Moving to NoVA on $54,000. What area? Apt suggestions? Please help. (Arlington: rent, insurance)

[luckygrl]

Hi there,

1 & 2. I will suggest Ravens Crest in Manassas. The commute will not be great, but you are very restricted with $1k/month. Ravens Crest will get you close to that and it is a safe, well-maintained community. The apts are a little on the smaller side and kind of dated, but you will also have a fill-size washer and dryer, fitness room, pool, sauna, etc. The complex is very close to a major shopping strip-grocery stores, specialty stores, tons of restaurants. You just have to get to and from work; other than that, you can get all your business done in Manassas.

The reason some people still think of Manassas as the boonies is that it used to be the west edge of the suburbs. Now Gainesville and Haymarket are on the fringes.

3. knopfler gave a good account of the price ranges in the area. Good job! Keep in mind that most of the suburbs have at least a few spotty blocks and many really great ones, so you might want to take your search on more of a case-by-case basis.

4. As long as you don't draw attention to yourself, you should be fine. Keep in mind there are a ton of police in the area. Lots of sobriety checkpoints and speed traps. If you like to race, check out the Old Dominion Speedway (Google it). You have to have safety and emissions inspections done here. Check the VA DMV site for more info.

5. Reston is very nice on the whole but I've heard there are some crappy neighborhoods too. I don't think you will find an apartment in your price range in Reston.

6. Nope. The commute to Reston sucks from just about everywhere. My sis commutes to the Town Center from Falls Church (which is closer to the city) and she hates it.

7. Manassas, Centreville, Herndon.

By the way, you should probably look on craigslist and see if there are any condos listed. You might be able to find a condo.

[KTuner]

Herndon, right near the airport.

[RedKnightt]

Originally Posted by KTuner

Herndon, right near the airport.

For what you're interested in, I would definitely suggest Chantilly/Centerville, then. Nice areas. You should probably just get something temp for the first 6 months while you settle in and look around.

Good luck, and welcome to NoVa.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by KTuner

I currently live in Illinois, right outside of St. Louis, MO and have recently been offered a position with a established technology company in Herndon as a Software Engineer making roughly $54,000/yr.

Please don't be put off by my long list of questions. Even a simple one word answer to any of these questions is more information than I have now.

Here are my questions:
1. I want a 1 bedroom apartment that isn't in a ghetto with drug-dealers and thieves. I think I can afford ~ $1,000/month. Anyone have any suggestions?

If you want a 1-bedroom apartment for $1,000/month you'll have to look much further out than the immediate Dulles Tech Corridor (Reston/Herndon/Sterling/Ashburn/Dulles) area. I've seen some ads on CraigsList for 1-BR apartments out in areas such as Leesburg or Gainesville for around $1,000/month, but generally speaking a 1-BR apartment in the immediate Dulles Tech Corridor area will fetch $1,100-$1,200/month.

Originally Posted by KTuner

2. Does anyone have any first-hand experience with any of the apartments I may be looking at in the area? I have read horror stories of roaches, paper-thin walls, etc and not being able to just drive around and look causes quite an issue.

I personally am very happy living at Archstone Charter Oak along North Shore Drive in what I suppose would be considered East Central Reston. I'm within a half-mile or so walk of both Reston Town Center (the community's newer faux-downtown) and Lake Anne (the "historic" yet decrepit original downtown of the community). I've already had three moderate-to-major service-related issues since moving here in May, and each time the maintenance staff has been very responsive to my needs, far exceeding my expectations. This is a relatively large complex so I can't speak for all parts of it, but at least my immediate cluster is fairly quiet (except for these awful cicadas!) My rear patio overlooks woods and a country club, and to the front you're within a 5-minute drive of Route 7, Route 267 (Dulles Toll Road), Route 7100 (Fairfax County Parkway), Reston Parkway, or Route 606 (Baron Cameron Avenue/Elden Street).

I pay $1,135/month for a 960-square-foot 1-bedroom apartment. My major gripes would be the number of insects/spiders I have in my unit (and I'm pretty tidy), the nosiness of some neighbors (i.e. I've had people walk their dogs directly in front of my bedroom window, looking in at me while I'm on my PC), and the dearth of sidewalks in the immediate neighborhood (which will hopefully be changing soon). The upsides? Reston, a community that already is home to nearly 60,000, is in the long-term going to become a major boom-town once the new Metro line comes through, as it will house two or three new stations, including one a quick walk from my home so I can take the train to work in Tyson's Corner! The people who are supporting Reston's efforts to emulate Arlington are starting to outnumber those pesky older types who are resistant to change or progress. Crime is relatively low (although I've heard parts of Reston near or south of the toll road are sketchy, such as near Hunter's Woods).

I have a friend and co-worker who lives kitty-cornered to me in Parc Reston, and he's quite happy there. Denton56's son lives directly across the street from me in The Sycamores, another very nice complex. In my humble opinion this neighborhood is by far the best kept secret in Reston. We're surrounded by lush vegetation in a park-like setting and yet if you round the corner you can admire the nighttime Reston skyline straight ahead. Shopping options are abundant---we have Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Giant, Harris Teeter, and Safeway all within either a walk or a 5-minute drive. We have Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Home Depot, Office Depot, more Starbuck's than you can shake a fist at, and a few other national chains. Reston Town Center is replete with stores/restaurants targeting the young trendy upper-middle-class types (i.e. Apple Store, McCormick & Schmick's, Clyde's, Chico's, Williams-Sonoma, etc.)

Originally Posted by KTuner

3. What areas are considered "bad" and what are considered "rich"?

Reston is neither poor nor rich. It was originally intended to be a place home to people from all walks of life, but in the past few years it has begun to take a noticeable tilt towards the upper-middle-class (tons of BMWs and Audis around), as people who want to live in North Arlington but can't afford to have been coming here as the next closest thing NoVA has to offer (and pretty much the only other thing at that). JFromReston can hopefully explain where the so-called "rough" parts of South Reston are, as I don't venture south of the toll road much unless I'm en route to the Metro station in Fairfax. Herndon has its nice and not-so-hot parts as well. I've been getting the vibe that Reston is home to more well-educated younger singles (my complex alone is loaded with us) whereas Herndon has more family-oriented types, but a recent national ranking put Herndon ahead of Reston as a top place in America for affluent young singles.

Originally Posted by KTuner

4. I enjoy working on my car, and modify it as I can afford. How do the local authorities feel about this in the various areas? All of my mods are legal here in IL, and the car is not loud or obnoxious. (BTW, it is a 2008, will I need to do an inspection?)

I don't think you'd get hassled working on your car in the parking lot of many complexes here, assuming you're not being noisy or disruptive. Reston, being part of unincorporated Fairfax County, does require an emissions and state safety inspection. I had both of mine done at the Lake Anne Chevron back in June for about $40, and it only took about 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by KTuner

5. I have looked at the Reston area and think it looks like a good place to live. Is it? Can I afford it?

Reston is a good place to live if you're making $60,000+. At my $40,000 salary I'm "making it" here in Reston, but I'm not "enjoying it." Nearly everything here is geared towards people in their late-20s earning about $75,000 salaries.

Originally Posted by KTuner

6. Am I better off living closer to DC so I commute away from the city in the morning and twords it in the evening?

If you move closer to DC, then you're going to blow your budget way out of the water. Trust me, if I could have moved to a place like Arlington with a commute to Tyson's Corner, then I would have GLADLY done so. Finding a decent 1-BR apartment along the Orange Line in North Arlington was impossible though for my price range. Ideally I, too, wanted to only spend around $1,000/month, but there was NOTHING here at that price point (even Stuart Woods, another complex in Herndon I toured and didn't care for as much, had a unit for around $1,030/month when I came down in April, and that was the cheapest I could find anywhere). People are only really flocking to Reston because it's the closest thing NoVA has to offer to Arlington at a much more affordable price point.

Originally Posted by KTuner

7. I will have 3 days to visit and house-hunt before I move. I want to go into those 3 days with as much information as possible. While I have looked on Apartment Finder, etc, I know that many times you can find better deals by driving around and calling numbers on for rent signs. Anyone have suggestions on areas I might want to spend time driving in?

Fairway Apartments, which is just down North Shore Drive from me, seems pertty damn desperate to rent out their units (they even hired a nice Hispanic guy whom I've met on my runs to stand at the busy intersection of North Shore & Temporary to spin a sign around on the weekends), so they may be willing to bargain with you. The guys at Dulles Greene in Herndon seemed VERY desperate as well; they were worse than used car salesmen.

Originally Posted by KTuner

Basically, I am looking for a crash course on the area and some inside information about the apartment situation. I am young (22) and will be all alone when I move, with my fiance coming to live with me about 6 months later if that helps anyone make suggestions.

I'm also 22 and live alone, so please feel free to ask if you have any more questions! Will your fiance be working? If so, then you could probably easily swing a 1-BR in Arlington on your dual incomes.

[anonymous703]

Originally Posted by KTuner

I currently live in Illinois, right outside of St. Louis, MO and have recently been offered a position with a established technology company in Herndon as a Software Engineer making roughly $54,000/yr.

$54,000 isn't a lot here. You'll live alright if you budget properly, but you can't spend money like you have it.

Here are my questions:
1. I want a 1 bedroom apartment that isn't in a ghetto with drug-dealers and thieves. I think I can afford ~ $1,000/month. Anyone have any suggestions?

I live in a place with my fiance called The Sycamores (oddly, a place I found by reading posts here) in Reston. Right now, they have a one-bedroom opening up for $1105. Everything there is electric (heat, stove, etc...) and my bill runs from $70 in the spring (little heat or a/c) to $160 in the winter. So far, this summer has been a bit mild, and my highest summer bill was a little over $100. Water is about $16. There is a washer and dryer in unit, as well as my own heat/ac/temp controls.

It's within walking distance to the Reston Town Center, on the W&OD trail (if you like to walk/bike) easy access to the Dulles Toll Road. Neighborhood is nice. Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, Trader Joe's are all within a mile. Go a tad bit further and there are Giant and Safeway. 7-11/gas station, and two automotive places are right around the corner.

2. Does anyone have any first-hand experience with any of the apartments I may be looking at in the area? I have read horror stories of roaches, paper-thin walls, etc and not being able to just drive around and look causes quite an issue.

I had an ant problem shortly after I moved in, but they're really good at spraying the place (and sprayed extra when I asked them to) and it went away. No roaches or anything. The apartments here are "garden style" (not hi-rises.) There are several buildings, and each building contains four floors. Each floor contains four units, I think. The buildings are offset from each other, such that the walls of one unit aren't shared with the other. My unit is on the lowest level, and as such, I share a wall with the storage unit. I hear some footsteps above me occasionally, and also from time to time my neighbors entering their unit across the hall. (The hinges are spring loaded, keeping the door shut all of the time. They have a tendency to slam.) But, it is generally quiet. I can honestly that this is The.Quietest.Apartment.That.I.Have.Ever.Lived.In.

5. I have looked at the Reston area and think it looks like a good place to live. Is it? Can I afford it?

In terms of raw dollars, I don't think you'll find a place cheaper than where I live. In terms of location, I guess things are relative, but I don't know what a better location in Reston would be. I'll warn you, though, that the restaurants at the Town Center are not cheap.

In a couple of years, Metro is supposed to get extended out to Dulles Airport. If things go as planned, the final station in Phase I will be at Wiehle Ave -- about a mile and a half or so from my apartment. Phase II will complete the extension to the airport, and it includes a stop about 3/4 mile from the apartment. It won't be useful for you getting to work, but will be if you ever get the urge to head into the city.

Oh, parking is free by the way, and we don't need decals.

6. Am I better off living closer to DC so I commute away from the city in the morning and twords it in the evening?

In terms of cost, no. If you wanted to live there and could afford the city life, then I'd say maybe. It's a fair generalization to say that the closer you get to the city center, the more expensive it gets.

7. I will have 3 days to visit and house-hunt before I move. I want to go into those 3 days with as much information as possible. While I have looked on Apartment Finder, etc, I know that many times you can find better deals by driving around and calling numbers on for rent signs. Anyone have suggestions on areas I might want to spend time driving in?

I had lived near the area several years ago before I moved back here earlier this year. I was familiar enough with the area to know where I wanted to live if I could afford it. Based on the third-party comment from a poster here, I realized that unless there was something majorly wrong, this is where I wanted to live. I actually only looked at this one place.

Basically, I am looking for a crash course on the area and some inside information about the apartment situation. I am young (22) and will be all alone when I move, with my fiance coming to live with me about 6 months later if that helps anyone make suggestions.

My office is near Dulles Airport... so for me, I have a reverse commute. Living further out (even Ashburn) would put you in the mix with those heading into the city for the morning rush.

[SteelCityRising]

Wow! There's a lot of us on here from Reston who are neighbors. Hello!

[nvared]

I haven't seen the apartments inside firsthand, but I've heard Shenandoah's Crossing on rt. 50 north of 66 is a pretty decent place that isn't brand new. I know a couple who live there now and they said it's pretty decent. They are professional people, so you might want to check that out. I think a 1 bedroom would be in the range of $1000.

[JfromReston]

I highly recommend upping your rental budget to $1100-1200 per month and living in Reston near ScranBarre, anonymous, and the others. I don't recommend Manassas as the little you will save on rent down there will not be worth the extra communiting costs (and also time!).

I think Reston is a great place to live. Here is a link that tells you a little more about all that Reston has to offer http://reston.org

[NOVAmtneer82]

Do people proclaiming that 54K isn't a lot of money here realize that most college graduates in this area don't start out making even 50K? You aren't going to be owning a penthouse in Arlington or driving a Maserati but it's an entry-level salary for godsake that will go up with time. This board is getting so dramatic...before you know it potential newbies to this area are going to be told they will be on food stamps at 100K a year.

[rubytue]

Originally Posted by NOVAmtneer82

Do people proclaiming that 54K isn't a lot of money here realize that most college graduates in this area don't start out making even 50K?

And how many recent college graduates do you know that (a) have roomates or (b) live with their parents? Granted, I went to VT with a high proportion of folks who grew up in NoVA, but in my expierence just about everyone I knew spent the first 3-5 years living in group house situations or in their parent's basement. Heck, I'm 35 and I still know people who can't afford a place on their own so they have roomate. Including my best friend: her and her husband, along with 3 other roomates, rent a house in Falls Church. You can get by starting out at $50k, but you will get by much better if you have roomates. Especially if you have student loan payments.

8 years ago when I first started out in the area (on $48k), my income was too high to qualify for the moderate income apartments, which were $900/month. I always thought that was really sad, as I didn't want to pay $900/month on my salary - I really wondered how those who qualified could. I eventually realized that DC was a different beast, and I'd have to get over the fact I had never paid over $500/month for an apartment.