Considering there is NO chance of the Dulles commuter having a public transport option, I think putting this family closer in doesn't make a lot of sense. This is why we looked no further east than the Parkway (immediate surrounding areas) with a commuter going to Ashburn.

And while Annandale, Springfield and Alexandria/Fort Hunt would work for some, I just don't think they work in this situation.

Yes, the person going downtown is going to have a longer commute coming from Fairfax or Reston/Herndon, but at least there are options for public transportation where part of your commute you might be able to read a book or a newspaper or something.

Arlington to Dulles? And Arlington on that budget? Really?

Your goal really should be to be as close to mid-point as you can get, and I just think people are projecting their feelings about certain areas without consideration of this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a commute under 1 hour, FORGET burke, dulles area, and fairfax. Frankly, I would stay inside the beltway.

I would look in this part of Alexandria that's in Fairfax County - in 22310. Claremont E.S. is pretty good. While Twain isn't the best H.S., it is certainly not the worst in NoVA either, and only about 35% FARMS. We were considering this house in particular which is way below your budget.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/3408-Sharon-Chapel-Rd-22310/home/9758699

You do not know that of which you speak.

I live in Fairfax City near the Vienna metro and it takes me 45 minutes to drive to the corner of 17th and K using I66. This INCLUDES my bad habit of stopping at Starbucks for a coffee each day.

Route 66 is HOV only during rush hour - she would have to take 123 all the way to GW parkway (way over an hour - crossing Vienna is BRUTAL during rush hour)

Yes it is. I take it because I have a hybrid. One can also take route 50 which moves fairly well. Or of course, the metro.

Anonymous wrote:Are the Burke robots at it again?

Fairfax County Parkway is a parking lot going NB in the morning and SB in the PM.

Fairfax City has better options for getting into DC, has lower taxes, less chance of an HOA, is closer to Reston, is more walkable, is closer to a wider range of main street + big box shopping, and is as cheap as Burke.

In your shoes, I'd look at Herndon and just avoid the highest-FARMS ES feeders (e.g. Dogwood). If you can find a TH in Reston that's near a park you get a backyard that you don't have to care for.

You can also take Ox Road (Rt. 123) to Hunter Mill and get to Dulles. My husband does this all the time, and it's not bad at all. Look at a map!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a commute under 1 hour, FORGET burke, dulles area, and fairfax. Frankly, I would stay inside the beltway.

I would look in this part of Alexandria that's in Fairfax County - in 22310. Claremont E.S. is pretty good. While Twain isn't the best H.S., it is certainly not the worst in NoVA either, and only about 35% FARMS. We were considering this house in particular which is way below your budget.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/3408-Sharon-Chapel-Rd-22310/home/9758699

You do not know that of which you speak.

I live in Fairfax City near the Vienna metro and it takes me 45 minutes to drive to the corner of 17th and K using I66. This INCLUDES my bad habit of stopping at Starbucks for a coffee each day.

Route 66 is HOV only during rush hour - she would have to take 123 all the way to GW parkway (way over an hour - crossing Vienna is BRUTAL during rush hour)

Anonymous wrote:For a commute under 1 hour, FORGET burke, dulles area, and fairfax. Frankly, I would stay inside the beltway.

I would look in this part of Alexandria that's in Fairfax County - in 22310. Claremont E.S. is pretty good. While Twain isn't the best H.S., it is certainly not the worst in NoVA either, and only about 35% FARMS. We were considering this house in particular which is way below your budget.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/3408-Sharon-Chapel-Rd-22310/home/9758699

You do not know that of which you speak.

I live in Fairfax City near the Vienna metro and it takes me 45 minutes to drive to the corner of 17th and K using I66. This INCLUDES my bad habit of stopping at Starbucks for a coffee each day.

Anonymous wrote:20171 - Oak Hill. convenient to commuter buses / vienna metro for DC, and routes west to Dulles. Nice schools, nice lots.

I hate Oakton because of the westbbound 123 or Rt 66 traffic, but if the person commuting to/from DC only takes the metro, then Oakton is a perfect choice if you can find a place in your budget.

Anonymous wrote:For a commute under 1 hour, FORGET burke, dulles area, and fairfax. Frankly, I would stay inside the beltway.

I would look in this part of Alexandria that's in Fairfax County - in 22310. Claremont E.S. is pretty good. While Twain isn't the best H.S., it is certainly not the worst in NoVA either, and only about 35% FARMS. We were considering this house in particular which is way below your budget.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/3408-Sharon-Chapel-Rd-22310/home/9758699

Same poster - I guess the drive to Dulles would probably be about an hour, but soon there will be the metro to dulles.

Anonymous wrote:22308/ Fort Hunt

For a commute to Dulles? No way.

Also, you'd be very unlikely to get an updated SFH in Fort Hunt for $475K.

For a commute under 1 hour, FORGET burke, dulles area, and fairfax. Frankly, I would stay inside the beltway.

I would look in this part of Alexandria that's in Fairfax County - in 22310. Claremont E.S. is pretty good. While Twain isn't the best H.S., it is certainly not the worst in NoVA either, and only about 35% FARMS. We were considering this house in particular which is way below your budget.

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/3408-Sharon-Chapel-Rd-22310/home/9758699

22308/ Fort Hunt

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax City, 22030 -- check Country Club Hills, Old Lee Hills, and Great Oaks (recently featured in the WaPo Real Estate section at http://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/neighborhood-profile-great-oaks/2013/01/24/a17692d4-6019-11e2-a389-ee565c81c565_story.html).

Elementary schools are Daniels Run and Providence, middle school is Lanier, high school is Fairfax. These are solid schools but not the best of the best.

+ 1. Orange line too.

20171 - Oak Hill. convenient to commuter buses / vienna metro for DC, and routes west to Dulles. Nice schools, nice lots.

You might consider South Arlington, aiming for houses in-boundary for Patrick Henry or Oakridge. You could easily take the bus into DC.

Or for the ease of the Dulles commute, check out some neighborhoods around 22031 and surrounding zips that are near Dunn Loring and Vienna metro. I took metro from there to DC for years and it was pretty pleasant. You'd want to consider townhouses - there are a bunch of them out there, generally newer than the SFH in your range. Schools might feed into Oakton, Woodson, Fairfax HS or Falls Church HS depending on the elementary school.

Springfield has some nice, but small and older, houses in that range right around Hunt Valley Elementary. Hunt Valley is a good school and the neighborhood is really solid, and many of the houses back onto county parkland. You can metro or take 395 into the city with no time on the crowded part of the Parkway. The kitchens are small though. http://www.zillow.com/homes/22152_rb/