Moving to Virginia

[Anonymous]

I will likely be moving to VA in the next year, or so. I have a rising 4th grader, & one going into Kindergarten. I know NOTHING about VA. Right now, I'm thinking the Arlington/Alexandria area. I work in DC, & my partner works in Stafford, so I figured this is a halfway point for both of us. What counties should I be looking in for schools, & what are the best schools in these areas? I heard Fairfax was the best county for schools. What areas in Fairfax Co. are worth exploring? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

What is your budget? Stafford and DC are very far apart. Like 1.5-2 hours in traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your budget? Stafford and DC are very far apart. Like 1.5-2 hours in traffic.

I know. We are looking between 5K-6K. We don't want to be house poor, & education is our top priority. So, we're looking for a halfway point between DC & Stafford

[Anonymous]

Can the Stafford person take the VRE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your budget? Stafford and DC are very far apart. Like 1.5-2 hours in traffic.

Yeah, this commuting situation is going to be brutally nasty for you guys, I'm afraid.

My suggestion is to look in some place right on the Virginia Railways Express, which you'd take to DC (assuming you have fixed hours to catch the late trains home), while your partner drives to Stafford. Maybe in the Woodbridge area.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/washington-has-one-of-the-highest-levels-of-extreme-commutes-in-the-nation/2013/03/04/aee03892-850f-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394_story.html

http://www.washingtonian.com/2015/04/01/the-fastest-growing-suburbs-of-washington-are-in-counties-youve-never-heard-of/

http://www.vre.org/service/map/

[Anonymous]

Stations are at Springfield Metro and Lorton Station. Housing budget should get you something good/decent in TH in Lorton Station -- but schools for ES are dicey. Springfield Metro area gives you better options for schools -- Kingstowne would fit your budget and some parts of Springfield.... just depends on what type of house you want.

Not sure if VRE will work if that commuter needs a car once in Stafford.... you probably end up driving if that's the case. Being close to 95 will be key for the reverse commute (ie going south in the morning and north in the evening). Fridays going south in the morning (esp. in summer) will be tough. Most days, probably not so bad.

[Anonymous]

I posted this in your other thread:


Is the DC job VRE accesible? 

If so, I would consider Lorton, then Burke (some neighborhoods are walking distance to the VRE and all schools are good) or the part of West Springfield close to the parkway and close to the VRE (22152, Sangster, Orange Hunt and West Springfield elementary schools are minutes drive from the VRE and quick access to 95 south).

[Anonymous]

OP,

While midpoint may sound good--you need to also consider emergency situations. One of you needs to be within a short time distance from the kids--unless you have other support/family here in the area. Just something to consider.

[Anonymous]

These jobs are just too far away from each other. Someone should find a closer job to the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These jobs are just too far away from each other. Someone should find a closer job to the other.

Stafford is a reverse commute. From the Lorton/West Springfield/Burke area, it will be long but not unbearable.

Commuting into DC from those areas is not a bad commute, particularly if the VRE is an option. Kingstown is also doable to hoth of those locations, and the schools are fine in Kingstown.

I think in OPs case, those are the only neighborhoods I would consider.

[Anonymous]

When you say 5-6k do you mean that's your budget for monthly rent or that your budget to buy is 500-600k?

Arlington is good. Alexandria can be a very mixed bag. It's probably my last choice of school districts in the NoVa area.

Stafford to DC is going to be brutal. That's not an exaggeration. Absolutely brutal. 95 S locks up between DC and Fredericksburg during commuting hours. A Friday commute could easily take 2, 2.5 hours. Alexandria/Arlington are not at all halfway for the Stafford person. Not even close. That gives them a (on a good day) 90 minute commute whereas you're inside the beltway. Perhaps try looking at Woodbridge which is a bit more reasonable for the Stafford spouse. Both of you will have a commute, but it won't be torturous for one and negligible for the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you say 5-6k do you mean that's your budget for monthly rent or that your budget to buy is 500-600k?

Arlington is good. Alexandria can be a very mixed bag. It's probably my last choice of school districts in the NoVa area.

Stafford to DC is going to be brutal. That's not an exaggeration. Absolutely brutal. 95 S locks up between DC and Fredericksburg during commuting hours. A Friday commute could easily take 2, 2.5 hours. Alexandria/Arlington are not at all halfway for the Stafford person. Not even close. That gives them a (on a good day) 90 minute commute whereas you're inside the beltway. Perhaps try looking at Woodbridge which is a bit more reasonable for the Stafford spouse. Both of you will have a commute, but it won't be torturous for one and negligible for the other.

The Stafford person is reverse commuting so it will not be as bad as you say.

[Anonymous]

OP here. We would NOT live in Stafford. One of us works in Stafford, & the other works in DC. We want to move to another area of VA, for example, Alexandria to Stafford job and Alexandria to DC job. Neither one of us plans to change jobs right now. So, what would be t

[Anonymous]

Alexandria schools are awful. Unless you want to pay for private, that's a no-go.

Arlington has amazing schools, and it's got a dead-easy commute for the DC spouse, but it's expensive and the Stafford commute would suck.

Agree with the Lorton/Springfield PPs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say 5-6k do you mean that's your budget for monthly rent or that your budget to buy is 500-600k?

Arlington is good. Alexandria can be a very mixed bag. It's probably my last choice of school districts in the NoVa area.

Stafford to DC is going to be brutal. That's not an exaggeration. Absolutely brutal. 95 S locks up between DC and Fredericksburg during commuting hours. A Friday commute could easily take 2, 2.5 hours. Alexandria/Arlington are not at all halfway for the Stafford person. Not even close. That gives them a (on a good day) 90 minute commute whereas you're inside the beltway. Perhaps try looking at Woodbridge which is a bit more reasonable for the Stafford spouse. Both of you will have a commute, but it won't be torturous for one and negligible for the other.

The Stafford person is reverse commuting so it will not be as bad as you say.

Eh it'll still be bad. And it's far. Alexandria/Arlington to DC commute is easy. If the spouse has to go from Stafford to Arlington or Alexandria that is really inequitable. They need to move further out than that, especially if school is the main priority since ACPS isn't great.