Pros and Cons of Great Falls, VA?

[Anonymous]

Reviving this thread. Really interested in GF, but terrified by the anecdotes about commute. When will route 7 be enlarged?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reviving this thread. Really interested in GF, but terrified by the anecdotes about commute. When will route 7 be enlarged?

hahaaaa. Never I bet. Currently the main slowdown on 7 is around tysons and it just backs up into Great Falls. 7 through Tysons can't be widened. Just too many lights and cars.

[Anonymous]

Which part of Great Falls? Close to Mclean/East of Walker is Great Falls. Close to Loudoun/West of Walker is only Good Falls.

[Anonymous]

This place sucks prices dropping like bad at a rave

[Anonymous]

This place sucks prices dropping like bass at a rave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reviving this thread. Really interested in GF, but terrified by the anecdotes about commute. When will route 7 be enlarged?

I love living in Great Falls. I live "south" of GT Pike, near Towlston Rd. Rt 7 from here to 123 is easy at 7:30 a.m. (5-10 minutes?), slightly longer at 6:30 p.m. They plan to widen Rt 7 from Tysons to Sterling, and it looks like they are getting ready to start near Tysons. I cut through GF and McLean to get to the beltway or GW Pkwy because 123 is insane during rush hour. If you want to metro, a bus runs right down Rt 7 to the Spring Hill metro station; you could also drive to the Weihle metro.

There are grocery stores aplenty. I shop at Harris Teeter and WalMart (both in Tysons) and Safeway (GF Village), and I am awaiting the urban Wegman's coming soon to Tysons. I frequently run errands after I pick my kids up from aftercare, so I suppose the commute doesn't both me that much (you have to know which roads to take, what lanes to be in, etc. to do it quickly.)

The people are friendly. We live in a normal neighborhood (not the McMansions). Older homes between $700k - 1 mil on half-acre lots. Most people in my neighborhood are dual income families (both WOH). My kids really like the elementary school and their friends there. What I love most about my neighborhood is the feeling I get when I drive down my road to my house - I love the trees, and my neighborhood is pretty.

GF isn't fo everyone. Some people prefer walkability. Some prefer a shorter commute. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Full of new money types who love to show off. Lacks any class or character. Most houses while expansive are hideously and lack architectural beauty. Stay in McLean.

don't be jealous of people who are richer than you! Not healthy... And.....McLean does not have hideously McMansions. And....no I don't live in GF or Mclean....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This place sucks prices dropping like bass at a rave

Give it up. We don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Full of new money types who love to show off. Lacks any class or character. Most houses while expansive are hideously and lack architectural beauty. Stay in McLean.

don't be jealous of people who are richer than you! Not healthy... And.....McLean does not have hideously McMansions. And....no I don't live in GF or Mclean....

Why does everything have to be about where you live? Did Op ask about where you live? You have some hideous insecurities in your life. Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reviving this thread. Really interested in GF, but terrified by the anecdotes about commute. When will route 7 be enlarged?

I love living in Great Falls. I live "south" of GT Pike, near Towlston Rd. Rt 7 from here to 123 is easy at 7:30 a.m. (5-10 minutes?), slightly longer at 6:30 p.m. They plan to widen Rt 7 from Tysons to Sterling, and it looks like they are getting ready to start near Tysons. I cut through GF and McLean to get to the beltway or GW Pkwy because 123 is insane during rush hour. If you want to metro, a bus runs right down Rt 7 to the Spring Hill metro station; you could also drive to the Weihle metro.

There are grocery stores aplenty. I shop at Harris Teeter and WalMart (both in Tysons) and Safeway (GF Village), and I am awaiting the urban Wegman's coming soon to Tysons. I frequently run errands after I pick my kids up from aftercare, so I suppose the commute doesn't both me that much (you have to know which roads to take, what lanes to be in, etc. to do it quickly.)

The people are friendly. We live in a normal neighborhood (not the McMansions). Older homes between $700k - 1 mil on half-acre lots. Most people in my neighborhood are dual income families (both WOH). My kids really like the elementary school and their friends there. What I love most about my neighborhood is the feeling I get when I drive down my road to my house - I love the trees, and my neighborhood is pretty.


+1

Everyone I know who lives in Great Falls loves it!

GF isn't fo everyone. Some people prefer walkability. Some prefer a shorter commute. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reviving this thread. Really interested in GF, but terrified by the anecdotes about commute. When will route 7 be enlarged?

I love living in Great Falls. I live "south" of GT Pike, near Towlston Rd. Rt 7 from here to 123 is easy at 7:30 a.m. (5-10 minutes?), slightly longer at 6:30 p.m. They plan to widen Rt 7 from Tysons to Sterling, and it looks like they are getting ready to start near Tysons. I cut through GF and McLean to get to the beltway or GW Pkwy because 123 is insane during rush hour. If you want to metro, a bus runs right down Rt 7 to the Spring Hill metro station; you could also drive to the Weihle metro.

There are grocery stores aplenty. I shop at Harris Teeter and WalMart (both in Tysons) and Safeway (GF Village), and I am awaiting the urban Wegman's coming soon to Tysons. I frequently run errands after I pick my kids up from aftercare, so I suppose the commute doesn't both me that much (you have to know which roads to take, what lanes to be in, etc. to do it quickly.)

The people are friendly. We live in a normal neighborhood (not the McMansions). Older homes between $700k - 1 mil on half-acre lots. Most people in my neighborhood are dual income families (both WOH). My kids really like the elementary school and their friends there. What I love most about my neighborhood is the feeling I get when I drive down my road to my house - I love the trees, and my neighborhood is pretty.


+1

Everyone I know who lives in Great Falls loves it!

GF isn't fo everyone. Some people prefer walkability. Some prefer a shorter commute. Hope this helps!

+1

Everyone I know who lives in Great Falls loves it!

[Anonymous]

I really don't know why you would choose GF over Potomac. In P you get easy access to Whole Foods, schools, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't know why you would choose GF over Potomac. In P you get easy access to Whole Foods, schools, etc.

Let's see -- because its in Maryland?


Not a knock on Potomac or MD for that matter but its not like people just jump back and forth across the river when choosing a place to live

[Anonymous]

Pros: Top schools, pretty neighborhood, big lots/houses, prestigious, quiet, great parks, safe, like-minded population.

Cons: Isolated, septic tanks, commute to/from downtown DC can be long during rush hour.

I would prefer upper McLean, but Great Falls is a fantastic place to live. You have to take the pros with the cons of being a little further out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't know why you would choose GF over Potomac. In P you get easy access to Whole Foods, schools, etc.

Well, because People's Republic of Maryland isn't for everyone. Keep your high taxes and schools-getting-ruined to yourselves.