Winchester: What's the "Catch?" (Charlottesville, Waynesboro: college, live, moving)

[HappySeniors]

Gotta say disappointed that AARP has chosen Winchester - as great! We surely understand choice - looked "home" to the Shenandoah Valley for years as retirement haven. Hope prices don't go through the roof! Another sad thing is that idiot VA Delegates would not accept "Oh Shenandoah" as state song (idjuts since our family and many others have called this song for Shenandoah Valley since before 1920's (at least) - but our shame for not being good, strong advocates. It begins you "rolling river" hearing "the river" not an Indian maiden (duh!) Our younger daughter on hearing "Oh Shenandoah" performed by Westminster Boys Choir in UK called us to say "it's our Shenandoah, rollling river.....l" Ahh, well.....
I'd love to hear some Winchester city folk talk about areas they enjoy living in. We have relatives outside - on Monastery Ridge and other areas but think we want to live in city. After 20 years of 1+ hour commute from burbs to ATL (yes, know DC traffic but ATL pretty darn close!) we're ready to de-stress! We've only looked on Trulia and Zilllow since plan to get up there and look seriously at neighborhoods in Fall. My great-grandparents moved from to Shenandoah Valley to Burkittsville area as farms burnt down/totally destroyed during civil war...they had made Valley home after moving north from valley west of Richmond, hard times! I'm originally from NW DC and my husband is from Pittsburgh - now working for VetsAdmin. We're democrats although not fanatics ....and like that Winchester is pretty open minded.
Gotta say that 20's or 30 somethings might find hard time to "connect" in Winchester - but never know what happens at Church! We are serious about retirement as 60's now and both children in DC and NY State. Love to hear recommendations about areas to avoid - since homes are relative anywhere - probably relative to price and size required.

[trm5507]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

The downtown reminds me of Old Town Alexandria (minus the price tag, harbor, and "crunchy" people).

I haven't read all of the responses so I'm not sure if this has already been addressed, but there definitely are "crunchy" people in the Winchester & surrounding area. Perhaps not as many as northern Va, but there definitely are some.

Would the existence of "crunchy" people be a pro or con for you?

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by trm5507

I haven't read all of the responses so I'm not sure if this has already been addressed, but there definitely are "crunchy" people in the Winchester & surrounding area. Perhaps not as many as northern Va, but there definitely are some.

Would the existence of "crunchy" people be a pro or con for you?

The OP moved out of the area (Pittsburgh) -- and perhaps is seeking or avoiding "crunchy" people in that region now.

[car54]

All people are "crunchy"...if you hit 'em hard enough!

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by car54

All people are "crunchy"...if you hit 'em hard enough!

Oh my!

[ejay]

Just moved here this week from Idaho. I will give you my assessment. Trying to rent a house here is tough. The water sucks. Don't drink it. Some of the people are friendly. Some are not. I keep to myself so I don't really care.

Traffic is traffic you learn to deal with it. I am commuting to sterling everyday. It's about an hour each way. Went to down town it's okay. I will have to roam around when I get the chance.

I noticed some people here think a lot of themselves. I don't think much of them so I ignore them as they ignore me. Like we would ever talk to one another anyways.

Ate the worst burger of my life in Winchester. Can't remember the name of the place but it was up scale in a small mall type place. The server stuck her nose up in the air and tried not to look me in the eye.

The Japanese steak house ichiban is the best food I have ever eaten. Highly recommended. Best service too! Well worth every penny. I will be back.

I am here for the long haul. Being from Idaho I think I will fit right in with the locals. The lady at the school told me that she was glad to have me here. She said that she had registered 100 kids this week alone. Most of them from the DC area. Said the parents have a very better than you attitude. I can see that. She said I would fit right in. Heard the same story from some other locals. I will be spending my dollars at Mom & Pop. I don't need fancy. Fancy usually means high prices and no taste. And that has been the case for me here so far.

Can't wait to put my hiking boots on and get into the woods. I spent most of my time in Idaho hiking and taking photos. So I am looking forward to getting to know the wild life around here. I think commuting is going to suck. But the trade off is cheaper housing. And a better atmosphere for my kids. So I will take the risk. People speed a lot on 7. I got passed going 70 and it's a 55mph. People haul a** on that road. So far I have found only one cop. He sits in the same spot every day. A load of cars flew by him and he did not pull anyone over. So I figure he lets people speed to some degree. I am not pushing my luck.

The drivers are aggressive. And they will cut you off. Or take up your safe following distance. Even in the rain. So watch out for them! You almost have to tail gate to keep from getting cut off. Defensive driving is the norm here I guess. I would not call it laid back. It's definitely city living. I came from North Idaho. And that is laid back compared to this place. Although over crowded with So Californian transplants now. So it is changing rapidly. I could see this place growing a lot if the housing market ever gets going again. Over all it's a pretty nice place. And in time I am sure I will find out more about it....

[FindingZen]

Thank you ejay for relating your experience about your recent move to Winchester and commuting experience to Sterling. As you may have discovered, the Dulles Tech Corridor (which includes Sterling) and nearby Tysons Corner form an outlying job hub which may explain a lot of the driver aggressiveness typical of the Boston-Washington corridor. I should say that if you consider that lifestyle to be city living then due east into Fairfax and Arlington Counties as well as Alexandria and DC may indeed blow your mind.

[ejay]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Thank you ejay for relating your experience about your recent move to Winchester and commuting experience to Sterling. As you may have discovered, the Dulles Tech Corridor (which includes Sterling) and nearby Tysons Corner form an outlying job hub which may explain a lot of the driver aggressiveness typical of the Boston-Washington corridor. I should say that if you consider that lifestyle to be city living then due east into Fairfax and Arlington Counties as well as Alexandria and DC may indeed blow your mind.

Oh that's why I moved up here lol My father in law lives in DC! Before I moved here I visited him quite a few times. And it was crazy. Especially the commute hours! Although I lived in San Francisco for a few years and I am no stranger to city life. The town I lived in Idaho was a lot smaller in size than Winchester. So it does feel like a city to me. The forest was in my back yard there. I gotta drive a little to get into the woods here. Everyone has been really nice though. Especially when I tell them I am from Idaho. Went to the mall today here with the wife and it was interesting to hear what people had to say that lived here. I guess people moving here should take note. Tell them your from Idaho. Joking... lol...

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by ejay

Oh that's why I moved up here lol My father in law lives in DC! Before I moved here I visited him quite a few times. And it was crazy. Especially the commute hours! Although I lived in San Francisco for a few years and I am no stranger to city life. The town I lived in Idaho was a lot smaller in size than Winchester. So it does feel like a city to me. The forest was in my back yard there. I gotta drive a little to get into the woods here. Everyone has been really nice though. Especially when I tell them I am from Idaho. Went to the mall today here with the wife and it was interesting to hear what people had to say that lived here. I guess people moving here should take note. Tell them your from Idaho. Joking... lol...

Points taken. Thanks for the extra perspective.

[citygurl44]

I lived in Winchester for 2.5. years. It's a nice place. The catch is that it's the country, and most people can't find a job within a convenient driving distance. I happened to work nearby, and I lived in the downtown historic area, within walking distance to the walking mall on Loudoun Street. In the historic area, there are a few shady areas, and I attribute those to the rehab clinic/halfway house in the area. If you avoid that area, it's hard to get more All American Apple Pie than Winchester. Most of the city is very nice; you've already visited so you already know you like the look of it. You've got everything you need for convenience, plus it's still a country atmosphere and hasn't been ruined by the crush of traffic, etc. One thing I really miss is going to the minor league baseball games (Winchester Royals) in the summer for a cheap $5. You can sit right behind home plate and have inexpensive food and you will definitely run into all your neighbors there. Winchester is absolutely a place where you will see people you know at the grocery, and support your neighbor's kids car wash fundraiser. Recently (like,last month) AARP magazine placed it number one on the list of best places to live. So, I guess the "catch " would be that if you're under retirement age and you don't have a family, you might find the night life and the singles scene to be unsatisfying. I moved to NoVa from there because I am unmarried, in my thirties, no kids, and there just weren't a lot of people my age to hang out with. But having said that, there are still a few pubs and night spots on the walking mall that are quite cool and you'd probably enjoy. From your description, you'd probably really like it there.