Moving to Richmond -- Wyndham/Twin Hickory/Colonies/Fox Hall (Mechanicsville: for sale, real estate)

[moving_to_richmond]

We are moving to Richmond this summer and are looking for an area with excellent public schools (both high test scores and a healthy parent/teacher/student culture), friendly neighbors, and walkability to a community pool, parks, tennis courts, and maybe other amenities (schools, library, community center, grocery stores, coffee shops). Kids are young elementary age. We can spend up to $750,000 or so, but would prefer to be closer to $450,000. Commute isn't an issue.

We visited Richmond once before agreeing to relo and saw a lot of different areas -- they all sort of ran together, though we liked most areas, especially in the far west end/Henrico.

Here's the question -- how are Wyndham, Twin Hickory, the Colonies, Fox Hall and places like Salisbury or King's Charter really different? I know the obvious differences like age of the communities, housing price points, community size, and general location. I don't understand the more subtle differences (if any) between the various elementary schools (Shady Grove, Nuckols Farm, Twin Hickory, Cool Springs, Bettie Weaver elementaries) and the various communities? How are these areas different from planned communities in Midlothian or Mechanicsville?

Can anybody help me compare and contrast? I've lived in Atlanta and Cincinnati before, if anybody can help me compare the neighborhoods to places in those cities.

[sls76]

I can compare Wyndham and Twin Hickory. I also like Fox Hall a lot, but am not as familiar with it and not familiar at all with the Colonies. We have lived in Short Pump on and off since 2002. We first bought a house in a neighborhood carved out of Wyndham, but the neighborhood was too small and we wanted a neighborhood pool and sidewalks. We moved away for a short time and moved back in '08 and choose Wyndham because of Shady Grove (had a rising kindergartner and a 3 year old at that time). Twin Hickory had appealed to us when we had lived in Short Pump from 02-05, but when we moved back we didn't like that the neighborhood was split between two elementary schools, thought it wasn't very well laid out (if you like taking family walks or bike rides, Wyndham is great), and it has a lot of large, vinyl boxes (although it also has some very nice homes). For $450k, you'll get a newer house in Twin Hickory or more space. In Wyndham, you'll get more mature landscaping. Other than that, it really will come down to finding the right home and which neighborhood you like the feel of better--it's obviously completely subjective and I can completely understand why others prefer Twin Hickory to Wyndham. As far as Shady Grove goes, it is an excellent school and I have been extremely impressed with how responsive they are to the parents. Twin Hickory Elementary and Colonial Trail are also great schools.

[moving_to_richmond]

Thanks sls.

I'm having a hard time remembering Wyndham. Are there sidewalks and walking trails throughout the neighborhood? Can people walk to Shady Grove Elementary? Is there a neighborhood play ground for the kids?

Also, have you found most of your neighbors to be more friendly or about the same as other parts of the Short Pump area?

Thanks again.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by moving_to_richmond

Thanks sls.

I'm having a hard time remembering Wyndham. Are there sidewalks and walking trails throughout the neighborhood? Can people walk to Shady Grove Elementary? Is there a neighborhood play ground for the kids?

Also, have you found most of your neighbors to be more friendly or about the same as other parts of the Short Pump area?

Thanks again.

Yes. Sidewalks through the entire neighborhood. We walked to Shady Grove for the first year we lived here because we lived across the street (rented a house for 18 months across from Shady Grove). A lot of people walk their children to school. We live a mile away and some of my neighbors walk. Older kids ride their bikes. As far as playgrounds go, there is one at Shady Grove, one by the pool, one near the Dominion Club and a few other small ones. We either go to the school or to the one at Twin Hickory Elementary (has a sun shade when it's really hot).

Wyndham definitely feels like a community. It's nice that most of the school lives in Wyndham which makes Shady Grove feel like a neighborhood school. Of course there are snobby, obnoxious people here like anywhere but I would guess it's very similar to any Short Pump neighborhood which is filled with doctors, lawyers and business men. It's a very family oriented neighborhood and of course because of the demographics of the neighborhood parents are very involved in the schools and care a lot about their children's education.

[prdubois]

14009 Rockbasket Turn For Sale, Chester VA Real Estate

This link is the site for information on the house we have for sale. If you know ANYONE who is looking in Chester, VA, send it out! And if you know anyone who is moving to Fort Lee

[sclee2]

Just to continue the comparison, what neighborhood is considered to be the better of the two in terms of resale value and/or desirability? Are they both in the same category or which one would you rate "better" if you had to choose?