Trying to figure out the best place to buy a home working in Centreville and Rockville (Lynchburg: condo, townhouse)

[Vaz Mandar]

My wife and I are trying to figure out the best places to look for a home. I work in Centreville and she works in Rockville. We want to find a 3 bedroom place that is affordable (350k or less) and where our commutes would be comparable. Right now we live in Sterling and my commute is about 30 minutes and hers is about an hour. We have looked at Leesburg (where she would likely be taking the ferry or point of rocks bridge) and Lovettsville, as well as the Frederick area. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? We are both pretty tied to jobs in Centreville and Rockville so changing jobs would not be simple.

Edit: We also both have to be at work by 8 am

[LynchburgLover]

Obviously, there is no easy answer. My question would be who is willing to make the longer commute? If you wife does, then Ashburn. If you do, then Leesburg. The only other idea I would offer is Poolesville. You'd have to take the ferry but houses are relatively affordable there. Of course, if either of you are depending on the ferry, you have to know it does occasionally close -- ice, debris, heavy flooding, mechanical problems. It's a long way around without it. Best of luck.

[gomason]

If you want a commute that wont make you homicidal, I would look in the Merrifield, Annandale, or Falls Church area. Probably would have to get a townhouse.

No way I would ever rely on that rinky dink ferry, but each to their own.

[Vaz Mandar]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I would be more willing to commute farther so maybe Leesburg then?

[PK12]

Tysons area, close to 495 or what gomason said.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Vaz Mandar

Thanks for the input guys. I think I would be more willing to commute farther so maybe Leesburg then?

I can't see how a Leesburg to Rockville commute is reasonable. i do an Ashburn to Rockville commute, but it's only temporary. Why would you want to put your wife through that on a more permanent basis? Living closer to the Beltway would make way more sense as a halfway point.

[Vaz Mandar]

Originally Posted by dkf747

I can't see how a Leesburg to Rockville commute is reasonable. i do an Ashburn to Rockville commute, but it's only temporary. Why would you want to put your wife through that on a more permanent basis? Living closer to the Beltway would make way more sense as a halfway point.

I guess the issue for us would be finances. Not sure what would be affordable at 350k near the beltway from some of the research I have done. I would be willing to have the longer commute, would somewhere in MD be more reasonable? We just want to have a decent place for that price range.

[LynchburgLover]

When you say 3 bedrooms, no more than $350k, are you talking single family, townhouse or are you open to condo/apt?

Also, depending on your family size and your income, you may want to look into the Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDU) in Montgomery County. There are tons of restrictions but there is a small group of them in Potomac in the Avenel neighborhood.

Anywhere close to the Beltway in McLean and Bethesda/Potomac will be out of your price range. You'd have to go pretty far out in Maryland which would make your commute painful.

[Vaz Mandar]

Originally Posted by LynchburgLover

When you say 3 bedrooms, no more than $350k, are you talking single family, townhouse or are you open to condo/apt?

Also, depending on your family size and your income, you may want to look into the Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDU) in Montgomery County. There are tons of restrictions but there is a small group of them in Potomac in the Avenel neighborhood.

Anywhere close to the Beltway in McLean and Bethesda/Potomac will be out of your price range. You'd have to go pretty far out in Maryland which would make your commute painful.

We would prefer a townhouse or SFH rather than a condo. Our income is a combined 100k and we are both in our 20s. We also want to live in an area that is not super crowded if that makes sense

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Vaz Mandar

We would prefer a townhouse or SFH rather than a condo. Our income is a combined 100k and we are both in our 20s. We also want to live in an area that is not super crowded if that makes sense

100k will eliminate any chance of MPDU's being an option.