Living in Centreville, Chantilly, Burke... need real insight

[Anonymous]

People are focusing so much on “character”. Unless you live in Old Town Alexandria in a historic home, there is very little character to just about anywhere in NoVA.

Your McMansion next to the pill box does NOT have character.

I know I live in suburbia. But I think our neighborhood has some amenities that your typical housing development does not. We are NOT completely tied to our cars. My kids will never even need a bus to get to school and I avoid car line as much as humanly possible (barring extenuating circumstances, we walk)

Again, I get trying to have a decent commute. You decide what is important to you in a house and neighborhood. If you want more space and a nice yard on a somewhat reasonable budget, moving into the burbs is likely the answer.

I will continue to be a booster for our neighborhood. It has what we need, we love our neighbors and schools and proximity to amenities important to families. It may be a “sad” place to you, but we are quite happy here.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m in the Chantilly HS district, right on the line between Fairfax and Chantilly. Fair Lakes is right around the corner and has everything you need. Our neighborhood is lovely, has a private pool (but it’s hard to join), parks, walk to all 3 school levels, etc. Really just a nice laid-back place and so much more affordable than closer-in. I don’t feel like we settled at all, and we used to live in Arlington for years.

I can’t speak for further out in Chantilly/Centreville.

Hmm, this sounds like that ugly neighborhood behind Bob's Discount Furniture right off route 50. Glad you have a positive attitude about it. But I would not consider that area "lovely" or "walkable".

Wow, okay. That’s on you then. I live in a perfectly nice neighborhood where the people are very friendly and yes, it is walkable whether or not you enjoy what it’s walkable to. You forgot to mention the Starbucks, Giant, many restaurants, Total Wine, etc. in that same shopping center. But you sound snobby so I’m not surprised you pick the one store you find crappy to deride my neighborhood.

+1 Hello, neighbor! I love our neighborhood. It is one of the most affordable with all the amenities WE need. We actually bought when my husband worked in Ashburn and I went to Lorton a couple days a week. I now work in Reston and my husband in Stafford.

Walkability to all 3 levels of school was so important to us when we bought. We also walk to the shopping center in nice weather and the library (I used to hold Girl Scout meetings over there when my daughter was a little younger). There are a couple parks we can easily walk to, and the little one loves the trail by the creek in the middle of the hood. We haven't paid the ridiculous fees to join the pool since I am not a SAHM and we just can't spend the entire summer at the pool, but we have enough friends with memberships that my kids can usually go a few times in the summer.

We are in the process of renovating our house right now and should have it all fixed up in the next couple months - new windows, updated bathrooms, new siding, etc. Lots of people have been sprucing their homes up lately.

Yes, we visit a lot of chain stores and restaurants. It's the burbs. We're fine with it.

I had thought about whether we should move early on in this mess for a little more room, but the good things about this neighborhood keep me here. I love being able to hear the games and band over at the HS from my backyard. I love that the Homecoming parade goes right by my house (in normal times). I love that my daughter has a best friend right next door. It is so very small town, honestly. Our neighborhood has an active social media where we all help each other out with recommendations and sharing things, etc. It'sreally nice and I just can't leave it.

Do you mind sharing more info for those of us that are house hunting? What school district?

This is Greenbriar. The homes are 50 ish years old, so they are in various stages of repair. Lots of chances to buy something and fix it up to your liking. There are 2 ESs in the neighborhood (very creatively named Greenbriar East and West), Rocky Run MS and Chantilly HS. Seriously, it is very Brady Bunch/Leave it to Beaver out here in the old timey feel.

jfc.

?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centreville and Chantilly are really diverse.

in terms of chain restaurants?

I’m really so confused by people insisting these areas are mostly chain restaurants. Are you just trolling? Maybe you haven’t actually been there? There are so many non-chain restaurants - drive around for 5 minutes and you’d see what I mean just in Korean ones alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centreville and Chantilly are really diverse.

in terms of chain restaurants?

I’m really so confused by people insisting these areas are mostly chain restaurants. Are you just trolling? Maybe you haven’t actually been there? There are so many non-chain restaurants - drive around for 5 minutes and you’d see what I mean just in Korean ones alone.

+1, there are so many little family owned restaurants. Yes, many are in strip malls.

They tend to be inexpensive and casual, maybe that is PP's issue. There is not a lot of fine dining in the burbs. If you are a gourmand or a DINK then it's not for you but most of us don't eat out frequently and when we do we have a budget and kids to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centreville and Chantilly are really diverse.

in terms of chain restaurants?

I’m really so confused by people insisting these areas are mostly chain restaurants. Are you just trolling? Maybe you haven’t actually been there? There are so many non-chain restaurants - drive around for 5 minutes and you’d see what I mean just in Korean ones alone.

+1, there are so many little family owned restaurants. Yes, many are in strip malls.

They tend to be inexpensive and casual, maybe that is PP's issue. There is not a lot of fine dining in the burbs. If you are a gourmand or a DINK then it's not for you but most of us don't eat out frequently and when we do we have a budget and kids to consider.

As someone who lives out here and loves it except for the restaurant factor, I think this is part of it. I can get food at mid-range prices that's just as good as what we had in the city. But yes, there's something less appealing about restaurants in strip malls, very few of which invest much in decor. So the atmosphere isn't quite the same. And let's face it, as a family of four, we are not exactly bringing much style to the scene!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Centreville and Chantilly are really diverse.

in terms of chain restaurants?

I’m really so confused by people insisting these areas are mostly chain restaurants. Are you just trolling? Maybe you haven’t actually been there? There are so many non-chain restaurants - drive around for 5 minutes and you’d see what I mean just in Korean ones alone.

+1, there are so many little family owned restaurants. Yes, many are in strip malls.

They tend to be inexpensive and casual, maybe that is PP's issue. There is not a lot of fine dining in the burbs. If you are a gourmand or a DINK then it's not for you but most of us don't eat out frequently and when we do we have a budget and kids to consider.

there is a Thai restaurant in the Greenbriar Center that I like. The owner is so generous, and several years ago I found out a former colleague lived in the same neighborhood as him in Centreville. It just made me like him and the restaurant more to hear what a nice person he is IRL.

[Anonymous]

There is a a nothing “central” about Centreville. It is the next
Annandale. Stay away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a a nothing “central” about Centreville. It is the next
Annandale. Stay away.

This is helpful.

The problem with Annandale is?

[Anonymous]

heavy military presence; that has plus's (like tons of great people we've met and many military families tend to be friendlier

Yes a heavy military. NO it is not a plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

heavy military presence; that has plus's (like tons of great people we've met and many military families tend to be friendlier

Yes a heavy military. NO it is not a plus.

ok, not necessarily a "plus" as in "buy here because it has more military!" but I meant more that the military families are generally pretty nice and on average seem to be more friendly-leaning than many of our non-military neighbors; most of the Scouts/PTA/etc leads also seem to be mlitary - many of them just seem to jump in feet first to the community. Only down side is the higher level of friendship flux as a result of their transfers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

heavy military presence; that has plus's (like tons of great people we've met and many military families tend to be friendlier

Yes a heavy military. NO it is not a plus.

ok, not necessarily a "plus" as in "buy here because it has more military!" but I meant more that the military families are generally pretty nice and on average seem to be more friendly-leaning than many of our non-military neighbors; most of the Scouts/PTA/etc leads also seem to be mlitary - many of them just seem to jump in feet first to the community. Only down side is the higher level of friendship flux as a result of their transfers.

I agree with this sentiment regarding the military families being out with the community focus. I've noticed the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a a nothing “central” about Centreville. It is the next
Annandale. Stay away.

This is helpful.

The problem with Annandale is?

one if my best friends lives in Annandale in Canterbury Woods. Lovely little neighborhood. They track to Woodson.

Are you just talking about the Koreatown aspect? I don't view that as a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Burke is the most cost effective place to by if you are looking for a house in a good school district. Tons of family activities as well. My house backs to a lake/park which is amazing during the pandemic but isn't something I could have afforded in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Here is a cute little house in Franklin Farm for $500k

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Herndon/3216-Tranquility-Ln-20171/home/9425634

[Anonymous]

Ok for all the dumping on restaurants; there is actually decent asian and other ethnic food 'out there'. We live in NW DC and actually have a fondness for a couple dumpy looking strip mall joints near Dulles. Honestly, just ask them to make you something they like to eat and you'll get a great meal. Plus there seems to be a decent amount of greenery around. I'm not sure why there is so much ill will to the area (unless you are commuting to foggy bottom daily).