Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 20:03     Subject: Re:Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Single mom with two kids who went from renting a condo by a Metro stop to moving farther out this past summer. It's a long(er) commute but doable so far with my hybrid schedule. Something that wasn't on my radar are the express commuter buses. Turns out there is one right by us with free parking (although I have yet to try it). Two things have helped: 1) both kids are out of aftercare so I no longer have that pick up and 2) one kid started middle school and switched from a travel sport to FCPS middle school sports so can take a bus home rather than needing a ride. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 18:01     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:Which metro line is your office near. Making sure you do not have to change makes things simpler.


Red line
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 18:00     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you have to commute to DC everyday? We ended up in Vienna and it has been nice but if I had to do it over again I would have bought in Loudoun county, further out. That’s too far if you need to commute daily to DC. Reston is a good place to start looking with your budget.


OP here. Yes, commute to DC everyday + traveling to other states as well every week for work. thank you for the suggestions.


How long is your commute now, OP? How long of a commute would you tolerate? Do your kids have sports and activities you need to get them to? Is it possible you might change jobs?

I was going to say don’t do this, but then I thought about it a little. I am a single mom with kids who are MS and HS. I work from home. If I had to start going to the office, my kids would be fine getting to and from school on their own, and are quite comfortable being at home without me in our very safe neighborhood. They can even hang out with friends and ride bikes places, and I trust them to not get into trouble or do bad things when I am not around. That said, it would be pretty hard to get them to and from sports practices without me around.

So, while part of me thinks it would be a nightmare, it really depends on you and your kids. We really do love our home and our neighborhood and it was worth the years I did have to spend commuting.


My commute now is 20mins in traffic, 8 mins no traffic. Office is on Red line, so I was thinking instead of driving, I could just do the red line if possible. I can also perhaps sustain a 35-45min drive. Both kids do have sports and activities currently (Soccer, tennis and other activities) I would not want to change my job since I m doing well. Kids are getting into MS now..so thought of getting a place to call home after years of renting.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 15:34     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Which metro line is your office near. Making sure you do not have to change makes things simpler.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 15:31     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Commute vis (VRE) Virginia Railway Express/Metro/or commit to spending a lot of money on the EZ PASS commuting lanes to drive in.

I can help you with VRE. Free parking. Plenty of parking. Nice commuter experience. You'd want to live w/in a couple miles of a station - so the drive to the station isn't a hassle. Look at the stations of Rolling Road and Burke. The high schools pyramids around those would be: West Springfield, Robinson, Woodson, Lake Braddock.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 15:13     Subject: Re:Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The Fox Mill Estates in the Herndon, Reston area of Virginia have simgle family homes in your price range. The MS is Rachel Carson and the HS is South Lakes High School. SLHS is an IB program. The kids in the IB program have pretty good college placements.

Franklin Farms is near by and similarly priced housing, it might be a bit more expensive. The HS is Chantilly HS.


A single family in this area in that budget will be tight. A townhouse is very possible.


Single Family homes in Fox Mill are in the $700,000 range.


If OP is ok with a longer commute, this neighborhood is wonderful.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 15:11     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you have to commute to DC everyday? We ended up in Vienna and it has been nice but if I had to do it over again I would have bought in Loudoun county, further out. That’s too far if you need to commute daily to DC. Reston is a good place to start looking with your budget.


OP here. Yes, commute to DC everyday + traveling to other states as well every week for work. thank you for the suggestions.


How long is your commute now, OP? How long of a commute would you tolerate? Do your kids have sports and activities you need to get them to? Is it possible you might change jobs?

I was going to say don’t do this, but then I thought about it a little. I am a single mom with kids who are MS and HS. I work from home. If I had to start going to the office, my kids would be fine getting to and from school on their own, and are quite comfortable being at home without me in our very safe neighborhood. They can even hang out with friends and ride bikes places, and I trust them to not get into trouble or do bad things when I am not around. That said, it would be pretty hard to get them to and from sports practices without me around.

So, while part of me thinks it would be a nightmare, it really depends on you and your kids. We really do love our home and our neighborhood and it was worth the years I did have to spend commuting.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 14:00     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:Do you have to commute to DC everyday? We ended up in Vienna and it has been nice but if I had to do it over again I would have bought in Loudoun county, further out. That’s too far if you need to commute daily to DC. Reston is a good place to start looking with your budget.


OP here. Yes, commute to DC everyday + traveling to other states as well every week for work. thank you for the suggestions.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 13:44     Subject: Re:Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Townhouse/condo in Falls Church City. Some pluses for you:

- there's lots that your kids will be able to walk to, making life easier on you (community center, schools for sports practices, places to hang out with friends)
- commute is not terrible into DC
- great schools that are easy to work with because they are small -- if you're having a problem it is very easy to solve it without layers and layers of bureaucracy
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 12:25     Subject: Re:Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The Fox Mill Estates in the Herndon, Reston area of Virginia have simgle family homes in your price range. The MS is Rachel Carson and the HS is South Lakes High School. SLHS is an IB program. The kids in the IB program have pretty good college placements.

Franklin Farms is near by and similarly priced housing, it might be a bit more expensive. The HS is Chantilly HS.


A single family in this area in that budget will be tight. A townhouse is very possible.


Single Family homes in Fox Mill are in the $700,000 range.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 11:56     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mclean, Arlington , fcc.

Not with that budget, no shade, I rent in Arlington


Yes to a decent townhome.

Not many with 3 bedrooms in that price range in Arlington
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 09:19     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Arlington
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 09:18     Subject: Re:Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:The Fox Mill Estates in the Herndon, Reston area of Virginia have simgle family homes in your price range. The MS is Rachel Carson and the HS is South Lakes High School. SLHS is an IB program. The kids in the IB program have pretty good college placements.

Franklin Farms is near by and similarly priced housing, it might be a bit more expensive. The HS is Chantilly HS.


A single family in this area in that budget will be tight. A townhouse is very possible.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 08:42     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mclean, Arlington , fcc.

Not with that budget, no shade, I rent in Arlington


Yes to a decent townhome.
Anonymous
Post 09/23/2024 07:48     Subject: Relocating to VA/MD from DC
If you like where you’re living now, and you feel good about DCPS, I would consider staying there. I think single parents need to be even more commute-sensitive. You can make a solid financial plan based on renting. In the grand scheme of things, waiting 10 more years to buy is not going to make or break you.