Moving from DC to Old Town, Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoyed condo living in DC (few blocks from Logan Circle) in our 20s and now at late 30s, want something a bit more relaxed and lower crime, but still somewhat walkable with restaurants and not too far from DC. Also want some neighborhood charm, walkable to parks, not stereotypical suburbia.

We’re a couple, no kids, one dog, one car, work from home 3-4 days/week and commute 1-2 days to Crystal City and McPherson Sq.

We are leaning towards Old Town and it is within our budget, has anyone else here done a DC to Old Town move?

Lower crime?! Looks like you haven't done your research.

I'm leaving the city of alexandria the when my lease is up. I mean how many times do I need my car broken into to tell me it's time to move?!

Car thefts are up more than 100% in DC, so yes crime is lower in Old TOwn.

[Anonymous]

Nobody should move to Alexandria under the assumption it is Mayberry. Crime happens in all urban areas - it is the trade off for convenient transportation, dense population, and busy commerce. I like living here but if I wanted less crime, I would move out to nowhere Loudon or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enjoyed condo living in DC (few blocks from Logan Circle) in our 20s and now at late 30s, want something a bit more relaxed and lower crime, but still somewhat walkable with restaurants and not too far from DC. Also want some neighborhood charm, walkable to parks, not stereotypical suburbia.

We’re a couple, no kids, one dog, one car, work from home 3-4 days/week and commute 1-2 days to Crystal City and McPherson Sq.

We are leaning towards Old Town and it is within our budget, has anyone else here done a DC to Old Town move?

Lower crime?! Looks like you haven't done your research.

I'm leaving the city of alexandria the when my lease is up. I mean how many times do I need my car broken into to tell me it's time to move?!

Car thefts are up more than 100% in DC, so yes crime is lower in Old TOwn.

Do you know anything about Alexandria? It’s not a sleepy suburb. It is super small geographically and incredibly densely populated in proportion to its size. Its geographic location also makes it a prime spot to commit a crime and then zoom into DC or PG County where the police then stop chasing you.

We have a huge gun problem, in particular in NW OT near the Braddock Metro. Multiple free standing large police cameras are on several blocks and don’t deter the shootings. We have a gang problem that resulted in back to back Sunday-Monday shootings in the middle of the day in the middle of the street. Cars are constantly being car jacked on Route 1 or N Washington (looking at both Liberty gas stations, also the Speedway and Shell). This isn’t even touching the package thefts and breaking into cars. And I’m just talking about near OT.

We could talk about Bradlee (schools almost back in session), the West End (didn’t a 14 yr old car jack someone 2 weeks ago and the police tracked him and arrested him in DC), drag racing up and down Duke (someone has been killed from that), Kids getting robbed at bus stops, etc.

We definitely have homeless people. Some dude was just screaming at me today outside the Monroe Aldie. I have no idea what he was saying, was totally high.

I’ve lived in Alexandria 20+ yrs, half of that in OT. It has a lot of positives to living here. But if you think the crime rate is much better than DC, well I hate to disappoint you.

I think a lot of you are looking at the forest and not the trees. OP is talking about Old town which could have better crime than many parts of DC. We don't know where OP lives.

OP said they live in DC, in a condo in Logan circle.

[Anonymous]

I have lived in Old Town since 2005, and don't feel like I encountered much crime here. The 7-11 by the Braddock metro sometimes has people who are drunk or seem mentally ill, so I avoid going there. However, I grew up in Queens, so my baseline expectations are probably different than someone coming from a sleepy suburb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old Town is great, and convenient for the points you mentioned. I would try to stay as close to the river as possible or actually south of King Street. There is definitely crime, and a lot of it happens around the Braddock Road metro.

I work in McPherson Square and the 11Y bus goes straight up the parkway to McPherson Square. Of course you could also take the metro but I find this more convenient.

North of king is the restaurants and shopping that cater towards residents and not tourists

Yes, but I would also consider it the “higher crime area”. I think you could get a place just south of King and still be walkable to the restaurants.

[Anonymous]

I live in Alexandria and it’s a great place to live in most aspects except for the public school system and the way the city handles crime. OP made the mistake of saying they were thinking of moving from DC to ALX because of less crime. They shouldn’t be expecting that. Other reasons like less state income taxes, better services vs DC, instate college tuition, walkability to Del Ray/ OT/ Rosemont, close to metro, easy commute to Crystal City and McPherson Square, etc would more of why we moved here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of pearl clutching on this thread.

It's one old, rich, white lady with a personal gripe against certain city officials.

She has posted libelous remarks for at least two years. No idea why she hasn't been IP banned/shot on site status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do it! My spouse and I are mid-30s and live walking distance to Braddock Road metro with a dog and love it. Potomac Yards is also an option now that the metro is open. We love the walkability to King St and the water. Rosemont/Del Ray is also cute but you pay a premium for the better elementary school.

I lived exactly there fifteen years. It wasn't low crime. I wouldn't say I loved it. It was just as "boring" as most of suburbia and I had to drive for basically everything even though I lived next to a metro.

[Anonymous]

For the past 15 years, I've lived in Old Town and Del Ray. It's perfectly safe, and other than the targeted shootings at the public housing by safe, violent crime is rare.

If you're going to live in a dense/city environment, there will be some petty stuff. That said, I've never experienced any crime in my 15 years. Not a package theft, and not a car break in (I don't keep anything remotely of value in the car, and lock my doors).

My most petty annoyance is all the tourists in Old Town, slow walkers, and the (many) crappy dog owners who aren't cognizant of others around them. But for the most part, I loved being able to walk to things, the river, parks, trails, grocery stores, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old town has issues due to public housing, but it is way better from a crime standpoint than DC. No homeless everywhere, and less carjackings and shootings.

It's kind of sad in the U.S. how we have so much crime. It just seems "normal" to have all of this crime, and we just have to live with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of pearl clutching on this thread.

Are you the same poster that cites "pearl clutching" every time that you disagree with someone on the Real Estate Forum? Instead of criticizing someone as "peal clutching," you might be more persuasive if you explain why you disagree with the person?

[Anonymous]

Crime rates are substantially lower in Alexandria than DC.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/dc/washington/crime.amp

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/va/alexandria/crime.amp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crime rates are substantially lower in Alexandria than DC.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/dc/washington/crime.amp

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/va/alexandria/crime.amp

That is aggregating parts of Fairfax with Alexandria and it shows exactly what some posters have been stating. OT had crime. I’m not sure if you work for the mayor or department of tourism but Alexandria definitely has high crime. It is what it is. Why are people so he!! bent on gas lighting this problem? just be aware of it, same as if you were to live in DC, and move on.

Posters denying that Alexandria city has a significant crime problem remind of the same posters in the education forums claiming “My kid goes to ACPS and never has any problems, never see any fights, doesn’t know anyone in a gang so it doesn’t exist”. I’m glad to hear that others who live here have not had any problems, but crime exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crime rates are substantially lower in Alexandria than DC.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/dc/washington/crime.amp

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/va/alexandria/crime.amp

Those sites have not been updated!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old town has issues due to public housing, but it is way better from a crime standpoint than DC. No homeless everywhere, and less carjackings and shootings.

wrong.

Certainly less than DC and parts of MD.

NOPE!