Woodlake or Brandermill: Which community is nicer for a young family? (Richmond: rentals, houses)

[sbmcpartlin]

Of the two developments which one would you all say is nicer? I like the fact that both communities are located close to the Lake and both offer bike trails and wooded lots.

We are a young family currently live in Alexandria, VA but are planning on giving suburban life, a slower pace, more space and a lower cost of living a shot! Both of us will be working from home, so commuting is a bit of a non-issue but we are used to being close to amenities here in DC metro.

[ellieb128]

We looked at a lot of houses in both neighborhoods when we moved here they are pretty similar. They both have new High Schools and we loved the trails/lake aspect. As I remember Woodlake has more upscale neighborhoods within it vs. Brandermill and I think they had the better pool. And then there is the whole mail box debacle that has been getting Brandermill in the news lately. All Opinions Are Local - The yellow mailbox revolution

That being said, we considered them equal focused on individual houses instead.

[OldCavalier]

If you have lived in Alexandria, Richmond will be a change. However the suburbs are a great place to raise kids. Stay away from Brandermill, it is not what it was in the late 70s. Today the neighborhoods are rundown, lot of rentals, poorly maintained houses and yards. We moved 2yrs ago. Woodlake is nicer. But there are newer neighborhoods beyond Woodlake. Same for new areas near Rt. 288, which gives you access to the main parts of the area. Stay out of City of Richmond.

[the-rivah]

I would probably choose Woodlake over Brandermill in general but like another poster said, it depends on the section within each neighborhood and the house. A drive through both will give you a better feel for the difference. To me Woodlake feels a little newer and slightly more upscale but then there are some areas of Brandermill particularly near Sunday Park that are really nice. Coming from Alexandria and being used to the DC amenities it will be quite a shock to move 'out there'. Also look at the West End in Henrico and you may want to rent first to get a feel for the various areas of Richmond.

[multiply]

What are the newer neighborhoods EAST of Hull street(close to 288)? Are there any new developments in that area? I ld have to travel to Fort Lee daily and therefore do not want a long commute yet live close to Hull Street.