Looking for home under $250K, no DC commute (Arlington, Alexandria: short sale, foreclosure)

[littlewmn]

Hi! We may be moving to Northern VA to manage a local grocery. We wont be making a ton of money and are looking for a 2 BR townhouse or SFH under 250,000. (Man, housing is expensive here!)
Here's what I need:
Excellent/Good public schools (I can't afford private)
Safe neighborhood (within reason)
Here's what I don't need:
We won't be commuting into DC so traffic and proximity to DC is not an issue. (I don't know what town my husband's job will be in yet- I was just told Northern Virgina at this point. We have two cars)
I don't need a big city with a nightlife
Wish list: A relatively safe and somewhat liberal place with a little bit of an urban, hip feel. I am used to college towns and grew up in Boulder, CO before it was too expensive to live there and am now in a suburb of Tucson, which I find to be a mind-numbing beige maze. A little bit of hip factor, but still family friendly would be great. Yuppie-ish is OK, but I would prefer a local coffeehouse to a Starbucks.
I should add I am not afraid of cities, but I have heard some rather unpleasant things about DC schools, or else I would happily be the only one driving the other direction on the highways as we live in DC and communte to NoVa.
Thanks for any and all replies-- I am at a loss of where to start my search.

[FindingZen]

It will be tough to make specific recommendations as the extreme traffic here is as much of a deciding factor as housing costs in choosing a place to live.

There aren't any Boulders or Ann Arbors in Northern Virginia. Fairfax County leans left and Prince William County leans right while Loudoun and Stafford Counties appear to be "purple". I'm not sure about Spotsylvania (Fredericksburg).

Leesburg in Loudoun may fit some of your preferences. The Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria City might be perfect, if not for the prohibitive housing costs.

For $250K, a 2BR TH is possible these days, albeit most likely in Prince William, Stafford or Spotsylvania Counties. If you can somehow find a SFH for $250K that isn't a foreclosure or short sale, you will probably be facing a variety of challenges once you settle in.

Originally Posted by littlewmn

Hi! We may be moving to Northern VA to manage a local grocery. We wont be making a ton of money and are looking for a 2 BR townhouse or SFH under 250,000. (Man, housing is expensive here!)
Here's what I need:
Excellent/Good public schools (I can't afford private)
Safe neighborhood (within reason)
Here's what I don't need:
We won't be commuting into DC so traffic and proximity to DC is not an issue. (I don't know what town my husband's job will be in yet- I was just told Northern Virgina at this point. We have two cars)
I don't need a big city with a nightlife
Wish list: A relatively safe and somewhat liberal place with a little bit of an urban, hip feel. I am used to college towns and grew up in Boulder, CO before it was too expensive to live there and am now in a suburb of Tucson, which I find to be a mind-numbing beige maze. A little bit of hip factor, but still family friendly would be great. Yuppie-ish is OK, but I would prefer a local coffeehouse to a Starbucks.
I should add I am not afraid of cities, but I have heard some rather unpleasant things about DC schools, or else I would happily be the only one driving the other direction on the highways as we live in DC and communte to NoVa.
Thanks for any and all replies-- I am at a loss of where to start my search.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

I think it is much more expensive to live here than in Boulder or Tucson.
I strongly suggest you rent for at least one year - prices of homes are still falling. You need to see if you can stand the high prices, traffic and unfriendliness of this area first.

[beach kat]

Hey, my husband was looking to get a job in that area and we decided that it was just to expensive, especially with two kids. I would suggest renting a townhome for awhile until you find a decent priced home. It is a fabulous area and we would have loved to live there. Good luck!

[Yankeesfan]

Just curious, is it Wegman's? (Are you allowed to say?) They are building a new Wegman's down the street from me in Kingstowne.

[littlewmn]

I am fighting the feeling that I am jinxing myself to even be looking at houses, but I had to convince myself that I could afford *something* before we went to far into the hiring process.
I think it's safe to say, though, that it isn't Wegman's.
I looked a bit at Del-Ray and loved it , but just a bit too pricey.
I am gonna check out Occoquan and Leesburg next.
Thanks eveyone-- and please keep the comments coming--- I need lots of help.
Oh, and I am from Long Island, NY, so I don't think the unfriendly factor will get to me.

[irisheyes13]

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

Just curious, is it Wegman's? (Are you allowed to say?) They are building a new Wegman's down the street from me in Kingstowne.

Where are they building the wegman's? I had heard they were putting in a grocery over by the Hilltop golf course but that it was not a doen deal yet. is that the area?
Thanks..

[knopfler]

Originally Posted by irisheyes13

Where are they building the wegman's? I had heard they were putting in a grocery over by the Hilltop golf course but that it was not a doen deal yet. is that the area?
Thanks..

We're apparently getting a Wegman's in Gainesville too.

As for our friend, the ideal solution would be bright-blue Arlington, but Arlington is very, very pricey. Prince William County would be the ideal choice if not for the desire for an urban, hip feel. The two exceptions would be Occoquan and around Old Town Manassas. Occoquan is likely at or beyond your price range, though, and Old Town Manassas is quaint and has lots of independent stores - but definitely leans right. That should greatly moderate with the election of a moderate Mayor, which is going to happen in November (he's running unopposed).

Leesburg might be your best choice. Where is the grocery store you're going to be managing? Makes a big big difference 'round here.

Oh, and if you thought prices were crazy now, you should have seen it a couple years ago! Prices have plummeted, especially in the outer suburbs. It's a much better environment to buy in terms of both price and supply than it was a couple years ago.

Welcome, in advance, to Northern Virginia!

[littlewmn]

I am definately willing to trade hipness for drop-dead gorgeous scenery, if that is possible in Prince William? Lakes, forest, rivers, streams... all the stuff my soul needs after spending too much time in the desert.
Wish I knew where the store would be, but right now all I know is NoVa. Hope that I will get more info soon!
In the meantime, I have a sneaking suspicion that there is not too much out there I can afford, so it may be a commute to wherever the store is from wherever I can afford to live. Works for me, I s'pose.
So, Knopfler, what is Prince William like, is that Lake Ridge area, because I am seeing some really cheap townhomes out that way and it sure looks nice from what I can tell, though I have to wonder why so cheap when other places are so expensive? Am I missing something?
Thanks!

[5stones]

look into both Leesburg and Purceville (a bit futher and smaller) both are nice safe towns with great schools etc... parks histoic downtown areas etc. Leesburg is the county seat so you have the quaint downtown courthouse and shopes, resturants, little movie theater etc...