Where in VA to buy a starter townhouse to rent out in the future?

[Anonymous]

Moving from out of state as a family of four. One of us will be working in DC, the other near Tyson's.

We're looking to buy a townhouse that we can live in for 3-4 years and then rent out and move into a larger, forever home down the line.

Only requirement is that we are walking distance from the metro. We will be using public schools for our children.

Where would you live, if the investment aspect would be a priority?

[Anonymous]

Why? Just why?

[Anonymous]

I also question this plan. If you can get a bigger home in 3 years you can probably just buy it now. Also, if your kids are school age it’s a bad plan to settle in one place and then move them 3-4 years later. You probably aren’t going to find this theoretical townhouse and forever house in the same school catchment area.

[Anonymous]

What is your budget? You're not going to find a "starter" townhome walking distance from a metro. Sure there are townhomes. Do you have $1M+?

[Anonymous]

OP, your post will be triggering to many, so don’t expect much help. Many people who would love to own a townhome as their forever home are outbid by people who then rent them out. Because DC is coastal, development is limited to three cardinal directions, rather than four, making the local market even tighter. We could have become landlords, but we sold our townhome when we moved to avoid becoming part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your post will be triggering to many, so don’t expect much help. Many people who would love to own a townhome as their forever home are outbid by people who then rent them out. Because DC is coastal, development is limited to three cardinal directions, rather than four, making the local market even tighter. We could have become landlords, but we sold our townhome when we moved to avoid becoming part of the problem.

I’m confused by this statement.

[Anonymous]

Ballston or Virginia Square. Lots of townhomes there very near Metros. Straight shot to DC or Tysons.

[Anonymous]

Agree on Arlington Orange line. We looked at several townhouses and duplexes around there recently. There are also around the Blue Line in South Arlington and Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Reston Gateway

[Anonymous]

If you knew that you'd be out on 4 million over 30 years if you bought it, would you still buy it?
The total cost is a lot more though. This is just math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, your post will be triggering to many, so don’t expect much help. Many people who would love to own a townhome as their forever home are outbid by people who then rent them out. Because DC is coastal, development is limited to three cardinal directions, rather than four, making the local market even tighter. We could have become landlords, but we sold our townhome when we moved to avoid becoming part of the problem.

I’m confused by this statement.

DC does not have significant geographic constraints on sprawl and outward development. I guess you could consider that western Loudoun and Fauquier to be constraints on further sprawl due to conservation easements though.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the recs above. Mosaic / Dunn Loring might be worth looking at too if you’re OK not splitting the commute difference and want 1 person closer to home.

[Anonymous]

How much do you want to pay, dummy?

[Anonymous]

South Arlington is getting a bit crime-y now. Carjackings, armed robbery, armed shoplifters are more in the news now than I remember.

[Anonymous]

Ballston section of Arlington