Greensboro, NC or Chantilly, VA---need help

[clutter]

I'm about as native to Chantilly as they come. My parents moved here when I was three and I'm 40+ now. The area is wonderful, but expensive. It is a trade off. You can't beat the schools. Fairfax County is always in the top 100 if not top 50 in the nation. Housing is expensive and so are the taxes. BUT, we have great parks, schools, libraries etc.

Loudoun County is up and coming. New schools are being built to accommodate the influx of people moving west. Housing is more reasonable in Loudoun as well.

I love this area because we are so close to everything. DC is close, so you have all the wonderful museums and monuments. The mountains are a mere hour away. Luray Caverns are awesome! And you can reach the beach in about 3 hours.

Yes, the traffic is horrible and getting worse. That is the trade off and one huge downfall. But, if you can work out a reverse commute, then you have it made.

Good luck on the job search and your decision.

I'm a right-next-door to Chantilly person.

You really have to decide what you can afford price-wise. To me, our housing prices aren't that bad, but I've lived here for years!!!! Compared to Mississippi, I imagine you'll go !

There are some pockets of decent price houses. It's just what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend.

With a job in Chantilly, much as I love living right around here (great schools, great public services), you can find better prices a bit further out. You could go west to Prince William or northwest to Loudoun. You'd get a commute, but that can be mitigated by timing (commute early) or by carpooling.

p.s. We're definately not going to be as easygoing as NC. Here, it's always on the run because there's so much to DO!

 

[Tina]

For the Chantilly area, I would look at the western end of Prince William county in Haymarket, Gainesville, and Bristow. This area is very nice, good schools, and more affordable than Fairfax and Loudon counties. I would avoid Manassas. While it does have a few nice neighborhoods, the rest is pretty nasty.

 

[anabelle]

Right now we live in a 2400 sq. ft home with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths on almost an acre of land. Our kids go to the best school in the area-I teach there as well--I am not biased--our school was a blue ribbon school last year.

Wherever we move to I would also have to find a job. Out of the two places Chantilly is what he is most interested in, but I just do not see how we could afford to live there. We have 4 kids and the age ranges keeps them from sharing a room--well the younger 2 do, but that will only last for so long.

Who knows--these are just the first 2 that he saw. Hopefully he will find something near here--but we are looking at the reality that we might have to move.

Thanks for the replies.

You could probably get something decent in Manassas. That is about 30-45 minutes from Chantilly. The kind of house you have now (not the acre) in Manassas would run about $500K in Manassas and $800K and up in Chantilly. If you are patient you can find a foreclosure in Manassas, but be aware that the taxes are high.

 

[sallysue66]

Also, as tluvstink pointed out, Tarheels absolutely LOSE THEIR MINDS when the white stuff falls from the sky. We're just not used to it. However, as long as you have your bread, milk, toilet paper, and Coke, all is fine.

It's not that we lose our minds...it's simply the state doesn't put the money into trucks to clean the roads (which I am fine with for our 1-2 snows a year) so you have to get your bread and Cheerwine (Salisbury livin') and be prepared to stay home.

Here at the beach we gotta have our Sun-Drop or we get really cranky. Seriously, We got like 2" of snow this winter and it made national news!!!

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

Here at the beach we gotta have our Sun-Drop or we get really cranky. Seriously, We got like 2" of snow this winter and it made national news!!!

Snow in Shallotte! That is cool! I grew up going there every summer. We had a house there and I loved going there! A few years ago we took a trip just taking 17 along the coast and I totally missed everything with what I can assume is now a bypass! I hated it when my parents sold the house, but after I went to college they found they were not going as much and decided to set sights on the mountains.

 

[sallysue66]

Snow in Shallotte! That is cool! I grew up going there every summer. We had a house there and I loved going there! A few years ago we took a trip just taking 17 along the coast and I totally missed everything with what I can assume is now a bypass! I hated it when my parents sold the house, but after I went to college they found they were not going as much and decided to set sights on the mountains.

Yep, 17 bypasses Shallotte now, but just barely. 17 Business (old 17 that went smack thru town) connects directly to the bypass on the north & south ends of town. Next time you come this way from the south, first stop at Holden Bros. Farm Market for a good ole glass bottle Sundrop, then take the right at the light where Ashley Furniture & Naber Dodge are, (look for the big blue gorilla!!) Yell "Hey Ya'll" as you pass thru town! Just keep going straight till you end up back on the by-pass headed toward Wilmington.

BTW, if you are coming/going to Myrtle Beach there is a wonderful new bypass around it, Hwy 31. Several exits that make it easy and quick to get to where ever you want in Myrtle Beach. I can leave my house and be at the new mall, which is at the south end of MB, in 35 minutes.

 

[Mic]

We live in Lexington, and my husband drives to Greensboro every day, about 40 minutes each way. My husband entertained the idea of moving closer to Greensboro once our youngest graduates from high school in two years, but I doubt we will actually do it. Property taxes here are a lot lower. Our main reason for buying a house so far away from his job 17 years ago was the difference in school systems. My husband grew up in Lexington and we liked the idea of sending our kids to the same elementary school 3 generations of his family had attended(And I do mean the SAME school...the building our two oldest started school in had housed grades 1-12 in past years). Of course, a newer school was built by the time our youngest two started Kindergarten, which was nice. All 4 of our kids have attended the same middle and high school my husband did, and some of their teachers graduated with my husband. We like the fact that your school assignment is based solely on your address and is no more than 20 minutes from your home. In some of the surrounding counties, a child could possibly have a 2-hour bus ride to a school across town in an effort to combat racial and economic imbalances. Our biggest obstacle so far has been getting our children to various other schools to tak an AP class our school does not offer (probably because we have lower property taxes). My oldest has an appartment in Greensboro close to school(UNCG) that is pretty expensive, so she has been looking in the Jamestown area for something a little less expensive, but about 15 minutes from campus for next year. She is young and wants to stay near the mall(our county does not have a mall). A lot of people that work in Greensboro do not live there. I would personally recommend the Trinity area(15 minutes away), or Jamestown/High Point. Anywhere near I-85 or I-40 will get you to Greensboro pretty quickly.

 

[Southerndisney]

The schools in Guilford County (Greensboro) are not good except maybe Northwest. That is also where the more expensive housing is. There are good private schools but they are not cheap unless you teach there and get a discount.

 

[hentob]

The schools in Guilford County (Greensboro) are not good except maybe Northwest. That is also where the more expensive housing is. There are good private schools but they are not cheap unless you teach there and get a discount.

Actually, Early College at Guilford (advanced high school) is ranked #1 in the ENTIRE state of North Carolina Pretty impressive. If your child is highly intelligent, that is the most amazing thing to have in your city.

 

[Joe in VA]

I live in Richmond, about 2 hours south of Chantilly and 3 hours north of Greensboro. If given the choice I'd go with Greensboro. Chantilly is overcrowded and overpriced. Greensboro is not my ideal place to live either, but it's more relaxed and easier to get around at a better price. In NC and VA overall; I'd prefer Charlotte, Richmond, VA Beach, and Charlottesville over either area.

 

[disfan07]

We lived in Chantilly Highlands for 17 years and I want to Chantilly High School In Chantilly, VA (So obviously we lived right around chantilly)

The only downside I think of Chantilly is that it can be expensive.

We had to sell our house in summer of 2008 (so the height of the market slump) and it was a 3500 sq ft 4 bdrm, 3 1/2 bath assessed at $695,000
We sold it for $570,000.

Prices in my old neighborhood vary. Right now, on realtor.com, there is a 2200 sq ft 4 bdrm 2 1/2 bath for $525,000 and that is middle of the road. Townhomes begin in about the high 3's low 4s and house go up to mid 7s

But, Fairfax County (which is where Chantilly is) has amazing schools. The three schools I went to were Oak Hill Elementary, Franklin Middle and Chantilly High School. All top rated schools.

I think Chantilly is a great area for exposing your kids to diversity. Fairfax County is very diverse because we get so many government employees. We joke that where we live now in california its like white bread and butter, they think diversity is white and latinos. Living in fairfax county gave me a more complete picture of diversity.

I don't think anythign can be better than being a 20-30 minute metro ride to DC. You are far enough away from the city that you get the suburban feel but you are close enough to get the culture of DC and to be able to experience DC (I believe that everyone should go to DC at least once in their life)

The Chantilly area has a suburban feel without feeling too removed from anything. There is a lot to do within a reasonable drive from the area.

Traffic---it all depends on your husbands commute. I think he would have it bette rthan a lot of people who live there. A good number of the people work IN DC which means that their commute is a beast but if you work in chantilly and live in the chantilly area it wont be as bad.


My brother is at UNC Greensboro right now and he does not like it. He's been there for 3 years and he does not like the area. His biggest complaint is mainly it's not diverse enough. He can't really put his finger on another reason WHY he doesn't really like it but he doesn't

 

[mama2girls]

I live in Centreville, VA now. thats about a half mile from Chantilly. It really is a beautiful place to live with tons to do and so close to DC! I agree with previous posters that it is expensive, but we make it work. Great place to raise kids for sure. Tons of diversity, the schools are top rated and beautiful parks and so much history around every corner. Let me know if I can send ya any information or a local paper or something! Good luck!

 

[sorul82?]

Here at the beach we gotta have our Sun-Drop or we get really cranky. Seriously, We got like 2" of snow this winter and it made national news!!!

I have kin folk who live in Shallotte.

Mmmmm Sun Drop....goes really good with certain 80 proof liquid.

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

I have kin folk who live in Shallotte.

Mmmmm Sun Drop....goes really good with certain 80 proof liquid.

and a little fruit!

 

[LadySiren]

Boone's Farm?

I have kin folk who live in Shallotte.

Mmmmm Sun Drop....goes really good with certain 80 proof liquid.