Moving to NoVa from NorCal (Reston, McLean: house, landscaping, neighborhoods) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

jnhusker10 · 01-21-2008, 08:18 PM

Hi All

Have ben reading the forums the last couple weeks, and searched quite a ways back, great info!!

My family and I are moving to the Northern Virginia area this summer, for a change of place, larger house and some "land"(I mean oustide of our postage stamp yard) and to be closer to family. We currently live about 20 miles outside of San Francisco, basically the suburbs, but a little older area. We are trying to figure out what area of Northern Virginia we should focus on. Some facts:

-wife will be working in Reston
-kids are entering preK and kindergarten
-looking in the 700-900k range

We have been looking in Vienna, Mclean and Falls Church, but then I see you can get a lot more bang for your buck in Reston etc., my concern is that we will never visit D.C. proper if we live in Reston, and we also want to avoid the new exurbs...

Any advice would be great!!! Just trying to get our bearings!

Lastly, how long would it take to travel from Leesburg to D.C.?

Thanks!!

McScootch · 01-22-2008, 07:27 AM

If you are looking for some land, I would check out Loudon County.... You should have a lot available to you in the 3 - 5 acre lots and newer homes in the 700 - 900 price range. Plus you will be in Virginia Wine Country.... No, It isnt as good as Napa, but there are some very good wineries in the area. As for visiting DC from Leesburg or Loudon County.... The weekends are a great time for the 30 - 45 minute journey... however that same journey during rush hours Monday - Friday could range from 1 to 1.5 hours.

knopfler · 01-22-2008, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnhusker10

Hi All

Have ben reading the forums the last couple weeks, and searched quite a ways back, great info!!

My family and I are moving to the Northern Virginia area this summer, for a change of place, larger house and some "land"(I mean oustide of our postage stamp yard) and to be closer to family. We currently live about 20 miles outside of San Francisco, basically the suburbs, but a little older area. We are trying to figure out what area of Northern Virginia we should focus on. Some facts:

-wife will be working in Reston
-kids are entering preK and kindergarten
-looking in the 700-900k range

We have been looking in Vienna, Mclean and Falls Church, but then I see you can get a lot more bang for your buck in Reston etc., my concern is that we will never visit D.C. proper if we live in Reston, and we also want to avoid the new exurbs...

Any advice would be great!!! Just trying to get our bearings!

Lastly, how long would it take to travel from Leesburg to D.C.?

Thanks!!

Reston isn't really an outer suburb, and it's about the same distance away from DC proper as Vienna and McLean. That said, make sure to add Fairfax to your list, especially Fairfax City. (There's also part of Fairfax County called Fairfax, which surrounds Fairfax City. Confused yet?) You should be able to find a nice property there within your price range, and it'll be commuter friendly to DC. The schools are excellent, particularly in the W.T. Woodson HS grid.

Leesburg to DC in the morning is over an hour. You would definitely want to take the Loudoun Connector, which is bus service that makes life a whole lot easier. Info at Commuter Bus Service (http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=785 - broken link).

Welcome to Northern Virginia!

normie · 01-22-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnhusker10

-wife will be working in Reston
-kids are entering preK and kindergarten
-looking in the 700-900k range

We have been looking in Vienna, Mclean and Falls Church, but then I see you can get a lot more bang for your buck in Reston etc., my concern is that we will never visit D.C. proper if we live in Reston, and we also want to avoid the new exurbs...

Reston sounds like a perfect match for you, and the best part is your wife won't have a long commute. Reston was built in the 1960's, so you avoid that "sparkling new exurb" look. It is a great place for children--good schools, walking trails that go everywhere, lake activities, sports, theaters, etc. It's an artsy community, especially near Lake Anne Plaza.

Reston is going to get two metro stops when they complete the new line--but that may be a few years from now. It is also bisected by the 267 (aka the toll road), so it is easy to get to the airport and to downtown. I think the north side of the 267 is a little more desirable, but all of Reston is nice.

Because it is such an artsy community, people regularly go downtown to concerts, or the museums, or the Kennedy Center. So, if your neighbors are always going downtown I think you're more likely to go too.

Reston has its own museum. If you're interested in the town, I would start by googling the museum or maybe the RA (Reston Association) for more information.

Alternatively, if you want to be near Reston but get more for your money, Cascades is only 5 miles away. I wouldn't bother with Leesburg--that's a bit of a drive.

El General · 01-22-2008, 08:30 AM

Oakton area is a bit more exclusive and still very close to Reston. What is the minimum amount of land you need?

jnhusker10 · 01-22-2008, 08:53 AM

Thanks for all the responses, actually everywhere out there, including the district, has more "land' than what we have now, so we are not really looking for acreage or anything, just a nice sized lawn.

I have to say after reading this forum, Northern Virginia doesn't seem as arrogant and stuffy as always commented on here. Thanks again!!

normie · 01-22-2008, 08:59 AM

You're welcome... and welcome to Virginia. Please ask all the questions you want--you'll find plenty of former Californians here, too, and hopefully we can help make a new place feel comfortable.

normie · 01-22-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnhusker10

Thanks for all the responses, actually everywhere out there, including the district, has more "land' than what we have now, so we are not really looking for acreage or anything, just a nice sized lawn.

LOL, if you are not used to caring for a large plot of land, I would recommend getting 1/4 acre or 1/5 acre.

When I moved here from Los Angeles, I was used to caring for a 300 sf backyard. Half of that was a garden, half was an itsy bitsy patch of grass. Now it takes me 2 hours to mow the lawn, and tending to the flowers can take just as much time. The flower beds alone are bigger than my entire plot of land in California! Fortunately, I really like gardening--but if you don't, you might regret owning a large parcel.

BTW, Reston is a beautifully landscaped town--and most of the gardens are tended by the RA, so you can enjoy the color without having to put in any elbow grease. If you visit in the spring, be sure to drive around to see the azaleas.

If fact, you've inspired me. I'm going to take a few minutes to root around and look for some Reston photos. It's a cold winter day here, looking for azalea photos and thinking about spring sounds like fun.

normie · 01-22-2008, 09:53 AM

Here are some photos from Reston, to remind us all that spring is coming. Sorry I don't happen to have a lot of shots showing the buildings. Anyone else have a few to contribute?

Lake Anne with fountain. The cherry tree next to the bridge is spectacular in April.

Typical landscaping near an office park

North shore drive

Heron at Lake Anne

Not sure what road this is--Sunrise Valley maybe

Wooden swing along canal and walking path. This walking path also has sculptures and benches scattered along the way.

These images are from the Reston Museum:

NWChris · 02-12-2008, 11:41 PM

Hope no one minds me jumping in on this thread... my husband is looking at jobs in the Reston area and I'm trying to get a feel for neighborhoods/schools/etc.

We'd love to find a house with an acre or more, but also need great schools (with good gifted programs) ... any chance we can have both somewhere near Reston for under $925K?