Does ANYONE Move North Because They Want To? (Arlington, Woodbridge: low crime, house)

[mac10]

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

I'm from here, and at my high school reunion last November, a lot of my classmates were living in NYC and loving it. Plenty of people from here love the North and would never consider moving further south (in fact, I would venture to say that most DC area locals would move north or west before moving south).



Normie's from SoCal, FWIW.

I agree. I am from here also. Although, I would move to North Carolina. It reminds me of how NoVA used to be before it became overcrowded.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

All right, do you know anyone from NOVA? I'm really thinking about people from here because this is where I live. And the context is how many Northerners move HERE. It's truly amazing. I have a whole Northern city transplanted into my neighborhood.

So who do you know _specifically_ living in NOVA who loves the North and has to move there because it's so wonderful. Not a homesick Northerner or someone who moved because they had to for a job? It does not seem like you can.

Again, the point to me is how many people flee that area to come to NOVA.

FWIW, I'm native to Northern Virginia but moved around a bit in my 20s. I went to school in VT. Over the years I've known a few people who've asked me about it because they were moving to VT by choice.

Right now, Nova is the flavor of the month so everyone wants to move here. In another 10 or 15 years some other city will be the new flavor. And everyone will want to move there, including plenty of people from Nova. Sooner or later, every area of the country that's at all desirable will get their turn being the flavor of the month.

[CaliTerp07]

I'd move to Boston in a heart beat if I could find a job that would pay me the equivalent salary of what I make here. I love that city (and all my family's on the west coast, so it has nothing to do with that). One of my best friends from high school (in So Cal) went to college in AZ and then took a job in Mass after graduation, because he liked the area. My cube mate just moved up there last month as well (he wanted a truly walkable city, and didn't enjoy suburbia/Nova).

Soo...yes, people do. They can't move up there if there aren't jobs waiting for them though, so right now most people are probably coming to DC where they are more likely to find work.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by mac10

No. She moved to Maryland to go to grad school. Afterwards, she said "I'm moving to Boston". And did so.

Ok, got it.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by Caladium

FWIW, I'm native to Northern Virginia but moved around a bit in my 20s. I went to school in VT. Over the years I've known a few people who've asked me about it because they were moving to VT by choice.

Right now, Nova is the flavor of the month so everyone wants to move here. In another 10 or 15 years some other city will be the new flavor. And everyone will want to move there, including plenty of people from Nova. Sooner or later, every area of the country that's at all desirable will get their turn being the flavor of the month.

Yes, someday the federal government is going to run out of future generations' money and this place is going to bust bigger than Detroit. Something for long-term residents to consider.

Very interesting how popular Boston seems to be. You hear about crime there a lot, but maybe it's just in certain areas.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by mac10

I agree. I am from here also. Although, I would move to North Carolina. It reminds me of how NoVA used to be before it became overcrowded.

Yes, it's sad about North Carolina. In the Raleigh-Carey area, the locals call Cary Containment Area for Relocated Yankees. People are rude and the drivers are more dangerous than they are here. I'd never move to Raleigh.

Previously nice areas are being ruined too. I love the outdoors around Asheville, but it's (or was before the bust) being developed big time. For me, the negatives of other areas just outweigh what NOVA offers. NC is still very nice in some areas though -- for now -- and it's people from the North moving there more than from anywhere else.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

Yes, someday the federal government is going to run out of future generations' money and this place is going to bust bigger than Detroit. Something for long-term residents to consider.

I don't think it's going to bust at all. There are all kinds of businesses here besides the government, and most of the people moving here are buying homes. People who buy houses tend to settle in and continue living in an area whether its trendy or not. Besides, Nova is a really nice place to live. I've moved around the country and was happy to come home having found out this is better than many other cities.

When Nova stops being the flavor of the month, it won't continue growing at this crazy pace, which will be just fine by me. But I doubt it will shrink.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I don't think it's going to bust at all. There are all kinds of businesses here besides the government, and most of the people moving here are buying homes. People who buy houses tend to settle in and continue living in an area whether its trendy or not. Besides, Nova is a really nice place to live. I've moved around the country and was happy to come home having found out this is better than many other cities.

When Nova stops being the flavor of the month, it won't continue growing at this crazy pace, which will be just fine by me. But I doubt it will shrink.

But so much of the business growth is from Beltway Bandits, and the only other major one independent of that is high-tech (computers) which can easily move away. I will agree with you that it's nice if you can tolerate a paper based economy and replica after replica neighborhoods, chain stores, and big box stores. No real character other than some natural features like Great Falls. Also agree with you that it's flavor of the week. When it busts in about 30 years, it will bust BIG TIME.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

But so much of the business growth is from Beltway Bandits, and the only other major one independent of that is high-tech (computers) which can easily move away. I will agree with you that it's nice if you can tolerate a paper based economy and replica after replica neighborhoods, chain stores, and big box stores. No real character other than some natural features like Great Falls. Also agree with you that it's flavor of the week. When it busts in about 30 years, it will bust BIG TIME.

Well, I guess you're entitled to your opinion. I work in medical research, which is another local industry that is much bigger than many people realize. As for Nova's future, I don't agree with you at all. I think it will settle down and be a very pleasant prosperous mid-sized metro area. But in 30 years we'll know.

[arielmina]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

Yes, it's sad about North Carolina. In the Raleigh-Carey area, the locals call Cary Containment Area for Relocated Yankees. People are rude and the drivers are more dangerous than they are here. I'd never move to Raleigh.

Previously nice areas are being ruined too. I love the outdoors around Asheville, but it's (or was before the bust) being developed big time. For me, the negatives of other areas just outweigh what NOVA offers. NC is still very nice in some areas though -- for now -- and it's people from the North moving there more than from anywhere else.

you know this attitude is so odd to me. There was a thread like this a few months back = perhaps by you. WHY do you care who moves where? I just don't get it. This superiority complex you (and by you I mean anyone with this attitude that northerners are ruining the south) have it just out of control. You will never hear people in "the north" saying an area has been "ruined" by southerners - and no it's not because you're so charming how can we not love you, but because we don't care. It's live and let live. In fact, that is exactly WHY alot of people are attracted to the northeast.

It's funny but when I told my friends in Connecticut that I was moving to Virginia (for my husbands job), they all said, "oh I bet the people are so nice there!" and we were excited too to come to a warm friendly area. We even told our nervous elementary aged kids that the people and kids would be soooo much more friendly it will be awesome. Well imagine my surprise when all we've been met with is "go home yankee" attitudes. I was in CT last week and one of my friends asked me specifically how the people in VA were. I said "you know it's strange, because there are really two groups of people where I live, those that are relatively new (within the last 10-15 yrs), with young families who really are very nice, and those who have been living here for generations who always make me feel truly unwelcome." I never expected that. So yes, I can truly say that on the whole, the people in my small town in CT are friendlier than the people in my small town in VA.

So I guess my point is that you need to get over yourselves already. Trust me, you're not "all that and a bowl of chips"