The thread for the, "buying under $600,000," crowd.

[Anonymous]

Annandale

Here's a nice house for under $500K:

http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/VA/ANNANDALE/22003/7611-NEWCASTLE-DR-120279088

Here's another nice house for $650K:

http://www.mrishomes.com/homes-for-sale/VA/ANNANDALE/22003/7219-PINE-DR-100293507

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad that someone started this thread! (I've found my people! Kidding.) Nice to have these diverse neighborhood suggestions! And also about the commutes and stuff from each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were in the buying under 600k crowd a couple of years ago. Wound up in West Springfield. DH is in a van pool that gets him to his DC office in 30mins. All in all, best decision we ever made. Good schools, affordable houses, backyard, friendly neighbors.

+1 look in Cardinal Forest - great place.

Here is one. http://www.redfin.com/VA/Springfield/6203-Fernleigh-Blvd-22152/home/9745446#!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, were do you work? How long are you willing to commute? Those factors really impact how much house you can buy.

We bought in Western Fairfax in 2012 for $550k. But, we work in Western Fairfax, so for us, it makes sense to live there.

OP I have not read all responses but wanted to let you know there is a park and ride in Springfield/Newington that has a bus to go to the Lorton VRE and other locations. The neighborhood is Saratoga - single family, townhomes and an apartment complex. We can walk to the local shopping center which includes several restaurants, a GIant grocery store, pet store and dance studio for instance. We are rnear a Costco and the beltway.

Only downside that most would focus on would most likely be the middle and high school... I consider them an opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond and staynoutside the u er competition of some of what ate considered the 'better' schools.

It's a great neighborhood...come check us out!

I agree. Wonderful area. In addition to Saratoga, you can look at Terra Grande and Newington Forest.

[Anonymous]

I'm in truxton circle (shaw) and just bought a great townhouse for 500k. I feel like we are in the middle of everything, I can't recommend this neighborhood enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were in the buying under 600k crowd a couple of years ago. Wound up in West Springfield. DH is in a van pool that gets him to his DC office in 30mins. All in all, best decision we ever made. Good schools, affordable houses, backyard, friendly neighbors.

+1 look in Cardinal Forest - great place.

Here is one. http://www.redfin.com/VA/Springfield/6203-Fernleigh-Blvd-22152/home/9745446#!

That looks like a great value - one of the really walkable ones in that area. Also second Saratoga for nice neighborhoods in this range.

[Anonymous]

I'm glad to see this thread. Not everyone is looking for a $2M+ place in McLean. There are plenty of us regular folks on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

I don't live there, but there are pockets of homes around Fort Hunt and Mt. Vernon that are below six. Maybe not a lot of them, but they are there. Silver Spring has a pretty good selection, as well.

[Anonymous]

We started out renting in Woodley Park and moved further and further out the Redline with each purchase. We now have a great SFH in downtown Rockville that is walkable to everything in a great family-friendly neighborhood with good schools. It is 4bdr with a nice fenced lot. We bought in 2013 for around 550. My commute to Metro Center is 45 minutes door to door on metro. I use my ride to nap, read, or listen to podcasts. Check out to 20850.

[Anonymous]

Bungalow in our neighborhood for 539k. Families have finished the basements for playroom/additional bedroom, etc.

http://www.trulia.com/property/3153471336-10012-Fleming-Ave-Bethesda-MD-20814

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's hoping you have better neighbors than I did during my time in South Arlington (02-08).

Between the boarding houses, the drug dealer across the street, the immediate neighbors getting into screaming matches at 1am, and the people who didn't seem to like anyone further out than their first cousins ...

Yeah, stuff's changed. I guess.

HAHAHAHAHA....true dat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bungalow in our neighborhood for 539k. Families have finished the basements for playroom/additional bedroom, etc.

http://www.trulia.com/property/3153471336-10012-Fleming-Ave-Bethesda-MD-20814

Photos 8 and. 9 are funny viewed in succession. Stretchy chairs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WE just bought for 455K in S. Arlington (in Nauck). We can walk to Shirlington and the restaurants on Columbia Pike. There is a lot of bus options to take.

House is 4 bed, 2 bath, 2K square feet, good size yard.

but we had to do work (paint, new floors). And well I live near minorities and poor people which according to this board is not acceptable

.

Give it a few years and you will be sitting on a pretty good investment. We did the same in Claremont in 2008 (hi neighbor!) and our SFH value has increased by 45%.

OP, there are still homes to be had for under 6 in South Arlington. We have a 30 minute drive to downtown DC, a 45 minute drive to Tysons, walk to Shirlington, county rec center and bike trails straight into DC.

I can only hope we have the same luck! With all the new builds going up around me it seems like it would certainly be possible to see a 45% increase in 6 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's hoping you have better neighbors than I did during my time in South Arlington (02-08).

Between the boarding houses, the drug dealer across the street, the immediate neighbors getting into screaming matches at 1am, and the people who didn't seem to like anyone further out than their first cousins ...

Yeah, stuff's changed. I guess.

Well, you can't expect perfection for under 600K in Arlington. But we have lived here a few months and our neighborhood is very quiet. Unless you count the kids riding bikes or getting off the bus from school.

As far as everything else, pretty sure I am surrounded by more churches than boarding houses and my neighbors invited us to their daughter's first bday the day after we moved in. So S. Arlington is suiting us just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's hoping you have better neighbors than I did during my time in South Arlington (02-08).

Between the boarding houses, the drug dealer across the street, the immediate neighbors getting into screaming matches at 1am, and the people who didn't seem to like anyone further out than their first cousins ...

Yeah, stuff's changed. I guess.

Well, you can't expect perfection for under 600K in Arlington. But we have lived here a few months and our neighborhood is very quiet. Unless you count the kids riding bikes or getting off the bus from school.

As far as everything else, pretty sure I am surrounded by more churches than boarding houses and my neighbors invited us to their daughter's first bday the day after we moved in. So S. Arlington is suiting us just fine.

It's great your story's going better than mine.