Would you like to move to exburbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. I grew up in that kind of environment and hated it. No sidewalks, and there was nothing in walking distance anyway including friends, a pool, library, or anyplace else to go and hang out. Until I had my license I was stuck at home unless one of my parents was able and willing to drive us somewhere, or my friends' parents were able and willing to come get me.

It's very peaceful to visit my parents as a weekend getaway, but no way would I want to live my life like that daily.

I grew up in a similar environment, too, so I get your point, and that was just the way it was. However, it wasn't like we ever had a problem getting someone's parent to drive us where we wanted to go.

My question, however, is at what age *nowadays* are you willing to let your kids walk alone to the pool and library? 13 at the earliest? 14?

[Anonymous]

We moved to a rural area. I thought that was what I wanted. But after a couple of years, I realized how boring it is. Better for vacations. Now trying to sell the house and move back to the city (or nearby).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to a rural area. I thought that was what I wanted. But after a couple of years, I realized how boring it is. Better for vacations. Now trying to sell the house and move back to the city (or nearby).

When you're bored why not head into the city for the afternoon? It's not like you are in the middle of Kansas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some lovely areas of loudoun that I wish we could move to. Of course, my husband's job is actually the other direction (towards Fredericksburg) and it would make more sense to move down that way

We keep looking on Mason Neck-that's as far out as we are truly willing to go.

There are some lovely areas in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, too. And you get a bonus of having a nice downtown Fredericksburg, including the university. Given the choice, I would take that any day over Loudoun.

My parents live in Fredericksburg, and we live in Loudoun. We commute to DC. My mom does grandmacare a couple days a week either my place or hers, and it takes 1hr 15min door to door taking 29. We love living out here, and luckily can telework 2-3 days a week.
We do have sidewalks, and all that jazz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love to move to western Massachusetts and have a small farm. Or upstate NY. Not an exurb though.

+1

The exurbs around here are filled with huge housing developments. Hundreds of cookie cutter houses just feet from each other. No thank you.

Maybe a cabin out in the mountains though for weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. I grew up in that kind of environment and hated it. No sidewalks, and there was nothing in walking distance anyway including friends, a pool, library, or anyplace else to go and hang out. Until I had my license I was stuck at home unless one of my parents was able and willing to drive us somewhere, or my friends' parents were able and willing to come get me.

It's very peaceful to visit my parents as a weekend getaway, but no way would I want to live my life like that daily.

+1. It's nice to see the stars at night but I don't miss the pigs and chickens and dirt roads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would love to move to western Massachusetts and have a small farm. Or upstate NY. Not an exurb though.

+1

The exurbs around here are filled with huge housing developments. Hundreds of cookie cutter houses just feet from each other. No thank you.

Maybe a cabin out in the mountains though for weekends.

How do you define the exurbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I moved to the Laytonsville area of Montgomery county a few years ago. My husband took a telework option, so that he no longer had to be in DC on a daily basis.

We love this area, and were able to purchase more house and land. We do not have farm animals yet. We like to travel during school breaks and do not want the hassle of having to find someone to take care of the animals.

I feel like it's the best of both worlds; small town/country peace, with an urban city near by. We still go to DC for museums, events, and for happy hours with friends. We simply did not have the need to be close in on a daily basis.

I'm in Olney and love Laytonsville's country feel. I'm not loving the new HUGE houses they are building off Brink & 108.

To answer the question, I would love to live further out in a farm. Pigs, chickens, cows, the works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did this. I work in the area, so the commute is easy, and DW telecommutes. This means we own our 4,000 sf house outright and have very minimal childcare costs. Public schools are very highly rated, we have three acres (in an HOA subdivision) in the woods. We have a small garden.

We like the peace and quiet, but day trips, or even evening trips to DC are easy.

I'm interested... can you tell me what area to look in? Where are you located?

[Anonymous]

More stuff that white people like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More stuff that white people like.

I'm 9:16, NOT white, I'm hispanic. GASP!

[Anonymous]

I grew up rural and loved it. Not sure why PP didn't hop on her bike like we did (I used to bike everywhere -- a few miles each way to my BFF's house, starting when I was probably 8 or so? No reason to wait until you can drive, and holy hell was I in great shape from all that biking).

I would never move to the exurbs, though. They are basically like worse suburbs. Too many people, too much traffic, too much noise and light pollution. If I'm going to live near a city, I'm going to live NEAR a city (or in it!). I'll go full rural when I can transition my business to 100% local independence.

[Anonymous]

There's a reason every action movie ever starts with a kid living on a small farm and trying to escape his/her dull existence of a life. Parents move their for 'serenity' and kids grow up bored out of their minds dreaming of the big city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More stuff that white people like.

Huh, my black Latino husband is trying to convince me to move to the exurbs and give farming a shot. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Nah. My ideal neighborhood is a leafy, beautiful place with a large enough yard, once I go out I have shops, restaurants within walking distance but when I come back it's this peaceful oasis.