5 Northern Virginia Suburbs of Washington DC You Ought to Think about Transferring
It’s so arduous to maneuver to this space with such a wide range of selections and value of actual property. You’ve in all probability checked websites like Area of interest.com and puzzled if their rankings have been correct. Newsflash, they aren’t. I’ve a video on Area of interest’s prime Arlington neighborhoods and among the neighborhoods weren’t even actual. Watch out for AI Rubbish folks. Don’t belief AI Rubbish when making main life choices.
That is my listing, my, “If I have been home looking once more, listed here are the locations I’d contemplate in Northern Virginia for my household” listing. On the finish, I’ll inform you the place I’d by no means wish to stay.
The 5 Northern Virginia Suburbs You Ought to Think about
Vienna
I admit it, I’m a Vienna booster. Vienna wins “Greatest All Round” within the Yearbook Superlatives for me. It’s stuffed with family-friendly neighborhoods, crawling with nice colleges and has a robust group really feel. It’s straightforward to satisfy folks and it’s near employment facilities. Vienna, Virginia is about 15 miles west of downtown Washington DC.
There’s a wide range of actual property in Vienna, however it’s on the pricier aspect of actual property for the world. The $800,000’s will get you a rambler or split-level dwelling. A lot of the patrons taking a look at Vienna would contemplate {that a} “teardown.” They may purchase the house for the valuable land on which it sits, and the placement and facilities Vienna has to supply. They may tear it down and construct an even bigger home as a replacement. Maple Avenue, which runs proper via Vienna, is stuffed with eating places which have stood the check of time, and supply a various array of meals varieties.
The city of Vienna has 12 Parks and the Vienna Recreation Middle provides leisure and academic applications in addition to festivals & concert events year-round. Chillin on Church is a month-to-month block social gathering that runs from June to September. There are Fourth of July fireworks at Yeonas Park, Oktoberfest, a Halloween Parade, Vacation Stroll, a Children on the Inexperienced summer season collection of occasions, Memorial Day Celebration and a Farmer’s Market. ViVa Vienna is a music and craft competition. The W&OD Path additionally runs proper via Vienna and lots of walkers, runners and bikers use this path day by day.
Lyon Park – Arlington
Lyon Park is about pretty much as good because it will get for individuals who love the city vibe however nonetheless like inexperienced house. This neighborhood has all the time attracted households for its proximity to DC for brief commute instances and facilities. Lyon Park has a pleasant feeling with many individuals strolling canine, biking and hanging out on the park. The streets are slender, discouraging speedy drivers and simple for teenagers to get to buddy’s homes. The park & playground in the course of the neighborhood function an anchor for everybody to go outdoors.
Clarendon metro is only a couple blocks away, in addition to the retailers and eating places alongside Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards. Arlington colleges are effectively rated, and you will notice lots of people who stay right here earlier than children, then keep within the neighborhood as soon as the children arrive on the scene. Properties are costly although, they begin within the $800,000’s when you’re fortunate to search out one thing at that value and go effectively into the $2M’s.
Del Ray – Alexandria
If dwelling in a neighborhood with solely native retailers and scrumptious mother and pop eating places, tons of walkability and an incredible sense of group sound like a dream, Del Ray is your spot. This neighborhood is tremendous well-liked amongst each households and people with out children. Del Ray could be very walkable, and it’s stroller and kid-friendly.
You’ll find row houses, townhomes, and duplexes sprinkled all through the neighborhood within the $500,000 – $1.5M vary. If you’d like a single-family dwelling, costs vary from the $600,000s as much as $2.5M. The recognition of Del Ray has pushed the house costs fairly excessive.
These costs differ so drastically due to age, situation, sq. footage, and site. Most houses within the decrease ranges require numerous renovation. Del Ray can also usually have moist basements, so examine your house completely and you should definitely herald any extra inspectors that might not be typical in different neighborhoods, similar to mildew.
Falls Church Metropolis
The Metropolis of Falls Church stands by itself. Cities in Virginia will not be inside counties, and town portion of Falls Church not solely has its personal authorities, however its personal faculty system as effectively. Contained inside 2.2 sq. miles, the inhabitants of Falls Church Metropolis is 14,000. It’s the second smallest metropolis within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Falls Church Metropolis is 6 miles east of Washington DC.
It’s not straightforward to purchase a home in Falls Church Metropolis. There are lots of bidding wars right here. Why do folks endure this trauma? Colleges are unbeatable.
A single-family dwelling right here might be within the $1M – $2M vary.
About 30% of Falls Church Metropolis is comprised of 1 particular person households, so it isn’t all households right here. The demographics town gives every year define the breakdown and 41% of households have 3 or extra folks.
The Metropolis of Falls Church has a little bit downtown space with numerous cool mother & pop locations. Route 7, which is named West Broad Road, runs proper via town and has a wide range of ethnic eating places – Greek, Italian, Irish, Bolivian, Thai, Salvadorean, Jamaican and Seafood. There’s quite a bit to select from and it’s all rated fairly shut to five stars. For espresso and pastries, Northside Social could be very well-liked in addition to Uncommon Fowl and Bakeshop.
West Springfield
When you’ve got children and wish nice colleges and facilities however you additionally wish to stay someplace with out the mansions and excessive costs like most of Northern Virginia, indubitably you need West Springfield. The affordability of West Springfield can’t be overstated. You may simply get a house right here within the $600,000 to $700,000’s. If you wish to spend extra you may, there are neighborhoods which are $1M+.
That is as nice of a low-key household group as you will discover right here. The Fairfax County Colleges that serve West Springfield are among the greatest within the space. Whereas extra residential feeling than different areas on this listing, you may have a ton of facilities close by which are so shut that you simply gained’t really feel remoted. Parks, trails, playgrounds and swimming pools, Hidden Pond Nature Middle.
Northern Virginia Suburbs You Shouldn’t Think about
So the place are these locations the place you shouldn’t stay? We will’t steer folks into or away from areas, however, these are locations the place I really feel the cons outweigh the professionals, or the cons are simply too sturdy to contemplate the professionals that exist.
Sterling
Earlier than I get nailed right here, I’ll say there are some superior elements of Sterling. There are! The northern elements, nearer to Potomac Falls are the whole lot the burbs needs to be. A number of large field shops make it tremendous handy, and numerous fairly superior eating places. It feels clear and new and naturally my very own private barometer of if I might stay there – there’s a Sweetwater Tavern, northeast of Dulles City Middle. There’s a Wegmans and Costco. However observe that I’m not a chain-restaurant or big-box snob, I like all that as a result of I didn’t develop up with it round me. In case you hate all that, then even the northern elements of Sterling in all probability aren’t for you.
So why is it on my listing of locations you shouldn’t transfer to? That is Floor Zero of the place 1/3 of all Web Information is housed, in lots of many knowledge facilities. You might not comprehend what this actually means so let’s break it down.
Do you know that 1/3 of all web knowledge on the earth is housed in Northern Virginia? These knowledge facilities expend a ton of energy as I’m certain you may think about. And that would significantly put the ability grid in jeopardy. The Virginia Division of Environmental High quality recommended that the information facilities use their mills extra. However, the mills are diesel fueled, and this isn’t so nice for air high quality. In case you stay in an space the place the Virginia Division of Environmental High quality suggests waiving air high quality guidelines to appease the information facilities, how do you assume you stand as a citizen? Did I point out that entire buzzing factor too? You’ll by no means get a second of peace and quiet, that buzzing will grow to be the background noise of your life. I’ve tried to seize this on video, but it surely’s almost inconceivable to listen to it.
If that wasn’t sufficient for you, you’re additionally within the shadow of Dulles Worldwide Airport. In case you don’t hear the information facilities buzzing, you’ll hear the airplanes. Additionally, the one chain restaurant I’ve lower ties with occurred for me in Sterling. The world’s costliest Benihana BS Chain Restaurant on the earth, so don’t go there. Critically. They needed like $40 for Hibachi Shrimp. That wasn’t even that good. Madness!
Crystal Metropolis
The 1980’s known as, and so they need their out of date workplace buildings and condos again.
Crystal Metropolis has been attempting to rebrand into Nationwide Touchdown for six years now. A little bit firm you may have in all probability heard of determined to place their second headquarters right here. Amazon. And BB – Earlier than Bezos, Crystal Metropolis was a neighborhood everybody sped via on their approach to some other place, like Previous City Alexandria. It was stuffed with workplaces and condos with excessive month-to-month charges – relics of the whole lot half-assed about 1980’s development.
Earlier than Bezos, these have been condos that sat available on the market. After Bezos, folks from all around the nation began snatching them up, sight-unseen, banking on the Amazon impact. How did that work out for them? The Amazon machine hasn’t panned out the way in which it was marketed. Final 12 months there was some job loss, and whereas Amazon has lately acknowledged it needs all staff again within the workplace 5 days per week, their hiring targets aren’t the place they have been promised they might be. They usually get a subsidy from the Commonwealth of Virginia for every new rent, so they have to be hurting.
Improvement is loopy in Crystal Metropolis however there’s nonetheless a lot ugly. The Costco right here wins the prize for being the world’s worst Costco, but it surely doesn’t cease me from going there and smashing my automotive via the parking zone. Talking of the parking zone, somebody was simply carjacked within the storage there. They’ve a six-story storage and floor parking, I’m undecided who parks within the storage. I’m additionally undecided who would wish to carjack somebody within the storage as a result of the road to get out of there’s just like the traces attempting to depart a live performance. You may’t actually make a fast getaway.
Additionally did I point out you’re proper subsequent to the airport? Like, proper subsequent to it.
Manassas
Individuals transfer to Manassas as a result of it’s cheaper, however, I’m going to let the map do the speaking. Do you see what I see? It’s nowhere close to a freeway that goes anyplace useful. Certain you may take the Prince William County Parkway however that’s going to take you from one bed room group to a different. If you must get to work, you’re possible going to go north to 66, and that would take ceaselessly. Individuals commuting to Centreville report that it might probably take anyplace from 30 – 75 minutes.
Individuals depart Manassas due to the commute. The commute from Manassas to just about anyplace else is terrible. In case you don’t consider me, you may ask Michael. He left town to purchase a home in Manassas and I made enjoyable of him for a 12 months. First he claimed it wasn’t that far and he might get there in the identical time it took him to get throughout town. Joke’s on him – He moved out and you’ll too.
Alexandria – Particularly, Huntington
Once you depart the allure and loving embrace you’re feeling in Previous City Alexandria and head south, you’ll marvel when you by some means went from Boston to Gary Indiana in a cut up second. After you move some ugly excessive rise residences, right here come the sketchy motels. I’m going to let the video do the speaking right here.
There you may have it, the unfiltered, non-sponsored listing of what I consider to be the most effective and worst of Northern Virginia!
