If you moved to the suburbs to raise a family…

[Anonymous]

Hi, OP. We made the move to downtown when our youngest was a year or two into college. They laid a major guilt trip on us at first, but when it started to work with my spouse I put my foot down and let them know in no uncertain terms that it was our time now and they needed to get with the program and they did.

Fast forward more than a decade and it's as if we never lived in the 'burbs. We love it here and so do our now adult children. We're very happy with our decision.

A few posters are saying that the "close in suburbs" are just as good. Nope. They're still the 'burbs and throwing in a few extra shops and restaurants doesn't really change the vibe or add any real excitement and vigor to the change. If you're going to make the change -- and you really should -- you should dive all the way in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've kept our rowhouse so it's always a possibility. Crime worries me though

Bah humbug. Your demographic doesn't have to worry about crime.

[Anonymous]

Definitely considering it but also considering smaller cities, not necessarily on the scale of DC, where the cost of living is lower and ideally crime is lower. Not sure where the ideal place is though.

[Anonymous]

We’re staying in the burbs. We love no traffic noise and our pool. We may downsize eventually, but no desire for city life now.

[Anonymous]

We must be outliers because we have realized we love our suburban life and quiet neighborhood. We aren’t out and about like we were before kids so we really enjoy our home, our yard, the trails and general peace and quiet of our neighborhood. If we want to go into DC for dinner or to see a show we go. But have no interest in living near bars and coffee shops filled with younger people or the density that city life brings.

So for us the answer is no. But from the responses it seems like we are in the minority.

[Anonymous]

Thought about it, but we are pretty close in and I love my house and yard. Someday though …

[Anonymous]

I love having a yard and space too much to ever live in any city full time again. Considering a move somewhere more rural with more space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We must be outliers because we have realized we love our suburban life and quiet neighborhood. We aren’t out and about like we were before kids so we really enjoy our home, our yard, the trails and general peace and quiet of our neighborhood. If we want to go into DC for dinner or to see a show we go. But have no interest in living near bars and coffee shops filled with younger people or the density that city life brings.

So for us the answer is no. But from the responses it seems like we are in the minority.

The youth keep you young.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…and now those kids are grown, have you considered moving back to the city?

Although I have loved our time here raising our family, now that my youngest is off to college soon, I find myself experiencing increasing discontentment here. I wonder if others who grew up in the city and came to the suburbs to raise a family have felt this way too and what you chose to do.

Where is the city? Did you live in the city with your family growing up? or you're just looking for city life after the kids are gone?

I live in Fairfax Co. Suburbs and would love to move back to Arlington but I don't think we could afford anything similar to what we have now.
We are in our early 50s and I do hate the quietness of our neighborhood.

Then I also think if we ever have grandkids I would not want them to come and visit us in a tiny apartment on the city. I would love for them to come and visit us where we are now, plenty of room and yard space, etc.

Fairfax Co. it's still probably "city" in many aspects, I think if I was nested in the middle of nowhere, I would be depressed and would definitely want to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and now those kids are grown, have you considered moving back to the city?

Although I have loved our time here raising our family, now that my youngest is off to college soon, I find myself experiencing increasing discontentment here. I wonder if others who grew up in the city and came to the suburbs to raise a family have felt this way too and what you chose to do.

Where is the city? Did you live in the city with your family growing up? or you're just looking for city life after the kids are gone?

I live in Fairfax Co. Suburbs and would love to move back to Arlington but I don't think we could afford anything similar to what we have now.
We are in our early 50s and I do hate the quietness of our neighborhood.

Then I also think if we ever have grandkids I would not want them to come and visit us in a tiny apartment on the city. I would love for them to come and visit us where we are now, plenty of room and yard space, etc.

Fairfax Co. it's still probably "city" in many aspects, I think if I was nested in the middle of nowhere, I would be depressed and would definitely want to move.

You can't base the entire rest of your life planning on having more space in your house for hypothetical visits from hypothetical grandkids. Unless you like setting yourself up for disappointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We must be outliers because we have realized we love our suburban life and quiet neighborhood. We aren’t out and about like we were before kids so we really enjoy our home, our yard, the trails and general peace and quiet of our neighborhood. If we want to go into DC for dinner or to see a show we go. But have no interest in living near bars and coffee shops filled with younger people or the density that city life brings.

So for us the answer is no. But from the responses it seems like we are in the minority.

The youth keep you young.

NP-I feel the opposite, like I am over a lot of the "young" scene, what's trendy, what's in, packed restaurants. I find that it highlights my mindset shift to what's quiet, enduring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, OP. We made the move to downtown when our youngest was a year or two into college. They laid a major guilt trip on us at first, but when it started to work with my spouse I put my foot down and let them know in no uncertain terms that it was our time now and they needed to get with the program and they did.

Fast forward more than a decade and it's as if we never lived in the 'burbs. We love it here and so do our now adult children. We're very happy with our decision.

A few posters are saying that the "close in suburbs" are just as good. Nope. They're still the 'burbs and throwing in a few extra shops and restaurants doesn't really change the vibe or add any real excitement and vigor to the change. If you're going to make the change -- and you really should -- you should dive all the way in.

Downtown as in DC? Aren't you worried about traffic, parking, safety, etc?

I would like to move out the suburbs to "City life" but I don't think DC would ever be our place to retire even though my husband works in DC and I work in Alexandria. (Yes, we both commute 1hr+ to work daily)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…and now those kids are grown, have you considered moving back to the city?

Although I have loved our time here raising our family, now that my youngest is off to college soon, I find myself experiencing increasing discontentment here. I wonder if others who grew up in the city and came to the suburbs to raise a family have felt this way too and what you chose to do.

Imo it depends on which city and which suburb. If suburb has everything you need and just a short drive to a large city, moving may or may not make a sense unless you can buy a nice small place in a nicer part of a safe city.

If suburb is a sleepy exurb hour away from the city, makes total sense to move.

[Anonymous]

Personally, empty nesters are better off in walkable and lively urban areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, empty nesters are better off in walkable and lively urban areas.

By personally do you mean your personal opinion?

We are empty nesters and have Zero desire to live in a “lively” urban area because for us that translates to loud, crowded, and no privacy or parking for guests.

So we will go into the city for rare outings but day to day we will always choose the burbs.