Opinions wanted on moving away from NOVA (Lexington: fit in, real estate)

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by car54

As a 65 year resident, I can assure you it's only going to get worse around here.

Life is too short. Go, go now.

^^^This

We've been in NoVA for 36 years now. We were never very fond of the area. When our daughter was born, we decided to try and relocate. However, we agreed that if we hadn't done so by the time she started kindergarten, we would at least stay until she graduated HS. We bought a starter home, later trading up when she was in middle school, staying in the same community so that she didn't have to change schools. Meanwhile the growth in LoCo has been dizzying, traffic gets worse with each passing day. In our community, demographics changed for the worst. I never thought that I would be loathe to see new townhouse communities coming online---at one time, I was a big champion of townhouses because they gave first time buyers a foothold in the housing market. Now, new townhouse communities only come with 2 1/2 spaces per home, which would be fine if the houses were occupied by only one family. Our current community has a townhouse section which now is fast turning into a slum. People have illegally divided up homes into 2 (or more family) units. Properties are falling into disrepair. Our single family area then developed severe parking issues and it was a long, drawn out route to getting a parking district.

Changing demographics has meant that the schools have worsened. Lots of activities that once existed are now gone. I go shopping now and never see anyone that I know, where at one time I was always running into people I knew. Our daughter, who once considered staying in this area, has told us that she has no intention of living here again. She talks to former classmates who have tried staying ---even sending their own kids to the same schools they went to---only to regret their decision.

It won't be long before Eastern LoCo is just about totally paved over. Things are only going to get worse---especially when the BOS deliberately turns a blind eye to the overcrowded housing.

Someone mentioned going to Brambleton or Leesburg to live---not something I would recommend. They're still building in those areas and it will get even more crowded. Leesburg is no longer the sleepy town it was 36 years ago. Ashburn is no longer that town with 250 people where if you blinked, you would miss it.

OP---In the end, it will be up to you and your wife if you stay or go. Just weigh the pros and cons. One pro---jobs here pay better than in other places (of course the COL is higher here). Government jobs in the DC area offer more opportunities for advancement than they would in other parts of the country. Staying here often ends up with being fitted with golden handcuffs.

[johnsonkk]

BOS,
Appreciate your lengthy post. We spend most of our time on here selling our neighborhood and often neglect the negatives even if they are quite prevalent. Thanks.

[rvabread22]

Originally Posted by MarineVet89

Hello everyone,

So the down and dirty point of this post is to gather opinions on moving away. I understand that it is ultimately my own decision, I just want input. So I'm a married mid-twenties man with no children, I work in the tech industry and I live in Manassas. I've lived here a for a little while and I'm just finding more and more that I don't like this place, and it's not just Manassas, it's NOVA as a whole. So here are the things I like about NOVA:

1) I love my job
2) The money is good
3) Job security
4) ... That's about it.

The things I don't like:

1) The "northern" attitude (rude, busy, angry people)
2) Everything in Manassas just looks dirty
3) Even though my wife and I both work and make good money, I couldn't imagine buying a house
4) Traffic, Traffic, Traffic
5) High taxes and poor public shcools
6) And I guess I'm just not a fan of urban living

So there it is, I've got a great job that I enjoy in a crap city that I can't stand. My wife and I would like to have kids soon and I just can't see raising children in Manassas. I'm considering maybe moving to Raleigh, but I'm open to other places. I just want somewhere quiet where I can have a few acres of land and a decent house.

So what are your thoughts?

Fredericksburg is much nicer in Northern Virginia, and its still fairly Southern. Why not move there?

[rvabread22]

Originally Posted by frostopsy

Move to Raliegn, still has a southern charm while being modern.

Raleigh is not very Southern at all.

[rabscuttle385]

Originally Posted by BOS2IAD

Our daughter, who once considered staying in this area, has told us that she has no intention of living here again. She talks to former classmates who have tried staying ---even sending their own kids to the same schools they went to---only to regret their decision.

Left NoVa last year but still have to drive up there occasionally for work and for my last remaining family members there.

Many of the folks I grew up with (I'm thirty now) no longer live in Northern Virginia.

Originally Posted by BOS2IAD

One pro---jobs here pay better than in other places (of course the COL is higher here). Government jobs in the DC area offer more opportunities for advancement than they would in other parts of the country. Staying here often ends up with being fitted with golden handcuffs.

Not always true. My friends in Texas get paid a lot more than I do with a lower cost of living. As for the government, I run into many people (contractors too) who are paid so badly that they have to work second and third jobs just to afford to live in the DC area.

[rabscuttle385]

Originally Posted by MarineVet89

Hello everyone,

So the down and dirty point of this post is to gather opinions on moving away. I understand that it is ultimately my own decision, I just want input. So I'm a married mid-twenties man with no children, I work in the tech industry and I live in Manassas. I've lived here a for a little while and I'm just finding more and more that I don't like this place, and it's not just Manassas, it's NOVA as a whole. So here are the things I like about NOVA:

1) I love my job
2) The money is good
3) Job security
4) ... That's about it.

You're in tech. (I'm in tech, too. I was in your shoes last year, except that I'm single.) If you can, get a remote work arrangement, and head down to another part of Virginia. You'll be much happier. (I did.)

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by rabscuttle385

Left NoVa last year but still have to drive up there occasionally for work and for my last remaining family members there.

Many of the folks I grew up with (I'm thirty now) no longer live in Northern Virginia.



Not always true. My friends in Texas get paid a lot more than I do with a lower cost of living. As for the government, I run into many people (contractors too) who are paid so badly that they have to work second and third jobs just to afford to live in the DC area.

Interesting re: government jobs. I guess it has to do with what particular field you are in. With my husband, when he looked into relocating, he realized that outside DC he never would have been able to advance very far---hence my comment about the golden handcuffs. When he retired from the government, he was able to easily transition into contract work which paid well. However, starting 10 years ago, he began noticing the work wasn't as plentiful due to a variety of reasons. So, he took a permanent job that allowed him to work from home.

[rvabread22]

I realize Northern Virginia is definitely not the South (anymore), but I really don't find the attitudes here necessarily harsh and abrupt like the Northeast. If anything, it reminds me of Orange County, California. Lots of people here remind me of California type people or like they are Midwestern. But not really like NJ or NY. Even though we have people from there .

[rtloucks]

I can give valuable I put here...

First I think it depends on where you want to go.
My wife, two boys and o have lived in fairfax three times in the last 11 years. 2006, 2011, 2015-

With that said we have left for Minneapolis, Charlotte, Dallas and Denver. And even though we enjoyed certain things about the places we went to, we kept going back to DC because the quality of life and what it offered financially and culturally were much greater that other places. We are currently living in Denver and contemplating a return for a 4th time to DC. But for us there was a pretty substantial pay cut. Talking about $85k a year between the two of us. And we always used to preach that money isn't everything, but now that our children are getting older, it sure is everything. We want to be able to provide the life they deserve, college, activities or whatever. We still make good money here, but fencers cost of living is getting close to that of DC. (I don't need debate on this, I'm living it)

So I think you just need to really ask yourself if it will matter. I think DC can be miserable, but I also think it's a great place to live. Especially once you have lived in other big areas. It's a smaller area which makes it seem more congested, but it's still small so you can get around quickly. Try that in Chicago or DALLAS, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta etc,

The pay is probably one of the best in the country other than San Francisco, Ny,or Seattle,

You will never find better ammenities and as many that are free to do as you will on DC.
The climate is very tolerable

As far as the people go? Well that is unavoidable wherever you move. Trust me on that. I think DC can just grow I'm a bad way on people. Especially if you moved there from a slower paced lifestyle. It just depends if you can find an area you like there or not. It really isn't for everyone. I don't even know if I'd want to go back, but when I compare it to other options versus pay and lifestyle, I can easily love it to the top of the list over most places. Feel free to direct message me if you want, if be happy to go into further detail of you like

[Flamingo13]

OP hasn't come back since starting this thread (no surprise...)