How did you pick between MD and VA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do yourself and stay away from MD. Its so blue that while I am a democrat I get worried sometimes. Its just too much!

Lol it has a popular Republican governor.

[Anonymous]

I have lived in both. Did not have kids in VA schools so I can not comment there. We really enjoy living in Rockville. The city services are really good. Our streets are plowed. We have a great pool. Great kids activities and camps. I find VA highways confusing and expensive...and not any less backed up then MD. My kids applied to UMD, UMBC, SMCM and Towson. I think we have great choices here so that would not be a factor. My kids ended up out state with merit aid anyways.

Ultimately we live in MD because my husband works here. I do not know how I would decide otherwise. I guess I would look at both till I found the right house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you moved to the DMV from somewhere else, how did you decide which state was the right place to buy? Are taxes that different? The commute? There are excellent schools in both VA and MD. Not asking about DC proper because budget/yard/parking struggles.

We moved here last year and it looks like our jobs are staying local remote, so that takes our commute concerns off the table. We’re primarily looking to buy in Montgomery County because that’s where we’ve been renting, but we’ve never lived in an area with so many jurisdictions so we’re not sure what to look for.

For some people there is no difference. For others it is night and day. We visited both a lot. My view after that was that Maryland was crap. Everywhere. While VA was crap lots of places there were places that were not. Everything about Maryland was awful. I don't even like to drive through there. But here is the thing, lots of people from Maryland have the exact same view of VA. It is really the feel you get.

MoCo is crap.

MD is not.

Drive up 270. Go past Clarksburg, after it goes down to 2 lanes, and it is absolutely beautiful

Lol. It's true. Most of MD would gladly cede MoCo to the District or to VA.

Honestly, MoCo/Fairfax/Arlington. They are the same. Horrible.

Humpfh…most of us in the part of MoCo you dislike (Bethesda, Chevy Chase) would be happy to be absorbed into DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in both. Did not have kids in VA schools so I can not comment there. We really enjoy living in Rockville. The city services are really good. Our streets are plowed. We have a great pool. Great kids activities and camps. I find VA highways confusing and expensive...and not any less backed up then MD. My kids applied to UMD, UMBC, SMCM and Towson. I think we have great choices here so that would not be a factor. My kids ended up out state with merit aid anyways.

Ultimately we live in MD because my husband works here. I do not know how I would decide otherwise. I guess I would look at both till I found the right house.

Well actually right now I would choose MD due to the politics but that is just me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Easy. Less taxes in VA. Less government intrusion. Less of a welfare state. Value of real estate holds better. Great college system

At the beginning of your post, you forgot to write “Used to be”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once I was freed from forced Maryland residency I turned south and never looked back. It wasn't even a choice it was so obvious (DC was an option but never made it work).

As someone from the west coast, I could not make myself go further south of the river.

West Coast transplants are more likely to live in Virginia than Maryland. People moving to Maryland generally are coming from either DC or the Mid-Atlantic. Better bagels & Chinese food is about the most that can be said for suburban Maryland these days. NoVa is nicer and has a stronger economy, and the prices reflect that.

Nicer? Far more greenery in close-in MD and less traffic hell, less car-dependent. That said, like most people I imagine, we looked at both Arlington and Bethesda. There are simply not enough single family homes in NoVa that are close to metro.

Yep. Nice and VA, specially NoVa don't go together.

[Anonymous]

MD for sure after today

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

Always grasping for something to support an argument that it’s somehow desirable to live in economically stagnant MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

Always grasping for something to support an argument that it’s somehow desirable to live in economically stagnant MD.

Interesting. An abortion restriction or ban in VA could also cause economic stagnation as employers will find that woman may not be willing to relocate or work in a state that does not allow bodily autonomy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

I just did a housing search and was open to MD or Va. You can get MUCH more house in Silver Spring or Rockville than in Fairfax (or certainly than in Arlington or Bethesda). But if crime is a major concern for you, the crime rates are a bit lower in a lot of areas of Fairfax than in a lot of areas of Silver Spring and Rockville. I preferred the homes in Rockville and Silver Spring. I didn’t like that many of those neighborhoods don’t have sidewalks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

Always grasping for something to support an argument that it’s somehow desirable to live in economically stagnant MD.

VA can have an economy through the roof, it would still not be a great place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

Always grasping for something to support an argument that it’s somehow desirable to live in economically stagnant MD.

VA can have an economy through the roof, it would still not be a great place to live.

Columbia MD - #2 happiest place

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/the-happiest-cities-in-america/

Not bad for "stagnant" MD.

Money doesn't buy happiness. It can make your life comfortable, but people who chase money are usually soulless and deeply unhappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD for sure after today

Always grasping for something to support an argument that it’s somehow desirable to live in economically stagnant MD.

VA can have an economy through the roof, it would still not be a great place to live.

Columbia MD - #2 happiest place

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/the-happiest-cities-in-america/

Not bad for "stagnant" MD.

Money doesn't buy happiness. It can make your life comfortable, but people who chase money are usually soulless and deeply unhappy.

Used to live there- it is a bit Truman show for me because it is so planned not to mention that the McMansion farm sprawl in the surrounding area is getting out of control.

[Anonymous]

Maryland had more affordable housing and more parks. Now it will also have many more personal rights, so I am glad I made that decision!