Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Linda Tripp lived in Middleburg after the Monica thing.

She used to work in the Christmas store.

She owned the Christmas Sleigh

She married the owner. He still owns it. He used to be there all the time. Not sure since covid.

I’d like to hear more about Warrenton. Looking for a cute town to retire to in VA that is more affordable than the DMV but still will allow the occasional trip into the DMV for museums, concerts, etc. What’s the sense of community like? Things to do? Demographics (e.g., kids vs. empty nesters)? Are there particular areas, neighborhoods that you recommend?

Anonymous wrote:The real money is in The Plains. Middleburg is where they go to gas up, caffeine up and pick up carry-out.

Well yeah, that’s what people do in towns.

The real money is in The Plains. Middleburg is where they go to gas up, caffeine up and pick up carry-out.

It’s really far but Lexington is very cute and the mountains are lovely.

Anonymous wrote:Visiting Middleburg as a place to walk around and look into worthless expensive shops (horse pictures, olive oil) is ok for something to do on a down day. Living there??No way. The homes are mostly teardowns/ crumbling old.

By that rationale Old Town and Kalorama are crumbling/old. Some of us want some character, history and charm and to not live in a depressingly homogeneous cul-de-sac in a Toll Brothers spec house.

Middleburg is one of the most charming towns near DC and would be a nice place to live. I agree with PPs suggestion to check out Warrenton, especially if you are middle class and not in need of one of Middleburg’s many wealth management firms. I’d feel out of place living in Middleburg if I didn’t have blue blood, old money wealth. Plus Warrenton is closer to Skyline Drive and all the waterfalls and trails there. Being 1:15 from DC and 1:00 from Skyline Drive in a charming small town is a nice mix.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I agree I’m not a horse person.

What other nearby-ish areas would be a great place to live. I don’t want new construction in a McMansion. Looking for a charming downtown, and a neighborhood with nice classic homes. Definitely prefer having neighbors, I don’t need a ton of acreage.

I actually think Middleburg is a great option. Or downtown Leesburg.

You need to go further out of DC for this, Middleburg is just the start. But really, until you get to I-81, you will be limited to suburbs or horse farms. Winchester, Staunton, and Lexington along the I-81 corridor are your best bet for a "charming downtown." Berryville is quaint but small compared to the others, and no college to round out the inhabitants. If you don't need mountains, have you considered Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania ("Spotsy")?

I agree with all these suggestions. Gordonsville and historic Orange are surprisingly nice, too.

Some areas of Fauquier place limits on the number of homes that can be built on a plot of land. Our property is one house per 50 acres. So, you have no development rights essentially. Not all areas of the county are like this, but some are and it’s something to be aware of.

+1 for Old Town Warrenton. We bought a weekend place outside of town and love it there. The downtown area has some beautiful historic homes. Much less pretentious than Middleburg.

The old part of Warrenton is really nice and real estate is relatively inexpensive. The thing about Loudon and Fauquier counties is that there is incredible growth pressure. Good if you want to invest in real estate - bad if you are moving there for the bucolic lifestyle.

Visiting Middleburg as a place to walk around and look into worthless expensive shops (horse pictures, olive oil) is ok for something to do on a down day. Living there??No way. The homes are mostly teardowns/ crumbling old.

In Maryland, you might like Frederick, Particularly the Baker Park area. Annapolis obviously has old town charm. Shepherdstown in WV.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I agree I’m not a horse person.

What other nearby-ish areas would be a great place to live. I don’t want new construction in a McMansion. Looking for a charming downtown, and a neighborhood with nice classic homes. Definitely prefer having neighbors, I don’t need a ton of acreage.

Winchester? Leesburg?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Linda Tripp lived in Middleburg after the Monica thing.

She used to work in the Christmas store.

She owned the Christmas Sleigh

Didn't her friendship with Monica last a lifetime?

Anonymous wrote:I live in Warrenton. It has a cute old town vibe. Holiday parades, cute stores, restaurants. Houses range in price. Just be sure they have high speed internet. They are working on getting it everywhere

I will echo the posters who have said Warrenton. We just moved here and are walkable to the adorable downtown area and absolutely love it. We are in town so our internet (Xfinity) has not been a problem, but we were warned that as you get west of town the internet coverage can be spotty at best.