Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 10:01     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
West Springfield and Burke are not a difficult commute to Tysons if yoi take Guinea or Oiley to Prosperity to ??? Gallows???. Back roads all the way in.

Is the MD job along a metro line?

Can you leave early or late?
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 10:01     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5720-Overly-Dr_Alexandria_VA_22310_M58084-70963?row=10

This is in Bush Hill's attendance area. Nice school. $406K
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 10:00     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
The range of schools you will get for that price range in Fairfax are similar to that of the DCC, but you will get a lot less house.

BTDT in our search a year ago.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:57     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Anonymous wrote:Yikes ... I don't think you're going to get a single family with good schools under 400. A 3 bedroom townhome, sure. Look in the West Springfield area (22152, parts of 22153 but keep an eye on what school pyramid you're in), or maybe Vienna if you can stretch your budget to 450ish. If you're willing to sacrifice on schools a bit you could try 22310/22315/parts of 22079 - Hayfield ES and Island Creek ES are good, Clermont is also good, but Hayfield Secondary and Edison HS are average, but Hayfield at least does have AP. But if you move before middle/high school it's not a problem, and there's nothing inherently wrong with Hayfield/Edison, they're just not GREAT high schools. That area is nice and convenient with lots of shops you don't have to travel far to get to. Best of luck.


Edison has IB.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:55     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Where is the job? NOVA is a big place.


Tyson's. but I'll have to commute back to College Park until I can find a new job.


I would look in Alexandria south of the Beltway. 22310 would be probably easiest for both your commutes. I would research the schools in that area though; they can be a bit of a mixed bag.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:53     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Yikes ... I don't think you're going to get a single family with good schools under 400. A 3 bedroom townhome, sure. Look in the West Springfield area (22152, parts of 22153 but keep an eye on what school pyramid you're in), or maybe Vienna if you can stretch your budget to 450ish. If you're willing to sacrifice on schools a bit you could try 22310/22315/parts of 22079 - Hayfield ES and Island Creek ES are good, Clermont is also good, but Hayfield Secondary and Edison HS are average, but Hayfield at least does have AP. But if you move before middle/high school it's not a problem, and there's nothing inherently wrong with Hayfield/Edison, they're just not GREAT high schools. That area is nice and convenient with lots of shops you don't have to travel far to get to. Best of luck.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:53     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Anonymous wrote:Try 22042 in the Mason Crest elementary school neighborhoods, or 22310 in the Clermont elementary school neighborhoods, like Ridge View next to Wilton Woods. The latter is esp. good for commuting to MD. Good luck.


Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:52     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking in that price range, and $400K is not going to get you very far in Falls Church. There's houses in the Annandale HS pyramid for that price, or if you want to go out farther towards Burke/ West Springfield you can get a townhome in that range.


PP here, another thought is in the southern part of Kingstowne you can find townhomes in this range zoned for Hayfield.

If you really want a SFH, you're not going to find much in that price range (as I said, we've been looking for a while). We're actually focusing on PG County now because we couldn't find a decent SFH in FFX. If you go a lot further outside the beltway it might be doable, but that wasn't an option for us due to commutes.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:52     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Anonymous wrote:Where is the job? NOVA is a big place.


Tyson's. but I'll have to commute back to College Park until I can find a new job.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:51     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Looks like there are a couple of available SFH's feeding into Falls Church HS if you can go a bit over $400K:
http://franklymls.com/FX8395768
http://franklymls.com/FX8388138

Here's one in Pimmit Hills: http://franklymls.com/FX8395682

But in that price range, you *might* be able to find a townhouse, but you are mostly looking in Alexandria and points further West and South. (Chantilly, Centreville, Fair Oaks, Springfield, Burke.)
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:50     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Try 22042 in the Mason Crest elementary school neighborhoods, or 22310 in the Clermont elementary school neighborhoods, like Ridge View next to Wilton Woods. The latter is esp. good for commuting to MD. Good luck.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:42     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Not Falls Church or anywhere close. Sorry. I think you could get a TH for around 500k in Vienna or maybe an older one near East Falls Church/7 Corners.

I just sold a 2 bedroom condo there for 450k.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:40     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
Where is the job? NOVA is a big place.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:40     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
I have been looking in that price range, and $400K is not going to get you very far in Falls Church. There's houses in the Annandale HS pyramid for that price, or if you want to go out farther towards Burke/ West Springfield you can get a townhome in that range.
Anonymous
Post 07/07/2014 09:36     Subject: Where to buy in Fairfax County with $400k budget
We're currently in MoCo zoned for the DCC and I want out. Also husband works in N. Virginia and I hope to eventually, so we'd like to make the leap to the other side of the river before our kids start school (our oldest will start in 2015). Where can we find a 3BR SFH for $400k? Could potentially go a bit over depending what we get for our current house, but not much. Priority is good schools and a yard for kids to play in. Also not too far out as I need to commute back to MD for a while. Was thinking Falls Church- any particular neighborhoods we should keep an eye out for? Or other suggestions?