Relocate to Richmond?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

People posting Richmond sucks cause “downtown” is dead tells me you know nothing about and have probably never been to Richmond.

OP, a mom looking for catholic schools for her daughter, seems like the type to party all night, so Richmond's lack of nightlife is a major issue lol. The city is packed on weekends, good luck trying to find parking near any trail. Richmond and the suburbs are much more liberal than Great Falls or Potomac. The violent crime rate in Richmond is less than half of that of DC and the open high school is the best high school in Virginia. You don't have to move here if you don't like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We relocated to the RVA suburbs so DC can attend a specialized program in the Henrico County. It is very similar to the NoVA suburbs but with less traffic. 99% of the moms are SAH, blonde, thin, and very soft spoken and there are lots of families from old money, so even the houses in the suburbs are nicely decorated with quality furniture. I grew up in McLean, DH in Bethesda, and the RVA suburbs are the same, very meh. They don't hold a candle to Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon, Santa Fe, Telluride etc. and other truly beautiful places.
The city is fabulous, with great architecture, restaurants, and farmers markets. It is very artsy and quirky due to VCU, something that DC doesn't have, and you won't meet a lot of paper pushers. It is also much more outdoorsy than DC and, if you are into that, there are lots of outdoor activities right in the city. Our kids took a ton of outdoor camps. The antique shopping is amazing, as good as the one in Hudson.

You'd move to a city for antique shops?

No, but it's a major plus for me. If you read my original post, we moved here for schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Correct me if I am wrong, but Richmond also lacks any major league sports franchises. Another drawback of a small city.

For some.

No major league sports. They do have a minor league baseball team and two division 1 college sports teams. They do have a NASCAR track and you can make fun of RIR all you want but I have been to some races in the pit and they’re fun (and I don’t know anything re NASCAR). You are 90 min (or less) from the beach. You are about an hour from the mountains.

I am from Richmond and my entire family still lives there so I go back a lot. It’s a lot more happening and fun then when I lived there.

I also have lived and worked in Baltimore and to each their own but it was not a wonderful place to live, at all.

Yup, not surprised you dislike Baltimore and like NASCAR. Seriously it’s stereotypes of the South come to life.

“Baltimore is better than your city and is a great city!” - said no one ever

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Correct me if I am wrong, but Richmond also lacks any major league sports franchises. Another drawback of a small city.

For some.

No major league sports. They do have a minor league baseball team and two division 1 college sports teams. They do have a NASCAR track and you can make fun of RIR all you want but I have been to some races in the pit and they’re fun (and I don’t know anything re NASCAR). You are 90 min (or less) from the beach. You are about an hour from the mountains.

I am from Richmond and my entire family still lives there so I go back a lot. It’s a lot more happening and fun then when I lived there.

I also have lived and worked in Baltimore and to each their own but it was not a wonderful place to live, at all.

Yup, not surprised you dislike Baltimore and like NASCAR. Seriously it’s stereotypes of the South come to life.

“Baltimore is better than your city and is a great city!” - said no one ever

Maybe the ones living in the Texas Cancer Belt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

People posting Richmond sucks cause “downtown” is dead tells me you know nothing about and have probably never been to Richmond.

OP, a mom looking for catholic schools for her daughter, seems like the type to party all night, so Richmond's lack of nightlife is a major issue lol. The city is packed on weekends, good luck trying to find parking near any trail. Richmond and the suburbs are much more liberal than Great Falls or Potomac. The violent crime rate in Richmond is less than half of that of DC and the open high school is the best high school in Virginia. You don't have to move here if you don't like it.

Open High School is not the best high school in Virginia and it is very small (200 kids), so a real crap shoot to get into.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

People posting Richmond sucks cause “downtown” is dead tells me you know nothing about and have probably never been to Richmond.

OP, a mom looking for catholic schools for her daughter, seems like the type to party all night, so Richmond's lack of nightlife is a major issue lol. The city is packed on weekends, good luck trying to find parking near any trail. Richmond and the suburbs are much more liberal than Great Falls or Potomac. The violent crime rate in Richmond is less than half of that of DC and the open high school is the best high school in Virginia. You don't have to move here if you don't like it.

Open High School is not the best high school in Virginia and it is very small (200 kids), so a real crap shoot to get into.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia

Please link me to the HS in DC with 98% of the kids on free lunches, over 50% minorities with 100% graduation rates in 4 years, super high test scores, college readiness, and amazing AP participation rates. https://www.greatschools.org/virginia/richmond/1447-Open-High-School/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

People posting Richmond sucks cause “downtown” is dead tells me you know nothing about and have probably never been to Richmond.

OP, a mom looking for catholic schools for her daughter, seems like the type to party all night, so Richmond's lack of nightlife is a major issue lol. The city is packed on weekends, good luck trying to find parking near any trail. Richmond and the suburbs are much more liberal than Great Falls or Potomac. The violent crime rate in Richmond is less than half of that of DC and the open high school is the best high school in Virginia. You don't have to move here if you don't like it.

Open High School is not the best high school in Virginia and it is very small (200 kids), so a real crap shoot to get into.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia

Please link me to the HS in DC with 98% of the kids on free lunches, over 50% minorities with 100% graduation rates in 4 years, super high test scores, college readiness, and amazing AP participation rates. https://www.greatschools.org/virginia/richmond/1447-Open-High-School/

"Best" HS in DC - The school without walls. 3% free lunches, 1230 SAT (lol)
Richmond Community High School - 99% free lunches, 1080 SAT. Please find me another DC high school with this level of poverty and minority rates and these test scores and graduation rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Correct me if I am wrong, but Richmond also lacks any major league sports franchises. Another drawback of a small city.

For some.

No major league sports. They do have a minor league baseball team and two division 1 college sports teams. They do have a NASCAR track and you can make fun of RIR all you want but I have been to some races in the pit and they’re fun (and I don’t know anything re NASCAR). You are 90 min (or less) from the beach. You are about an hour from the mountains.

I am from Richmond and my entire family still lives there so I go back a lot. It’s a lot more happening and fun then when I lived there.

I also have lived and worked in Baltimore and to each their own but it was not a wonderful place to live, at all.

Yup, not surprised you dislike Baltimore and like NASCAR. Seriously it’s stereotypes of the South come to life.

“Baltimore is better than your city and is a great city!” - said no one ever

Having been to Richmond, Baltimore has far better museums, shopping, and restaurants. It isn’t even close. Add in beautiful suburbs with great public schools, excellent private and Catholic options inside and outside city, the best hospital in the country, easy access to four major airports and two major league teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

People posting Richmond sucks cause “downtown” is dead tells me you know nothing about and have probably never been to Richmond.

I was just there a month ago. Disappointing is an understatement.

[Anonymous]

We moved to the Richmond suburbs from NOVA in 2020. I'll be honest- when we first started discussing where to relocated to in VA, Richmond was a hard NO for me, given some very stereotypes displayed on this thread.

18 months later, I can say without a doubt moving here was the best decision my husband and I have made in our marriage and for our family. The mountains are an hour a way, and the VA beach is a day-trip. Lots of historical sites, parks, and cultural activities. Far less traffic, and parking usually isn't an issue anywhere you go. You can buy a lot of home on a decent sized lot in a nice neighborhood. Schools, especially in the western suburbs, are on par with NOVA. And we have found it much easier to get involved in the community and meet people than we ever did in DC (and DH lived there his whole life). DC has always had this transitionary aspect to it that makes it hard to develop relationships. Here, people seem to know that you are putting down roots. Plus it's just not as career/networked focused as DC, which is a welcome changed. And weather doesn't seem to shut down the region like it does in DC.

Love it here, and cringe every time we have to go back to the DC area. Maybe if I was in my late 20s-mid 30s, it would seem like a bit of a drag, but in your 40s and with kids, it's pretty ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to the Richmond suburbs from NOVA in 2020. I'll be honest- when we first started discussing where to relocated to in VA, Richmond was a hard NO for me, given some very stereotypes displayed on this thread.

18 months later, I can say without a doubt moving here was the best decision my husband and I have made in our marriage and for our family. The mountains are an hour a way, and the VA beach is a day-trip. Lots of historical sites, parks, and cultural activities. Far less traffic, and parking usually isn't an issue anywhere you go. You can buy a lot of home on a decent sized lot in a nice neighborhood. Schools, especially in the western suburbs, are on par with NOVA. And we have found it much easier to get involved in the community and meet people than we ever did in DC (and DH lived there his whole life). DC has always had this transitionary aspect to it that makes it hard to develop relationships. Here, people seem to know that you are putting down roots. Plus it's just not as career/networked focused as DC, which is a welcome changed. And weather doesn't seem to shut down the region like it does in DC.

Love it here, and cringe every time we have to go back to the DC area. Maybe if I was in my late 20s-mid 30s, it would seem like a bit of a drag, but in your 40s and with kids, it's pretty ideal.

+1 to all of this and I will say that (with the exception of public schools) the same goes for living in the city. People come to RVA to put down roots and it shows. We’ve made more friends here than we ever did in our 12 years in DC (Mt. Pleasant for 8). It’s a true community and not one built on what law firm you work for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks. We are doing private (Catholic) regardless. Planning on living in suburbs.

Dc is pretty dead at night. Lived in the city for 15 years.

Can anyone recommend neighborhoods? Looking to spend less than 800, big lot, walkable would be great

You can probably still do some of Colonies/Foxhall under 800, and you will be close to St. Mary's. But that's Henrico. Walkable in the sense of there are some sidewalks. LOL. Very suburban. Tons of families. Mix in terms of blue/red if that matters....but still leans red. Medium sized lots....maybe .4 acres?

There are lots of parts of west end and far west end of Henrico that would fit that except for "walkable."

To me, that means like you can walk to grocery stores, restaurants, etc....and you aren't really going to find that except if you're near Carytown or the Fan or Church Hill, etc....or maybe over by Libbie, which is near west end...but that doesn't have a TON of stuff to walk to. You didn't say how big you wanted the house to be. If you want a cute little house, you could find that in the near west end or parts of Richmond closer to the fan. But it will hard to find a bigger house on a big lot in that price range.

I am actually kind of shocked how much prices are rising. Our house has gone up like 150,000 in the last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[google]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tobacco Capitol

Ok. Super helpful. Any other enlightening info?

Capital of the Confederacy.

Do you watch the news? The Robert E Lee monument is DOWN. And the protests last summer and the George Floyd lights on that monument were named the most important piece of protest artwork in decades. So to quote Bob Dylan “times they are a-changin”

I feel like people who post this stuff aren't from Richmond or don't really get it-- I live in DC but was born and raised in Richmond and still visit my parents there 1x a month. It is not some laid back artsy cool city on the up and up. There is old money in the museum district, libby and grove and church hill, sure, and there ARE cute places and artsy kids throughout the fan because of VCU. There are also horrendous schools, very high crime, and it is very dead in most places. Downtown is absolutely dead on the weekend, even places like carytown which is like the main attraction downtown leave a lot to be desired-- scotts edition is something but it's not much. you certainly need a car there and public transport is a joke.

I also think people are not wrong that it is home of the confederacy there are very very deeply held conservative values throughout richmond and the adjacent burbs, I think you can see that playing out right now in the very close governances race in VA. Not for everyone, but thinking that most people that are from DC/NOVA/MD are escaping this area to move to richmond bc its some slower pace mecca for the arts is a joke. its cheaper, and you get what you pay for. IT'S NOT PERSONAL AGAINST YOU OR THE DECISION YOU MAKE.

I am from Richmond. I was born at Henrico Doctors hospital. I am sitting outside in my backyard in the Fan right now. My kid goes to PUBLIC school in the city (8th grade) I am heavily involved in the school board. I make public comment every meeting and sit on committees and boards all around town

I think this really depends on if you're living in the city or the suburbs. I'm in the suburbs and kind of wish I'd never done it, but the schools are good and the driving is easy. But it's soccer moms for miles around and boring as hell. I do make it downtown every once in a while but it's a 25 minute drive and then I have to find parking. Easier to get take out from Red Salt. There's no doubt the Fan area is pretty and walkable and has more liberal people--who are more my people.

Unless the Near West End has changed a lot (which maybe it has but maybe not considering all the Youngkin signs I just saw driving around near my parents' house), it's a lot of old money and St. Chris and St. Catherines and Collegiate. A lot of FFVs....and if you're from Richmond, you know what that means. It IS pretty, but you get more bang for your buck in the Far West End McMansions.

Richmond is definitely cooler than when I was growing up here. It is way more convenient than DC and the NOVA suburbs. It's an easier life. We do have good restaurants and we're getting more cultural and entertainment options. But your experience living here will depend on what area you live in. And don't even ask me about Chesterfield, because who lives across the river? (That's a joke, BTW....sort of.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We relocated to the RVA suburbs so DC can attend a specialized program in the Henrico County. It is very similar to the NoVA suburbs but with less traffic. 99% of the moms are SAH, blonde, thin, and very soft spoken and there are lots of families from old money, so even the houses in the suburbs are nicely decorated with quality furniture. I grew up in McLean, DH in Bethesda, and the RVA suburbs are the same, very meh. They don't hold a candle to Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon, Santa Fe, Telluride etc. and other truly beautiful places.
The city is fabulous, with great architecture, restaurants, and farmers markets. It is very artsy and quirky due to VCU, something that DC doesn't have, and you won't meet a lot of paper pushers. It is also much more outdoorsy than DC and, if you are into that, there are lots of outdoor activities right in the city. Our kids took a ton of outdoor camps. The antique shopping is amazing, as good as the one in Hudson.

You'd move to a city for antique shops?

No, but it's a major plus for me. If you read my original post, we moved here for schools.

If you don’t mind what specialized program? (I think we may be considering the same place and wondering if you like it)

[Anonymous]

I’d be assuming that person meant one of the Henrico centers? My son attends one. I’m the PP in the boring suburbs. Lol. There are quite a few good ones.