NOVA vs Florida... where to live? (Alexandria: renting, crime, house)

[JonathanBunn]

It seems to me that you are a great canidate for the area. Your income is above the median income for each of the Nova counties.

You asked me to rate the area... I would give it an 8 out of 10. I don't who would get an 10 and the only thing that could make it better is palm trees and less traffic. Other than that I love it here. And when we moved here, we were making much less than you mentioned making.

Regarding areas... The further you move from the city the more affordable. I think you may want to consider Reston. This area is close to the city but not right in the hustle of things. There are great shops, things to do, and you are only around 15-20 minutes to the nearest metro stop.

By the way, you could a single family home or really big townhome hear for your family at the price range you mentioned.

[normie]

Originally Posted by JonathanBunn

Regarding areas... The further you move from the city the more affordable. I think you may want to consider Reston. This area is close to the city but not right in the hustle of things. There are great shops, things to do, and you are only around 15-20 minutes to the nearest metro stop.

By the way, you could a single family home or really big townhome hear for your family at the price range you mentioned.

I like Reston, too. These photo tours might give you a good feel for the area.

Reston-South Lakes

Reston-Town Center and Lake Anne

[Alicia Bradley]

There's a Trader Joe's in DC, near Dupont Circle. Nearby, Georgetown is wonderful, if you can afford it. (Capitol Hill is my personal favorite DC neighborhood, but the eastern parts of it *can* start to border on sketchy.) For the kind of lifestyle you're seeking, I wouldn't consider anywhere outside of DC itself, North Arlington, Bethesda, or Old Town Alexandria (less so for that last one.. but what it lacks in urban-style activity it more than makes up for in unbelievable charm). Of course, if you visit one of the odd 'census-designated place' suburbs that seem to have laws restricting the number of businesses (even - or mostly?? - upscale ones) in Fairfax County or such, and really like it, then go for it. Just make sure you check it out very thoroughly in advance. Drive around subdivisions, see what the area stores and restaurants (heh) are like, try out your potential commute. If you visited DC and liked it, you should definitely consider living in (an upscale part of) DC. The majority of Virginia suburbs are just.. not at all what you'd expect the Virginia suburbs of DC to be like.

[k8p]

Why not somewhere like Atlanta? Still has some seasons, big city with nice, affordable suburbs, good central location, diverse, etc. Atlanta is a great place.

[jbird82]

Originally Posted by normie

By the way, Nova and DC are completely different places. DC is a city, Nova is one upscale suburb after another. The suburbs closer to DC are more urban but they're still suburbs. The suburbs farther west are more relaxed (many are in horse country). For my two cents, I like the outer suburbs. But the go-go-go types might find my suburb too peaceful. Everyone has their own idea of paradise.

I don't know what you intended to mean by this comment, but I think it is a bit rude if you think I'm that naive not to know the difference between DC and the NOVA suburbs.

Anyway, I'm still not convinced you need to have a "go-go-go" personality to enjoy DC or the inner suburbs.

[normie]

Originally Posted by jbird82

I don't know what you intended to mean by this comment, but I think it is a bit rude if you think I'm that naive not to know the difference between DC and the NOVA suburbs.

Anyway, I'm still not convinced you need to have a "go-go-go" personality to enjoy DC or the inner suburbs.

Sorry, I didn't mean for you to think this was directed to you. My first paragraph was a response to you, this particular comment was in the next paragraph and was for the OP. The OP had visited DC, liked it, and is now considering moving to Nova. That's why I told her Nova is not the same as DC. Many people moving here from out of state think Nova is going to be an extension of DC. It's a common assumption.

I agree that you don't need a "go-go-go" personality to enjoy DC or the inner suburbs, but you'll find more people like that there. You will find more relaxed people in the outer burbs.

The OP is talking about raising a family. I've watched quite a few people move here with young families and it seems like the ones who live in the urban areas aren't that happy. Azjzsmom is a prime example. As you may recall, she ended up wishing she lived a little further out. Azjzsmom felt a little isolated in Arlington because the people she met were career-oriented, single, and busy busy busy. She wished she was in a community with more at-home moms and people with time to be friendly. You're more likely to find that out in the burbs. Sure, there are some young families who love city life, but in my observation urban areas appeal more to young singles. If you've got kids you may be happier out in the burbs.

I would recommend the OP read through the last several months or years of this forum. That way she can figure out who has kids and lifestyles that seem to fit what she wants, and then see what those people think.

[jbird82]

Originally Posted by normie

Sorry, I didn't mean for you to think this was directed to you. The OP had visited DC, liked it, and based on this visit is now considering moving to Nova. That's why I told her Nova is not the same as DC. Many people moving here from out of state think Nova is going to be an urban area like DC, it's a common assumption.

I agree that you don't need a "go-go-go" personality to enjoy DC or the inner suburbs, but you'll find more people like that there. You will find more relaxed people in the outer burbs.

The OP is talking about raising a family. I've watched quite a few people move here with young families. Most recently, azjzsmom. As you may recall, she did not enjoy being in the urban area and wished she lived a little further out. OTOH, there are some young families who love city life (but in my observation, families are happier out in the burbs). Azjzsmom felt a little isolated in Arlington because everyone was young, single, and busy busy busy. She wished she was in a community with more at-home moms and people with time to be friendly. You're more likely to find that out in the burbs.

I would recommend the OP read through the last several months or years of this forum. That way she can figure out who has kids and lifestyles that seem to fit what she wants, and then see what those people think.

Oh ok, sorry, misunderstanding on my part.

And you're right about settling down/raising kids. Sometimes I forget that a single, 27 y/o males perspective may be much different than a married couple looking to settle down.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Very expensive here compared to Florida
Everything is go go go - very crowded
- nice parks and trails but still crowded
Traffic is a horror
I would stay in Florida or try North Carolina/South Carolina

And I am from NJ which I thought was more urban - but this area is very citified

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by sparklecat

Alicia... one of our contacts in the DC area said it's a dodgy place to live (i.e. directly in the city). In your opinion, what do you think? How come everybody seems to consider living in NOVA but not DC itself? I don't have a problem with living in a condo... what type of condo do you think I'd be able to get with my price range in DC? Are there any retail stores in actual DC... like Trader Joe's or corporate convenience stores? That's the type of management job my husband is in now. He's going to try for a government job, but if that doesn't work he's going to be staying in retail. I don't want him to have to commute an hour out into the suburbs just because we're living in the city. As for raising a family... this is going to sound silly... but do you know anybody who has had kids and lived in a condo and liked it? For some reason it always seems like having kids = living in a SFM.

I would suggest that you visit the Washington DC forum as well. They will be able to provide a good perspective there. There's plenty of the type of stores you're looking for in the city. it's true that DC Public Schools as a whole is not as good as those in the surrounding districts... but depending on where you live, you could mitigate that. I won't pretend to say that it's the ideal place for families, especially if you're looking for a house, but if you're accustomed or open to urban living, it might be worth checking out.

That said, both Arlington and Alexandria would be reasonable compromises if you want quasi-urban living with relatively (to DC)good schools.

[michgc]

The DC area is similar to any other big East Coast city - Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore as far as a fast-paced lifestyle in the city. The suburbs are typical suburbs here. There are type-A personalities but also lots of stay-at-home moms who go to parks and watch their kids play. The weather is 4 seasons. Winter is COLD (to someone from Florida) - highs of 30s are very common throughout the winter. That's not to say you won't like it - I know many Floridians who live here who love it. The seasons are nice. There is nothing like the feeling of spring after a cold winter. I don't think people in Florida can understand that feeling. Fall is beautiful with a crispness in the air.

I think $120,000 is a good salary for around here. If you are smart with spending your money, you should be able to save up for a downpayment on a home. The farther out you go, the cheaper it is, in general. Although, the farther out you go the larger and newer the homes are. So a big, newer home farther out is about the same cost as a smaller, older place closer in. On that income, you won't be able to buy a big, new home close in but could probably buy a smaller place close in or a larger place farther out. I *think* if your husband speaks 6 (wow, impressive!) languages, he would be able to find some kind of good job. But that's just a guess on my part.

I think you should give it a go if you find jobs. As they say, Florida will always be there if you want to move back.