborhood (maybe not a specific house) in 2-3 days.

[flyhigh]

Thought I'd give you an update. I spent the Christmas holiday in VA and some of that time checking out Alexandria. It's a neat little town and they have some terrific new condos one street from King and downtown. Terrific in the sense that the location can't be beat, and they are really nice inside. I fell in love with one of them. But they are very pricey. Not that I wasn't aware that there would be a big gap between Harrisburg PA and Northern VA.

So I've stuck my toe in the water and have a better idea of what I'm looking for. I also checked out some apartments which were OK but not very exciting. Some of the condos in Alexandria are pretty far from the town center and my kids were concerned about my walking through "brick city" to get to the Metro, downtown, etc.

I checked out a condo not far from the metro, which was okay, but nothing to write home about. Some of the sales offices weren't open because of the holiday, so I'll be making a second visit in a couple of weeks.

Someone suggested I consider Bethesda, since it might not be as pricey.

I also checked out an over 55 community in Lorton. One of the models was really nice, and a lot more for less than the condo I looked at in Alexandria. But when I walked outside and looked at the rows and rows of houses I realized that it was the epitomy of what I hate, and there's no way I could live there. It's also not very practical since you can't go anywhere without driving. The only redeeming quality is it's near the kids.

[ggjacobsen]

Originally Posted by flyhigh

I currently live in Pennsylvania. Two of my children and a couple of grandkids live in the Northern VA area. I'm thinking of moving to the DC/Northern VA area, possibly Old Alexandria or Fairfax. I'm open to other suggestions, but prefer city/town living to too much suburbia. I'd like to have access to the Meto/bus lines since I plan to get involved in volunteer activities, possibly in DC.

I'd like to have something with two bedrooms, one bath, garage. Not sure if I want to rent or own yet. I'd love to hear suggestions on nice places to live. From visiting my kids I know there are lots of malls in easy (except in rush hour) driving distance. I'm not a serious shopper, so proximity to malls is not a major concern. I'd prefer a friendly community, with restaurants, some shops (especially a bookstore!), where I could get to know people, participate in activities, volunteer, etc.

At some point I'll need to find a good realtor, which is always a problem, so any suggestions on local realtors would be appreciated.

Old Town Alexandria and Fairfax are among the most expensive real estate markets in the nation. McLean, Bethesda (MD) and Great Falls are also extremely expensive. I can't think of a single living area in N. VA. that has a "home town" feel. Maybe you should rent before you buy. An outstanding realtor is Lisa Goodfriend (Re/Max Gateway). Good luck.

[sjvmi87]

and STAY in PA and get your grandkids to move up near you. This area has nothing to offer but more traffic, more taxes and more bovine feces from the government. I realize PA is no utopia but when you are on the roof of the outhouse like you are in PA, then there is no sense in jumping into it by moving down here. At least up there you can get a whiff of fresh air on occasion as well as a decent view.

[Margery]

I live in Central Parke at Lowe's Island, a 55+ condo community in Sterling, Loudoun County and am very happy with it. We have 2 bedrooms and an office, (almost 2000 sq ft) and a garage with storage area and parking for a second car under a portico attached to the garage. There are many planned activities, a clubhouse with a workout room and a private pool. You can be as active as you want and there is a small strip mall across the street for groceries, banking, etc. There are opportunities for volunteer work which will help you meet people, we are a mixed group, some retired and some still working (me). There are several available under $400k. Contact me off list and I will tell you which ones are the best buy.

[austindoxie1972]

Hmmm....I don't think Bethesda will be cheaper. If anything, it will be more expensive and heavily congested. Good luck with the search!