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Old 03-21-2019, 02:03 PM
 
4 posts, read 2,892 times
Reputation: 10

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Hey all,


Long time lurker, decided to finally ask my question after searching for it to no avail...

I want to purchase a new home/townhome in the Northern Virginia area. I work from home mostly, but sometimes head into the office in Tysons.

I found a few places...

1. Preserve at Westfields
2. NVHomes Woodlands Herndon
3. Lennar/Pulte Air and Space Parkway/Discovery Square

Anyone have any recommendations? Potential outlook for the areas? I really like the Preserves at Westfield community, but its flanked by 28, 50, and 66.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 03-21-2019, 04:58 PM
 
Location: Arlington, VA
2,023 posts, read 4,625,581 times
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I would check and see if there are any townhomes in your range in the Dunn Loring/ Merrfield area- Much closer commute wise to Tysons (for when you need to go) than Westfields and you won't have to pay tolls on the Toll Road from Herndon.
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Old 03-21-2019, 09:39 PM
 
512 posts, read 444,326 times
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I actually have looked at 2 of developments you listed and personally I would not purchase any of the areas. I haven't looked at the models at the Preserve at Westfields but I drove by it as my friend lives just around the corner from there. Yes, traffic in that area is awful. In fact it's so bad I stopped visiting her. I'm sure all the new THs at the Preserve made things worse. Not to mention the traffic added due to Wegmans, which opened last yr. just across RT 28. With all the new shops/restaurants around that area only added to the already terrible traffic. Although I love Wegmans, so no complaints about Wegmans and the new shops/restaurants from me. But the area is a parking lot, especially in the afternoon. Also, I lived in the area yrs. ago and there is a lot of airplane noise from Dulles airport. If you're a light sleeper that may be a problem.

Regarding NVHomes Woodland Park, it's in a terrible location as the THs back up to office buildings. If you look at the street view, you will see. So if you were to sit on your deck, you would be on a full display for all the people in the office bldg. To me, that would feel very creepy. Also, these THs have a rooftop deck but there are one or two a/c units, which take up a lot of space and I'm sure it would be noisy when the units are running. Not to mention the airplane noise.

For me, the development at Discovery Square is just too big and crowded. Lots of THs, very close to each other. But that's why I wouldn't buy new construction in this area nowadays because just about everything is build so close to each other.

If you really like the Preserve and will work from home then it may work for you if you go to Tyson's once a week or so. People in this area certainly have much worse commutes. Also, there are major changes on the way for 66 and RT28, which once complete (in 2022), should help with the traffic on 28 and 66. So this may be a good investment for you. I have a rental in Centreville and the property values have gone up over the past yr, and hardly anyone in my neighborhood is selling.

Below is some information about the 66 & 28 transformation.

https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2017/10/i-66-walk-through/

Transform 66 - Outside the Beltway
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Old 03-22-2019, 07:00 AM
 
257 posts, read 223,852 times
Reputation: 542
If you really do commute once or twice a week, you can go far out. Why limit yourself to the expensive NOVA areas and pay the big bucks for nothing? You can go out to Spotyslvania/Orange county and get large acreage and or house for your kids. $700 in Fairfax will get you a townhome only.
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Old 03-22-2019, 07:39 AM
 
9,887 posts, read 14,162,275 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adriftinthebay View Post
If you really do commute once or twice a week, you can go far out. Why limit yourself to the expensive NOVA areas and pay the big bucks for nothing? You can go out to Spotyslvania/Orange county and get large acreage and or house for your kids. $700 in Fairfax will get you a townhome only.
Maybe they don't care about acreage and a big house. Maybe they want culture and activities near DC, that you can't get so far out.
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Old 03-22-2019, 10:23 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC
4,178 posts, read 2,654,384 times
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If you're purchasing new and only want to spend around 700K, those options you listed were pretty good. Another good option is Ashburn in the Brambleton area if you're looking for a new home that's up to 700K.

https://www.brambleton.com/brambleto...ds-ashburn-va/

I used to do the commute from Ashburn to Tyson's and it wasn't really terrible, maybe 40 mins with traffic, but better if you leave earlier.

Still, I think the list that you provided too still is pretty good. Also depends on what you like/family situation (If you have kids, wife, like to be near a city or suburbs, etc).
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Old 03-22-2019, 01:20 PM
 
257 posts, read 223,852 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spencgr View Post
Maybe they don't care about acreage and a big house. Maybe they want culture and activities near DC, that you can't get so far out.

To each their own but there is a case to be made to get out of the DC area. Dude only works in Tyson's sometimes, he could live anywhere. Fredericksburg/Richmond have plenty of culture.
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Old 03-22-2019, 05:11 PM
 
Location: annandale, va & slidell, la
9,267 posts, read 5,132,803 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adriftinthebay View Post
To each their own but there is a case to be made to get out of the DC area. Dude only works in Tyson's sometimes, he could live anywhere. Fredericksburg/Richmond have plenty of culture.
But if they live in Dunn Loring/Falls Church they'll have equity much sooner.
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Old 03-23-2019, 05:11 AM
 
12,906 posts, read 15,683,268 times
Reputation: 9400
Quote:
Originally Posted by adriftinthebay View Post
To each their own but there is a case to be made to get out of the DC area. Dude only works in Tyson's sometimes, he could live anywhere. Fredericksburg/Richmond have plenty of culture.
My response to this is that nothing is forever, especially with this area and job locations. I'd hate to be sitting way out in Fredericksburg somewhere and your company tells you:

1. We need you to come in more often.
2. We're moving
3. Or, the OP gets a new job.

I actually know several people who moved out to that area because they had very flexible jobs that allowed a lot of telework only to have that change. It's a horrible area to commute from.
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Old 03-24-2019, 12:40 PM
 
Location: Arlington, VA
2,023 posts, read 4,625,581 times
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Nobody with a $700k budget and a job in Tysons should consider living in Fredericksburg. Even if they only have to occasionally go into the office. The OP can't take VRE to Tysons and that commute on I-95 and the Beltway would be miserable. As Christine pointed out, all it will take is a request for you to come into the office more often or a job shift to somewhere like Bethesda or Reston and your life will quickly become a living hell. Definitely go with Dunn Loring/ Merrifield or Falls Church. There are likely also some newer townhome communities in Fairfax City as well.
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