Relocating to Fair Lakes area (Burke, Washington: home, good schools, subdivision)

[Aburda]

Hi,
We are a family of soon to be 4 (Husband (29), wife (27), toddler boy (18 months) and newborn baby girl (scheduled to arrive next months.)
We are currently in process of relocating to the Washington DC area as my husband will be working for the Department of Homeland Security in NW DC (8th and I street- Gallery/Chinatown metro station). We are highly considering moving to Fair Lakes as it seems to be a great area for families. We do however fear the concern of the commute into DC. I am a stay at home mom and its important for me to be able to walk to places and be outdoors with the kiddies but its also important for us to have not too long of a commute for the hubby into DC. Are there certain parts of Fair Lakes that are closer to bus stops, better for families, etc. Any info you can share on area would be great. Ideally husband would like a commute of less then 45 minutes and we understand that Fair Lakes is more then 45 minute commute. Our family comes first so we want to do what is best for our kids. Please share your expereince, recommendations, thoughts. Thanks
burda.alla @ gmail.com

[mississippimagnolia]

Hello! Welcome to Northern Virginia! My husband works for the Government as well. This is our third time living in the D.C. area.

Look in Burke! Your husband can get on the VRE and get into D.C. stress-free! Our subdivision is right across the street from the VRE Station. My husband just walks across the street and gets on the train every day. It takes him about 30-40 minutes.

If you are going to be here long enough for your kids to begin school, you'll want to look carefully at the schools in the area you select. I am a stay-at-home mom as well. This is a great community for families!

Good Luck with the move!

[liloulou]

Depending on your budget and what exactly you're looking for in terms of the house, I'd look closer in and really check the schools (greatschools.net). I think you can do better than Fair Lakes in terms of schools and commute, but that's without knowing your budget and housing preferences.

Plus the fact that you have small kids now, you could move again once you know the area better and it's time for them to start Kindergarten.

Fair Lakes has a lot of nice shopping and restaurants and is pretty overall though.

[mlv311]

Based on what you have said, I suggest you reconsider Fair Lakes and look elsewhere. My husband stayed in the Fair Lakes area temporarily when he first started his job here and it was not an easy commute to DC. That area is very congested. I don't see how your husband would be able to keep his commute under 45 mins door-to-door even if he used public transportation.

We live near Burke and I agree with MississippiMagnolia that it is a great area for families: good schools, several libraries, parks, swimming pools, shopping, etc. However, I wouldn't describe it as "walkable" other than to go to a local playground or park depending on where you live. The VRE, commuter buses and slug lines are good options for people who work in DC and have the ability to work a flexible schedule (i.e., regular business hours). Even then, I don't think you'll have a commute under 45 mins unless you live very close to the station/bus stop. Like Liloulou suggested, if you priority is to keep the commute to under 45 mins, you should look at options closer in. GL