Good neighborhood for young families in NoVa?

[Anonymous]

McLean Hamlet is utopia for elementary school aged kids. So many kids biking together, playing and generally just having fun outside.

[Anonymous]

Lots of subdivisions with large lots in Manassas in the Colgan district (along Rt. 234 area). We have about 1 acre lots in our neighborhood. There are other subdivisions that have the community pools too (ours does not, but we also have older kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People that live in Vienna think Olive Garden is Michelin.

This is funny because there is a Vienna Foodies FB group and they explicitly promote the locally owned non-chain places.

[Anonymous]

The answer is always Vienna. But if you want close to the walkable areas you’re going to have to settle for a quarter acre

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean Hamlet is utopia for elementary school aged kids. So many kids biking together, playing and generally just having fun outside.

+1

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Ft Hunt area. We live here with 4 kids, tons of families with 3+ kids and WFH'ers. Waynewood might be exactly what you're looking for - lots of neighborhood socializing, and you can get your choice of homes there for 1.5+.

We like the area a little north (22307) because Waynewood is too *much* community for our tastes. Our kids and neighbors run back and forth all the time, we have a drink on the patio with neighbors, etc. but I do not have a car magnet nor custom-printed t-shirt for my neighborhood, which lots of Waynewood'ers do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One more point on how/where to find connection....

You find "connection" by BEING THE SPARK that starts some little activity. You send out a notice that says "cul de sac happy hour this Thursday" or you set up a Friday night outdoor movie that you project onto your house -- and you encourage everyone to bring some sort of game or snack.

If you come up with a plan -- people will show up and fill in the needs. THAT's how you find connection. You have to be the instigator. Other people want connection too... but they don't have ideas and they don't have the initiative.

This. This. This.

My sister is on her 4th house and forever complains the neighbors are not friendly/social. But she drives her kids to school, despite having a bus and only has them play in the backyard. They have these big wooded lots but never take walks and don’t even trick or treat - they go to some school trunk or treat instead. I don’t see how she expects to meet anyone.

Big lots are social killers OP. You want a neighborhood where - if you drive though on a nice Friday evening- you can barely drive for all the people and kids outside.

[Anonymous]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/47485-Meadow-Ridge-Ct-Sterling-VA-20165/12369480_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

Here ya go OP. 6 bedrooms in Loudoun. Very social neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Who's more obnoxious - the Vienna boosters or the McLean Hamlet boosters? Seems like a close call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if somebody has already say this but the bigger your yard, the more distant you’ll be from your neighbors, literally and figuratively. Also the more expensive the neighborhood, the more likely it is to be full of people who aren’t inclined to be socially inclusive. The closest neighborhoods I’ve seen, where people are happy and kids okay together and there is some social support, are duplex areas.

This.

[Anonymous]

Does McLean Hamlett have many 5/6 bedroom homes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One more point on how/where to find connection....

You find "connection" by BEING THE SPARK that starts some little activity. You send out a notice that says "cul de sac happy hour this Thursday" or you set up a Friday night outdoor movie that you project onto your house -- and you encourage everyone to bring some sort of game or snack.

If you come up with a plan -- people will show up and fill in the needs. THAT's how you find connection. You have to be the instigator. Other people want connection too... but they don't have ideas and they don't have the initiative.

This. This. This.

My sister is on her 4th house and forever complains the neighbors are not friendly/social. But she drives her kids to school, despite having a bus and only has them play in the backyard. They have these big wooded lots but never take walks and don’t even trick or treat - they go to some school trunk or treat instead. I don’t see how she expects to meet anyone.

Big lots are social killers OP. You want a neighborhood where - if you drive though on a nice Friday evening- you can barely drive for all the people and kids outside.

100% to both of these comments. When I first to our neighborhood, we didn't hand out too much with people. Then we renovated a bit and decided that we'd host all the parties in the backyard. Now we do most of the holidays and events for the street. It's been a lot of fun. Want a party, OP? Throw it and they will come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Del Ray is a young family paradise

schools are bad

lol - as predictable as the rising sun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Del Ray is a young family paradise

Why do people always suggest Del Ray regardless of what a poster is looking for? Last I checked, finding a 6 bedroom house on half an acre in Del Ray was quite a challenge.

Why do gross Americans think it takes 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and half an acre to raise two kids?

right? you want half an acre move to the country. my goodness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Del Ray is a young family paradise

Why do people always suggest Del Ray regardless of what a poster is looking for? Last I checked, finding a 6 bedroom house on half an acre in Del Ray was quite a challenge.

Why do gross Americans think it takes 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and half an acre to raise two kids?

Because the people who can actually READ noted that the OP asked for dedicated home office(s) - ie, typically extra bedrooms - and half an acre lot. We allow people to choose how they want to live here in the US instead of making everyone conform to what their neighbor or the government may choose.

we not only let them choose those lifestyles, we often subsidize them significantly, to the detriment of everyone else.