Western Prince William is much better than Loudoun. Try Piedmont, Dominion Valley or any of the dozens and dozens of communities in Haymarket/Gainesville.

Also I would not depend on my neighborhood to plan my kids activities. I would reach out to their friends or schoolmates and plan them.

Is there a particular reason that you're focused on South Riding? I lived there years ago and now live further north in Ashburn which I really prefer -- I wish I just started out here in the first place. The access to Rt 7 etc as the PP mentioned is great, I really prefer it to being along 50. The neighborhoods in Ashburn are super nice, with mature trees, trails, all the amenities, extremely family-friendly, etc. From south to north check out Broadlands, Ashburn Farm, and Ashburn Village.

What about Brambleton, Ashburn Farm, or Ashburn Village? Good schools, easy access to IAD/267/28, all communities with wonderful amenities. You could easily get a large TH within your budget in any of those 3.

We’re looking at large townhomes but may have to settle on a lot less square footage because prices have shot up in South Riding. Most of the time we’re in a multiple offer situation and we don’t win even after waiving most contingencies.

Are you looking for a sfh or are you ok with a townhome? 700 for a sfh in South Riding is hard. It is a great area for kids though so it may be worth it to go smaller to get in.

We're happy to compromise on location as long as the neighborhood is safe. Any suggestions?

You have to compromise on one of these 3 things: location, schools, price.

You can have 2.

We've been looking for a house in South Riding for a few years and keep getting outbid every spring. Any suggestions? Better to rent the American dream for now? We want to stay below 700k, but that is the most competitive amount in South Riding. We really want to live in a planned community with high rated schools and lots of activities. We have two kids age 3 and 6. I work in the office (Fairfax county) twice a week and my husband works from home and travels every 3 months. We're open to other areas but really like Loudoun. Most of the neighborhoods in our price range in Fairfax County where we currently rent are zoned for low rated schools, so it's been frustrating.