Is this even remotely possible? (Burke, Manassas: 2013, rental, condo)

[js2013]

Thanks in advance for all of the sage advice, this forum has been a great resource over the years

We are looking at taking a promotion in DC and we're trying to figure out if we can make it work. We understand the extreme housing demand in the region and have a rough idea of the economics involved.

Our question is regarding housing in the area for a single income family with two children, soon to be three.

Here are our particulars:

The job will start out at $83,000 for the first year and the increase to $99,000 for the next year. After Uncle Sam, et al. take their share and other expenses, we're guessing $4,500 per month income for the first year is in the ballpark, and about $5,500 thereafter.

The job will be located near George Washington University. With small children safety is our priority #1. We understand a lengthy commute may be necessary.

Doe anyone have any recommendations for areas to look in? Is this even remotely possible?

Thanks for all of your help!

[spencgr]

Your total income doesn't dictate what can/ cannot be done. It is your spending habits and lifestyle that does. What are your monthly expenses besides housing? Long commute also means greater commuting costs. There is a trade-off for everything. So, figure out, of the $4,500 a month you are comfortable spending on food, clothing, utilities, savings, schooling, entertainment, travel, etc......and give us the remaining number that you will have for housing.


Then, we can tell you if it can/ cannot be done and where you will need to look.

[js2013]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Your total income doesn't dictate what can/ cannot be done. It is your spending habits and lifestyle that does. What are your monthly expenses besides housing? Long commute also means greater commuting costs. There is a trade-off for everything. So, figure out, of the $4,500 a month you are comfortable spending on food, clothing, utilities, savings, schooling, entertainment, travel, etc......and give us the remaining number that you will have for housing.


Then, we can tell you if it can/ cannot be done and where you will need to look.

Fair enough, thanks for the reply!

It is a little bit of a Catch-22 as a lot of our decisions for the above will be based on housing/location by necessity. However, maybe $1,800 would be a soft limit and $2,000 a hard limit? The $1,400 - $1,600 spot would be preferable but based on what we've seen that price point is not available within 2 hr commute of DC.

Also, a $250 transit subsidy from the employer so that helps when looking at Metro/VRE accessibility.

Thanks again!

[spencgr]

So, we currently have a rental property in Sterling (3 bedroom townhouse) that we rent out for $2k per month. It is a very safe neighborhood, but it abuts a neighborhood that some would consider questionable. Schools in this area are not ranked highly.


So, it can be done, but you will make trade-offs; likely regarding schools. To get into a better school district, perhaps rent a 2 bedroom condo and have the kids share a room?

[js2013]

Originally Posted by spencgr

So, we currently have a rental property in Sterling (3 bedroom townhouse) that we rent out for $2k per month. It is a very safe neighborhood, but it abuts a neighborhood that some would consider questionable. Schools in this area are not ranked highly.


So, it can be done, but you will make trade-offs; likely regarding schools. To get into a better school district, perhaps rent a 2 bedroom condo and have the kids share a room?

Ah yes I forgot to mention schools - oldest is not yet in school so we have a year before that becomes a pressing concern.

Given what we've been able to see we think renting one year before the salary increase makes the most sense, and then examining options.

Would Manassas area / Stafford be insane commutes?

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by js2013

Ah yes I forgot to mention schools - oldest is not yet in school so we have a year before that becomes a pressing concern.

Given what we've been able to see we think renting one year before the salary increase makes the most sense, and then examining options.

Would Manassas area / Stafford be insane commutes?

It all depends on when you leave and how you commute. Many people make VRE, carpooling, or slugging a doable commuting option.


But, like Sterling, the more "affordable" areas of Manassas and Stafford might be in or near more "questionable" neighborhoods.

[spencgr]

For the person that posted the below with my rep points...


[SIZE=2]If yours abuts a questionable hood than yours isn't as safe as you think. Then you throw in bad schools? How is your neighborhood "very safe"? -Ty[/SIZE]



...so, I didn't say the neighboring hood was questionable, I said others may deem it questionable. I didn't. And a brand new police station is directly in the neighborhood. So, yeah, it is very safe. And poor schools do not directly correlate to unsafe areas.

[Flamingo13]

Wow - and super literate as well, LOL

[boyd888]

I would pass. I don't need a breakdown of your utility bills to tell you $83K for a family of 3/4 is pretty low in this area. The commute from Manassas or Stafford could easily be 1.5-2 hours each way.

You could maybe find a townhouse for $2K in Burke or a two bedroom condo somewhere. The raise to 99 could get you a better place.

[Watchful]

Originally Posted by spencgr

For the person that posted the below with my rep points...


[SIZE=2]If yours abuts a questionable hood than yours isn't as safe as you think. Then you throw in bad schools? How is your neighborhood "very safe"? -Ty[/SIZE]



...so, I didn't say the neighboring hood was questionable, I said others may deem it questionable. I didn't. And a brand new police station is directly in the neighborhood. So, yeah, it is very safe. And poor schools do not directly correlate to unsafe areas.

Yeah for some people "questionable safety" means I continually take active efforts to insure I make it home in one piece.

For others it means I regularly see people who don't look middle classish.

And this is pretty common across our great land. (And I am not really mocking - there are folks who do have serious anxiety if they are regularly encountering people who don't look middle classish...it just makes the discussions on City-Data occasionally confusing!)