Young couples with kids---Where did you move to from the DC area?

[Anonymous]

We moved to Seattle and haven't regretted it even for a day! We spend almost every spring weekend down at the shores of Puget Sound letting our two kids explore the sand/forest/tidepools/etc. During summer, we spend weekends hiking, riding ferry boats, camping, and other kid-friendly activities. I was NOT an "outdoorsy" person when I moved here, but I've come to appreciate how amazing it is for young kids to explore the amazingly beautiful nature all around us.

The big companies here really value government experience, so unless your USCG, you would have to transition out of your fed jobs, but I would predict you wouldn't have much trouble getting hired on at Amazon, Microsoft, T-Mobile, or Starbucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Seattle and haven't regretted it even for a day! We spend almost every spring weekend down at the shores of Puget Sound letting our two kids explore the sand/forest/tidepools/etc. During summer, we spend weekends hiking, riding ferry boats, camping, and other kid-friendly activities. I was NOT an "outdoorsy" person when I moved here, but I've come to appreciate how amazing it is for young kids to explore the amazingly beautiful nature all around us.

The big companies here really value government experience, so unless your USCG, you would have to transition out of your fed jobs, but I would predict you wouldn't have much trouble getting hired on at Amazon, Microsoft, T-Mobile, or Starbucks.

Do we know each other? DH is USCG and we LOVE Seattle. I have a great job (same pay as DC), live in Seattle with 180 degree views of the Sound (3 times the size of our row house), and have a great work life balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Richmond suburbs and are happy with the schools and quality of life. We were able to get an amazing house and have met quite a few folks with young kids who left DC.

Do you work remotely for your same job in DC? Or did you transfer jobs completely? My inlaws are in RIC and my family is near there too. Trying to convince DH but the job situation there is questionable for our fields.

[Anonymous]

We've been in DC a long time and have had a lot of friends randomly pick up one day for another part of the world. And not one has ever regretted it. A *lot* of people find DC to be expensive, harried, hard to find a good place to live with good schools, difficult to make meaningful friendships, difficult infrastructure (traffic, crappy grocery stores, with limited *accessible* fun stuff to do - in the sense that you have to drive, deal with a zillion people, parking, etc). I think it surprises people to find out that there are a lot of nice places to live in the world where a lot of those things are remedied. Now a bunch of people are going to jump on and say "what are you talking about, I have a million good friends in DC and we can hop on the metro in 15 minutes to go to the national mall everyday!" In which case, chances are that you are not one of the many people contemplating leaving DC. If you are contemplating leaving DC, it means that you are struggling with these issues in DC, and therefore are practically guaranteed to find somewhere better to live. Life is super short. Go for it!

Signed, a poster who "went for it" but who's job ironically and unhappily transferred her back to DC. We are working on an escape plan 2017.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've been in DC a long time and have had a lot of friends randomly pick up one day for another part of the world. And not one has ever regretted it. A *lot* of people find DC to be expensive, harried, hard to find a good place to live with good schools, difficult to make meaningful friendships, difficult infrastructure (traffic, crappy grocery stores, with limited *accessible* fun stuff to do - in the sense that you have to drive, deal with a zillion people, parking, etc). I think it surprises people to find out that there are a lot of nice places to live in the world where a lot of those things are remedied. Now a bunch of people are going to jump on and say "what are you talking about, I have a million good friends in DC and we can hop on the metro in 15 minutes to go to the national mall everyday!" In which case, chances are that you are not one of the many people contemplating leaving DC. If you are contemplating leaving DC, it means that you are struggling with these issues in DC, and therefore are practically guaranteed to find somewhere better to live. Life is super short. Go for it!

Signed, a poster who "went for it" but who's job ironically and unhappily transferred her back to DC. We are working on an escape plan 2017.

A lot of these problems are remedied if you live outside of the beltway. DC (area) can be quite idyllic if both parents do not have to commute into the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Richmond suburbs and are happy with the schools and quality of life. We were able to get an amazing house and have met quite a few folks with young kids who left DC.

Do you work remotely for your same job in DC? Or did you transfer jobs completely? My inlaws are in RIC and my family is near there too. Trying to convince DH but the job situation there is questionable for our fields.

Not PP, but we did this move. DH kept his DC job and now WAH; I got a new job (with pay cut, but it evened out since COL is lower). We love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How different was your life in KC though? You saved a lot of money and got a great house. How about walkability? Activities? Entertainment (museums, plays, cultural parties)? I just did a google search and KC itself doesn't seem to have many condos or even 'non-suburban' homes. They all look like planned lots that you need to drive in and out along major highways. Is there a downtown historic section of homes that I could look at (generally close to everything)?

Thanks for your questions. There are quite a few "walkable" neighborhoods in Kansas City: W. 39th Street Corridor/Historic Westport; Brookside, Waldo, Hyde Park, and Southmoreland. For those looking for a loft experience rather than SFHs, there's a ton of activity going on in the Midtown Arts District. For classic, pre-war 2 and 3 bedroom apartments centered on retail, consider Country Club Plaza.

If we go back, Brookside (centered on W. 63rd Street and Brookside Blvd.) is probably where we'll buy. A bit pricy for KC, but walkable with a great retail corridor - places like Reading Reptile and Brookside Science and Toys alone are fantastic kid-centered stores. It also has good school options - St. Peter's (Catholic) and Academie Lafayette (French language immersion PCS).

Kansas City is currently building a streetcar line along Main Street from downtown (City Market) to Union Station. From Union Station south to West 75th Street, Kansas City has the MAX Bus along Main Street and Brookside Boulevard. It is similar in concept to the Circulator and about a 20 minute trip from Brookside to downtown. It runs 7 days a week with service every 10-30 minutes depending on day/time.

Before we went to KC, I'd been in DC for 7 years and my spouse for 11. We probably took in more "culture" during our single year in KC than in any 3 year span in DC. We fell in love with Unicorn Theater and got to attend two opening night celebrations ("Grounded" and "Other Desert Cities"). We were welcomed with open arms and felt right at home. I became involved with KKFI, Kansas City's community radio station and found it very welcoming. I even got the chance to DJ a 3 hour show that celebrates my favorite music genre (80s New Wave, synth, and industrial) just prior to leaving - that was one of the highlights of my year. There are many cultural events, book talks, concerts, etc. UMKC is a fairly comprehensive university and that brings much to the city. Also, a fair number of KU faculty live in KC, MO and reverse commute to Lawrence for work.

For families, there is so much so close - Union Station, The Royals, Children's Science Museum, the Aquarium, Zoo, Kids Shows at Sprint Center, Crown Center, City Market, Schlitterbahn, easy access to nature/farms. There's even a small ski facility north of KC.

In short, we found a great community spirit and things just seemed so much more accessible to families on a Federal salary than in DC. KC also has a very vibrant civic activist culture which I personally loved. Again, it was just so much easier to "plug into" than DC. I really enjoyed the opportunity to join with Stand Up KC and the Heartland Labor Forum on the Fight for 15 and other causes. I haven't had opportunities like this since before I came to Washington.

Of course, there's also the suburban option if that's what people want. The Johnson County (KS) suburbs are all quite accessible to KC with many amenities.

I hope this helps.

This message has been brought to you by: The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City Realtors' Association, and the Kansas City Tourism Board.

PP, I'm glad you enjoyed your time there. Sounds too good to be true.

It sounds a lot like how I'd describe my own Midwestern hometown. Or really, any midsize US city.

Nope. I've lived in half a dozen mid-sized US cities, and they certainly weren't this idyllic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How different was your life in KC though? You saved a lot of money and got a great house. How about walkability? Activities? Entertainment (museums, plays, cultural parties)? I just did a google search and KC itself doesn't seem to have many condos or even 'non-suburban' homes. They all look like planned lots that you need to drive in and out along major highways. Is there a downtown historic section of homes that I could look at (generally close to everything)?

Thanks for your questions. There are quite a few "walkable" neighborhoods in Kansas City: W. 39th Street Corridor/Historic Westport; Brookside, Waldo, Hyde Park, and Southmoreland. For those looking for a loft experience rather than SFHs, there's a ton of activity going on in the Midtown Arts District. For classic, pre-war 2 and 3 bedroom apartments centered on retail, consider Country Club Plaza.

If we go back, Brookside (centered on W. 63rd Street and Brookside Blvd.) is probably where we'll buy. A bit pricy for KC, but walkable with a great retail corridor - places like Reading Reptile and Brookside Science and Toys alone are fantastic kid-centered stores. It also has good school options - St. Peter's (Catholic) and Academie Lafayette (French language immersion PCS).

Kansas City is currently building a streetcar line along Main Street from downtown (City Market) to Union Station. From Union Station south to West 75th Street, Kansas City has the MAX Bus along Main Street and Brookside Boulevard. It is similar in concept to the Circulator and about a 20 minute trip from Brookside to downtown. It runs 7 days a week with service every 10-30 minutes depending on day/time.

Before we went to KC, I'd been in DC for 7 years and my spouse for 11. We probably took in more "culture" during our single year in KC than in any 3 year span in DC. We fell in love with Unicorn Theater and got to attend two opening night celebrations ("Grounded" and "Other Desert Cities"). We were welcomed with open arms and felt right at home. I became involved with KKFI, Kansas City's community radio station and found it very welcoming. I even got the chance to DJ a 3 hour show that celebrates my favorite music genre (80s New Wave, synth, and industrial) just prior to leaving - that was one of the highlights of my year. There are many cultural events, book talks, concerts, etc. UMKC is a fairly comprehensive university and that brings much to the city. Also, a fair number of KU faculty live in KC, MO and reverse commute to Lawrence for work.

For families, there is so much so close - Union Station, The Royals, Children's Science Museum, the Aquarium, Zoo, Kids Shows at Sprint Center, Crown Center, City Market, Schlitterbahn, easy access to nature/farms. There's even a small ski facility north of KC.

In short, we found a great community spirit and things just seemed so much more accessible to families on a Federal salary than in DC. KC also has a very vibrant civic activist culture which I personally loved. Again, it was just so much easier to "plug into" than DC. I really enjoyed the opportunity to join with Stand Up KC and the Heartland Labor Forum on the Fight for 15 and other causes. I haven't had opportunities like this since before I came to Washington.

Of course, there's also the suburban option if that's what people want. The Johnson County (KS) suburbs are all quite accessible to KC with many amenities.

I hope this helps.

This message has been brought to you by: The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City Realtors' Association, and the Kansas City Tourism Board.

PP, I'm glad you enjoyed your time there. Sounds too good to be true.

It sounds a lot like how I'd describe my own Midwestern hometown. Or really, any midsize US city.

Nope. I've lived in half a dozen mid-sized US cities, and they certainly weren't this idyllic.

Sounds like Cleveland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Austin in 2015. It's amazing and we haven't regretted it. Great house (small though) for $420K with backyard and great schools. 10 minute commute. Cheaper cost of living. Awesome Montessori for 2 kids for $1800.00 a month. No snow.

oh, what neighborhood? and I'm curious if the montessori was one I had been researching.

-signed almost-moved-to-Austin poster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

we looked very seriously at Austin. My husband is a security/defense gov't contractor, and we worried about the market for that in Austin. Jobs in that field just aren't as plentiful as they are here. He's not really an IT/computer guy, so working for Dell didn't appeal. And I didn't want to live in any OTHER part of Texas that wasn't Austin. There are opportunities for him in Fort Hood area, but you couldn't pay me to live there.

He could do the reverse commute to Ft. Hood while he looks for something else. It's a long drive, but people do it. It's not uncommon for Army personnel in the JAG and Medical Corps' who have non-military professional spouses who work in Austin. Depending on pay levels, he could even get something (room/efficiency) in Killeen really cheap if he didn't want to make the drive to/from Austin every day. Being there (in TX), will probably make the job search for an Austin-based position easier.

Just a thought... not ideal, but living in Austin and commuting to Ft. Hood is not unheard of.

Austin just beats DC on so many levels.

Could he? Sure. Did that seem worth it? Nope. Although we did check out Georgetown one trip, just in case.

My family is on the East Coast and my parents have since moved within 2 hours of us. His family is in San Antonio mostly, but again, his job prospects are much better here.

We've made our peace with being here. We bought a house in Fairfax County and plan to stay for a while unless something absolutely amazing lands in our laps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try a large university town in the south. How about Oxford, MS?

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Oxford-MS/pmf,pf_pt/house_type/2104398198_zpid/13149_rid/any_days/priced_sort/34.398022,-89.466004,34.336101,-89.60505_rect/13_zm/2_p/?3col=true

yeah, but then you are in....Mississippi. Check out the stats - bottom of the barrel for just about everything and trying to legislate themselves back to the 1900s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. We are from southwest Ohio originally and the cost of living here is unbelievable. Oh, what you could get for $500,000 in Butler county Ohio...but, do I really want to live there? No, not anymore. We sucked it up and bought a place in Reston. Love, love, love Reston. There are financing options out there and you can still find good value if you look.

Reston seems to be the answer when nothing else is doable.

Not many SFH's in Reston for less than $500K, though.

We had to move out of Reston because we couldn't find a SFH within our budget. Wound up a few miles south near Chantilly HS. There are still a few models in our neighborhood under $500K now, though not many. But we have very well regarded schools and can walk to several amenities.

Would move back to Reston happily, though - we loved it there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Seattle and haven't regretted it even for a day! We spend almost every spring weekend down at the shores of Puget Sound letting our two kids explore the sand/forest/tidepools/etc. During summer, we spend weekends hiking, riding ferry boats, camping, and other kid-friendly activities. I was NOT an "outdoorsy" person when I moved here, but I've come to appreciate how amazing it is for young kids to explore the amazingly beautiful nature all around us.

The big companies here really value government experience, so unless your USCG, you would have to transition out of your fed jobs, but I would predict you wouldn't have much trouble getting hired on at Amazon, Microsoft, T-Mobile, or Starbucks.

Really? What field are you in? I have aged experience and I think that works against me (engineering). Seattle is like SV mostly now looking for proven innovation but govt work is so bureaucratic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Austin in 2015. It's amazing and we haven't regretted it. Great house (small though) for $420K with backyard and great schools. 10 minute commute. Cheaper cost of living. Awesome Montessori for 2 kids for $1800.00 a month. No snow.

oh, what neighborhood? and I'm curious if the montessori was one I had been researching.

-signed almost-moved-to-Austin poster

*aged = govt. though I'm old too, 40s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How different was your life in KC though? You saved a lot of money and got a great house. How about walkability? Activities? Entertainment (museums, plays, cultural parties)? I just did a google search and KC itself doesn't seem to have many condos or even 'non-suburban' homes. They all look like planned lots that you need to drive in and out along major highways. Is there a downtown historic section of homes that I could look at (generally close to everything)?

I grew up in KC and still visit often as an adult. It's a fantastic city, especially now! The arts scene is vibrant (Nelson Gallery, new Kauffman Center, Haw Gallery) and there are lots of entrepreneurs, giving the downtown a cool vibe. Check out the recent WSJ article about places to go in KC. The downtown is thriving, with lots of condos in historical old buildings. Great new restaurants popping up all over the place, good schools, golf courses and pools everywhere in the burbs. Easy travel to Colorado for vacation. Check out the Fairway and Westwood neighborhoods, or Brookside near Loose Park. I'd move back if I could!