$1.1M in NoVA - where should we buy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One spouse works in Chantilly, the other from home. Looking to move from Alexandria to somewhere with good schools. Would love to stay inside the beltway or right outside of it - have always lived close to the city and like walkability (we know we could get more for our money and a better commute outside the beltway). We're open to a townhouse, but need 4 bedrooms or 3 plus some type of office space. Where would you look? TIA!

You have school age kids and are not rich (1.1M budget).

You need to talk walkable out behind the wood shed and bury it. That’s for rich people, like Bentleys and yachts. Making your kids be the “townhouse” kids so you can walk to a coffee shop or bar is the height of Millenial myopia.

Townhouse suck for families. People hate coming over because parking is always a nightmare. There is no yard for the kids to play in, and little interior privacy for when kids are older (you hear everything). It’s boring for the kids when you host, so play dates and friends drop away. And when you get a 3rd car because your teen is learning to drive, you F’d good because of parking.

SFH in a good school in Loudoun would be my recommendation, you would even be kinda close to metro. Easy commute down 28 to Chantilly. Or some place in Fairfax but I know the schools in that region are more variable.

God forbid being a “townhouse kid”! How horrid!

PP here. I speak from experience. It’s a thing, and if you have a shy kid it’s a huge anchor on their social life.

[Anonymous]

I agree that Franklin Farm makes the most sense for OP. You can get a nice updated house for $1.1 million. Not one of the bigger ones but plenty of space for a family of four. How old are your kids OP? If they’re young it might be hard to see that chances are you will be driving a lot to activities anyway. Even somewhere like a walkable part of Vienna or Arlington doesn’t have everything your kids will need to get to. Unless you only sign them up for things within walking distance which would be very limiting. It’s easy to get to a lot of places from Franklin Farm and it’s so nice to have the grocery store so close when you just need that one thing right before dinner or at bedtime. Lots of people walking and biking around the neighborhood and to the shopping center when it’s nice out.

[Anonymous]

OP, where did you end up moving? How do you like it? We are planning to make a similar move from Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you live in Chantilly or Oak Hill you crazy person?

She wants good schools.

Yeah, the schools are much better here than in Falls Church City, troll OP. At least we have more diversity than you and your token black person and token hispanic person and two token Asians.

all of whom were adopted by foreign service officers on overseas postings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t you live in Chantilly or Oak Hill you crazy person?

She wants good schools.

Yeah, the schools are much better here than in Falls Church City, troll OP. At least we have more diversity than you and your token black person and token hispanic person and two token Asians.

all of whom were adopted by foreign service officers on overseas postings

don’t forget the mail order brides

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, where did you end up moving? How do you like it? We are planning to make a similar move from Alexandria.

I'm not OP but we moved to Franklin Farm last year and we really like it. No, it's not walkable to things, but we like the trails and being able to take walks. The schools are good here - our neighborhood is zoned to Chantilly or Oakton depending on where you live, both great high schools.

[Anonymous]

I’d try Falls Church (FFX Cty) that borders McLean, Fairfax City, Dunn Loring/Vienna right outside Mosaic District, or something near Reston Town Center.

I live in Arlington and while I love it here, I don’t think it’d be great for the person commuting to Chantilly. Plus your budget won’t go far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d try Falls Church (FFX Cty) that borders McLean, Fairfax City, Dunn Loring/Vienna right outside Mosaic District, or something near Reston Town Center.

I live in Arlington and while I love it here, I don’t think it’d be great for the person commuting to Chantilly. Plus your budget won’t go far.

Also I wouldn’t move to Chantilly unless you really want the suburban lifestyle and the worker there is committed to that job long term. At least if you stay closer to the beltway you have more options if they change employers. In Chantilly you’re pretty committed to working in Western FFX/Loudoun unless you’re ok with slug lines or long bus rides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could get a townhouse in falls church city.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1310-S-Washington-St-Falls-Church-VA-22046/12229410_zpid/

+1

This was my suggestion.

I'd look at Vienna as well. Definitely doable with a townhome, and maybe even a smaller/older sfh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard for me to picture OP pushing one of those wheeled shoppers down the sidewalk to her walkable 1.1 mil house.

OP please define what is walkable to you.

I live in an 850k house in Oak Hill. It is a “walkable” neighborhood in the sense that there are safe sidewalks, little car traffic, and the neighborhood is pleasant to walk around in with friendly neighbors also walking around. But I don’t really do any walks besides dog walking. However, the pool and tennis club and shopping center with many amenities are a short bike or car ride away without having to use any major roads. My kids ride their bikes plenty of places and take the bus to school. So while we have a car, we are not in it that much. But I don’t go out to drink at bars or get coffee. We do that stuff at home. Maybe that’s what OP wants or thinks she wants.

If I had 1.1 mil, I’d look at Franklin Farm and enjoy walking in that neighborhood.

Vienna might have a lot of shops and restaurants crammed in, but I’d hardly call Maple Ave a place I’d want to walk around.

I have no idea what the illegal immigrant poster is on about.

I'm the OP. We currently are within <15 min walk to a Trader Joe's, a CVS, a park with a playground, and a bunch of restaurants. I would consider that very walkable. Having access to the park only would not be walkable IMO.

OP, look for a suburban shopping center with a store/restaurant mix you like, and then look at the housing adjacent to it. Frankin Farms is a very well done example because it has nice paths and common green space, but there are TH and SFH built behind every grocery-anchored shopping center in the suburbs.

To take the Vienna example PP asked about, if you drive down Maple you see a series of shopping centers. Immediately behind them on both sides are residential neighborhoods. People in those neighborhoods walk on quiet streets (not on Maple) to the shops that front Maple.

They do indeed walk on quiet streets to the shops on Maple. But not from homes that cost 1.1M or less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1992.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Anonymous]

West Springfield or Burke. Excellent for kids.

[Anonymous]

Get a time machine back to 1990.

[Anonymous]

try kings park west, Fairfax. 22032

[Anonymous]

I feel bad for anyone moving to DC these days. Imagine paying 1.2 million for a POS, 40 year old Toll Brothers stick built house in Fairfax.

Uggh.