Questions About Living in DC Area

[disney_family_1247]

I'm coming to my fellow Disers with some questions . My husband has a job interview for a job in Washington DC, and we know nothing about the area.

Are there affordable areas to live in that don't require a monster of a commute? What are some cities that I can do quick real estate checks on? There's every chance that he won't get an offer, but if he does, we want to have some idea of if we can afford to live there or not. We have both lived in southern Louisiana since we were children, so this potential move would be huge for us.

Thanks!

 

[bas71873]

Affordable is all relative. I can tell you, having just moved back home to VA from Covington, LA, that the cost of living here in VA is higher than in the South. My house for example....same square footage, but I paid a little more than $100K more for my house in VA (although I will say it's built a heck of a lot better, but I still had sticker shock when I was house shopping). But, the public schools systems here in NOVA are wonderful (IMO) and was one of the big reasons we left LA while our kiddo is still young (she's 6).

Commute wise, the closer to the DC area you get the worse the traffic is and anywhere you live around the metro DC area, you're going to have a commute. However, the metro is an option and I know lots of people that use it daily.

Good luck with the interview and the possiblity. I love DC and love this area!

 

[golfgal]

I don't live in DC but have visited. If you can live somewhere on the metro, commute isn't an issue. The metro system is very efficient and easy to use. I have a cousin that lives on the end of one of the metro lines and the only time they use their car is to dive to visit her mom in another state.

What is affordable? I REALLY liked Alexandria when we visited and would not hesitate to live there.

 

[hucifer]

I REALLY liked Alexandria when we visited and would not hesitate to live there.

Alexandria is a beautiful city...but expensive! (At least, it was the last several times I was there.) Old Town Alexandria is an awesome place to visit.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I think you are going to get various opinions on what is affordable. We pay to live close to my husband's work because he goes into work at all times day and night.

You are going to have some big sticker shock after living in LA so long. I certainly had some sticker shock and still do sometimes but it's not a bad area to live.

When trying to figure out where to live, I think it purely depends on what area your husband would be working in. We live in the city of Alexandria proper, not Old Town.

Some other decent areas include Woodbridge (my second choice), Alexandria, Old Town, Lorton, Fairfax, and Springfield. These are all based on my opinions. Others will tell you different.

Traffic is just a pain in the neck but can't change it. Lots and lots of commuiting options though. There is a city bus that stops on the corner of our neighborhood and takes you to the metro so never have to bother with a car.

When we received our orders to move here I purchased Washington, D.C. for Dummies, and the Unofficial Guide to D.C. Of course it is for tourist stuff but it helps you get your barings and does help when navigating the metro area.

 

[bean]

We're from SC but lived in the DC area for 9 years. First in the city in Glover Park near Gergetown (before kids, we rented an apt.) Then when we bought we wanted to be pretty close in for commute purposes. Metro will certainly not take you everywhere. My job was in Georgetown where there is not Metro stop and the wait for a bus would have been crazy. TRaffic can be a nightmare. Not trying to scare you, just telling the truth. We lived in Kensington, MD which is right outside of Chevy Chase. About 2 miles outside of the beltway. Any further into MD traffic just gets crazier and crazier. Our house was 1000 sq feet and had to be gutted when we bought it. We sold it for 460,000 in 2007. I think its value is still in the 400s. Of course a house for that same amount is much much bigger in SC but DC has so much to offer. GReat for kids, etc. If you have kids school will be an issue. Montomery County in MD and Farifax County in VA have great schools. Many in the city choose private. It is a great area but you will pay for location PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Like Tina, we live in the City of Alexandria. We have been here for a bit over 2 years. The commute for my husband is super easy via the Metro bus (he goes into the Pentagon). We didn't buy a house here, but anywhere in this area is going to START at $500,000. I have seen some places pop up for less, but they would require some work. The closer you go to Old Town, the higher the price.

Good luck.

 

[Christine]

I work in DC and commute in from Woodbridge (Prince William County). My preference would be to live in Fairfax County for the excellent school system, lots of stores, and niceness of the area. When I purchased my home, however, I could not afford it so I went down to the next county south of it.

If I want to work a "normal" schedule (8:30 to 4:00), my commute would be AWFUL. I choose a 6:30 to 3:00 schedule and mostly it is a breeze. I also have TONS of commuting options should I wish to use public transit. All very close to my home.

Your husband's salary offer is going to dictate where you can live. I think once you know that, you will have to target your search.

In my opinion, some of the best areas in Northern Virginia are:

Vienna ($$$$$)
Oakton ($$$$$)
Fairfax ($$$$)
Clifton ($$$$$)
Burke ($$$)
Springfield ($$1/2)

Many people love Arlington and it is a nice place but I'm not overly familiar with the different areas within Arlington. Old Town Alexandria is good too but cost-prohibitive for most people.

 

[agnes!]

I see Old Town mentioned in these posts and wanted to chime in. It *is* expensive. Mary Mattalin and James Carville (who could probably afford to live almost anywhere) used to live in Old Town.

OP -

You could always come for a visit and we could have a DIS-Meet .

agnes!
PS - Thinking the best for you and your DH in his job search.

 

[PlutoPony]

If you can answer a couple questions for us, we can probably give you more helpful info

*Where exactly will he be working? DC metro area covers a lot of ground
*How much are you willing to spend on a house?
*What are your bare minimum requirements in a house - #beds, baths. etc.
*About how much time is your husband willing to spend on his commute?

The housing market here is coming back and prices have mostly stabilized, at least in the outer suburbs. Some good deals to be had on bank owned and short sales, but you need the patience of a saint and the right real estate agent to get those to closing.

Good luck with your decision

 

[punkin]

Are there affordable areas to live in that don't require a monster of a commute?

The answer is NO!

Housing prices around here are pretty high and the closer you get to DC, the more expensive. However, different people define "monster commutes" differently. Since we're originally from NY, a 1 hr commute is pretty mild to us, but you may find that to be "monster".

Also, different school systems will have different housing prices around them. Are you looking for top-notch, pretty good, or couldn't care less?

Another thing to consider is the type of house you want. I have a 1963 split level which is not exactly in great shape, but due to location it cost me more than a huge McMansion would have in another school district farther from DC.

All this makes a difference.

 

[DancingBear]

Try www.homesdatabase.com to get an idea of what you could afford in different areas. You can put in parameters about your price range and type of housing and such.

 

[WriteDisney]

Commute wise, the closer to the DC area you get the worse the traffic is and anywhere you live around the metro DC area, you're going to have a commute. However, the metro is an option and I know lots of people that use it daily.

. TRaffic can be a nightmare. Not trying to scare you, just telling the truth.

The answer is NO!

This is so true!! If you're afraid of a bad commute be sure that whatever area you pick has access to the metro. I don't have that option and traffic can be outrageous. I've been commuting for almost 3 years now and theres really no way to predict it. Any type of weather adds 15-20 minutes to your drive, and thats best case scenario. Its maddening.

One story... a few years ago there was a bit of snowstorm. It was coming down fairly hard but the ground wasn't too bad. But they had to shut down the on ramp onto the DC beltway (from 95) and it took me over 3 and a half hours to get to work. It was a total mess. Stuff like that happens. I love my job and I love where I live in MD but commuting here is crazy.

My advice, choose wisely!

 

[disney_family_1247]

bas71873, I live in Covington right now! Where in town did you live?

Thanks for all of the comments/questions! Can you believe that we have no idea where the office is located in DC? It's a federal position, and the job listing didn't give an address. I guess he'll find out in the interview. If we can manage to sell our home at a decent price, we would be looking to spend $300,000-$375,000 on a new house. He currently commutes 32 miles each way, which takes him 45 minutes. There is hardly any traffic. He wouldn't mind taking public transportation, but he wouldn't want a long drive to and from the train.

As for schools, we homeschool right now and plan to continue. We expect that the kids will at least attend high school in a traditional school, so the district is fairly important.

 

[wvjules]

bas71873, I live in Covington right now! Where in town did you live?

Thanks for all of the comments/questions! Can you believe that we have no idea where the office is located in DC? It's a federal position, and the job listing didn't give an address. I guess he'll find out in the interview. If we can manage to sell our home at a decent price, we would be looking to spend $300,000-$375,000 on a new house. He currently commutes 32 miles each way, which takes him 45 minutes. There is hardly any traffic. He wouldn't mind taking public transportation, but he wouldn't want a long drive to and from the train.

As for schools, we homeschool right now and plan to continue. We expect that the kids will at least attend high school in a traditional school, so the district is fairly important.

Well then that puts you in a 1 bedroom condo or atleast an hour away.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

bas71873, I live in Covington right now! Where in town did you live?

Thanks for all of the comments/questions! Can you believe that we have no idea where the office is located in DC? It's a federal position, and the job listing didn't give an address. I guess he'll find out in the interview. If we can manage to sell our home at a decent price, we would be looking to spend $300,000-$375,000 on a new house. He currently commutes 32 miles each way, which takes him 45 minutes. There is hardly any traffic. He wouldn't mind taking public transportation, but he wouldn't want a long drive to and from the train.

As for schools, we homeschool right now and plan to continue. We expect that the kids will at least attend high school in a traditional school, so the district is fairly important.

My DH was laid off--he is hiring with a new position in Maryland but will stay with friends in Virginia to offset our expenses as we hope this to be a temporary thing.

should he have to stay on permanent we will have a difficult time relocating.

The price range that you quote--is difficult to achieve with a decent commute time. We looked a few years ago (pre-boom) and something with an "acceptable" commute (i.e. 60-90 minutes), the best we could find was in the $400K price range and that was a small town home. I'm sure it is only worse today.

I really would prefer living in VA if I move up there. My parents live in MD and I don't like their area at all. I'm sure there are nice parts to MD, but we just prefer VA.

The work location is extremely important--without it, there are just too many variables.

One of the hangups that keeps us relocating is home prices. The COLA (to me) isn't so bad....it's the cost of housing that is keeping us away (in addition to the cold...and the snow.).

 

[punkin]

Well then that puts you in a 1 bedroom condo or atleast an hour away.

OK, maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. In my neighborhood, where he would have to drive 15 min to the Metro (or there is a bus) the lowest priced house currently on the market is about $450K. This is on a main street and is a small ranch. However, the school district is great and it is an easy drive into NW DC. If his job is further south, you will want to look in VA anyway.

Remember this is asking price and housing is really negotiable right now.

 

[NotUrsula]

Are you sure that the office is actually *in* DC, or are you just using that term generically in terms of what airport he is flying to?

I would think that if he has gotten as far as being invited to an actual interview, he should have a real-person contact who can be asked for the location of the position. It would seem to be a serious waste of time and resources to go all the way up there for an interview if he might refuse based on the location of the workplace.

 

[monkeybug]

I used to live in the Bay area of California and when my Aunt moved to Reston and would call and complain about traffic I would Then my husband got orders nearish DC and the first time I drove there I was like !
Holy Cow! It really, really is as bad as they say it is!!! It takes my friends husband 45 minutes to go from Fort Belvoir to his work 15 miles away.
It's not cheap either!! We live in Annapolis and we love it! Great schools, shopping, and neighbors, but not at the price range you listed. (we don't own) The Eastern shore in MD is affordable, safe, and has good schools, but you are looking at an hour or longer commute.
I don't know much about VA. I know that Howard County, and Montgomery County Maryland are considered by most commutable to DC and very good schools, but again it's pricey. I also know that quite a few people who commute to DC live in Waldorf MD, but I don't know much about that area. My only advice is to stay away from Prince Georges county. That is kinda' considered the "bad" area around here.

 

[disney_family_1247]

I have no plans to live in DC itself; we're definitely thinking Virginia. This is potentially the dream job for my husband, so we want to seriously consider it. He's been playing phone tag trying to set up the day/time for the interview; he's supposed to ask for the office's location when he talks to his contact. I guess I can learn more once I know that.