Good place to live commutable to Herndon and Wilmington DE? (Reston: taxi, costs)

[PhillyRes]

Originally Posted by lqda4

I know a few living in PA or NC and work here in NoVA. Yes, they living in someone's basement and go home every two weeks (long weekend). Can you work from home in your line of work?

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Working from home is feasible but I've found it depends on the company culture / boss' attitude about it, so not sure I can count on doing that more than occasionally.

[spencgr]

ok, so it is technically feasible to to make these commutes happen, but I don't think you are looking at this correctly.

The job offer in Herndon isn't really a "commutable" option; at least not one that will maintain a good relationship. Imagine this job in Herndon as the same job in LA or Chicago. Yes, the city is different, but you should (practically) consider the distance the same.

Are you and your partner willing to accept this position knowing that you will either need to work remotely or find a new position?

[jeff22152]

Originally Posted by PhillyRes

Hi, We live in Philadelphia, with one of us working in Wilmington DE and the other considering a job offer in Herndon. We're not sure it's feasible but thought I'd seek assistance here.


So if we move away from Philadelphia, we'd like to move somewhat in between Wilmington and Herndon. I've been reviewing the usual sources for homes, train options, etc. but would like recommendations for nice towns that would offer a reasonable commute by car (train is bonus) to both locations. Meaning that one of us would head north each morning and the other would head south.


On or near water would be a huge bonus too. We are flexible regarding townhouse vs. house, renting vs. buying and school district is not a factor other than as a resale factor for any house we might purchase.

Edited for clarification - seeking potential towns IN BETWEEN Wilmington and Herndon which are about 130 miles apart.

Thanks in advance--

I'll join the chorus and say I don't think this is feasible -- especially in the long-term. Yes, you could find a place in Baltimore or Howard County, MD. However, I can't help but think that it won't take long before murderous commutes down to Herndon or up to Wilmington (I-95 north of Baltimore can be an unpredictable pain) wear down your cars, finances, and overall quality of life.

If it's the job offer a lifetime, then I first recommend asking your spouse/partner to relocate with you. If that's not possible, then you can consider having a studio apartment in NoVa and commuting home on weekends, but even that I think would become tiring after some time.

If it's not the job offer of a lifetime, then I would pass.

[mikebnllnb]

Invest in a teleporter. Keep an eye out for flys.

[LynchburgLover]

Isn't VP Biden known for commuting nightly to Wilmington by Amtrak when he was a Senator and his boys were young? If you've got the bucks to live on Capitol Hill, the DE commuter could use Amtrak and the commute to Herndon would be feasible. But that's a lot of expense (DC house/Amtrak fees). Is the job in Herndon a huge pay increase?

[Badger21]

Yeah. I'd forgo the option on the water as well and live as close to union station as humanely possible if you're seriously considering keeping both jobs as an option. Otherwise somebody has to give up their dream and either stay in Philly or move to NoVA.

[JoanCrawford]

The midpoint is North-East Baltimore. You'd each have a 1 hour commute. https://www.meetways.com/halfway-poi...d-driving.html I've heard White Marsh is a nice area. May want to check that out.

[Vectorhead]

Originally Posted by JoanCrawford

The midpoint is North-East Baltimore. You'd each have a 1 hour commute. https://www.meetways.com/halfway-poi...d-driving.html I've heard White Marsh is a nice area. May want to check that out.

This might be true with no traffic but you're probably looking at at least double that time during normal rush hour traffic (speaking specifically of the commute from White Marsh to Herndon). It would be a nightmare.

[Fallout Zone]

Originally Posted by Vectorhead

This might be true with no traffic but you're probably looking at at least double that time during normal rush hour traffic (speaking specifically of the commute from White Marsh to Herndon). It would be a nightmare.

White Marsh to Herndon as I'm typing is 1 hr 57 min, and honestly, traffic isn't that bad.

Honestly, if you are really trying, Annapolis might be a better solution (the Wilmington commuter would have the option of 95 or 301 depending on traffic). Still would be 1.5 to 2 hours each way, every day.

I second (third, fourth?) the idea of a little studio apartment or a room in a house for one person during the week. Even better would be if the person could telework on, say Fridays. Then you leave late Sunday and come back after work on Thursday. 3 nights together and 4 nights apart might be worth it over 6-8 hours commuting each day between the two of you.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Fallout Zone

White Marsh to Herndon as I'm typing is 1 hr 57 min, and honestly, traffic isn't that bad.

Honestly, if you are really trying, Annapolis might be a better solution (the Wilmington commuter would have the option of 95 or 301 depending on traffic). Still would be 1.5 to 2 hours each way, every day.

I second (third, fourth?) the idea of a little studio apartment or a room in a house for one person during the week. Even better would be if the person could telework on, say Fridays. Then you leave late Sunday and come back after work on Thursday. 3 nights together and 4 nights apart might be worth it over 6-8 hours commuting each day between the two of you.

The traffic is that bad. The American Legion bridge is a huge problem. 1 hour 57 is not very likely, especially in the PM. I do Ashburn to Greenbelt once a week, usually on Wednesday afternoons, and it takes two hours or more. Going to Annapolis, or North Baltimore is going to add a lot more time to it. Also, even if 1.5 hours were realistic, that's 3 hours out of each day, just for commuting. That doesn't make sense for most people.