Moving to Woodbridge/Dumfries, Commuting to Suitland (Alexandria, Springfield: apartment, to rent)

[Znfdcz]

Alright, so my wife and I initially planned to rent a house in Alexandria only to find out there is like nothing available in our price range. Then we started looking a little further south into Woodbridge and even down as far as Dumfries. We found a really nice place for a very good price in Dumfries. It worries me to live that far south because I have no idea how the commute is ( length of time wise, if it depends on the time of day) and I would be driving to suitland everyday for work. If you can provide any help, answers to the time it takes and or what time of day is best to leave to be at work by 730. I plan to commute by car not public transportation.

[johnsonkk]

Suitland, MD? Up in east DC? Wow. I'd say it will take an hour with no traffic. 730am is about the most challenging. You'd have to leave the apartment in Dumfries around 545 to ensure that most days you're at work by 730. There are no public transportation options. Coming home would be worse.

For once.... Since you're renting, rent a place in Maryland. That commute will kill you.

[HokieFan]

I checked the route on Google Maps this morning and I'd say if you left between 5:45-6:00, you're probably looking at an hour -ish commute on a typical day. The afternoon commute will be much worse.

What is your housing budget? Knowing that, perhaps we can offer some other solutions.

[MedvedActual]

That would be a brutal commute, no way would I recommend something like that. Personally, I would rather live in a much smaller place closer than a spacious one further south; you will spend hours in traffic. I-95 going north in the morning and south in the afternoons looks like a parking lot. I used to do that commute for only 20 or so miles not so long ago and it got old after a while. Also, there really isn't much to do in Dumfries, so aside from possibly having a nice place you will still have to go drive somewhere for fun. Traffic around here just plain sucks.

[NOVA_guy]

Even if you did North Woodbridge which is not very deseriable but would at least reduce your time on 95 and less time on the main roads in Woodbridge (which are all pretty awful during rush hour), you would still be looking at a very long commute.

I don't know your budget but Springfield, which is pushing it, may be a decent commute and decent is a stretch.

[RiotAct41]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

I checked the route on Google Maps this morning and I'd say if you left between 5:45-6:00, you're probably looking at an hour -ish commute on a typical day. The afternoon commute will be much worse.

and today is Friday, the lightest traffic day of the work-week in the mornings.

[ChristineVA]

My mother did this for many years but she was in Lake Ridge (a bit north). She didn't mind the commute and it wasn't bad at all once she got out of Woodbridge. It was her Silver Spring commute that was a killer.

I would say that if you are going to do this, do not go as far down as Dumfries as it's VERY heavy from there through the Occoquan. Try to get something in the northern most part of Woodbridge.

[Znfdcz]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

I checked the route on Google Maps this morning and I'd say if you left between 5:45-6:00, you're probably looking at an hour -ish commute on a typical day. The afternoon commute will be much worse.

What is your housing budget? Knowing that, perhaps we can offer some other solutions.

My housing budget is $2000 max, and we will be arriving in the area on June 6th. Some places that we found to be somewhat decent in northern Woodbridge want us to pay for the month of May to get them which we can't do. And there is NOTHING available anywhere north of that (Springfield, Alexandria, etc..)

[kww]

Originally Posted by Znfdcz

My housing budget is $2000 max, and we will be arriving in the area on June 6th. Some places that we found to be somewhat decent in northern Woodbridge want us to pay for the month of May to get them which we can't do. And there is NOTHING available anywhere north of that (Springfield, Alexandria, etc..)

I'm assuming you want a detached home, or more than three bedrooms? Because there are a handful of three bed townhomes in Springfield currently

[Znfdcz]

Originally Posted by kww

I'm assuming you want a detached home, or more than three bedrooms? Because there are a handful of three bed townhomes in Springfield currently

We would really like a detached home, not necessarily a must, but we really need atleast like a one car garage for all of my tools and stuff that can't go inside the house. I guess really what we would like is a place with 3+ bedrooms, a garage and a tiny yard and less than $2000. The garage has been the most difficult things I suppose. we found a TH that we really like in northern woodbridge, its basically in Lake Ridge/Rolling Brook. We are trying to find out if they would rent to us with out us paying May rent since we are not yet there and will be paying rent where we live now for the month of may. Do you know anything about that area? and how much difference would the commute from there be compared to springfield and dumfries?