Reno, NV to Richmond VA (Hampton, Roanoke: condos, hotels, houses)

[sara72]

Hi

I been headhunted to relocate to Richmond VA. I know nothing about Richmond, the better areas to live in including suburbs, what to expect..etc Im single and lived mostly in Alaska or the west Coast So any or all views, advice would be welcome.

thanks

[htlong]

it will be different for you.......

[captain poptart]

I grew up in Richmond, but lived on the west coast for 3 years. Virginia is carved into pretty distinct regions. Northeastern Va. is a gigantic exurb of Washington DC. Pretty much the economic engine w/ top salaries and insane housing prices and commute times. More liberal than the rest of the state, but a fairly strong military/defense pop., that keeps a moderate conservatism strong up there. Hampton Roads (southeastern Va) is a big navy/shipbuilding/tourism area, with increasing diversity of jobs and increasing traffic, too. Extreme eastern Va. is very, very old and still mostly rural. Southern accents and families that have been there for 400 years, but increasing retirees, second homes and bedroom communities.

Southside (southern tier of the state) is struggling with industry leaving and tobacco hurting for years.

Southwest Virginia (Roanoke and southwest) is gorgeous, affordable, and very southern but not much economy. Tourism is doing okay there, and they're putting more into that basket.

Richmond is a booming capital city, with a beautiful setting. Increasing sprawl and traffic, and more people moving in from all over. The increasing diversity has made it a bit less conservative, but seems to be getting a bit homogenous at the same time; used to be very Southern, now a bit less so I'd say. Lots of jobs. Richmond struggles still under its racial legacy and there's too little regional cooperation because of it. Cities are politically independent of counties in Va. (don't know of any other place where that's true), so it made it easy for whites to move out of cities to nearby counties. Since cities can't annex county land anymore to gain industry or middle class residents, they're stuck as, too often, islands of poverty with few tools to dig out of it. If you don't have to worry about schools, the city of Richmond has great, cool old neighborhoods and lots of young people and empty nesters are moving into old tobacco warehouses and old buildings. The counties are thriving with malls and office parks.

good luck.

[htlong]

CAPT POP TART,
THAT WAS THE BEST EXPLANATION OF VIRGINIA I HaVE EVER READ!
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON TH HEAD ON EVER SECTION OF THE STATE , ESP.RICHMOND
HT LONG

[Meandb12]

[ If you don't have to worry about schools, the city of Richmond has great, cool old neighborhoods and lots of young people and empty nesters are moving into old tobacco warehouses and old buildings. The counties are thriving with malls and office parks.

good luck.[/quote]

Hi!

Can I ask what you meant exactly when you said "if you don't have to worry about schools" - I realize downtown Richmond is a different story than the suberbs, but I was under the impression that in general the schools were very good in Richmond. Can you be more specific - where would you recommend a family (from out of town) start out since you seem to have a great grasp on the tone of the area. We're looking for suberb to semi rural, maybe 1/2 to 1 acre of property, 3-5 miles from town/shopping etc. (?), good schools, safe, clean, someplace to bike, jog, possibly have a small boat... We have our ideas from reading these posts for several months (Brandermill area, Chesterfield, Mechanicsburg, Ashland???) We have a home office, and I'd look at going back to work as a nurse at some point... and we HATE traffic for the record.

[htlong]

richmonds schools arent too good from what i have read,chesterfield has good schools and a new super with a great resum'e henricos schools are also good, i dont know much about hanover county but im sure i would have read about them if they were bad. so stay out of the city which if you want rural you will anyway. when are you going to move?

[Meandb12]

Hi htlong!

You've been so helpful to me in the past - I watch out for your comments on any post since you seem so informed and friendly. Thank you!

We're looking at a move fall of '07 - I know, seems like a long way off, but we've been in Europe for 10 years and won't actually hit the US until next summer - trying to do our homework cause we have a boatload of details to make this go as smoothly as possible. We've never lived in Va, no family there, but have researched Florida and PA (family in both), but keep coming back to the Richmond area for deversity, cost of living, good schools, more moderate weather and all it has to offer. Any info. is so helpful!

[htlong]

i thought you were planning in about a year good to hear your so in tune with your move, i just pack a bag and go, my wife practicaly draws graphs and time lines.... everything is on a schedule, i just follow along and get yelled at for not keeping up with her time frame. and thats just for a week vacation! i wouldnt ever try to move a household with her.....some one would die!!! and it would most likely be me!!!

[roanoker 4]

When you first see Richmond, it is not particularly the most inviting City. The downtown section has been allowed to decay by this crazy Virginia independent city/county arrangement which has kept many lower income people in the City, while encouraging the more aflluent to escape to Henrico and Chesterfield Counties for better schools, etc. There is little coperation in the region to change the course that Richmond seems to be heading. There is a beautiful old train station(designed after DC's Union Station) that has been turned into a Science Museum. I could only imagine another time after arriving at this station, going to Broad Street and taking the streetcars downtown which should be filled with restaurants, hotels, offices, shops, etc.
Instead this once great City's downtown is ugly and not inviting to the visitor.
The "real" Richmond is now made of up massive office parks with hotels, restaurants and retail as far as the eye can see. One only has to drive north from downtown on Broad Street and see the big boxes, strip malls, upscale shopping centers, etc etc. I often wonder what happened to City life in Richmond? Todays' Richmond is mainly a suburban type community. There are very attractive housing developments in Henrico and Chesterfield and the prevailing wisdom is to get as far away from downtown as possible. Richmond is a great place to find a good job/career as many post graduates migrate there from other parts of Virginia and the region. With such a great history as Richmond, this City should strive to be more!!

[MaryBB]

Originally Posted by roanoker 4

When you first see Richmond, it is not particularly the most inviting City. The downtown section has been allowed to decay by this crazy Virginia independent city/county arrangement which has kept many lower income people in the City, while encouraging the more aflluent to escape to Henrico and Chesterfield Counties for better schools, etc. There is little coperation in the region to change the course that Richmond seems to be heading. There is a beautiful old train station(designed after DC's Union Station) that has been turned into a Science Museum. I could only imagine another time after arriving at this station, going to Broad Street and taking the streetcars downtown which should be filled with restaurants, hotels, offices, shops, etc.
Instead this once great City's downtown is ugly and not inviting to the visitor.
The "real" Richmond is now made of up massive office parks with hotels, restaurants and retail as far as the eye can see. One only has to drive north from downtown on Broad Street and see the big boxes, strip malls, upscale shopping centers, etc etc. I often wonder what happened to City life in Richmond? Todays' Richmond is mainly a suburban type community. There are very attractive housing developments in Henrico and Chesterfield and the prevailing wisdom is to get as far away from downtown as possible. Richmond is a great place to find a good job/career as many post graduates migrate there from other parts of Virginia and the region. With such a great history as Richmond, this City should strive to be more!!

Roanoker,
Maybe you haven't been to Richmond in recent years. It has changed quite a bit. Old, historic areas that have been rundown- but beautiful old structures, nonetheless, are being revitalized like Church Hill, Jackson Ward, Forest Hill areas, even areas around Hull St. Old warehouses are being renovated into condos. I first moved here 15 yrs ago when Grace St in the Fan was very rundown and cheap, now it's the opposite. There are lots and lots of artsy, fun stores and upscale restaurants in Carytown. The river downtown has been revitalized with a canalwalk and I think restaurants are planned. There positively is suburban sprawl as you mentioned in the outlying counties, but a definite upsurge in the city.