Moving from DC to Williamsburg (Richmond, Newport News: rent, crime rate, credit)

[kcrossley]

My wife and I have decided to make a rather significant lifestyle change. For more than 30 years we've lived in the Baltimore/Washington area and for the most part have really enjoyed being here. Unfortunately, the area has changed quite a bit and the over development and traffic have become maddening.

After looking around the immediate area, which includes northern Maryland, Pennsylvania, and even the eastern shore, we've finally decided to move to one our favorite places—Williamsburg. Quite frankly, this is probably the most drastic thing I've ever done. Most of my family members think I'm absolutely nuts, but for some reason it just feels right.

Although I've spent a great many weekends in Williamsburg I really don't know the area that well. I recently subscribed to the Virginia Gazette to gain a little more familiarity with the city, but I almost wish I hadn't. Every other paper I receive has front page news about a murder, robbery, or some other crime. I'm hoping that this is NOT the norm. We have two small children and I thought Williamsburg would be a great place to raise a family. I truly hope that I'm not mistaken.

Any insight into the area would really help me quite a bit.

Thanks!

[LarryRicks]

Kcrossley,

I understand your concern. I am work in a community called Ford's Colony in James City County and most of my clients reside north of the area with zero ties to the area. The fact this area is a small college town with low taxes, crime, and vast amount of opportunity in education and culture is enough for anyone to consider the area. I send out the Gazette to my clients, who re considering relocating to the area, and I include a disclaimer in my mailings. I remind them that the local newspaper covers Williamsburg City, James City County, and York County. There are 13,400 residents in Williamsburg, 57,699 residents in James City County, and 62,100 residents in York County. With those figures you will find some crime and negative reporting. For the most part Williamsburg is a low-crime area. It is my opinion, I am sure I can support it with facts, that these crimes are perpetrated by family members and friends of the victim, most being domestic disputes. Williamsburg and James City County are great areas to raise children. The school system is superb and second best to Poquoson. Reason being Poquoson has a total of three schools total while Williamsburg-James City County has twelve. There are private schools in the immediate area and allow me to write that most of my clients have a hard time decided whether to send their children to a Blue Ribbon School system with fully accredited schools or to private school and tap into the kids college fund. I love the area and think you will too. I know the kids will with Busch Gardens and other theme parks at their fingertips.

You will see the cost of housing to be much less here than where you are. You will get great quality for what would be "optional" where you live. As for traffic, I commute 37 miles from Newport News/Hampton area and it takes me 40-45 minutes to/from my houses. I just love it here. Looking forward to having you in the area!

[GradVT06]

If crime is your major concern, rest assured. Most of the headlines you see will probably be from at least 20 miles outside of Williamsburg. The crime rate is actually pretty low. I just moved back to Williamsburg from Roanoke after graduating college and love it here. I commute to Richmond and my wife is a teacher in James City County schools. The housing prices, as the the other posted noted, should be less than you're used too- a good thing. As someone who just graduated college, it seems high (compared to Roanoke). It's high for a town of it's size, but will be less than where you are I believe. I hope you enjoy it here. Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, Colonial Parkway, are all nice areas I wish I spent more time in as a youngster here. Especially beautiful in the fall and winter.

[kcrossley]

Thanks Larry and GradVT06. I really appreciate the time you took to write your opinions. My wife and I are actually moving to a community called Stonehouse, so I'm not quite in Williamsburg, just near it. I also found out some good news this weekend. Apparently, a new High School named Warhill is currently under construction and will be ready in the fall of 2007. http://www.wjcc.k12.va.us/bs/New%20HS.html As luck would have it both of my children ages 12 and 15 will attend this school.

By the way, what is the job market like in Williamsburg? I own a small marketing company with clients in the Metropolitan Washington area, so I'll be working out of my home. My wife is looking for a position with a solid company that will provide us with health benefits and maybe even a nice retirement package. She has an HR background and used to work as a grade 13 for the USDA, but she does not have a degree. Are there any companies you would reccommend we look at?

Larry, you are a very lucky person. My wife and I drove through Ford's Colony the last time we were down. What a beautiful place! I really wish Stonehouse had a few more ponds like Fords Colony.

[GradVT06]

Recently moved back to Williamsburg, and despite the news, Warhill hasn't even begun construction, although they are doing land work now. No way it will be open by Fall of 07. I'd say Fall of 08 is much more likely.

Stonehouse is just a few miles away from where I live, and an expensive area from what I understand. On the far northwestern edge of the city. A small 10 minute drive and you're in West Point. Just an FYI- no one will deliver pizza to you. You're about 5-6 miles away from a supermarket, Farm Fresh, and like I said, the far northwestern edge. For almost anything other than dryclearners, small town bank (citizens and farmers), and Farm Fresh, you'll have to drive a little bit, although it's not 'city traffic'.

I think your wife will be ok finding an HR type job, although it would help if she had a degree or could say she's taking some courses part-time or something... there's lots of business and community colleges that offer online courses. Marketing might be more difficult, especially if you work at home. Most of the businesses are small businesses and I'd think would be much tougher to find a lot of clients. But hey, I may be wrong, I don't know much about marketing. Good luck.

[kcrossley]

Thanks for the post. Just out of curiousity, and based on your knowledge of the area, are there any kind of businesses or services that Williamsburg could use?

[GradVT06]

I'm not gonna be able to be too helpful with that, but I can certainly tell you that it's always growing and there's more and more construction/expansion. It depends on what you do and how you do it and I'm just not really sure. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. Williamsburg contains most things larger cities have except a large shopping mall and some kind of minor league sports team. Other than that, there's at least 4 different brands of supermarkets, Target, Wal-mart, smaller shopping centers/strips, tons of hotels and restaurants, etc. As far as business services/marketing, no clue.

[Lookingforasafehome]

We just bought a home in Williamsburg, Va...for under 200k! We live in the Grove area and love it here! Home values for homes under 300k are still going up, in our price range.

Our neighbors are friendly(In many places that is not the case here) and the area is mostly country with some industrial businesses but at least it is not built up like the rest of Williamsburg!

Our home value went up 25 grand in just four short months! I hope that we can retire here oneday...and we are close enough to Newport News that we can hit the mall, shopping and beach in alot less time, than if we lived in the Toano area.

We are also close to Yorktown Beach (maybe 7 mins?) and Busch Garden and Colonial, living in the grove area is having the best of both worlds! It used to be the bad part of town, so I heard, but that had changed, as I can tell that crime has spread to all areas of Wililamsburg, well except those snobby overpriced gated communities maybe!

Then again, I had heard some wild stories bout many drunken episodes and what have you in those areas as well. Perhaps they just do not make the headlines as often? Mmm.

At least I did not pay an outlandish amount of money for a shoebox in some areas that are not any better than where I live, Williamsburg has problems everywhere, trust me, I seen it and lived in all types of areas around here. However if you compare us to Newport News, well that is a different story then! Newport News is truly an different world and I only travel at certain times of the day when I want to shop there.

Welcome to the AREA! Tourist season bring traffic but it keeps the area well funded, so we take the good with the bad!

[Lookingforasafehome]

And I hope they stay out of the area I reside in, cause its the one area that is not being built up and has stayed treeded and quiet! However, it would be wonderful to see the following come to Williamsburg!

CiCi's...a low cost pizza shop with great pizza!

YMCA...Something else besides the community center would be nice! As the area keeps growing at the rate it is, we will need more affordable recreation.

Housing...We need affordable housing too, for those who can't afford a home that is over 100 grand. We bought ours for 150ish and we make great money, so I can only image how difficult it would be for someone who makes maybe 40 grand a year? I image they may even have a difficult time paying rent here, as the average rent is 800 a month, for a shoebox mind you!

Well, that is all that I can think of here, we really have it all here but I hope it does not keep growing at the rate it has or the crime will worsen here...I really was attracted to the small town feel several years ago when we first moved here. At least where I live that has not changed, but sadly I know it will.

Williamsburg, Va

[GradVT06]

Originally Posted by Williamsburg,Va

And I hope they stay out of the area I reside in, cause its the one area that is not being built up and has stayed treeded and quiet! However, it would be wonderful to see the following come to Williamsburg!

CiCi's...a low cost pizza shop with great pizza!

YMCA...Something else besides the community center would be nice! As the area keeps growing at the rate it is, we will need more affordable recreation.

Housing...We need affordable housing too, for those who can't afford a home that is over 100 grand. We bought ours for 150ish and we make great money, so I can only image how difficult it would be for someone who makes maybe 40 grand a year? I image they may even have a difficult time paying rent here, as the average rent is 800 a month, for a shoebox mind you!

Well, that is all that I can think of here, we really have it all here but I hope it does not keep growing at the rate it has or the crime will worsen here...I really was attracted to the small town feel several years ago when we first moved here. At least where I live that has not changed, but sadly I know it will.

Williamsburg, Va

YMCA/Health Centers/Gyms

That's a definite need in Williamsburg. We moved from Roanoke which had a Golds, YMCA, and several other gyms. Open early, close late, most relatively new, provided personal trainers, babysitting, different therapies, etc. Only thing that I'm aware of is the rec center which has pretty crappy hours and isn't that big (as far as weight equipment and cardio equipment)

With a lot of rich people here, a large, big, new gym with therapies, massages, even manicures, tanning and the like would do well I think.