DCUM Forum

Anonymous

10/20/2020 09:22 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up there. It's a nice place, but I definitely wouldn't advise someone who wasn't from there to move there.

Yes, it is more liberal than the strereotype IN PARTS (there was a growing gay community there even back in the 90s) but it's very cliquey and traditional. A LOT of people grow up in Richmond and stay there - like most of my graduating class (I went to one of the well known private schools there). I'm surprised by how many are still voting Trump and weren't thrilled about the statues coming down. These are high income, well educated folks.

I'd be careful making too many assumptions about Henrico schools. They are fine, but it's a GS problem. There are parts that are less diverse/higher income and they have good ratings....doesn't mean good schools necessarily.

I'm in Henrico and at least 1/4 of the people in my neighborhood are former NoVA transplants, including myself, and also tons of people from NY (Westchester County); I had no problems making friends. If you went to private school in RVA, then you're at least a decade behind of the reality here. I have two kids in the Henrico schools (ES and MS) and the schools are exceptional - much more diverse than FFX (higher percentage of AA and South Asians) and yes, higher income (6.6% free or reduced lunch vs. 8.3% at McLean or 9.9% at Madison). I don't claim to know everyone's voting patterns, but I see more Biden/Harris/Spanberger signs than Trump. Henrico voted solidly Democrat, much more than Loudoun County, for example. Even Chesterfield, which is more conservative than Henrico, is weak red, but I don't see why would anyone move to Chesterfield. If you are single or willing to play the school lottery, move to Richmond City. If you are UMC/MC and need or want public schools, move to Henrico. If you want country and have $$$$, pick Charlottesville.
Not everything is great. The private schools in the area are horrid and the college admissions are laughable. My neighbor put her kids through private school and then public for high school. They needed heavy tutoring to catch up and be ready for (mediocre) colleges.

https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/virginia

If you are saying all schools in Henrico are great, you either have an agenda, a chip on your shoulder because you can't afford those privates (many of which have a great reputation) or are just plain wrong.

Some of the schools in Henrico are fine, some are great, but like anywhere, you have to do your research. I'd be wary of anyone who says all the privates in a city are horrid while at the same time saying all public schools in a large county are great.

Anonymous

10/20/2020 09:08 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

OP here

That house (https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4220-Kingcrest-Pkwy_Richmond_VA_23221_M68492-19316) is wonderful. I love the dog on the porch too.

But...here's the funny thing...we could afford around 800-900k with great public schools (we need middle/high) or 500k with private. The more expensive nice homes are in the city itself, which seem like not great schools (I have one kid who might test into one of the magnets, one wont). So it looks like henrico county would make more sense school/finance wise, although I love the idea of city living.

Anonymous

10/19/2020 13:44 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't go wrong with Richmond if you buy in the "right" neighborhoods. Walkable, tight-knit city with beautiful housing stock. Once they build high-speed rail to DC Richmond is going to explode.

"Near" West End (best elementary school in the city):

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4220-Kingcrest-Pkwy_Richmond_VA_23221_M68492-19316

Realtor alert

Well, congrats to the realtor, because I love this house. I'm not moving to Richmond, but I love this house.

It’s a nice house in a nice spot. Richmonders on the whole do take a lot of pride in their houses.

Anonymous

10/19/2020 12:58 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't go wrong with Richmond if you buy in the "right" neighborhoods. Walkable, tight-knit city with beautiful housing stock. Once they build high-speed rail to DC Richmond is going to explode.

"Near" West End (best elementary school in the city):

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4220-Kingcrest-Pkwy_Richmond_VA_23221_M68492-19316

Realtor alert

Well, congrats to the realtor, because I love this house. I'm not moving to Richmond, but I love this house.

Anonymous

10/19/2020 11:29 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote: one of us can work remotely with very occasional trips into DC. other would work in a state agency in Richmond. two kids, upper elementary school. we are liberal academic types, from west coast and NYC originally but in dc for a long time. a big pro for us would be housing affordability (bigger house plus good public schools in henrico), less traffic, downsides are--being further from friends, not as many cultural activities, not sure how southern/conservative richmond is.

You can find your people there if you look. My suggestion is to get connected with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship down there. That made all the difference for us when we lived in Fredericksburg.

Anonymous

10/19/2020 11:24 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

So I live in Loudoun (but the eastern edge) which obviously makes my home more affordable than other parts of the DMV. But for me to me move to Richmond, in a desirable school district, to a similar size home, would cost me within 100k of the same price as my house here, the only difference is it might be newer. For the slightly higher amount we spend to live here, it is MORE than made up for in additional salary and career growth potential.

Anonymous

10/19/2020 10:35 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

I lived in the Fan during my 20s and now have family that live in the suburbs. I love Richmond and personally find it much nicer than the Northern VA suburbs. There's so much more culture and energy and vibrancy there. A cool city with a lot going on, similar amenities to NOVA but a lot more affordable, good schools, really good location. You're still pretty close to DC but even closer to the beach/Eastern Shore and other places, such as Charlottesville and the mountains, North Carolina, etc.

It's very liberal there. There are definitely pockets of "old money" Richmonders and right-leaning types, but they are definitely not the majority.

I overall get the impression that life is a lot less stressful there compared to the DC area, and that's enough for me to like it more. A more relaxed pace of living.

We have some friends that lived in the RVA suburbs for a long time but are retiring closer to the city - buying older properties in the West End/Museum District and renovating them. They're having a lot of fun and love the change of pace.

Anonymous

10/18/2020 19:17 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:You can't go wrong with Richmond if you buy in the "right" neighborhoods. Walkable, tight-knit city with beautiful housing stock. Once they build high-speed rail to DC Richmond is going to explode.

The Fan:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2114-Hanover-Ave_Richmond_VA_23220_M54087-03086

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2412-Grove-Ave_Richmond_VA_23220_M52744-63641

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2507-Kensington-Ave_Richmond_VA_23220_M53137-41944

Museum District (younger than the Fan, less expensive and smaller homes):

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3417-Hanover-Ave_Richmond_VA_23221_M52163-69705

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3318-Hanover-Ave_Richmond_VA_23221_M63851-45312

"Near" West End (best elementary school in the city):

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4220-Kingcrest-Pkwy_Richmond_VA_23221_M68492-19316

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3900-Park-Ave_Richmond_VA_23221_M56106-40075

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1404-Sauer-Ave_Richmond_VA_23230_M62377-64807

Realtor alert

Anonymous

10/18/2020 18:43 Subject: Re:would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous

10/18/2020 18:32 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking of moving to the Fan. Live in close in MoCo now, walkable-ish to Bethesda. Want more walkability.

Looking for greater variety of people, more local business, more arts scene, also more grittiness. Tired of the sameness.

1 child so am thinking private for middle and try to test into a magnet for high school.

Is this doable?

Yes that’s what most people in your income bracket do. I live in the fan and love it here. A previous poster said you wouldn’t find many kids but I don’t think that’s true my daughter is in seventh grade now (we’ve been here since she was 4) but there are tons of kids in the fan and the museum district

+1, TONS of kids in the Fan and Museum District. My friend's block of Floyd will put cones out on the weekends so their kids can play basketball and ride bikes in the street with the neighborhood kids. It's a community in the truest sense of the word. Parents out with beer and wine socializing and watching the kids play until it gets dark. Every weekend. Never had anything like it in DC (probably too much traffic). Richmond is also a very friendly city. Everyone waves to each other even when jogging, cycling, etc.

Anonymous

10/18/2020 18:26 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:Thinking of moving to the Fan. Live in close in MoCo now, walkable-ish to Bethesda. Want more walkability.

Looking for greater variety of people, more local business, more arts scene, also more grittiness. Tired of the sameness.

1 child so am thinking private for middle and try to test into a magnet for high school.

Is this doable?

Yes that’s what most people in your income bracket do. I live in the fan and love it here. A previous poster said you wouldn’t find many kids but I don’t think that’s true my daughter is in seventh grade now (we’ve been here since she was 4) but there are tons of kids in the fan and the museum district

Anonymous

10/18/2020 17:51 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

Thinking of moving to the Fan. Live in close in MoCo now, walkable-ish to Bethesda. Want more walkability.

Looking for greater variety of people, more local business, more arts scene, also more grittiness. Tired of the sameness.

1 child so am thinking private for middle and try to test into a magnet for high school.

Is this doable?

Anonymous

10/18/2020 17:40 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

Anonymous wrote:It's all about cigarettes
and a love for Philip Morris
Richmond needs a major PR reset

You chime in with the cigarette stuff on every RVA thread. Get a new hobby.

Anonymous

10/18/2020 17:29 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

It's all about cigarettes
and a love for Philip Morris
Richmond needs a major PR reset

Anonymous

10/18/2020 17:15 Subject: would you live in Richmond, VA?

I totally would.