Clueless and Relocating to Richmond (Roanoke, Mechanicsville: real estate, apartments, lofts) - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

lizzie_belle · 03-04-2008, 08:08 PM

My husband and I are relocating to Richmond with our newborn son. We are relocating for my husband's job and we have never been to Richmond. It turns out we will have a limited time to check out the area, and we want to get a house pretty soon with the new baby. If you can in any way help we would be so grateful!!

Here is some additional info:

1. My husband will be working downtown near the Wachovia building. We would love to keep his commute to around 30 minutes with traffic. I work from home so my commute is not an issue.

2. We want to avoid high crime areas, we have had some bad luck in the past so this is pretty important to us.

3. We plan on living in Richmond through our son starting school, so a good/great school district is important.

4. We want to live in a family friendly nice neighborhood, and cannot afford a home over the 200-210k range.

Can anyone help us find some good areas to look in?

Thanks!!

Teebyrd86 · 03-04-2008, 08:43 PM

Hey! You do need to be careful not knowing much about Richmond crime does exist in certain areas but every city has its issues with crime. I grew up in Richmond.. I was raised in the Varina (23231) /Sandston area just east of town near the Airport. The area has a lot going for it but the problem lyes with its schools. They arnt the best but they arnt the worst. You can get a nice ranch style home in the Sandston (23150) area for $150k. At the $200-$210k range you will get a little more here then my next suggestion. I would strongly suggest you look in the Mechanicsville area (23111). For the same house in Sandston you will be at your max. But Mechanicsvilles schools are worth the extra $$. I will pm you some listings that I feel you might be interested in. I am not a realestate agent but I know a good deal when I see one!

good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizzie_belle

My husband and I are relocating to Richmond with our newborn son. We are relocating for my husband's job and we have never been to Richmond. It turns out we will have a limited time to check out the area, and we want to get a house pretty soon with the new baby. If you can in any way help we would be so grateful!!

Here is some additional info:

1. My husband will be working downtown near the Wachovia building. We would love to keep his commute to around 30 minutes with traffic. I work from home so my commute is not an issue.

2. We want to avoid high crime areas, we have had some bad luck in the past so this is pretty important to us.

3. We plan on living in Richmond through our son starting school, so a good/great school district is important.

4. We want to live in a family friendly nice neighborhood, and cannot afford a home over the 200-210k range.

Can anyone help us find some good areas to look in?

Thanks!!

lizzie_belle · 03-05-2008, 09:45 AM

Thank you so much!!!!!!!! It was a bit of a shock to us to look online and see how big Richmond is. We are moving from a small town where a REALLY nice home is in the 150-170k range. We are excited to be moving there, though. I have heard wonderful things about the people. : )

Teebyrd86 · 03-05-2008, 02:37 PM

Richmond is nice.. I moved in June to the mountains of Va. Richmond is much bigger than the town I live in now (Roanoke). The people are pretty nice in Richmond but nowhere as nice as the ones here. If you are comming from the north you will definatly see a difference. But come to the mountains and you will see even more of a difference in people!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizzie_belle

Thank you so much!!!!!!!! It was a bit of a shock to us to look online and see how big Richmond is. We are moving from a small town where a REALLY nice home is in the 150-170k range. We are excited to be moving there, though. I have heard wonderful things about the people. : )

razara13 · 03-05-2008, 04:53 PM

Hi Lizzie,

I lived in Richmond for 5 years, I now live in NYC, but am thinking of coming back.

The best suburb is the "west end" (henrico county). But this area may be priced a little high for your 200-210 budget. Also nice, is the south side (chesterfield county). Areas like midlothian will fit your budget, and you can get more for your money that the west end. The west end in my opinion is where I will choose to live if I come back, but the southside is also nice. Both areas won't have a long commute to the city. Enjoy the RIC!

tagyourit · 03-08-2008, 01:47 AM

Downtown Richmond seems to be a blaring tribute to slavery and segregation. There is such thing as too much “in your face” history. There is a clear and distinct line between the races here in Richmond. If you live in the suburbs you are “one” kind of person and if you live in some parts of the city you are “another” kind of person. If you stray into a part of the city were “you do not belong” you will know it immediately. If your children go to school in the city then they will run the risk of being shot with pepper spray, and learn how to handle a lockdown situation when shootings start. The county schools are different they have more supplies. But if you are a minority in a county school you will be lonely and singled out. I have never seen such a sprawling network of rundown projects and subsidized housing. There are homeless people sleeping in abandoned cars and on sidewalks down town. During the short walk back to my car in the evenings after work I got stopped and asked for money on average twice a week. One of the most horrible experiences was giving money to one homeless man and then noticing that I was being watch by another who was clearly thinking about approaching me and also asking for money. I was a working college student at the time so I really did not have that much money to spare. The landscape is neglected in most areas. As you drive and visit places there are a few jewels from time to time. This place does not have universal appeal. Richmond is like a big museum. It is like Richmond doesn’t have enough money to build new so they keep the old things and call them landmarks and hope you don’t notice how rundown it really is. You have to be the kind of person who likes the smell of mothballs to live here. The people here are so busy trying to hold on to the past they are letting the present and future slide right by them. Richmond’s job market is a ghost town. These days, you would have to start your own business to open up the job market around here. The city is dirty and you don’t have to look far to find a building that has been boarded up. This city is only attractive when you are with friends and family because then it is about enjoying the experience, not the location.

EricD · 03-08-2008, 07:01 AM

tagyourit, most big cities are like that. It all started with the 'white flight' and creation of the sub-urbs in the 50's and 60's...

The difference is that a lot of the other larger cities in the country have been able to control crime, and make their downtown into a stylish place to live for younger people. (People willing to live in lofts/apartments/condos int he city) Generally once this happens, things turn around for a downtown area, and you get more diversity.

Richmond just hasn't reached that point yet...

I think one thing hurting the downtown area is that a LOT of jobs are now in the west-end (Innsbrook) and in the new business parks popping up off of rt. 288 (West Creek Parkway and such). Now people can live in the sub-urbs, and work there too. I think that people are doing that instead of putting pressure on the downtown to improve.

Just my thoughts on it anyways.

Familyheart · 03-20-2008, 08:14 PM

I have been a real estate appraiser in this area for over 6 years. I know every nook and cranny of this town. You guys need to stay in Mechanicsville or Glen Allen. Nice clean areas, family oriented, very very little crime, great schools and decent price range. I live in Glen Allen myself. I have 2 sons and it's great here. You guys shoule definitly be able to get a home in your price range. Here are some zip codes to look for. Glen Allen is 23059 or 23060. Good areas in Hanover County that will be close to your husbands work are 23111 and 23116. 23111 is going to be a little closer to his work and less expensive than 23116 or Glen Allen overall. There is lot's of shopping (walmart, target, kohls, marshalls, bestbuy....) and restaraunts. Either area is great and very safe.

coolmeg · 05-19-2008, 11:57 AM

lizze_belle - i am going to move to Richmond starting June and going to work near Wachovia too; have you already find a house. I wanted to know how is the commute from Mechanicsville or Glen Allen to Downtown... I am moving from Tampa FL but have never worked in downtown area - so kinda worried about the commute as i don't like to stay on the road more than 30 mins... with all the family chores i have to take care at the EOD. I also would like to know more about the schools in those areas.

wenzit420 · 05-20-2008, 10:41 PM

30 mins from those places would be an overstatement. i live in the west end which is about 10 miles or so from downtown. I can get in my car (at 5pm nonetheless) and make it downtown in 20-25 mins in rush hour. off peak hours it is straight 10-15 mins no prob.