The thread for the, "buying under $600,000," crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good Schools, nice neighborhood, accessible to Fairfax/Vienna metro, nature trail in neighborhood, community pool, close to downtown historic Fairfax. Fairfax City has a small town feel, lower taxes than the County and better services. Often appears on lists of the "best places to live".

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3810-Richard-Ave_Fairfax_VA_22031_M55517-36622?row=23

+1 Fairfax City > Burke/Springfield. Also a better commute to the 267 corridor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in truxton circle (shaw) and just bought a great townhouse for 500k. I feel like we are in the middle of everything, I can't recommend this neighborhood enough!

We used to rent in Truxton Circle (07-09). I loved it. Great walkability. We lived on a block with wonderful neighbors. I'm surprised places can be found for less than 600k now. Great for singles or couples without kids. Probably not so great if you have kids, but things change fast in DC and it's been four years since I lived there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out 22042 along Holmes Run Park, and across it into Annandale. Very pretty, well-kept streets with lots of trees and flowers. Here's a pretty good one.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/3402-Slade-Ct-22042/home/9636806

What MS and HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umm, NE DC PP, those links are terrible. The yellow one is literally falling apart!

Sorry about that, I guess the nicer ones that were on the market last week got snatched up.

Why even bother posting them? Seriously, that one on Monroe is unlivable.

The one in the first link is really nice!

[Anonymous]

Highly recommend the VRE train from FairfaxCity/Burke/Springfield. Free parking, very civilized.

[Anonymous]

The VRE itself is great, but its limited schedule doesn't make it a realistic commuting option for many people. It's also not a great way to get to Foggy Bottom or K Street since it doesn't stop close to there.

[Anonymous]

Nice one, still under $600k. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/9820-Perrott-Ct_Fairfax_VA_22031_M69077-89486?row=1

[Anonymous]

Bowie is another good option for this crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised more people haven't suggested Brightwood.

We bought a few years ago in the area where 16th Street Heights and Brightwood meet. We are very happy with our neighborhood. When we first moved in, it was quiet and it seemed like mostly older residents. But in the last two years or so, tons of young families and couples who are planning to start families have been buying nearby.

If you hate the rectangular brick boxes, which is what I have, there are lots of bungalows mixed in. Some will be just out of your price range, but maybe on the north side you could find a cute one.

We're kind of in a "no man's land" between Petworth and Takoma Park (and Silver Spring just a little bit further north) as far as retail and restaurants go, but the development has started. It's changed so much in the short time we've lived there. Like it or not, we do have the new Walmart in walking distance, along with a Rite Aid and two CVS's on Georgia Avenue. There are some small but cute restaurants and coffee shops in the area, too.

We're not close to a Metro, but we have easy access to the Georgia Ave., 14th Street and 16th Street bus routes.

I also like that I have easy access to other parts of the area via Military Road and Rock Creek Parkway.

I agree with the PP who suggested Fort Totten.

I second this neighborhood! We just moved here 2 years ago - lots of adorable craftmans, great parks, slow development, but it's coming. Houses are in your range - join us!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, when will the high cost of living in the DC metro area finally encourage talented people and their employers to relocate elsewhere. Six hundred thousand can buy you a very nice life (house, school district, extras) almost anywhere outside this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, when will the high cost of living in the DC metro area finally encourage talented people and their employers to relocate elsewhere. Six hundred thousand can buy you a very nice life (house, school district, extras) almost anywhere outside this area.

I am on your side (and probably at or below your price range!) but this isn't really true. Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and NYC are all less affordable than here, yet people still want to buy there (and here). That's why we feel OK about spending nearly half a million, which used to seem like SO much money, on a little rowhouse in an up-and-coming neighborhood. In the six years we've owned it, it has increased in value by about 60%. Our HHI is under $200k, but we would earn way less than that elsewhere. So it makes sense to pay more for a house here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, when will the high cost of living in the DC metro area finally encourage talented people and their employers to relocate elsewhere. Six hundred thousand can buy you a very nice life (house, school district, extras) almost anywhere outside this area.

I think the Govt should be totally decentralized. No reason for so much of it to be located in one city. That would change the dynamic, wouldn't it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, when will the high cost of living in the DC metro area finally encourage talented people and their employers to relocate elsewhere. Six hundred thousand can buy you a very nice life (house, school district, extras) almost anywhere outside this area.

I am on your side (and probably at or below your price range!) but this isn't really true. Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and NYC are all less affordable than here, yet people still want to buy there (and here). That's why we feel OK about spending nearly half a million, which used to seem like SO much money, on a little rowhouse in an up-and-coming neighborhood. In the six years we've owned it, it has increased in value by about 60%. Our HHI is under $200k, but we would earn way less than that elsewhere. So it makes sense to pay more for a house here.

My sister-in-law is a Chicago realtor. You can find more affordable close-in housing in Chicago than you can in the DC metro area. Los Angeles is currently as expensive as DC, but no more so. San Francisco and New York are moreexpensive, yes. I am all for decentralizing the federal functions to more affordable, or equally affordable areas, so that we have a choice on where to live. I am tired of looking at very ordinary houses and very long commutes just to work in this area. I am ready to take my $600,000 and make a better life for my family elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, when will the high cost of living in the DC metro area finally encourage talented people and their employers to relocate elsewhere. Six hundred thousand can buy you a very nice life (house, school district, extras) almost anywhere outside this area.

I am on your side (and probably at or below your price range!) but this isn't really true. Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and NYC are all less affordable than here, yet people still want to buy there (and here). That's why we feel OK about spending nearly half a million, which used to seem like SO much money, on a little rowhouse in an up-and-coming neighborhood. In the six years we've owned it, it has increased in value by about 60%. Our HHI is under $200k, but we would earn way less than that elsewhere. So it makes sense to pay more for a house here.

My sister-in-law is a Chicago realtor. You can find more affordable close-in housing in Chicago than you can in the DC metro area. Los Angeles is currently as expensive as DC, but no more so. San Francisco and New York are moreexpensive, yes. I am all for decentralizing the federal functions to more affordable, or equally affordable areas, so that we have a choice on where to live. I am tired of looking at very ordinary houses and very long commutes just to work in this area. I am ready to take my $600,000 and make a better life for my family elsewhere.

OK.

[Anonymous]

Try 22042 on Redfin