Anonymous wrote:OP, I got everything you were looking for in a Kings Park west home. Four bedrooms upstairs, large bedroom in finished basement with a bath and an updated kitchen/opened up floor plan. Look for updated Baron models.

Springfield = MS13

You are crazy to move to Chantilly. Move to Vienna or Mclean or North Arlington.

OP, I got everything you were looking for in a Kings Park west home. Four bedrooms upstairs, large bedroom in finished basement with a bath and an updated kitchen/opened up floor plan. Look for updated Baron models.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I work at GMU and we currently live in MoCo and the commute is killing me. We have our first kid and I don't get home til 7pm most nights, leaving at 5pm. DH works downtown but he is also often out of the country for work, which is why we're trying to lessen my commute. His is currently around 1hr 20min with his drive to the metro and metroing in. Just wondering whether it's be any worse than it is now.

For those of you who say the area is bland (but walkable, that sounds nice) - is it easy enough to get to areas like FFX, Vienna, and Tysons if we want a change of place? Our current place makes it easy to either go to Rockville, Bethesda, or downtown SS when we feel like venturing out.

Have you considered Burke? It's just a few miles from GMU, and there are two VRE stations here that go right into DC. Plus it's a great community, we've lived here for 11 years and love it.

Look in Mosby Woods in Fairfax City. Good Commute to Mason and not far from the Vienna Metro. The neighborhood has a pool you can join and there are two very nice parks and the city is working to expand the bike trail in the area. Can walk to a few restaurants and CVS. Fairfax City has a great library and lots of nice events going on downtown.

Home Prices range from about 480,000 to 550.000 depending on renos, so you would have money from an addition or a kitchen upgrade. The lots are a decent size.

This one would be an easy commute to GMU. Your DH could take the FC Connector from Fair Lakes.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Fairfax/5100-Firethorne-Ct-22030/home/9613198

Anonymous wrote:OP, you say that his commute is currently 1 hour, 20 minutes, so you just need something equal to or less than that. yes? Why not expand your search to areas where your husband can take a commuter bus to Vienna Metro?

Fair Lakes for instance. Your husband could take a bus from the Stringfellow commuter lot to Vienna Metro, which would be about 30 minutes. Then, metro from Vienna to McPherson is another 30 minutes (not including getting from the bus to the metro, waiting for the next train, etc.). If you were somewhere close to the commuter lot, it would be just about the same commute...

Annandale would also be a similar commute--bus to metro. And both locations would be an easy commute for you to GMU.

My husband is doing this commute temporarily. He said Rosslyn to vienna metro to stringfellow lot is about an hour total. A bus leaves the vienna metro every 10 min.

Greenbriar poster here - lots of our friends in the neighborhood work at Mason. I have never heard them complain about their commute.

Again, that said, definitely look at Burke area.

Also, I don't get it - wtf is wrong with fair lakes? It has a ton of stores and restaurants. Yes, overgrown strip malls, but it serves the purpose most need it to serve.

OP, you say that his commute is currently 1 hour, 20 minutes, so you just need something equal to or less than that. yes? Why not expand your search to areas where your husband can take a commuter bus to Vienna Metro?

Fair Lakes for instance. Your husband could take a bus from the Stringfellow commuter lot to Vienna Metro, which would be about 30 minutes. Then, metro from Vienna to McPherson is another 30 minutes (not including getting from the bus to the metro, waiting for the next train, etc.). If you were somewhere close to the commuter lot, it would be just about the same commute...

Annandale would also be a similar commute--bus to metro. And both locations would be an easy commute for you to GMU.

As I understand it, OP's husband works at McPherson Square. It's a straight shot on the orange line whereas VRE would require a transfer to the orange line. Plus there's literally like six trains every morning and if you miss one, you have to wait 40 minutes for the next one. That doesn't seem to be a good option.

OP here. Sounds like Chantilly is an awful option. This is why I thought to come here and get ideas of commutes from folks more familiar with the area - I only really drive to work when I'm in FFX.

Like I said, we're also looking at Burke and FFX, but Vienna seems really out of our price range. We're looking for four bedrooms, one of which would be a guest, and needing enough area to have an office if DH or I choose to telework. I need yard if we're not within walking distance of parks (less than a mile) and I'd prefer a garage and/or lots of storage space. And we need a big kitchen, we love to cook and that's just part of our family/friend culture - that's the biggest factor that's keeping a lot of these houses out of the running. And DH wants lots of natural light.

I could go down to three rooms but we're under pressure from DH's family to go larger to host holidays now.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Fairfax/4071-Glendale-Way-22030/home/50278320

1 mile to GMU, 5 miles to VRE

A Chantilly to DC commute is unthinkable IMO.

I get that the houses aren't new or big, but OP could literally get walking distance to work for below budget. Instead she wants a new build to decrease headaches? I don't understand this logic. I work in tysons and DH works downtown, we dream of being in that situation. You have a kid! prioritize time with her! it's never coming back!

OP, here is a cute place in Burke/Fairfax. You could theoretically walk to GMU (I used to when I was in college) and your husband could walk to the VRE. There are also commuter busses. This is kind of retro but I think cute. What are your thoughts, so we know how to direct you? Too old? Too small? Or something you would be interested in? Once we know what you want to get in a house for 600-700, you will get better suggestions.

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Fairfax/10403-Nellie-White-Ln-22032/home/9727947