Tempted to move to great falls from McLean as prices seem to be falling

[Anonymous]

We live in McLean and I have always wanted to move out to Great Falls to live in one of the really large houses out on a large plot of land.

Right now I have noticed prices have fallen and it is becoming more affordable.

I am concerned that prices will keep falling, is there a trend to people leaving great falls and it's no longer as coveted? I notice most of the sellers are really old. How does the Langley pyramid keep getting kids? What area are the younger kids and families?

Am I delusional?

[Anonymous]

If a deal looks good, snap it up. Just go and expect to be there for a while.

[Anonymous]

How do you know the sellers are old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the sellers are old?

I look them up by googling their details in the fairfaxcounty assesment database.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a deal looks good, snap it up. Just go and expect to be there for a while.

I am seeing some homes that have been on the market and then pulled, and then put on again over the course of 2015-2016

The particular home sold for 1.5 million in 2003 and now is going for 1.4 still without takers. I am wondering how low it will go?

[Anonymous]

Per our realtor, there is a glut of $1m+ houses for sale in GF because the trend nowadays is to live closer to the city rather than on large houses on huge plots in less-accessible suburbs. I can only assume that NoVa's ever-worsening traffic is exacerbating this. As you say, it's just no longer as coveted. That may not last long with close-in suburbs as expensive as they are, however. I can only figure that as prices drop, more people will start moving there again if they can get so much more for their money.

Langley is underenrolled.

[Anonymous]

McLean (22101) is the way to go as far as house price appreciation is concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean (22101) is the way to go as far as house price appreciation is concerned.

But Great Falls is much, much nicer OP.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I don't think prices there are going to fall over the long term. If you plan to be there a while - you will be fine. Go for it!

[Anonymous]

Great Falls is great if you don't mind the traffic. I know people who drive their kids to school and have to look at the traffic apps to decide how early to leave/which way to go. I would love to move there but my DH works downtown and refuses to look outside the beltway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean (22101) is the way to go as far as house price appreciation is concerned.

But Great Falls is much, much nicer OP.

Depends on what you want.
GF is nicer if you want huge yard, privacy. But the traffic isn't nicer, and the convenience isn't nicer.

[Anonymous]

GF is nicer if you want huge yard, privacy. But the traffic isn't nicer, and the convenience isn't nicer.

This is it, exactly. I like GF, but - for instance - where do you go to the gym? One tiny Safeway, few restaurants, 45min commute to high school. Just not much there.

[Anonymous]

Great Falls is nicer in every way. If you know anything about GF, you can get so much more house for your money.

People I know in GF entertain ALL the time - they have elaborate homes and gardens, with pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, and tons of land.

"Traffic" and "convenience" are not a problem at all, to the people that live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the sellers are old?

NP but we looked at a lot of Great Falls houses and they had elevators and handicap accessible features for the elderly. It was also very obvious from the decor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great Falls is nicer in every way. If you know anything about GF, you can get so much more house for your money.

People I know in GF entertain ALL the time - they have elaborate homes and gardens, with pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, and tons of land.

"Traffic" and "convenience" are not a problem at all, to the people that live there.

Why exactly do you think you get more house for the money there? Obviously it's not because of the schools. It's because GF residents have to deal with the traffic and inconvenience which, quite frankly, wasn't as much of an issue when many of the homes there were built.