Move from city to outer 'burbs?

[Anonymous]

Anyone move from the city to an outer suburb and regret it? We are considering moving farther out (more house for the $$), but are afraid of missing what the city has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Be sure to check the various articles about the changing demographics of the outer suburbs as foreclosures and rising gas prices are causing people to rethink where and how they live.

[Anonymous]

Check out the washington post today.

I wouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Washington Post article is what prompted my posting. Was starting to get cold feet before the article....and it made it worse!

[Anonymous]

There was an article in the Washingtonian about a year back about a few couples with long commutes - basically, the marriages suffered.

I would think hard about why you want so much more house and if it will actually buy you what you want from it.

[Anonymous]

Yes we did this and while we don't dwell on regretting it, would not have done it until kids were ready to start school.

Babies and toddlers do not need a huge amount of space. A park in walking distance is sometimes even better than a backyard. We go to the park more to play outside because it has fun equipment and other kids. More space will simply allow you to accumulate more stuff. Again so many of the products aimed at parents and kids are just not necessary. I spend way too much time now moving stuff off to friends and Goodwill.

Its a pain to have to get into the car for everything. When we were deciding to leave the city we really were wrong on this. We figured that it would be too hard to take the baby places without a car and it would be a pain to walk home with a bunch of grocerioes and the baby. Didn't occur to us that we could just choose a peditrician in the clise suburbs or a practice that has parking or go to another Safeway somewhere in the city that has parking. We really miss walking to get coffee, a few things at the grocery store, restaurants etc. Since we drive everywhere, even DH gained weight. We never realized how much we walked in the city.

Make sure you factor the cost of commuting into your monthly budget. Moving to the outer burbs will be a significant cost in gas and mileage on your car. I put more miles on my car in 6 months liver far out than I did in 6 years living in the city. Commuting in bad weather is awful. I lived in the city for 20 years and never understood why people stayed home on liberal leave days. Never seemed to bad in the city. The city is warmer by several degrees. Many of the outer burbs get ice and snow when there is hardly anything at all in DC.

We really miss the restaurants. I have gotten used to it but even the one restaurant that will be recommended can not compare to any of the cheaper, mid level or expensive ones in DC.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Yes the commute is a killer. The outer burbs are easily an hour. What is worse is that there is so much traffic an hour commute can easily turn into an hour and half or more.

[Anonymous]

for me, not an option. i can live outside the city but not too far out. we have to make compromises, esp on space, but it's not worth it to me.

[Anonymous]

It depends.

I WFH and my husband WFH 2xs a week, but his office is in Herndon. I REALLY want to move out to Western Loudoun County and get a hobby farm. I already have a huge garden, but want some chickens and possibly goats. I just love the serenity of Western Loudoun, being snuggled into the base of the mountains, surrounded by tranquility and beauty. When I'm out there I just fee so disconnected from the hussle and feel really peaceful. Space is not so much a concern as living in beautiful VA countryside. There are also a lot of very eclectic and interesting people who run other small hobby farms in the area (most of them from the city looking for a change in a big way). I know of a gay couple who runs a beefalo farm in Middleburg-they were transplants from in the city. There are a few best selling writers and pleanty of artists, makes for quite an interesting mix.

Anyways, I'm sure we will go for it in the next few years, but if we had to commute, there would be NO WAY. The only reason we even consider it is because my job can be done from anywhere that has a computer connection. I am clearly not a city person, I prefer the sound of birds and trees blowing in the wind to the sound of sirens and horns.

[Anonymous]

DON'T DO IT. If you work in the city, stay as close as possible.

Try to reframe your mind on the housing issue - 40 years ago NO ONE had a large house. The average house was approx.1100 square feet. ! The average today is more than 2400 sq ft. It's crazy. Take up less space, use housing that is already built, conserve energy, buy less stuff - all great benefits to living in a smaller place. Living close-in also allows for 1 car families, increased Metro use, more walking. It just makes sense. The best schools in the area are close-in, so schools aren't even a consideration. As far as backyards go, not having one allows for more time to actually enjoy nature because you're not spending your weekend mowing/weeding and it also allows you to explore more things. Who wants to spend all day, every day in their backyard? Go find new hiking trails, picnic spots, get to know your neighbors at the local park instead of being holed up in your own little world all day.

[Anonymous]

Can someone link to the article? I can't find it.

[Anonymous]

i have to say... long commutes are a slow killer to freedom, happiness, relaxation... i've discovered that i typically can endure driving up to 1 hour one way before i start to think of highway suicide. but if you total up how much time is spent on the road per day, per week and per year... it is a sad sad loss of time.

[Anonymous]

Do you remember the name of the article? I did a search on "suburbs" and didn't find anything from 6/19/2008.

Check out the washington post today.

I wouldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

We did it (District to Rockville). We regretted it terribly, and moved back to close-in Mo Co right over the District line.

[Anonymous]

I live in an inner suburb (Arlington) and we looked into moving outside the beltway a couple of years ago. I echo what PPs have said about the commute.

What clinched it for me was trying to imagine my day to day life living in the suburbs. I realized I would have to DRIVE, not walk, to a playground; grocery stores are not as convenient outside the beltway as they are inside (granted, I don't live in the city); be prepared to sit at a lot of traffic lights to go ANYWHERE; I would feel very isolated; being in an urban environment is very lively and makes me feel alive.